Today in Acoustic-Rock History

1963 – The Beatles appear on the BBC’s “Sunday Night at the Palladium.” Thousands of fans jam the streets adjacent to the theater. It’s the first demonstration of Beatlemania as many of the fans battle with police to get into the theater. The group’s television appearance is witnessed by 15 million British viewers.

1970 – Janis Joplin’s ashes are scattered off the coast of California.

1971 – Don McLean’s “American Pie” album is released.

1975 – Neil Young undergoes surgery in Los Angeles. An “object” is scraped from his vocal chords. Although he’s back in the studio rather quickly, Young is hampered by the setback and bows out midway during his 1976 tour with Stephen Stills because of the strain on his voice.

1989 – Billy Joel releases his album, “Storm Front.”

1991 – Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “CSN,” a four-disc, 78-track box set containing much unreleased material, is released.

1997 – Billy Joel fans in the U.S. get their first chance to hear one of the piano man’s classical works when National Public Radio’s “Performance Today” program debuts his piece “Reverie.”

2000 – Carlos Santana is presented with the key to the city of Tijuana, Mexico.

BIRTHDAYS:

Paul Simon – 1941

Robert Lamm (Chicago) – 1946