Events in Music History in 1970

  • Jan 2 Dutch premiere of Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni and James Rado's hippie musical "Hair" in Amsterdam
  • Jan 3 Bill Jacob and Patti Jacob's musical "Jimmy", starring Frank Gorshin and Anita Gillette, loosely based on the life of NYC mayor Jimmy Walker (1926-32). closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 84 performances
  • Jan 3 Jerry Herman's musical "Mame" closes at The Broadway Theater, NYC, after 1508 performances and 3 Tony Awards

"I Me Mine"

Jan 4 Beatles last recording session at Abbey Road studios, completing George Harrison's tune "I Me Mine"; John Lennon was on vacation and did not participate

Lennon, Yoko in Denmark

Jan 5 John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono give a press conference in Aalborg, Denmark, revealing that they were only visiting

Woodstock Music and Art Fair

Jan 7 Farmers sue Max Yasgur for $35,000 in damages caused by "Woodstock Festival"

  • Jan 31 Grateful Dead members and entourage busted, down on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana on LSD charges [1]
  • Feb 4 "Charles Aznavour" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 23 performances
  • Feb 4 "Gantry" opens at George Abbott Theater NYC for 1 performance
  • Feb 7 "Jingle Jangle" hits #10 on the pop singles chart by Archies

Sports History

Feb 11 John Lennon pays £1,344 fines for 96 protesting South African rugby team playing in Scotland

  • Feb 14 Stanley Lebowsky and Fred Tobias' musical "Gantry", based on Sinclair Lewis novel "Elmer Gantry", opens and closes at George Abbott Theater, NYC. after 1 performance
  • Feb 22 "Charles Aznavour" closes at Music Box Theater NYC after 23 performances
  • Feb 24 Dutch schlager singer Heintje Simons (14) wins his 7th gold record
  • Feb 26 Carole Bayer (Sager) and George Fischoff's musical "Georgy" opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances
  • Feb 26 The Beatles release "Hey Jude" compilation album in US (originally to be titled "Beatles Again")
  • Feb 28 Carole Bayer (Sager) and George Fischoff's musical "Georgy" closes at Winter Garden Theater, NYC, after 4 performances

Ladies of the Canyon

Mar 2 Reprise Records releases "Ladies of the Canyon", Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's 3rd studio album

Airport

Mar 5 "Airport" based on the book by Arthur Hailey, directed by George Seaton and starring Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin is released

  • Mar 6 Beatles release single "Let it Be" in UK

The Singer

Mar 10 Barbra Streisand records "The Singer" and "I Can Do It"

Grammy Awards

Mar 11 12th Grammy Awards: Aquarius; Crosby Stills & Nash; Peggy Lee win

  • Mar 15 Gary Geld and Peter Udell's musical "Purlie", based on Ossie Davis' "Purlie Victorious", opens at the Broadway Theater, NYC; runs for 689 performances
  • Mar 21 15th Eurovision Song Contest: Dana for Ireland wins singing "All Kinds of Everything" in Amsterdam

Hello Darlin'

Mar 23 "Hello Darlin'" single released by Conway Twitty (Billboard Song of the Year, 1970)

  • Mar 26 Folk singer Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary) pleads guilty to "taking immoral liberties" with a 14-year-old girl and serves 3 months in prison; granted a presidential pardon in 1981

Minnie's Boys

Mar 26 Musical "Minnie's Boys", starring Shelley Winters as the mother of the Marx Brothers, and Drama Desk Award winner Lewis J. Stadlen as Groucho, opens at the Imperial Theater, New York City; runs for 80 performances

Sentimental Journey

Mar 27 Ringo Starr releases his 1st solo album "Sentimental Journey", a collection of pre-rock standards

Look to the Lilies

Mar 29 Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn's musical "Look to the Lilies", based on the novel and film "Lilies of the Field", starring Shirley Booth and Al Freeman, opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC; runs for 25 performances

Bitches Brew

Mar 30 Columbia Records releases jazz artist Miles Davis's influential double album "Bitches Brew"; it becomes his highest charting title, wins a Grammy, and earns him his 1st gold record

Applause

Mar 30 Strouse, Adams, Comden & Green's musical "Applause", an adaptation of the 1950 film "All About Eve", starring Lauren Bacall, opens at the Palace Theatre, NYC; runs for 896 performances, and wins 4 Tony and 3 Drama Desk Awards

  • Apr 1 John Lennon and Yoko Ono release hoax they are having dual sex change operations
  • Apr 8 Mitch Leigh, William Alfred and Phyllis Robinson's musical melodrama "Cry for Us All" opens at Broadhurst Theater, NYC; runs for 9 performances

