1965 - The Beatles release the album Rubber Soul in the US. While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on Rubber Soul, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of Dylan and the Byrds.
1969 - The Rolling Stones performed a free concert at the Altamont Speedway in northern California with support from Jefferson Airplane, Santana, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The Grateful Dead were also scheduled to perform following CSNY, but declined to play shortly before their scheduled appearance due to the increasing violence at the venue. If the Woodstock festival in August 1969 represented peace and hippie idealism, then the Altamont Free Concert, held almost four months later, symbolically shattered that innocence.
It was supposed to be ‘Woodstock West.’ It was also supposed to be a triumphant conclusion for the band that year, following their successful U.S. tour. But the event was marred by violent confrontations between the Hells Angels (who were hired to do security) and the crowd, in addition to lack of organization and bad drugs.
By the end of the show, a total of four people died (two babies were born)—among them 18-year-old Meredith Hunter, who was stabbed to death by a Hells Angels member, a moment captured in the Maysles Brothers and Charlotte Zwerin’s classic documentary film Gimme Shelter, which was released on this day in 1970.
1969 - The Rolling Stones release Beggars Banquet. The Stones forsook psychedelic experimentation to return to their blues roots on this celebrated album, which was immediately acclaimed as one of their landmark achievements.
A strong acoustic Delta blues flavor colors much of the material. Basic rock & roll was not forgotten, however: "Street Fighting Man," a reflection of the political turbulence of 1968, was one of their most innovative singles, and "Sympathy for the Devil," with its fire-dancing guitar licks, leering Jagger vocals, African rhythms, and explicitly satanic lyrics, was an image-defining epic.
1969 - Led Zeppelin made their debut on the US singles chart with "Whole Lotta Love", which went on to make No.4.
Plant's lyrics are based on a 1962 Muddy Waters song written by Willie Dixon called "You Need Love". The band reached an agreement with Dixon, who used the settlement money to set up a program providing instruments for schools.
1977 - Jackson Browne releases Running On Empty, a live album compiled from performances at various stops on his summer tour. Live albums typically rely on songs that have already been released, but this one features all new songs, the first major rock album to do so.
1993 -At a video shoot for Travis Tritt's remake of the Eagles' "Take It Easy," the Eagles themselves reunite and decide to re-form for new songs and a tour.
He was asked to shoot a video to promote it, Tritt tells him the only way he'll do it is if the Eagles appear in it, which is exactly what happens. All the band has to do is take part in the shoot, a laid-back affair when they play some pool and hang out with Tritt while he strums the song - they don't even have to lip-synch. Any animosities are overwhelmed by the camaraderie the band shares after over a decade apart - they are clearly having fun.
The shoot leads to a full-blown reunion.
1995 - Four months after the death of guitarist Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead announced that they were splitting up.
After four months of heartfelt consideration, the remaining members of the band met yesterday and came to the conclusion that the 'long strange trip' of the uniquely wonderful beast known as the Grateful Dead is over. Although individually and in various combinations they will undoubtedly continue to make music, whatever the future holds will be something different in name and structure."
They would tour again in various forms including ,The Other Ones, Further, The Dead, and Dead & Company.
2009 - Bruce Springsteen was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture. President Barack Obama said "I'm the President, but he's The Boss."
Birthdays:
Peter Buck, guitarist for R.E.M., is 67. The big, jangly sound of Buck's Rickenbacker was one of R.E.M.'s musical signatures as they rose from cult status to mainstream acceptance, and his eclectic tastes and embrace of other stringed instruments (especially mandolin) was a major part of R.E.M.'s stylistic growth through their career. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for the Georgia Music Hall of Fame)
R.I.P.:
2011 - Singer/songwriter Dobie Gray died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 71. His hit records included 'The 'In' Crowd' in 1965 and 'Drift Away', which was one of the biggest hits of 1973, and went on to sell over one million copies.
1988 - Roy Orbison, in the midst of a career resurgence thanks to his membership in the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, died at age 52.
Although he shared the same rockabilly roots as Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison went on to pioneer an entirely different brand of country/pop-based rock & roll in the early '60s. What he lacked in charisma and photogenic looks, Orbison made up for in spades with his quavering operatic voice and melodramatic narratives of unrequited love and yearning.
1949 - Blues artist Lead Belly died. He was best-known for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the folk standards he introduced which dealt with topics ranging from liquor to prison life to racism to cowboys to politics. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
On this Day In Music History was sourced from This Day in Music, Song Facts, Forbes, New York Times, Jam Base, and Wikipedia.
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