Streaming Oldies - Listen On Demand - TOO MANY MEMORIES? ... NEVER!!

THIS WEEK IN ROCK & ROLL HISTORY
March 7 – 13

BIRTHS ... DEATHS ... EVENTS
With
Photos – Rock & Roll Trivia – Videos

A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For All

THE ROCK & ROLL MEMORY MAGAZINE

Warning! There is so much content in this edition that brain cramps are a possible side effect ... and we're pretty damn proud of that.

ALL DEATHS ARE NOTED IN BOLD CHERRY

SUNDAY March 7

The late Townes Van Zandt (singer/songwriter – 'Pancho And Lefty') was born in 1944

The late Arthur Lee (lead singer with Love – '7 & 7 Is') was born in 1945

Ernie Isley (guitarist with the Isley Brothers – 'It's Your Thing') is 58

Peter Wolf (born Peter Blankfield – lead singer with the J. Geils Band – 'Centerfold') is 64

Matthew Fisher (keyboards with Procol Harum – 'Whiter Shade Of Pale') is 64

Chris Taylor White (bass guitar/songwriter with the Zombies – 'Tell Her No') is 67

The first jazz record was released in the US. Recorded by Nick La Rocca's original Dixieland Jazz Band, it was called 'The Dixie Jazz Band One Step'---1917

The Tune Weavers recorded 'Happy, Happy Birthday Baby'---1957

The Beatles recorded their first radio appearance, at the Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, Manchester, for the BBC radio program Teenager's Turn: Here We Go.They played three songs, including Roy Orbison's 'Dream Baby'---1962

The British Top 10 Singles Chart was composed entirely of British acts for the first time. Cilla Black held the #1 position with 'Anyone Who Had A Heart'---1964

Mike Millward (rhythm guitarist/singer with the Fourmost – 'Hello Little Girl') died (leukemia) at the age of 23---1966

Brian Wilson released 'Caroline No' as a solo single, the first by any member of the Beach Boys. The song would later appear on the Beach Boys' ‘Pet Sounds' album despite no other members of the band appearing on the track---1966

Actress Sandra Dee's divorce from Bobby Darin was finalized---1967

The Beatles recorded 'Lovely Rita'---1967

Elvis Presley recorded 'A Little Less Conversation'---1968

Elton John became the first rock star since the Beatles to be immortalized at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London---1976

Pee Wee King ('Slow Poke' and co-writer of 'Tennessee Waltz') died (heart attack)---2000

Jimmy Boyd ('I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus') died (cancer)---2009
Rock Factoid: Although it came to be regarded as a holiday classic, Boyd's song about a child who seems to find it humorous that Mommy is fooling around with Santa Claus when Daddy wasn't around caused quite a bit of controversy when it was released. The Catholic Church condemned the song for implying even a tenuous link between sex and the religious holiday, and radio stations in several markets banned it.

MONDAY March 8

The late Mel Galley (guitarist with Whitesnake – 'Love Ain't No Stranger') was born in 1948

Peter 'Pedro' Gill (drummer with Frankie Goes To Hollywood – 'Relax') is 46

Techno pop pioneer Gary Numan (born Gary Anthony James Webb - 'Cars') is 52

'Little' Peggy March (born Margaret Battavio – 'I Will Follow Him') is 62

Michael Allsup (guitarist with Three Dog Night – 'Pieces Of April') is 63

Carole Bayer-Sager (songwriter – 'Groovy Kind Of Love,' 'Midnight Blue,' 'Nobody Does It Better' and others) is 63

Randy Meisner (bass guitar with Poco ('Make Me A Smile') and the Eagles ('Hotel California') is 64
Rock Factoid: When Meisner left Poco in 1969, he was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit. When he left the Eagles in 1977, Schmit replaced him again.

