57 Years Ago Today: Legendary Guitarist Performs His First Concert With Iconic Band

On July 5, 1969, hundreds of thousands of fans flocked to London’s Hyde Park and witnessed a significant moment in rock music history.

In June 1969, the Rolling Stones parted ways with guitarist Brian Jones, who had become unreliable for the rest of the band as he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. Jones also said he was no longer seeing eye to eye with the band, stating, “I want to play my kind of music, which is no longer the Stones music,” per Rolling Stone.

On June 13, the Rolling Stones introduced a 20-year-old phenom, Mick Taylor, as their new guitarist. Taylor burst onto the music scene as the guitarist for John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Mayall himself recommended Taylor to the Stones.

Taylor performed his first gig as a member of the iconic rock group at The Stones in the Park, an event that took place 57 years ago today at Hyde Park. The Stones performed top hits that included “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Midnight Rambler,” “Honky Tonky Women” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”

Adding to the significance of The Stones in the Park? It was the band’s first public performance in almost two years.

Tragically, Jones died by drowning at the age of 27 two days before the Hyde Park concert at his Cotchford Farm home in East Sussex, England. The band paid tribute to Jones in front of the mourning fans, with Mick Jagger reading parts of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s legendary Adonais poem.

According to The Guardian, attendance estimates fell between 250,000 and 500,000.

Mick Taylor Left the Rolling Stones in 1974

During Taylor’s tenure with the Stones, they recorded plenty of classic hits, including “Tumbling Dice,” “Brown Sugar,” “Wild Horses” and “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.”

In December 1974, however, Taylor caught the Rolling Stones off guard when he informed them of his decision to leave the band. Taylor wanted to step away to seek help for his drug addiction and had grown frustrated about a lack of songwriting credits.

The Stones replaced Taylor with Ronnie Wood, who has been with the band since 1975.