After a string of moderately successful solo albums, all titled Peter Gabriel, the solo artist released his fifth studio album, So, on May 31, 1985 to immediate success.
The album debuted at number 1 on the UK chart, and would spend an additional 18 months on the charts. In America, it would peak at number 3. Part of the success of the album was the smash hit single, Sledgehammer, which was included on the album.
Many speculate if Gabriel had released a fifth self titled album, it would not have been nearly as successful.
Other notable events for May 31:
-Chuck Berry opened Berry Park on May 31, 1961, an amusement complex near St. Louis
-Plastic Ono Band recorded Give Peace a Chance on May 31, 1969 in a hotel room in Canada
It was a sad day for Derek and the Dominos, when former bass player Carl Radle passed away from kidney failure said to have been caused by his heavy drug use in the early 70's. Radle died on May 30, 1980, less than a month before his 35th birthday.
The death of Radle was not the only dark cloud to form over the group unfortunately. Duane Allman, who had guest starred on the title track of the groups' album Layla- and Other Assorted Love Songs was killed in a motorcycle accident in October 1971. Five years after Radle's death Dominos drummer Jim Gordon beat his 72-year-old mother to death and was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Gordon was later diagnosed as an acute paranoid schizophrenic and claimed voices in his head told him to carry out the act.
Regardless of these sad histories Derek and the Dominos, and especially their mega-hit Layla will forever be remembered as a high point in rock and roll history.
Other notable events for May 30:
-Dolly Parton married Carl Dean on May 30, 1966 in Catoosa County, Georgia
-Roxy Music made their first major live appearance at the Great Western Express Festival on May 30, 1972 in Lincolnshire, England
-Adam Horowitz (King Ad-Rock) for the Beastie Boys was arrested in Liverpool on May 30, 1987 after allegedly hitting a girl fan during a riot at a local theater after the group's performance
After a five year absence Bruce Springsteen returned to Britain on May 29, 1981 in support of his latest album The River, which included hits such as Hungry Heart and the title track, the River.
Springsteen had previously been across the pond in late 1975 where his British record label embarrassed him by proclaiming; 'At last London is ready for Bruce Springsteen'. The disastrous tour soon led to other issues between Springsteen and his manager Mike Appel, most significantly the fact that Appel was getting 80 percent of royalties on record sales of Springsteen's first two albums, and Appel refusing to allow Springsteen to use Jon Landau as co-producer on his next album.
Once all the legal issues were resolved, and Springsteen was released from his contract with Appel, he returned to London and his 1981 tour was a success.
Other notable events for May 29:
-Stand by Me by Ben E. King topped the US R&B chart on May 29, 1961. Twenty-six years later, it topped the UK pop chart after it was featured in a TV commercial for Levi's jeans
-Fans rioted when the Osmonds appeared at London's Wembley Pool on May 29, 1975
After ten years of hard work, Creedence Clearwater Revival finally had two things to celebrate in the UK. The first was the 24th birthday of founding member John Fogerty, the second was that their hit Proud Mary made its first appearance on the UK charts, soon to be followed by nine others in just a two year tie frame.
Fogerty first formed the group in 1959 with friends of his Stu Cook and Doug Clifford, by the early 1960's the band added another member, Fogerty's brother, Tom. They first recorded under the name the Golliwogs, but had no success.
It looked like the end of the band when Clifford and John Fogerty were both drafted in 1966/67 but instead the two returned and the band became Creedence. The name supposedly came from three different places. Creedence, from the name of a friend, Clearwater, from a beer advertisement, and Revival, from a statement about their musical goals.
Whatever the reason behind the name, the group hit it big this time, they released both successful covers, Susie-Q, and I Put a Spell on You, and originals, Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, Lookin' Out My Back Door, and more.
Other notable events for May 28:
-Ronnie Lane left the Faces on May 28, 1973
-The Allman Brothers disbanded on May 28, 1976
-David Bowie had four albums, three of which were reissues, in the UK chart on May 28, 1983
May 27, 1989 was a momentous day of Cliff Richard, Britain's ultimate pop star. He released his 100th single, The Best of Me on this day. The single would go on to become his 26th UK top 3.
Richard has had one of the longest careers in the history of music, he started releasing hits in the 1950's with Move It, and his career rivaled that of Elvis Presley for a time. Richard would go on to have at least a few hits in each of the coming decades.
Other notable events for May 27:
-The Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group achieved the rare feat of reaching the US top 40 on May 27, 1957 with Freight Train
-The Sex Pistols released God Save the Queen on May 27, 1977
-The Smiths debut single Hand in Glove topped the UK independent chart on May 27, 1983 but failed to reach the 'real' chart until covered by Sandie Shaw
David Cassidy was scheduled to perform an open-air concert on May 26, 1974 in London's White City stadium. Everything was going well, until first aid workers had to rescue over 1,000 people from the frenzied excitement of seeing the teen idol in person. Most were treated and quickly released, but one fan, Bernadette Whelan was not so lucky, she died of heart failure four days later. Cassidy was shaken when he heard the news.
Most well known for being a part of the TV series the Partridge Family, Cassidy released nine singles onto the UK charts between 1972 and 1975. The biggest hits were How Can I Be Sure, and Daydreamer. Of course his biggest hit of all came with the Partridge Family, I Think I Love You.
Other notable events for May 26:
-Elvis Presley was placed second in a talent contest on May 26, 1953 held at a Jimmie Rodgers memorial show
-The estate of Roy Orbison, who died in December of 1988, was sued by the music publishing company to which he had been signed on May 26, 1989 because he had failed to complete his commitments under a contract he signed in 1985
-David Bowie was sued on May 26, 1990, by his ex-wife Angela for $56 million
UK group Dire Straits was at the top of their game and enjoying every minute of their success on May 25, 1985 when their album Brothers in Arms was released. The album shot straight to number 1 on the UK charts and produced two hits for the group, So Far Away and Money for Nothing, their only American chart-topping hit.
The album fell from the top after just a few weeks, but would rise again in August when Money for Nothing was released as a single. This time it would stay on the charts for another few weeks. It once again claimed the top position in early 1986 where it remained for a further ten weeks.
Other notable events for May 25:
-Procol Harum's classic A Whiter Shade of Pale entered the UK singles chart on May 25, 1967
-Simon and Garfunkel replaced themselves at the top of the US album chart on May 25, 1968 when Bookends took over the number 1 slot from their soundtrack album to the Graduate
-Carole King's Sunset Concert in New York's Central Park on May 25, 1973 attracted an audience of 100,000 people, the biggest ever crowed for a rock concert in the Park at that time, although her record was beaten several times during the next ten years
Founding member of 60's supergroup the Byrds, Gene Clark passed away on May 24, 1991 of a heart attack after undergoing considerable dental work and prescribed medication for the pain.
In the early 60's Clark joined forces with Jim McGuinn and David Crosby to form the Beefeaters. Their single Please Let me Love You was a flop. The group added Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman and became the Byrds.
Although Clark left the band in 1966, he was with them for the release of their first two albums, Mr Tambourine Man and Turn Turn, Turn, both of which were also number 1 singles for the band.
Clark returned to the group briefly in 1967, and again in 1973 when all the original members reunited to release a reunion album.
Other notable events for May 24:
-Elmore James, the hugely influential blues singer and slide guitarist died on May 24, 1963. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991
-Bob Dylan visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem on May 24, 1971 on his 30th birthday
-Clash drummer Nicky 'Topper' Headon left the group on May 24, 1982
Starsound became a smash hit on both sides of the pond on May 23, 1981 with their hit Stars on 45, which sounded, to the untrained ear, remarkably similar to the Beatles. In fact, Starsound recorded a number of hits originally done by the fab four.
Bas Muys was almost indistinguishable from John Lennon when it came to vocals, Okkie Huysdens was a great match for Paul McCartney's parts, and Hans Vermeulen took on the parts of George Harrison.
Other notable events for May 23:
-Jefferson Starship were prevented from playing a free concert in Golden Gate Park on May 23, 1977 due to a ban on electronic instruments. They later said that one of their biggest hits, We Built This City, had been inspired by the ban
-The film biography of the Who, the Kids Are Alright, was premiered in New York on May 23, 1979
-The Beastie Boys and Run-DMC opened their UK tour on May 23, 1987 in London
May 22, 1982 was a good day for Madness, a seven piece group from North London's Camden Town district, they topped the UK chart with a best of album called Complete Madness.
