Kicking off a brand new month, today’s history marks the arrival of British psychedelic rock on American shores, the dawn of the digital audio format, and the birthdays of iconic soul and blues legends.

Notable Births

• 1932: Albert Collins, the “Master of the Telecaster” and legendary Texas blues guitarist known for his highly influential, aggressive fingerpicking style, was born in Leona, Texas.
• 1935: Julie Andrews, the iconic English actress, singer, and theatrical legend (The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins), was born in Surrey, England.
• 1945: Donny Hathaway, the profoundly influential American soul singer, keyboardist, and songwriter behind classics like “The Ghetto” and “Where Is The Love,” was born in Chicago, Illinois.
• 1955: Howard Hewett, the acclaimed R&B vocalist and frontman for the hit group Shalamar (“A Night to Remember”), was born in Akron, Ohio.
• 1959: Youssou N’Dour, the pioneering Senegalese singer, songwriter, and composer who helped develop the popular music style known as mbalax, was born in Dakar, Senegal.

Major Events & Releases

• 1962: The Beach Boys released their debut studio album, Surfin’ Safari, establishing the foundations of the California surf rock sound that would sweep the nation.
• 1967: English psychedelic rock pioneers Pink Floyd arrived in New York City to begin their very first US tour, bringing their experimental, groundbreaking sound to American audiences.
• 1969: The Beatles’ eleventh studio album, Abbey Road, was officially released in the United States, just days after its UK debut.
• 1970: The funeral for guitar legend Jimi Hendrix was held at Dunlap Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington, with fellow musicians like Miles Davis and Eric Burdon in attendance to pay their final respects.
• 1982: Sony launched the world’s first commercial compact disc player, the CDP-101, in Japan. Paired with Billy Joel’s 52nd Street as the first commercial CD release, it officially ushered in the digital audio revolution.

Bio-Musik Feature: Austin’s Live Music Pioneers

Continuing the focus on the venues that sustain the Texas music ecosystem, today we head to East Austin to spotlight the oldest continuously running beer joint in Central Texas.

• Historic Scoot Inn: Located at 1308 E 4th Street, the Scoot Inn was established way back in 1871. What started as a frontier grocery store and saloon has evolved into a deeply cherished historical landmark and a vital modern music venue. Featuring a sprawling outdoor stage shaded by massive trees and a cozy, vintage-styled indoor saloon known as Ivy’s Room, it perfectly bridges Austin’s pioneer past with its booming present. Whether hosting major touring indie rock bands, hip-hop artists, or local Sonidos Frescos, the Historic Scoot Inn remains an irreplaceable, fiercely authentic anchor on the MusicWayATX calendar where you can drink a cold beer while standing inside living Texas history.