This Day in Music
On September 22, 1985, the first Farm Aid concert was held at the Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IL. The star-heavy event featured performances by Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, B.B. King, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, among many others. The inspiration behind Farm Aid came a few months earlier at the Live Aid concert, during which Dylan spoke about the crisis facing family farmers – many of whom were in danger of losing their farms due to massive mortgage debts. The impassioned speech inspired fellow singer-songwriters Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young to organize the now long-running annual benefit concert. The inaugural event attracted roughly 80,000 music fans and raised over $9 million for US family farmers.
In 1969, Canadian-American roots-rockers The Band released their self-titled album. The project followed their 1968 smash debut, Music From The Big Pink, which included three songs written or co-written by their former boss, Bob Dylan. The Band, also known as The Brown Album, was viewed as a concept album of sorts, with songs focusing on the people, places, and traditions of a long-forgotten America.
In 1972, David Bowie kicked off the North American leg of his Ziggy Stardust tour. The run promoted the studio albums Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Aladdin Sane. Bowie was backed by his trusty group, the Spiders from Mars.
In 2001, “A Tribute to Heroes” was aired commercial-free on most of the major US TV networks. Featuring performances by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and U2, among others, the benefit supported victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families.
In 1958, Elvis Presley began his stint in the US Army. At the time of his enlistment, he was widely regarded as the most well-known name in the world of entertainment.
In 1991, Bryan Adams made chart history when “(Everything I Do), I Do It For You,” spent sixteen consecutive weeks at the top of the UK singles chart, becoming the longest uninterrupted run at the time.
In 1990, Garth Brooks’ album No Fences entered the US album chart. The title was eventually named the best-selling country album of all time.
In 2015, A US district judge ruled that the original copyright to “Happy Birthday” was invalid. Much to the delight of film and TV producers, the song could become public domain.
BORN ON SEPTEMBER 22
1943: Toni Basil
1951: David Coverdale (Whitesnake)
1953: Richard Fairbrass (Right Said Fred)
1956: Debbie Boone
1957: Nick Cave
1958: Joan Jett
1975: Mystikal
1983: Will Farquarson (Bastille)
1991: Moneybagg Yo
