| General |
Classical Music
Popular Music
| | Biographies |
Armstrong, Louis
Berlin, Irving
Bernstein, Leonard
Berry, Chuck
Brooks, Garth
Brown, James
Campbell, Glen
Cash, Johny
Copland, Aaron
Denver, John
Dorsey, Thomas
Dylan, Bob
Ellington, Duke
Franklin, Aretha
Garfunkel, Art
Gershwin, George
Glass, Philip
Haley, Bill
Hammerstein, Oscar
Handy, William Christopher
Hendrix, John Allen
Jordan, Louis
Kern, Jerome
King, Riley B "BB"
Krieger, Robbie
Lauper, Cyndi
Madonna
McLean, Don
Morrison, James Douglas "Jim"
Nelson, Ricky
Opry, Grand Ole
Orbison, Roy
Phillips, Sam
Pitney, Gene
Presley, Elvis Aaron
Simon, Paul
Spector, Phil
Springstein, Bruce
Streisand, Barbara
Talmy, Shel
Tindley, Charles Albert
Visconti, Anthony
Wilson, Brian
Wonder, Stevie
Young, Neil
Zappa, Frank Vincent
Zimmerman, Robert Allen
| | Places |
Boston
Memphis
New Orleans
New York
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Composition
History of USA
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| | 1911 | Berlin, Irving | |
| Popular songwriter Irving Berlin completes "Alexander's Ragtime Band," his first hit; culmination of ragtime craze |
| 1912 | Handy, William Christopher | |
| Composer, band leader, "father of the blues," William Chris topher Handy publishes Memphis Blues , helps inaugurate new style based on rural black folk music |
| 1916 | Tindley, Charles Albert | |
| Charles Albert Tindley, first black gospel composer to be published, releases New Songs of Paradise, collection of 37 gospel works |
| 1924 | Gershwin, George | |
| George Gershwin composes Rhapsody in Blue, symphonic jazz composition |
| 1925 | Opry, Grand Ole | |
| Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tennessee, begins Saturday night radio broadcasts featuring regional music, helps fuse Southeastern and Western styles, creating country and western genre |
| 1927 | Hammerstein, Oscar | |
| Show Boat, music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, based on Edna Ferber's novel, becomes first hugely popular musical comedy |
| 1927 | Kern, Jerome | |
| 3rd Mar Show Boat, music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, based on Edna Ferber's novel, becomes first hugely popular musical comedy |
| 1932 | Dorsey, Thomas | |
| Blues pianist Thomas A. Dorsey, "father of gospel music," writes song "Take My Hand Precious Lord" |
| 1935 | Gershwin, George | |
| Boston 1st performance of, "Porgy & Bess" |
| 1936 | Copland, Aaron | |
| Aaron Copland composes El Salon Mexico, major orchestral work; uses jazz, American folk music to create American-sounding music for ballet, film, symphony orchestra |
| 1937 | Ellington, Duke | |
| 14th May Duke Ellington & his band recorded the classic, "Caravan", for Brunswick Records |
| 1938 | Armstrong, Louis | |
| 13th May New Orleans Louis Armstrong & his orchestra record the New Orleans jazz standard, "When the Saints Go Marching In", on Decca Records |
| 1944 | Bernstein, Leonard | |
| Versatile composer, conductor, pianist, Leonard Bernstein composes musical On the Town |
| 1946 | Berlin, Irving | |
| Irving Berlin musical Annie Get Your Gun is huge hit |
| 1949 | King, Riley B "BB" | |
| BB King makes his 1st recording & releases 6 singles in the same year |
| 1950 | Jordan, Louis | |
| 18th Aug The phrase "rock and roll" is heard on Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five's version of "Tamburitza Boogie", recorded in New York City |
| 1951 | King, Riley B "BB" | |
| Records his 7th single, "Three O'Clock Blues ," which becomes a national hit, no 1 in the Rhythm and Blues charts for 15 weeks |
| 1952 | King, Riley B "BB" | |
| A 2nd no 1 R&B hit with "You Don't Know Me" |
| 1954 | Haley, Bill | |
| "Rock Around the Clock", a breakthrough for rock and roll music, is included in the film Blackboard Jungle |
| 1954 | Phillips, Sam | |
