Today in Rock n Roll History

1942: Glen Miller became the first person to be awarded a Gold disc, for his ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’, single.

1956: Little Richard Records Long Tall Sally at J&M Studio on this day in rock history! “Long Tall Sally” is a rock and roll 12-bar blues song written by Robert “Bumps” Blackwell, Enotris Johnson and Richard Penniman (known as “Little Richard”), recorded by Little Richard and released March 1956 on the Specialty Records label.

1958: Frank Sinatra started a five week run at No.1 on the US album chart with "Come Fly With Me."

1964: In the wake of last night’s appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles have become overnight sensations. Elvis Presley sends them a telegram of congratulations and the Fab Four hold a press conference at New York’s Plaza Hotel.

1971: Carole King releases her album Tapestry bringing the contemporary singer/songwriter character to the mainstream radio.

1972: David Bowie appeared at the Tolworth Toby Jug, London, on the opening date of his Ziggy Stardust tour.

1973: British Rail, which was due to demolish Liverpool’s Cavern club to build a subway station, gives the fabled venue a stay of execution. Owner Roy Adams says he will try to use the extra three months to preserve the famed cellar where the Beatles played some of their earliest concerts.

1973: Elton John had his first UK No.1 album when ‘Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player’ started a six-week run at the top of the charts.

1974: Phil Spector was seriously injured in a car accident between Los Angeles & Phoenix. He received multiple injuries & underwent extensive plastic surgery which altered his looks. The details of this accident remain a mystery to this day.

1975: Dave Alexander, bassist for The Stooges died of pulmonary edema at a hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. He was 27 years old.

1978: Van Halen released their self-titled debut album. It peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard 200 album chart & went on to sell ten million copies in the U.S. alone.

1985: Northern Lights, which included Neil Young, Burton Cummings of The Guess Who, Joni Mitchell, Geddy Lee of Rush, Bryan Adams, & Mike Reno of Loverboy entered Manta Sound studios in Toronto to record Tears Are Not Enough to raise funds for the famine in Ethiopia.

1990: Guitarist Eric Clapton finishes an 18-show stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The performances, which began Jan. 18, included three different bands, a 60-piece orchestra and blues jams with Robert Cray.

1997: Brian Connolly singer with the 1970’s Glam rock group Sweet died of kidney and liver failure aged 47.

1998: Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose was arrested for allegedly threatening to punch out a security guard who was searching his luggage at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Rose was charged with disorderly conduct.

1999: It is announced that BPI Communications is suspending publication of its Musician magazine after 21 years.

2003: The Rolling Stones play a free show in Los Angeles to raise awareness of global warming. Their support act is former sax player (and president) Bill Clinton.

2005: Prince topped Rolling Stone magazine’s annual list of the year’s biggest money earners after his 2004 tour grossed over $90 million. Madonna came in second place after earning $54.9 million and Metallica came third with $43 million.

2005: Who singer Roger Daltrey was awarded the CBE by The Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to the music industry.


TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS
1937: Don Wilson guitarist for The Ventures
1949: Nigel Olsson drummer for Elton John
1962: Cliff Burton bassist for Metallica. Burton was killed on September 27th 1987, when the band’s tour bus crashed as it was traveling between Stockholm and Copenhagen. He was found crushed to death under the bus.
1929: Jerry Goldsmith. Created the music for scores of classic movies and television shows ‘Star Trek’, ‘Planet of the Apes’, ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ and ‘Dr. Kildare.’ He died after a long battle with cancer on July 21st 2004, aged 75.