Author: Jim Feliciano

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: July 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1956: Doubleday publishes the autobiography of Billie Holiday, entitled, “Lady Sings The Blues.”

1964: Lyndon B. Johnson, sitting U.S. president inside the White House, invites the Four Seasons to perform at a private reception in the East Room.

1965: Today’s guest on CBS-TV’s panel game show To Tell The Truth is none other than Motown President Berry Gordy, who fools the entire panel.

1966: The Animals’ Chas Chandler, on a recommendation from Keith Richards’ girlfriend, Linda Keith, venture to New York City’s Cheetah Club to see an unknown artist by the name of Jimmy James. By the end of the night Chandler is Jimi Hendrix’s manager.

1966: The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley enters Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles to have nodes from his vocal cords removed.

1969: Two days after the drowning death of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones, a free concert at London’s Hyde Park that was intended as a showcase for his replacement, Mick Taylor, becomes an impromptu memorial instead.

1974: The redecoration that turned Elvis Presley’s mansion, “Graceland,” into a testament of excesses begins today, with the “jungle room” being created by green carpet.

1978: The cover of the Rolling Stones’ new album ‘Some Girls,’ is halted mid-production when the band is sued by several celebrities, Lucille Ball among them; the cover, which features famous faces (and the band in drag) inserted inside an old magazine ad for wigs, hadn’t been cleared with any of its subjects.

1984: The Everly Brothers begin their much-anticipated reunion tour in Cincinnati, playing onstage together for the first time since 1973.

Deaths: 1982: Bill Justis. 1983: Harry James. 2000: Cub Koda; Brownsville Station. 2001: Ernie K-Doe. 2005: Shirley Goodman; of duet Shirley and Lee.

Releases: 1965: “In The Midnight Hour,” Wilson Pickett. 1968: ‘Creedence Clearwater Revival,’ LP; Creedence Clearwater Revival. 1972: “Liar,” Three Dog Night. 1975: “Feel Like Making Love,” Bad Company.

Recordings: 1958: ‘Ray Charles In Newport,’ LP; Ray Charles. 1961: “Hit The Road Jack,” “Unchain My Heart,” Ray Charles. 1964: “Gloria,” by Them. 1965: “It’s The Same Old Song,” Four Tops.

Charts: 1952: “Delicado,” Percy Faith. 1969: “Polk Salad Annie,” Tony Joe White; enters the charts. 1969: “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town,” Kenny Rogers and the First Edition; enters the charts.

Certifications: None for this day.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on the day…. JULY 5.

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: July 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1958: Buddy Holly drives his new Lincoln Continental to Angola, Indiana to kick off the Cricket’s first Summer Dance Party tour.

1964: The Rolling Stones create a stir with their appearance on the BBC hit show Juke Box Jury, cutting up, looking bored, using crude language, and trashing most of the records they turned up for review.

1966: The Beatles play Manila in the Philippines, performing before a crowd of 80,000 Filipinos during two concerts at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. President Ferdinand Marcos, however, feeling the band had snubbed him by not showing up for a planned visit with the first family, publicly denounces the Beatles, leading to mob outrage among the Philippine public. Turns out the group had never been informed of the invitation, but the damage is done: Manager Brian Epstein pubic apology is censored on local state TV, and Marcos pulls all police protection for the group, forcing them to be besieged by angry mobs as they head for the airport the next day. After also being extorted by government officials for a large portion of their concert receipts, the Beatles leave the country, vowing never to return.

1969: The two-day Atlanta Pop Festival begins in Hampton, Georgia, with featured acts Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chuck Berry, Chicago, Canned Heat, Joe Cocker, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Johnny Winter, Delaney & Bonnie, Spirit, Paul Butterfield, and a new band called Grand Funk Railroad. The band was signed by a Capitol Records rep after he catches their act onstage.

1970: The first American Top 40 radio show, hosted by Casey Kasem, is broadcast on a total of eight radio stations.

1974: Barry White marries his second wife, backup vocalist Glodean James of his own discovery, of the girl group Love Unlimited.

