1955 - Elvis Presley agrees to let Col. Tom Parker be his manager. Not really a colonel, Parker was a flamboyant promoter whose previous experience includes The Great Parker Pony Circus and Tom Parker And His Dancing Turkeys and was a veteran of carnivals, medicine shows and various other entertainment enterprises.
1980 - The morning after throwing a farewell party for his band the Eagles at his Los Angeles home, Don Henley is arrested after calling 911 to get treatment for a girl who was apparently having a seizure.
As reported in GQ, Henley called a madam who arranged for the girl, who turned out to be 16 (Henley claims he did not know her age and did not have sex with her). When she showed signs of a seizure the next morning, Henley made the call and medical personnel arrived. Hours later, police arrive to arrest Henley, who pleads no contest to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor that lands him a fine and two years' probation.
Henley claims he took the fall for the roadies who supplied the drugs. "I took complete blame for everything," he tells GQ. "I was stupid; I could have flushed everything down the toilet. I didn't want this girl dying in my house."
1980 - Steely Dan releases Gaucho. Aja was cool, relaxed, and controlled; it sounded deceptively easy. Its follow-up, Gaucho, while sonically similar, is its polar opposite: a precise and studied record, where all of the seams show. Gaucho essentially replicates the smooth jazz-pop of Aja, but with none of that record's dark, seductive romance or elegant aura. Instead, it's meticulous and exacting. But it does feature three songs that become staples of their catalog, Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen, and Time Out Of Mind.
1987 - Billy Idol knocked Tiffany from the No. 1 single position on the U.S. singles chart with his version of Tommy James "Mony Mony". Ironically, Tiffany had been at No. 1 with another Tommy James song, "I Think We're Alone Now." That's the same song Billy Joe Armstrong covered in 2020.
1991 - An animated Aerosmith perform "Walk This Way" on the "Flaming Moe's" episode of The Simpsons. The band is one of the first musical guests on the show.
The band appeared at Moe's Tavern after Moe began serving the "Flaming Moe" drink (actually the "Flaming Homer," renamed by Moe). Moe asked the band to come on stage and play a song, and although they were initially reluctant, he managed to entice them with the promise of free pickled eggs.
1995 - Legendary manager of Led Zeppelin Peter Grant died from a heart attack aged 60. Known as being one of the shrewdest and most ruthless managers in rock history, Grant secured 90% of concert gate money and intimidated record store owners who dealt in bootlegs. The former wrestler, also worked as a film extra and bodyguard.
2003 - The newest members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced. Those who will join the distinguished list of previous inductees are George Harrison, Prince, ZZ Top, Jackson Browne, The Dells, Bob Seger and Traffic. George Harrison will become the third Beatle to enter the Rock Hall as a solo performer; John Lennon was inducted in 1992 and Paul McCartney in 1999. The group was inducted in 1988.
2017 - Actor, singer, songwriter, and guitarist David Cassidy died at the age of 67. He was known for his role as Keith Partridge, the son of Shirley Partridge (played by his stepmother Shirley Jones), in the 70s musical-sitcom The Partridge Family, which led to him becoming one of pop culture's teen idols.
Birthdays:
Dr. John (born Malcolm John Rebennack) was born today in 1941. Dr. John first became a star by taking the sounds and traditions of New Orleans blues, jazz, and R&B and twisting them into new forms, as evidenced by his run from 1969's Gris Gris to 1974's hit In the Right Place. As time went by, he would become one of the strongest proponents of the Crescent City's musical heritage, celebrating the songs that made the city -- as well as the men and women who made them -- great. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for City Winery Nashville)
David Porter is 81. A prolific songwriter, he's known for contributing to hits like Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin," and Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It."
Icelandic singer, songwriter and actress Bjork is 57. She has had an impressive career over four decades and is known for her eclectic and eccentric music styles. She came onto the scene as lead singer of The Sugarcubes (with the 1987 single "Birthday") and then embarked on a solo career in 1993.
Lissie is 40. A singer songwriter that spent a brief period at Colorado State University. Maybe you saw her headline at the Aggie?
On This Day In Music History was sourced from This Day in Music, Allmusic, Song Facts, Simpsons Wiki, Classic Bands, and Wikipedia.