The group was formed in 1979 taking thier name from a song by Prince Buster, a ska/bluebeat artist. Made up of Mike Barson, keyboards, Chris Foreman, guitarist, Lee Thompson, saxophone, Cathal Smyth, vocals, Graham 'Suggs' McPherson, vocals, Mark Bedford, bass, and 'Woody' Woodgate, drums.
Hits for the band included; the Prince, a tribute to Prince Buster, and House of Fun. Three of their albums reached the top 5 in the UK; One Step Beyond, Absolutely, and Madness Seven.
Other notable events for May 22:
-Jerry Lee Lewis arrived in Britain for his first UK tour on May 22, 1958. The tour would be cut short when the media discovered he was married to his 14-year-old cousin
-That's What You Get, by the Castiles, the very first commercial recording to feature the teenage Bruce Springsteen, was released on May 22, 1966
-Controversial rap group Public Enemy fired one of its members, Professor Griff on May 22, 1989, after he made anti-Semitic remarks in the Washington Post
Rock finally came to Russia on May 21, 1979 when Elton John played the first of eight concerts in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. John was the first solo Western rock artist to undertake a tour of the USSR, as it was then known. The shows in Russia were an extension of his first tour of any sort since 1976, when he had announced he was going to retire from road work due to an exhausting six years spent nearly entirely on the road.
It was later discovered there were very few tickets to any of the shows available to the general public in Russia, instead most had been reserved for members of the Communist Party. John was very upset about the news, but was unable to do anything about it.
Even with a smaller general audience, John still brought Eastern rock music to the West for the first time, and was able to begin breaking down barriers which had previously seemed unbreakable.
Other notable events for May 21:
-'Little' Stevie Wonder, who had celebrated his 13th birthday only eight days before, recorded his first million selling single, Fingertips, on May 21, 1963
-Pete Townshend of the Who married dress designer Karen Astley, whose brother Jon Astley was a record producer, and whose sister, Virginia Astley, was a recording artists and member of the all-female group the Ravishing Beauties, on May 21, 1968
-Wet Wet Wet's charity single, their version of With a Little Help from my Friends, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney topped the UK singles chart on May 21, 1988
May 20, 1970 was a big day for the Beatles, their feature film, Let it Be premiered in both London and Liverpool. It would be their final feature film. A week earlier it had premiered in the USA. None of the fab four attended any of the events, furthering the poplar belief the group had called it quits for good.
Paul McCartney actually released his debut solo album on the same day as the Let it Be album was released, a few weeks before the movie.
It was obvious to many the group was not interested in either the film or album. In fact, the original title for both of these projects was Get Back, but delays in editing the film initially put it on hold and even at one point led the group to abandon the project entirely. The audio tapes were given to American record producer Phil Spector when it became clear the group was unlikely to ever work together again, and Spector remixed and re-sequenced them into Let it Be.
McCartney was reportedly unhappy with some of Spector's work, such as his addition of an orchestra to the Long and Winding Road.
Other notable events for May 20:
-Ruth Brown's US hit Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean was banned in Britain on May 20, 1955 by the BBC as it was felt to suggest wife-beating
-Jimi Hendrix signed to Reprise Records in the USA on May 20, 1967. He was already signed to Track/Polydor in Britain
-The Buddy Holly Story, the film biopic with Holly played by Garey Busey was premiered on May 20, 1978 in Holly's hometown of Lubbock, Texas
In the late 70's it seemed like if it wasn't disco or punk, record labels just weren't interested. Still, an unknown band, Dire Straits, scraped together $175 and recorded a song called Sultans of Swing, a song written about an aging jazz group Mark Knopfler had recently seen performing. On a side note, the name Dire Straits came from a friend of the group who said it accurately described the group's financial status.
The group sent the song to a local disc jockey who played it on the air, and within minutes the phones were lighting up with record labels asking who this group was. They soon signed with John Stainze and Phonogram Records in the UK and recorded a full album.
Other notable events for May 19:
-The Everly Brothers launched their own record label, Calliope on May 19, 1961
-Bob Marley topped the UK album chart on May 19, 1984 for the first time with Legend, an album released to coincide with the third anniversary of his death from cancer
-Irish trio the Bachelors, who had scored 8 UK top 10 hits in the 1960's finally called it a day on May 19, 1984
It seems in the music industry, there is nothing quite like death to rocket a musician or group to posthumous fame. This become the case once again on May 18, 1980 when vocalist and inspiration of Joy Division Ian Curtis hung himself in his home in Manchester.
Although the group had a small but loyal following, their most recent single, Love Will Tear Us Apart was absent from the charts at the time of Curtis' death. But, a month later it began a several month stay in the charts, eventually even being covered by more contemporary artists such as Paul Young.
Other notable events for May 18:
-Black British pianist Winifred Atwell was presented with two gold singles on May 18, 1956 for sales of her hit medley's Let's Have a Party and Let's Have Another Party
-The bill for the Northern California Rock Festival on May 18, 1968 included The Doors, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, and the Steve Miller Band
Fans, and members of the Bay City Rollers alike were surprised to hear on May 17, 1975 that bass player, and founding member Alan Longmuir would be leaving the band. Longmuir, now in his late twenties was feeling there was more to life than being in a rock band, and he wanted to find out what was out there for him.
Bay City Rollers were founded in 1967 and were originally known as the Saxons. They changed their name thanks to the encouragement of manager Tam Paton, and a glance at a map of the USA.
Over the years, the Bay City Rollers had many hits including; Keep on Dancing, Remember (Sha La La), Shang-A-Lang, Summerlove Sensation, and All of Me Loves All of You. After the departure of Longmuir, the band replaced him with Ian Mitchell, who would only last two years before being replaced himself by Pat McGlynn
Other notable events for May 17:
-First Monterey Folk Festival, held on May 17, 1963, featured Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary
-Disco movie Thank God it's Friday starring Jeff Goldbulm and featuring tracks by Donna Summer was premiered in Los Angeles on May 17, 1978
-Drummer Peter Criss left Kiss, the heavily made-up hard rock quartet of which he was a member, on May 17, 1980 and was replaced by Eric Carr.
Ken Kragen was presented a check for $6.5 million on May 16, 1985 for royalties due to him as the President of Artists for Africa, foundation (USA for Africa) for sales of a record that had hit the stores only two months before. The song of course was We Are the World.
We Are the World was America's response the the British smash hit Do They Know it's Christmas? Which had bee released in late 1984. While the Christmas song was a hit, selling over three million copies and spending over five weeks at the top of the chart, it barely scratched the surface of the issues in Africa it was trying to solve.
In January of 1985 some of the biggest American acts came together to record their own version of a charity song. The original idea was to have black artists hold a concert performance to raise money for Africa, but it was soon felt this wouldn't be enough to solve the problem either. The idea of We Are the World was suggested instead. Soon, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and more had all agreed to be a part of the epic event, and it was clear this would be a success. In the end, over 45 artists took part in this event.
Other notable events for May 16:
-The Beach Boys released their most critically acclaimed album, Pet Sounds on May 16, 1966 in the USA
-Former Buggles members Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn joined Yes on May 16, 1980, replacing the departing Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman
-King Crimson guitarist and leader Robert Fripp married actress and ex-punk hitmaker Toyah Willcox on May 16, 1986
-Davis Crosby married Jan Dance, his longtime girlfriend on May 16, 1987, his longtime colleague, Graham Nash and his wife Susan renewed their vows at the same ceremony
May 15, 1982 was a major day in British music history, the 500th number 1 song hit the charts. Surprisingly, the single was not by a well-known star of the day such as the Jam, or the Police, or even Bucks Fizz. Instead, the song was by a young German girl known as Nicole. The song was A Little Peace, a song about tolerance and acceptance.
Nicole was Germany's first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, but the stigma of being a non-British winner of the award followed her. Her follow-up song, Give Me More Time was not nearly as successful, only reaching number 75 on the charts.
Other notable events for May 15:
-The first album chart- albums meaning a collection of 78 rpm singles- was introduced on the USA on May 15, 1945
-Two films made by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Apotheosis and Fly, in which a fly crawls all over the naked body of a model, were shown at the Cannes film festival on May 15, 1971
-Spandau Ballet enjoyed their only week at the top of the British LP chart on May 15, 1983 with True
On May 14, 1976 former Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf was electrocuted while tuning his guitar at his home. He was killed.
