1887 -

Emile Berliner, a 36 year old German immigrant living in Washington DC, applies for a patent on his invention, the gramophone. The machine was the first to play flat discs as opposed to Thomas Edison's wax cylinder apparatus. The patent would be granted in November.

1956 -

Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" enters the pop charts where it will reach number four.

Tupelo, Mississippi declares September 26th as Elvis Presley Day in honour of their home town boy.

RCA Victor Co. announces that it has received over 856,327 advance orders for Elvis Presley's next single, "Love Me Tender".

1957 -

Jimmie Rodgers reaches number one on the Billboard chart with his very first release, "Honeycomb". Over the next year, he would enjoy more success with "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" and "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again".

1958 -

The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" enters the US Pop chart, where it will top out at #6.

Tommy Edwards' "It's All In The Game" led the Billboard chart. The melody of the song had been written in 1912 by Charles Gates Dawes, who would become vice-president of the United States between 1925 and 1929. Updated lyrics were added in 1951.

Elvis Presley is transported from Bremerhaven, Germany to the US Army base at Friedberg, where he will join his outfit.

1959 -

Little Anthony & the Imperials record "Shimmy Shimmy Koko Bop", which will reach #24 early next year.

Cliff Richard becomes the first UK artist to have a rock and roll hit in the US when "Living Doll" makes the Billboard chart.

1960 -

Connie Francis becomes the first female singer in the rock and roll era to have two consecutive number one singles when "My Heart Has a Mind Of Its Own" went to the top of the Billboard chart. It followed "Everybody's Somebody's Fool".

Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang" peaks at number two on both the US R&B and Pop charts. It's his biggest hit since "You Send Me" reached number one three years earlier.

1961 -

Bob Dylan plays harmonica on three tracks of his friend Caroline Hester's first album. Producer John Hammond is so impressed that he signs Dylan to a contract and arranges for a solo recording session in October.

1963 -

The Rolling Stones began their first tour of the United Kingdom. They played 32 dates, opening for acts like The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley and Little Richard.

New York disc jockey Murray The K receives a copy of The Beatles' "She Loves You" and plays it on radio station WINS-AM. It is believed to be the first Beatles' song ever played in the US.

1964 -

Capitalizing on material it owns, recorded by its two best-selling groups, Vee Jay Records releases the album "The Beatles Vs. The Four Seasons". The record, which consists of previously released material, stays on the LP chart for just three weeks, reaching only as high as #142.

Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" reaches the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It would be the last of a string of nine straight top ten records for The Big O.

The Beach Boys make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, where they perform "I Get Around" and "Wendy".

Beatles manager Brian Epstein turns down a 3 1/2 million pound offer from a group of US businessmen who wanted to buy out his Beatles' management contract.

The Temptations begin recording "My Girl".

The Kinks release their first US hit, "You Really Got Me". The song will spend 10 weeks on the chart and rise to #7,

1965 -

Donovan makes his US television debut on Shindig! along with The Hollies, The Turtles and the Dave Clark Five.

A former member of The New Christy Minstrels, Barry McGuire lead the US hit parade with "Eve Of Destruction". The controversial doom and gloom theme of the record was enough to have it banned from airplay by some US radio stations.

"The Beatles", a half hour Saturday morning cartoon show featuring genuine Beatles songs but not their real voices, premieres on ABC. The show would run through September 7, 1969.

Bob Dylan appears at Carnegie Hall in New York and introduces his new touring band made up of guitarist Robbie Robertson, organist Garth Hudson, bassist Rick Danko, pianist Richard Manual and drummer Levon Helm. They will become known simply as The Band.

1966 -

Bassist Noel Redding auditions for Jimi Hendrix, who hires him along with drummer Mitch Mitchell, who had been recently fired from Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. The trio form The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

1967 -

On US TV's David Frost Show, John Lennon and Paul McCartney espouse the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's doctrines of transcendental meditation.

Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is released.

The Beatles record "Fool On The Hill" at Abbey Road Studios in London.