Music History

Apr 10 Paul McCartney officially announces the split of The Beatles

  • Apr 11 Beatles' "Let It Be" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 2 weeks
  • Apr 13 Greek composer and counter-revolutionary Mikis Theordorakis freed from Oropos concentration camp, and allowed to be exiled to France
  • Apr 14 Revival of Sandy Wilson's musical "The Boy Friend", starring Judy Carne and Sandy Duncan, opens at Ambassador Theater, NYC; runs for 111 performances
  • Apr 15 Mitch Leigh, William Alfred and Phyllis Robinson's musical melodrama "Cry for Us All" closes at Broadhurst Theater, NYC, after 9 performances
  • Apr 17 Paul McCartney releases his 1st solo album "McCartney"
  • Apr 19 "Look to the Lilies" closes at Lunt-Fontanne NYC after 25 performances
  • Apr 19 24th Tony Awards: "Borstal Boy" (play) & "Applause" (musical) win
  • Apr 22 Lance Mulcahy and Paul Cherry's musical "Park" opens at John Golden Theater, NYC; runs for 5 performances
  • Apr 25 Lance Mulcahy and Paul Cherry's musical "Park" closes at John Golden Theater, NYC, after 5 performances

Company

Apr 26 Stephen Sondheim's musical "Company", directed by Hal Prince, opens at Alvin Theater NYC; runs for 705 performances, wins 6 Tony Awards

  • May 3 World premiere of The Beatles' "Let it Be" documentary film directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, in New York City
  • May 8 Beatles release 12th, and final, studio album, "Let It Be", in conjunction with the film of the same name
  • May 11 "The Long and Winding Road" becomes Beatles' last American single release

Music History

May 16 "Grover Henson Feels Forgotten" by Bill Cosby hits #70

Music History

May 17 Anonymous buyer purchases one of the pairs of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" for $15,000 at MGM Studio auction, and donates them to the Smithsonian Institution

  • May 18 Beatles' last released LP, "Let It Be", released in US
  • May 20 The Beatles' "Let it Be" documentary film directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, premieres at the Liverpool Gaumont Cinema and the London Pavilion; none of the group attend
  • May 23 Grateful Dead's 1st performance outside US, as part of 'The Hollywood Rock Music Festival', in Newcastle under Lyme, England
  • May 24 Peter Green quits Fleetwood Mac to join a religious cult
  • May 30 "Minnie's Boys" closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 80 performances

#1 in the Charts

Jun 1 "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens hits #1

Music History

Jun 3 Ray Davies of The Kinks travels round trip NY-London to change 1 word in "Lola," (Coca-Cola to Cherry Cola) because of BBC commercial reference ban

  • Jun 7 British rock band The Who's perform their rock opera "Tommy" at the Metropolitan Opera House at NYC's Lincoln Center [1]

Music History

Jun 9 Bob Dylan given honorary Doctorate of Music at Princeton University

Debut of Janis Joplin

Jun 12 Rocker and blues singer Janis Joplin debuts in Kentucky

  • Jun 13 "In The Summertime" by Mungo Jerry hits #1 in UK
  • Jun 13 Beatles' "Let It Be" album goes #1 & stays #1 for 4 weeks
  • Jun 13 Beatles' "Long & Winding Road" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 2 weeks
  • Jun 17 British rock band Led Zeppelin begin their last European tour
  • Jun 20 "Ray Stevens Show" debuts on NBC-TV

Music History

Jun 23 Rocker and singer Chubby Checker arrested for marijuana possession

  • Jun 27 Festival Express opens in Toronto, Canada - The Grateful Dead, The Band, Janis Joplin, Flying Burrito Bros, Buddy Guy, Great Speckled Bird, and Delaney & Bonnie & Friends cross Canada together by train, for 5 shows in 3 cities

Music History

Jul 3 Atlanta International Pop Festival opens, 200,000 attend over 3 days; performers include Allman Brothers; Grand Funk Railroad, Jimi Hendrix Experience; Richie Havens; Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys; B.B. King; Mott the Hoople; and John Sebastian

  • Jul 18 Revival of Sandy Wilson's musical "The Boy Friend", starring Judy Carne and Sandy Duncan, closes at Ambassador Theater, NYC, after 111 performances

#1 in the Charts

Jul 25 Burt Bacharach and Hal David's song "(They Long to Be) Close to You" as sung by the Carpenters reaches #1

Music History

Aug 4 Jim Morrison arrested for public drunkenness in Los Angeles

  • Aug 6 "Festival for Peace" concert held at Shea Stadium, NYC to mark 25th anniversary of Hiroshima bombing; performers include Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steppenwolf, Miles Davis, Johnny Winter, Herbie Hancock, Dionne Warwick, John Sebastian, The Rascals, and the Broadway cast of "Hair"

Music History

Aug 7 British keyboard playing singer-songwriter Christine McVie (née Perfect) joins rock band Fleetwood Mac

