Today in Music History

Jethro Tull performed at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Elton John officially received an RIAA gold record for "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me", which had previously spent two weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, behind John Denver's "Annie's Song".

Elvis Presley bought his third Stutz Blackhawk, a 1973 model. The car is now displayed at the automobile museum in Graceland.

George Harrison founded his own record label, Dark Horse Records.

Judas Priest released their debut album, "Rocka Rolla". The recording captured a period when the band was developing the distinctive sound that would establish them as a major force in heavy metal several years later.

Nina Persson, founding member, songwriter and singer of Swedish rock band The Cardigans, was born. Sources give Jönköping and Örebro in Sweden as her birthplace. The group had the 1997 UK hit "Lovefool", which reached No. 2 and appeared on the soundtrack to "Romeo + Juliet". Persson also guested on the Manic Street Preachers song "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough", which reached No. 2 in the UK.

The 101ers, featuring future The Clash singer Joe Strummer, made their debut at The Telegraph club on Brixton Hill in London. The band took its name from the squat where its members lived together at 101 Walterton Road in London's Maida Vale district.

Glen Campbell began a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Rhinestone Cowboy". It was his first chart-topper after 13 Top 40 hits. The recording became a million-selling hit, received three Grammy nominations and was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1976. It reached No. 4 in the UK.

Glen Campbell released the single "Rhinestone Cowboy", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart.

Jefferson Starship earned their first No. 1 album on the U.S. Billboard 200 with their second studio album, "Red Octopus".

Rod Stewart took his version of "Sailing" by the Sutherland Brothers to No. 1 on the UK singles chart. The song was originally released by the Scottish folk-rock duo Sutherland Brothers in June 1972. Stewart's version also reached No. 1 in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway that year and was featured in a BBC television series about HMS Ark Royal.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis appeared together for the first time in 20 years on Lewis's television program, the Labor Day Telethon, supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Frank Sinatra surprised Jerry Lewis by bringing Martin into the studio.

Elvis Presley performed at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama, at 2:30 p.m. and again at 8:30 p.m. It was the last day of his career on which he performed two concerts in a single day.

Rush performed at Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of Lake Superior.

American rapper Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand, known by her stage name Foxy Brown, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

American record producer Thomas "Tom" Wilson died in Los Angeles at the age of 47 from a heart attack. He worked with Bob Dylan on the albums "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Another Side of Bob Dylan" and "Bringing It All Back Home", with Frank Zappa on "Freak Out!", with Simon & Garfunkel on "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." and with The Velvet Underground on "White Light/White Heat". He also worked with The Mothers of Invention and other artists.

Kool & the Gang released their 11th studio album, "Ladies' Night". Driven by the title track, which reached No. 8 in the U.S., and the hit "Too Hot", which reached No. 5, the album topped the Billboard Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums chart and reached No. 13 on the main album chart. The group earned its first platinum certification with the album.

Led Zeppelin released the album "In Through the Out Door" in the UK.

Diana Ross scored her fourth solo No. 1 in the U.S. with "Upside Down". The song spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her most successful solo hit, and also reached No. 1 in nine other countries. It also topped the Billboard Top 100 Disco Chart and Hot Soul Singles chart and reached the Top 10 in another 17 countries.

English singer and television personality Kerry Katona, who was a member of Atomic Kitten, was born. The group had the UK No. 1 hit "Whole Again" in 2000. Katona left the group in 2001 and won the third series of "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" in 2004.

The Grateful Dead performed at the State Fairgrounds in Lewiston, Maine.

The Jam took their eleventh UK single, "Start!", to No. 1 on the UK singles chart. It was the group's second UK chart-topper and the lead single from their fifth album, "Sound Affects".

U2 began the first leg of their UK Boy Tour in Coventry, England. The tour consisted of 29 concerts.

Paul McCartney released the single "Tug Of War".

Peter Gabriel released the album "Security", also known as "Peter Gabriel 4".

Cyndi Lauper released the single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” on Portrait Records, backed with “Right Track Wrong Train.”

The film "Desperately Seeking Susan" went into general release in the UK. It starred Madonna and Rosanna Arquette. The filmmakers originally intended Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn for the roles of Roberta and Susan, but director Susan Seidelman ultimately chose the then relatively new actresses Rosanna Arquette and Madonna.

Bananarama took their version of "Venus" to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart and achieved international fame. The song came from their third studio album, "True Confessions", and topped the charts in six countries. It was their first collaboration with the emerging production team Stock, Aitken and Waterman. The song was originally released as a single by the Dutch group Shocking Blue, who also took it to No. 1 in 1970.

Elton John's album "Leather Jackets" reached No. 1 on the UK chart.

Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd who survived the 1977 plane crash reunited at the Starwood Amphitheater in Nashville and performed for the first time under the name "Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band" as part of a series of concerts marking the 10th anniversary of the crash, which killed singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines. The enthusiastic response from fans led to the band's permanent reunion and the recording of new material.