1968 -

The Beatles had not only their biggest hit, but also the largest selling record of the 1960s when "Hey Jude" reached the top of the charts. The song, written for John's son Julian, would stay at number one in the US for eight weeks. At 7 minutes 11 seconds, it was the longest song ever to hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart, an honour it held until 1972, when Richard Harris' "MacArthur Park" ran 7:20. Don McLean's "American Pie" is 8 minutes and 32 seconds long, but it was the edited version of the song that got the most airplay on US radio, clocking in at 4:08.

Dusty Springfield enters a recording studio in Memphis to lay down tracks for what will prove to be the critically acclaimed LP "Dusty In Memphis", which will include her US #10 hit, "Son Of A Preacher Man".

John Sebastian leaves the Lovin' Spoonful to begin his solo career.

1969 -

On September 30th, David Crosby's girlfriend Christine Gail Hinton is killed in a head-on auto accident north of San Francisco, the same day the "Crosby, Stills & Nash" album goes gold.

The Beatles release their 13th album in the UK, "Abbey Road". It's released in the US a week later and is the last album they will ever make together as a group. Within a month, the album begins an eleven week run on Billboard's Hot 200 album chart.

John Lennon records "Cold Turkey", a song about his ongoing battle with drug addiction. His backing band includes Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, Yoko Ono and Ringo Starr.

Carlos Santana had his first taste of success when his debut LP entered Billboard's album chart. The disc contained his hit single "Evil Ways" and would eventually hit number 4, staying on the chart for over two years. His 1999 album, "Supernatural" has sold in excess of ten million copies, as well as winning a Grammy Award for Best Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals.

1970 -

Jimi Hendrix is buried in The Greenwood Cemetery at the Dunlop Baptist Church in his hometown of Seattle, Washington on October 1st. His tombstone is inscribed: Forever In Our Hearts, James 'Jimi' Hendrix 1942 - 1970

Tamla-Motown Records announces that the Jackson 5 sold 10 million singles world wide in nine months with "I Want You Back", "ABC" & "The Love You Save".

Curtis Mayfield quits the Impressions to launch his solo career and to found his own label.

Ringo Starr releases his "Beaucoups of Blues" album.

The Partridge Family TV show debuts on ABC-TV.

Eric Burdon and War are awarded a gold record for "Spill the Wine".

1971 -

Yes kicks off their first tour with new keyboardist Rick Wakeman in Leicester, England.

Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" is released. It will reach #7 on the Billboard Pop chart.

1972 -

On September 27th, Rory Storm, the leader of one of Liverpool's earlier beat groups, takes his own life in what is presumed to be a suicide pact with his mother, who is also found dead at the scene. Rory Storm and the Hurricanes are best remembered as the group that Ringo Starr left in 1962 to play drums for the Beatles.

1973 -

Grand Funk scored their first number one record when "We’re An American Band" hit the top of Billboard's Hot 100.

The Rolling Stones' "Goats Head Soup" album turns gold on the strength of the single "Angie".

1974 -

John Lennon releases "Walls and Bridges", an LP that will prove to be his last album of new material for nearly six years. It reaches #1 in the US.

Canadian singer Andy Kim went to #1 on the US singles chart with "Rock Me Gently", his only US chart topper. The record was also a hit in the UK, reaching #2. Along with his recording career, Kim was also a successful composer and was the co-writer of The Archies' "Sugar Sugar".

1975 -

39 year old Al Jackson, drummer for Booker T. and The MGs, is shot and killed by a burglar at his home. His wife is questioned about the killing because she was arrested in July for shooting her husband in the chest during a domestic dispute. He wasn't badly hurt, and the charges were dismissed when his wife claimed self-defence. On Oct. 1st, Jackson returned home to what police describe as a botched robbery attempt. According to Jackson's wife, an intruder made her answer the door and then threw her husband to the floor demanding money. Jackson was forced to lie face down and then was shot in the back five times. The identity of the culprit remains a mystery.

On September 25th, 41 year old Jackie Wilson suffers a heart attack while performing at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Ironically, he was in the middle of singing one of his biggest hits, "Lonely Teardrops" and was two words into the line, "....my heart is crying" when he collapsed to the stage, striking his head heavily. He suffers brain damage and lapses into a coma. Although he never uttered another word, he remained clinging to life for over eight years and died January 21st, 1984.

