This Day in Music
On August 20, 2016, The Tragically Hip played their final show together, months after announcing that frontman Gord Downie had terminal brain cancer. After releasing their 13th studio album, Man Machine Poem, the Canadian band chose to go out on a high note with a 15-date goodbye tour. While the final, sold-out show took place at Kingston, Ontario’s Rogers K-Rock Centre (now the Leon Centre), the concert was broadcast to more than 11.7 million people. Viewing events took place at locations around the country, including a public screening in Kingston, attended by approximately 22,000 fans. The concert was later released as The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration.
In 1988, Iron Maiden, KISS, David Lee Roth, Megadeth, Guns N’ Roses, and Helloween appeared at England’s Monsters Of Rock festival at Castle Donington. Despite a bout of bad weather leading up to the event, Monsters of Rock attracted over 107,000 attendees.
In 1965, Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham launched Immediate Records with Tony Calder. The label’s first release was The McCoy’s “Hang On Sloopy,” while their roster would go on to include titles from Rod Stewart, Small Faces, Fleetwood Mac, and Humble Pie. They ceased operations in 1970.
In 1979, Bob Dylan released Slow Train Coming, his first album after converting to Christianity. Featuring songs about his newfound faith, the record alienated many of his longtime fans while also drawing in new Christian fans. His single “Gotta Serve Somebody” earned a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1980.
In 1965, Davy Jones & The Lower Third released “You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving,” the first of two singles that David Bowie recorded with the band. Bowie, born David Jones, changed his name soon after to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, and the single would mark the last track released under his birth name.
In 1983, The Police headlined John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia with support from Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Madness, and R.E.M. The Police opened with “Synchronicity I” and played 21 songs, including their future hit “Every Breath You Take.”
In 2018, soul musician Eddie Willis died from polio complications at age 82. During the 1960s and early 1970s, Willis played electric guitar and electric sitar for The Funk Brothers, Motown Records’ in-house studio band. Among the numerous songs he appeared on was The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman,” The Temptations’ “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made to Love Her.”
BORN ON AUGUST 20
1942: Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead)
1959: Joe Elliot (Def Leppard)
1960: Chuck D
1963: Coolio
1964: Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
1968: Dan Donegan (Disturbed)
1981: Ashley Parker (O-Town)