After the Yardbirds split up in 1968, Relf stayed busy in a number of other groups including; Renaissance, Medicine Head, and Armageddon. He was in the process of forming a new group, Illusion, when the accident occurred.
Formed in 1963, the Yeardbirds have the distinct honor to have featured three now legendary guitarists. Although their first guitarist, Anthony 'Top' Topham, lasted only six months, he was replaced by the infamous Eric Clapton. Clapton left the band about a year and a half later, when he grew tired of the group's new sound, and felt they had deviated too far from the blues. Clapton was replaced by Jeff Beck who played guitar on some of the group's biggest hits. Beck was later replaced by Jimmy Page, who lasted with the group till they disbanded, and actually took the name with him to his new group called the New Yardbirds, before they became Led Zeppelin.
Other notable events for May 14:
-Cliff Richard's first movie Serious Charge was premiered on May 14, 1959
-Led Zeppelin re-formed for Atlantic's 40th birthday celebration on May 14, 1988 with Jason Bonham on drums replacing his late father
Beatles fans rejoiced once again when it was announced on May 13, 1977, seven years after the group had broken up, that two new live albums by the Beatles would be released.
The first, The Beatles Live at the Hollywood Bowl, was recorded under the supervision of George Martin at two concerts at the venue on Aug. 23, 1964 and Aug. 30, 1965. Interestingly, there were only three songs the fab four played at both shows; Twist and Shout, Can't Buy Me Love, and A Hard Day's Night. The album was a smash hit, becoming the group's 12 number 1 in Britain, and reaching number 2 in the US
The second, and far more controversial, was Live at the Star Club in Hamburg, a double album of much earlier live recordings. The existence of these recordings was discovered in a run-down building in Liverpool. The tape was reportedly created with a handheld microphone, and was once offered to Brian Epstein for just $30. He of course thought this was too low, and the tape was forgotten for several years. When ti was re-discovered, it was offered to George Harrison and Ringo Starr for $8,000 but once again turned down. When news of the records release reached the Beatles, they attempted to take an injunction, but it was ruled the tape was of historical interest and their objections overruled. The album was a flop.
Other notable events for May 13:
-Tex/Max vocalist Freddy Fender was busted for possession of marijuana on May 13, 1960 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and spent three years in prison as a result
-The Smiths released their first single Hand in Glove on May 13, 1983
-Bruce Springsteen married model Julianne Phillip on May 13, 1985. She filed for divorce in 1988 on the grounds that he was romantically involved with E Street band vocalist Patti Scialfa
Popular vocalist Meat Loaf, real name Marvin Lee Aday, filed for bankruptcy on May 12, 1983 with debuts of over $1 million.
Meat Loaf first rose to fame in the late 70's with the release of his hugely successful album Bat Out of Hell which included mega hits such as; Bat Out of Hell, Paradise by the Dashboard Lights, and You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth. The album spent over eight years on the UK charts, and was certified platinum in the US while it spent nearly two years on the charts.
Other notable events for May 12:
-Elvis Presley made his TV comeback on May 12, 1960 after two years in the US army on a 'Welcome Back' special hosted by well-known rock n' roll fan Frank Sinatra
-Mick Jagger married Bianca Perez Morena De Macias on May 12, 1971 in the town hall at St. Tropez in France
-Joe Strummer of the Clash was banned from the road from drunk driving on May 12, 1986
Bob Marley, who had been seriously ill with cancer for several months passed away on May 11, 1981, at Miami's Cedars of Lebanon hospital at age 36. His death stunned the world, even though his sickness was well known.
Marley was born in Jamaica, the son of a British army captain and a Jamaican mother. He cut his first recording on 1961, but didn't find success until 1962 when One More Cup of Coffee was released. Over the next 10 years, he would enjoy a moderate amount of success, mostly in his native country, but in 1972 the album Catch a Fire was released and received international acclaim.
Throughout his career, Marley had many successful singles including; I Shot the Sheriff, No Woman No Cry, Exodus, Jamming, Could You Be Loved and many more.
The world mourned when they heard of the loss of this great singer/songwriter and major inspiration for a generation of contemporaries.
Other notable events for May 11:
-Russian bandleader and musicologist Alexander Utyosov claimed in an East Berlin newspaper on May 11, 1961 that Dixieland jazz, generally recognized as a style born in New Orleans, actually began in Odessa many years before
-Atlantic Records subsidiary label Cotillion released the triple album soundtrack for the Woodstock movie on May 11, 1970 of the film of the historic festival near Woodstock, New York on August 15-17, 1969. The album featured a host of stars and shot straight to number 1 where it would remain for a month
-Eric Clapton, Georgie Fame, and Charlie Watts were the nucleus of an ad hoc group who played at the wedding reception of record producer Glyn Johns and his new wife Vivienne on May 11, 1979
The Rolling Stones were off to kind of a rough start in May of 1963. Although they were building a pretty large fan base around London, nobody wanted to give the group a record deal. Earlier in the year, they had recorded five different tracks in a three-hour session, but getting a label to sign them was proving difficult.
Finally, the group was 'discovered' by ex-Beatles publicist Andrew Loog Oldham who soon became their manager, along with his boss Eric Easton. Oldham used his cunning to effectively frighten A&R man Dick Rowe into signing the group. Rowe is most famous for being the man to pass on the Beatles, and Oldham convinced him to not be that man twice in a row.
Luckily for Rowe, and everyone else, the Stones were a smash. After being signed to A&R on May 6, the group began their first formal recording session on May 10, 1963. Although the group at the time favored covering songs by the great Chuck Berry, they were encouraged for this session to avoid such already well known songs. Instead, they recorded Come On, a much more obscure Berry classic. The original was dubbed dreadful, but when the group re-recorded it a month later, it would become the song that broke the Stones into mainstream music, and lead them down the path to history.
Other notable events for May 10:
-Bob Dylan arrived in Britain on May 10, 1964 for his first tour
-Mick Jagger and Keith Richard were prosecuted on May 10, 1967 on drug charges, and Brian Jones was charged with possession of marijuana
-Both the Turtles and the Temptations are believed to have snorted cocaine in the White House after performing there on May 10, 1969
-The Who sold out Madison Square Gardens, in New York on May 10, 1974 for four nights. All 80,000 tickets were sold in just eight hours
Bruce Springsteen was off to a rough start at the beginning of his career, with his first two albums, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle not even charting, things were looking pretty bleak for the rocker. That is until May 9, 1974 when he was scheduled to play a show at Harvard Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The headliner that night was not Springsteen, but Bonnie Raitt, who agreed to let Springsteen play his full two hour set anyway, it was a massive success. In attendance that night was a music critic Jon Landau who was famously misquoted as saying, 'I saw rock and roll's future and its name is Bruce Springstee' of the show.
Landau worked with Springsteen on his new project, what would eventually become Born to Run, and would be the breakthrough record for Springsteen eventually charting at number 3.
Other notable events for May 9:
-The Beatles signed their recording contract with EMI records on May 9, 1962
-Mick Jagger made a donation of $350,000 on May 9, 1973 to the appeal for victims of the earthquake in Nicaragua, adding his own money to the $200,000 raised by a benefit concert at Los Angeles Forum by the Rolling Stones
Fernando, the latest song released by the the group ABBA, reached number one on May 8, 1976, proving they were not just a one hit wonder. Fernando was actually the group's third number one song.
Originally from Sweden, ABBA gained worldwide fame when they won the Eurovision title. Success was imminent then, as their popularity spread not only across Europe, but also North and South America, the far East, and Australia, where it was once estimated that one in four residents of the country owned their Greatest Hits album.
Other notable events for May 8:
-Johnnie Ray's, Such a Night was banned by the BBC on May 8, 1954 even though it had already topped the UK chart. Listeners complained tat is was suggestive
-Let it Be, the last original album by the Beatles was released on May 8, 1970
-Olivia Newton-John made her New York concert debut on May 8, 1977 at the Metropolitan Opera House
-Donny Osmond got married at the age of 21 on May 8, 1978, doubtless breaking the hearts of many fans
Although the most well-known version of Me and Bobby McGee was recorded a few years later, it was first recorded on May 7, 1969.
