Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content updated every day. Thanks in advance!

Today in Rolling Stones history: May 9

*Click for DAILY ROLLING STONES CHRONOLOGY 1962-present

From sweaty London ballrooms and chaotic Chicago stages to humanitarian efforts, forgotten studio gems, and stadium-sized comebacks, May 9 became strangely packed with milestones in the universe of The Rolling Stones. One minute it is Mick Jagger helping earthquake victims, the next it is Ron Wood popping up inside re-releases of cult classics like Truth and Barabajagal as if classic rock history needed even more crossover episodes. Add the launch of the No Filter Tour and the loss of rock pioneer Little Richard, and suddenly May 9 stops looking like just another random date on the calendar.

May 9, 1964: Savoy Ballroom, Catford, London, England

May 9, 1965: McCormick Place, Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, IL, USA

May 9, 1973: Mick adds $150.000 of his own money to the $350.000 already collected by the Stones’ January benefit concert for victims of the Nicaraguan earthquake.

After the devastating 1972 Nicaraguan earthquake, Mick and the Stones donated money to aid relief efforts. The 6.3 magnitude quake struck the city of Managua, killing thousands and leaving the city in ruins. Jagger’s contribution reflected the band’s global awareness and willingness to support humanitarian causes beyond the music world. Something he wasn’t actually too familiar with at the time.

May 9, 2005: Re-release of the Jeff Beck Group‘s CD Truth with two previously unreleased bonus-tracks with Ronnie on bass (both recorded in London in May 1968): 1. You Shook Me (take 1)/ 2. Blues De Luxe

Truth, Beck’s debut album, arrived like a strange little transmission from another planet — part lo-fi folk experiment, part sarcastic slacker manifesto, and totally unlike anything else floating around at the time. Truth may not always get mentioned alongside the earliest heavy rock classics, but its impact was enormous. Long before countless metal and arena-rock bands copied the formula, Jeff Beck fused blistering guitar work, crushing rhythms, and raw blues into something explosive and new. Backed by the powerhouse vocals of Rod Stewart plus the thunderous playing of Ron Wood and Mickey Waller, the album reinvented blues-rock with fearless intensity. From the savage reworking of Shapes of Things to the heavy blues attack of You Shook Me and I Ain’t Superstitious, the record constantly pushed boundaries while still sounding dangerously loose and alive.

May 9, 2005: Re-release of Donovan‘s CD Barabajagal with a previously unreleased bonus-track with Ronnie on bass (recorded in London in May 1969): 1. Stromberg Twins

By late 1968 Donovan Leitch was in an intensely creative streak, inspired by touring America, changing musical trends, and the wild atmosphere surrounding him. On Barabajagal he pushed beyond straight folk into psychedelia, hard rock, antiwar commentary, and dreamy acoustic pop, even collaborating with the Jeff Beck Group on the explosive title track. The album became one of his boldest and most adventurous releases.

May 9, 2011: Ronnie Wood gets the Music Radio Personality of the Year award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards held at Grosvenor House in London.
Read more: Ronnie Wood wins Sony music radio personality award (from BBC News)

May 9, 2017: The No Filter tour os officially announced by the Stones through their website and assorted social media,revealing a European stadium run across September and October along with an entirely new stage design.

May 9, 2020: Death of rock and roll pioneer, the one and only Little Richard.
Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman, 1932–2020) helped shape the very foundation of rock and roll with his explosive voice, wild piano playing, and larger-than-life personality. Nicknamed the “Architect of Rock and Roll,” he turned songs like Tutti Frutti into pure musical chaos in the best way possible, blending gospel fire, frantic rhythms, and flamboyant energy. His influence stretched across generations, inspiring artists from The Beatles to countless rock, soul, and pop performers that followed.
Read: Mick Jagger Pays Tribute to ‘Biggest Inspiration’ Little Richard (from Rolling Stone magazine)

COPYRIGHT © ROLLING STONES DATA
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE IS COPYRIGHT OF ROLLING STONES DATA. ALL CONTENT BY MARCELO SONAGLIONI.
ALL SETLISTS AND TICKET STUBS TAKEN FROM THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THE ROLLING STONES. 
WHEN USING INFORMATION FROM ROLLING STONES DATA (ONLINE OR PRINTED) PLEASE REFER TO ITS SOURCE DETAILING THE WEBSITE NAME. THANK YOU.