This was a good day for the Beatles in 1970 … even though they were breaking up.
Their “Let It Be” album was at number one, as was this single off the album:
Don’t criticize the number one album today in 1980, lest you be criticized for living in “Glass Houses”:
An interesting juxtaposition of 45 years for these two songs:
The number six single today in 1948:
Then, the number 17 song today in 1993 by Green Jellÿ (which began life as Green Jellö — and we have the CD to prove it — until the makers of Jell-O objected):
Birthdays begin with jazz pianist Chick Corea, with whom we sang at a concert at Lawrence University (really) several years ago:
Reg Presley sang for the Troggs:
Barry Bailey of the Atlanta Rhythm Section:
Who is Brad Carlson? You may know him as Bun E. Carlos, drummer of Cheap Trick …
… born the same day as Brad Delp of Boston:
Drummer Michael Hausman of ‘Til Tuesday (which happens to be today):
Today in 1964, one day after the Rolling Stones recorded their “12×5” album in Chicago, Chicago police broke up their news conference. (Perhaps foreshadowing four years later when the Democratic Party came to town?)
The Stones could look back at that and laugh two years later when “Paint It Black” hit number one:
One year later, David Bowie released “Space Oddity” …
… on the same day that this reached number one in Great Britain:
Today in 1964, the Rolling Stones recorded their “12×5” album at Chess Studios in Chicago:
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Today in 1972, Elvis Presley recorded a live album at Madison Square Garden in New York:
Birthdays today start with Shirley Owens Alston of the Shirelles …
… born the same day as Mickey Jones, drummer for the First Edition:
Matthew Fisher, keyboardist for Procol Harum:
Max Elliott, better known in the ’80s and ’90s as Maxi Priest:
Bass player Dan Lavery of Tonic:
Two deaths of note: Fellow Shirelle Addie “Micki” Harris, who died at 42 …
… and the great Ray Charles:
Charles is my father’s brush with greatness story, by the way: After playing in southern Wisconsin’s first rock and roll band (which once got to play backup for Bobby Darin at a concert in Madison) as its first piano player, he worked for a music store in Madison and was asked to deliver and set up a Hammond organ for Charles and his band, who were playing the first concert at the new Dane County Coliseum in Madison. After he finished, the organist invited him to watch the concert backstage. While enjoying the concert, suddenly between songs he heard Charles thanking him for his work and asking him to come onstage and play a song with them. He thinks he did, but cannot be sure because he remembers nothing of the experience. In comparison, I have seen my favorite band, Chicago, three times, and in none of the three have they asked me to come onstage and play.
The number one single today in 1958:
The number one album in the country today in 1971 was Paul and Linda McCartney’s “Ram”:
Today in 1972, Bruce Springsteen signed a record deal with Columbia Records. He celebrated 19 years later by marrying his backup singer, Patti Scialfa.
Birthdays today start with the Wisconsinite to whom every rock guitarist owes a debt, Les Paul:
Jackie Wilson:
George Bunnell played guitar and wrote for Strawberry Alarm Clock:
Jon Lord played keyboards for Deep Purple and Whitesnake:
Mitch Mitchell played drums for the Jimi Hendrix Experience:
Dean Dinning played bass for Toad the Wet Sprocket:
You might call this a transition day in rock music history. For instance, one year to the day after the Rolling Stones released “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” …
… Brian Jones left the Stones, to be replaced by Mick Taylor.
The Rolling Stones had a big day today in 1963: They made their first TV appearance and released their first single:
The number one song today in 1975 (pictured with the official tractor of Roesch Farms):
Five years later, Gary Numan drove his way to number nine:
Birthdays start with Tom Jones, one of those who don’t need a microphone for you to hear him:
Clarence White played guitar for the Byrds:
Jack Ryland sang for Three Dog Night:
Prince:
Dave Navarro of the Red Hot Chili Peppers:
The number one song today in 1955 was probably played around the clock by the first top 40 radio stations:
Anniversary greetings to David Bowie and Iman, married today in 1992:
Birthdays include one of the great Motown voices, the late Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops:
Gary “U.S.” Bonds:
Drummer Laudir de Olivera of the greatest rock group of all time (once upon a time), Chicago:
Dwight Twilley:
Larry “The Mole” Taylor of Canned Heat:
Terry Williams was a part of Kenny Rogers’ band during his transition from folk to rock, the First Edition:
Steve Vai played guitar for Frank Zappa, the David Lee Roth band and Whitesnake:
Not that my parents were paying attention, but the number one song two days into my life was:
Twenty-eight years later, the number one song was by a group that sang about aging nearly two decades earlier:
I was one day old when the Rolling Stones released “Satisfaction”:
Four years later, the Beatles released “The Ballad of John and Yoko”:
The short list of birthdays today includes Roger Brown, who played saxophone for the Average White Band …
… born the same day as the only surviving member of the Mamas and the Papas, Michelle Phillips:
Jimmy McCulloch played guitar for Stone the Crows, Thunderclap Newman and Wings:
Those readers from the ’80s know that DeBarge is not how Tattoo would identify a barge coming to Fantasy Island:
Steffen Lessard plays bass for the Dave Matthews Band:
Today is also the anniversary of the death of bass player Ronnie Lane of the Faces, who died of multiple sclerosis at 50:
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 