10 ready-to-read segments for October 6, lead story first. Free to use on air; a quick credit to Today in Tunes is appreciated.
On this day in 2020, 6 years ago: Guitar innovator Eddie Van Halen dies at 65. He popularized two-handed tapping, and his 1978 solo "Eruption" is one of the most famous guitar showcases in rock. Guitar World readers voted him the greatest guitarist of all time. Here's Van Halen with “Eruption.”
On this day in 1600, 426 years ago: Peri's Euridice, oldest surviving opera, premieres in Florence. It was staged at the Palazzo Pitti for the wedding of Henry IV of France and Maria de' Medici. Peri, the composer, sang the role of Orfeo himself.
On this day in 1927, 99 years ago: The Jazz Singer premieres and movies start to talk. Al Jolson's spoken lines stunned audiences who had never heard dialogue in a feature film. He sings six songs in the movie, including "Toot, Toot, Tootsie".
On this day in 1969, 57 years ago: "Something" becomes George Harrison's first Beatles A-side. It came out in the US as a double A-side with "Come Together". Frank Sinatra later called it the greatest love song of the past 50 years.
On this day in 1974, 52 years ago: King Crimson release Red after already breaking up. Robert Fripp had disbanded the group about two weeks before the album came out, so Red ended up as the band's farewell record. It was the last studio album with both John Wetton and Bill Bruford.
On this day in 1990, 36 years ago: Metallica begin recording the Black Album. The sessions started at One on One Studios in Los Angeles and ran for about eight months. The result was the album with "Enter Sandman".
On this day in 1820, 206 years ago: Jenny Lind, the 'Swedish Nightingale,' is born. P. T. Barnum brought her to the US in 1850 for 93 concerts, and the press called the craze 'Lind mania'. She gave most of what she earned to charity.
On this day in 1947, 79 years ago: Millie Small of "My Boy Lollipop" is born in Jamaica. At 17 she had Island Records' first big hit, which sold over seven million copies and introduced many listeners to Jamaican bluebeat, a forerunner of reggae.
On this day in 1951, 75 years ago: REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin is born. Cronin wrote both of the band's Hot 100 No. 1s, "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling". The album Hi Infidelity sold more than 10 million copies.
On this day in 2019, 7 years ago: Cream drummer Ginger Baker dies at 80. He is often called rock's first superstar drummer and helped bring the double bass drum into rock. He played in both Cream and Blind Faith.
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