Otis Redding dies in a plane crash in Wisconsin
Soul singer Otis Redding, aged 26, died on December 10, 1967, when his plane crashed into icy Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin, per This Day in Music and Songfacts.
Four members of his backing band, the Bar-Kays, also died, trumpeter Ben Cauley was the only survivor, and the clip below is (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, released as a posthumous single about a month later.
1969 in 1960s music: the full year guide
Jimi Hendrix is acquitted of drug charges in Toronto
Jimi Hendrix was found not guilty on both counts of illegal drug possession at his Toronto trial on December 10, 1969, after an all-male jury deliberated for more than eight hours, per Wikipedia.
The charges came from a customs search at Toronto's airport in May and carried up to 20 years, he said Canada had given him the best Christmas present he ever had, and the clip below is Purple Haze.
George Harrison plays Copenhagen with Delaney & Bonnie
George Harrison performed with Delaney & Bonnie at the Falkoner Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on December 10, 1969, after joining several dates of their English tour earlier that month, per the Beatles Bible.
It showed a Beatle happily working as a sideman, and the clip below is Delaney & Bonnie & Friends playing Comin' Home.
1968 in 1960s music: the full year guide
Rehearsals for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus are under way
The Rolling Stones were rehearsing their Rock and Roll Circus television special at Intertel Studios in Wembley on December 10, 1968, and John Lennon rehearsed for it too, per Rolling Stones Data and the Beatles Bible.
Filming followed from December 11 into the early hours of December 12, per Wikipedia, and the clip below is the Dirty Mac, with Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell, playing Yer Blues.
1967 in 1960s music: the full year guide
Otis Redding dies in a plane crash in Wisconsin
Soul singer Otis Redding, aged 26, died on December 10, 1967, when his plane crashed into icy Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin, per This Day in Music and Songfacts.
Four members of his backing band, the Bar-Kays, also died, trumpeter Ben Cauley was the only survivor, and the clip below is (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, released as a posthumous single about a month later.
1966 in 1960s music: the full year guide
Good Vibrations reaches No. 1 on the Hot 100
The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated December 10, 1966, for one week, per Wikipedia.
It was the group's third US chart-topper, per This Day in Music, and the clip below is the official video.
1965 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles play two shows at the Odeon in Hammersmith
The Beatles played two shows at the Odeon Cinema in Hammersmith, London, on December 10, 1965, the first two of four London concerts over two days on their final UK tour, per the Beatles Bible.
They played 11 songs, from I Feel Fine to I'm Down, and the NME readers poll named them Best British Group and Best World Group that day, and the clip below is We Can Work It Out.
David Bowie records Can't Help Thinking About Me
David Bowie, credited with the Lower Third, recorded Can't Help Thinking About Me at Marble Arch Studios in London on December 10, 1965, per Wikipedia.
Tony Hatch produced it, Pye released it on January 14, 1966, and it was Bowie's first release under that name, and the clip below is the single.
1964 in 1960s music: the full year guide
Ringo Starr leaves hospital after his tonsil operation
Ringo Starr left London's University College Hospital on December 10, 1964, ending a 10-day stay, per the Beatles Bible.
He had been admitted on December 2 to have his tonsils removed, and the clip below is I Wanna Be Your Man, his lead vocal on With the Beatles.
1963 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles play the Gaumont in Doncaster for the last time
The Beatles played the Gaumont Cinema in Doncaster, Yorkshire, on December 10, 1963, the 31st date of their autumn tour, per the Beatles Bible.
It was their third and final show there after February 5 and March 22, John Lennon recited his poem Neville Club for an Australian radio interview in the dressing room, and the clip below is She Loves You, in the set.
1962 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles give their 149th lunchtime show at the Cavern
The Beatles gave their 149th lunchtime performance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on December 10, 1962, per the Beatles Bible.
Love Me Do had been out since October, and the clip below is Please Please Me, the single that followed it.
1961 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles play Hambleton Hall after a night in London
After an unplanned late-night set at the Blue Gardenia Club in Soho, the Beatles played their 15th show at Hambleton Hall in Huyton, Liverpool, on December 10, 1961, per the Beatles Bible and its Blue Gardenia entry.
They arrived late, played only 15 minutes, and promoters Wally Hill and Vic Anton reluctantly paid the £15 fee while Brian Epstein looked on, and the clip below is Ain't She Sweet.
1960 in 1960s music: the full year guide
John Lennon leaves Hamburg and heads home to England
John Lennon, the last member of the Beatles still in Hamburg, travelled back to England on December 10, 1960, per the Beatles Bible.
George Harrison had been deported on November 21 and Paul McCartney and Pete Best about ten days before Lennon left, and the clip below is Cry for a Shadow, an instrumental from the band's Hamburg days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Otis Redding die on December 10, 1967?
Otis Redding, aged 26, died when his plane crashed into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Four members of the Bar-Kays also died, and trumpeter Ben Cauley was the only survivor.
What happened to Jimi Hendrix in Toronto on December 10, 1969?
Jimi Hendrix was found not guilty on both counts of illegal drug possession. An all-male jury deliberated for more than eight hours, and he had faced up to 20 years in prison.
When was Good Vibrations No. 1 on the Hot 100?
The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated December 10, 1966, for one week. It was the group's third US No. 1.
When did the Rolling Stones film the Rock and Roll Circus?
Rehearsals were under way at Intertel Studios in Wembley on December 10, 1968. Filming ran from December 11 into the early hours of December 12.
When did David Bowie record Can't Help Thinking About Me?
Bowie, credited with the Lower Third, recorded it at Marble Arch Studios in London on December 10, 1965. Pye released it on January 14, 1966.
Where did the Beatles play on December 10, 1965?
The Beatles played two shows at the Odeon Cinema in Hammersmith, London. They were the first two of four London concerts over two days on the band's final UK tour.