1960 – Aretha Franklin plays a selection of standards at the Village Vanguard in New York City. It is her first non-gospel performance.

1968 – Six saxophonists record parts for “Savoy Truffle” for the forthcoming Beatles album White Album. George Harrison distorts the saxophones to get the desired sound.

1973 – The divorce between Elvis and Priscilla Presley is finalized. The two remain close friends and walk out of the Santa Monica courthouse arm in arm.

1975Saturday Night Live – at the time called Saturday Night – makes its debut on NBC with George Carlin hosting. Music is a big part of the show, and the first episode features two musical guests performing two songs each: Janis Ian doing “At Seventeen” and “In the Winter,” and Billy Preston playing “Nothing from Nothing” and “Fancy Lady.”

1976 – Donna Summer’s Four Seasons Of Love concept album is released.

1988 – Sarah McLachlan releases her debut album, Touch, through Nettwerk Records.

1990 – Drummer Dave Grohl plays his first gig with Nirvana when they appear at the North Shore Surf Club in Olympia.

1991 – Apple Computers reaches an agreement with The Beatles’ Apple Corps, paying $26.5 million for the rights to run music software – an update to their 1981 deal that prohibited the computer maker from selling anything music-related. The deal is revised from time to time as Apple Computer makes music a major part of their business.

 

Information for this post was gathered from This Day in Music, The Music History Calendar, On This Day, and Wikipedia.