1967: Two young songwriters named, Reginald Dwight and Bernie Taupin sign their first contract for song publishing. Reg will soon change his name to Elton John. The duo were both underage at the time and had to have the contract witnessed by their parents.

1965: This was the day that legendary promoter Bill Graham (Fillmore East, Fillmore West) staged his first rock concert a benefit for the San Francisco Mime Troupe at the Calliope Ballroom starring the Jefferson Airplane. He would open the Fillmore one year later.

 So many birthdays today…

Ike Turner (1931-2007)

Art Garfunkel (1941)

Graham Parsons (Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers) (1946-1973)

Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits) (1947)

1963: It was on this day that The Beatles, performed at the Royal Command Performance for the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden at London's Prince of Wales Theatre.

The appearance became a hallmark in not only in the band’s career but in rock history when John Lennon cracks, “Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And for the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry.”

1990: 25 years after it initially peaked #4 on the Billboard charts, the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” returns to the top of the UK charts after being prominently featured in the hit film Ghost.

Ironically, the song was never intended to be a hit. It was first released as the B-side of the Righteous Brothers single, “Hung on You.” However, disc jockeys ignored the A-side and made the B-side a success. As was typical at the time, producer Phil Spector had put little effort into the B-side. In fact, only ONE Righteous Brother, Bobby Hatfield, is actually singing on the recording.

1963: The British newspaper, The Daily Mirror, reviews a concert given in Cheltenham, England, by The Beatles. In describing the reaction of the group’s fans at the show, the paper coins the term “Beatlemania.” That term quickly enters the public lexicon, eventually becoming the name of a long-running Broadway show that gives tribute to the band and their music.

1970: An unassuming little group known as The Festfolk Quartet performs for the first time at a restaurant in Sweden. The group will soon change their name to ABBA.

1967: Influential alternative band, The Stooges (fronted by singer Iggy Pop) play their first gig at a Halloween party in Detroit.

1939: Happy Birthday to one of the greatest singers in rock history: Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship. (BTW – Jefferson Airplane was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on this day in 1995.)

1971: Just on the cusp of superstardom, young Duane Allman guitarist for The Allman Brothers Band is involved in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia that took his life. He was only 25.