21 SEPTEMBER
In Music History
1980 Elton John leaves longtime label MCA and signs with David Geffen's new label for a six-year contract.
1979 During a break in their only North American tour, members of ABBA bring their kids to Disneyland.
1976 Tom Waits releases Small Change, his third studio album. It includes two of his most definitive tunes, "Tom Traubert's Blues" and "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not me) (An Evening with Pete King)."
1974 Barry White hits #1 in America with "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe."
1974 Walter Brennan, an Academy Award-winning actor and occasional country singer ("Old Rivers"), dies of emphysema at age 80.
1972 David Silveria (Korn drummer) is born in San Leandro, California.
1972 Liam Gallagher is born William John Paul Gallagher in Burnage, Manchester, England. He forms Oasis with his older brother, Noel.
1971 The musical variety show The Old Grey Whistle Test premieres on BBC-TV, featuring America as well as clips of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.
1968 Jimi Hendrix releases "All Along The Watchtower.
1968 Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." hits #1.
1968 David Jolicoeur aka Trugoy the Dove (of De La Soul) is born in Brooklyn, New York.
1967 Tyler Stewart (drummer for Barenaked Ladies) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1967 Faith Hill is born Audrey Faith Perry in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
1966 Jimmy Hendrix changes his name to Jimi at the urging of his manager Chas Chandler.
1965 The Moody Blues take part in the "Pop From Britain" concert at Royal Albert Hall in London, making their first major performance. They had recently signed with The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, who got them the gig.
R.E.M. Disbands
2011R.E.M. announce that they're calling it quits after more than 30 years. In a post on their website, the band members write, "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening."
Read more21 SEPTEMBER
Featured Events
2012 When Green Day's set is cut short at the iHeartRadio festival in Las Vegas, lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong flies off the handle, stopping the show and going into a rant where he says, "I'm not f--king Justin Bieber, you motherf--kers. You've got to be f--king joking."More
2004 Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), is denied entry into the United States when he shows up on a terrorist watch list, accused of funding terror groups.More
2004 Green Day release American Idiot, their first album in four years. Overtly political in places, it takes on President George W. Bush, especially on the title track. With a more refined sound, the album outsells even their punk rock touchstone Dookie, released 10 years earlier.
2001 The benefit concert America: A Tribute To Heroes, airs on most major TV networks, raising over $128 million for victims of the September 11 attacks. Performers include Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, and Willie Nelson.
1996 Jack Gillis marries Meg White. He takes her last name, and the couple forms The White Stripes. They tell reporters they are brother and sister, which goes over until a reporter for the Detroit Free Press uncovers their marriage license in 2001.
1993 "All Apologies," backed with "Rape Me," is released. It's the last Nirvana single released while Kurt Cobain is still alive.
1979 Bruce Springsteen debuts his song "The River" at a show in Madison Square Garden. He is performing as part of Musicians United For Safe Energy (MUSE) in a protest against nuclear power. Other artists that go on before him have to contend with the constant droning of "Broooooooooooooce," as he's the main attraction. Bonnie Raitt doesn't figure out until after her set that the crowd was not booing her, just anticipating Springsteen's performance.
1978 Do you remember the 21st night of September? The first line of Earth, Wind & Fire's song isn't written for any particular reason - it just sounds good.
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