This Day in Music History: Bruce Springsteen plays the Spectrum for the first time, Johnny Cash reveals his Parkinson’s diagnosis

1960 – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who had lost contact since they went to primary school together, run into each other on a train and renew their acquaintance. They soon start playing together and eventually form The Rolling Stones.

1962 – The Beatles give their first-ever radio interview on Radio Clatterbridge, a closed-circuit radio station serving Cleaver and Clatterbridge Hospitals in Wirral, near Liverpool. Paul is quoted as saying, “John is, in fact, the leader of the group.”

1964 – The Rolling Stones appear on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time, performing “Around And Around” and “Time Is On My Side.” A riot breaks out in the studio, prompting Sullivan’s infamous quote, “I promise you they’ll never be back on our show again.” The band comes back five more times between 1965 and 1969.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct2n2iiiIGQ

1969 – Pink Floyd releases Ummagumma.

1976 – Bruce Springsteen plays the Philadelphia Spectrum. It’s a big deal because Bruce has said that he’d never play a large sports arena. Concerned about getting the sound right, he orders a 2-hour soundcheck before the show.

1977 – Elton John appears on The Muppet Show to perform “Crocodile Rock,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” Elton performs with a character that was inspired by him – Dr. Teeth, and The Electric Mayhem.

1985 – The first rap movie, Krush Groove, is released in American theaters. The film is based on the life story of Russel Simmons, co-founder of the hip-hop label Def Jam. It stars Run-DMC, New Edition, and Sheila E.

1991 – The renowned concert promoter Bill Graham, who ran the Fillmore and Fillmore East venues, dies in a helicopter crash returning home from a Huey Lewis and the News concert.

1997 – Johnny Cash falls on stage while trying to pick up a dropped guitar pick, prompting him to tell the audience in Flint, Michigan that he has Parkinson’s Disease. The crowd thinks he’s joking, but Cash’s manager confirms it in a statement two days later.

2004 – John Peel dies in Cuzco, Peru of a heart attack at age 65. He was BBC’s longest-serving radio DJ and the first to introduce the Ramones, The Smiths, Rod Stewart, Blur, the Sex Pistols, T Rex, and others to the masses. He founded Dandelion Records in 1969, and was also known for his Peel Sessions, releases of live radio sessions. Peel was appointed an OBE in 1998.

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