- Jan 2 "Gypsy Passion" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 55 performances
- Jan 3 "Catskills on Broadway" closes at Lunt-Fontanne NYC after 452 performances
- Jan 3 "Christmas Carol" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 22 performances
- Jan 3 "Lost in Yonkers" closes at Richard Rodgers NYC after 780 performances
- Jan 3 "Tommy Tune Tonite! Song & Dance Act" closes at Gershwin, NYC, after 10 performances
- Jan 3 Lucy Simon & Marsha Norman's musical "The Secret Garden", based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, starring Daisy Eagan and Mandy Patinkin, closes at St James Theater NYC after 706 performances and 3 Tony Awards
- Jan 6 Bassist Bill Wyman announces he will leave Rolling Stones
Music History
Jan 8 Elvis Presley Commemorative Postage Stamp goes on sale
- Jan 10 "Sea Gull" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC after 48 performances
- Jan 10 Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, musical "My Favorite Year", adapted from the 1982 film, and starring Evan Pappas, Tim Curry, Andrea Martin, and Lainie Kazan, closes at Vivian Beaumont Theater, NYC, after 37 performances and a Tony Award for Martin
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Jan 12 8th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Ruth Brown; Cream; Creedence Clearwater Revival; The Doors; Etta James; Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers; Van Morrison; Sly and the Family Stone; Dinah Washington; Dick Clark; and Milt Gabler
Music History
Jan 14 "Anna Christie" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 54 performances, starring Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson,
The Wheel
Jan 19 Columbia Records releases "The Wheel", the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash. co-produced by Cash and future husband John Leventhal
American Music Awards
Jan 25 20th American Music Awards: Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey win
- Jan 31 "St Joan" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 49 performances
Carmen Electra
Feb 7 Carmen Electra releases her self-titled debut album, "Carmen Electra"
- Feb 10 "Michael Jackson Talks To Oprah Winfrey" airs on ABC & drew an astounding 39.3 rating/56 share, 90 million people
Grammy Awards
Feb 24 35th Grammy Awards: "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton wins
Music Concert
Mar 2 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, James Taylor, Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, George Michael, and Herb Alpert
- Mar 4 "Goodbye Girl" opens at Marquis Theater NYC for 188 performances
- Mar 8 Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested again on suspicion of murder
- Mar 9 7th Soul Train Music Awards: Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige win
- Mar 14 "Face Value" closes at Cort Theater NYC after * performances
- Mar 14 "Saint Joan" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC after 49 performances
Conversations with My Father
Mar 14 Herb Gardner's stage drama "Conversations with My Father", starring Judd Hirsch and Tony Shalhoub, closes at Royale Theatre, NYC after 462 performances and a Tony Award
- Mar 18 Wendy Wasserstein's stage play "The Sisters Rosensweig", starring Madeline Kahn, opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, NYC for 556 performances
- Mar 25 "Candida" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 45 performances
- Mar 30 Lanford Wilson's play "Redwood Curtain", starring Jeff Daniels, opens at Brooks Atkinson Theatre, NYC; runs for 40 performances
- Apr 13 "3 Men on a Horse" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 40 performances
Music History
Apr 16 David Lee Roth arrested in NYC for purchasing marijuana for $10
- Apr 18 Lee Adams and Mitch Leigh's musical "Ain't Broadway Grand" opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC; runs for 25 performances
Shania Twain
Apr 20 Mercury Nashville Records releases "Shania Twain", the debut studio album by Shania Twain
- Apr 21 "Wilder, Wilder, Wilder" opens at Circle in Sq NYC for 30 performances
The Who's Tommy
Apr 22 Pete Townshend's rock musical "The Who's Tommy" adapted for theatrical stage, opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 899 performances, winning 5 Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award
- Apr 23 Peter Townshend's musical "Tommy" premieres in NYC
Farm Aid Concert
Apr 24 Farm Aid VI held in Ames, Iowa; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Arlo Guthrie, The Jayhawks, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Cash, Ricky Van Shelton, Marty Stuart, Martina McBride, Bruce Hornsby, Bryan Adams, Ringo Starr, and Dwight Yoakam [1]
