Today in Rock History

Today In Rock History:

In 1957
Elvis Presley released the single "Jailhouse Rock."
In 1963
The Beatles began their first tour outside Britain with a six date trek through Sweden. (who are the Beatles?)

In 1971
John Lennon was a guest on "The Dick Cavett Show."

In 1977
The first Elvis Presley convention took place in Memphis. (34,000 Bad Elvis lookalikes all saying 'thank you, thank you very much')

Styx released the single "Come Sail Away."

In 1978
The Cars released their self-titled album.

In 1979
The Eagles released the album "The Long Run." (It was supposed to be the Long HOME Run)

In 1986
Ratt released the album "Dancing Undercover."

In 1990
Megadeth released the album "Rust In Peace."

In 1991
New album releases included Nirvana's "Nevermind," Bryan Adams' "Waking Up The Neighbours," and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Blood Sugar Sex Magik."

In 1996
New album releases included Sheryl Crow's self-titled effort and Elton John's "Love Songs."

In 2002
A self-portrait by Eric Clapton sold for more than four-thousand-dollars, and a handwritten poem by Jim Morrison went for more than 93-hundred-dollars at an auction in London.

Don Henley spoke before a California State Senate hearing on artists' rights.

New DVD releases included Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" and "The Black Sabbath Story: Volume One" and "Volume Two."

In 2003
Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the late John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, and rockers Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne were among those who attended a special screening of the George Harrison tribute film "The Concert for George" at the Warner Brothers Studios lot in Burbank, California.

The Dave Matthews Band performed a charity concert in New York's Central Park, playing before a crowd of more than 100-thousand.

Gordon Lightfoot was among the first artists to be inducted into the new Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 2004
Singer-songwriter Yusuf Islam -- also known as Cat Stevens -- said he was taking legal action to find out why he was on a U.S. government terrorist watch list.  His inclusion on the list sparked officials earlier in the week to deny him entry into the country.

Former Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour played the first Fender Stratocaster ever made at the Miller Strat Pack - Celebrating 50 Years of the Fender Stratocaster concert in London.  Guitarists Joe Walsh, Phil Manzanera, Mike Rutherford, and Gary Moore also participated in the show, along with singers Paul Rodgers and Paul Carrack.

An exhibit of material from Sid Vicious' room in the Chelsea Hotel went on display at The Hospital in London.  The room is where Vicious' girlfriend Nancy Spungen was killed in 1978.

In 2007
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the first of two public rehearsals at the Asbury Park, New Jersey Convention Center.  The group was prepping for their first tour in four years, in support of the then-upcoming album "Magic."  The performances also served as charity fundraisers.

The Rolling Stones topped "Forbes" magazine's new list of the Top-Earning Musicians.  Bon Jovi and Elton John also made the top five.

Elvis Presley made the cut in a real estate poll of the top 20 celebrities that people, if they had to have someone famous living next door, would want as a neighbor. (Apparently they never herad about the handguns and the swimming pool full of lightbulbs, story...)

In 2008
Ray Davies made his theatrical debut as a performer and writer with the London opening of the musical "Come Dancing."  The show was Davies' adaptation of The Kinks' 1983 hit, and the rocker also had the role of Terry the narrator in the production.

While in Israel, Paul McCartney visited The Edward Said [[ Sigh-EED ]] National Conservatory Of Music and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

In 2009
Ozzy Osbourne announced via Twitter that he'd passed his driving test and was now -- for the first time in his life -- a licensed driver.

In 2010
The 12th annual Standin' On The Corner Festival, which draws its name from The Eagles' hit "Take It Easy," began in Winslow, Arizona.