| Memphis Elvis Presley records the regional hit "That's All Right (Mama)" at Sam Phillips ' Sun studios in Memphis , Elvis plays a rock and country & western fusion called rockabilly |
| 1954 | Presley, Elvis Aaron | |
| Memphis Elvis Presley records the regional hit "That's All Right (Mama)" at Sam Phillips ' Sun studios in Memphis , Elvis plays a rock and country & western fusion called rockabilly |
| 1955 | Berry, Chuck | |
| Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" is first of series of hits for "Mr. Rock' n' Roll" |
| 1955 | Haley, Bill | |
| 6th June Bill Haley and Comets, "Rock Around the Clock" hits #1 |
| 1956 | Presley, Elvis Aaron | |
| 11th May First enters the USAcharts with "Heartbreak Hotel" |
| 1958 | Nelson, Ricky | |
| Billboard magazine begins Hot 100 chart listing popular songs. Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" is the first No. 1 record |
| 1960 | Orbison, Roy | |
| 6th June Roy Orbison releases "Only the Lonely" |
| 1961 | Pitney, Gene | |
| 1st success as a songwriter with "Rubber Ball," a Top 10 hit for Bobby Vee |
| Ricky Nelson has a hit with Pitney's "Hello Mary Lou" |
| 1962 | Pitney, Gene | |
| No 1 song for The Crystals' "He's a Rebel," written by Pitney |
| "Only Love Can Break a Heart" was Pitney's biggest USAhit, peaking at No. 2 on the charts |
| 1962 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Releases, "Bob Dylan", consists of familiar folk, blues and gospel material combined with two of his own songs |
| 1963 | Dylan, Bob | |
| Folk singer Bob Dylan popularizes protest songs; Peter, Paul and Mary sing Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" at the 1963 March on Washington |
| 1963 | Pitney, Gene | |
| Records, " 24 Hours From Tulsa" |
| 1963 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Releases 1st Album, "Tribute to Uncle Ray" |
| 10th Aug Little Stevie Wonder tops the charts with "Fingertips (Pt. II)", the first live single in history to reach No 1 |
| 10th Aug Stevie Wonder hits no 1 on the R&B and pop chart with "Fingertips - Pt. 2" |
| 1963 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Dylan's second album is released, "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" |
| Releases, "The Times They Are a-Changin", reflects a more sophisticated, politicized and cynical Dylan |
| 1964 | Pitney, Gene | |
| Records, " I'm Gonna Be Strong" |
| 1964 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Releases Album, "Times They Are A-Changin" |
| Releases the album, "Another Side of Bob Dylan" |
| 1965 | Brown, James | |
| Records the single, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" |
| Records the single, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" |
| 1965 | Dylan, Bob | |
| The Byrds version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" creates new form, "folk-rock" |
| 1965 | Hendrix, John Allen | |
| Hendrix plays his first successful studio session on the two-part Isley Brothers hit "Testify". |
| 1965 | King, Riley B "BB" | |
| Records a historic live album, "Live at the Regal" |
| 1965 | Pitney, Gene | |
| Records, "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" |
| 1965 | Talmy, Shel | |
| Jan The Who's first release, and first hit, "I Can't Explain", influenced by the early Kinks hits (with whom they share American producer Shel Talmy) |
| 1965 | Wilson, Brian | |
| The Beach Boys release, "California Girls" |
| The Beach Boys release the LP, "Pet Sounds", includes classic singles from that album, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" & "God Only Knows," |
| 1965 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Releases the album "Bringing It All Back Home", features his first recordings made with electric instruments |
| Releases the single "Like a Rolling Stone", which peaks at #2 in the U.S. and at #4 in the UK charts |
