Today in rock history: on this date in 1990, Seattle-based hard rock band Mother Love Bone released its one and only full-length album, Apple. The record was due for release earlier in the year but only days before its scheduled release date, lead singer, songwriter and focal point Andrew Wood succumbed to drug addiction and overdosed on heroin. The band had gained a huge following throughout the northwest and anticipation for the album was high. Sadly, Wood never got to revel in the accolades the band would receive or see the influence he, his sound and his band would have on the emergence of the grunge movement just a few years after his untimely death. The album included songs that would become synonymous with the Mother Love Bone legacy like “Crown of Thorns” and “Stardog Champion.” Upon the band’s demise, members Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament would soon join another Seattle band that was on the brink of stardom itself: Pearl Jam.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1974, one of the best attended yet least recognized rock and roll festivals took place on the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri. The three-day Ozark Music Festival featured some of the hottest and biggest bands of the day. Acts like Aerosmith, Bob Seger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elvin Bishop, REO Speedwagon, Cactus, The Eagles, Boz Scaggs and Bachman Turner Overdrive made up the lengthy bill. Not scheduled to start until a Friday, fans and attendees starting arriving and lining up the day prior to the festival’s official start date. Crowd numbers were estimated at 350,000 for the weekend festival. Advance tickets to attend all three days of music set fans back a whole $15.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1986, British rock band Genesis held the no.1 spot on the U.S. Billboard singles chart with its hit, “Invisible Touch.” Right behind them at the no. 2 spot was former Genesis lead singer and songwriter Peter Gabriel, with his smash, “Sledgehammer.”

Today in rock history: on this date in 1954, the very first Elvis Presley record was released on Memphis, Tennessee record label, Sun Records. Elvis’s version of the blues classic “That’s All Right” was feature on the A-side of the record and the single was backed with Presley’s version of the bluegrass classic “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Sam Phillips, Sun Records founder, distributed the record to every major Memphis area disc jockey in hopes of having the record played on the air. When word reached Presley that his record was to be played on the radio, he was reportedly so nervous that he went to a local movie theater to watch a film to take his mind off hearing his song aired. The song received heavy airplay and went on to sell 20,000 copies in the local area alone.