Music History Today: June 22, 2023

June 22, 1969: Judy Garland died of a barbiturate overdose aged 47.

Judy Garland signed a movie contract with MGM at the age of 13. In 1939, she scored one of her greatest on-screen successes with The Wizard of Oz. In 1950, MGM dropped her from her contract.

Judy Garland

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In the 1960s, Judy Garland spent more time as a singer than an actress. In 1962, Garland won Grammy Awards for Best Solo Vocal Performance and Album of the Year for Judy at Carnegie Hall. From 1963 to 1964, she starred in The Judy Garland Show. For her work on the show, Garland earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program in 1964. 

Read more: Biography

June 22, 1953: Cyndi Lauper was born on June 22, 1953, in Astoria, New York.

Cyndi Lauper burst onto the music charts with her debut album, She's So Unusual in 1983, scoring a string of hits that included "Time After Time" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and winning her the 1984 Grammy Award for best new artist.

Cyndi Lauper

With her eclectic clothes, flamboyantly styled hair and contagious pop melodies, Lauper has cemented herself as a music icon, having sold over 50 million albums worldwide. In June 2013, Lauper's musical Kinky Boots won six Tony Awards, including for best musical. 

Read more: Biography

June 22, 1990: Billy Joel became the first rock artist to perform at Yankee Stadium at the first of two sold-out concerts. They were recorded and broadcast as a single concert on The Disney Channel and then later released as a single-concert video/DVD. 

June 22, 2002: "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World made it to Number 5 on the US music chart.

The Middle's music video was a three-minute coming-of-age flick directed by Paul Fedor. It features a fresh-faced, fully clothed teenage boy, played by Josh Keleher, who attends a relaxed house party at which Jimmy Eat World is playing. The shindig is "clothing optional," and everyone, except the band, is in their underwear. The clip received plenty of play on MTV, especially on Total Request Live. 

Read more: Billboard

 

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Judy Garland