Jim Morrison's Trial

Aug 10 Jim Morrison's trial for "lewd and lascivious behavior" begins in Miami, Florida

Music History

Aug 25 Elton John's 1st US appearance (Troubador - West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)

  • Aug 27 Jimi Hendrix creates his last studio recording at Electric Lady Studios in NYC, an instrumental called "Slow Blues"
  • Aug 28 "I'll Be There" single by The Jackson 5 is released (Billboard Song of the Year 1970)

Music History

Sep 3 Bill Haley & His Comets reject $30,000 for 15 date tour of Australia

  • Sep 4 Russian ballerina Natalia Makarova defects to the West while on tour with the Kirov Ballet in London and is granted political asylum
  • Sep 11 American rock guitar legend Jimi Hendrix gives what becomes his final interview with NME's Keith Allston, in England

Music Recording

Sep 15 Decca awards Bing Crosby a second platinum disc for selling 300 million records

  • Sep 19 1st Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: Tyrannosaurus Rex headlines; other performs include: Wayne Fontana, Steamhammer, Duster Bennett, Al Stewart, Amazing Blondel, Keith Christmas, Quintessence, and Stackridge
  • Sep 20 Jim Morrison found guilty of "open profanity and indecent exposure" after allegedly exposing himself at a concert in Miami in 1969
  • Sep 25 Ringo Starr releases his 2nd solo album "Beaucoups of Blues", a collection of country music recorded in Nashville, Tennessee
  • Sep 28 TV game show "Words & Music" debuts on NBC
  • Oct 1 63 arrested in riot to buy Rolling Stone tickets in Milan, Italy

Coco

Oct 3 André Previn and Alan Jay Lerner's musical "Coco", inspired by the life of Coco Chanel, and starring Katharine Hepburn, closes at Mark Hellinger Theatre, NYC, after 329 performances, and 2 Tony Awards

  • Oct 14 4th Country Music Association Awards: Merle Haggard wins
  • Oct 27 Musical "Light, Lively & Yiddish" opens at Belasco Theater, NYC; runs for 87 performances
  • Oct 31 Jim Morrison is sentenced to six months in jail and a $500 fine for indecent exposure and open profanity, though remains free on a $50,000 bond pending appeal
  • Nov 3 Murray Rumshinsky and Jacob Jacobs' musical "The President's Daughter" opens at Billy Rose Theater, NYC; runs for 72 performances
  • Nov 7 Gary Geld and Peter Udell's musical "Purlie", based on Ossie Davis' "Purlie Victorious", closes at the Broadway Theater, NYC, after 689 performances
  • Nov 9 William Grant Still's Symphony No. 5 ("Western Hemisphere"), premiere performance, by the Oberlin College Orchestra led by Robert Baustian

Two by Two

Nov 10 Richard Rodgers and Martin Charnin's musical "Two by Two" opens at Imperial Theater, NYC; runs for 343 performances

  • Nov 17 Elton John performs a live studio concert broadcast for WABC in New York City, later released as his 11-17-70 album

Tea for the Tillerman

Nov 23 A&M and Island Records release British folk-rock singer-songwriter Cat Stevens' fourth studio album "Tea for the Tillerman"; featuring singles "Wild World and "Father and Son"

  • Nov 23 George Harrison releases "My Sweet Lord" single in the US
  • Nov 27 Apple Records releases George Harrison's triple album set "All Things Must Pass" - it becomes the best selling solo release of any of the Beatles, going 6X Platinum

Yale-Princeton Football Game

Nov 29 Modernist composer Charles Ives' "Yale-Princeton Football Game", a two-minute piece written in 1897 premieres

  • Dec 2 British composer Michael Tippett's opera "The Knot Garden" premieres at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, England
  • Dec 15 Robert Wilson and Alan Lloyd's musical theatre work "Deafman Glance" first performance at Center for New Performing Arts in Iowa City, Iowa
  • Dec 18 "Me Nobody Knows" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 587 performances

Elvis Meets Nixon

Dec 21 Elvis Presley meets US President Richard Nixon in the White House - the image of this meeting is the most requested photo from the entire National Archives

  • Dec 24 Walt Disney releases animated musical "The Aristocats" featuring voices of Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Hermione Baddeley, Sterling Holloway, and Scatman Crothers
  • Dec 27 Jerry Herman's musical "Hello, Dolly!", starring Carol Channing, closes at the St. James Theatre, NYC, after 2844 performances and 10 Tony Awardwins
  • Dec 28 Stan Freeman and Franklin Underwood's musical "Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen", based on John Patrick's novel "The Teahouse of the August Moon", opens at the Majestic Theatre, NYC; runs for 19 performances
  • Dec 31 Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to dissolve The Beatles in a dispute over Allen Klein's management of the group