Today in Acoustic-Rock History

1961 – Bob Dylan plays harmonica on three cuts recorded for his friend Caroline Hester’s first Columbia album. The session is produced by John Hammond and he is so impressed that he promptly signs Dylan to a deal and arranges for a solo recording session in October.

1963 – New York promoter Sid Bernstein contacts Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles, to bring the group to the United States. Epstein is skeptical because the group doesn’t have a hit in the States yet.

1965 – Donovan makes his U.S. television debut, appearing on “Shingdig!” Also appearing on the show are Graham Nash and The Hollies.

1967 – On TV’s “David Frost Show,” John Lennon and Paul McCartney espouse the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s doctrines of transcendental meditation.

1967 – Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl” peaks at #10 on the singles chart.

1969 – CSN’s debut album, “Crosby, Stills & Nash,” goes gold.

1970 – Phil Collins joins Genesis.

1970 – Traffic’s “John Barleycorn Must Die” hits #11 in the UK and #5 in the US.

1988 – John Lennon receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1993 – George Harrison and David Crosby make guest appearances on “The Simpsons.”

1997 – Fleetwood Mac’s reunion show at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., grosses a house record of $1,094,520.