Today in Rock History May 29th...

1959

 Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Jimmy Reed play to 9,000 people at Atlanta's Herndon Stadium in one of the first outdoor rock festivals.

(Ray Charles 1959)

 (B.B. King 1959)

(Jimmy Reed 1959)

1961

Ricky Nelson started a two week run at No.1 on the singles chart with 'Travellin' Man'. Sam Cooke turned the song down, the B-side was the Gene Pitney song 'Hello Mary Lou' which became a double side No.1.

1962

Chubby Checker won a Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Recording for ‘Let's Twist Again’ and Ray Charles won Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for ‘Hit The Road Jack’.

1963

The Beatles, touring the UK with Roy Orbison, performed at the Rialto Theater in York.

Also on this tour were Gerry and the Pacemakers, David Marsh, Louise Corder, Tony Marsh, Terry Young Six, Erkey Grant and Ian Crawford.

(George Harrison and Roy Orbison , 1963)

1963 

Del Shannon's cover of the Beatles "From Me to You" becomes the first song written by Lennon and McCartney to appear on the American charts when it debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 today.

1964

Britain's Daily Mirror says of the Rolling Stones, “Everything seems to be against them on the surface. They are called the ugliest group in Britain. They are not looked on very kindly by most parents or adults in general. They are even used to the type of article that asks big brother if he would let his sister go out with one of them.”

1965

Bob Dylan's album 'Bringing It All Back Home' was at No.1 on the charts, his second No.1 album.

1965

The Beach Boys started a two week run at No.1 on the singles chart with 'Help Me Rhonda', the group's second US No.1.

1967

The Move, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Zoot Money and Pink Floyd all appeared at the Tulip Bulb Auction Hall in Spalding, Lincs, England. Tickets cost £1 ($1.70).

1971 

The Rolling Stones started a two week run at No.1 on the singles chart with 'Brown Sugar'. It was the bands sixth No.1.

1971 

Three dozen Grateful Dead fans were treated for hallucinations caused by LSD after they unwittingly drank spiked apple juice served at a gig at San Francisco's Winterland.

1972

Paul McCartney releases his bizarre interpretation of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" as Wings. It barely makes No. 28. McCartney apparently was making a point about censorship after the BBC banned his political single "Give Ireland Back to the Irish."

1973

 Record executive Clive Davis is fired from Columbia for misappropriating $100,000. He later founded Arista Records and engineered Santana's comeback with Supernatural.

1973

 Mike Oldfield releases his ambient masterpiece Tubular Bells or "That Weird Music in The Exorcist."

1975

Fans rioted when The Osmonds appeared at London's Wembley Pool.

1976

 Diana Ross started a two week run No.1 on the singles chart with 'Love Hangover', her fourth No.1.

1977

 Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Kenny Logins all appeared at the Tangerine Bowl, Orlando, Florida. Tickets cost $10 - $12.50.

1977

In the middle of a Baltimore concert, Elvis Presley wanders off stage and doesn't come back. It's the first time he's terminated a show in this manner.

(walks off stage 4:00 into the video)

1982

Paul McCartney started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Tug Of War'.

1984

 Bob Dylan holds a press conference in Sirmione, Italy, and hands out the set list for his current European tour. Of the three new songs on the list - "Dirty Lies," "Angel of Rain," and "Enough Is Enough" - only the last is ever performed.

1988

 Bob Dylan makes a guest appearance at a Levon Helm concert at New York's Lone Star Cafe. The two perform "The Weight" and Chuck Berry's "Nadine."

1999

The body of Philip "Taylor" Kramer is discovered in a valley in Malibu, Calif. The Iron Butterfly bass player had been missing since 1995.

2005

 Bob Geldof and Elton John announce five July concerts that will make up Live 8 - a new initiative to raise awareness of poverty. Among the headliners are Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, Lauryn Hill and Duran Duran.

-Yeahbabytunes.com

 (Bob Geldof, Midge Ure and Sir Elton John at the launch of Live 8)