17 JUNE
In Music History
1987 Rod Stewart becomes the proud parent of his fourth child, daughter Ruby, from his girlfriend, model Kelly Emberg.
1986 Longtime radio personality Kate Smith dies of respiratory arrest at age 79 after years of struggling with diabetic complications.
1985 The famously reclusive Bob Dylan opens up on the syndicated radio show Rockline, taking calls from fans.
1981 At Earls Court in London, Pink Floyd play the last of 31 performances of The Wall, a unique stage show where a giant wall is erected (and torn down) as the band plays the album in its entirety. It's Roger Waters' last concert with the band, which breaks up in 1983 and carries on without him a few years later.
1980 Led Zeppelin begin what will be their last tour with a concert in Dortmund, Germany.
1978 Andy Gibb's "Shadow Dancing," which he wrote with his brothers, the Bee Gees, hits #1 in America.
1977 At the Civic Center in Amarillo, Texas, Judas Priest play their first show in America, opening for REO Speedwagon. The British metal band is looking to make headway in the US, where they're released their album Sin After Sin; they get a better pairing at the end of the tour when they open two shows for Led Zeppelin.
1977 Steve Winwood releases his debut solo album, Steve Winwood.
1973 Dolly Parton records "I Will Always Love You," a song written about her mentor, Porter Wagoner.
1972 "Jesus Music" (later known as Christian contemporary) takes center stage at Billy Graham's Explo '72 in Dallas, where acts like Larry Norman and Love Song perform along with Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Andrae Crouch. Graham calls it the "Christian Woodstock."
1972 The Spinners, recently signed to Atlantic after a decade on Motown, record at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia for the first time with producer Thom Bell. The session is very productive, yielding "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love," "I'll Be Around," and "How Could I Let You Get Away."
1972 The Rolling Stones album Exile On Main Street hits #1 in America.
1969 Kevin "KT" Thornton (of Color Me Badd) is born.
1969 Elvis Presley releases "Clean Up Your Own Back Yard."
1968 Ohio Express' "Yummy Yummy Yummy" is certified gold.
Katy Perry Gives Up Gospel For Pop
2008Katy Perry's major-label debut album, One of the Boys, is released, featuring the hit single "I Kissed a Girl." It's not her first album: In 2001 she released a gospel album under her real name, Katy Hudson.
Read more17 JUNE
Featured Events
2014 Sam Smith releases his debut album, In the Lonely Hour, in the US.
2008 With Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne becomes the first artist since 50 Cent in 2005 to sell more than 1 million copies of an album in a single week. It goes on to sell 3 million.
2006 Shakira lands her first #1 hit on the Hot 100 when her single "Hips Don't Lie," featuring Wyclef Jean, reaches the top of the tally. It also breaks the record for the most-played pop song in a single week when it's aired on American radio 9,637 times.More
2000 Eighteen months after Billboard starts factoring airplay into their Hot 100 chart, "Try Again" by Aaliyah becomes the first song to hit the top spot based on airplay alone, as the song is not available for purchase as a single.
1997 When Ozzy's voice gives out before the Ozzfest date in Columbus, Ohio, he doesn't appear but the show goes on without him. Fans, who aren't told until later that he won't be there, don't take the news well and trash the venue.More
1994 Megadeth is kicked off their tour with Aerosmith after Dave Mustaine is heard in an interview saying that his band should be the headliners. Jackyl and 4 Non Blondes open the remaining dates on the US tour.
1994 With the United States hosting the World Cup, the opening ceremonies are held at Soldier Field in Chicago. In one of the production numbers, Diana Ross sings "I'm Coming Out" while she takes a penalty kick. She misses, but the goal splits open anyway and she runs through to complete the bit.More
1972 Grateful Dead keyboard player and founding member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan plays his last show with the band at a Hollywood Bowl concert. Health problems force him to stop touring, and he dies in March 1973 at age 27.
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