Historic events this week from Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Winwood, The Beatles and Nirvana

MARCH 31, 1967: JIMI HENDRIX SETS HIS GUITAR ON FIRE

Before the famous footage of burning a guitar at Monterey, Jimi Hendrix performed the stunt for the first time at Astonia Theatre in London.

The stunt resulted in four foot flames, and the legendary guitarist going to the hospital to be treated for burns on his hands.

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MARCH 31, 1992: SPRINGSTEEN RELEASES TWO ALBUMS

Bruce Springsteen’s first studio albums in five years were released on the same day.

Human Touch and Lucky Town both went Platinum and charted in the Top 5 of the US Billboard 200.

Human Touch would go on to receive a 1993 Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance.

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APRIL 2, 1967: STEVE WINWOOD FORMS TRAFFIC

After three LPs as lead singer of The Spencer Davis Group, Steve Winwood formed Traffic at age 19.

Along with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and guitarist Dave Mason, they immediately began recording their debut album.

Despite intermittent lineup changes, Traffic would release 7 albums from 1967-1974 including the classics Traffic (1968) and The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971).

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APRIL 4, 1964: BEATLES MAKE HISTORY ON BILLBOARD HOT 100

For the first and only time in Billboard history, one artist controlled the top 5 spots of the Hot 100. 

• #1: “Can’t Buy Me Love
• #2: “Twist and Shout”
• #3: “She Loves You”
• #4: “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
• #5: “Please Please Me”

In addition to that impressive feat, the Hot 100 also included seven more Beatles songs:

• #34: “I Saw Her Standing There”
• #41: “From Me to You”
• #46: “Do You Want to Know a Secret”
• #58: “All My Loving”
• #65:“You Can’t Do That”
• #68: “Roll Over Beethoven”
• #79: “Thank You Girl”

APRIL 5, 2005: ABERDEEN, WA ADOPTS NEW CITY MOTTO

After the original Welcome to Aberdeen sign had fallen into disrepair, the Kurt Cobain Memorial Committee led a campaign, funded by fan donations, to replace the sign.

On the 11th anniversary of Cobain’s death, his hometown’s city unveiled the new sign.

The sign included the new city motto honoring Nirvana’s frontman: Come As You Are