The late Hiram ‘Hank’ Williams (‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’) was born in 1923
Rock Factoid: The last single released while Williams was living (‘I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive’) was released one month before his death.

The late Bill Black (bass player for Elvis Presley at the start of Presley’s career and later recorded several hits of his own, including ‘Smokie’ with his own ‘Bill Black’s Combo’) was born in 1926

Fee Waybill (born John Waldo Waybill – lead singer with The Tubes – ‘She’s A Beauty’) is 64

LaMonte McLemore (The 5th Dimension – ‘Aquarius’) is 75

The first 33-1/3 rpm LPs and record player were launched by RCA Victor at a demonstration held at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York—1931

Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded ‘Sixteen Tons’ at Capitol’s Melrose Avenue Studios in Hollywood—1955

The BBC announced the removal of Bill Haley and His Comets’ ‘Rockin’ Through The Rye’ from its playlist because they felt the song went against traditional British standards. The record, based on an 18th century Scottish Folk tune (‘Comin’ Through The Rye’), was at #5 on the UK charts when it was banned—1956

The Everly Brothers recorded ‘Walk Right Back’—1960

The Supremes released ‘Baby Love’ / ‘Ask Any Girl’—1964

The Beatles were paid a then record $150,000 for a concert at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City—1964

The Doors appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and infuriated the host when they sang ‘Light My Fire’ (using the song’s original lyrics of “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher,” which Ed had banned)—1967

The Dave Clark Five released ‘The Red Balloon’ / ‘Maze Of Love’—1968
Rock Factoid: ‘The Red Balloon’ was the only DC5 single to feature Dave Clark as the lead singer. The single reached #7 in the UK but failed to chart in the U.S.

Billy Joel recorded ‘Piano Man’—1973
Rock Factoid: When originally issued as a single, the song was considered too long by record executives so two verses were cut in half and spliced together for the release as a single, which lasted 3:05.
Rock Factoid #2: Joel’s ‘The Entertainer’ mentioned that event by singing, “It was a beautiful song, but it ran too long. If you’re gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit. So they cut it down to 3:05.”

Bob Dylan recorded ‘You’re Going To Make Me Lonesome When You Go‘ and ‘Shelter From The Storm’—1974

Ringo Starr released his ‘Ringo’s Rotogravure’ album—1976

‘Use Your Illusion I’ and ‘Use Your Illusion II’ were released simultaneously by Guns N’ Roses—1991

Jessie Hill (‘Ooh Poo Pah Doo’) died (heart and renal failure)—1996

Frankie Vaughan (‘Give Me The Moonlight, Give Me The Girl’) died (heart failure)—1999

While doing a complicated 15th-century “samurai move” during a concert in Philadelphia, David Lee Roth hit himself in the face with a wooden staff. The singer needed 21 stitches and canceled the rest of his tour—2003

Al Casey (guitarist best remembered for his work with Duane Eddy – ‘Forty Miles Of Bad Road’) died (kidney failure)—2006
Rock Factoid: He later became a member of The Wrecking Crew – ‘Good Vibrations’ (Beach Boys), ‘These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ (Nancy Sinatra), ‘Never My Love’ (The Association), ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ (Nilsson) and many more.

Marvin Rainwater (‘Whole Lotta Woman’) died (heart failure)—2013
Rock Factoid: In 1959, Rainwater, who was 25% Cherokee, recorded ‘The Pale Faced Indian’ which went nowhere. In 1971, Paul Revere & The Raiders released their version under the tile of ‘Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)’, and their recording went to #1.

Roger Pope (drummer with Elton John) died (cancer)—2013
Rock Factoid: Pope played on several of Elton’s songs: ‘Burn Down The Mission’, ‘Tiny Dancer’, ‘Grow Some Funk Of Your Own’, and John’s duet with Kiki Dee, ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’.

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