On This Day:
In 1965 In San Francisco, Jefferson Airplane made their live debut at the city’s Matrix Club, co-owned by lead singer Marty Balin.
In 1967 Fleetwood Mac, billed as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, made their live debut when they appeared at the National Jazz and Blues Festival, held at the Royal Windsor Racecourse in Windsor, England.
In 1975 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off a five night stand at the New York club the Bottom Line. The shows took place just before the release of “Born to Run,” and were instrumental in spreading the hype of The Boss.
In 1980 Thieves broke into Todd Rundgren’s home in Woodstock, New York while he, his girlfriend, and three guests were there. The thieves tied and gagged Rundgren and the others, then stole the valuables.
In 1990 Soul singer Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him while he was being introduced at an outdoor concert in Brooklyn, New York.
In 1996 Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen filed for divorce from his estranged wife, Kelly.
In 2004 The Steve Miller Band performed at the Lance Armstrong Homecoming Celebration in Austin, Texas. The event honored the cyclist’s historic sixth consecutive win at the Tour de France bicycle race.
In 2007 Van Halen held a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles to reveal plans for a major fall road trip. Earlier plans for a summer trek were scrapped when guitarist Eddie Van Halen checked into rehab. The tour marked the return of original frontman David Lee Roth after more than 20 years, and the debut of Eddie’s son Wolfgang as Van Halen’s bassist.
Fats Domino received replacements for the Gold and Platinum record certifications he lost in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina destroyed his New Orleans home. The presentation took place at Tipitina’s in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
In 2010 The late Carl Perkins received a marker on the Brass Note Walk of Fame on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 2013 The Charlatans drummer, Jon Brookes, died at the age of 44. He was battling a brain tumor.
In 2017 David Bowie appeared posthumously on the TV show “Twin Peaks: The Return.”
In 2024 Rock singer and longtime radio show host Greg Kihn died following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Kihn was frontman for The Greg Kihn Band and their biggest hit was “Jeopardy,” which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. Several of the band’s album titles were a play on words with his name, such as “RocKihnRoll,” “Khinspiracy” and “Citizen Kihn.” He was 75.
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