Jim Morrison is arrested onstage at the New Haven Arena
Jim Morrison of the Doors was arrested onstage at the New Haven Arena in Connecticut on December 9, 1967, after a backstage run-in with a police officer, per Ultimate Classic Rock and This Day in Music.
Often described as the first rock star arrested mid-show, he faced charges of inciting a riot, indecency and obscenity that were later dropped, and the clip below is Back Door Man, the song he was singing when police took the stage.
1968 in 1960s music: the full year guide
NBC airs the Motown special TCB with the Supremes and Temptations
NBC broadcast the Motown television special TCB on December 9, 1968, starring Diana Ross and the Supremes with the Temptations, per Wikipedia and Inside the Rock Era.
The soundtrack album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and the clip below is You Keep Me Hangin' On, one of the Supremes hits they performed on the special.
1967 in 1960s music: the full year guide
Jim Morrison is arrested onstage at the New Haven Arena
Jim Morrison of the Doors was arrested onstage at the New Haven Arena in Connecticut on December 9, 1967, after a backstage run-in with a police officer, per Ultimate Classic Rock and This Day in Music.
Often described as the first rock star arrested mid-show, he faced charges of inciting a riot, indecency and obscenity that were later dropped, and the clip below is Back Door Man, the song he was singing when police took the stage.
Otis Redding plays his last public shows in Cleveland
Otis Redding appeared on the Cleveland TV show Upbeat and played Leo's Casino on December 9, 1967, his last public performances, per Wikipedia and OnThisDay.com; sources differ on the order and number of sets.
His plane crashed into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin, the next day, and the clip below is Try a Little Tenderness.
Daydream Believer holds No. 1 on the Hot 100
The Monkees' Daydream Believer held No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated December 9, 1967, its second of four weeks on top, per Wikipedia.
It reached the top on December 2 and gave way to the Beatles' Hello, Goodbye on December 30, and the clip below is the Monkees' official video.
1966 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles add overdubs to Strawberry Fields Forever
In Studio Two at Abbey Road on December 9, 1966, the Beatles worked from 2:30 to 10 pm on overdubs for the remade Strawberry Fields Forever, per the Beatles Bible.
Paul McCartney added lead guitar, George Harrison played an Indian svarmandal, and John Lennon and George Martin each played Mellotron, and the clip below is the finished single.
Parlophone releases A Collection of Beatles Oldies in the UK
Parlophone released the Beatles' compilation LP A Collection of Beatles Oldies in the UK on December 9, 1966, per the Beatles Bible and Wikipedia.
EMI wanted a Christmas release with no new album ready, and it reached No. 7 on the Record Retailer LPs chart, and the clip below is Bad Boy, the only track new to UK albums.
Cream's debut album Fresh Cream reaches UK shops
Reaction Records released Cream's debut album Fresh Cream in the UK on December 9, 1966, as the label's first LP, per Wikipedia.
It reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart, and the clip below is I'm So Glad.
1965 in 1960s music: the full year guide
A Charlie Brown Christmas premieres on CBS
CBS premiered A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 9, 1965, at 7:30 pm Eastern, pre-empting The Munsters, per Wikipedia and Songfacts.
Its jazz score by the Vince Guaraldi Trio has sold five million US copies, per RIAA data cited by Wikipedia, and the clip below is Christmas Time Is Here.
The Beatles play two shows at the Odeon in Birmingham
The Beatles played two shows at the Odeon Cinema on New Street in Birmingham on December 9, 1965, after travelling through heavy rain, per the Beatles Bible.
It was their second visit after October 11, 1964, with the Moody Blues on the bill per the Paul McCartney Project, and the clip below is Day Tripper, half of the double A-side single released that month.
1964 in 1960s music: the full year guide
John Coltrane records A Love Supreme in one session
John Coltrane's quartet recorded A Love Supreme at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on December 9, 1964, per Wikipedia and uDiscover Music.
Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones cut the four-part suite, which entered the National Recording Registry in 2015, and the clip below is Part I, Acknowledgement.
1963 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles play the Odeon in Southend-on-Sea
The Beatles played the Odeon Cinema in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on December 9, 1963, per the Beatles Bible.
It was their second and final concert in the town and the 30th date of their autumn tour, and the clip below is I Want to Hold Your Hand, the single they were touring behind.
1962 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles play their 117th evening show at the Cavern
The Beatles played the Cavern Club in Liverpool on the evening of December 9, 1962, on a bill with the Fourmost, the Blue Jeans and the Zenith Six Jazz Band, per the Beatles Bible.
Some accounts place George Martin in the audience that night, but the Beatles Bible dates his visit to December 12, and the clip below is Love Me Do, the single he had produced.
Motown releases Meet the Supremes
Motown released the Supremes' debut album Meet the Supremes, dated December 9, 1962 by Wikipedia, though one discography gives December 8.
The album sold poorly in the US, and the clip below is Let Me Go the Right Way, its lead single.
1961 in 1960s music: the full year guide
The Beatles play to 18 people at the Palais in Aldershot
The Beatles played the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, Hampshire, on December 9, 1961, their first show in southern England, before an audience of only 18, per the Beatles Bible.
Promoter Sam Leach's newspaper advert never ran, and the band then drove to London for an impromptu set at the Blue Gardenia Club, and the clip below is My Bonnie, which they had recorded in Hamburg with Tony Sheridan earlier that year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Jim Morrison on December 9, 1967?
Jim Morrison of the Doors was arrested onstage at the New Haven Arena in Connecticut after a backstage run-in with a police officer. He faced charges of inciting a riot, indecency and obscenity, which were later dropped.
What did the Beatles release on December 9, 1966?
Parlophone released the compilation LP A Collection of Beatles Oldies in the UK. It reached No. 7 on the Record Retailer LPs chart, and Bad Boy was the only track new to UK albums.
When did A Charlie Brown Christmas first air?
CBS premiered A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 9, 1965, at 7:30 pm Eastern, in place of The Munsters. The jazz score was performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
When was Coltrane's A Love Supreme recorded?
John Coltrane's quartet recorded A Love Supreme in one session on December 9, 1964, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The album came out on Impulse! in January 1965.
Where did Otis Redding play his last shows?
Otis Redding appeared on the Cleveland TV show Upbeat and played Leo's Casino on December 9, 1967. His plane crashed into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin, the next day.
When did the Motown special TCB air on NBC?
NBC broadcast TCB on December 9, 1968, with Diana Ross and the Supremes and the Temptations. The soundtrack album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.