ROCK & ROLL HISTORY
The late Tommy Tucker (born Robert Higginbotham – ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’) was born in 1933
The late Andy Gibb (‘Shadow Dancing’) was born in 1958
John Frusciante (guitarist with the Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Californication’) is 45
Alan Clark (keyboards with Dire Straits – ‘Walk Of Life’) is 63
Eddy Grant (‘Electric Avenue’) is 67
Eddie Hodges (‘I’m Gonna Knock On Your Door’) is 68
Murray Head (‘One Night In Bangkok’ and sang the role of Judas Iscariot on the original concept album of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ – ‘Superstar’) is 69
Paul Evans (‘Seven Little Girls (Sitting In The Back Seat)’ is 77
1951 – Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats recorded ‘Rocket 88’ for Sam Phillips at his Memphis Recording Service in Memphis. The recording is considered by many to be the first rock & roll record.
The Delta Cats did not actually exist. The song was put together by Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm in rehearsals at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Brenston, a saxophonist in Turner’s band, sang lead vocal and received the glory – and the songwriting credit even though Ike Turner co-wrote it. Although Turner became famous as a guitarist, he played piano on the record. Band member Willie Kizart handled the guitar.
1955 – Elvis Presley made his first TV appearance on the Louisiana Hayride program.
1959 – Bobby Darin recorded ‘Dream Lover’.
1960 – Elvis Presley was discharged from the U.S. Army. “I can hardly wait to start singing, traveling, making movies, and above all, seeing the old gang and old Graceland.” He also received his final Army paycheck – $9.81.
He and Colonel Parker left Fort Dix in a limousine for a hotel in Trenton, New Jersey. That night Elvis boarded a train bound for Memphis.
1963 – Country singers Patsy Cline (30), Hawkshaw Hawkins (41) and Cowboy Copas (49) were killed when their single-engine plane crashed in Camden, Tennessee.
The plane was piloted by Randy Hughes, who was Cline’s manager and touring guitarist. In a tragic twist, the quartet was returning to Nashville from Kansas City, where they had performed at a benefit for the widow of DJ Cactus Jack Call, who had been killed in a car crash.
1963 – The Beatles recorded ‘From Me To You’ and ‘Thank You Girl’. They also attempted five takes of ‘One After 909’ before deciding to put the song on hold “for a bit.” That “bit” lasted longer than they had planned. The song wasn’t worked on again until 1969 when it became part of the Let It Be project.
“That was something I wrote when I was about seventeen. I had lived at 9 Newcastle Road and I was born on the ninth of October. It’s just a number that follows me around.” … John Lennon
1965 – The Dave Clark Five released ‘Reelin’ And Rockin’ / ‘Little Bitty Pretty One’.
1967 – This had to be an interesting concert. Pink Floyd opened for Lee Dorsey (of ‘Working In A Coal Mine’ fame) at the Saville Theatre in London.
1968 – Syd Nathan (record label founder) died at 64 of heart failure. Nathan’s label, King Records, launched the careers of Hank Ballard, Little Willie John, Billy Ward & The Dominos, Bill Doggett, Cowboy Copas and James Brown. Nathan was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
1969 – Elvis Presley recorded ‘Change Of Habit’, ‘Let Us Pray’, and ‘Have A Happy’. The songs were recorded for the soundtrack of Presley’s 31st and final film acting role; Change Of Habit.
1969 – Legal proceedings began against Jim Morrison of The Doors for his actions during a March 1 Miami concert. The accusations were as follows:
1) lewd and lascivious behavior (felony)
2) indecent exposure (misdemeanor)
3) open profanity (misdemeanor)
4) drunkenness (misdemeanor)
1970 – Bob Dylan recorded ‘Alberta’, ‘Gotta Travel On’ and ‘All The Tired Horses’.
1971 – During a concert at Ulster Hall in Belfast, Led Zeppelin performed ‘Stairway To Heaven’ live for the first time. The song – which wasn’t released on record until late 1971 – was an unknown to the audience and according to one member of the band, the reaction was underwhelming.
“They were all bored to tears waiting to hear something they knew.” … John Paul Jones
1973 – Mike Jeffery (managed The Animals and Jimi Hendrix) was killed in a plane crash over France. He was 40.
Jeffery has received almost unanimous criticism from biographers of Hendrix. Several have alleged that Jeffery siphoned off much of Hendrix’s income and channeled it into off-shore bank accounts.
Jeffery was openly condemned by members of The Animals, who blamed him for the breakup of the band, claiming that he worked the group into the ground and appropriated most of their earnings.
1981 – Lyricist E.Y. ‘Yip’ Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg – won an Academy Award for writing the lyrics to ‘Over The Rainbow’ (from The Wizard Of Oz) died in a car accident.
1982 – John Belushi (Saturday Night Live, Animal House and The Blues Brothers – ‘Soul Man’) died after being injected with and accidentally overdosing on a mixture of cocaine and heroin. He was 33.
1994 – Jefferson Airplane singer Grace Slick was arrested outside of her home in Tiburon, CA for waving a shotgun at police after they had arrived to investigate a domestic dispute. Slick was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and ordered to attend four Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week for three straight months.
1995 – Vivian ‘Viv’ Stanshall (outrageous humorist and vocalist with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band – ‘I’m The Urban Spaceman’) died in a home fire caused by faulty wiring. He was 51.
2004 – Paul McCartney’s net worth was estimated by the UK’s ‘The Mail on Sunday’ to be $1.3 billion; more than Mick Jagger, Elton John and Madonna’s fortunes combined.
2012 – Robert Sherman (songwriter) died at the age of 86 after a prolonged illness. Together with his brother Richard, Sherman wrote timeless classics such as ‘It’s A Small World (After All)’, ‘You’re Sixteen’ and ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’.
2014 – Dave Sampson (lead singer with The Hunters – ‘Sweet Dreams’) died of natural causes at the age of 73.
Compiled by Ray Lemire ©2015 RayLemire.com. All Rights Reserved.
You may not, under any circumstances, reproduce, record, publish, republish, post, transmit, publicly display, publicly exhibit or distribute any articles or photographs on RayLemire.com without obtaining the express written consent of the Operator.