The song was written by Kris Kristofferson, the writing genius behind many hit songs of the 60's and 70's. Kristofferson wrote the song white thinking of an old girlfriend and all the places he had seen throughout the country, 'Busted flat in Baton Rouge' and what not.
The original version was recorded by country hit maker Roger Miller who was famous for songs such as; Dang Me, Chug-a-Lug, King of the Road, and England Swings.
Other notable events for May 7:
-90,000 tickets were sold in eight hours on May 7, 1978 for Bob Dylan's forthcoming London concert
-Billy Currie, who had been leading a schizophrenic life in two hit bands, announced on May 7, 1983 that he would be leaving Visage, but remaining in Ultravox
-Paul Weller unveiled his post-Jam group on May 7, 1983, Style Council,, at an anti-nuclear benefit in South London, sharing the bill with Madness
May 6, 1977 was a record breaking day for Led Zeppelin, they broke their own record for biggest concert attendance at a concert with a single headlining attraction when they played to 76,000 fans at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
The previous record was set almost four years previously when the band played to 57,000 at a concert in Tampa, Florida. Before Zeppelin held the title, it was the Beatles at Shea Stadium that held the record.
Other notable events for May 6:
-Paul Simon launched his first solo tour on May 6, 1973 with a concert at the Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts
-Spinal Tap, the fictional group formed to star in a comedy neo-documentary about a heavy metal band, played a real concert on May 6, 1984 at New York's CBGBs club
Rock came together on May 5, 1984 when Pretenders leader/vocalist/songwriter Chrissie Hynde married Simple Minds band member Jim Kerrr in a Central Park wedding. The pair had been together less than a year, in fact Hynde had given birth to her her daughter, Natalie in February of 1983, whose father was Ray Davies of the Kinks.
Hynde, born and raised in Akron, Ohio moved to London in 1973 where she began writing for New Musical Express. In 1975 she returned to her roots and joined a band in Cleveland, but it didn't last long. By the next year she had created her own group with James Honeyman-Scott, lead guitar, Pete Farndon, bass, and Martin Chambers, drums, they became the Pretenders.
Other notable events for May 5:
-Buffalo Springfield disbanded on May 5, 1968, Stephen Stills teamed up with David Crosby and Graham Nash in Crosby, Stills, and Nash (which sometimes featured Neil Young, another ex-Springfield member), while Ritchie Furay formed Poco with Jim Messina
-135 girls fainted at a gig in Liverpool on May 5, 1987 by Curiosity Killed the Cat
-A John Lennon tribute concert took place in Liverpool on May 5, 1990 with Daryl Hall and John Oates, Kylie Minogue, Terence Trent D'Arby and Dave Edmunds among the performers
Yesterday, fans protested in response to a band, today, an artist wrote one of the most famous protest songs in response to an anti-war demonstration.
Anti-war feelings were high across the nation on May 4, 1970 and many students and young people were protesting the recent news that President Nixon would be mobilizing troops in Cambodia without the consent of congress. One particular protest took place on the campus of Kent State, in Ohio. The protest went on for three days and finally culminated when the national guard shot and killed four students, two of them female.
Outrage at this most recent violence swept the nation, rock stars included, and Neil Young wrote a song, Ohio, about it just a day after seeing this event on the news.
Ohio soon began climbing the charts, ironically at the same time as another song by Young, and his group Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; Teach Your Children.
Today Ohio still stands as one of the most powerful protest songs to come out of the Vietnam era.
Other notable events for May 4:
-Lonnie Donegan left Chris Barber's Jazz Band on May 4, 1956 notinng he was considering forming his own skiffle group in the wake of his success with Rock Island Line
-New Musical Express reported on May 4, 1956 that 'Elvin' Presley would be coming to the UK for a session of shows at the London Palladium, proving that it can be misleading to believe everything in the press
-Gene Vincent recorded Be Bop A Lula on May 4, 1957 in Nashville
Protests and rock and roll go together naturally, more on that tomorrow, but on May 3, 1967 an unusual type of protest took place when fans of the group the Walker Brothers staged a march from Baker Street station to the Maida Vale flat of Walker Brothers manager Barry Chapman to protest the recent announcement that the group was splitting up due to personal incompatibility.
The Walker Brothers, although American born, were famous across the pond. They were known for hits like; Love Her, Make it Easy on Yourself, and My Ship is Coming In.
Other notable events for May 3:
-The Beach Boys opened their US tour on May 3, 1968, on which the co-headliner was the famous Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whom the Beatles ironically dubbed Sexy Sadie
-Jimi Hendrix was busted at Toronto International Airport on May 3, 1969 for possession of narcotics, but was released on $10,000 bail
-Joe Leeway left the successful group the Thompson Twins on May 3, 1986
Quadrophenia, a movie written by Pete Townshend of the Who, premiered on May 2, 1979. The movie told the story of a teenager named Jimmy who was a 'mod' on the search for spiritual satisfaction. It was the Who's first release since Who'ss Next, released in 1971, and the first release since the death of drummer Kieth Moon. It also was the first time new drummer Kenny Jones was seen with the group.
The film received mixed reviews and was generally regarded as a poor followup to the classic Who rock opera Tommy.
Other notable events for May 2:
-Elvis Presley recorded Jailhouse Rock on May 2, 1957
-Pink Floyd's smash hit Another Brick in the Wall was banned in South Africa on May 2, 1980 as it was felt it much encourage boycotts at black schools
The King of Rock and Roll took a queen on May 1, 1967 when Elvis Presley married his girlfriend of eight years Priscilla Beaulieu. Female fans everywhere were heartbroken they were not the queen.
The wedding was a small affair and took place in the private suite of the owner of the Aladdin Hotel, best man was Presley's close friend Joe Esposito and maid of honor was Pricilla's sister, Michelle.
After the ceremony, the couple enjoyed a one day honeymoon before returning to California for Presley to finish shooting his latest movie, Clambake.
Other notable events for May 1:
-The Beatles played their last ever live show with a paying audience in Britain at London's Wembley Arena on May 1, 1966. The event was the New Musical Express Pollwinner's Concert, and other acts included the Rolling Stones and the Who
-Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash taped an ABC TV special on May 1, 1969 at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry
-To the surprise of journalists at a press conference, the Rolling Stones announced on May 1, 1975 their forthcoming US tour by playing live on a flatbed truck moving slowly down Fifth Avenue in New York
Blues legend McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters passed away on April 30, 1983 at the age of 68. Waters died of a heart attack in his hometown of Chicago where he had moved over 40 year ago to work in a paper mill.
Waters made his first commercial recording in 1946 and was singed to the Aristocrat label, later Chess Records. Waters worked with many of the top names in blues throughout the 1950's including; Willie Dixon, Little Walter Jacobs, Otis Spann, Buddy Guy and more.
Perhaps what Waters is most famous for today is something most people don't even realize. Both the Rolling Stones, and Rolling Stone Magazine took their names from a line in one of Waters' songs.
Other notable events for April 30:
-Manchester group Herman's Hermits, led by actor Peter Noone, began their first US tour on April 30, 1965 supported by the Zombies. Both groups enjoyed greater chart success in the US than thier native Britian
-Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album was absent from the US charts for the first time on April 30, 1988 after an incredible 725 weeks, just three weeks short of 14 years
-The Dirty Dancing soundtrack topped the UK album charts, while More Dirty Dancing was also in the top 3 of the chart
Warner Bros launched a new label in Britain on April 29, 1960 and immediately released one of the biggest hits of their artists careers, Cathy's Clown by the Everly Brothers.
Previously, on the Cadence label, the Everly Brothers had released a string of hits including; All I Have to do is Dream, Bird Dog, Problems, Take a Message to Mary, ('Til) I Kissed You, and more. Unfortunately, even though their first release for Warner Bros was a massive hit, the brothers would only release one more million-plus seller for the label, Walk Right Back.
Other notable events for April 29:
-Jerry Lee Lewis started his second UK tour on April 29, 1962, his first in 1958 had ended in disaster when the British media discovered he was married to his 13-year-old cousin
-Andrew Loog Oldham signed a management deal with the Rollin' Stones on April 29, 1963, insisting they add the final 'g'
-Black Sabbath began their first tour with vocalist Ronnie James Dio on April 29, 1980, Dio replaced Ozzy Osborne
It was a musical wedding when Guns n' Roses front man Axl Rose marries Erin Everly, the daughter of Don Everly of the Everly Brothers.
