Today’s history marks a massive piece of late-night television lore, a Britpop chart battle, and a major legislative victory for the modern music industry.

Notable Births

• 1932: Dottie West, the highly influential and Grammy-winning American country music singer-songwriter, was born.
• 1941: Lester Bowie, the renowned American jazz trumpet player and composer, was born.
• 1946: Daryl Hall, the American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer who formed one half of the hugely successful pop-rock duo Hall & Oates, was born.
• 1970: MC Lyte, the pioneering American rapper, DJ, and actress who became a trailblazer for women in hip-hop, was born.

🎵 Major Events & Releases

• 1975: Saturday Night Live made its historic television debut on NBC. Music has always been an integral part of the show’s DNA, with Billy Preston and Janis Ian serving as the very first musical guests.
• 1997: In a legendary Britpop chart battle, The Verve’s sprawling alternative rock masterpiece Urban Hymns knocked Oasis’ Be Here Now out of the No. 1 spot on the UK albums chart.
• 1998: The very first Smoke Out Festival, organized by hip-hop legends Cypress Hill, sparked up in San Bernardino, California. The event brought approximately 40,000 fans together for a massive celebration of music and marijuana culture.
• 2003: Justin Timberlake made his very first appearance on Saturday Night Live, impressively pulling double-duty as both the show’s host and musical guest.
• 2018: The Music Modernization Act was officially passed into United States law. The landmark legislation clarified how artists, songwriters, and producers are compensated across streaming services and digital radio, while also finally granting royalties for songs written prior to 1972.

Bio-Musik Feature: Austin’s Live Music Pioneers

Continuing the focus on the venues that sustain the Texas music ecosystem, today we head to South Lamar to spotlight an internationally famous honky-tonk that refuses to change with the times.

• The Broken Spoke: Located at 3201 S Lamar Blvd, the Broken Spoke proudly claims the title of “the last of the true Texas dancehalls.” Since opening in 1964 under the legendary late owner James White, this low-ceilinged, red-dirt institution has remained stubbornly and beautifully unchanged while luxury high-rises have sprung up all around it. Having hosted country royalty like Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Dolly Parton, it operates as a living museum. It is a vital, timeless stage on the MusicWayATX calendar where both seasoned locals and excited tourists gather to eat chicken fried steak and two-step to authentic, traditional country Sonidos Frescos.