Pick a Day

21 AUGUST

In Music History

1993 John Denver blows a .14 when his Porsche is pulled over in Aspen, Colorado, where the legal limit is .10. He pleads guilty to driving while impaired and is sentenced to 28 hours of community service, which includes performing a benefit concert for the Tipsy Taxi service.

1993 Elton John's longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin marries his third wife, Stephanie Haymes.

1987 The film Dirty Dancing is released. In November, the soundtrack goes to #1 in America, where it sells over 11 million copies.

1987 Metallica release The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited.

1986 Eric Clapton's son Conor is born. Four years later, Conor dies in a tragic accident, prompting Clapton to write "Tears In Heaven."

1984 Pop singer/actress Melissa Schuman (of Dream) is born in San Clemente, California.

1980 R&B singer Kelis is born Kelis Rogers in Harlem, New York City.

1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd, Todd Rundgren, 10cc and The Rolling Stones play the Knebworth festival in England.

1976 The first punk festival in Europe takes place at a bullfighting ring in the small town of Mont de Marsen in France. Acts include Eddie And The Hot Rods, The Damned, and Brinsley Schwarz.

1971 Electronic/rock musician Liam Howlett (of The Prodigy) is born in Braintree, Essex, England.

1971 Inmate George Jackson is shot dead in a bizarre escape attempt at San Quentin prison, prompting the Bob Dylan song "George Jackson."

1969 James Brown opens the first two of his Gold Platter restaurants in Macon, Georgia. The soul food eateries, with dishes served on replica gold records, are envisioned as a franchise opportunity for black owners. The enterprise fails a short time later.

1967 System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian is born in Beirut, Lebanon.

1966 The Beatles play under a tarp at Busch Stadium on a rainy evening in St. Louis. It's rather unpleasant, leading to their decision to stop doing concerts and focus on studio work.

1966 Jim Morrison is a no-show for The Doors set at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. They play the first set without him, then get him at his apartment, where he is tripping on acid. When they play "The End," he improvises Oedipal lyrics: Father... I want to kill you Mother... I want to f--k you This gets them fired, but provides the final lyric that goes into the song when they record it for their first album.