1967 - The photo session for the album cover of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band took place at Chelsea Manor studios in London, with photographer Michael Cooper.
Paul McCartney explained to Cooper the concept of the new album they had in mind. He wanted a collage that gathered life-sized cardboard cut-out photographs of famous historical figures standing together: famous actors (Marlon Brando, W.C. Fields, Tony Curtis), actresses (Mae West, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe), literary figures (Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde), fellow rocker (Bob Dylan, Dion), philosophers, yogis, comedians and more, plus dolls, instruments, greenery, statues and other ephemera.
Jesus and Hitler were among John Lennon’s choices, but they were left off the final list. Gandhi, meanwhile, was disallowed by Sir Joseph Lockwood, the head of EMI, after he told them they would have problems having the sleeve printed in India.
It was all to be very colorful, in contrast to the stark black and white drawing that had graced their previous album cover, Revolver. One of the most famous, iconic, album covers ever. (Photo credit should read CHRIS YOUNG/AFP via Getty Images)
1970 - The album Bitches Brew by Miles Davis released. Thought by many to be among the most revolutionary albums in jazz history. Snaky guitar figures, keyboards riffing modal grooves, drums, congas and the trumpet of Miles. Bitches Brew is so forward-thinking that it retains its freshness and mystery in the 21st century.
1987 - Prince releases his ninth studio album, Sign o' the Times (often stylized as Sign "☮︎" the Times).
Fearless, eclectic, and defiantly messy, Prince's Sign 'O' the Times falls into the tradition of tremendous, chaotic double albums like The Beatles, Exile on Main St., and London Calling -- albums that are fantastic because of their overreach, their great sprawl. Prince shows nearly all of his cards here, from bare-bones electro-funk and smooth soul to pseudo-psychedelic pop and crunching hard rock, touching on gospel, blues, and folk along the way.
2001 - The Detroit Free Press breaks the news that Jack and Meg White of The White Stripes are not siblings as they claim, but former husband and wife. Court records show they were married in 1996 and divorced in 2000.
2020 - Soul singer Bill Withers died from heart complications aged 81. His hits include 'Just The Two Of Us', 'Lovely Day' and 'Use Me'. On 'Lovely Day', he set the record for the longest sustained note on a US chart hit, holding a high E for 18 seconds.
Birthdays:
Eric Clapton is 78. To be sure, there were flashy players in blues and rock prior to Clapton, but nothing along the lines of Clapton, whose fame quickly eclipsed Mayall's in the Bluesbreakers and whose playing became the centerpiece of Cream, the psychedelic power trio he co-led with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker between 1966 and 1968. Clapton was venerated for his fast-fingered solos (the "Slowhand" nickname was in jest) and that's what people came to see.
Eric Clapton is the only musician to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame three times, as a member of The Yardbirds, Cream and a solo artist.
Tracy Chapman is 59. A gifted storyteller with enduring appeal, Tracy Chapman's unexpected ascent from the Boston folk scene to mainstream popularity in the late 1980s proved pivotal in helping restore singer/songwriters to the spotlight. Delivered with an earthy grace, her simple melodies and affecting, often socially conscious lyrics resonated with fans around the globe.
Norah Jones is 44. Born Geetali Norah Shankar in New York City. Her father is the Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, but Norah never lives with him. Raised by her mom, the concert promoter Sue Jones, she grows up in Texas before venturing back to New York to pursue music in 1999.
On This Day In Music History was sourced from This Day in Music, Best Classic Bands, Beatles Bible, Ultimate Classic Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.