Today in Rock n' Roll History

[Koala]

1943 John Denver is born.

1955 Based on sales from stores, radio and jukebox plays Billboard named 'Unchained Melody' by Les Baxter the number 1 US song of 1955.

1961 The Beach Boys made their live debut using their new name when they appeared at Long Beach Civic Auditorium, California.

1966 The Monkees started a 7-week run at No.1 on the US singles charts with the Neil Diamond song 'I'm A Believer'. Also No.1 in the UK in 1967.

1970 Paul McCartney files suit to dissolve the Beatles partnership.

1973 Australian band AC/DC made their live debut when they appeared at Chequers Bar in Sydney.

1982 The last ABBA concert is held, in Stockholm.

1985 Ricky Nelson was killed along with six others, when his charted light aircraft crashed in Texas. It's rumoured that freebasing cocaine caused an onboard explosion. Nelson had played himself on his parent's US TV The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet.' (1958 US No.1 'Poor Little Fool', 1961 UK No.2 single 'Hello Mary Lou' plus over 30 US Top 40 hit singles).

1994 Rod Stewart performs on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for an audience of 4.2 million people. He make into the Guinness Book of World Records for staging the largest outdoor concert in history.

1996 Paul McCartney became a Sir after he was listed in the Queens New Year's Honours List.


2002 Eric Clapton surprises the guests at his daughter's christening by marrying her mother at the service

[Koala]

1953 Country singer Hank Williams died of a heart attack brought on by a lethal cocktail of pills and alcohol aged 29. Made his first record in 1946, scored 36 Top 10 US country hits, his best Known being 'Your Cheatin Heart.' Over 20,000 mourners attended his funeral.

1955 Elvis Presley appeared at The Eagles Hall in Houston Texas. Presley went on to play over 250 shows in 1955.

1956 Bill Haley's 'Rock Around The Clock' went to No.1 on the UK singles chart for the second time.

1958 Johnny Cash played a free concert for the inmates of San Quentin Prison, California.

1962 The Beatles audition for Decca Records in England, who turn them down and sign the Tremeloes instead.

1964 The first edition of the BBC TV show Top Of The Pops was transmitted from an old church hall in Manchester, England. Introduced by DJ Jimmy Saville, acts miming to their latest releases included The Rolling Stones, (I Wanna Be Your Man), The Dave Clark Five, (Glad All Over), The Hollies, (Stay), and The Swinging Blue Jeans, (Hippy Hippy Shake). The first song played was Dusty Springfield's 'I Only Want To Be With You'. Also featured on disc and film, The Beatles, (I Want to Hold Your Hand), ’Freddie & the Dreamers, Cliff Richard and the Shadows and Gene Pitney.

1964 The Beach Boys record "Fun Fun Fun".

1965 The Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton), played two shows at The Odeon Cinema, Hammersmith in London. One at 6.15 and 8.45pm.

1971 Radio Luxembourg aired over seven hours of continuous Beatles music to celebrate the group's tenth year in the music business. Every track played was a single or LP track by The Beatles plus tracks from solo albums.

1977 Genesis played the first of three nights at the new-look Rainbow Theatre, London, and tickets cost £2.50 ($4.25). The theatre had been completely renovated at a cost of £80,000 ($136,000).

2003 Aretha Franklin sings the national anthem as Michigan's first woman governor is sworn in.

[Koala]

1926 The first issue of The Melody Maker went on sale priced at 3d. The monthly magazine was for 'all who are interested in the production of popular music'. In the first issue, Dance Band news, a feature on Ukuleles and how to read music by sight.
　
1966 We Can Work It Out (The Beatles) was a hit.

1968 the entire shipment of John and Yoko's album 'Two
Virgins' was seized by authorities in New Jersey due to the full frontal nude photograph of the couple on the cover. The album was eventually wrapped in plain brown paper in record stores.

1969 Led Zeppelin played the first of four nights at the Whisky A Go-Go, Los Angeles during the bands first North American tour. Support group was the Alice Cooper band.

1971 the George Harrison album 'All Things Must Pass' started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart, making Harrison the first solo Beatle to score a US No.1 album.


1971 Van Morrison hits #9 with "Domino".

1972 Paul Simon's self-titled album is released a year after the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel. It yields two popular singles: "Mother and Child Reunion" (#4 and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (#22).

1975 John and Yoko are reunited. The Beatles' final dissolution takes place in London.

1979 Sex Pistol's bass player Sid Vicious went on trial in New York accused of murdering his girlfriend Nancy Spungen three months earlier.

1988 Michael Jackson and Bono shared first place in an American poll of 'The Most Beautiful Lips.'

2005 Green Day were at No.1 on the UK album chart with their seventh album 'American Idiot.' The album went on to be nominated for seven Grammy Awards, winning the Best Rock Album of 2005.

2007 Cristin Keleher who once broke into former Beatle George Harrison's Hawaii home was found dead after an apparent murder-suicide in California, aged 34. She made headlines in December 1999 by entering Harrison's Maui estate and then cooking herself a frozen pizza. Police said her body had been found with that of a 48-year-old man in a car, both had gunshot wounds to their heads.

[Troubadour]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post these religiously, Koala - I don't always comment, but I love reading them!

[Koala]

Thanks Troub!

1955 Elvis Presley appeared in Boonesville, Virginia. The 20 year-old singer was still a regional star, but by the end of 56' he had become a national sensation, recording two albums, (which included 'Heartbreak Hotel' and 'Blue Suede Shoes'), appeared on national television 11 times, played over 100 concerts and signed a seven year contract with Paramount Pictures.

1963 Cliff Richard was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Next Time / Bachelor Boy,' both songs were from the film Summer Holiday. His sixth UK No.1.

