classicrock

Live on the Ed Sullivan Show, Jan. 1968

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presents Elvis Presley with the Bing Crosby Award, given to performers who “during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic or scientific significance to the field of phonograph records.”

The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon died of an overdose of a sedative called Heminevrin that had been prescribed to prevent seizures induced by alcohol withdrawal. The 31 year old Moon died in the same apartment that had previously belonged to Harry Nilsson and earlier, Mama Cass Elliot. He is eventually replaced in The Who by...

Eric Clapton records the guitar solo for the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, becoming the first non-Beatle to appear on one of their recordings. George Harrison later said that Clapton’s presence had another effect on the band: “It made them all try a bit harder; they were all on their best behavior.”...

Performed on The Midnight Special August 31, 1973

The Animals had their only number one hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 when “House of the Rising Sun” reached the top. To promote the group in the US, disc jockeys were sent boxes of animal crackers wrapped with special promotional material. The band would continue to turn out hits like “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”...