The couple did not enjoy a long honeymoon and Rose was filing for divorce within months. Although they temporarily reconciled, they eventually split for good before their one year anniversary.
In other areas of Rose's life things were not much better, Rolling Stone Magazine named Rose the worst male vocalist, and the worst dressed male rock artist. However, Guns n' Roses did win the Best Heavy Metal Band title.
Other notable events for April 28:
-Tom Donahue, the man responsible for launching FM radio in San Francisco at station KMPZ died on April 28, 1975, it was the same day he was due to return to the station as general manager
-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman launched AIMS on April 28, 1987 to provide promising young musicians with affordable time in the recording studio
-Peter Gabriel's innovative video for Sledgehammer won awards in the US for Best Pop Video and Best Design and Art Direction on April 28, 1987
Former Beatle Ringo Starr married his wife Barbara Bach on April 27, 1981. The couple had met on the set of the movie they were both staring in, Caveman. The movie was not well received, and much of the dialogue consisted of grunting.
While still dating, the couple were driving to a party when they were in a serious crash less than a mile from Barnes, West London. It was the same area where Marc Bolan had been killed in 1978.
George Harrison and Paul McCartney were among the gusts invited to celebrate the couples nuptials.
Other notable events for April 27:
-Capitol Records contacted Gene Vincent on April 27, 1956 telling him they wanted him to be their Presley equivalent
-David Bowie was delayed for several hours on the boarder between Russia and Poland on April 27, 1976 and customs officers confiscated Nazi memoribelia
-Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes appeared in a movie about an underground newspaper, Behind the Lines on April 27, 1977
-Deacon Blue played a charity gig on April 27, 1989 for the Lockerbie Air Disaster Fund
April 26, 1982 was not a great day for singer Rod Stewart, he was mugged and robbed while standing next to his $50,000 Porsche on Hollywood Boulevard.
Stewart had just released hos last single for Riva Records, How Long, and was about to begin a new contract with Warner Bros which would result in his first number one single in five years, Baby Jane.
Stewart had had a tumultuous career up to this point, and the attack he experienced that day didn't help matters.
Other notable events for April 26:
-Calypso hitmaker Harry Belafonte signed a $1 million deal on April 26, 1957, at the time he has eight singles on the charts, and five of his albums had reached the top 3
-Ringo Starr appeared in his first TV special on April 26, 1978, it was an updated version of Mark Twain's the Prince and the Pauper
Whitney Houston had a lot to celebrate on April 25, 1988 when her second album, Whitney not only entered the chart at number one, the first album by a female artist to do so, but also sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Along with her debut album, which had sold over 13 million copies, Houston became the only artist, male or female, whose first two albums sold over 10 million copies each.
As if this wasn't enough, Houston's single Where do Broken Hearts Go became her sevenths number one single in a row, breaking the record previously held by the Beatles, and the Bee Gees for six consecutive number one singles.
Houston was the daughter of singer Cissy Houston, who had a major hit with Be My Baby, and the cousin of Dionne Warwick, but she was quickly making a name for herself as well.
Other notable events for April 25:
-Chief Nashville outlaw Willie Nelson played the White House in Washington on April 25, 1978 for President Carter who was a great supporter of Agusta's Capricorn label which also featured the Allman Brothers
-Carolyn Franklin, younger sister of Aretha, who had a few small R&B hits as a soloist after working as Aretha's backing vocalist for several years, died of cancer on April 25, 1988 at the age of 43
Bob Welch joined Fleetwood Mac on April 24, 1971 though the recommendation of Judy Wong, the wife of Glenn Cornick, bass player for Jethro Tull.
Fleetwood Mac had by this time lost two of their singer/guitarists to a religious cult known as the Children of God, the first being Peter Green, and the second being Jeremy Spencer, who walked out on the group while in the middle of a tour not to be seen again for over two years.
Green agreed to rejoin temporarily so the band could finish their tour, but made it clear he was not coming back full time. When Welch joined the band he was the first American to be part of the band. But, he was not long lasting either, leaving in 1975 to form a new group.
Welch was replaced by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, in one of the best decisions made by Fleetwood Mac.
Other notable events for April 24:
-I Wonder Why became the first hit for both Bronx-based doo wop superstars Dion and the Belmonts, and the label for which they recorded, Laurie Records on April 24, 1958
-Emmylou Harris scored her first country chart hit on April 24, 1976 with Together Again
-Stop Making Sense, the feature film made by Talking Heads premiered on April 24, 1987 in San Francisco
It's not unusual for groups to cover songs originally done by other artists, but when the Sex Pistols Sid Vicious covered Frank Sinatra's My Way on April 23, 1978 the world of music would change forever.
Vicious covered the song for a movie the band was making, and shows Vicious enter a small theater in Paris, take the stage to sing the song, and as the song progresses it becomes more and more heavy metal and less melodic.
Other notable events for April 23:
-The famous Ash Grove club in Los Angeles, where famous acts like Canned Heat had played during their formative years, burned down on April 23, 1969
-Timothy Leary received a further prison sentence on April 23, 1973 following his 1970 escape
-Harold Arlen, writer of Over the Rainbow, famously recorded by Judy Garland, passed away on April 23, 1986
-Kylie Minogue was seen on British TV for the first time on April 23, 1989 on an Australian soap opera, the Henderson Kids
Herb Alpert was not known as much of a singer on April 22, 1968, he was busy as a record producer for his own A&M records, and with his instrumental band, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. But, when recording a TV special to promote the group's latest album, The Beat of the Brass, Alpert decided the audience deserved to hear something special.
Alpert dedicated the next song to his wife, and began singing This Guy's in Love With You. Soon after the show premiered, CBS was receiving a flood of phone calls about the song, and Alpert decided to release it as a single, it reached the number 1 spot in six weeks.
Other notable events for April 22:
-John Lennon changed his middle name on April 22, 1969 to honor his new romantic interest, he went from John Winston Lennon to John Ono Lennon
-The Jam released their first single, In the City on April 22, 1977, it peaked at number 40 in the UK charts
-750,000 people attended Earth Day a show in New York's Central Park on April 22, 1990 that starred Hall and Oats, Edie Brickell, the B52's and Ben E. King
A minor accident turned into a major tragedy when folk/rock singer Sandy Denny fell down a flight of stairs, and four days later, on April 21, 1978 died of a cerebral brain hemorrhage. Denny was a new mother and just 31 years old.
Denny was part of the group Fairport in the last 60's before starting her own group, Fortheringay with her boyfriend and future husband Trevor Lucas.
Other notable events for April 21:
-The Beatles and the Rolling Stones met for the first time on April 21, 1963 at the latter's regular Sunday evening gig at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, West London
-Janis Joplin played at the Royal Albert Hall, London on April 21, 1969
-Joe Strummer disappeared for three weeks on April 21, 1982, which resulted in the Clash, the group he fronted, cancelling a scheduled tour, he was found living rough in Paris
-Amy Grand sued Marvel Comics on April 21, 1990 for including her likeness in a Dr. Strange comic
Stars came together on April 20, 1992 at London's Wembly Stadium to honor and pay tribute to the late Freddie Mercury who passed away the previous November due to complications from AIDS.
The show raised awareness and over $15 million for AIDS research. It is estimated that over 1 billion people in 70 difference countries saw the show, more than saw the Live Aid event.
Performers included; David Bowie and Annie Lennox performing Under Pressure, George Michael and Lisa Stansfield performing These are the Days of Our Lives, Elton John and Axl Rose performing Bohemian Rhapsody, and for the grand finale, Liza Minnelli led a 90 person choir in a rendition of We Are the Champions.
Other notable events for April 20:
-Thirteen-year-old Dolly Parton released her first single Puppy Love in America on April 20, 1959
-Vocal tracks for Eleanore Rigby were recorded for the Sgt. Pepper album on April 20, 1966. The original title of the album was Daisy Hawkins but was changed when McCartney spotted the name Rigby on a clothes shop
Prince topped three US charts, pop, dance and R&B for the third time in his career on April 19, 1986 with his single Kiss. Previously the songs that had earned him this title were; When Doves Cry, and Let's Go Crazy.
