Archive for May 31, 2008

1656 – Composer Marin Marais was born.

1917 – The first jazz record, “Dark Town Strutters’ Ball,” was released.

1941 – The first issue of “Parade: The Weekly Picture Newspaper” went on sale.

1956 – Buddy Holly was inspired to write “That’ll Be the Day” after he saw the John Wayne movie “The Searchers.”

1958 – Dick Dale performed “Let’s Go Trippin’” at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, CA.

1961 – Chuck Berry opened Berry Park, a 30 acre amusement park in Wentzville, MO.

1964 – The Dave Clark Five appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the first of 11 appearances.

1969 – Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour” was released.

1969 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded “Give Peace a Chance” during their Montreal bed-in.

1969 – The Rolling Stones recorded “Honky Tonk Women.”

1975 – The Eagles released “One Of These Nights.”

1976 – The Who played at the Charlton Athletic Grounds in England and make the Guinness Book of World Records as the loudest rock band ever. Their set measured 76,000 watts and 120 decibels.

1977 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer began an American tour accompanied by a 70-piece orchestra.

1979 – In New York City, the restored Radio City Music Hall was reopened.

1982 – The Clash released the album “Combat Rock.”

1982 – Survivor released the single “Eye of the Tiger.”

1988 – Bob Dylan released the album “Down in the Groove.”

1989 – The first International Rock Awards ceremony was held.

1995 – Bob Dole singled out Time Warner for “the marketing of evil” in movies and music. Dole later admitted that he had not seen or heard much of what he had been criticizing.

1997 – Lee Ann Womack made her Grand Ole Opry debut.

1997 – In England, Bob Dylan left the hospital after receiving treatment for histoplasmosis.

1998 – Geri Halliwell, also known as “Ginger Spice” of the Spice Girls, confirmed she was leaving the group.

1999 – VH1′s “Behind the Music” began airing nightly. The premiere show was “The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Behind the Music.”

2000 – Janet Jackson announced that she was getting a divorce from dancer Rene Elizondo. The marriage had been kept secret for nine years.

http://www.on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/music/may31.htm