Today in Music History

Bing Crosby, co-owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game Four of the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

King Crimson performed at Town Hall in Birmingham, England.

Yes performed at City Hall in Sheffield, England.

King Crimson performed at the Zoom Club in Frankfurt am Main.

Genesis released the album Selling England by the Pound, one of the significant recordings from the band's early progressive-rock period.

Cher's single "Half-Breed" remained at number one on the US singles chart. The Allman Brothers Band's "Ramblin' Man" moved up from number seven to number two.

Queen performed at the Underground club in Bad Godesberg, near Bonn, Germany.

The album Goats Head Soup began a four-week run at number one on the US Billboard 200. It was the band’s fourth album to top the American chart. A week later, the album’s ballad “Angie” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In second place on the album chart was Brothers and Sisters by the Allman Brothers Band, followed by Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye in third place.

Nothing from Nothing reached number one on the US Billboard pop chart.

David Bowie performed at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Television host Ed Sullivan died of esophageal cancer at the age of 73. His program The Ed Sullivan Show aired on CBS from June 20, 1948, to June 6, 1971, introducing major artists including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Supremes, and the Jackson 5 to North American audiences over 23 years. He also supported the inclusion of Black performers in television entertainment. An estimated 73 million viewers watched The Beatles' appearance on February 9, 1964, making it a major moment in American pop culture and the British Invasion. Sullivan won an Emmy and Golden Globes and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1985.

Elvis Presley gave evening and midnight performances at the Sahara Tahoe hotel in Stateline, Nevada. He wore the Mexican Sundial jumpsuit, and his set list included "See See Rider", "Love Me Tender", "Hound Dog", "Big Boss Man", "Johnny B. Goode", and "Can't Help Falling in Love".

Roxy Music performed at the Winter Gardens in Bournemouth, England.

Neil Young underwent surgery on his vocal cords at a Los Angeles hospital, where doctors removed a foreign object.

Roxy Music performed at City Hall in Newcastle, England.

Simon & Garfunkel reunited for the release of the single “My Little Town.”

Aerosmith performed at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, England.

The Who performed at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.

Justin Peroff, drummer for Broken Social Scene, was born.

Rush performed at the City Bank Coliseum in Lubbock, Texas.

Singer Shirley Brickley of The Orlons was shot and killed by an intruder in her Philadelphia home at the age of 32. Her murder remains unsolved. The group had five US Top 20 hits in 1962–1963, including “The Wah Watusi,” “Don’t Hang Up,” and “South Street.”

AC/DC released the live album "If You Want Blood You've Got It", the band's first live album and the only live album featuring Bon Scott as lead vocalist.

Bob Dylan performed at The Olympia in Detroit, Michigan.

Genesis performed at the Uptown Theater in Chicago.

Led Zeppelin began rehearsals for a new album that would later become their final studio album, In Through the Out Door.

Queen released the double-sided single “Fat Bottomed Girls” / “Bicycle Race” in the UK. The cover combined visual themes from both songs. The record reached number 11 on the UK chart and, after its US release eleven days later, peaked at number 24 on the American chart.

Anne Murray scored her third consecutive number-one hit on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Broken Hearted Me".

Elton John released the album Victim of Love, which moved away from his usual piano-driven pop-rock style toward disco music.

John Cougar, later known as John Mellencamp, made his first chart appearance with his debut single "I Need a Lover".

Led Zeppelin's album In Through the Out Door remained at number one on the US album chart for a fifth consecutive week.

The single "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was Michael Jackson's second solo US number-one hit and his first return to the US Top 10 since 1975. It reached number three in the UK and topped the charts in seven other countries.

The Eagles’ single “Heartache Tonight” rose from number 52 to number 15 in its second week on the chart.

American singer, songwriter, and actress Ashanti Douglas, known professionally as Ashanti, was born in Glen Cove, New York. Her hit "Foolish" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2002 she became the first female singer to occupy the chart's top two positions simultaneously with "Foolish" and "What's Luv?". Her debut album earned her three Grammy nominations and the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Black Sabbath performed at Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.

Frank Zappa performed at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.

George Jones won Single of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards for "He Stopped Loving Her Today". The award marked the beginning of a new period of success and renewed interest in his work.

The Grateful Dead performed at the Walter-Köbel-Halle in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

KISS released the album Creatures of the Night, marking a return to a harder rock sound. Ace Frehley still appeared on the cover, although the guitar parts on the recording were played by Vinnie Vincent.

The Who performed at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City.

Van Halen performed at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

Prince’s album Purple Rain spent its fifteenth week at number one on the US album chart.

Stevie Wonder’s self-produced single “I Just Called to Say I Love You” began a three-week run at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. It became one of his biggest hits; the song also topped the US Adult Contemporary and R&B charts, the UK singles chart, and charts in many other countries. It was written for the film The Woman in Red and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The album The Unforgettable Fire reached number one on the UK album chart and remained there for two weeks. It became U2’s second album to top the UK chart. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois and included the single “Pride (In the Name of Love).”

Joni Mitchell's album Ladies of the Canyon was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Neil Young headlined the first Bridge School Benefit concert in support of a school for children with speech and physical disabilities. Neil and Pegi Young had founded the school for their son Ben, who was born with cerebral palsy. Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Tom Petty, and the reunited Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young also took part in the acoustic concert. The event subsequently became an annual tradition.

Sting released his second solo album, ...Nothing Like the Sun.