Other notable events for April 19:
-Elvis Presley started his train journey (he had developed a fear of flying) from Memphis to Los Angeles on April 19, 1960 once in LA he would be filming G.I. Blues a film which portrayed him as a young US soldier in Germany
-Dead Boys drummer Johnny Blitz was stabbed in the street after a gig at New York's CBGB's club on April 19, 1978
-For the first time ever, the top five artists in the US country chart were all female on April 19, 1980. They were; Crystal Gayle, Dottie West, Debbie Boone, Emmylou Harris, and Tammy Wynette
Bass player for Yes, Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White both left the band on April 18, 1981, in-spite of the success of the band including nine UK top 10 albums since 1971. The two left with the intention of forming a new super group with ex-Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. It never happened.
Yes was formed in 1968 and got their first major exposure as the opening act for Cream's farewell concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. Although the group was constantly in rotation of members, when White and Squire left, it meant the end of the band, at least for the next six months. The reformed later after the two's other plans failed to take shape.
Other notable events for April 18:
-The first ever Western pop album was released in China on April 18, 1985, it was by Wham!
-Aretha Franklin finally reached the top of the UK singles chart on April 18, 1987. It was 20 years after her chart debut with Respect.
While traveling to London to get a light back to L.A. Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent were in a serious car crash near Chippenham in Wiltshire, England on April 17, 1960. The driver of the car, Cochran's fiancee, and Vincent all survived the crash, but Cochran was thrown through the windshield and killed.
During his short life, Cochran was a moderate star, with four singles that reached the British charts, but no number 1's. The songs, now classics, were; Summertime Blues, C'mon Everybody, Somethin' Else, and Hallelujah I Love Her So. After his death however, the singer became a star, as is often the case, and six more hits were released by Cochran by mid 1963.
Other notable events for April 17:
-Tony Bennett, reportedly Frank Sinatra's favorite singer, recorded his first track ever on April 17, 1962, it was Boulevard of Broken Dreams
-Johnny Cash played the White House for President Nixon on April 17, 1970. Nixon reportedly asked Cash to play Okie from Muskogee, A Boy Named Sue, and Welfare Cadillac
-Paul McCartney became the first composer to simultaneously have two songs on the US black music and country charts on April 17, 1982
London's Wembley Stadium hosted a massive concert on April 16, 1990. The concert was held to celebrate the release of black South African leader Nelson Mandela. Mandela was the leader of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and was sentenced to life in prison in 1964 for sabotage and plotting to overthrow the South African government.
Among the artists who participated in the event were; Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Simple Minds, the Neville Brothers, Tracy Chapman, and Aswad.
Other notable events for April 16:
-The first album by the Rolling Stones was released on April 16, 1964 in Britain, two weeks later it had broken the album chart stranglehold by the Beatles which had lasted 51 weeks
-Stock, Aitken, and Waterman won the Ivor Novello Award on April 16, 1988 as top songwriters of the year
On April 15, 1989 Roy Orbison had one of the biggest, and most unexpected comebacks in music history.
After years without releasing a successful single, at least as a solo artist, Orbison had finally returned to the top 10 with the release of his song You Got It. Orbison had enjoyed some success as part of the Traveling Wilburys, along with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and George Harrison, but solo success had been long gone for the 60's star.
Unfortunately, Orbison was unable to enjoy any of his newfound success, he had passed away from a heart attack a few months earlier.
Other notable events for April 15:
-The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards topped the UK chart on April 15, 1972 with their bagpipe version of Amazing Grace, eclipsing the definitive version by Judy Collins which had peaked at number 5 a year earlier
-Billy Joel broke his left wrist on April 15, 1982 when a car hit his motorcycle in Long Island. He was hospitalized for a month emerging shortly before he and his wife/manager Elizabeth were divorced
Stevie Wonder signed a multi-million dollar deal with Mowtown Records on April 14, 1983, it was not the first time the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist had been signed with the company.
Wonder, who started cranking out hits in the 60's when he was just 13, had worked with the company for most of his career. In fact, he was with Mowtown when he recorded some of his biggest hits including; Uptight (Everything's Alright), I was Made to Love Her, For Once in my Life, and My Cherie Amour.
In 1971 when Wonder turned 21, he was finally paid royalties for the songs he had recorded and released over the past eight years. The money allowed him to start his own record label. But, by the early 80's Wonder returned to the umbrella of Mowtown. It was a good move for both, as his next two singles; I Wish, and Sir Duke, as well as his double album all went platinum after their release.
Other notable events for April 14:
-Pink Floyd demonstrated an electronic device known as the Azimuth Coordinator on April 14, 1968 during a concert at London's Royal Festival Hall
-The title of the second feature film by the Beatles was changed on April 14, 1965 from Eight Arms to Hold You to Help!
-Pete Townshend performed without the Who on April 14, 1974 at London's Roundhouse
-Gary Numan released the Turing Principle, on April 14, 1980, it was the first longform rock video to be commercially available in Britain
April 13, 1982 was not a Friday, but it was a pretty unlucky day for former Byrd, and member of Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young), David Crosby. The singer was arrested in his dressing room at Cardi's, a nightclub in Dallas Texas. Police had found cocaine and a gun on Crosby.
Throughout the years, Crosby had had a great deal of success in many different bands, although it wasn't without it's issues. But the major drug problems didn't start for him until his girlfriend tragically passed away.
Unfortunately, Crosby's problems continued after this arrest, he was sentenced to five years in jail in 1983 for another drug charge, but began to work on his addiction.
Other notable events for April 13:
-The Rolling Stones played their first concert behind the Iron Curtain on April 13, 1967 when they performed in Warsaw, Poland. Police broke up a riot during the show using tear gas
-Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock returned to the Top 20 of the UK singles chart on April 13, 1968 after an absence of 10 years
-The musical Grease closed on April 13, 1980 after 3883 performances in New York on Broadway, having produced a gross income of over $8 million
Jan Berry, one half of the famous duo Jan and Dean was involved in a serious auto accident on April 12, 1966. Berry slammed his Chevrolet Corvette into a parked truck on Whittier Boulevard. Berry may have been distracted that day as he had just learned he was required to sign up for the army, and had to take a medical school evaluation.
Although the accident was serious, and left Berry badly injured, totally paralyzed from a coma and with some brain damage that would take years to revers, the duo did eventually make light of the situation with their song, Dead Man's Curve, about a very dangerous stretch of Sunset Boulevard where many deadly accidents occur. Ironically, it was in the vicinity of where Berry's own accident took place as well.
Other notable events for April 12:
-Actor David Essex's film That'll be the Day premiered on April 12, 1973 in London's West End. Other famous names to appear in the film were'; Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, and Billy Fury
-Aretha Franklin married actor Glynn Turman on April 12, 1978. Her father the Reverend C.L. Franklin officiated the ceremony, which was attended by the Four Tops, who serenaded the bride with Isn't She Lovely
Bob Dylan gave his first professional public performance on April 11, 1961 at Gerde's Folk City in Mew York. He was virtually unknown at the time, and was the opener for bluesman John Lee Hooker.
Dylan was not only unknown at the time, he was also underage. He traveled to New York in 1960 to visit the dying Woody Guthrie, and was soon introduced to many of Guthrie's friends including; Pete Seeger, Cisco Houston, Peter LaFarge, and Ramblin' Jack Elliot.
Soon after, Dyan began playing hoot, or talent, nights at Gerde's and would stay on after the amateurs left, and the professionals began playing. Because he was underage, he needed a guardian to sign his contracts for him, so owner of the venue Mike Porco helped the young musician out.
Among the songs Dylan played on the night of his debut were; House of the Rising Sun, and Song to Woody. It wasn't long before Dylan started making a name for himself and brought crowds to the club to hear him play.
Other notable events for April 11:
-Elvis Presley first used vocal backing group the Jordanaires on April 11, 1956 on a recording session. The track was, I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
-Dave Clark's musical, Time, opened at London's Dominion Theater on April 11, 1986, it starred Cliff Richard in the leading role
Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bass player for the Beatles passed away on April 10, 1962 when he was just 21 years old. Sutcliffe passed away in the arms of his fiancee from a brain hemorrhage.
Sutcliffe joined what would later become the Beatles in 1960, when they were known as Johnny and the Moondogs. John Lennon met Sutcliffe when they attended school together, and although he was just an average musician, his sense of style helped him become part of the group. Sutcliffe was with the Beatles for two tours in Germany, and when they had their failed audition to become the backing band for Billy Fury. But, by 1961 he enrolled in Hamburg Art College and left the band.
