Events in Music in 1976

  • Jan 1 "Musical Jubilee" closes at St James Theater NYC after 92 performances
  • Jan 4 "Candide" closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 740 performances
  • Jan 9 C. W. McCall CB song "Convoy" hits #1 on the country music charts
  • Jan 11 "Pacific Overtures" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 193 performances
  • Jan 11 Stephen Sondheim's musical "Pacific Overtures" premieres in NYC
  • Jan 13 Sarah Caldwell is 1st woman to conduct at NYC Metropolitan Opera House as she led orchestra in a performance of "La Traviata"
  • Jan 16 "Donny & Marie" [Osmond] musical variety show premieres on ABC TV

Music release#1 in the Charts

Jan 17 "I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow hits #1

Musician Barry Manilow
Musician
Barry Manilow
  • Jan 31 "Love Rollercoaster" by Ohio Players hits #1

Music awardsMusic Awards

Jan 31 3rd American Music Awards: Olivia Newton-John & John Denver win

Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John
Singer and actress
Olivia Newton-John
Country Singer John Denver
Country Singer
John Denver

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Feb 6 George Harrison releases "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)"

Singer-Songwriter George Harrison
Singer-Songwriter
George Harrison
  • Feb 7 Larry Groce's "Junk Food Junkie" peaks at #9
  • Feb 17 "Rockabye Hamlet" opens at Minskoff Theater NYC for 7 performances
  • Feb 21 "Rockabye Hamlet" closes at Minskoff Theater NYC after 7 performances

Music awardsMusic Awards

Feb 28 18th Grammy Awards: "Love Will Keep Us Together" Record of the Year, Natalie Cole 1st African American to win Best New Artist

Singer and Songwriter Natalie Cole
Singer and Songwriter
Natalie Cole

Music awardsMusic Awards

Mar 1 11th Academy of Country Music Awards: Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn win

Singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn
Singer-songwriter
Loretta Lynn
  • Mar 2 "Bubbling Brown Sugar" opens at ANTA Theater NYC for 766 performances
  • Mar 2 Holgate, Kemp & Lopez' musical premieres in NYC
  • Mar 25 "My Fair Lady" opens at St James Theater NYC for 384 performances
  • Mar 25 "Rex" opens at Lunt-Fontaine Theater NYC for 48 performances
  • Mar 26 Wings release "Wings at the Speed of Sound" album
  • Apr 3 21st Eurovision Song Contest: Brotherhood of Man for United Kingdom wins singing "Save Your Kisses for Me" in The Hague

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Apr 6 1st quadrophonic movie track: "Ladies & Gentlemen The Rolling Stones"

Drummer Charlie Watts
Drummer
Charlie Watts
  • Apr 20 George Harrison sings lumberjack song with Monty Python
  • Apr 27 "So Long 174th St" opens at Harkness Theater NYC for 16 performances
  • Apr 30 "Silly Love Songs" single released by Wings (Billboard Song of the Year 1976)
  • May 4 "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" opens at Mark Hellinger NYC for 7 performances
  • May 8 "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" closes at Mark Hellinger NYC after 7 performances
  • May 9 "So Long 174th St" closes at Harkness Theater NYC after 16 performances
  • May 15 Fonz Song by Heyettes hits #91
  • May 15 Kentucky Moonrunner by Cledus Maggard hits #85
  • May 27 "Something's Afoot" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 61 performances

Event of interestEvent of Interest

May 29 "One Piece At A Time" by Johnny Cash hits #29

Country Singer Johnny Cash
Country Singer
Johnny Cash
  • May 31 The Who set the record for the loudest concert of all time, 120 decibels at 50 metres, at The Valley in Charlton
  • Jun 5 "Bigfoot" by Bro Smith hits #57
  • Jun 11 Beatles "Rock & Roll Music" LP is released in USA

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jun 12 "Yes, Yes, Yes" by Bill Cosby hits #46

Actor/Comedian Bill Cosby
Actor/Comedian
Bill Cosby

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jun 13 Bob Marley performs in Amsterdam

