Pick a Day

Music History Events: Band Dynamics

June 5, 1964 The first recording featuring David Bowie is released. He's still known as David Jones when "Liza Jane" by David Jones and the King Bees comes out.

June 4, 1964 The Beatles begin their first world tour, playing the K.B. Hallen Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. Session drummer Jimmy Nicol, wearing Ringo's suit, sits in for the ailing drummer for this and the next five dates.

May 21, 1964 The Drifters record "Under The Boardwalk" the day after their lead singer, Rudy Lewis, is found dead. He is replaced by former member Johnny Moore.

May 4, 1964 Denny Laine, Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder form the M&B Five in Birmingham, England. They later change the name to The Moody Blues.

February 15, 1964 Sam Cooke announces a major reduction in his touring schedule, made so that he can concentrate on the day-to-day activities of his two new record labels, Sar and Derby.

December 10, 1963 Five-year-old Donny Osmond performs with The Osmonds for the first time when they appear on The Andy Williams Show.

October 4, 1963 A 17-year-old Eric Clapton makes his first appearance with The Yardbirds at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, England. He replaces their original guitarist Anthony "Top" Topham.

January 9, 1963 Charlie Watts joins The Rolling Stones, replacing Tony Chapman as their drummer.

December 7, 1962 At a pub in Chelsea, The Rolling Stones hold auditions for a bass player. They decide that Bill Wyman will do, as he has a nice amp. Wyman doesn't tell them that he has a wife and young son.

October 17, 1960 Dion & The Belmonts' breakup becomes official when it is reported in Billboard magazine. Lead singer Dion DiMucci claims the group's not bluesy enough; the band claims Dion just wants a taste of solo fame.

June 6, 1960 Singer Tony Williams leaves The Platters to embark upon a solo career.

May 2, 1960 Ben E. King leaves The Drifters and signs a solo contract with Atco Records.

February 19, 1958 Carl Perkins leaves Sun Records to sign with the Columbia label as their first rockabilly artist. The second is Johnny Cash.

February 8, 1958 The Quarrymen perform at the Wilson Hall in the Garston section of Liverpool, England. Afterwards, member Paul McCartney introduces his friend George Harrison to John Lennon.

October 18, 1957 Paul McCartney and John Lennon perform together for the first time after Paul joins John's band the Quarrymen. The show takes place at New Clubmoor Hall in their hometown of Liverpool, and Paul plays guitar.

September 21, 1957 Elvis Presley's longtime guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black leave the King's band, dissatisfied over being denied pay raises by manager Colonel Tom Parker. Drummer D.J. Fontana stays on.

August 12, 1957 Encouraged by Roulette exec George Goldner and his recent success in England, Frankie Lymon officially leaves his group to pursue a solo career.

May 1, 1957 The Kingston Trio form in Palo Alto, California.

June 5, 1956 Elvis Presley appears on The Milton Berle Show where the pair do a comedy bit performing Elvis' "Hound Dog" and "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You." It marks the first TV appearance of The Jordanaires backing up Elvis, and the last Milton Berle show for 10 years.

May 4, 1956 Lonnie Donegan quits the popular Chris Barber Jazz Band to form a skiffle group.

October 31, 1952 When his original guitarist has a stroke just before a New Year's Eve gig, popular St. Louis boogie-woogie pianist Johnnie Johnson hires a 26-year-old hairdresser named Chuck Berry for his group The Sir John's Trio.

September 4, 1952 Gladys Knight & the Pips form at a birthday party for Gladys' brother Bubba.

January 13, 1941 Glenn Miller makes the vocal group The Modernaires a part of his band. The quartet soon adds a female member, Paula Kelly, and appears on some of Miller's most popular songs, including "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "That Old Black Magic."

October 24, 2017 Marilyn Manson boots longtime bassist Twiggy Ramirez from his band in response to allegations from Jack Off Jill singer Jessicka Adams that he raped and abused her.

December 30, 2016 Of Mice & Men lead singer Austin Carlile posts a letter on Instagram announcing he is leaving the group for health reasons.More

December 18, 2016 Fifth Harmony announce that Camila Cabello has left the group. They soldier on as a quartet but keep the name; Cabello does pretty well on her own, landing a #1 with "Havana" in 2018.

June 17, 2016 Tom DeLonge reveals his true reason for leaving blink-182: to investigate UFOs. In an interview with Mic, the "Aliens Exist" singer claims the truth is out there: "There's been hundreds and hundreds of thousands of eyewitness accounts. Trace evidence that's been analyzed by scientists across the world. Events have happened on the ground. It's all around us. I know of stuff I can't talk about right now."

May 7, 2016 After completing a tour with Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose takes over as lead singer for AC/DC, filling in for Brian Johnson at a show in Lisbon after Johnson is told that continuing the tour could result in permanent hearing loss. Rose fills in on the remaining dates as a guest vocalist.

April 8, 2016 Steve Miller, notoriously averse to awards ceremonies, goes on a backstage rant when he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He says the Hall is like "a private boys club," and lets loose on the organizers. "It's a bunch of jackasses and jerks and f--king gangsters and crooks."More

January 21, 2014 Against Me! release the album Transgender Dysphoria Blues, their first since lead singer Laura Jane Grace came out as transgender. The album began as a concept piece about a transexual prostitute back when Grace was still presenting as a man (Tom Gabel). The personal implications became clear when she came out and her bandmates figured out what was going on. Two of the four members of the band - drummer Jay Weinberg and bass player Andrew Seward - quit before it is completed, but the album earns strong reviews and Grace becomes a leader in the fight for transgender rights.