George Michael 'Micky' Dolenz (drummer/vocals with the Monkees – 'Last Train To Clarksville') is 65

Shel Macrae (born Andrew Semple – guitarist/vocals with the Fortunes – 'Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again') is 67

Ralph Ellis (guitarist with the Swinging Blue Jeans – 'Hippy Hippy Shake') is 68

The Four Tops signed with the Motown label---1963

The Dave Clark Five made the first of 18 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show---1964

Bob Dylan recorded 'Absolutely Sweet Marie'---1966

The Rolling Stones recorded 'Paint It Black'---1966
Rock Factoid: "Brian was still fantastic making records, because he was so versatile. I mean, he'd have marimbas – which is why you have marimbas on 'Under My Thumb' – or sitar on 'Paint It Black'. He kind of lost interest in the guitar. But at the same time he added all of that other color, those other instruments and other ideas. He was an incredibly inventive musician." … Keith Richards

Jack Anglin (Johnnie & Jack – 'Poison Love') died in a car crash on his way to memorial services for Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. That trio had died after they had performed at a benefit for the widow of DJ Cactus Jack Call, who had been killed in a car crash---1963

Bob Dylan recorded 'Just Like A Woman'---1966

The Fillmore East concert hall opened in New York City---1968

With lead guitarist and singer Steve Marriott's departure, the Small Faces disbanded but soon joined forces with Rod Stewart and changed their name to The Faces---1969

Diana Ross made her first solo concert appearance---1970

Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan (keyboards with the Grateful Dead – 'Morning Dew') died (cirrhosis of the liver)---1973

John Denver recorded 'Annie's Song'---1974

Elton John’s tribute to John Lennon, 'Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)' was released---1984
Rock Factoid: Elton has stated several times the empty garden refers to Madison Square Garden, where Lennon made his last appearance in public at an Elton John concert in 1974.
At his 60th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in 2007, Elton introduced the song with the following remarks: "I only ever sing this song at this place, because it's the only place that is appropriate to sing it, and because it is too upsetting for me to sing it anywhere else."

At Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, Bob Seger announced the end of "his last tour ever." He started touring again within six weeks---1987

Past Masters Vol.1' and 'Past Masters Vol.2', a two-volume compilation set by the Beatles featuring tracks that were not included on studio albums, was released so that the band's entire catalogue could be available on CD---1988

Adam Faith ('Poor Me') died (heart attack)---2003

TUESDAY March 9

The late Billy Ford of Billy & Lillie ('Lucky Ladybug') was born in 1926

Frank Rodriguez (keyboards with Question Mark & The Mysterians – '96 Tears') is 59

Jimmie Fadden (guitarist/singer with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – 'Mr. Bojangles') is 62

Jeffrey Osborne ('Love Power' with Dionne Warwick and 'Love Ballad' as a member of L.T.D.) is 62

Robin Trower (guitarist with Procol Harum – 'Whiter Shade Of Pale') is 65

Trevor Burton (guitarist with The Move – 'Blackberry Way' and later guitarist/vocalist with Balls – 'Fight For My Country') is 66

Mark Lindsay ('Arizona' as a solo artist and lead singer with Paul Revere & The Raiders ('Kicks') is 68
Rock Factoid: The Raiders' only #1 hit was 'Indian Reservation' in 1971. Originally, the song was scheduled to be released as a Lindsay solo effort since he was the only member of the band to appear on the record.

John Cale (multi-instrumentalist with the Velvet Underground – 'Sister Ray') is 68

Mickey Gilley ('Bring It On Home') is 74

Lloyd Price ('Stagger Lee') is 77

Edward R. Murrow publicly rebuked Sen. Joseph McCarthy---1954

Chris Montez and Tommy Roe were the co-headliners at a London concert. Despite the fact the Beatles had the #1 song on the British charts, they were the opening act---1963

Bob Dylan recorded 'Temporary Like Achilles' and 'Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)'---1966

Brian Wilson and the best session men in the music world recorded the instrumental backing for what would become the classic 'God Only Knows'---1966
Rock Factoid: Although the record sleeve shows five Beach Boys singing, only Carl Wilson (lead vocal), Brian Wilson and Bruce Johnston (harmony vocals) actually appeared on the record.
Rock Factoid #2: While there are three bass players, two drummers, two accordion players, a pianist and an organist on the song (along with an army of flutes, clarinets, violinists, cellists, saxophonists and French horns), not one note was played on a guitar.

The Rolling Stones recorded 'Under My Thumb'---1966
Rock Factoid: Mick Jagger found it strange that people considered the song to be anti-women…"The whole idea was that I was under her, she was kicking me around" So the whole idea is absurd, all I did was turn the tables around. So women took that to be against femininity where in reality I was trying to get back, you know, against being a repressed male."