Reggae Musician Bob Marley
Reggae Musician
Bob Marley
  • Jun 22 "Godspell" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 527 performances
  • Jun 27 "Pacific Overtures" closes at Winter Garden NYC after 193 performances

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jul 3 Brian Wilson performs with the Beach Boys after 12 years apart

Singer-Songwriter Brian Wilson
Singer-Songwriter
Brian Wilson
  • Jul 18 "Something's Afoot" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC after 61 performances
  • Jul 19 Rock group Deep Purple disbands
  • Jul 21 "Guys & Dolls" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 239 performances
  • Jul 22 "Let My People Come" opens at Morosco Theater NYC for 106 performances
  • Jul 23 Wings release "Let 'em In"

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Aug 11 Keith Moon, drummer for Who, collapses & is hospitalized in Miami

Rocker Keith Moon
Rocker
Keith Moon
  • Aug 31 George Harrison found guilty of plagiarising "My Sweet Lord"
  • Sep 5 "Rex" closes at Lunt-Fontaine Theater NYC after 48 performances
  • Sep 5 "Very Good Eddie" closes at Booth Theater NYC after 307 performances
  • Sep 7 US courts find George Harrison guilty of plagiarism (He's So Fine)

  • Sep 19 "Going Up" opens at John Golden Theater NYC for 49 performances
  • Sep 20 Sid Berstein offers $230 million charity concert for Beatle reunion
  • Sep 24 "Oh! Calcutta!" opens at Edison Theater NYC for 5,959 performances
  • Sep 25 "Porgy & Bess" opens at Uris Theater NYC for 122 performances

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Sep 25 Bono, David Evans, his brother Dik and Adam Clayton respond to an advertisement on a bulletin board at Mount Temple posted by fellow student Larry Mullen Jr. to form a rock band, which would eventually become U2

Rocker Bono
Rocker
Bono

Music releaseAlbum Release

Sep 28 "Songs in the Key of Life" 18th studio album by Stevie Wonder is released (Billboard Song of the Year 1977)

Singer-Songwriter Stevie Wonder
Singer-Songwriter
Stevie Wonder

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Sep 29 Jerry Lee Lewis, attempting to shoot soda bottles hits his bass player Norman Owens twice in the chest

Country Singer Jerry Lee Lewis
Country Singer
Jerry Lee Lewis
  • Oct 2 "Let My People Come" closes at Morosco Theater NYC after 106 performances

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Oct 8 Sex Pistols sign with EMI

Rocker Steve Jones
Rocker
Steve Jones
  • Oct 9 "Robber Bridegroom" opens at Biltmore Theater NYC for 145 performances
  • Oct 11 10th Country Music Association Award: Mel Tillis wins

Music releaseMusic Single

Oct 15 Ringo Starr releases single "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll"

Beatles Drummer Ringo Starr
Beatles Drummer
Ringo Starr
  • Oct 30 "Going Up" closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 49 performances
  • Nov 1 "Don't Step on My Olive Branch" opens at Playhouse NYC for 16 performances
  • Nov 14 "Don't Step on My Olive Branch" closes at Playhouse NYC after 16 performances
  • Nov 19 George Harrison releases "This Song"
  • Nov 20 George Harrison appears on "Saturday Night Live"
  • Nov 26 German DR deprives singer/poet Wolf Biermann citizenship
  • Nov 26 Sex Pistols release their debut single "Anarchy In The UK"
  • Dec 1 Sex Pistols using profanity on TV, gets them branded as "rotten punks"

Film release premierFilm Premier

Dec 18 "A Star is Born" film directed by Frank Pierson with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, premieres

Singer-songwriter & Actress Barbra Streisand
Singer-songwriter & Actress
Barbra Streisand
  • Dec 20 "Music Is" opens at St James Theater NYC for 8 performances
  • Dec 22 "Your Arm's Too Short..." opens at Lyceum NYC for 429 performances
  • Dec 22 German DR banishes singer Nina Hagen
  • Dec 26 "Music Is" closes at St James Theater NYC after 8 performances
  • Dec 28 "Fiddler on the Roof" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 167 performances