Today In Music History

Important events in music history for the month of October.
DateEvent
October 1, 1965At a concert at Carnegie Hall, Bob Dylan introduces his new band. Formerly Ronnie Hawkins' backup band, they were known as the Hawks, but soon became The Band.
October 2, 1976Joe Cocker performs "Feelin' Alright" on Saturday Night Live with John Belushi; the comedian had developed an uncanny imitation of the singer.
October 3, 1901The first record company, The Victor Talking Machine Company, is incorporated. They'd later merge with the Radio Corporation of America to become RCA-Victor.
October 4, 1970Singer Janis Joplin is found dead at the Landmark Hotel in Los Angeles. She was 27-years old.
October 5, 1975Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer––the original members of The Wailers––play together for the last time at the Wonder Dream Concert, a benefit organized by Stevie Wonder in Kingston, Jamaica.
October 6, 1969The Beatles release the single "Something" packaged with "Come Together" as the B-side.
October 7, 1939Judy Garland, 16, records "Over The Rainbow" for the movie The Wizard of Oz.
October 8, 1990After flying from his home in San Diego to Seattle, Eddie Vedder meets with his new bandmates for the first time to work on the album that would eventually be Pearl Jam's debut Ten.
October 9, 1940John Winston Lennon is born in Liverpool, England. The "Winston" comes from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill - John would later add "Ono" to his middle name in honor of Yoko.
October 10, 1969King Crimson releases "In the Court of the Crimson King," which is considered by many as the first Progressive Rock album.
October 11, 1968Aretha Franklin's "I Say a Little Prayer" is certified gold.
October 12, 1975Rod Stewart and the Faces make their final live appearance, playing at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The group produced four studio albums: "First Step" (1970), "Long Player" (1971), "A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse" (1971) and "Ooh La La" (1973).
October 13, 1941Paul Frederic Simon is born in Newark, New Jersey. Later, he meets Art Ira Garfunkel while both are performing in a school production of "Alice in Wonderland" for their sixth grade graduation.
October 14, 1997Max Steiner's score of the 1942 film Casablanca is finally released––52 years after the movie debuted. It includes the vocal hit "As Time Goes By."
October 15, 1995Paul McCartney and his wife Linda appear on an episode of The Simpsons where they help Lisa become a vegetarian. Paul explains that if you play "Maybe I'm Amazed" backwards, you'll hear a recipe for lentil soup.
October 16, 2001Security guards at the Jackson County Exposition Center turn away Bob Dylan, who is lacking a credential, but slated to perform that evening. "No exceptions," explained the venue manager.
October 17, 1980Bruce Springsteen releases "The River." The Boss's first-and-only double-LP was also his first to reach #1 on the Billboards charts.
October 18, 1979After a series of renovations, New York's legendary venue Radio City Music Hall re-opens with a showing of its first film, Disney's "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs."
October 19, 1970Bob Dylan releases New Morning just four months after the controversial Self-Portrait, of whichRolling Stone magazine critic Greil Marcus asked in an infamous review "What is this [expletive]?" New Morning received nearly universal praise.
October 20, 1973The Rolling Stones ballad "Angie" hits #1 in America. Though Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are credited as songwriters, it's widely acknowledged that Richards wrote all the parts, including the song's distinctive piano accompaniment.
October 21, 1957"Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley goes to #1 in America. Presley plays a convict-turned-singing sensation in a movie of the same name that's released a few weeks later.
October 22, 1966The Supremes become the first all-female group with a #1 album in the US when The Supremes A' Go-Go bumps The Beatles' Revolver from the top spot.
October 23, 1968The "White Rabbit" case comes to a close when a court supports the superintendent at Fort Zumwalt High School in St. Louis, and his decision that the marching band cannot play the song in their act as it contains drug references.
October 24, 1962James Brown records his electrifying stage show for the album Live at the Apollo.
October 25, 1986Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" hits #1 in America. The song was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly,
October 26, 1968Janis Joplin appears on TV for the first time, performing alongside Big Brother & the Holding Company on the variety show "Hollywood Palace."
October 27, 1975Bruce Springsteen appears on the covers of both Time and Newsweek as his album Born To Run receives nearly universal acclaim
October 28, 1956Elvis Presley makes his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Unlike the first appearance, Sullivan himself is hosting. Elvis sings "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "Hound Dog" and "Love Me," and Sullivan presents Presley with a Gold record for "Love Me Tender."
October 29, 1983The Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton duet "Islands in the Stream" goes to #1 in the US. Written by the Bee Gees, the song was intended for Marvin Gaye.
October 30, 1975Bob Dylan performs the first show of his "Rolling Thunder Revue" at the War Memorial Auditorium in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The unusual tour has been the subject of two documentaries.
October 31, 1964Barbra Streisand hits #1 with the song "People," unseating The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" after that song enjoyed a 14-week run at the top of the US albums chart.