971 - Led Zeppelin released their fourth album. Generally referred to as "Led Zeppelin IV", "Four Symbols" or "The Fourth Album", it had no official title. Encompassing heavy metal, folk, pure rock & roll, and blues, Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album is a monolithic record, defining not only Led Zeppelin but the sound and style of '70s hard rock. Expanding on the breakthroughs of III, Zeppelin fuse their majestic hard rock with a mystical, rural English folk that gives the record an epic scope.
"Stairway to Heaven" is the most famous, and not unjustly. Building from a simple fingerpicked acoustic guitar to a storming torrent of guitar riffs and solos, it encapsulates the entire album in one song. Which, of course, isn't discounting the rest of the album. "Going to California" is the group's best folk song, and the rockers are endlessly inventive, whether it's the complex, multi-layered "Black Dog," the pounding hippie satire "Misty Mountain Hop," or the funky riffs of "Four Sticks.
The 19th century rustic oil painting on the front of the album was purchased by Robert Plant from an antique shop in Reading, Berkshire, England.
1975 - David Bowie performed "Fame" on the CBS-TV show 'Cher'. They also duetted on what has become known as the Young Americans medley. Bowie’s own website noted: “On paper, it looks a little cheesy, but if you’ve not seen it we think you’ll agree that both singers’ performances are sincere and heartfelt. It shouldn’t have worked, what with Cher’s house band performing the backing and the choice of snippets performed, but it did.” Watch below.
1975 - Elton John was named Godfather to John and Yoko Lennon's son Sean.
Birthdays:
Minnie Riperton was born today in 1947. One of soul music's most unique and unforgettable voices. Blessed with an angelic five-octave vocal range, she scored her greatest commercial success with the chart-topping pop ballad "Lovin' You."
Bonnie Raitt is 74. A hardworking road warrior who became an unexpected superstar when she entered middle age, Bonnie Raitt developed a distinctly soulful hybrid of blues, rock, and R&B, a sound that carried her through her long, varied career. The breadth of her vision was evident on her early albums, where she balanced her original tunes with covers of blues chestnuts and such singer/songwriter peers as Jackson Browne, John Prine, and Randy Newman. She'd maintain this template throughout her career, but perhaps perfected it on Nick of Time, winning three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images
Rickie Lee Jones (with the 1979 single 'Chuck E.'s In Love') is 69. A vocalist with an expressive and smoky instrument, and a composer who can weave jazz, folk, and R&B into songs with a distinct pop sensibility. Her greatest commercial success came at the outset of her career, but a restless creative spirit, combined with a stubborn refusal to fit comfortably into any one musical niche, ensured her status as a highly regarded cult hero.
On This Day In Music History was sourced from This Day in Music, Far Out Magazine, Allmusic, Song Facts and Wikipedia.