Music History Today: April 11, 2023

April 11, 1988: Cher won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Moonstruck. The film's theme song is "That's Amore" by Dean Martin.

Music History Today: February 27, 2023

February 27, 2010: Josh Turner entered the top 40 section of Billboard's Hot 100 with "Why Don't We Just Dance."

"Why Don't We Just Dance" was Josh Turner's third country Number 1, following his two 2006 chart-toppers "Your Man" and "Would You Go With Me."

Music History Today: January 19, 2023

January 19, 1980: The Pretenders scored their first UK Number 1 with "Brass in Pocket."

Music History Today: October 4, 2022

October 4, 1970: At 27 years old, Janis Joplin was found dead at the Landmark Hotel in Los Angeles of a heroin overdose. Joplin had the posthumous US Number 1 album, "Pearl," in 1971.

Janis Joplin

Music History Today: September 5, 2022

September 5, 1981: Stevie Nicks went to Number 1 on the US album chart with Bella Donna.

Though Stevie Nicks begin recording Bella Donna in the waning days of 1980, the seeds for her debut solo album were planted years before.

Stevie Nicks

Music History Today: June 16, 2022

June 16, 1979: Donna Summer's album Bad Girls hit Number 1 in the US.

Every producer/DJ has the dream of creating an album like Donna Summer’s Bad Girls—whether they admit it or not.

Music History Today: September 11, 2021

September 11, 1971: Donny Osmond took the top spot on the US singles chart for the next three weeks with "Go Away Little Girl." 

In 1962, the married duo of Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote “Go Away, Little Girl” for the bland and unthreatening teen idol Bobby Vee. Vee’s version wasn’t a hit, but “Go Away Little Girl” did hit #1 when the unctuous-sounding grown man Steve Lawrence released his own version of it. 

Donny Osmond

Music History Today: May 26, 2021

May 26, 1969: Janis Joplin landed on the cover of Newsweek with the headline, "Janis Joplin: Rebirth of Blues."

June 25, 1970: Wearing a purple suit, countless bracelets and a pink feather boa in her hair, Janis Joplin had a chat with TV show host Dick Cavett.

Music History Today: April 1, 2021

April 1, 1970: Woodstock, the documentary on the Woodstock Festival that took place in August 1969 at Bethel in New York, premiered in Hollywood. 

An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969. 

Janis Joplin at Woodstock 1959

Music History Today: February 27, 2021

February 27, 1980: "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers won both Record and Song of the Year honors at the Grammys.

There weren’t a whole lot of #1 singles in 1979 that didn’t at least nod toward disco. The Doobie Brothers’ “What A Fool Believes” stood out. 

The Doobie Brothers

Music History Today: January 19, 2021

January 19, 1943: Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas.

Janis Joplin was born in Texas, but she got her start singing with the San Francisco-based Big Brother & the Holding Company. 

Janis Joplin

Music History Today: January 11, 2021

January 11, 1999: 'N Sync captured the Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist honor at the American Music Awards

In the 2015 Backstreet Boys documentary Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of, a single telling scene sums up the strange tension that arose between two of the biggest-selling boy bands of all time.

'N Sync - No Strings Attached

Music History Today: November 15, 2020

November 15, 1980: "Lady," written by Lionel Richie, becomes Kenny Rogers' only solo Number 1 Hot 100 hit.

On the song “Lady,” Kenny Rogers teamed up with songwriter and producer Lionel Richie, still one of the leaders of the Commodores at the time. 

Kenny Rogers

Music History Today: October 12, 2020

October 12, 1978: Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.  

On 12 October 1978, Sid Vicious, born John Simon Ritchie, woke up from a drug binge at New York's Chelsea Hotel.  

Music History Today: October 4, 2020

October 4, 1970:  Janis Joplin was found dead from heroin at 27 at the Landmark Motor Hotel in Hollywood, California.

Janis Joplin

Music History Today: September 25, 2020

September 25, 1970: Janis Joplin recorded "Me and Bobby McGee" at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood. She died nine days later from a drug overdose at age 27.

The producer who hired Kris Kristofferson to write "Me and Bobby McGee" confirmed the story behind the song. 

Music History Today: August 12, 2020

August 12, 1968:  Big Brother & the Holding Company released their one and only big album, Cheap Thrills. The first single released is Gershwin's "Summertime." 

Cellphone Wallpaper

Janis Joplin circa 1968

Music History Today: August 8, 2020

August 8, 2007: Amy Winehouse overdoses. The singer refused her record company's request to get help for her addiction, inspiring her hit record "Rehab." 

Music History Today: June 24, 2020

June 24, 1966:  Janis Joplin performed for the first time as lead singer for Big Brother & the Holding Company at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco, California.

Big Brother & The Holding Company – along with bands like The Grateful Dead,  Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service – is considered one of the original, first wave of great psychedelic bands that came out of San Francisco in the summer of 1965. 

Janis Joplin

Music History Today: June 21, 2020

June 21, 1966: The Beatles record "She Said She Said," a song inspired by a party where Peter Fonda, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison were taking acid. 

Regarding “She Said She Said,” John Lennon remembers: “That was written after an acid trip in L.A. during a break in The Beatles tour where we were having fun with The Byrds and lots of girls. 

Beatles