| The single, "Subterranean Homesick Blues ", owes much to Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business " and is provided with an early music video courtesy of Pennebaker's cin‚ma v‚rit‚ presentation of Dylan's 1965 tour of England, Dont Look Back |
| 1966 | Hendrix, John Allen | |
| 20th May Hendrix's first single is a cover of "Hey Joe", crafted after folk-singer Tim Rose's slower revision of the song and adapted to Hendrix's style |
| 1966 | Wilson, Brian | |
| The Beach Boys release, "Good Vibrations", no 1 in the USA & UK |
| 1966 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Releases Album, "Blonde on Blonde" |
| The Nashville sessions produce the album "Blonde on Blonde", featuring what Dylan later calls "that thin wild mercury sound" |
| 1967 | Hendrix, John Allen | |
| 20th May Releases Album, "Are You Experienced" |
| 20th May Releases Album, "Axis, Bold as Love" |
| 1967 | Krieger, Robbie | |
| June The single "Light My Fire," written by Krieger, hits number one |
| 1967 | Morrison, James Douglas "Jim" | |
| June The single "Light My Fire," written by Krieger, hits number one |
| 1967 | Pitney, Gene | |
| Records, "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart" |
| 1967 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Releases the album, "John Wesley Harding" |
| 1968 | Garfunkel, Art | |
| New York Simon & Garfunkel release, "Bookends" |
| Simon & Garfunkel release, "The Graduate" |
| 1968 | Hendrix, John Allen | |
| 20th May Releases Album, "Electric Ladyland" |
| 1968 | Simon, Paul | |
| Simon & Garfunkel release, "Bookends" |
| Simon & Garfunkel release, "The Graduate" |
| 1968 | Visconti, Anthony | |
| Produces "Prophets, Seers & Sages - The Angels of the Ages", the second album by Tyrannosaurus Rex |
| Produces recordings for successful jazz vocalist Georgie Fame |
| Produces the album Prophets, Seers & Sages - The Angels of the Ages for the British band T-Rex kick-starting his influential career & production of a further 7 T-Rex Albums |
| 1969 | Cash, Johny | |
| Records the Album, "Johny Cash at San Quentin" |
| 1969 | Visconti, Anthony | |
| Produces "Maybe Tomorrow" for Badfinger |
| Produces the "Space Oddity" Album for David Bowie |
| 1969 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Releases Album, "My Cherie Amour" |
| 1969 | Zappa, Frank Vincent | |
| Release of 1st Album, "Uncle Meat" |
| Release of 2nd Album, "Hot Rats" |
| 1970 | Garfunkel, Art | |
| Simon & Garfunkel release "Bridge Over Troubled Water" |
| 1970 | King, Riley B "BB" | |
| BB King's song "The Thrill Is Gone" crosses over to the pop charts |
| 1970 | Morrison, James Douglas "Jim" | |
| The Doors record what proves to be their last LP with Morris on, "L.A. Woman" |
| 1970 | Simon, Paul | |
| Simon & Garfunkel release "Bridge Over Troubled Water" |
| 1970 | Spector, Phil | |
| 15th Oct George Harris on & Phil Spector begin work on the final mixing of the album, "All Things Must Pass" |
| 1970 | Visconti, Anthony | |
| Produces the seminal album and single "The Man Who Sold the World" for David Bowie |
| 1970 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| "If You Really Love Me" is a no 1 hit & Stevie Wonder is just 20 yrs old |
| 1970 | Young, Neil | |
| Crosby, Stills , Nash & Young release "Deja Vu", USA no 1 Album |
| Releases "After the Goldrush" |
| 1971 | Franklin, Aretha | |
| 13th May Aretha Franklin, the 'Queen of Soul', receives a gold record for her version of "Bridge over Troubled Water" |
| 1971 | Young, Neil | |
| Crosby, Stills , Nash & Young release "Four Way St", USA no 1 Album |
| 1972 | Campbell, Glen | |
| 16th May Glen Campbell earns a gold record for his Greatest Hits album |
| 1972 | McLean, Don | |
| April Don McLean writes & sings a musical tribute to the artistic genius, titled "Vincent" |
| 1972 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Records "Superstition", reaches no 1 in the USA |
| 1972 | Young, Neil | |
