Eagle Classic Hitstory July 28 on birminghamseagle.com

On This Day in Eagle Classic Hitstory...

July 28

1944
Blues guitarist Mike Bloomfield is born in Chicago. He dies on Feb. 15, 1981, in San Francisco of an accidental drug overdose.

1945
Richard Wright, keyboardist for Pink Floyd, is born.

1949
Simon Kirke, drummer for Bad Company and Free, is born.

1957
Jerry Lee Lewis makes his television debut on "The Steve Allen Show." Lewis is booked for two more appearances.

1958
Billboard reports on a claim from the Esso Research Center "...tuning in rock & roll music on a car radio can cost a motorist money," because the rhythm can cause a driver to unconsciously jiggle the gas pedal, thus wasting fuel.

1962
Tommy Roe's "Sheila" enters the Hot 100 at #93. It will top the charts by September 1.

1970
Mick Jagger makes his acting debut in the title role of Ned Kelly. The film opens today.

1973
One of the largest rock festivals of all time is held at the Watkins Glen raceway. More than 600,000 show up for one day of music with the Grateful Dead, the Band, and the Allman Brothers.

1973
Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band" is released.

1976
Steve Miller Band's Fly Like an Eagle goes gold, on its way to platinum. The album features such huge hits as the title track (which makes it to number two), "Rock'n Me" (goes number one later in the year), "Jet Airliner" (#8 in 1977), and "Take the Money and Run" (#11 this month).

1979
Ted Nugent, Journey, Aerosmith, Thin Lizzy, and AC/DC headline the World Series of Rock at Cleveland Stadium.

1987
The Beatles sue Nike and Capitol Records over the use of "Revolution" in shoe commercials.

1992
Patti LaBelle abruptly ends a concert in Warwick, R.I., after complaining on stage about backstage food.

1993
10,000 Maniacs play their last show with lead singer Natalie Merchant. Merchant leaves the group to pursue a solo career.

1995
The TV special premiere of Michael Jackson's video "You Are Not Alone" features a semi-clad Jackson cavorting with his bride, Lisa Marie Presley.

1995
Jimi Hendrix' father James Al Hendrix wins back the rights to his son's name, likeness, image, and music after a number of compaines had profited from them over the years.

1996
Singer Marguerite Ganser Dorste of the Shangri-Las dies of breast cancer. She was 48.

1996
Fashion designer and musician Harold C. Fox dies at the age of 86.

1998
It is announced that after 12 years and six albums, the members of Columbia Records act Toad The Wet Sprocket will go their own ways. Of the split, the band’s singer/guitarist Glen Phillips says, "We came together as kids but have grown in different directions as adults."

1999
Pete Townshend plays at the Supper Club in New York to showcase his upcoming album, Pete Townshend Live: A Benefit For Maryville Academy. Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder joins Townshend on stage to perform a number of songs including "Magic Bus," "Heart To Hang Onto," and the Pearl Jam classic, "Better Man."

1999
Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard is arrested for bouncing a check for a portion of his bail in his ongoing terrorist threat case in Santa Monica Superior Court.

2001
Presley Scott Harwell, son of Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell and Michelle Laroque, dies from complications due to acute lymphatic leukemia.

2002
Foul weather forces teen pop icon Britney Spears off the stage in Mexico City after only four songs. Spears later issues an apology.

2003
The 20th annual MTV Video Music Awards begin with a big surprise, with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera singing Madonna’s "Like a Virgin" while decked out in racy wedding attire similar to what the Material Girl wore during her performance of the song at the 1984 ceremony. Madonna herself then appears to sing her latest single, Hollywood, at one point exchanging open-mouth kisses with both Spears and Aguilera.