Elton John had 2,000 items of his personal possessions auctioned at Sotheby's in London. The auction raised $6.2 million and included feather boas, hundreds of pairs of glasses and the giant "Pinball Wizard" boots he wore in the film "Tommy", which sold for $20,000.

English singer and actor Max George, lead singer of the British-Irish boy band The Wanted, was born. Their debut single "All Time Low" reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart in 2010.

New Kids On The Block released the breakthrough album "Hangin' Tough". It reached No. 1 in the U.S. and produced five successful singles, including the title track, which topped the chart, and "You've Got It (The Right Stuff)", which reached No. 3.

Lenny Kravitz made his debut with the album "Let Love Rule", released through Virgin Records. He created almost the entire album himself – writing and producing all the songs and playing most of the instruments. At a time when mainstream pop was beginning to embrace grunge with its dark guitar sound and bleak view of society, Kravitz offered a simple message rooted in funk: "Let Love Rule".

One week after beginning their stint as the opening act on The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels tour, Living Colour won awards at the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Group Video, Best Stage Performance and Best New Artist. Mick Jagger presented them with the trophies backstage after their concert in Pittsburgh.

At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, a number of artists received awards. Neil Young won Video of the Year for "This Note's for You", whose video had previously been briefly banned by MTV. Other winners included Elvis Costello, U2, Living Colour and Guns N' Roses. Performers included Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, Def Leppard and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers with guest Axl Rose.

Neil Young won Video of the Year at the sixth MTV Video Music Awards for "This Note's For You". It marked a significant turnaround for the song criticizing commercialization, whose video had previously been briefly banned by MTV because of legal concerns over its direct references to corporate sponsors and its parody of Michael Jackson's Pepsi commercial accident.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could not fully use their home stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, because The Rolling Stones were rehearsing and preparing their Steel Wheels tour concert there.

Backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe punched Izzy Stradlin in the face. According to contemporary reports, it was retaliation for an incident several weeks earlier in which Stradlin had punched Neil's then-wife at a Los Angeles club.

Paul Anka, who was born in Ottawa, Canada, became a U.S. citizen in Las Vegas. During the ceremony, he joked that after paying a million dollars in taxes every year, he felt it was the right time to gain the right to do everything else. During the ceremony, his improperly parked car was also towed away.

Rhythm guitarist and founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival Tom Fogerty died in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 48 from AIDS-related complications, including a tuberculosis infection. According to sources, he contracted HIV through blood transfusions received for back problems. He left the group in 1971 because he did not have enough opportunities to sing and record his own songs. From 1972 to 1981, he released five solo albums, the most successful being his debut album "Tom Fogerty", which reached No. 78 in the U.S. He was the older brother of John Fogerty and co-founded Creedence Clearwater Revival with him, Doug Clifford and Stu Cook. In 1969, the group had three albums in the U.S. Top 10 and four singles in the Top 5.

Don Henley, Jimmy Buffett, Elton John, Sting and Aerosmith performed at a benefit concert in Boston supporting Walden Woods.

Bad Religion released their eighth studio album, "Stranger Than Fiction". It was their only gold-certified album in the United States and their final recording with founding guitarist Brett Gurewitz before his return seven years later.

English keyboardist, pianist and organist Nicky Hopkins died in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 50 from complications following intestinal surgery. He was one of the most respected session musicians and worked with The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, Jeff Beck, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, John Lennon, George Harrison and the Jerry Garcia Band, among others. The Kinks' song "Session Man" from the album "Face to Face" was dedicated to Hopkins, who also played on it. Hopkins suffered from Crohn's disease throughout his life.

The Cranberries began releasing material connected with the album "No Need to Argue".

Bruce Hornsby and Branford Marsalis sang the U.S. national anthem at Camden Yards in Baltimore before Cal Ripken Jr. set the record for consecutive baseball games played.

Joan Jett sang the U.S. national anthem before a game between the Baltimore Orioles and the California Angels. It was Cal Ripken Jr.'s 2,131st consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig's record. Jett, a major Orioles fan and Ripken's girlfriend, then watched the rest of the game with a number of baseball legends, including Willie Mays and Joe DiMaggio.

Elton John performed a dramatically rewritten version of "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey, later released as "Candle in the Wind 1997". In the new version, he replaced the original lyric "Goodbye Norma Jean" with "Goodbye England's Rose". His performance was estimated to have been watched by 2.5 billion television viewers. The song was subsequently re-recorded and released as a charity single, topping charts around the world and selling more than 33 million copies, making it the best-selling single in the history of the UK and U.S. singles charts according to the source.

Elton John recorded a new version of "Candle in the Wind" after performing it live at Diana, Princess of Wales's funeral. The original song was written in tribute to Marilyn Monroe, but Elton John revised the lyrics as a tribute to the late princess. His performance was estimated to have been watched by 2.5 billion people worldwide. "Candle in the Wind 1997" reached No. 1 in the U.S., UK and many other countries and subsequently became the best-selling single of all time.

Fleetwood Mac reached No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with their live album "The Dance". The album featured live versions of some of their biggest hits, including "The Chain", "Dreams" and "Rhiannon".