Pick a Day

Music History Events: TV Appearances

September 27, 1973 After becoming a devotee of the guru Sri Chinmoy, Carlos Santana starts using the name Devadip, which means "the Lamp of the Light Supreme."

September 27, 1973 The syndicated music show Don Kirshner's Rock Concert debuts with a performance by The Rolling Stones, making their first appearance on US television in six years. Fittingly, they play "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll."

June 28, 1973 The Helen Reddy Show summer replacement TV series debuts on NBC.

June 19, 1973 Roberta Flack... The First Time Ever TV special airs on ABC.

April 16, 1973 Paul McCartney's first television special, James Paul McCartney, airs on ABC, featuring a few Beatles songs, new Wings tracks, sketches, and a final performance of a song called "Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance," originally written for Twiggy.

November 18, 1972 Bill Withers sings his recent hits "Lean On Me" and "Use Me" on Soul Train.

November 5, 1972 The Jackson 5 Show, the group's second television special, airs on CBS.

September 4, 1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear on Jerry Lewis' muscular dystrophy telethon.

August 24, 1972 Many Brits get their first look at Roxy Music and their bedazzled frontman Bryan Ferry when they perform their song "Virginia Plain" on Top Of The Pops.

August 17, 1972 Gladys Knight is a contestant on The Dating Game.

April 6, 1972 The Monkees' Micky Dolenz guest stars as himself on the "Barbara Lost" episode of ABC-TV's My Three Sons.

February 19, 1972 Sammy Davis Jr. appears on the TV show All In The Family in an episode where he famously plants a kiss on the bigoted character Archie Bunker.

February 16, 1972 Doing a week-long stint as guest host of the Mike Douglas Show, John Lennon performs "Memphis" and "Johnny B. Goode" with Chuck Berry, whom Lennon refers to as "my hero."

February 14, 1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin their week-long stint as guest hosts on the syndicated Mike Douglas Show.

December 27, 1971 The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour begins a regular run on CBS after previously serving as a summer replacement. It stays on the air for three years.

October 14, 1971 John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear on ABC-TV's The Dick Cavett Show to promote John's new album Imagine, Yoko's new book, and their upcoming art exhibition.

October 2, 1971 Soul Train makes its debut, with guests Gladys Knight & the Pips, Eddie Kendricks, and Honey Cone. It stays on the air an astonishing 35 years.

September 21, 1971 The musical variety show The Old Grey Whistle Test premieres on BBC-TV, featuring America as well as clips of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.

September 19, 1971 The Jackson 5's Goin' Back To Indiana TV special airs on ABC.

September 1, 1971 After their successful summer-replacement series, Sonny And Cher begin their fall TV variety series on CBS.

June 6, 1971 The Ed Sullivan Show airs its final show, going out with guests Jerry Vale and Gladys Knight & The Pips after 23 years on the air.

April 18, 1971 The Diana Ross television musical special Diana, featuring guest stars The Jackson 5, Bill Cosby, and Danny Thomas, airs on ABC.

March 19, 1971 Bobby Sherman plays a songwriter on the "A Knight In Shining Armor" episode of The Partridge Family. He soon gets his own TV series, Getting Together.

February 28, 1971 Johnny Cash is pleasantly surprised when the taping of his variety show is revealed to be an episode of This Is Your Life, with friends and family paying tribute.

February 17, 1971 James Taylor makes his TV debut, performing "Sweet Baby James," "Fire and Rain" and "Country Road" on The Johnny Cash Show.

January 16, 1971 At a press conference in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis Presley pleases the conservative crowd when he says, "I don't go along with music advocating drugs and desecration of the flag. I think an entertainer is for entertaining and to make people happy."

July 20, 1970 The Carpenters appear The Dating Game, where they perform "(They Long To Be) Close To You" and each select from three suitors. They never actually go on their dates.

June 29, 1970 NBC airs the Liza Minnelli special Liza, also starring songwriters Anthony Newley, Jimmy Webb, and Randy Newman.

March 29, 1970 The Ed Sullivan Show broadcasts live from hospitals treating soldiers wounded in Vietnam. Guests include Bobbie Gentry and Gladys Knight & the Pips.

March 1, 1970 The Beatles make their last appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show when music videos for their songs "Let It Be" and "Two Of Us" are aired.