This Date In Music History- May 31

Birthdays:

Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary ("Day Is Done") is 70.

Boys will be boys. In 1973, to celebrate John Bonham's 25th birthday, Robert Plant leads an audience at the Felt Forum in Los Angeles in a rendition of "Happy Birthday." Later that night Bonham celebrates with George Harrison, who ends up throwing his birthday cake at the drummer. Bonham tosses Harrison into the hotel pool.

Take this birthday and celebrate it. Johnny Paycheck was born in Greenfield, Ohio in 1938.


History:

Elsberry Hobbs of the Drifters ("Money Honey") died in 1996.

In 1956, Buddy Holly sees the John Wayne film, "The Searchers", and the line, "That'll be the day" in it inspires him to write a song with that title.

Elvis Presley appeared on Roy Orbison's Odessa, Texas TV show in 1956.

"The Monkees" TV show started filming in 1966.

In a “purple haze” Jimi Hendrix signed up for a three year Army hitch in 1961.

The Salvation Army closes Strawberry Field in 2005, the Liverpool children's home which inspired the Beatles' song, "Strawberry Fields Forever."

In 1966, filming began for the movie, "To Sir With Love", featuring Lulu.

The Rolling Stones record "Honky Tonk Women" in 1969.

Johnnie Taylor dies in Dallas from a heart attack at age 62 in 2000. The singer known as the Philosopher of Soul replaced Sam Cooke in the Soul Stirrers and scored a hit with 1975's "Disco Lady."

At New York's International Rock Awards in 1989, Keith Richards was given the Living Legend Award. The Rolling Stones guitarist joins in the all-star jam with Eric Clapton and Tina Turner. Doctors were called in to make sure that Richards was, indeed alive.

In 1977, Emerson, Lake & Palmer kicked off an American tour accompanied by a 70-piece orchestra. It costs the band $200,000 a week to keep the circus on the road.

At the time (1976), the Guinness Book of World Records called it the loudest concert in history. The Who assaulted an audience at England's Charlton Athletic Grounds with 76,000 watts at 120 decibels. Any wonder Townshend constantly complains of hearing loss? (That record has since been surpassed)

In 1969, Rolling Stone Magazine reported that Frank Zappa had turned college lecturer. He articulates on subjects like "Pigs, Ponies and Rock & Roll" for $1,500 per engagement.

Although the Disco craze was running out of steam in 1980, a group from Minneapolis, Minnesota called Lipps, Inc., that featured Cynthia Johnson on vocals, reached the top of the US charts with a tune called "Funkytown". It was a UK #2 hit. The record would be certified platinum, but the group's only other Hot 100 entry would stall at number 64.

During their Montreal bed-in in 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono record "Give Peace a Chance."

Guitarist Dick Dale performs "Let's Go Trippin'" at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, Calif. In 1958, and invents surf music while he's at it.

The first jazz record, "Dark Town Strutters' Ball," was released in 1917.

Survivor released the single "Eye of the Tiger" in 1982.

In 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. Would have made a great president.

Supertramp played Madison Square Garden in 1979. While on stage they are awarded a platinum album for “Breakfast In America.”

Chuck Berry opens Berry Park, near St. Louis in 1961.

The Theme From M*A*S*H* (Suicide Is Painless), was at the top of the UK singles chart in 1980, 10 years after it was first recorded.

17 weeks after entering the Billboard Pop chart, Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" made it all the way to number one in 1975.