Throwback Thursday: The Animals, “House of The Rising Sun.”

Throwback Thursday: The Animals, “House of The Rising Sun.”

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On this day in 1964, English blues rock band, The Animals, reached number one on the singles charts in the UK with their rendition of “House of The Rising Sun.” With it’s howling vocals and haunting organ riffs, the song is viewed by many music historians as the first mainstream, folk rock hit. Although The Animals popularized this particular ballad, musicologists have traced its theme and wordage back to a 16th century. The song was eventually brought to the US, where the location changed from England to New Orleans by Southern performers. The oldest published version of the song dates back to 1925, and the oldest known recording is by Appalachian musicians from 1933. Woody Guthrie recorded a version in 1941, and Bob Dylan followed suite 20 years later. But it wasn’t until The Animals’ 1964 version of the song that it became a mainstream hit, and eventually, a rock classic.

Throwback Thursday: The Rolling Stones Begin Their First US Tour

Throwback Thursday: The Rolling Stones Begin Their First US Tour

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On this day in 1964, The Rolling Stones landed in New York City to embark on their first U.S. Tour, which would run from June 5th-20th. The tour was in support of their first album, “The Rolling Stones,” which featured early hits such as “Route 66” and “Can I Get a Witness.” The album remained #1 on U.K. charts for 12 weeks. Along with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the “British Invasion” of English rock bands to take the U.S. by storm, identifying with the emerging counterculture that began to develop in the early 1960’s. However, this first tour was not a success: at the time, the band had yet to have their big break in the U.S., and television personalities mocked their appearance and performances. It wouldn’t be until the following year, with the success of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” that the band would become a household name.

 

Throwback Thursday: Carole King, Live in Central Park

Throwback Thursday: Carole King, Live in Central Park

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On this day in 1973, celebrated singer-songwriter, Carole King, performed a free concert in New York City’s Central Park for an audience of roughly 70,000 people. The most successful female songwriter of the 1960’s and 1970’s, King had released her most critically acclaimed album, “Tapestry,” just two years prior. The album, which went on to be one of the best selling albums of all time, solidified her title as “The Queen of Rock.” The Central Park Concert, which lasted an hour and fifteen minutes, took place on the Great Lawn behind the Delacorte Theater and drew the largest crowd the city’s Parks Department had seen at the time. Celebrities in attendance included Joni Mitchell and Jack Nicholson. The concert was staged by Chip Monck, who previously helped mastermind a little music festival called Woodstock. King began the night with “Beautiful,” and ended with “You’ve Got a Friend.”

Throwback Thursday: Backstreet Boys, “Millennium”

Throwback Thursday: Backstreet Boys, “Millennium”

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On this day in 1999, iconic 90’s boy band, the Backstreet Boys, released their third, and most successful, studio album, “Millennium,” which featured the singles “Larger than Life,” “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,” and “I Want It That Way.” “I Want It That Way” eventually became the Orlando based group’s biggest hit to date. On the day of the album’s release, the group appeared on MTV’s Total Request Live (RIP) in front of hundreds of screaming fans. “Millennium” became the best selling album of 1999, selling 9,445,732 albums. Of those albums, nearly 500,000 in the US were sold on the first day alone. Although the boy band craze of the 90’s died with the Beanie Baby, the Backstreet Boys are still making music and are set to release their ninth studio album this year. On top of that, the group recently began a four month Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood called “Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life.”

Throwback Thursday: Saying Goodbye to Music Icon Bob Marley

Throwback Thursday: Saying Goodbye to Music Icon Bob Marley

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On this day in 1981, Jamaican reggae musician, Bob Marley, died in a Miami hospital from complications caused by skin cancer. With hits like “One Love,” “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” and “Buffalo Soldier,” Marley popularized reggae music across the world, and is best known for his mellow sound and messages of peace and acceptance. To this day, Marley is still seen as an icon for anti-racism. In 1994, Marley was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2001, he was bestowed a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. His dying words, spoken to his son, Ziggy, were: “Money can’t buy life.”