On this day in music history…
In 1971, Chicago played to a near-capacity crowd of over 10,000 people at SIU Arena in Carbondale, Illinois. There were several problems at the arena on the day of the concert. First, the group’s equipment didn’t arrive till the time scheduled for their sound and lighting rehearsal. Then, the band members decided to go to the arena 2.5 hours later than originally scheduled, axing the rehearsal altogether. Also, Chicago’s lighting director had to use his own lighting system because the arena’s system didn’t properly suit the band’s needs. Chicago had released their third album, Chicago III, four months earlier. It was at number 19 on the albums chart at the time of the show. Their first two albums were still on the chart as well.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan presented Michael Jackson with the Presidential Humanitarian Award for his work in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse. In addition to supporting charities dedicated to the cause, Jackson had also been involved in a drunk driving prevention campaign by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council.
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