January 12th in Rock & Roll History
The late Woodward Maurice ‘Tex’ Ritter (‘High Noon’ and the father of actor John Ritter) was born in 1905
The late Ray Price (‘For The Good Times’) was born in 1926
The late Ruth Brown (‘Teardrops From My Eyes’) was born in 1928
The late Long John Baldry (British blues icon – ‘Let The Heartaches Begin’) was born in 1941
The late Chris Bell (singer/songwriter/guitarist with Big Star – ‘Thirteen’) was born in 1951
Melanie Chisholm (Mel C/Sporty Spice with The Spice Girls – ‘Wannabe’) is 41
Per Gessle (the male half of Swedish rock duo Roxette – ‘The Look’) is 56
Felipe Rose (the ‘Native American’ with The Village People – ‘In The Navy’) is 61
Cynthia Robinson (trumpet and vocals with Sly & The Family Stone – ‘Dance To The Music’) is 69
William Lee Golden (‘Elvira’ as a member of The Oak Ridge Boys and ‘Louisiana Red Dirt Highway’ as a solo artist) is 76
Glenn Yarbrough (‘Baby The Rain Must Fall’) is 85
Elvis Presley recorded ‘All Shook Up’, ‘I Believe’, ‘Tell Me Why’ and ‘Got A Lot Of Livin’ To Do’—1957
Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records (originally Tamla Records) in Detroit—1959
Bob Dylan sang ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ on the BBC television presentation of ‘The Madhouse on Castle Street’. The song quickly became the centerpiece of the sixties protest movement—1963
Rock Factoid: Other songs performed by Dylan in the play were ‘Hang Me, O Hang Me’, ‘Cuckoo Bird’ and ‘Ballad Of The Gliding Swan’.
Charlie Watts agreed to officially join the Rolling Stones—1963
Rock Factoid: He had played with the band several times prior to joining on a fulltime basis, but still unsure of the band’s future, he kept his day job (commercial artist at an advertising agency) for several months after signing on. Nearly fifty years later, Watts is still unimpressed with the rock and roll lifestyle.
“When people talk about the sixties, I never think that was me there. It was me and I was in it, but I was never enamored with all that. It’s supposed to be sex and drugs and rock and roll and I’m not really like that. Girls chasing you down the street, screaming … horrible! … I hated it! I’ve never really seen the Rolling Stones as anything.” … Charlie Watts
Elvis Presley recorded ‘Memphis’, ‘Ask Me’ and ‘It Hurts Me’—1964
Hullabaloo premiered on NBC with The Zombies and Gerry & The Pacemakers—1965
George Harrison used musicians in Bombay, India to record the backing track for the Beatles’ ‘The Inner Light’—1968
The Supremes played a trio of nuns on a Tarzan television series episode—1968
Elvis Presley recorded ‘Too Much Monkey Business’—1968
In an attempt to sort out the problems within The Beatles following George Harrison’s sudden departure from the group two days earlier, all four met at Ringo Starr’s home in Elstead, Surrey. The meeting was not a success. The feud between Harrison and John Lennon remained unsolved, and Harrison left early without agreeing to rejoin—1969
Led Zeppelin released their self-titled debut album in the U.S.—1969
Rock Factoid: Although the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004, the initial reaction by the press wasn’t overwhelmingly positive. Rolling Stone magazine said, “It would seem that if they are to fill the void created by the demise of Cream, they will have to find a producer, editor and some material worthy of their collective talents.”
Rock Factoid #2: The same review also said lead singer Robert Plant was “as foppish as Rod Stewart, but nowhere near so exciting.”
Alice Cooper released the ‘Love It To Death’ album—1971
The first night of a UK tour kicked off under the banner of The Warner Brothers Music Show. It featured Little Feat, Montrose, Tower Of Power, The Doobie Brothers and Graham Central Station—1975
Keith Richards’ trial for possession of LSD and cocaine ended—1977
Rock Factoid: Richards pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty of possession of LSD but guilty of possession of cocaine. He was fined but no jail sentence was given—1977
“What is on trial is the same thing that’s always been on trial. Dear old them and us. I find this all a bit weary. I’ve done my stint. Why don’t they pick on the Sex Pistols?” … Keith Richards
The Police had their first rehearsal at drummer Stewart Copeland’s apartment in London—1977
The Beach Boys recorded ‘Airplane’—1977
The RIAA donated ‘Alive!’ by Kiss, ‘Blonde On Blonde’ by Bob Dylan and ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ to the Library of Congress—1981
Rebop Kwaku Baah (percussionist with Traffic – ‘The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys’) died (cerebral hemorrhage)—1983
Johnny Paycheck (‘Take This Job And Shove It’) was released from an Ohio prison after serving two years of a seven-year sentence for a barroom shooting—1991
Rock Factoid: When Paycheck died in 2003, his family was unable to cover the interment costs. Country superstar George Jones purchased the burial plot and paid for a headstone as a tribute to his longtime friend.
The original members of Cream reunited in Los Angeles to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Other inductees included CCR, Sly & The Family Stone, Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, The Doors, Dinah Washington, Etta James, Ruth Brown and Van Morrison (he didn’t show up). Also inducted (in the non-performers category) were Dick Clark and Milt Gabler—1993
At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, the inductees were Neil Young, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Al Green, Martha & The Vandellas and Frank Zappa. Also inducted (in the Early Influence category) were The Orioles—1995
The Roll Hall of Fame welcomed the latest inductees; Gene Vincent, Lloyd Price, Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas and Papas, The Eagles and Santana. Also inducted (in the Early Influence category) was Jelly Roll Morton—1998
The third and final ‘Rock In Rio’ festival kicked off in Rio de Janeiro. The seven day festival featured artists such as Guns N’ Roses, Rob Halford, Iron Maiden, James Taylor, Neil Young, R.E.M. and Sting—2001
Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees (‘To Love Somebody’) suffered cardiac arrest and died while undergoing surgery for an intestinal blockage—2003
Frank Zappa’s widow Gail appeared in a Quebec City court in a lawsuit against a Quebec furniture store chain for unauthorized use of Zappa’s ‘Watermelon In Eastern Hay’ in a television commercial. The lawsuit would be settled out of court the following day—2004
Randy VanWarmer (‘Just When I Needed You Most’) died (leukemia)—2004
Precious Bryant (blues singer/guitarist – ‘Fool Me Good’) died (complications from diabetes and congestive heart failure)—2013
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