Judy Garland Returns

April 23, 1961 - It was on this night that Judy Garland made a triumphant return to the American stage with a landmark appearance at Carnegie Hall.

Garland had risen to fame in the 40s mainly through her movie roles, and she later transitioned into a highly successful stage career with record-breaking concerts throughout the early 50s. But by 1959, Garland was slogging through her act. She was battling drug and alcohol addiction and had gained considerable weight.

In 1961 she returned from a critically acclaimed European tour with a new lease on life. When she took to the stage at Carnegie Hall she looked great and sounded even better. Her adoring fans went wild when she roared through 26 songs that night.

Capitol Records recorded the entire show and released it a few months later. It spent 13 weeks at #1 and earned 4 Grammy awards.