Since opening in 1890, North Dakota State has hosted a myriad of famous artists for concerts and performances that have helped define history as we know it.

This list includes the Welsh Imperial Singers in 1931, Guns & Roses in 1993 and Aaron Carter in 2016.

In days gone by, before sold out shows and superstars, Duke Ellington and John Denver made their stop at NDSU.

With his entourage — most notable among them Ivie Anderson — Ellington performed at the NDSU Armory Auditorium.

Together with Ben Webster, Tricky Sam Nanton and Rex Stewart, Ellington and Anderson reached their peak in a concert that was recorded right at NDSU in 1940 in a show that could never be recreated.

This recording was never meant to hit the airwaves. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that a recording was made public, resulting in a Grammy for the performance. Many critics call the recording, “the jazz equivalent of the Holy Grail.”

Like Ellington, Denver’s career started right when his concert at NDSU ended.

Denver’s song “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” reached number 2 on the Billboard Top 100 and catapulted him into fame.  From there, he is known for such hits as “Rocky Mountain High” and “Sunshine on my Shoulders,” and for his television specials. Denver became the top-selling performer of 1974.

Luckily, NDSU got him first.

The folk singer-songwriter performed to a quiet crowd against the backdrop of a fluid creek in April of 1971 at NDSU, just before the peak of his career.

With his circle glasses, flamboyant shirt and acoustic guitar, Denver was an icon of the time and one of the notable figures to perform at NDSU.

Much has changed in Fargo since Ellington and Denver performed in the city.

The Armory was torn down in 1962, retro pants went out of style and historic concerts that happened on campus faded into memory.

What hasn’t changed is the enthusiasm for music that NDSU has shown. Artists like Taylor Swift and Blake Shelton, and old names including Paul McCartney continue to make their way to Fargo to perform big gigs.

Every spring, the Concerts Committee will bring another name to play for the students of NDSU and in the future, students will look back on their time here and stare in awe at all the famous names that have walked through our humble campus just as we do now.

While the future is uncertain, there is one thing I know: NDSU will never stop appreciating music and will continue to open its doors to all artists that wish to play for its students.