Category: Music

Two anniversaries today in 1965: The Beatles’ “Beatles VI” reached number I, where it stayed for VI weeks …

… while the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” was their first number one single:

(more…)

Today in 1955, “Rock Around the Clock” was played around the clock because it hit number one:

One year later, Dick Clark made his first appearance on ABC-TV’s “American Bandstand”:

Today in 1972, Paul McCartney and Wings began their first tour of France:

(more…)

It is generally not considered a good career move to be indicted for drug trafficking, as Jonathan “Chico” and Robert DeBarge were today in 1988:

Birthdays begin with Jaimoe “Johnny” Johanson, drummer for the Allman Brothers:

Greg T. Walker played bass for Blackfoot:

Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode:

Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot:

Graham Jones of Haircut 100:

Today in 1967, the Beatles released “All You Need Is Love” …

… which proved insufficient for the Yardbirds, which disbanded one year later:

Trumpet players must recognize the birthday of Carl “Doc” Severinsen, who led the “Tonight” show band and was principal pops conductor for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra:

The aforementioned “All You Need Is Love” was released on the 27th birthday of Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Starr:

Warren Entner of the Grass Roots …

… was born one year before James Rodford of The Kinks:

Larry “Rhino” Reinhardt of Iron Butterfly:

Lynval Golding was one of the Fun Boy Three:

Can one wish a happy birthday to an entire band? If so, wish Jefferson Airplane a happy birthday:

Or perhaps you’d like to celebrate Bill Haley’s birthday around the clock:

Gene Chandler:

Who is Terrence “Jet” Harris? He is credited with popularizing the bass guitar in Britain and helping give Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones (who ended up in Led Zeppelin) their starts:

Rik Elswit of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show:

Madison native John Jorgenson of the Desert Rose Band:

Michael Grant of Musical Youth, which asks you to …

Today is the anniversary of the Beatles’ first song to reach the U.S. charts, “From Me to You.” Except it wasn’t recorded by the Beatles, it was recorded by Del Shannon:

Five years later,  John Lennon sold his Rolls–Royce:

Sharing my daughter’s birthday are Smiley Lewis, who first did …

Robbie Robertson of The Band:

Huey Lewis:

Guitarist Michael Monarch of Steppenwolf:

Michael Gismondi played saxophone for the Michael Stanley Band:

This being Independence Day, you wouldn’t think there would be many music anniversaries today. I love this one, though: WOWO radio in Fort Wayne, Ind., celebrated the nation’s 153rd birthday by burning its transmitter to the ground.

Independence Day 1970 was not a holiday for Casey Kasem, who premiered “America’s Top 40”:

Birthdays (besides non-rockers Stephen Foster and Louis Armstrong) include Bill Withers:

Al “Blind Owl” Wilson of Canned Heat …

… was born the same day as Dave Rowberry of the Animals:

Jeremy Spencer of the blues incarnation of Fleetwood Mac:

Ralph Johnson played drums for Earth Wind & Fire:

Kirk Pengilly of INXS:

An interesting anniversary considering what tomorrow is: Today in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Federal Communications Commission ruling punishing WBAI radio in New York City for broadcasting George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words. (If you click on the link, remember, you’ve been warned.)

Birthdays begin with Fontella Bass:

Damon Harris of the Temptations:

The late Laura Brannigan:

Stephen Pearcy of Ratt:

Taylor Dayne:

(more…)

Today in 1969, Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi created Mountain:

Birthdays today start with Paul Williams of the Temptations:

Roy Bittan of the E Street Band, which played mostly, but not exclusively, with Bruce Springsteen:

Joey Puerta of Ambrosia:

Today in 1963, the Beatles recorded “She Loves You,” yeah, yeah, yeah:

Four years later, the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” reached number one, and stayed there for 15 weeks:

Birthdays begin with Robert Byrd (no,  not the older-than-dirt Ku Klux Klan member who became the senator from West Virginia), whom you may know better as Bobby Day:

Delaney Bramlett, of Delaney and Bonnie and Friends:

Deborah Harry of Blondie:

Fred Schneider of the B-52s:

Evelyn “Champagne” King: