This week in music history: July 18-24

July 18

1821 - Carl Maria von Weber's opera "Der Freischutz" was first performed in Berlin.

1948 - Columbia Records publicly unveiled its new long-playing phonograph record, the 33 1/3, in New York City.

1967 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience made its debut performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in California.

1987 - A woman sued Motley Crue for $5,000 claiming that she lost her hearing because a concert was too loud.

July 19

1942 – Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony was performed for the 1st time in the U.S. by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

1954 - Elvis Presley's first single was released by Sun Records. It was "That's All Right" b/w "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

1966 - Frank Sinatra, at the age of 50, married the 20-year-old actress Mia Farrow.

1976 - Rock group Deep Purple disbanded

1991 - Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler filed a lawsuit against the band. He claimed the other members had forced him to use heroin, then made him quit the band when he entered a rehabilitation program.

This week in music history: June 27-July 3

June 27

1959 - "West Side Story," with music by Leonard Bernstein, closed after 734 performances on Broadway.

1959 - Trisha Yearwood born in Nashville TN

1971 - The Fillmore East in New York City closed.

1988 - Cyndi Lauper got her high school diploma from Richmond High in New York.

1988 - MCA Records bought Motown Records for $61 million.

1989 - The Who performed the rock opera, "Tommy," in its entirety for the first time in 17 years at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

1994 - Aerosmith became first major band to let fans download a full new track free online

June 28

1902 - Richard Rodgers, composer, (of Rogers & Hammerstein) born in Hammels Station, NY

1986 - Wham! made their farewell concert appearance at London's Wembley Stadium. Elton John made an appearance in a clown suit to sing a song and then came back later to sing "Candle In The Wind" with George Michael.

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.