John Denver's two sided hit, "I'm Sorry" / "Calypso" reached the top of the Billboard singles chart. It was his fourth and final US number one record, although he would place six more songs in the Top 40.

1976 -

Jerry Lee Lewis, attempting to shoot a bottle with a .357 magnum, hits his bass player, Norman Owens twice in the chest. Lewis is charged with shooting a firearm within the city limits.

Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina play their farewell concert in Hawaii at the end of a 34 city tour.

Boz Scaggs is the musical guest on US TV's Saturday Night Live, where he performs his hit, "Lowdown".

Boston's debut album enters the Billboard album chart, where it will climb to #3 and become the fastest-selling album debut album in rock history. The LP contains the hit single "More Than a Feeling" which reaches #5 early next year.

1977 -

Not only was Star Wars a hit at the movie box office, "The Star Wars Theme" by Meco was the best selling single in the US.

Complaining that they have been underpaid, James Brown's entire band walks out on him in Hallandale, Florida.

1978 -

Exile achieved their only number one song on Billboard's pop chart with "Kiss You All Over". After a couple of other minor hits, the band would switch styles and would top the country and western chart in 1984 with "Woke Up In Love".

1979 -

The Eagles' LP, "The Long Run" is released.

On September 28th, Jimmy McCulloch, guitarist with Thunderclap Newman and Wings, is found dead in London after suffering heart failure. He was 26.

1980 -

Led Zeppelin was rehearsing at Jimmy Page's house in preparation for an American tour, when on September 25, 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 not continue without Bonham.

1981 -

Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes" LP enters the Billboard chart. The album will go platinum and contains two #1 hits: "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go For That."

1982 -

Don Henley's debut solo album, "I Can't Stand Still" enters the Billboard Hot 200 chart, featuring the single, "Dirty Laundry".

1986 -

The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" re-enters the US pop singles chart over twenty-five years after it first appeared. The song was featured in the films "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Back To School".

1987 -

The Grateful Dead's "Touch Of Grey" peaks at #9 on the singles chart, becoming their biggest chart hit.

1988 -

John Lennon receives a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1989 -

Tina Turner's album "Foreign Affair" entered the UK album chart at number 1. In America, it would stall at number 31, although it did achieve "gold" status two months later.

Bette Midler launches a lawsuit against Ford Motor Company for their use of a sound-alike artist in their commercials for the Mercury Sable. She eventually wins a $400,000 settlement.

Billy Joel files a $90 million lawsuit against his former manager, charging him with fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Billy would be awarded $2 million.

1990 -

Rick Nelson's sons Gunnar and Matthew have a number one hit on Billboard's Hot 100 with "Love & Affection", becoming the third generation of Nelsons to accomplish that feat. Their Grandfather, Ozzie Nelson led his orchestra to the top of the chart in 1932 with "And Then Some," and Rick topped all others in 1961 with "Poor Little Fool" and "Travelin' Man".

A street is named "Little Richard Boulevard" in the singer's hometown of Macon, Georgia.

1993 -

Wilson Pickett is sentenced to one year in jail for hitting an 86 year-old man with his car while drinking.

George Harrison and David Crosby are the featured voices on The Simpsons.

1994 -

The London Daily Mirror prints a colour photo of Michael Jackson in a scoutmaster's uniform along with five young Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts of American later say that Jackson has no association with the organization.

1998 -

CCR's John Fogerty gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2000 -

Barbra Streisand sings her farewell concert at New York's Madison Square Garden.

2001 -

Jonathan King, who reached #17 on the Billboard singles chart in 1965 with "Everyone's Gone To The Moon", was sentenced to seven years in prison for the sexual assault of underage boys.

2002 -

Barry White's record label, Def Jam Island Music Group, issued a statement that said the 58 year old singer is battling kidney failure brought on by years of high blood pressure. White "has started a course of maintenance dialysis therapy. Once stabilized, he will be a candidate for a kidney transplant."

2003 -

Robert Palmer, who reached number 14 in the US in 1979 with "Bad Case Of Loving You", died of a heart attack at the age of 54 on September 26th.

2004 -

Legendary record producer Phil Spector was formally charged with murder in the February 3rd 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson.