1969 - Johnny Cash released the single, 'A Boy Named Sue', a song written by Shel Silverstein. Cash was at the height of his popularity when he recorded the song live at California's San Quentin State Prison at a concert on February 24, 1969. The song tells the tale of a young man's quest for revenge on a father who abandoned him at 3 years of age and whose only contribution to his entire life was naming him Sue.
1977 - Elvis Costello was arrested as he performed outside a CBS Records sales conference at The London Hilton Hotel. Elvis was busking outside the meeting trying to get an audition for a record deal. Costello is taken away and fined, but CBS would invite him back for a proper audition, which he passed. Soon afterward, he and The Attractions would be signed to the label.
1977 - Led Zeppelin cut short their 11th North American tour after Robert Plant's five-year-old-son Karac died unexpectedly of a virus at their home in England.
1986 - Peter Gabriel hits #1 in the US with "Sledgehammer," bumping his old band, Genesis (with "Invisible Touch") out of the top spot. Gabriel said regarding the theme of this song: "Sometimes sex can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well."
1990 - Brent Mydland from The Grateful Dead was found dead on the floor of his home aged 38 from a drug overdose. His eleven-year tenure was longer than that of any other keyboardist in the band.
2013 - Oklahoma guitarist J.J. Cale, who wrote the songs died at age 74. With his laid-back rootsy style, J.J. Cale was best-known for writing "After Midnight" and "Cocaine," songs that Eric Clapton later made into hits. But Cale's influence wasn't only through songwriting -- his distinctly loping sense of rhythm and shuffling boogie became the blueprint for the roots rock of Clapton and Mark Knopfler, among others. Cale's songs have been covered by everyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd (Cal Me The Breeze) and Clapton to Neil Young and the Allman Brothers, to Beck, John Mayer, and Band of Horses, to name a few, and have been used extensively in film and television.
2015 - In a field just outside of Cesena, Italy, 1000 musicians and singers play Foo Fighters "Learn to Fly" simultaneously with the dream of attracting the band to play a show in their city for the first time in nearly 20 years. In a true storybook ending, on November 3, Foo Fighters take the stage at Nuova Teatro Calisport in Cesena.
2020 - English blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green died in his sleep age 73. As the founder of Fleetwood Mac, his songs, such as 'Albatross', 'Black Magic Woman', 'Oh Well', 'The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)' and 'Man of the World' became world wide hits. Green left the band in 1970 as he struggled with his mental health.
Birthdays
Darlene Love is 81.
Mick Jagger is 79. As the lead singer for the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger virtually invented the concept of the rock & roll frontman. Taking his cues from soul singers, bluesmen, and Elvis Presley, Jagger crafted a magnetic, carnal persona (a comedian once opined he danced like "a chicken on acid" )that retained its charisma even after it was mimicked and expanded by countless singers who followed in his footsteps. (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
Betty Davis an American funk and soul singer was born on this day in 1944. She passed away in 2022.
Dobie Gray, Drift Away singer, born on this day in 1946.
Roger Taylor, drummer from Queen, is 73.
On This Day In Music History are gathered from Anything and Everything Music, Allmusic, This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.