The late Ray Conniff (bandleader and arranger best known for The Ray Conniff Singers – ‘Somewhere My Love’) was born in 1916
Rock Factoid: His orchestra played on several hit singles, backing Johnny Mathis on ‘It’s Not For Me To Say’, Marty Robbins on ‘A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)’, Johnnie Ray on ‘Just Walkin’ In The Rain’, and Don Cherry on ‘Band Of Gold’.

The late Joseph Pope (The Tams – ‘What Kind Of Fool’) was born in 1933

The late Doug Sahm (guitarist/lead singer with The Sir Douglas Quintet – ‘She’s About A Mover’ and later The Texas Tornados – ‘A Man Can Cry’) was born in 1941

Corey Glover (lead singer with Living Colour – ‘Cult Of Personality’) is 51

Glenn Frey (singer/guitarist with The Eagles – ‘Already Gone’ and ‘The Heat Is On’ as a solo artist) is 67

John Wilson (drummer with Them – ‘Hey Girl’) is 68

George Young (rhythm guitarist with The Easybeats – ‘Friday On My Mind’) is 69
Rock Factoid: After his playing days were over, Young teamed up with fellow Easybeat Harry Vanda to become producers for AC/DC, a band which included Young’s brothers Angus and Malcolm.

Jim Pike (The Lettermen – ‘When I Fall In Love’) is 77

P.J. Proby (born James Marcus Smith – ‘Niki Hoeky’) is 77

Eugene Pitt (singer with The Genies – ‘Who’s That Knocking’ and later the co-founder of The Jive Five – ‘I’m A Happy Man’) is 78

Stonewall Jackson (‘Waterloo’) is 83
Rock Factoid: Stonewall is not his nickname. He was named after Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

Frankie Laine’s ‘Answer Me’ was banned by the BBC, who claimed the lyrics “Answer me, Lord above” mocked Christian prayer—1953

Elvis Presley did his only commercial (for Southern-Made Doughnuts) on the ‘Louisiana Hayride’ radio program—1954

The Dave Clark Five released ‘Any Way You Want It’ / ‘Crying Over You’ in the U.S.—1964

Bill Graham produced his first show (Benefit For San Francisco Mime Troupe – Appeal Party) at the Calliope Ballroom in San Francisco. Jefferson Airplane, The Mothers and The Family Dog were among the featured acts—1965

Bob Dylan recorded ‘All Along The Watchtower’, ‘I Pity The Poor Immigrant’, ‘I Am A Lonesome Hobo’ and ‘John Wesley Harding’—1967

The Monkees film Head premiered in New York City—1968
Rock Factoid: It was a commercial disaster. This was in part because Head, being an antithesis of The Monkees TV show, comprehensively demolished the group’s carefully-groomed public image, while the older, hipper audience they’d been reaching for rejected the Monkees’ efforts as a lame joke.

Aerosmith made their live debut when they played at Nipnuc Regional High School (now Miscoe Hill Middle School) in Mendon, MA—1970

Badfinger released ‘No Matter What’—1970

Billy Murcia (drummer with The New York Dolls – ‘Bad Girl’) died (suffocation after he passed out from mixing drugs and alcohol)—1972

The Sex Pistols made their live debut at St. Martin’s School of Art in London. The plug was pulled on their equipment after two songs—1975

Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin met with their manager Peter Grant on the Isle of Jersey to discuss their future in the wake of drummer John Bonham’s death. The group made the decision to disband but didn’t announce it until a month later—1980

Dickie Goodman (Buchanan & Goodman – ‘The Flying Saucer’) died (self-inflicted gunshot)—1989

Queen released the ‘Made In Heaven’ album, four years after lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death—1995

Singer Rod Lauren (‘If I Had a Girl’) was accused of stabbing his actress wife Nida Blanca to death in their native Philippines, but fled the country (ultimately committing suicide six years later) before he could stand trial—2001

The Four Seasons musical Jersey Boys opened at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway—2005
Rock Factoid: The musical won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It reached its 4093rd performance on September 22, 2015, making it the 12th longest-running show on Broadway.

Hank Thompson (‘The Wild Side Of Life’) died (cancer)—2007

Lee Crystal (drummer with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts from 1981-1986 – ‘I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll’, ‘Crimson And Clover’, ‘I Love You Love Me Love’) died (multiple sclerosis)—2013

Compiled by Ray Lemire ©2015 RayLemire.com. All Rights Reserved.