From the MCRFB news archive:
Events on this date: July 3
1956: Returning to Memphis after his disastrous appearance on the Steve Allen Show, Elvis Presley meets Gene Vincent at Pennsylvania Station in New York and congratulates the singer 0n his success with the Elvis sound-a-like hit, “Be-Bop-A-Lu-La.”
1967: Brian Epstein’s NEMS Enterprises, who are handling the Monkees first UK tour, hold a party for the group at London’s Speakeasy Club, featuring Beatles John, Paul and George with their girlfriends/wives. Also in attendance: Dusty Springfield, The Who, Procol Harum, Mannfred Mann, Lulu, and Eric Clapton. The event will inspire Mickey Dolenz to write their 1967 UK hit, “Randy Scouse Git.”
1968: Joni Mitchell holds a get-together for her musician friends at her home in Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon; there David Crosby of the Byrds, Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash of the Hollies start up an informal jam session which would eventually lead to the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash.
1975: Three Dog Night suffers a hard-hit blow when singer and defacto leader Chuck Negron is arrested in his Louisville, Kentucky hotel room for cocaine possession. The charges would later be dropped, but the resulting tension between the band members would result in the eventual disbandment of the pop group.
1986: Teddy Pendergrass suffers another debilitating car crash when his handicap-accessible van hits a telephone pole in Philadelphia.
2002: Elton John becomes the first musician to be granted an honorary Doctorate from England’s Royal Academy of Music.
2009: A half-century after his untimely death, Los Angeles officially declares today Ritchie Valens Day.
Deaths: 1969: Brian Jones; The rolling Stones. 1971: Jim Morrison; The Doors. 2005: Audrey Brickley; The Orlons. 2007: Boots Randolph. 2008: Colin Cooper; The Climax Blues Band.
Releases: 1957: ‘Ray Charles,’ LP; Ray Charles. 1959: “Dedicated To The One I Love,” The Shirelles.
Recording: 1968: “Ob-Bla-Di, Ob Bla Da,” The Beatles.
Charts: None.
Certifications: None.
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. JULY 3.
