Pick a Day

Music History Events: Recordings

September 26, 1970 Returning to Abbey Road studios in London, ex-Beatle John Lennon begins work on his first proper solo album, John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band.

September 25, 1970 Janis Joplin records "Me And Bobby McGee" at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood. She dies nine days later from a drug overdose at age 27.

June 23, 1970 Ringo Starr records Beaucoups Of Blues.

May 17, 1970 Jean Knight records "Mr. Big Stuff" and King Floyd lays down "Groove Me" at the same sessions at Malaco Records' studios in Jackson, Mississippi. Both songs become huge hits, reviving the fortunes of the label.

January 3, 1970 Four days after learning that their movie Let It Be will be released in theaters, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr meet at Abbey Road Studios and record "I Me Mine" for the film and soundtrack.

November 5, 1969 Jerry Reed records "Amos Moses."

September 25, 1969 John Lennon records "Cold Turkey."

August 24, 1969 John Lennon writes, rehearses, and records a song about his recent heroin withdrawal entitled "Cold Turkey," where he also puts into practice his recent introduction to "primal scream" therapy. Fans and critics are shocked and appalled by the emotionally raw recording, a prelude to his eventual Plastic Ono Band album.

July 25, 1969 The Beatles work on a slew of songs for their Abbey Road album: "Sun King," "Mean Mr. Mustard," "Come Together," "Polythene Pam" and "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window."

July 21, 1969 The Beatles record John Lennon's song "Come Together" at Abbey Road Studios.

June 25, 1969 The Hollies record "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." Elton John, working as a session musician, plays piano on the track.

June 25, 1969 Sly & the Family Stone record "Hot Fun in the Summertime."

June 20, 1969 David Bowie records "Space Oddity," which he wrote after seeing the 1968 Stanley Kubrick movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

February 24, 1969 Johnny Cash plays one of his many prison concerts, this one at San Quentin State Prison in California. Recorded and released as the album Johnny Cash At San Quentin, it goes to #1 for four weeks and secures Cash's outlaw cred.

February 17, 1969 Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash record some duets in Nashville, with "Girl From The North Country" eventually ending up on Dylan's Nashville Skyline album, for which Cash writes liner notes.

January 29, 1969 Peggy Lee records "Is That All There Is."

January 23, 1969 Elvis Presley records "Suspicious Minds" at American Sound, a small studio in Memphis. The song is a huge comeback hit for Elvis and gives him his last #1 in America.

December 30, 1968 Frank Sinatra records "My Way."

December 19, 1968 The Friends of Distinction record "Grazin' In The Grass."

November 21, 1968 With girlfriend Yoko Ono about to miscarry their first son, John Ono Lennon II, John Lennon asks for a tape recorder to be brought to the hospital so that he can record the baby's dying heartbeat. Later that day, Yoko miscarries; the baby is buried in a secret location and the recording appears on the duo's album Unfinished Music No. 2: Life With The Lions as a track called "Baby's Heartbeat," followed by "Two Minutes Silence" for his death.

November 18, 1968 The Spiral Starecase records "More Today Than Yesterday."

October 16, 1968 Jay & the Americans record "This Magic Moment."

September 23, 1968 The Beatles begin recording "Happiness Is A Warm Gun." The title comes from a headline in American Rifleman magazine.

September 18, 1968 The Beatles pause their Abbey Road Studios recording sessions for "Birthday" so that they can run back to Paul McCartney's house and watch the British-television premiere of the 1956 American film The Girl Can't Help It, featuring Little Richard and Fats Domino. Suitably inspired, they return to the studio after the viewing and complete the song that night.

September 17, 1968 The Supremes record "Love Child."

September 11, 1968 The Beatles record most of "Glass Onion," John Lennon's song about fans who suss out hidden messages in his lyrics.

September 6, 1968 Eric Clapton records the guitar solo for The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

July 26, 1968 Jeannie C. Riley records "Harper Valley P.T.A."

May 31, 1968 While recording vocals for "Revolution," John Lennon does some improvised ranting that is later used in the head-scratching "Revolution 9."

May 30, 1968 Fresh from a retreat to India, The Beatles begin recording the White Album at Abbey Road Studios in London. The first song they work on is "Revolution."