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THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 26
 1934--The Apollo Theatre opens in New York City as a "Negro vaudeville theatre." It becomes the showplace for many of the great black entertainers, singers, groups and instrumentalists in the country.
1950--India officially proclaims itself a republic, as Rajendra Prasad takes the oath of office as President.
1954--Groundbreaking begins on Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
 1956--Buddy Holly's first recording session for Decca is held in Nashville.
1961--The Beatles perform at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool.
1961--Elvis Presley has his 6th UK No.1 single with Are You Lonesome Tonight.
1962--The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club twice: at lunchtime and then again at night. They perform a third show at the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton, Wallasey.
1963--The Beatles perform two shows. The first is at the El Rio Club / Dance Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire, supported by Wayne Fontana and the Jets. Then The Beatles travel 21 miles to their next engagement, at King's Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. While waiting backstage at Stoke, John Lennon and Paul McCartney begin composing the song Misery, with the intention of donating the song to Helen Shapiro, who they are to meet the following week. Later, on stage, The Beatles perform, for the one and only time, the current hit by The Rooftop Singers, Walk Right In.
1964--The Beatles perform two shows at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, France.
 1969--The Beatles in the recording studio (Apple Studios, London). Recording the final version of Dig It, which turns out to be 12 mins. 25 secs. long, only 50 seconds of which will be used on the Let It Be album. Then The Beatles play an extended rock and roll medley: Rip It Up, Shake Rattle and Roll, Kansas City, Miss Ann, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Blue Suede Shoes, and You Really Got a Hold On Me. This is followed by a version of Tracks of My Tears (mostly instrumental). Also recording The Long and Winding Road and a George Harrison demo for an untitled song which would end up on his All Things Must Pass album as Isn't it a Pity. A medley of Rip it Up, Shake, Rattle and Roll, and Blue Suede Shoes was released on The Beatles Anthology 3 (Disc two, Track 7). Also on The Beatles Anthology 3 is The Long and Winding Road as it sounded before Phil Spector's orchestration was overdubbed (Disc 2, Track 8).
 1970--The Plastic Ono Band in the recording studio (Studio Two, EMI Studios, London). Instant Karma! is recorded in its entirety (10 takes plus overdubs) and mixed during a session that begins at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 4:00 a.m. John Lennon had written the song earlier that same day. Phil Spector produces the recording. The basic track (before overdubs are added) includes John (acoustic guitar), Alan White (drums), Klaus Voorman (bass), Billy Preston (piano), and George Harrison (lead guitar). The backing chorus and hand-clapping are provided by all of the above, plus Yoko Ono, Mal Evans, and patrons from Hatchetts, a local night club.
1974--Ringo Starr goes to No. 1 on the US singles chart with his version of the Johnny Burnette 1960 hit, You're Sixteen; it makes it to #3 in the UK.
 1976--The Beatles' nine-year contract with EMI expires. Paul McCartney remains with EMI, Ringo Starr signs with Atlantic (in the US) and Polydor (everywhere else), and George Harrison signs with his own label, Dark Horse, which will be distributed by A&M. John Lennon does not sign a new contract.
1977--John Lennon writes a postcard to Chris Charlesworth, the American editor of Melody Maker, declining an interview request. Says Charlesworth, “I’d got to know John quite well by this time and instead of going through PRs whenever I wanted to interview him, I simply sent a telegram to the Dakota building. If he was in New York, he’d ring me back within 24 hours and we’d make arrangements to meet or just chat on the phone. This was the last time I requested an interview and, of course, he’d gone into hiding, so he wrote, ‘No comment. Am invisible.’ I never saw or spoke to John again.”
1980--”I’ll Never Smoke Pot Again!” is the headline in today’s edition of The Sun, beneath a story relating to Paul McCartney.
1986--George Harrison receives an award from the London Standard Film Awards on behalf of his company Handmade Films, for the company's contribution to the British film industry.
1990--At the conclusion of his series of concerts at the Wembley Arena, Paul McCartney throws a party which is attended by Elvis Costello, Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Dick Lester, and Cynthia Lennon, amongst others.
For more day-by-day history go to HistoryUnlimited.net
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