Ironically, it wold be eight years later to the day, that Sutcliffe's replacement as bass player, Paul McCartney, would announce he was leaving the Beatles to focus on his solo career.
Other notable events for April 10:
-Nat 'King' Cole was badly beaten on April 10, 1956 while playing on stage for an all white audience in Birmingham, Alabama
-Paul McCartney visited a Beach Boys recording session on April 10, 1967 apparently helping them to produce Vegetables , a track included on the group's Smiley Smile album
The Pet Shop Boys received a hard earned distinction on April 9, 1988 when they tied the record for most chart-topping hits by a duo with the Everly Brothers, and Wham!
The Everly Brothers scored four chart toppers with; All I Have to do is Dream, Cathy's Clown, Walk Right Back, and Temptation.
Wham! did it with; Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Freedom, I'm Your Man, and The Edge of Heaven.
The Pet Shop Boys topped the charts with; West End Girls, It's a Sin, Always on my Mind, and Heart.
Other notable events for April 9:
-Gene Vincent first recorded his timeless classic Be Bop-a-Lula' on April 9, 1956
-B.B. King, who scored his first hit single when Three O'clock Blues reached the US R&B charts in the last week of 1961, finally reached the UK singles charts on April 9, 1989 with his collaboration with U2 on the song When Love Comes to Town
It was a day of peace, love and happiness when the movie Woodstock premiered in London on April 8, 1970. The four plus hour movie was filmed during the three-day music festival that had taken place in Woodstock, New York the previous summer.
One of the biggest events in music history, the movie showcased not only many of the stars who performed during the show, but also included interviews with audience members. If you ever have the opportunity, watch this amazing movie that honestly shows what it was like to experience Woodstock.
Other notable events for April 8:
-Saxophonist and guitar player Mike Vickers left Manfred Man on April 8, 1966, bass player Tom McGuinness moved to the spot of guitar player and Jack Bruse left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to fill McGuinness' shoes
-REM left IRS records, for whom they had recorded their first successful albums on April 8, 1988, the group then signed with Warner Bros. for an advance that Miles Copleland, the boss of IRS recommended they accept
-Cure drummer Lawrence 'Lol' Tolhurst, a founding member of the group, left the band on April 8, 1989, band leader Robert Smith reportedly felt Tolhurst was no longer making appropriate musical contributions
April 7, 1962 was a faithful day for the future Rolling Stones, three of the future members met this day at Alexis Korner's Ealing Club. The group would play their first show as the Rollin' Stones in July of 1962.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards started a conversation with Lewis Brian Hopkins-Jones. All three were avid fans of rhythm and blues, and soon decided to start a band together. The original Rollin' Stones included members; Jagger, Richards, Jones, as well as; Ian Stewart, Dick Taylor, and Mick Avory.
Other notable events for April 7:
-The Clash released their debut album on April 7, 1977
-A record 40 British acts appeared on the US top 100 chart on April 7, 1984
-Wham! became the first Western group to play in China on April 7, 1985 when they appeared in Peking
Rod Stewart surprised the world on April 6, 1979 when he married Alana Hamilton, not his longtime girlfriend Britt Ekland.Ekland tried to sue Stewart, much to his displeasure, claiming he would never have reached the level of success he had, without her help and input.
The marriage didn't last very long, with Stewart constantly on the move. The pair divorced in 1984, and Hamilton sues her ex husband for increased alimony. Soon after, Stewart fathered a child with girlfriend Kelly Emberg, but the pair separated in 1990, and Emberg filed a $25 million 'palimony' lawsuit. The following year Stewart married Rachel Hunter.
Other notable events for April 6:
-Bob Marley's date of birth, according to his passport, was April 6, 1945, although it was claimed that he was actually born two months earlier on Feb. 6 -Brenda Lee made her debut in the US country charts on April 6, 1957 with One Step at a Time at the age of 12
-Apple, the company launched by the Beatles, not Steve Jobs, opened its offices in London's Savile Row on April 6, 1968
Godfather of Soul James Brown started to turn his life around for the better on April 5, 1990 when he was transferred from a Georgia jail to Lower Savannah Work Center. Brown had been in jail for 15 months, serving a six year sentence for charges including; drugs, guns, resisting arrest, and more. In the work center, Brown counseled drug abusers for $4 an hour.
Brown's troubles started in 1988 when he was charged with the attempted murder of his wife. Although she later dropped the charges, the pair got themselves into a lot of trouble over the next few weeks with drug possession, arson, a car chase and more.
After he was released from jail, Brown would earn back his title as 'the hardest working man in show business, and soon his past was forgotten.
Other notable events for April 5:
-Over 100 American musicians and environmentalists took part in a charity on April 5, 1977 in Tokyo celebrating the whale and the dolphin, raising $150,000. Among the artists involved were; Jackson Browne, Country Joe McDonald, and J.D. Souther
-Danny Rapp, leader of 1950's hitmakers Danny and the Juniors, died on April 5, 1983
-The manager of Bon Jovi was sentenced to three years on probation on April 5, 1990 for drug charges
It's no secret the Beatles were popular in both the US and the UK in the mid-60's. What is impressive is that they held 12 spots on the Billboard Top 100 charts, including the whole top 5 on April 3, 1964. It's even more impressive when you realize the Beatles were virtually unknown in the US at the beginning of the year. This is a feat that has yet to be matched, and probably never will.
The top 5 songs on April 4 were; Can't Buy Me Love, Twist and Shout, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Please Please Me.
Other notable events for April 4:
-Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision song contest on April 4, 1981 with Making Your Mind Up. The group had been specially formed to enter the contest
-Starship, the group formed by ex-members of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship scored their third US number 1 single in 18 months on April 4, 1987 with Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
-U2 entered the US album chart at number 7 on April 4, 1987 with the Joshua Tree, this was the highest new entry in the chart since 1980
Madonna may have lost a deal with Pepsi on April 3, 1989, but she still came out a winner. The pop star got to keep her $5 million given to her from the contract.
The soda company wanted to break ties with the singer after her Like a Prayer video debuted and angered the Vatican and countless Catholics around the world with imagery that was regarded as blasphemous.
Even more problematic for Pepsi was the fact that the video closely resembled a commercial Madonna had recently shot, Pepsi didn't want to risk loosing a large part of their client base and decided it was best to just cut ties with the singer instead.
Other notable events for April 3:
-The first Louisiana Hayride show was broadcast on April 3, 1948 by radio station KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. The show would feature such major starts as; Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Sr., Jim Reeves, George Jones and more
-At a reported cost of over $100,000 the management of unknown British group Brinsley Schwartz flew a planeload of British journalists to New York on April 3, 1970 to watch the band play at the Fillmore East
-Kate Bush played her first live concert on April 3, 1979 which was staged at the Liverpool Empire
-Record producer Jack Douglas won over $3 million in a court battle with Yoko Ono on April 3, 1984 over royalties relating to Double Fantasy, the album by John Lennon and Ono that had just been completed when Lennon was murdered
Frank Sinatra may have thought his days of fame were over by the time the 60's came around. Known as a teen idol of the 1940's, and with his daughter now in the spotlight, Sinatra probably could have been happy with the legacy he left behind. But, his best was yet to come. His biggest hit, My Way was released on April 2, 1969 and would be on the charts eight separate times before 1972.
Although not a hit right away in the US, on the other side of the pond people couldn't get enough of it. Over the years it was covered by three other acts; Dorothy Squires, Elvis Presley, and the Sex Pistols.
Other notable events for April 2:
-Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass held an incredible four positions in the top 10 of the US album chart on April 2, 1966
-The Beatles completed the recording if Sergent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album on April 2, 1967
-There were 13 female artists in the top 40 of the UK singles chart on April 2, 1988, a record
It was no April fools joke when reporters told the world on April 1, 1984 that singer Marvin Gaye had been shot and killed by his father.
Gaye was on of the biggest stars of the 1960's with hits such as; Let's Get it On, and I Heard it Through the Grapevine, not to mention 11 hits he sang with Tammi Terrell. But, as the year's went on he produced fewer and fewer hits, with his last being (Sexual) Healing released in 1977.
Personally, Gaye had many issues including; two divorces, unpaid income taxes some estimated to be as high as $2 million, and mental health issues. Still when the news of Gaye's death spread, many did not want to believe it was true.