- Apr 25 "Blood Brothers" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 839 performances
- Apr 26 "Shakespeare for My Father" opens at Helen Hayes NYC for 266 performances
- Apr 28 "Tango Passion" opens at Longacre Theater NYC for 5 performances
- May 2 "5 Guys Named Moe" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 445 performances
- May 2 "Candida" closes at Criterion Theater NYC after 45 performances
- May 2 "Tango Passion" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 5 performances
- May 2 Lanford Wilson's play "Redwood Curtain" closes at Brooks Atkinson Theatre NYC after 40 performances
- May 3 "Kiss of the Spider Woman" opens at Broadhurst NYC for 906 performances
- May 4 "Angels in America - Millennium Approaches" opens at Kerr for 367 performances
- May 9 "Ain't Broadway Grand" closes at Lunt-Fontanne NYC after 25 performances
- May 9 "Song of Jacob Zulu" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 53 performances
Academy of Country Music Awards
May 11 28th Academy of Country Music Awards: Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, and Mary Chapin Carpenter win
Chattahoochee
May 17 "Chattahoochee" single released by Alan Jackson (CMA Award Single of the Year & Billboard Song of the Year, 1993)
Music City News Awards
Jun 7 27th Music City News Country Awards: Alan Jackson & Vince Gill win
- Jun 7 American singer Prince celebrates his birthday by changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol
- Jun 7 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame breaks ground for their museum in Cleveland, Ohio
- Jun 10 Revival of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "She Loves Me" opens at Criterion Center Stage Right, later transferred to Atkinson Theater, NYC; runs for 354 performances and a Tony Award
Jurassic Park
Jun 11 "Jurassic Park", directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum opens, sets box office weekend record of $502 million
Camelot
Jun 21 Revival of Lerner and Loewe' musical "Camelot", with Robert Goulet as King Arthur, opens at Gershwin Theater, NYC; runs for 56 performances
Music History
Jun 22 Wilson Pickett pleads guilty to auto assault due to drunk driving
Glastonbury Festival
Jun 25 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: The Black Crowes, and The Kinks headline; other performers include Winton Marsalis, Robert Plant, Velvet Underground, Hothouse Flowers, Van Morrison, John Prine, Rolf Harris, Lenny Kravitz, and Barenaked Ladies
- Jun 27 "Falsettos" closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 487 performances
Music History
Jun 27 Don Henley booed in Milwaukee when he dedicates the song "It's Not Easy Being Green" to President Clinton
- Jun 30 "Les Miserables" opens at Point Theatre, Dublin
Sunset Boulevard
Jul 12 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Sunset Boulevard", based on Billy Wilder's 1950 film, starring Patti Lupone and Daniel Benzali, opens at the Adelphi Theatre, London
River of Dreams
Aug 10 Columbia Records releases "River of Dreams", singer-songwriter Billy Joel's twelfth and final (unless he just changes his mind) studio album
The Goodbye Girl
Aug 15 Marvin Hamlisch and David Zippel's musical adaptation of Neil Simon's "The Goodbye Girl" closes at Marquis Theater, NYC, after 188 performances
- Aug 22 "In the Summer House" closes at Beaumont Theater NYC after 25 performances
Late Show with David Letterman
Aug 30 "Late Show with David Letterman" debuts on CBS, from the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC; Bill Murray is his first guest, Billy Joel performs
Music History
Sep 1 Revival of Peter Shaffer's farce double-bill "White Liars/Black Comedy" opens at Criterion Theater, NYC; runs for 38 performances
Music History
Sep 5 Cy Coleman, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's musical "The Will Rogers Follies" closes at The Palace Theater, NYC after 981 performances and 6 Tony Award wins
- Sep 5 David Shiner and Bill Irwin's sketch comedy "Fool Moon" closes at Richard Rodgers Theater, NYC, after 207 performances
- Sep 5 George C. Wolfe, Susan Birkenhead, and Luther Henderson's musical "Jelly's Last Jam", based on the life and work of Jelly Roll Morton, starring Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, closes at Virginia Theater, NYC, after 569 performances
I'd Do Anything for Love
Sep 15 Single "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" sung by Meat Loaf and composed by Jim Steinman is released. Goes on to be No. 1 in 28 countries.
