This Day in Music
On August 28, 1964, The Beatles met Bob Dylan for the first time at The Delmonico Hotel, following their show at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium. After being introduced by a mutual friend, writer Al Aronowitz, the band offered their guests drinks, but Dylan and Aronowitz expressed interest in smoking weed instead. This marked the Fab Four’s first taste of marijuana – an experience that would prove to be transformative in their career.
In 1968, Tammy Wynette recorded “Stand By Your Man” at Epic Studios. The track, completed in just 15 minutes, became Wynette’s signature hit and one of the most covered songs in country music. Co-written with producer Billy Sherrill, the song also served as the title track of Wynette’s 1969 album and would be featured over the decades in films like Five Easy Pieces, Four Weddings, The Crying Game, and Sleepless in Seattle.
In 1984, The Jacksons’ Victory Tour sold over 1.1 million tickets in two months, surpassing the record for concert ticket sales. The 55-show run was the only tour with all six Jackson brothers, playing to approximately 2 million attendees in 22 locations and grossing approximately $75 million. Paula Abdul choreographed the tour.
In 1988, Kylie Minogue’s debut album, Kylie, became the biggest-selling album by a female artist in Britain, setting a new UK record by moving nearly 2 million units. It was the best-selling album of the 80s by a female artist and spent more than a year on the UK Albums Chart.
In 1972, Alice Cooper topped the UK singles chart with “School’s Out,” the title track of the band’s fifth album. Cooper himself noted that he was inspired to write the song about the three greatest minutes of his life: Christmas morning and the last day of school.
In 2009, the British group Oasis disbanded after 18 years, following the departure of Noel Gallagher. The songwriter and guitarist noted that he could no longer work with his brother, Liam. “It’s with some sadness and a great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight,” Noel expressed on the band’s website. The band, who were slated to appear later in the day at the Rock en Seine festival, canceled their performance, while Liam and the remaining band members would go on to perform as Beady Eye until 2014.
In 2016, Mexican pop icon Juan Gabriel died of a heart attack at age 66. Gabriel (also known as “Juanga” and “El Divo de Juárez”) was one of Latin America’s most prolific and successful artists, selling an estimated 60 million records worldwide. His 1984 record, Recuerdos, Vol. II, sold over eight million copies, making it the best-selling album of all time in Mexico.
BORN ON AUGUST 28
1942: Sterling Morrison (Velvet Underground)
1948: Danny Seraphine (Chicago)
1949: Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers)
1965: Shania Twain
1969: Jack Black
1982: LeAnn Rimes
1986: Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine)