The Beatles recorded 'Getting Better'---1967

CBS cancelled the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. An increasing amount of material that was critical of the political mainstream (and sympathetic to the emerging counterculture) led to the demise of the program---1969

Bad Company made their concert debut---1974

Keith Moon collapsed onstage at a Who concert at the Boston Garden---1976

The Eagles recorded 'I Can’t Tell You Why'---1979

Robert 'Bumps' Blackwell (producer/arranger/songwriter with Little Richard) died (pneumonia)---1985

U2 released 'The Joshua Tree' album---1987

The crime which eventually became known as the ‘Murder on Music Row’ took place---1989
Rock Factoid: Kevin Hughes, a former employee of Cash Box who had supposedly threatened to expose evidence of chart rigging by the magazine, was shot to death as he left the offices of Evergreen Records. Singer Sammy Sadler was also shot but survived.

Rock Factoid #2: In 2002, police arrested Richard D'Antonio, a former executive at Cash Box. D'Antonio was later convicted.

Rapper Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace was shot to death after a Soul Train awards party---1997

Country music singer (and former rodeo champion) Chris LeDoux ('Cadillac Ranch') died (complications from liver cancer)---2005

Brad Delp (lead singer with Boston – 'More Than A Feeling') committed suicide (carbon monoxide poisoning)---2007

WEDNESDAY March 10

Edie Brickell (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians – 'What I Am') is 44

Neneh Cherry ('Buffalo Stance') is 46

Tom Scholz (guitarist with Boston – 'More Than A Feeling') is 63

Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean ('Surf City') is 70
Rock Factoid: Although they were unable to credit him officially (due to contractual constraints), the Beach Boys have never denied that Torrence doubled the falsetto lead with Brian Wilson on 'Barbara Ann'

Elvis Presley released 'I Need Your Love Tonight' / 'A Fool Such As I' with advance orders of one million copies---1959

The first British album chart was published in 'Record Retailer' magazine. 'The Explosive Freddy Cannon' was the first #1---1960

Simon & Garfunkel recorded the acoustic version of 'The Sounds Of Silence'---1964
Rock Factoid: The electric overdub was added on June 15, 1965 by producer Tom Wilson who didn't even bother telling the duo he was doing it. By the end of the year, the song reached #1 on the U.S. charts. Simon and Garfunkel, who had split in late 1964 when the original version bombed, reunited as a musical act.

Bob Dylan recorded 'Rainy Day Women #12 & 35', 'I Want You' and 'Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat'---1966

Grand Funk Railroad recorded 'Closer To Home'---1970

John Lennon released 'Stand By Me' in the U.S.---1975

At an event staged outside Buckingham Palace, A&M Records signed the Sex Pistols to a recording contract. The relationship was not to be a lengthy one. Six days later, the label dropped the group---1977

At the invitation of Porter Wagoner, James Brown performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Brown’s set included 'Your Cheatin' Heart' and 'Tennessee Waltz' as well as his own 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag'---1979

Andy Gibb ('Love Is Thicker Than Water') died (Myocarditis – inflammation of the heart.)---1988

Doc Green (Drifters – 'There Goes My Baby') died (cancer)---1989

LaVern Baker (born Delores Williams – 'Jim Dandy') died (heart failure)---1997

The Righteous Brothers, AC/DC, The Clash, The Police, Elvis Costello & The Attractions (and sidemen Benny Benjamin, Steve Douglas and Floyd Cramer) were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame---2003

During a London concert ten days before the invasion of Iraq, Natalie Maines – lead singer with the Dixie Chicks – said, "we don’t want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas"---2003
Rock Factoid: The backlash was immediate and furious. Country music fans abandoned the band in droves and in one famous anti-Dixie Chicks display, former fans were encouraged to bring their CD's to a demonstration at which they would be crushed. A Colorado radio station suspended two of its disc jockeys for playing music by the band, and at one point, 76 percent of former fans said they would return the CD's they had purchased if that option was available to them.
Rock Factoid #2: Although Maines did release an apology (which she later recanted), the group responded to the controversy in 2006 by releasing the defiant 'Not Ready To Make Nice' in which Maines addressed hate mail and death threats, and left no doubt in anyone's mind that she was "still mad as hell."
"I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better
Shut up and sing or my life will be over "
Rock Factoid #3: The song won the 2007 Grammy Award for Song of The Year and Record of The Year.

