On this day in music history…
–In 1977, Neil Young released his eighth studio album, titled American Stars ‘n Bars. Crazy Horse served as Young’s backing band once again—two of Young’s previous albums had also been recorded with Crazy Horse. American Stars ‘n Bars peaked at number 21 on the U.S. albums chart, and it went to number 16 in Young’s native Canada.
— In 1988, the Monsters of Rock Tour kicked off at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin. Van Halen was the headliner, and just days before, they had released their OU812 album. Scorpions, Dokken, Metallica, and Kingdom Come were also on the bill. The tour stopped in 23 cities and concluded in late July. A couple months later, Van Halen continued on the road in support of OU812.
Listen for Herman’s Music Minute weekdays at 6:35am, 12:35pm and 4:35pm on 95.1 STEVE-FM!