30 SEPTEMBER
In Music History
1967 BBC Radio One goes on the air. The first song played is "Flowers In The Rain" by The Move.
1965 Donovan appears on US television for the first time when he shows up on Shindig.
1965 Elvis Presley meets Tom Jones for the first time, on the set of the King's Paradise, Hawaiian Style movie. The two become fast friends.
1964 Robby Takac (bassist/vocalist for The Goo Goo Dolls) is born in Buffalo, New York. Along with lead singer Johnny Rzeznik, he's a mainstay in the group, which remains active long after their '90s hits like "Iris" and "Black Balloon."
1964 Phish phrontman Trey Anastasio of is born in Fort Worth, Texas. He forms the band in 1983 when he's a student at the University of Vermont. They gradually build a very dedicated fan base drawn to their wild improvisations and sense of community.
1957 The Louis Armstrong album Louis Armstrong Plays King Oliver is recorded at Radio Recorders studio in Hollywood, marking the first stereo album recorded in America.
1956 Singer/songwriter Basia is born Barbara Trzetrzelewska in Jaworzno, Poland. Known for the '80s hits "Time and Tide" and "Cruising for Bruising."
1954 Julie Andrews makes her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend.
1954 Patsy Cline signs a contract with Four Star Music Sales.
1954 R&B performer Patrice Rushen is born in Los Angeles, California. Known for her 1982 single "Forget Me Nots," which earned her a Grammy Nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
1953 Country singer Deborah Allen is born Deborah Lynn Thurmond in Memphis, Tennessee. Known for the 1983 crossover hit "Baby I Lied."
1952 John Lombardo (guitarist for 10,000 Maniacs) is born in Jamestown, New York.
1947 Marc Bolan (frontman for T. Rex) is born Mark Feld in Stoke Newington, London, England.
1943 R&B singer Marilyn McCoo (of The 5th Dimension) is born in Jersey City, New Jersey.
1942 Gus Dudgeon, frequent producer for Elton John, is born Angus Boyd Dudgeon in Woking, Surrey, England.
James Dean Dies While Rock Is Born
1955James Dean is killed in a car accident at age 24. Dean dies around the same time rock and roll comes alive (the #1 song the day he dies: Pat Boone's cover of "Ain't That A Shame" - clearly America is at a crossroads).
Read more30 SEPTEMBER
Featured Events
2016 Mary J. Blige debuts her Apple Music talk show, The 411, and welcomes Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton as her first guest. Halfway through the intimate conversation, Blige bursts into a rendition of Bruce Springsteen's protest anthem "American Skin (41 Shots)" in a bid to address the rash of police brutality against African Americans. The attempt falls flat with viewers, who heckle the singer on social media.More
1998 On The Drew Carey Show episode "In Ramada Da Vida," Slash, Lisa Loeb, Dusty Hill of ZZ Top, Dave Mustaine, Jonny Lang, Joey Ramone, Joe Walsh and Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen audition for Drew's band, which has a gig at the Ramada Inn. Walsh gets the job.
1995 Mariah Carey's "Fantasy" becomes just the second single to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (the first was Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone"). It stays at the top spot for eight weeks.
1993 George Harrison and David Crosby play their animated selves on the Season 5 premiere of The Simpsons, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet."
1989 Bette Midler is awarded $400,000 in her lawsuit against the Ford Motor Company, which had her former backing singer Ula Hedwig sing Midler's hit "Do You Want To Dance" in a 1985 commercial for the Mercury Sable. The verdict means that companies can't purposely imitate the vocals of a famous singer in advertisements without consent.
1987 Roy Orbison's comeback picks up speed at a Los Angeles concert filmed for the Cinemax special Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night. Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and J.D. Souther all perform at the show, which is fittingly filmed in black and white.
©2026 Songfacts®, LLC