Michael Jackson arrived at his child molestation trial in Los Angeles an hour late and still wearing his pajamas. After being threatened with jail time for making the court wait, Jackson heard testimony from one of his former visitors at his Neverland Ranch; a teenager who said the singer tried to get him drunk on soda cans filled with red wine, which Jackson – according to the teenager – allegedly called "Jesus Juice"---2005

Chuck Day (guitarist with Johnny Rivers' band – he wrote the distinctive opening riff on Rivers' 'Secret Agent Man') died (after a long illness)---2008

The Dave Clark Five, Ventures, Leonard Cohen, John Mellencamp, Madonna (and sideman Little Walter) were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame---2008

THURSDAY March 11

The late Lawrence Welk ('Calcutta') was born in 1903

LeToya Luckett (Destiny's Child – 'Independent Women') is 29

Rami Jaffee (keyboards with the Wallflowers – 'One Headlight') is 41

Lisa Loeb ('I Do') is 42

Mike Percy (bass guitar/songwriter with Dead or Alive – 'You Spin Me Round') is 49

Cheryl Lynn ('Got To Be Real') is 53

Bobby McFerrin ('Don't Worry, Be Happy') is 60

George Kooymans (guitarist with Golden Earring – 'Radar Love') is 62

Mark Stein (keyboards and lead singer with Vanilla Fudge – 'You Keep Me Hangin' On') is 63

Rick Rothwell (drummer with Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – 'Game Of Love') is 66

Manfred Mann played their first concert (they were known as the Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers at the time)---1963

Capitol Records released 'Act Naturally' by Buck Owens---1963

Elvis Presley's 'Kissin Cousins' premiered---1964
Rock Factoid: Generally considered one of Presley's worst films, there is one noteworthy piece of trivia connected to the film. Maureen Reagan, daughter of future President Ronald Reagan, had a minor role as one of the man-crazy "kittyhawks" chasing after Presley's Army character.

The Beatles spent the day at Twickenham Studios for the A Hard Day's Night film. Filming on a stage set made to look like a train guard's cage, the Beatles played cards and mimed to 'I Should Have Known Better'---1964

Talk about a tough choice! In a year loaded with incredible albums, Blood, Sweat & Tears won the Grammy Award for Album of The Year for 'Blood, Sweat & Tears', beating out 'Abbey Road' (Beatles), 'Johnny Cash At San Quentin', 'The Age Of Aquarius' (5th Dimension) and 'Crosby, Stills & Nash'
The 5th Dimension walked away with Song of The Year for 'Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In' and Joe South won Song of The Year for 'Games People Play'---1970
Note: All Grammy Awards mentioned in this article are for recordings released the previous year.

The Beatles released 'Let It Be' / 'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number')---1970

Doors lead singer Jim Morrison moved to Paris (and never returned)---1971

French singer Claude Francois ('Tears On The Telephone') was fatally electrocuted changing a light bulb while standing in his bathtub at his apartment in Paris---1978

Meat Loaf's 'Bat Out Of Hell' album debuted on the British album chart … and stayed there for 474 weeks---1978

Jimmy Sohns (lead singer with the Shadows of Knight – 'Gloria') was arrested for distributing cocaine---1982

Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney turned down a $225 million offer to do a Beatles "reunion" tour---1996

Sir Paul McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth---1997

Connie Francis sued her record label for unpaid royalties and "inappropriate" licensing of her recordings---2002

FRIDAY March 12

The late Leonard Chess (founder of Chess Records) was born in 1917

The late Brian O’Hara (lead guitarist with the Fourmost – 'A Little Loving') was born in 1942

The late Mike Gibbins (drummer with Badfinger – 'No Matter What') was born in 1949

Marlon Jackson (The Jacksons – 'ABC') is 53

James Taylor ('Fire And Rain') is 62

Al Jarreau ('We're In This Love Together') is 70

Jazz musician Charlie 'Bird' Parker died (lobar pneumonia)---1955
Rock Factoid: Tribute was paid to Parker when a new nightclub in New York was named Birdland in his honor in 1949.
Rock Factoid #2: In 1962, George Shearing wrote 'Lullaby Of Birdland', which was named for both Parker and the nightclub.

