This Day in Music History – December 18th

1961 – Britain’s EMI Records rejected the Beatles. They later signed them.

1964 – Funeral services were held in Chicago for Sam Cooke.

1965 – U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler recorded “Ballad of the Green Berets.”

1971 – Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousin Myra Brown were divorced. They were married when she was 13 years old.

1975 – Rod Stewart announced that he was leaving Faces for a solo career.

1981 – About 35 million people watched a Rod Stewart concert via satellite. The broadcast was televised in 23 countries.

1984 – Madonna’s “Like a Virgin was the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit. The song was Madonna’s first No. 1 hit.

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