Other notable events for April 1:
-George Martin took over from Oscar Preuss as the head of A&R for EMI's Parlophine label on April 1, 1955
-Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers opened their UK tour on April 1, 1957 at London's Palladium. Having been the youngest chart topper with Why do Fools Fall in Love when he was just 13,he was also the venue's youngest headliner
-Over 1 million ticket applications followed the announcement on April 1, 1976 of a 13 date UK tour by the Rolling Stones
Finishing up a tour at London's Finsbury Park Astoria, later renamed The Rainbow Theatre, on March 31, 1967, the headliner was expected to be The Walker Brothers, but instead newcomers The Jimi Hendrix Experience stole the show when singer Jimi Hendrix set fire to his guitar on stage.
Hendrix was gaining notoriety after the release of his single Hey Joe, and his second single Purple Haze, which the group was performing as the fire took place, promised to be even more successful.
Rock and roll had never been hotter.
Other notable events for March 31:
-Robert Plant's second solo single, Our Song, was released on March 31, 1967
-Lou Reed made his UK singles chart debut on March 31, 1973 with Walk on the Wild Side
-Two members of Orbital were not allowed to perform on Britain's Top of the Pops TV show on March 31, 1990 because they were wearing t-shirts protesting the local poll tax
-Gloria Estefan was seriously injured when her tour bus collided with a juggernaut on March 31, 1991
On March 30, 1967 the Beatles arrived at photographer Michael Cooper's studio in Flood Street, Chelsea for a photo shoot. Little did anyone know, the photos taken that day would become the iconic album cover for their Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
Each of the Beatles were dressed as pantomime militia and were holding brass and woodwind instruments. They were surrounded by images of each of the Fab Fours all-time heroes.
George Harrison's heroes included Eastern religious leaders, John Lennon's heroes included Oscar Wilde, H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, and other literary figures, Paul McCartney's heroes included composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, and sculptor Simon Rodia, and Ringo Starr's heroes included Stuart Sutcliffe.
Other notable events for March 30:
-Fraulein, by Bobby Helms, entered the US country singles charts on March 30, 1957 where it remained for 52 weeks, making it the longest running chart single in the 50's
-The Chiffons topped the US singles chart on March 30, 1963 with He's so Fine
-85 rioting fans were arrested on March 30, 196 after a Rolling Stones concert in Paris
-The Sex Pistols entertained a crowd of 50 for their first booking at London's 100 Club on March 30, 1976
-The Greatest Hits album by Eurythmics outsold combines sales of the next six albums in the UK chart on March 30, 1991
Lonnie Donegan, the 'Irish Hillbilly' begin his second US tour on March 29, 1957 with a show at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Donegan was still riding on the success of his hit Rock Island Line, which had been released a year earlier, and had sold over 150,000 copies in the first two weeks.
Rock Island Line was regarded as a skiffle novelty song by most critics, but radio play helped give the song mainstream success.
Other notable events for March 29:
-After their single, Cover of Rolling Stone, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show were actually pictured on the front of the magazine on March 29, 1973
-All six Led Zeppelin albums released to this point were in the charts on March 29, 1975
-Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store topped the US country charts on March 29, 1975 despite being banned from some radio stations for supposedly suggestive lyrics
-Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon spend its 303 week in the US charts on March 29, 1980, thus beating the record previously held by Carole King's Tapestry
One day after his nation-wide tour started, on March 28, 1979 Eric Clapton took time off to marry Patti Boyd, George Harrison's ex-wife.
There were apparently no hard feelings between Harrison and Clapton, Harrison, among other stars, was expected at the reception planned for after the tour.
Boyd and Clapton had known each other for many years, and many speculate the song Badge, written by Clapton and Harrison, and a later hit for Cream, expressed Clapton's feelings in the line 'talking about a girl that looks quite like you.'
Other notable events for March 28:
-Eddie Cochran recorded Summertime Blues on March 28, 1958
-Radio Caroline, Britain's first pirate radio station began broadcasting on March 28, 1964
-David Crosby fell asleep at the wheel on March 28, 1982 thanks to a myriad of drugs in his system. Luckily no one was hurt when he crashed his car, but he was arrested when police found cocaine and other drug paraphernalia in the car
The Yardbirds replaced departing guitarist Eric Clapton with relative newcomer Jeff Beck on March 27, 1965.
Beck brought a new dimension of sound to the band, thanks to his experiments with feedback, and use of extra light strings. One music critic raved 'Jeff's arrival in the Yardbirds is the best thing that ever happened to them.'
Other notable events for March 27:
-Grand Funk Railroad fired their manager Terry Knight on March 27, 1972
-Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia was pulled over on March 27, 1973 for speeding in the New Jersey turnpike and put in jail for three hours. Garcia had to pay $15 for the speeding ticket, but much more when police found various illegal substances in his car
-ABBA topped the UK chart on March 27, 1976 with their Evolution Song contest winner, Save Your Kisses for Me
-Ronnie Lane, ex-Small Faces, Faces, and Slim Chance, was admitted to the hospital on March 27, 1982 for treatment of multiple sclerosis
Declan P. McManus, more commonly known as Elvis Costello released his first single on March 26, 1977. The single was titled Less than Zero, and it failed to chart.
Costello was an unknown in the music industry, but he grew board with his day job and sent a tape of his music to the new independent label Stiff Records. Producers could hear an obvious talent, and signed Costello right away.
Soon after, he released two other songs which fared better; Alison (My Aim is True), and (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes. Costello soon gained the attention of the music press and fans alike.
Other notable events for March 26:
-Three versions of Let Me Go Lover, by Dean Martin, Teresa Brewer, and Ruby Murray, all placed in the top 10 UK singles chart on March 26, 1955
-The Police, currently at the height of their fame on March 26, 1980, played a one-off show in Bombay, India. They were the first western pop group to do so in 10 years
Nearly 20 years after his death, Buddy Holly reached the number 1 spot on UK charts on March 25, 1978 with his album, 20 Golden Greats. Holly had done relatively well on the charts before, with his 1963 album Reminiscing and Buddy Holly Story both placing on the charts.
Ironically, some think if Holly hadn't died when he did, he would have faded away quickly. His last song released before his death, Heartbeat was a relative flop, and interest only picked up in him after news of his tragic death spread.
Other notable events for March 25:
-British jazz trumpeter Humphrey Lyttleton enthused about American R&B star Muddy Watters on March 25, 1955 in the UK pop weekly New Musical Express
-Elvis Presley made his last concert appearance for eight years on March 25, 1961 at Pearl Harbor's Block Arena
-Bob Dylan and Donovan both made their UK singles chart debut on March 25, 1965. Dylan with The Times They are a Changin' and Donovan with Catch the Wind
-The Turtles topped the US charts with Happy Together on March 25, 1967
It is well known that Elvis Presley didn't shy away from his American duty. And on March 24, 1958, he traveled to the Memphis Draft Board to sign up for his obligatory two years. The date was especially important to Presley as two years to the day before had been his last performance on Dorsey Brothers Stage Show.
To prepare for the time he would spend in the army, Presley stockpiled songs to be released periodically, he also cut his famous hair and asked to be treated the same as the other boys in service.
Other notable events for March 24:
-A crazed fan at a Lou Reed concert in Buffalo, New York jumped on stage and bit into Reed's posterior on March 24, 1973
-The soundtrack album to the movie Absolute Beginners was released on March 24, 1986 it featured Ray Davies, David Bowie, and others
-Gloria Estefan was awarded a 'Golden Globe' by Columbia Records for selling 5 million albums outside the US on March 24, 1990
The ink was hardly dry from Billy Joel's first divorce, but that didn't stop him form marrying Christie Brinkley on March 23, 1985.
Joel had met Brinkley in 1982 when he was on vacation and playing a hotel piano in the Caribbean. Brinkley then stared in the music video for Joel's Uptown Girl, which would be his biggest hit of the decade.
Other notable events for March 23:
-Multi-instrumentalist 'Mother' Maybelle Addington joined country music's 'royal' Carter Family on March 23, 1926 by marrying Ezra Carter
-Eddie Cochran's C'mon Everybody entered the UK singles chart on March 23, 1959
-John Lennon's first book, In His Own Write, was published in Britain on March 23, 1964
-It was announced on March 23, 1985 that authorities at Wembley Stadium had refused to provide free facilities for the forthcoming Live Aid concert
