Pick a Day

Music History Events: TV Appearances

October 12, 1996 Though they've refused to release it on video for 27 years, largely due to dissatisfaction over their own performance, The Rolling Stones finally release their landmark 1968 all-star BBC television special, The Rolling Stones' Rock And Roll Circus.

December 14, 1995 Little Richard, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen are among the performers honoring Frank Sinatra on the TV special Sinatra: 80 Years My Way.

November 19, 1995 The first installment of The Beatles Anthology documentary airs on ABC.

November 4, 1995 Michael Jackson premieres his new single "Earth Song" on the German celebrity game show Wanna Bet?

November 2, 1995 Soul Train celebrates 25 years on the air with guest appearances by Al Green, Diana Ross, Bill Withers, and Patti LaBelle.

October 29, 1995 Paul Anka guest stars on the "Treehouse of Horror VI" episode of The Simpsons.

November 11, 1994 Billy Vera, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees and Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick all appear on the TV show Boy Meets World in the episode "Band on the Run."

November 10, 1994 Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant perform an all-acoustic version of "Stairway To Heaven" while visiting a Japanese talk show.

October 12, 1994 MTV airs the reunion concert special of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, entitled Unledded.

April 25, 1994 Eagles play the first of two identical shows at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California for their appearance on MTV Unplugged, which will promote their upcoming reunion tour and album Hell Freezes Over.

March 22, 1994 Ted Nugent, always a straight arrow, makes a PSA warning kids of the dangers of abusing inhalants.

February 18, 1994 Ricky Martin makes his first appearance on the soap opera General Hospital, playing a singer named Miguel Morez. His story arc lasts six episodes.

September 13, 1993 Max Weinberg, drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, begins his new job as bandleader for NBC-TV's new show Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

May 17, 1993 Barry Manilow guest stars on the "One" episode of Murphy Brown as part of a storyline where the lead character can't stand his music but her infant son finds it soothing.

April 29, 1993 Barry White guests on The Simpsons, where he serves as MC of Whacking Day.

April 2, 1993 Roberta Flack guest stars as herself on an episode of ABC-TV's Loving.

February 10, 1993 Michael Jackson appears on Oprah's prime time special, where he talks about having a skin condition called Vitiligo, and claims he's had just 2 plastic surgery operations.

February 8, 1993 Tom Jones guest stars on Will Smith's TV show The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, where he sings a variation of "It's Not Unusual" with Alfonso Ribeiro, whose character Carlton often dances to the song.

November 19, 1992 Linda Ronstadt appears on the famous "Mr. Plow" episode of The Simpsons, where she appears in a commercial for Homer's rival, Plow King (Barney Gumble).

November 15, 1992 The "Rock Of Ages" episode of Married With Children features guest stars Robbie Krieger (The Doors), Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere & the Raiders), Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits), Spencer Davis, Richie Havens, and John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful). Along with Al Bundy (who plays the sandwich), they form Old Aid and perform "We Are The Old." Sample lyrics: We are the old We've got arthritis Our gums are weak From gingivitis

November 5, 1992 Tom Jones appears on The Simpsons in the episode "Marge Gets a Job."

May 5, 1992 Mike Love and Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys appear on the Full House episode "Captain Video (Part 1)," where Uncle Jesse records their song "Forever." A version of the song sung by John Stamos, who plays that character, appears on the group's album Summer in Paradise a few months later.

February 5, 1992 New Kids On The Block appear on The Arsenio Hall Show to address accusations made by Gregory McPherson, their former music director, that they didn't sing on their albums. McPherson later recants the allegations.

November 26, 1991 ABC airs the special The Gladys Knight Holiday Family Reunion, also starring Dionne Warwick, Melba Moore, and The Winans.

October 6, 1991 Ray Charles is honored on the Fox TV special Ray Charles: 50 Years Of Music. Highlights of the show include Charles performing "Living For The City" with Stevie Wonder and "Busted" with Willie Nelson.

June 1, 1991 Sting appears on the first airing of a new Soviet TV rock show called Rock Steady.

April 11, 1991 Ringo Starr appears on the Season 2 episode of The Simpsons "Brush With Greatness."

April 10, 1991 Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits guest stars as a rock star on the "Glitter Rock - April 12, 1974" episode of Quantum Leap.

June 3, 1990 The Big Day free festival takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, with Wet Wet Wet, Deacon Blue, Hothouse Flowers, Sheena Easton, Texas, Hue and Cry, John Martyn, Eddi Reader, The Average White Band and others. Channel 4 TV runs a six-hour live broadcast from the event.

May 3, 1990 Patti LaBelle makes her debut on the sitcom A Different World, playing Dwayne Wayne's overbearing mother, Adele, in the season 3 finale, "Perhaps Love." She appears in a total of eight episodes.