1967: NBC airs Petula Clark’s first and only TV special, Petula. During her duet with Harry Belafonte, she spontaneously reaches out and touches him on his arm. Sponsor Chrysler Motors wants the moment cut from the show, fearing a backlash from Southern viewers. Clark refuses and the show airs with the touch intact, becoming the first interracial contact to air on American television.

The nation, somehow, endures the shock. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)

1955: Ray Charles scores his first hit, landing on Billboard’s R&B charts with his song “I Got a Woman.”

The song is a revamped gospel tune, originally titled “It Might Be Jesus.”

1971: Following the Beatles’ example, the Rolling Stones launch their own record label on this day. The Stones’ famous “lips and tongue” logo is first used as a symbol for the label, later it simply becomes the band’s logo.

BTW – the logo was designed by London pop artist John Pasche.

1967: An organized protest of teenage girls takes place in London.

The reason? Davy Jones of the Monkees is scheduled to be inducted into the army.

The girls had nothing to fear. Jones eventually earns an exemption because he was the sole support of his family.

1964: The Beatles establish a pop music record when they hold down the top 5 positions on Billboard’s Hot 100. #1 – “Can’t Buy Me Love” #2 – “Twist and Shout” #3 – “She Loves You” #4 – “I Want to Hold Your Hand” #5 – “Please, Please Me.”

Beyond that, Beatles songs hold down an addition 9 positions throughout the remaining Hot 100.

1964: “The Times They are a-Changin’” indeed. It was on this day that Bob Dylan made his first appearance on the pop charts when his song, “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” entered the UK charts.

Just one day later, Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” would enter the U.S. Top 40.

1967: Having recently left the Spencer Davis Group, keyboard player/singer/composer Stevie Winwood joins Dave Mason, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi to form a new band they call Traffic.

2008: To celebrate April Fool’s Day, soon-to-be disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich declares the day “Cheap Trick Day,” honoring the band that originally hailed from that state.

No word on how much the band had to pay the governor for that honor.

1949: While rock ‘n’ roll was still a few years away, a development crucial to its success takes place on this day.

RCA Victor introduces the 45 rpm “single.” The disc is said to give greater fidelity than the then-standard 78 rpm discs. Not to mention, “45’s” are smaller and lighter.

The format catches on quickly and 78’s soon become an outdated relic.

1967: The most famous album cover in history was photographed by Michael Cooper on this day. The Beatles arrive at Chelsea Manor Studios in London dressed in matching satin marching band uniforms and pose amidst an extensive array of wax figures, flowers and cardboard cutouts for the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

BTW – A life size mock-up of that photo session can be seen today at the Beatles Museum in Liverpool.

Our photo is obviously an alternate shot from that session.