1976: Paul Revere of the Raiders marries his second wife, Sandra Campbell, on America’s Bicentennial at King’s Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1982: Diana Ross begins her first world tour as a solo artist by playing Giants Stadium in New Jersey, with Miles Davis doing the opening act before Ross’ concert show.

1982: Ozzie Osbourne marries his second wife, manager Sharon Arden.

1987: Bob Dylan begins a historic joint tour with the Grateful Dead at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts.

 

 

1992: “Papa” John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas is the recipient of a liver transplant at Los Angeles County Medical.

2001: By court order, a U.S. federal judge orders the file-sharing service Napster to cease and desist all operations immediately.

 

Deaths: 2003: Barry White. 2007: Bill Pinkney; The Drifters. 2009: Drake Levin; Paul Revere & The Raiders.

Releases: 1976: “Don’t Go breaking My heart,” Elton John & Kiki Dee.

Charts: 1953: “I’m Walking Right Behind You,” Eddie Fisher; hits No. 1 on the charts. 1964: “I Get Around,” The Beach Boys; hits No. 1 on the charts. 1970: “Tighter And Tighter,” Alive and Kicking; enters the charts.

Certifications: None for this date.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. JULY 4.

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.

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: July 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1955: ABC-TV premieres a new variety program called Dodge Dancing Party, which had already been airing in Los Angeles since 1951,; it would later be retitled The Lawrence Welk Show, after it’s bandleader and host.

1958: Elvis Presley’s fourth movie, King Creole, opens in U.S. theaters, though Elvis himself is currently stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army.

1962: After breaking his ankle during a jump with the 101st Airborne, James (later Jimi) Hendrix receives an honorary discharge from the U.S. Army.

1964: Jim Reeves records what would be his last songs for RCA Records before his fatal plane crash just over a month later.

1966: While touring Japan, the Beatles wire EMI their choice for the next album album title, Revolver.

1967: Rick Nelson’s new TV series, Malibu U, premier on ABC- TV. It is not a hit.

 

1969: Leslie West forms Mountain, named after his recent solo album.

1969: Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell leave the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

1973: After endless disputes with leader Bryan Ferry over the direction of the group, keyboardist Brian Eno leaves Roxy Music.

1976: After 12 years of staying at home while his band tours, Beach Boys resident genius Brian Wilson finally joins his band onstage at a gig in Anaheim, California. Though he mostly stares at his piano in front of him, he does sing lead with his rendition of “In My Room.”

1979: The Walkman, the world’s first portable cassette player, is introduced by Sony.

1980: The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, along with the band’s manager Danny Rifken, are arrested in San Diego, California, after allegedly interfering with a police drug bust during the band’s concert there.

1986: For the first time, Bob Dylan joins the Grateful Dead onstage during an Akron, Ohio concert, for a rendition of his own, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”

 

1988: Michael Jackson becomes the first artist to have 5 Number One singles from one album when “Dirty Diana” goes to the top of the charts.

1992: Mick Jagger becomes a grandfather with the birth of Assisi Lola Jackson by his daughter Jade.

2001: Liverpool Airport is renamed John Lennon Airport in honor of its native son, sporting a new logo that features a Lennon self-portrait and the words, “Above Us Only Sky,” a line taken from his song “Imagine.”

2005: The Live 8 concerts are held simultaneously all over the world to benefit impoverished African nations, featuring performances by Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Chuck Berry, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, The Who, and a reunited Pink Floyd, among dozens of others.

 

Deaths: None.

Recording: 1956: “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Anyway You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be),” Elvis Presley. 1961: “Angel,” “Follow That Dream,” “What A Wonderful Life,” “I’m Not The Marrying Kind,” “Make The World Go Away,” “Missing You,” and, “Is It Really Over?”

When the session ended with some time left over on the schedule, Elvis recorded one more song, “I Can’t Stop Loving You.”

1969: “Her Majesty,” “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” The Beatles (The White Album).

Charts: 1966: “Strangers In The Night,” Frank Sinatra; hits No. 1 on the charts. 1977: “Gonna Fly Now (Theme From Rocky), Bill Conti; hits No. 1 on the charts. 

Certifications: None.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. JULY 2.