classicrock

Cliff Burton, bass guitarist for Metallica, was killed when the band’s tour bus skidded and flipped over in rural southern Sweden. The 24-year-old Burton was thrown through a window of the bus, which fell on top of him, crushing him to death. He would be posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the group...

The Beatles release their 13th album in the UK, “Abbey Road”, which debuts at #1 and will stay there for eleven straight weeks. It is issued in the US a week later and will top the Billboard album chart for twelve weeks. It has since gone on to sell over 31 million copies world wide. The album cover, showing the band...

Led Zeppelin was rehearsing at Jimmy Page’s house in preparation for an American tour when drummer John Bonham was found dead in his bed following an all-day drinking binge. The 32 year old Bonham had passed out and choked on his own vomit. In December, Led Zeppelin would announce that they were disbanding, saying they could...

Sorry for being late on this one, I just finished a grueling 13 hour drive. Forgive me.

Apple Records releases John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You thru the Night”. It would peak at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on November 16th, becoming his only #1 single in the United States during his lifetime. In the UK, the song could only manage to climb to #36.

80,000 fans watched the first Farm Aid concert, featuring Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson and other performers who help raise $7 million. The annual event takes place every Fall to help the American family farmer.

Canada’s Bachman-Turner Overdrive release “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”, which will become their third US Top 30 entry and their only number one.

30 year old Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash on September 20th, after playing a concert at North-western State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana. His small charter plane, a Beechcraft D-18, hit a tree just after take-off in bad weather. He and Maury Muehleisen, his lead guitarist, both died in the wreck, along with the...

26 year old Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death is attributed to heart failure, but later is officially announced as due to a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael...