Columbia Records issues Frank Sinatra’s first studio album, “The Voice Of Frank Sinatra”. Rock history records that Issued as a set of four, 78 rpm records totaling eight songs, the album went to #1 on the fledgling Billboard chart, where it stayed for seven weeks. Rock history records that The chart, which was first published the previous year, consisted of only the Top Five albums.

The winners of the first Grammy Awards were revealed. Domenico Modugno’s “Volare” was selected as Record of the Year ; Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn” was Album of the Year and The Champs “Tequila” captured best R&B performance . Rock history records that Variety magazine seemed to take great delight when it later reported – “The record academy has snubbed the Rock. Not one Rock ‘n’ Roll record was nominated.”

Capitol Records issues The Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA”, which will rise to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rock history records that The song is just a rewritten version of Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen”, with new lyrics by Brian Wilson. Arc Music, Berry’s publisher, objected, and was given the sole copyright, among them Brian Wilson’s lyrics.

Rock history records that John Lennon caused a major stir in the United States when London’s Evening Standard newspaper published an interview with him in which he remarked, “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue that. I’m right and will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus right now.” Lennon would later apologize, explaining that what he meant was, “the way some people carry on, (screaming at their concerts) you’d think we were more popular than Jesus Christ”. Rock history records that Thousands of Beatle records were smashed at mass rallies and some radio stations quit playing their songs altogether. Rock history records that John’s apology was ultimately accepted by most, and time has healed many of the wounds.

Rock history records that A 31-year-old singer born Arnold George Dorsey was the talk of the music industry when he reached the number one spot in the UK and number four in the US with “Release Me”. No one had paid much attention to him until his manager, Gordon Mills, changed his stage name to Englebert Humperdinck , the name of the Austrian composer who penned Hansel and Gretel .

After scoring six UK Top 40 singles and two in the US, eighteen year old Steve Winwood reveals that he is leaving The Spencer Davis Group . Rock history records that He would go on to the bands Traffic and Blind Faith, and a solo career that saw him reach the Billboard Top 40 ten times between 1981 and 1990.

Rock history records that The Rolling Stones ‘ “Ruby Tuesday” sat atop the Billboard singles chart after American disc jockeys shied away from playing the flip side, “Let’s Spend The Night Together”.

Rock history records that A car crash sends Temptations members Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams to a hospital in Sommerset, Pennsylvania.

Verve Records issues the third album by The Mothers Of Invention , “We’re Only in It for the Money”. Rock history records that The LP, which satirizes the 1960s counterculture, the corporatization of Rock music, and the hippie subculture, would be a surprise hit, reaching #30 on the Billboard 200. Rock history records that Rolling Stone magazine would rank it at #297 on their 2015 list of The Greatest Albums Of All Time, and in 2005 it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the United States’ Library of Congress.

Rock history records that A baby girl named Chastity Bono is born to Sonny and Cher . Rock history records that Forty years later she will undergo procedures to change her sex to male, and started going by the name Chaz.

The English quartet Vanity Fare issued a tune called “Hitchin’ A Ride” as a follow-up to their #12 hit, “Early In The Morning”. Rock history records that The record would climb to #5 in America and sell over a million copies, earning the band a Gold Record. Rock history records that It is notable for being one of the few hit songs to feature two recorders, prominent throughout the track .

Rock history records that Janis Joplin is fined $200 for using obscene language onstage in Tampa, Florida.

Rock history records that Badfinger receive a Gold record for the Billboard #4 hit, “Day After Day”. Rock history records that The song featured George Harrison on guitar and Leon Russell on piano.

RCA issues Elvis Presley’s rendition of the James Taylor written “Steamroller Blues”. Rock history records that The single will rise to #17 on the Hot 100 during a seven week stay in the Top 40. Rock history records that Elvis would add the song to his concert repertoire and included it on his live album “Aloha from Hawaii: Via Satellite”.

“Waterloo”, the first single issued by ABBA under that name, was issued. Rock history records that The song would top the record charts in eleven European countries and make the Top Ten in nine others. Rock history records that The group used the song to win the 19th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Brighton, England, which helped launch a career that saw them become one of the best selling artists in music history.

