September 5, 1976 – Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington is injured in a car crash in Jacksonville, FL after he falls asleep at the wheel while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The accident inspires Ronnie Van Zant to write “That Smell” with the lyrics, “Whiskey bottles and brand new cars, oak tree you’re in my … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 5 in Classic Rock →

August 13, 1965 – Jefferson Airplane make their stage debut at San Francisco’s new club The Matrix, which leads to them securing a record deal after receiving a positive review in the San Francisco Chronicle. August 13, 1973 – Lynyrd Skynyrd release their debut album (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd).  It goes on to sell over 2 million copies and features songs “Simple Man”, … Continue reading CDJ Today: August 13 in Classic Rock →

July 27, 1973 – The self-titled debut by the New York Dolls, produced by Todd Rundgren, is released to critical acclaim and mediocre sales.  However, the album serves as an influential precursor to the developing punk rock scene with such songs as “Personality Crisis,” “Trash,” and “Jet Boy.” July 27, 2010 – Growing Up Twisted, starring Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 27 in Classic Rock →

July 8, 1967 – The Monkees start their tour with The Jimi Hendrix Experience as the opening act. Not surprisingly, Hendrix is dropped after six shows when he is told his act is not suitable for the young audience. July 8, 1958 – The first Gold record album certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is awarded to the soundtrack Oklahoma.  At the time, a Gold record … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 8 in Classic Rock →

June 29, 1995 – The first TV commercial of Ringo Starr‘s career airs for Pizza Hut, as does a similar spot by the newly-reformed Monkees. June 29, 2000 – Vandals break into tombs containing the remains of Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines. Van Zant’s casket had been removed from its tomb but did not appear to have been opened. A plastic bag … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 29 in Classic Rock →

June 24, 1999 – Eric Clapton auctions off 100 of his guitars with proceeds going toward his Crossroads Centre at Antigua, an alcohol and drug-dependency treatment center in the West Indies. The auction generates over $5 million, with his guitar “Brownie,” a 1956 sunburst Fender used to record “Layla”, going for almost $500,000. June 24, 2000 – Kiss begin a 2-day auction of costumes, instruments and … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 24 in Classic Rock →

Titans of American classic rock ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd have announced 36 additional appearances of their joint co-headlining tour – The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour.  The tour kicks off on Friday, March 8 at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA, with stops across the Southeast, Midwest and South before wrapping up in Corpus Christi, TX at the American Bank … Continue reading Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top Announce Continuation of The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour with 36 Co-headline Appearances Planned for 2024 →

September 14, 1984 – MTV debuts its first ever video awards show, hosted by Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler in New York at Radio City Music Hall. The Cars win Video of the Year for “You Might Think”. Among the Video of the Year nominees were Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and The Police “Every Breath You Take”. David Bowie wins … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 14 in Classic Rock →

July 15, 1998 – Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer narrowly escapes serious injury when his Ferrari convertible catches on fire at a gas station.  He is admitted to the hospital with second-degree burns on his arms and hands.  The Ferrari is destroyed. Top 20 Classic Rock Drummers Still Drumming Classic Rock Birthdays July 15, 1956 – Joe Satriani, guitar (Satriani, Chickenfoot, G3) July 15, 1966 – Jason … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 15 in Classic Rock →

May 6, 1937 – The Hindenburg airship crashes in New Jersey, killing 36 people. A photograph from this accident is later used as the cover art for Led Zeppelin’s debut album. May 6, 1965 – Keith Richards suffers insomnia in his hotel room in Florida because of a guitar riff running through his head.  He records the hook, falls asleep and wakes … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 6 in Classic Rock →

“What song do you wanna hear?” singer Ronnie Van Zant asks the crowd before Lynyrd Skynyrd kicks into 14-minutes of “Free Bird” on their 1976 live album, One More from the Road. He was speaking rhetorically. By then, the whole world knew what song everyone wanted to hear at a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert. Hell, that’s … Continue reading Classic Rock Landmarks: Free Bird →

It’s rare that a live album becomes a driving force in a band’s career, but these rock albums all generated either hits, sales, or artistic recognition that changed the arc of the bands’ popularity and influence. In several cases, the bands/artists had not even been well-known in the U.S. prior to their live releases.  Although … Continue reading 12 Most Influential Live Classic Rock Albums of All Time →