1963 The Beatles began their first headlining tour with four nights in Scotland appearing at the Two Red Shoes Ballroom, Elgin. Two of the dates were cancelled due to bad weather.

1964 The Rolling Stones appeared at Glenlyn Ballroom in Forest Hill, England, supported by The Detours (later to become The Who).

1969 appearing live on UK TV's Lulu Show, Jimi Hendrix stopped performing his new single after a few bars and instead launched into a version of the Cream song 'Sunshine Of Your Love' as a tribute to the band who had split a few days earlier.

1974 Bob Dylan and The Band started a 39-date US tour, Dylan's first live appearance for over 7 years. There were more than 5 million applications for the 660,000 tickets.

1987 Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[Stars]

Regarding Jim Croce-I had just seen him open for Poco a couple weeks before his tragic death. I was devastated when I heard the news-couldn't believe he was gone. He gave us such beautiful songs.

[MikeA]

1969 appearing live on UK TV's Lulu Show, Jimi Hendrix stopped performing his new single after a few bars and instead launched into a version of the Cream song 'Sunshine Of Your Love' as a tribute to the band who had split a few days earlier.

How freakin' cool is THAT!

Hendrix loved Clapton. I mean he really admired him. Clapton on the other hand felt very insecure about what he saw as competition from Hendrix. Remember that this was the time of "Clapton is God"....the real "guitar hero" era.

[Koala]

1936 Billboard Magazine introduced the first ever-pop music chart that ranked records on national sales; big band violinist Joe Venuti was the first No.1.

1954 A young Elvis Presley visits the Memphis Recording Service to record "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand in Your Way" and meets Sun Records owner Sam Phillips.

1965 The Fender guitar company was bought by CBS for $13 million (£7.6 million).

1967, The Doors released their self-titled debut album The Doors. Unique packaging of the album included each band member’s bio.

1970 chauffeur Neil Boland was accidentally killed when The Who's drummer Keith Moon ran over him. Moon was trying to escape from a Gang of skinheads after a fight broke out at a pub in Hatfield, England. Moon had never passed his driving test.

1970 The Beatles (without John Lennon) re-record vocals and a new guitar solo on the Paul McCartney song ‘Let It Be’ at Studio Two, EMI Studios, London. This session will be the final studio appearance for The Beatles, as a group. (The final date that all four of The Beatles were in the studio together is August 20, 1969).

1974 Bruce Springsteen played the first of a three night run at Joes’ Place in Cambridge Massachusetts. Supported by Peter Johnson & The Manic Depressives. On the ticket it said: “Because of the energy crisis all our outside lights except for one will be shut off”.

1986 Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy died of a heart attack brought on by a drug overdose. He was only 36 years old.

1975 Elton John hits #1 with his remake of the Beatles’ "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." John Lennon plays guitar on this non-LP single under the pseudonym Dr. Winston O’Boogie.

[Koala]

1959 "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" becomes the last release from Buddy Holly before his death.

1961 The Beatles played at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool. In the audience are two members from Rory Storm & the Hurricanes: Johnny Guitar and Ringo Starr who have just returned from Hamburg, Germany.

1968 Jimi Hendrix was jailed for one day in Stockholm, Sweden on drink charges after going berserk and destroying everything in his room at the Goteberg Hotel.

1973 Bruce Springsteen released his debut album ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ.’

1974 Yes scored their first UK No.1 album with the double set 'Tales From The Topographic Oceans'.

1976 Beatles road manager Mal Evans is killed during a confrontation with Los Angeles police.

1997 Sonny Bono was killed in a skiing accident at a resort near Lake Tahoe, aged 62. Bono who was one half on Sonny and Cher scored the 1965 UK & US No.1 single 'I Got You Babe' and had become a US Congressman.

2003 Little Richard guests on Fox-TV's "The Simpsons".

2004 Kinks singer Ray Davies was shot in the leg while on holiday in New Orleans. The 59-year-old singer-songwriter was shot when running after two men who stole his girlfriend's purse at gunpoint. Davies was admitted to the Medical Centre of Louisiana but his injuries were not considered serious. New Orleans police said one person had been arrested, and police were still searching for the second.

[Koala]

1946 Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd is born.

1956 Elvis Presley performed in the gym at Randolph High School, Mississippi; this was the last time he ever appeared in a small auditorium.

1964 The Rolling Stones headline their first tour, beginning in Harrow, England.

1968 The Beatles 'Magical Mystery Tour' started an eight week run at No.1 on the US album chart, the group's 11th US chart topper.

1970 Crosby Stills Nash & Young made their UK live debut at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

1975 The mayor of Boston cancelled a Led Zeppelin concert after over 2,000 fans rioted trying to buy tickets. The fans caused an estimated $50,000 to $75,000 damage at Boston Garden. The gig during the bands North American tour was rescheduled for Feb 4th.

1977 David Bowie releases 'Low,' the first of a trilogy of more experimental albums that also includes 'Heroes' (1977) and 'Lodger' (197.

1979 The Village People scored their only UK No.1 single with 'Y.M.C.A.' At its peak the single was selling over 150,000 copies a day. In the gay culture from which the group sprang, the song was understood as celebrating the YMCA's reputation as a popular cruising and hookup spot.

1990 Phil Collins started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with '...But Seriously'.

2001 Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour won the right to his dot com name. David took legal action in his battle to reclaim davidgilmour.com from Andrew Herman who had registered the URL and was selling Pink Floyd merchandise through the site.

2006 a collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia bought by a council worker who embezzled nearly £600,000 was set to be sold to compensate the local authority. Julie Wall, 46, from Rippon Drive in Sleaford, was jailed for three years for the offence last October. The collection - which included rare recordings and foreign pressings of Elvis songs – was to be auctioned off by a High Court receiver to provide compensation.