Rock history records that The Bee Gees were the hottest act around when they helped their younger brother Andy to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 by writing his hit, “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water”. Rock history records that Their own tune, “Stayin’ Alive” was pushed back to number 2, while another of their compositions, “Emotion” by Samantha Sang sat at number 4 and “Night Fever” was number 5.

Rock history records that The US internal Revenue Service carried out a dawn raid at the home of Jerry Lee Lewis and removed cars worth over $170,000, to pay off his back taxes.

Rock history records that Randy Jackson of The Jackson Five was seriously injured in a car crash, breaking both legs. Rock history records that He almost died in the emergency room when a nurse inadvertently injected him with methadone.

Rock history records that Frank Zappa ‘s son Dweezil and his daughter Moon Unit form a band called Fred Zeppelin. Rock history records that Their first single, “My Mother is a Space Cadet”, gets little attention.

Rock history records that The English new wave band, Spandau Ballet, release their third studio album, “True”. Rock history records that The LP will rise to #1 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart and #19 on the Billboard 200, and included the singles “Lifeline” (UK #7, US #108), “Communication” (UK #12), “True” (UK #1, US #4) and “Gold” (UK #2, US #29).

Rock history records that Lyricist and songwriter Howard Greenfield died from complications from AIDS, eleven days before his 50th birthday. He co-penned four songs that climbed to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100: “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do”, by Neil Sedaka, “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” and “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own”, both by Connie Francis, and “Love Will Keep Us Together”, by Captain & Tennille.

Rock history records that After Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” debuts in a Pepsi commercial on US television, Roman Catholic groups around the world protest, calling the video, which contains both religious and sexual imagery, “blasphemy”.

Apple Records issues “Real Love” by The Beatles in the UK and the US. Rock history records that The track started out as a demo by John Lennon and the remaining group members added their parts to complete the recording. Rock history records that ELO’s Jeff Lynne also contributed guitar and backing vocals. Rock history records that The record would peak at #4 in the UK and #11 in America.

Raymond Edwards of the vocal group The Silhouettes, died aged 74. Rock history records that The Philadelphia quartet topped the Billboard chart in 1958 with “Get A Job”.

Glenn Hughes of Village People died of lung cancer aged 50. Rock history records that He was buried in his leather biker outfit.

Jerry Rightmer, bassist for The Sanford-Townsend Band on their 1976 hit, “Smoke From A Distant Fire”, died of cirrhosis of the liver aged 57.

Rock history records that Peter Tork, bassist for The Monkees , underwent extensive surgery after being diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare, slow-growing form of head and neck cancer. Rock history records that A preliminary biopsy discovered that the cancer had not spread beyond the initial site. Rock history records that He would survive until February 21st, 2019.

Lolly Vegas, lead singer and guitarist for Redbone died of cancer aged 70. Rock history records that The band is most often remembered for their 1974, Billboard #5 hit “Come And Get Your Love”.

Johnny Preston, who had a #1 hit with “Running Bear” in 1960, died aged 71. Rock history records that Preston had bypass surgery in late 2010 and suffered from lingering health problems.

Rock history records that Daryl Hall and John Oates confirmed that they were suing cereal maker Early Bird Foods & Co. Rock history records that over the company’s use of the name Haulin’ Oates for their granola bars. Rock history records that The results of the legal action were not widely reported or made public.

Russell Solomon, founder of the Tower Records chain, died aged 92. Rock history records that Solomon went from selling music out of his father’s Sacramento drug store in 1941 to operating 271 stores and selling $1 billion worth of records in the 1990s. The company’s downfall started once the internet came about, causing the firm to file for bankruptcy in 2004 before closing their doors for good in 2006.

Barbara Martin, one of the original Supremes, died aged 76. She left the group in early 1962, before any of their records went on to become hits. Rock history records that Martin later earned a degree in psychology, and never spoke publicly about her tenure with The Supremes, giving only one interview in 2009 for the 2010 release of the album “Meet the Supremes: Expanded Edition”.

The Stampeders ‘ bassist Ronnie King, who played on their 1971, Billboard #8 hit, “Sweet City Woman”, died aged 76 after a brief illness. The band also enjoyed a string of hits in their home country of Canada, among them “Carry Me” (#2 in 1971), “Wild Eyes” (#2 in 1971), “Oh My Lady” (#12 in 1973), “Minstrel Gypsy” (#6 in 1973) and “Hit The Road Jack” (#6 in 1975).