This Day in Rock History: July 28

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1957: Rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis made his television debut on The Steve Allen Show. He performed his song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," and it was a hit with audiences both in the studio and at home, which greatly helped his career.
• 1960: Roy Orbison entered the U.K. charts with his single "Only The Lonely," which soon shot to No. 1. Orbison, along with collaborator Joe Melson, wrote the song and then tried to sell it to established artists of that time, including Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers. After they got turned down, Orbison decided to record it himself, and the rest is history.
• 2014: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released their 13th album, Hypnotic Eye, in the U.K. It was also released in the U.S. a day later and debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, which was a first for the band. Sadly, it was to be their last album, as Tom Petty passed away three years later.

Cultural Milestones

• 1943: Richard Wright, co-founder, keyboardist, and songwriter for English band Pink Floyd, was born. He performed on every Pink Floyd tour, and his playing is an essential part of the band's legendary sound.
• 1954: Elvis Presley gave his first press interview, which was published in the Memphis Press-Scimitar, his hometown paper. Elvis was working as a truck driver for the company Crown Electric at the time, so he had to do the interview on his lunch break.
• 1979: Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry temporarily left the band while they were recording the Night in the Ruts album. It was the culmination of growing animosities within the band, fueled by substance abuse and financial issues. Perry and the rest of the band eventually reconciled, and he rejoined Aerosmith five years later in 1984.
• 2021: Dusty Hill, ZZ Top co-founder, singer, and bassist, died in his sleep at his home in Houston, Texas. He was taking some time off from touring due to various health issues.