Keener Today – May 23

 May 23, 2025
Beach Boys
The Beach Boys release “I Get Around” with “Don’t Worry Baby” as the B-Side

What’s happening:

Billy Joel has canceled all upcoming concerts, including a major stadium tour, due to a brain condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus, which has affected his hearing, vision, and balance. The 76-year-old singer is undergoing physical therapy and says he’s “sincerely sorry” to disappoint fans. More.

Today in History:

  • 1934 – American outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed by police in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
  • 1937 – Industrialist John D. Rockefeller died in Ormond Beach, Florida, at age 97.
  • 1951 – China formally annexed Tibet as an autonomous region, leading to the Tibetan independence movement.
  • 1964 – “I Get Around” by the Beach Boys was released. Thanks to the flip side, “Don’t Worry, Baby,” it went on to be their first No. 1 record.
  • 1964 – Ella Fitzgerald became the first artist to have a hit with a Beatles cover when “Can’t Buy Me Love” entered the U.K. chart.
  • 1995 – The first version of the Java programming language was released
  • 1966 – The Beatles released “Paperback Writer” with “Rain” on the B-side. “Rain,” led by Lennon, featured their first use of backward tape effects—an idea Lennon said came from accidentally playing the tape in reverse while high. Three promo clips were made, using quick cuts and effects that predated MTV; George Harrison later said, “So I suppose we invented MTV.”
  • 1969 – The Who released their fourth album Tommy, which was the first album to be billed as a rock opera. The album went on to reach No. 4 on the album chart and sell 2 million copies in the U.S.
  • 1970 – The Grateful Dead performed their first concert outside of North America, appearing at the U.K.’s Hollywood Rock Music Festival. Their set went on for four hours. A DVD and CD set of footage from the event was issued in 2010, featuring archive material from the Grateful Dead’s set, and one number each from Free, Family, Screaming Lord Sutch, and Radha Krishna Temple along with a biographical booklet of the event.
  • 1974 – George Harrison announced the formation of his record label Dark Horse Records. The label’s first signing was Ravi Shankar.
  • 1975 – Elton John released his ninth studio album, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. It features “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”
  • 1979 – The Who’s film biography “The Kids Are Alright” premiered in New York City. This film contained footage of the last concert they performed with Keith Moon.
  • 1987 – The Doobie Brothers reunited for a Vietnam veterans benefit concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
  • 1994 – Seal released his second self-titled album. It features “Kiss From a Rose” and “Prayer for the Dying.”
  • 1995 – The first version of the Java programming language was released

Today’s Birthdays:

  • Douglas Fairbanks was born in 1883. (d. 1939) – American actor and producer, known as a silent film swashbuckling star.
  • Artie Shaw was born today in 1910.
  • Rosemary Clooney was born today in 1928.
  • Robert Moog, inventor of the synthesizer, was born today in 1934.
  • Joan Collins is 91 – Born in 1933. English actress best known for her role in the TV series Dynasty.
  • Marvin Hagler was born in 1954. (d. 2021) – American boxer and former middleweight world champion.
  • Drew Carey is 66 – Born in 1958. American comedian, actor, and host of The Price Is Right.

Happening in Metro Detroit: