May 1
• 1967: Elvis Presley marries Priscilla Beaulieu
• 1979: Elton John becomes the first pop music star
to perform in Israel
May 2
• 1980: Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” is
banned by the South African government
May 3
• 1928: James Brown is born
May 4
• 1959: The winners of the first annual Grammy
Awards were announced
May 5
• 1891: The first performance at The Music Hall
(later Carnegie Hall) is held
May 6
• 1977: Led Zeppelin sets an audience attendance
record at a single-act concert when they perform
for 76,229 people in Pontiac, Mich.
May 7
• 1824: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was performed
for the first time.
May 8
• 1970: The Beatles release Let It Be — the group’s
final album
May 10
• 1957: Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols is born John
Simon Beverly
May 13
• 1950: Stevie Wonder is born
May 14
• 1998: Frank Sinatra dies in Los Angeles
May 15
• 1945: The first U.S. album chart is introduced
May 16
• 1966: The Beach Boys release Pet Sounds
May 19
• 1945: Pete Townshend of The Who is born
May 20
• 1967: Jimi Hendrix signs his first American record
contract with Reprise Records
May 21
• 1975: Elton John becomes the first Western pop
star to play in the U.S.S.R.
May 23
• 1970: The Grateful Dead play their first British
concert at the Hollywood Rock Festival — the
band’s first show outside of the U.S.
May 24
• 1969: Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes is born
• 1941: Bob Dylan is born Robert Zimmerman
May 25
• 1978: Keith Moon performs with The Who for the
last time
• 1994: Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson
marry
• 1926: Miles Davis is born
May 31
• 1948: John Bonham of Led Zeppelin is born