
Today in rock history: on this date in 1987, soul and R&B legend Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul," became the very first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ray is kind of an asshole, and that's why he chided Franklin, 75, for an insanely long national anthem in a Thanksgiving 2016 NFL game, but the Queen is one of the greatest voices in recording history. She's most famous for hits like "Chain of Fools" and "Respect," which landed at No. 2 and No. 1, respectively, on Billboard's Hot 100.
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Here's video of (and reactions to) Aretha Franklin's insanely long national anthem today
Today in rock history: on this date in 1981, David Bowie delivered his final onstage Broadway performance in the title role of the play, The Elephant Man. Portraying Joseph Merrick, the real life British man who lived in the 1800s with severe facial and body deformities, Bowie received rave reviews for his work in the dramatic play. After successful runs in both Denver and Chicago, the play ran for a little over three months at The Booth Theatre in New York City. Unlike the 1980 film version of the story of the hideously deformed man, David Bowie's onstage performance included no makeup or effects for which he again received high praise for his convincing portrayal. Read our review of Pat Gilbert's new Bowie book here.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1959, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy moved all of the record label's operations and headquarters into a two-story house he purchased in Detroit, Michigan. Located at 2648 West Grand Blvd., the house was formerly used as a photography studio and became the home for one of the most influential and significant record labels of all time. Used as the offices for the label as well as housing a recording studio, some of the most enduring and vital music of any era was created within that dwelling. Nicknamed "Hitsville USA," the building remained Motown's headquarters until the early 1970s when Gordy opted to move the label to California. The famous building is now a landmark in Detroit and serves as a museum that's open to the public.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1976, Scottish teen idol pop band Bay City Rollers sailed in the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard singles chart with its worldwide smash sing-a-long hit, "Saturday Night." Rollermania was already in full swing all over Europe and in Japan but this was the band's breakout success in America. Nicknamed the "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh," the quintet was known for its plaid clothing and catchy pop tunes. As legend has it, the Scottish band threw a dart at a map of America which landed on Bay City, Michigan which led to them choosing the band's name.

This article appears in Dec 28, 2017 – Jan 4, 2018.
