1965 - The Beatles "Help!" b/w "I'm Down" single was released. John Lennon has described this time of his life as his "fat Elvis period." In a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon said Help! is one of his favorite Beatles records, because, "I meant it - it's real." He added: "The lyric is as good now as it was then. It is no different, and it makes me feel secure to know that I was that aware of myself then. It was just me singing 'Help' and I meant it." The Beatles sped up the tempo to make it more commercial; Lennon intended it as a slow song.
1969 - Special guests on this week's Johnny Cash ABC television music variety show included, Ed Ames, Roy Clark, The Monkees and Joni Mitchell. Cash introduced The Monkees by playing the first verse of their hit 'Last Train To Clarksville' with The Monkees on backing vocals, The Monkees then performed a version of the Johnny Cash song 'Everybody Loves a Nut', with Cash. Watch below.
1980 - David Bowie begins his run as The Elephant Man at the Denver Center Of Performing Arts. The show does well, and Bowie takes the lead in the Broadway production later that year.
Here’s a line from a review in Variety:
“The acting debut on the American stage of rock singer David Bowie was greeted by a standing ovation in Denver when the singer, noted for his flamboyant musical style, took on the role of physically misshapen John Merrick, the human monster with a liking for culture.” (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)
1985- Joan Jett called up-and-coming heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson before his fight with Larry Sims, which Tyson won handily. The superstitious Tyson insisted on getting a call from Jett before every fight, which he did until breaking tradition for his bout against Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990 - Tyson's first loss.
1995 - Clueless debuts in theaters, reviving the teen movie genre and boosting the film career of Alicia Silverstone. The accompanying soundtrack gives retro hits a modern makeover, including the Counting Crows cover of The Psychedelic Furs "The Ghost in Me", which was recorded in KBCO Studio C. KBCO Studio C received no credit. Hollywood, right?
Birthdays:
R&B and Jazz guitarist Phil Upchurch (who recorded with B.B King, Curtis Mayfield and many others) is 81.
George Frayne of Commander Cody...he is the Commander...is 78.
Brian Harold May, Queen guitarist, is 75 today.
Bernie Leadon, guitarist for Eagles, is 75.
Keith Godchaux, keyboardist for The Grateful Dead, was born today in 1948. He passed away in 1980.
Allen Collins, guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd, was born today in 1952. He passed away in 1990.
Kevin Haskins, drummer for Bauhaus, Tones on Tail and Love & Rockets is 62.
On this Day In Music History was sourced from Davidbowie.com, This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.