This week in Music History: June 20-26

June 20
1937 - W2XBS (later WCBS-TV) televised the first TV operetta. The work was the "Pirates of Penzance" by Gilbert and Sullivan.
1973 - American Bandstand celebrated its 20th anniversary with a 90-minute television special. Little Richard, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Cheech and Chong and Three Dog Night made appearances.

June 21
1732 - Composer Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach was born.
1868 - Wagner's opera "Meistersinger von Nuernberg" premiered in Munich
1948 - Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33 1/3 RPM LP.
1978 - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Rice's musical "Evita," premiers in London
1990 - Little Richard received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

June 22
1947 - Don Henley, drummer/singer (Eagles), born
1953 - Cyndi Ann Stephanie Lauper born in Brooklyn
1968 - The Jeff Beck group made its U.S. debut in New York at The Fillmore East.
1987 - Fred Astaire dies at 88
1990 - Billy Joel became the first rock artist to perform at Yankee Stadium.

This week in Music History: May 9-15

May 9
1707 - Dietrich Buxtehude, German organist/composer, dies at about 69

1949 - Billy Joel born in the Bronx

1962 - Brian Epstein met with EMI producer George Martin. Martin signed the Beatles to record demos on June 4, 1962. It was their first recording contract.

May 10

1929 - Fats Domino born

1963 - Decca signs Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison

1965 - The Rolling Stones produced their very first recordings when they recorded "Come On" and "I Wanna Be Loved" from the album "Out of Our Heads."

1986 - Tommy Lee and Heather Locklear were married.
2003 - Steven Tyler given an honorary doctorate degree in music by the Berklee College of Music.

May 11

1742 - Francesco Stradivari, Italian violin maker/son of Antonius, dies at 70

1888 - Irving Berlin, [Isadore Balin], born in Temum Siberia

1967 - "All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles was certified as a million seller.

1981 - Bob Marley, reggae singer, dies of brain and lung cancer at 36