From the iconic final portrait of John Lennon to the remarkable year when the Monkees outsold the Beatles and Rolling Stones.
Plus, George Harrison gets his due, Paul McCartney hits the milestone we remember, and archival treasures from the Beach Boys are finally seeing the light of day.
Have a Rockin Day,
Hippy Pete
TODAY IN CLASSIC ROCK
Today in Classic Rock History – January 23
1959 – Buddy Holly launches the 24-date “Winter Dance Party” tour at the Million Dollar Ballroom in Milwaukee, backed by Tommy Allsup, Waylon Jennings, and Carl Bunch.
1967 – Pink Floyd begin a three-day session at Sound Techniques Studios in London, recording Syd Barrett songs “Arnold Layne” and “Candy and a Currant Bun,” which become their first singles.
1969 – The Beatles, with Billy Preston on keyboards, record multiple takes of “Get Back” at Apple Studios in London; it is also one of Alan Parsons’ earliest engineering sessions with the band.
1969 – Elvis Presley records “Suspicious Minds” at American Sound Studio in Memphis, a track that becomes his final U.S. No. 1 single and a major late‑career comeback hit.
1971 – George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” hits No. 1 on the UK singles chart, making him the first former Beatle to reach No. 1 as a solo artist; the single stays at the top for five weeks.
1973 – During a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden, Neil Young receives a note onstage announcing a Vietnam peace accord and shares the news with the crowd, triggering a prolonged ovation.
1975 – Supertramp open a 13-date UK tour in support of their album “Crime of the Century,” featuring future classics like “Dreamer” and helping establish their international profile.
1976 – David Bowie releases “Station to Station,” bridging his “plastic soul” period and the coming Berlin era with a mix of funk, soul, and avant‑garde rock; the album reaches the top five in both the UK and US.
1977 – Pink Floyd release “Animals” and begin their In the Flesh tour, the only run where they perform the full Animals material live, marking one of the band’s most ambitious conceptual stages.
1977 – At a concert in Tampa, Florida, Patti Smith falls from the stage, suffering serious neck injuries and requiring stitches and vertebrae treatment, which temporarily halts her live performances.
1977 – Carole King’s album “Tapestry” sets a Billboard record by logging its 302nd week on the albums chart, underscoring its status as one of the most enduring LPs of the era.
1978 – Van Halen release their debut single, a high‑energy cover of the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” introducing the band’s sound—and Eddie Van Halen’s guitar fireworks—to rock radio.
1978 – Terry Kath, guitarist and founding member of Chicago, dies in an accidental self-inflicted shooting at age 31, just days shy of his 32nd birthday; he is later widely cited as a major influence on fellow guitarists.
