1921
“Shuffle Along” 1st black musical comedy, opens in NYC
May 23, 1975
Elton John’s “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” album was released, the first to be certified a million-seller on its first day of release and first album to debut at #1, where it stayed for seven weeks.
1979
The Third Barry Manilow Special airs on ABC-TV.
Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” goes Platinum. The album’s title track, a #2 hit last month, while it might have been a rallying call for baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, who will go on to win the 1979 World Series in October; the song is more known as a lesbian anthem.
1982
The Central London chapter of the British Musicians Union puts forth a resolution to ban synthesizers and rhythm machines from all recording sessions and live engagements. The proposal was defeated.
1987
The Beastie Boys and Run DMC opened their UK tour in London.
1992
The will of the late Freddie Mercury bequeathed the majority of the Queen singer’s $17 million estate to Mary Austin, his longtime companion.
1999
The UK’s Royal Mail issued a 19p stamp featuring Freddie Mercury to mark his contribution to the Live Aid charity concert in 1985. The late Queen front man was an avid philatelist whose collection was bought by the Post Office in 1993.
Nineties Dyke 