Rock history records that 29-year-old Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso was paid $50 each to record ten songs on wax for the Gramophone and Typewriter Company in Italy. Rock history records that He would go on to become the world’s first recording star. Two years later he started recording in America for the Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA Victor). Rock history records that Over a 16-year span, he would earn millions of dollars in royalties from the retail sales of his 260 recordings.

Britain’s EMI Records reveals that it has now stopped all production of 78 rpm discs.

Rock history records that The Everly Brothers record “Cathy’s Clown” live in a single take, with Floyd Cramer on piano, Floyd Chance on bass, and Buddy Harman on drums. The song will go on to become the duo’s best selling tune, moving over eight million copies world-wide and topped both the US and the UK singles chart.

Gary “U.S.” Bonds makes an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show performing his latest hit, “Twist, Twist, Senora”, which will reach #9 in April.

Rock history records that The Standells appear on an episode of The Munsters , where they perform their version of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” to show the adults in the house what Rock music is all about.

Rock history records that Mick Jagger, Brian Jones and Bill Wyman were fined £5 each for urinating on the outer wall of a Francis Petrol station in Stratford, outside of London, England. According to attendant Charles Keeley, he declined to give the band the key to the loo because he didn’t like the looks of them and told them to “Get back in the car and keep driving.” Instead, The Stones started chanting “We’ll piss anywhere! We’ll piss anywhere,” as Bill Wyman proceeded to unzip his fly and pee on the garage wall. Quickly piling back into their black Daimler touring car, the boys sped away and gave Keeley the one finger salute. Rock history records that When handing down the sentence, the judge chastised the accused, calling them morons, and berated them for their long hair, their dirty clothes and the clown-like behavior.

Rock history records that After three minor chart makers, an Oklahoma group called Five Americans release their biggest hit, “Western Union”, which would rise to #5 on The Hot 100.

Rock history records that The Beatles enjoy their thirteenth US number one single with “Penny Lane”. Rock history records that The song’s title refers to the busy shopping area around Allerton Road and Smithdown Road in Liverpool, where John and Paul would meet to catch a bus into the center of the city.

The UK music magazine New Musical Express reveals that Steve Winwood is planning to form a new group with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason . Rock history records that The ensemble will choose the name Traffic .

Rock history records that Neil Young enjoyed his only solo, US number one hit with “Heart Of Gold”. Rock history records that Backing vocals were provided by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt . The song climbed to #10 on the UK chart.

Rock history records that The Chicago vocal group, The Chi-Lites make their second appearance on TV’s Soul Train , where they perform their newest release, “Oh Girl”. Rock history records that The tune will go on to top the Billboard Pop and R&B charts and reach #14 in the UK. Rock history records that Not bad for a song that writer Eugene Record would later say he was surprised that the record company even wanted to issue as a single.

Rock history records that Paul Simon’s self-titled debut album topped the UK chart on the strength of the singles “Mother And Child Reunion” (#5) and “Me And Julio Down By The School Yard” (#15).

Jim McCartney, father of former Beatle Paul McCartney, died at his home in the Norfolk village of Gayton aged 73. Rock history records that Paul was just about to kick off a European tour in Copenhagen with Wings and chose not to attend the funeral. Rock history records that A falling out with Jim’s wife Angie and Paul’s step-sister Ruth soon followed.

Rita Coolidge issued her sixth album, “Anytime…Anywhere”. Rock history records that It would prove to be her most successful LP, rising to #6 on the Billboard 200 chart and eventually going Platinum. Rock history records that The disc spawned three Billboard Top 20 hits, all of them covers: Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher” (#2 in 1977), Boz Scaggs’ “We’re All Alone” (#7 in 1977), and The Temptations’ “The Way You Do The Things You Do” (#20 in 1978).

Rock history records that The Bee Gees continued an amazing hot streak of three consecutive number one hits with “Night Fever”. Rock history records that After “Oh, Darling” stalled at #15, they would have three more chart toppers in a row.

Rock history records that Driving home from a basketball game in Philadelphia, Teddy Pendergrass was involved in a car accident that left him partially paralyzed from the neck down. Rock history records that Pendergrass had been with The Cadillacs and Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes before going solo in 1977. Rock history records that Two years would pass before he could return to performing.

Rock history records that Disco Queen, Donna Summer gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Rolling Stones introduce Darryl Jones as the replacement for baseman Bill Wyman, who had previously revealed that he would no longer tour with the band.

The Beatles released the compilation album “Anthology 2” featuring rarities, out-takes and live recordings spanning from the 1965 “Help!” sessions through the band’s rehearsals just before their February, 1968 trip to India. Rock history records that Like its predecessor, the album topped the Billboard 200 and has been certified 4X Platinum by the RIAA.

Rock history records that A film company paid over a million dollars for nine hours of film shot by Yoko Ono during the ’70s that showed John Lennon smoking hash and talking about his political beliefs.

John Phillips, the quiet leader of The Mamas And The Papas died of heart failure aged 65. Over the course of their career, the vocal group placed sixteen songs on the Billboard Hot 100, among them six that reached the Top Ten. Rock history records that With worldwide record sales of close to 40 million, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Rock history records that John’s daughter, Mackenzie Phillips co-starred in US TV’s One Day At A Time , which ran from 1975 until 1984.

Terence “Jet” Harris, bass guitarist for The Shadows, died from throat cancer aged 71. Jet played on the hit “Apache” and during their days as Cliff Richard ‘s backing band, played on the chart-topper “Living Doll”. Rock history records that In 1962 he left the group and had solo hits with “Besame Mucho” and “The Man With The Golden Arm”.

The Billboard 200 album chart welcomed some old friends into its Top 10 this week when Bon Jovi’s “What About Now” debuted at #1, David Bowie ‘s “The Next Day” climbed to #2 and Eric Clapton ‘s “Old Stock” came in at #7.

Elvis Presley’s concert in Memphis in March 1974, when he came back to the city during a US tour to perform in his hometown for the first occasion in 13 years, was issued on a new two-CD set. “Elvis Recorded Live On Stage in Memphis” included a re-mastered version of the full concert, among them songs that weren’t on the original July 7th, 1974 release on vinyl. Rock history records that The 1974 album featured the song “How Great Thou Art,” which would win Presley a Gospel Grammy.

Joe Lala, a drummer and percussionist who worked with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Bee Gees, Whitney Houston, the Eagles and Eric Clapton, died from complications of lung cancer aged 66.

Chuck Berry , one of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s founding fathers and a true music legend, died at his home near St. Louis aged 90. Rock history records that Along with influencing a generation of guitarists, he placed fourteen singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and twenty-two on the R&B chart. Rock history records that He was among the first musicians to be inducted into Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986.