John R. Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003)
Cash is one of the best-selling music artists of all time,
having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. His
genre-spanning music embraced country, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel sounds. This crossover
appeal earned him the rare honor of being inducted into
the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls
of Fame.
PORTLAND, OREGON (1959)
The King of Rock and Roll teamed up with TV’s reigning variety
program, as Elvis Presley appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show”
for the first time on September 9, 1956.
After earning big ratings for “The Steve Allen Show,” the
Dorsey Brothers “Stage Show” and “The Milton Berle Show,”
Sullivan finally reneged on his Presley ban, signing the
controversial singing star to an unprecedented $50,000 contract
for three appearances.
With 60 million viewers—or 82.6 percent of TV viewers at the time—tuning in, the appearance garnered the show’s best
ratings in two years and became the most-watched TV
broadcast of the 1950s.
Ed Sullivan
CAMILLE
BOHANNON
Sir George Ivan Morrison is 77 years old today.
Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-
songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose
recording career spans six decades. He has
won two Grammy Awards.
CAMILLE BOHANNON
Robert Plant is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the
English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968
until 1980, when the band broke up following the death of John
Bonham, the band’s drummer. He was inducted with the band
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
In 2008, Rolling Stone editors ranked him number 15 on their
list of the 100 best singers of all time. In 2011, Rolling Stone
readers ranked Plant the greatest of all lead singers. In 2006,
Hit Parader magazine named Plant the "Greatest Metal Vocalist
of All Time".
In 2009, Plant was voted "the greatest voice in rock" in a poll
conducted by Planet Rock. Plant is 74 years old today.
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BOHANNON
Singer Madonna Louise Ciccone is 64 years young today.
The singer, songwriter, and actress is referred to as the "Queen
of Pop". Rolling Stone listed her among its greatest artists and
greatest songwriters of all time.
