Big Joe Henry: This Week in Music History

Tom Petty - Photo by Jason Merritt / Getty Images

September 19th, 1979 – The No Nukes concert is held at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Tom Petty, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, The Doobie Brothers, Jackson Brown, Carly Simon, Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor all perform. The Musicians United for Safe Energy collective would later release a live album with songs recorded from this event.

September 20th, 1973 – On their way to perform a second concert of the day, singer/songwriter Jim Croce is killed with five others when their chartered aircraft hit a tree upon take-off in Louisiana. He was only 30 years old.

September 21st, 2011 – The Beatles refused to perform at a concert on August 31st, 1965 because the audience was forced to be segregated. A contract revealing that they refused to perform is sold today for $23,033 at an auction in L.A. In addition to the desegregation clause, the contract guaranteed the band $40,000 and at least 150 police officers to provide security at the show.

September 22nd, 1958 – Elvis Presley gives one last press conference in Brooklyn at the Military Ocean Terminal, with special permission from the Army. He then joined the rest of the 3rd Armored Division on the USS General Randall for a voyage to Bremerhaven, Germany. He had enlisted earlier in the year because he was convinced his musical career was over.

September 23rd, 1974 – Robbie McIntosh founding member of Average White Band dies of a heroin overdose at a Hollywood party. He had inhaled what he thought was cocaine but the white powder was actually pure heroin. Average White Band was just about to peak scoring a No.1 hit with ‘Pick up the Pieces’ followed by a Grammy in the following year.

September 24th, 1967 - Traffic performs live for the first time at a theater in London, featuring Steve Winwood. The band is short-lived and they would disband in 1969, during which time Winwood would join Blind Faith. Traffic would reunite again in years to come and release their critically acclaimed album ‘John Barleycorn Must Die’.

September 25th, 1976 – Wings plays a benefit concert in St Marks Square, Venice to raise funds for preserving the historic city. The fund raiser is a great success, only slightly tarnished by the stage and equipment’s weight causing some damage to the square.