Pick a Day

Music History Events: Performance Debuts

September 21, 1996 Hank Williams III, 23, makes his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, following the legacy of his father, Hank Williams Jr., and grandfather,Hank Williams, in performing there. His set includes "Lovesick Blues," which Hank Sr. played at his Opry debut in 1949.

October 23, 1991 Rage Against the Machine play live for the first time with a show at California State University, Northridge, opening with "Killing In The Name," which is still an instrumental.

December 22, 1988 At Wolverhampton Civic Hall in England, Morrissey makes his solo debut. It's closure for his group The Smiths, which broke up a year earlier but never made an official announcement. Anyone wearing either a Morrissey or Smiths shirt is admitted free.

March 8, 1987 The day before releasing The Joshua Tree, U2 debut two songs from the album - "Exit" and "In God's Country" - on the BBC show The Old Grey Whistle Test. Also on the show is a young Irish singer named Sinead O'Connor with her first live TV performance.

September 9, 1982 The Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short To Box With God, which is based on the Book of Matthew, is revived at the Alvin Theatre in New York with Al Green and Patti LaBelle in the cast.

June 2, 1981 Prince makes his live British debut at The Lyceum Ballroom in London. He does not play the UK again for five years.

January 8, 1980 Prince makes his national television debut, performing "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Why You Want To Treat Me So Bad" on the NBC variety show Midnight Special.

November 15, 1978 Echo & the Bunnymen give their performance debut at Eric's Club in Liverpool, England.

October 20, 1978 The Police make their US performance debut at CBGB's in New York.

July 18, 1978 Def Leppard make their live debut, performing to an audience of 150 at the Westfield School in Sheffield, England.

March 19, 1978 Billy Joel makes his UK concert debut at London's Theatre Royal.

November 11, 1976 Linda Ronstadt makes her UK live debut, performing at the Odeon in Hammersmith, London.

July 4, 1976 The Buzzcocks play live for the first time, opening for The Sex Pistols at the Black Swan in Sheffield, England. They make their mark as one of the more melodic and cerebral punk bands to come of out the UK, and also one of the most enduring; after a breakup in 1981, they re-form in 1989 and remain active for decades.

December 31, 1973 AC/DC makes their live debut at the Chequers Bar in Sydney, Australia.

August 26, 1973 10cc make their stage debut at the Palace Lido on England's Isle of Man.

July 14, 1973 Glam-rocker Gary Glitter makes his live stage debut in Mecksham, England.

April 16, 1972 Electric Light Orchestra make their live debut at Croydon, England's Fox and Greyhound pub.

December 24, 1971 New York Dolls make their live debut, performing at a Christmas Party at the Endicott Hotel in New York City.

April 6, 1971 Carly Simon plays her first show as a solo artist when she opens for Cat Stevens at the Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles. Anxiety makes it very hard for her to play live, but she can't resist a chance to play some shows with Stevens, her favorite singer.

November 18, 1970 Cat Stevens performs in America for the first time, opening for Traffic at the Fillmore East in New York City.

October 30, 1970 Hotlegs (later renamed 10cc) make their concert debut at London's Royal Festival Hall.

April 21, 1970 Elton John makes his stage debut as a solo act when he opens for T. Rex, Spooky Tooth, and Jackie Lomax at the Roundhouse in London.

December 31, 1969 Jimi Hendrix's new group, Band of Gypsys, make their concert debut at the Fillmore East ballroom in New York City. The show is later released as the album Band Of Gypsys.

October 18, 1969 The Jackson 5 make their national TV debut, performing "I Want You Back" on the ABC variety show Hollywood Palace. In January 1970, the song tops the Hot 100.

August 16, 1969 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young perform together for the first time, playing two shows at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. Their next gig comes two days later when they take the stage at Woodstock.

June 7, 1969 Blind Faith, a supergroup featuring Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton, play their first show: a free concert at Hyde Park in London.More

April 9, 1969 King Crimson make their debut performance with a show at the Speakeasy in London.

December 21, 1968 Janis Joplin makes her solo concert debut in Memphis at an event for the Stax/Volt record label. The Stax house band Booker T. & The MG's also plays.

October 8, 1968 Mama Cass Elliot of The Mamas & the Papas, makes her solo debut at the Circus Maximus theater at Caesars' Palace in Las Vegas, where she is scheduled for two shows a night for three weeks at a rate of $40,000 per week. She gets sick before the first show but does both anyway, straining to get through them. The rest of the run is cancelled, and Elliot undergoes throat surgery.

August 16, 1968 The Jackson 5 play their first concert, opening for Diana Ross and the Supremes at the Forum in Los Angeles.