Yes I Am
Sep 21 Melissa Etheridge releases her breakthrough second album "Yes I Am", featuring the single "I'm the Only One"
- Sep 23 "Les Miserables" opens at Playhouse, Edinburgh
- Sep 29 27th Country Music Association Award: Vince Gill wins
- Oct 3 Peter Shaffer's stage comedy twin-bill "White Liars/Black Comedy" closes at the Criterion Theater, NYC, after 38 performances
Music History
Oct 3 World music singer Harry Belafonte performs in Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Oct 7 Musical "Les Miserables" opens at Meralco Theatre, Philippines
- Oct 12 "Mixed Emotions" opens at John Golden Theater NYC for 48 performances
- Oct 21 "Twilight of the Golds" opens at Booth Theater NYC for 29 performances
- Oct 24 "Wonderful Tennessee" opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 9 performances
- Oct 29 "The Sign" single released in Europe by Ace of Base
- Oct 31 Brian Friel's stage drama "Wonderful Tennessee" closes at Plymouth Theater, NYC, after 9 performances
Music History
Oct 31 Rapper Tupac Shakur charged with aggravated assault
Music History
Nov 4 Elton John awarded $518,700 from Sunday Mirror for a false report on his diet
Music History
Nov 4 Revival of William Shakespeare's stage drama "Timon of Athens". with incidental music by Duke Ellington, opens at Lyceum Theater, NYC; runs for 37 performances
Music History
Nov 8 Arista Records releases David Bowie's 19th studio "The Buddha of Suburbia", based on the novel of the same name by Hanif Kureishi, in the UK and Europe only; it is not released in US until nearly 2 years later
- Nov 9 "Cinderella" opens at New York State Theater, NYC; runs for 14 performances
Music History
Nov 10 Revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's biblical rock opera "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" opens at Minskoff Theater, NYC; runs for 223 performances
- Nov 11 Krzysztof Penderecki conducts premiere of his revised version of "A Polish Requiem" in Stockholm, Sweden
- Nov 14 "Kentucky Cycle" opens at Royale Theater NYC for 34 performances
- Nov 14 "Twilight of the Golds" closes at Booth Theater NYC after 29 performances
- Nov 16 "Any Given Day" opens at Longacre Theater NYC for 32 performances
- Nov 17 "Grand Night For Singing" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 52 performances
- Nov 18 Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder arrested for public drunkiness
- Nov 21 "Cinderella" closes at New York State Theater, NYC after 14 performances
- Nov 21 "Cyrano - The Musical" opens at Neil Simon Theater NYC for 137 performances
- Nov 22 Neil Simon's comedy "Laughter on the 23rd Floor", inspired by his early job writing for Sid Caesar, opens at Richard Rodgers Theater, NYC; runs for 320 performances
- Nov 23 "Angels in America-Perestroika" opens at Walter Kerr NYC for 216 performances
Doggystyle
Nov 23 "Doggystyle" debut album by Snoop Doggy Dogg is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1994)
- Nov 28 "Gray's Anatomy" opens at Beaumont Theater NYC for 13 performances
- Nov 28 "Mixed Emotions" closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 48 performances
- Nov 29 "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" opens at Beaumont Theater NYC for 40 performances
- Dec 2 A Webster's musical "Sunset Promenade" premieres in Los Angeles, California
- Dec 5 "Timon of Athens" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC after 37 performances
- Dec 7 American singer Robert Goulet undergoes prostate cancer surgery
Billboard Music Awards
Dec 8 4th Billboard Music Awards: Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard Soundtrack win
Music History
Dec 9 Revival of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical "My Fair Lady" opens at Virginia Theater, NYC; runs for 165 performances
- Dec 12 "Any Given Day" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 32 performances
- Dec 12 "Kentucky Cycle" closes at Royale Theater NYC after 34 performances
- Dec 13 "I Swear" single released by John Michael Montgomery (Billboard Song of the Year 1994)
- Dec 15 John Williams makes his final appearance as conductor of Boston Pops
- Dec 16 Jule Styne, Norman and Bob Merrill's musical "Red Shoes", based on the 1948 film, opens at Gershwin Theater, NYC; runs for 5 performances
- Dec 19 Marsha Norman, Bob Merrill, and Jule Styne's fairy tale musical "Red Shoes", directed by Stanley Donen, closes at Gershwin Theater, NYC, after 5 performances; loses nearly $8 million
- Dec 21 "The Sign" single released in the US by Ace of Base (Billboard Song of the Year 1994)
- Dec 27 "Candles, Snow, & Mistletoe" opens at Palace Theater, NYC; runs for 7 performances
Music Concert
Dec 28 Andrea Bocelli makes his classical debut singing at a concert at Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia
Music History
Dec 29 Courtney Love sues doctors for leaking news of her methadone treatment
- Dec 30 "Candles, Snow, & Mistletoe" closes at Palace NYC after 7 performances
Music Concert
Dec 31 Barbra Streisand performs her 1st public concert in 20 years before a sell-out crows of over 25,000 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
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Pop Singers
Rappers
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