Rufus Thomas, then a DJ at Memphis' WDIA, recorded 'Bear Cat' on Sun Records as an answer song to Big Mama Thornton's 'Hound Dog' and while it was a regional hit, the ensuing copyright-infringement litigation nearly wiped out label owner Sam Phillips. Thomas went on to have a highly successful recording career with Stax Records---1953

Buddy Holly & the Crickets recorded 'Maybe Baby'---1957

'Deep Purple' by April Stevens and Nino Tempo won the Grammy Award for Best Rock & Roll Recording. If you think that means rock & roll wasn't taken seriously by the music industry, consider the fact that Henry Mancini won Record of The Year for 'Days Of Wine And Roses' and Barbra Streisand won Album of The Year for 'The Barbra Streisand Album'---1964

Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman. Following a reception lunch at the Ritz Hotel, Paul went back to Abbey Road studios to work---1969
Rock Factoid: On the morning of McCartney's wedding, George and Pattie Harrison were arrested for possession of marijuana---1969

Glen Campbell's 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' won the Grammy Award for Album of The Year. Simon & Garfunkel won Record of The Year for 'Mrs. Robinson' and songwriter Bobby Russell's 'Little Green Apples' won Song of The Year. Although the Beatles were nominated for Record of The Year, Song of The Year and Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, all nominations being for'Hey Jude', they were inexplicably shut out---1969

John Lennon and Harry Nilsson were thrown out of the Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles for heckling the headlining Smothers Brothers---1974

On the eve of the Rolling Stones' first tour of China, the Chinese government announced the group would not be allowed to perform 'Brown Sugar,' 'Honky Tonk Women' and 'Let's Spend The Night Together'---2003

The Ronettes, Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, R.E.M. and Patti Smith were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame---2007

SATURDAY March 13

Adam Clayton (bass guitar with U2 – 'With Or Without You') is 50

Neil Sedaka ('Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen') is 71

Songwriter Mike Stoller (wrote 'Hound Dog,' 'Kansas City' and many Coasters songs with partner Jerry Leiber) is 77

The Quarry Men performed at the opening of The Morgue Skiffle Center, Oakhill Park, Broadgreen, Liverpool---1958
Rock Factoid: The club was run by 18-year-old Alan Caldwell, whose group Alan Caldwell's Texans also performed. Caldwell later adopted the stage name Rory Storm and his group became known as The Hurricanes. Drummer Ringo Starr would later join the Hurricanes before signing on with the Beatles.
Rock Factoid #2:The club was located in the cellar of a huge old Victorian house that had previously been a home for retired nurses. It held 100 people and was lit by a single, blue bulb and a fluorescent strip light. An electric fan provided the club's ventilation. The club was closed by police a month later.

Rick Nelson recorded 'Travelin' Man'---1961

The Beatles recorded 'Thank You Girl'---1963

Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas recorded 'Do You Want To Know A Secret'---1963

The Beatles filmed the 'Can't Buy Me Love' romp on a helicopter launch pad for A Hard Day's Night---1964

Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, claiming their musical direction was "too commercial"---1965

The Jackson 5 moved from Motown to Epic Records. Motown responded by claiming the label owned the rights to the group's stage name, so the quintet simply dropped the 'Five' and performed as The Jacksons---1976

John Lennon’s 'Watching The Wheels' was posthumously released---1981
Rock Factoid: The photograph was taken by Paul Goresh in front of Lennon's home in New York City. Goresh also took the infamous photo (in virtually the exact location) of Lennon signing a copy of 'Double Fantasy' for his soon-to-be assassin on December 8, 1980.

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame---1987
Note to Big Bob of Memory Lane fame: The location is 1750 Vine Street if you ever want to see it.

Marc Moreland (guitarist with Wall Of Voodoo – 'Mexican Radio') died (liver and kidney failure)---2002

Black Sabbath, Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Miles Davis, and yes, the Sex Pistols (who refused to show up) were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss (founders of A&M Records) were also inducted for Lifetime Achievement---2006

Alan W. Livingston (Capitol Records executive who signed Frank Sinatra to the label in the fifties and signed the Beatles, Beach Boys and The Band in the sixties) died (natural causes)---2009

Compiled by Ray Lemire ©2005-2010 Ray Lemire. All Rights Reserved.
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