John Lennon and Beatles History for JanuaryHistory offers
a chance
to truly
understand
how the past
impacts the now.

Follow our
daily timelime
of historical
events to
discover the
role The Beatles
played in changing
the modern world.


THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 21


Wolfman Jack1938--Gruff-voiced DJ Wolfman Jack is born Bob Smith in Brooklyn, New York.

1961--The Beatles perform at Lathom Hall, Seaforth, Liverpool, and at Institute, Aintree, Liverpool.

1962--The Beatles perform at the Casbah Coffee Club, West Derby, Liverpool.

George Harrison and his wife, Pattie Boyd. Pattie was a high-fashion model in London. She and George met on the set of A Hard Day's Night when Pattie played a schoolgirl fan of the MopTops.1963--The Beatles go to EMI House, London, for their third radio appearance on the Radio Luxembourg program "The Friday Spectacular." As before, they chat with the host and their songs are played for a live audience. The show is taped for broadcast on January 25; the featured songs are from The Beatles' second single, Please Please Me and Ask Me Why.

1963--The VeeJay label agrees to sign The Beatles for the USA, and to issue Please Please Me as their first American single.

1965--The US Immigration Department forces The Animals to cancel a performance at New York's Apollo Theater. Instead, the English group appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Vicki Carr performs a duet with Johnny Cash on The Johnny Cash Show in 1968.1966--George Harrison and his long-time girlfriend, fashion model Pattie Boyd, are married at Esher Register Office, Surrey. Paul McCartney and Beatles manager, Brian Epstein, are the best men. George and Pattie met on the set of the Beatles' first movie, "A Hard Day's Night." She eventually leaves Harrison in the mid-70s to take up with neighbor and friend, Eric Clapton, who would write the song Layla about her. Pattie and Eric eventually marry in May 1979.

1970--ABC-TV presents "The Johnny Cash Show" in prime time. Previously, the show had been a summer replacement. The regular season series was a big boost for country music, but Cash also presented rock and pop acts of the day, such as Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.

1970--The first Boeing 747, the largest jet airliner in the world, lands at London Heathrow Airport at the end of its maiden transatlantic flight.

Lennon Remembers: the complete Rolling Stone interviews that John Lennon gave to Jann Wenner after the breakup of the Beatles.1971--Rolling Stone magazine publishes part one of a lengthy interview with John Lennon, etitled, "The Working Class Hero." A photo of Lennon appears on the cover. The second part of the interview will be published in the following issue, under the title "Life With the Lions." Later in the year, the two installments of the interview will be combined and published in book form under the title "Lennon Remembers" (Straight Arrow Press). Rolling Stone editor, Jann Wenner, will publish the book without Lennon's permission and without providing for Lennon to receive any of the income from the book, both of which will anger John. The book is reissued in an updated, unedited form in the fall of 2000.

1971--John and Yoko return to England from Japan. That afternoon, Red Mole editors and prominent left-wing activists, Tariq Ali and Robin Blackburn, interview the Lennons at Tittenhurst Park. Excerpts from the interview reappear in The Sun.

1977--The Beatles’ solicitors Frere Cholmeley, of London, enquire of Paul Murphy (of Lingasong Ltd.) about the 1962 Star-Club tapes. They are informed over the phone that “the records will be released shortly.”

As far as 1950s teen idols are concerned, Ricky Nelson was second only to Elvis Presley. Ricky started his life in show business on the TV series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.1977--President Jimmy Carter pardons almost all Vietnam War draft evaders.

1980--Wings, except for Paul McCartney (who is still in jail), leave Japan and return to England. In the meantime, an international telegram addressed to Paul and Linda arrives at the Okara Hotel in Tokyo. It reads: ”Thinking of you all with love. Keep your spirits high. Nice to have you back home again soon. God bless. Love, George and Olivia.”

1982--B.B. King donates his record collection to the University of Mississippi's Center for the Study of Southern Culture. The treasure trove includes 7,000 recordings from the blues collection he built during his years as a DJ.

Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley.1987--Leonard Chess, The Coasters, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Aretha Franklin, Ahmet Ertegun, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, Louis Jordan, B.B. King, Leiber and Stoller, Clyde McPhatter, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, Jery Wexler, Hank Williams, and Jackie Wilson are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1997--Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley’s manager, dies at age 87.

For more day-by-day history go to HistoryUnlimited.net

Home