Roy Orbison and Friends
Jan 3 Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night premieres on Cinemax; concert performance includes James Burton; Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and k.d. lang)
- Jan 10 "Don't Get God Started" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 86 performances
"Got My Mind Set On You"
Jan 16 George Harrison's single "Got My Mind Set On You" tops the Billboard charts; the cover song was written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962
- Jan 17 "Teddy & Alice" closes at Minskoff Theater NYC after 77 performances
3rd Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jan 20 3rd Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: The Beach Boys; The Beatles; The Drifters; Bob Dylan; The Supremes; Woody Guthrie; Leadbelly; Les Paul; and Berry Gordy, Jr.
15th American Music Awards
Jan 25 15th American Music Awards: Anita Baker; Paul Simon; & Whitney Houston win
- Jan 25 George Harrison releases single "When We Was Fab", peaks at #23 in the US
Phantom of the Opera
Jan 26 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's musical "Phantom of the Opera", directed by Hal Prince and starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, opens at Majestic Theater, NYC ; runs for 13,981 performances, winning 7 Tony Awards, and becoming Broadway's longest-running shows
- Jan 28 South African Mbongeni Ngema and Hugh Masekela's musical "Sarafina!", based on the Soweto Uprising against apartheid, opens at the Cort Theater, NYC; runs for 597 performances
Tunnel of Love
Feb 25 Bruce Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love" Tour begins in Worcester, Massachusetts
Grammy Awards
Mar 2 30th Grammy Awards: Record of the year - Paul Simon "Graceland"; Album of the Year - U2 "The Joshua Tree"; Jody Watley Best New Artist
Academy of Country Music Awards
Mar 21 23rd Academy of Country Music Awards: Hank Williams Jr, Randy Travis, and Reba McEntire win
Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm
Mar 23 Geffen Records releases "Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm", Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's 13th studio album
Soul Train Music Awards
Mar 30 2nd Soul Train Music Awards: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston win
Academy Awards
Apr 11 60th Academy Awards: "The Last Emperor", Michael Douglas & Cher win
- Apr 11 Royal Concert building in Amsterdam reopens
Election of Interest
Apr 12 Entertainer and restaurateur Sonny Bono is elected mayor of Palm Springs, California
- Apr 14 Michael Rupert and Jerry Colker's musical "Mail" opens at Music Box Theater, NYC; runs for 37 performances
Warm All Over
Apr 18 Barbra Streisand records "Warm All Over"
- Apr 21 Barbra Streisand records "You'll Never Know"
TNN Viewers Choice Awards
Apr 26 1st TNN Viewers choice awards: Randy Travis wins in 5 categories
Chess
Apr 28 Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice's musical "Chess" opens at Imperial Theater, NYC; runs for 68 performances
Celine Dion Wins Eurovision
Apr 30 33rd Eurovision Song Contest: Celine Dion for Switzerland wins singing "Ne partez pas sans moi" in Dublin
- May 1 "Romance/Romance" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 297 performances
- May 8 Brazilian musical revue "Oba Oba" closes at Ambassador Theater, NYC, after 46 performances
- May 12 "Carrie" opens at Virginia Theater NYC for 5 performances
- May 15 "Gospel at Colonus" closes at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC after 61 performances
Carrie
May 15 Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford's musical "Carrie", based on Stephen King's novel, closes at Virginia Theater, NYC, after 5 performances
- May 15 Michael Rupert and Jerry Colker's musical "Mail" closes at Music Box Theater, NYC, after 37 performances
- May 21 "Da'Butt" by EU hits #35
Music History
May 21 Weird Al Yankovic's "Fat" (a parody of Michael Jackson's "Bad") hits #99
- Jun 4 42nd Tony Awards: "M. Butterfly" (play) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (musical) win
Music History
Jun 4 Revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb's "Cabaret" closes at Imperial Theater, NYC, after 262 performances
- Jun 6 22nd Music City News Country Awards: Randy Travis & Statler Brothers win
- Jun 11 "Everything Your Heart Desires" by Daryl Hall and John Oates peaks at #3
- Jun 11 "Rooty Toot Toot" by John Cougar Mellencamp peaks at #61
Music Concert
Jun 11 Freedom Fest: Anti-apartheid benefit & Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert addresses his continued imprisonment; performers include Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, Hugh Masekela & Miriam Makeba, Youssou N'Dour, Peter Gabriel, Al Green, Joan Armatrading; Jessye Norman, and The Eurythmics at Wembley Stadium, London; broadcast to 67 countries with estimated audience of 600 million
- Jun 13 George Harrison releases single "This Is Love"
- Jun 14 "Guy" debut album by Guy is released
Music History
Jun 14 Woman sues Chuck Berry for $5,000,000, alleges he hit her
- Jun 21 American rock band The Rascals begin their 1st tour in 20 years
Chess
Jun 25 Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice's musical "Chess" closes at Imperial Theater, NYC, after 68 performances
Music History
Jul 7 Hungarian state funeral for composer Béla Bartók in Budapest, 42 years after his death with his remains relocated from New York
- Jul 8 American rockers and brothers Chico & Robert DeBarge indicted on drug trafficking charges
Music History
Jul 8 Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992; he does not follow through
Music History
Jul 9 Jessye Norman begins recording Bizet's "Carmen"
Ain't Misbehavin'
Aug 15 Revival of musical revue "Ain't Misbehavin'", highlighting songs of Fats Waller, opens at Ambassador Theater, NYC; runs for 176 performances
- Sep 2 Amnesty International's "Human Rights Now!" tour begins in Wembley Stadium, London; performers include: Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour
- Sep 7 5th MTV Video Music Awards: INXS wins
- Sep 9 "Look Away" single released by Chicago (Billboard Song of the Year 1989)
- Sep 16 Fish leaves rock group Marillion
- Sep 20 "Loving Proof" second studio album by Ricky Van Shelton is released (Billboard Song of the Year 1989)
Theatrical Finale
Sep 25 Neil Simon's stage play "Broadway Bound", starring Linda Lavin, Jonathan Silverman, and Jason Alexander, closes at the Broadhurst Theatre, NYC, after 756 performances
Music History
Oct 8 Finishing 741-week stay, Pink Floyd's album "The Dark Side of the Moon" makes final appearance (of initial run) on Billboard 200 Albums chart
- Oct 10 22nd Country Music Association Awards: Highway 101 & K. T. Oslin win
- Oct 13 Concert at Masada ends Israel's 40th-anniversary festival
- Oct 15 Amnesty International's "Human Rights Now!" Concert Tour ends in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Oct 16 "Smile Jamaica" concert for Hurricane Gilbert victims held in London
- Oct 17 Traveling Wilburys release debut album "Volume 1", featuring the single "Handle With Care"; pseudonymous band members include Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty
Music Concert
Oct 22 Elton John sells out Madison Square Garden, NYC, for a record 26th time
- Nov 9 Don Sebesky and Gloria Nissenson's musical "Prince of Central Park", starring Jo Anne Worley opens at Belasco Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances
- Nov 25 Rock guitar legend Chuck Berry (62) pays $250 fine to resolve NYC assault charges
Roy Orbison
Dec 1 Roy Orbison gives his final concert at The Front Row Theater in Cleveland, Ohio
- Dec 26 Peter Allen's musical "Legs Diamond" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater, NYC; runs for 64 performances
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