posted 09-14-2005 07:44 AM         

1940's
Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines is born. He dies in the same plane crash that takes the group’s singer Ronnie Van Zant. 1949

1950's
Little Richard is signed by Specialty Records. 1955

1960's
The Jeff Beck Group’s “Truth” album and Big Brother & the Holding Company’s “Cheap Thrills” enter the charts. The Beck Group has Rod Stewart and future Rolling Stone Ron Wood (on bass) while Big Brother is driven by Blues wailer Janis Joplin. 1968

Genesis plays their first gig in Surrey, England. 1969

1970's
Eric Clapton’s cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff” hits #1. Also, Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Not Fragile” hits the charts. The album rises to #1. 1974

Jeff Beck’s jazz-fusion album “Wired” goes gold. 1976

1980's
The Rolling Stones “Tattoo You” featuring the inescapable “Start Me Up” enters the album charts. It goes to #1. 1980

Production on Pink Floyd’s film “The Wall” begins. 1981

The first MTV Music Awards are held in New York. 1984

John Mellencamp’s haunting “Scarecrow” makes the album charts. Featuring “Small Town” and “R.O.C.K. In The USA,” the album goes multi-platinum. 1985

1990's
Bob Seger’s “The Fire Inside” enters the LP charts. Meanwhile, David Bowie’s noisy band, Tin Machine, release their second album and kick-off their first (and only) tour. 1991

2000's
A big day for releases... The soundtrack for the long cancelled TV show Freaks and Geeks squeaks out. The 25 track compilation celebrates the `70s and `80s with music from Styx, Rush, Joan Jett, Alice Cooper and The Who. The show lasted only 18 episodes in `99-`00 season but became a cult favorite. Megadeth presents their "The System Has Failed" CD. Van Halen`s `86 concert video "Live Without a Net" is out on DVD. The 90-minute disc features "5150" era footage as the group plays New Haven on their first tour with vocalist Sammy Hagar (replacing David Lee Roth). Helmet issues their first studio album in seven years, "Size Matters." And lastly, Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra release “Friends 3,” the third installment in his Small World, Big Band series. Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Ringo Starr and Smokey Robinson are guest performers. Starr reprises his vocals on "Boys" which The Beatles recorded in the early `60s. 2004