| Releases Album, "Harvest" |
| 1973 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Records "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", reaches no 1 in the USA |
| Releases Album, "Innervisions" |
| 1974 | Denver, John | |
| 31st Mar John Denver reaches the top spot on the USAcharts with, "Sunshine On My Shoulders" |
| 1974 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Stevie Wonder hits no 1 with "You Haven't Done Nothin'" and no 8 with "Living For the City" in the USA |
| 1974 | Young, Neil | |
| Crosby, Stills , Nash & Young release "So Far", USA no 1 Album |
| 1974 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Releases Album, "Blood on the Tracks" |
| 1975 | Denver, John | |
| 7th June "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," by John Denver hits #1 |
| 1975 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "Born to Run" |
| 1976 | Glass, Philip | |
| Philip Glass completes Einstein on the Beach, first widely performed minimalist piece |
| 1976 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Records "I Wish", reaches no 1 in the USA |
| 1977 | Wilson, Brian | |
| The Beach Boys release the LP "Love You", a collection of 14 songs mostly written by Brian Wilson |
| 1977 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Records "Sir Duke", reaches no 1 in the USA |
| 1978 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "Darkness on the Edge of Town" |
| 1980 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "The River", No 1 USAAlbum |
| 1980 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| 4th Oct Wonder's tribute to Bob Marley, the reggaefied "Master Blaster (Jammin')," enters the charts, tops the R&B charts for 7 weeks |
| 1982 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "Nebraska" |
| 1983 | Wonder, Stevie | |
| Records, "I Just Called to Say I Love You" |
| 1984 | Lauper, Cyndi | |
| 5th June Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" becomes #1 in the USA |
| 1984 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Closest to the top of the pop music charts during a four-week stay at number 2 with "Dancing in the Dark" (June/July) |
| Releases "Born in the USA", No 1 UK & USAAlbum |
| 1984 | Streisand, Barbara | |
| 26th June Barbra Streisand records, "Here We Are at Last" |
| 1985 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases, "I'm on Fire" |
| 1986 | Madonna | |
| 7th June Madonna's "Live to Tell," single goes #1 |
| 1986 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "Live: 1975-1985", No 1 USAAlbum |
| 1986 | Visconti, Anthony | |
| Produces "The Other Side of Life" for the Moody Blues |
| 1987 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "Tunnel of Love", No 1 UK & USAAlbum |
| 1988 | King, Riley B "BB" | |
| BB King records a track with Irish rockers U2, "When Love Comes to Town," for their album Rattle and Hum |
| 1990 | Pitney, Gene | |
| Re-records "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" with Marc Almond, reaches no 1 in Britain |
| 1991 | Brooks, Garth | |
| Releases Album, "Ropin' the Wind" |
| 1992 | Brooks, Garth | |
| Releases Album, "The Chase" |
| 1992 | Springstein, Bruce | |
| Releases "Human Touch", No 1 UK Album |
| Releases "Lucky Town" |
| 1993 | Brooks, Garth | |
| Releases Album, "In Pieces" |
| 1997 | Visconti, Anthony | |
| Visconti produces the debut album of former Stone Roses member John Squire's new band, The Seahorses |
| 2004 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| Rolling Stone magazine lists the single "Like a Rolling Stone" at number one on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time |
| 2006 | Zimmerman, Robert Allen | |
| 29th Aug Releases the album, "Modern Times", enters the USAalbum charts at #1, making him, at age 65, the oldest living person to top those charts |
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