Music History

Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and made the first sound recording.

John Philip Sousa was appointed leader of the United States Marine Corps Band. He also composed the march “Semper Fidelis”.

Bill Monroe made his Grand Ole Opry debut.

Frank Sinatra began his solo singing career.

Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery auditioned for the radio program Sunday Party on KDAV in Lubbock, Texas, hosted by disc jockey and talent scout Dave “Hipockets” Duncan. They were given a regular 30-minute Sunday afternoon broadcast slot known as The Bob and Buddy Show.

Elvis Presley began working for Crown Electric as a delivery truck driver, delivering materials to construction sites. At the same time, he was training to become an electrician. He worked for the company until mid-October 1954. At that time, the Presleys were living at 2414 Lamar Avenue, which they rented through the end of 1954 and into mid-1955.

Elvis Presley continued working for Crown Electric until the middle of October 1954.

The Washington, D.C., disc jockey founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Elvis Presley after reading too many articles portraying Elvis Presley as a hillbilly or a threat to society. Elvis was frequently criticized in national news coverage and described in headlines as a hillbilly and a threat to society.

Nineteen-year-old Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at Sun Records hoping for an audition, but owner Sam Phillips was on vacation in Florida. Producer and sound engineer Jack Clement recorded several demos with Lewis for Phillips to hear upon his return. At the beginning of December, Lewis began recording as a solo artist and session musician.

Frankie Lymon officially left his group and began a solo career.

The USS Randall arrived in Bremerhaven, West Germany, where more than 1,500 fans were waiting for Elvis Presley and where he gave his first European autograph. He then traveled with his unit by military train to Friedberg, where he joined the US Army’s 3rd Armored Division; his time in Germany lasted until early 1960.

Bobby Darin became the youngest performer to headline the Copa Room at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, at age 21, breaking Johnny Mathis' previous record of 23. He was touring in support of his hit "Mack the Knife," which was No. 1 in the US that week.

Ken Brown left The Quarrymen after John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison decided he should not receive a share of the performance fee because he had missed a Casbah Coffee Club performance due to a heavy cold.

The Beatles began a two-year period during which they served as the main band at Liverpool’s Cavern Club.

Jefferson Airplane played their first live performance at The Matrix in San Francisco. A positive review in the San Francisco Chronicle helped the group secure a recording contract, and before the end of the year they became the first San Francisco rock band to sign with a major record label.

Elvis received a telegram from the president of Capitol Records inviting him to a cocktail party in Los Angeles on August 24, where he was to meet The Beatles.

Fleetwood Mac performed their first live show at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor, England. The original lineup consisted of Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, and Bob Brunning; the same bill also featured Jeff Beck, Cream, Small Faces, The Move, Pink Floyd, and Donovan.

After a two-year hiatus caused by anxiety and stage fright, Brian Wilson returned to live performing with The Beach Boys at the Honolulu International Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Boz Scaggs officially joined the Steve Miller Band as a rhythm guitarist after receiving an invitation on a postcard while performing on the streets of Stockholm. He had known Steve Miller since his youth. After returning to the U.S. from Europe, he rejoined the group and appeared on the albums Children of the Future and Sailor. He left in 1968 to pursue a solo career, during which he had eight Top 40 hits on the Billboard chart between 1976 and 1988.

Pink Floyd arrived in New York to begin their first tour of the United States.

The group was performing under the name The New Yardbirds at the time; later that year, it adopted the name Led Zeppelin.

Eighteen-year-old Bruce Springsteen joined Earth in August 1968, a heavy blues-rock trio or quartet that mainly played cover versions of Jimi Hendrix, Traffic, Cream and Chicago blues.

John Sebastian officially left The Lovin' Spoonful and began a solo career. During his solo career, he released twelve albums, worked as a session musician, and composed music for children’s films and television. His greatest commercial success came in 1976 with the song “Welcome Back”, which reached No. 1 on the US Billboard chart.

Birmingham group Earth changed their name to Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne announced the new name on stage. At their first concert under the name Black Sabbath in Workington, England, the band played “N.I.B.”, “The Wizard”, “Black Sabbath” and “Warning”.

James Brown announced his retirement after a live performance at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis.

Genesis published an advertisement in Melody Maker seeking a drummer and musicians “determined to break through stagnant musical forms”. Nineteen-year-old Phil Collins responded to the advertisement and eventually joined the group.

The Dave Clark Five officially announced their breakup, ending one of the most successful careers of the British Invasion. The Tottenham group had 17 US Billboard Top 40 hits from 1964 to 1967 and another 19 UK chart hits from 1963 to 1970.

Curtis Mayfield left The Impressions to focus on a solo career and his own record label, Curtom Records, which he had co-founded with Eddie Thomas in 1968. Over the following five years, nine of his songs reached the Billboard Hot 100, including the million-selling hits “Freddie’s Dead” and “Superfly” from 1972.

Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new group. The lineup included his wife Linda McCartney, former Moody Blues member Denny Laine, and drummer Denny Seiwell. The group did not yet have a definitive name at the time; the name Wings was chosen later.

John Lennon left the United Kingdom and traveled to New York, from where he never permanently returned to Britain.

Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new band Wings. The lineup included his wife Linda McCartney on keyboards, drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Denny Laine.

The date of the Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii concert was moved to January 1973 due to the upcoming release of the film Elvis: On Tour.

The surviving members of The Doors officially announced the breakup of the group, two years after Jim Morrison’s death. Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger later attempted several reunions, including the projects “Other Voices” and “Full Circle” and a major tour in 2002 under the name The Doors of the 21st Century with singer Ian Astbury of The Cult.

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter left Steely Dan and joined The Doobie Brothers.

Neil Peart made his first appearance with Rush at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as they opened for Manfred Mann and Uriah Heep.

He officially announced his departure from Genesis. Phil Collins later became the new lead singer after an audition attended by more than 400 musicians.

Peter Gabriel publicly confirmed his departure from Genesis after the tour for the album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. His departure was also announced in the August 16, 1975 issue of Melody Maker.

David Bowie moved to West Berlin, or according to one version to West Germany, to escape Los Angeles and deal with his personal problems and drug addiction. This period laid the foundation for his Berlin Trilogy; Bowie also worked with Iggy Pop on the albums “The Idiot” and “Lust for Life” and with Brian Eno, while the song “Heroes” also came from this period.

Henri Padovani left The Police after nine months, and the band continued as a trio.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive announced their breakup after Randy Bachman left the group. Since 1974, the group had placed seven songs in the Billboard Top 40, including “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”, which reached No. 1. Five years later, the group reunited.

B.B. King celebrated his 30th year in the music industry at a special event at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Aerosmith began their Done With Mirrors tour, announcing the return of the band's original lineup to the world.

Sixteen-year-old high school student Debbie Gibson from Long Island signed a contract with Atlantic Records, which was impressed by the number of songs she had written and recorded as demos in her home studio.

Sonny Bono announced his candidacy for mayor of Palm Springs, California, after encountering problems while attempting to open a restaurant there.

Paul Anka became a US citizen.

Paul Anka, who was born in Ottawa, Canada, became a U.S. citizen in Las Vegas. During the ceremony, he joked that after paying a million dollars in taxes every year, he felt it was the right time to gain the right to do everything else. During the ceremony, his improperly parked car was also towed away.

Composer of "West Side Story" Leonard Bernstein ended his conducting career at the age of 72 due to emphysema. He died five days later.

The group, which had split in 1981, reunited and began a US tour with a concert at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Peggy Lee gave her final major public performance at the Hollywood Bowl.

The members met and decided to disband following the recent tragic death of founder and leader Jerry Garcia.