Saturday, March 26, 2011

The British Rock Family Tree

(Note:  This is not an all-encompassing tree.  Rather it shows the numerous interconnections that these musicians have, starting out in the beginning.  I tried to only include the ones that were interrelated at some point in their career, and then trace them backwards and forwards.  For instance, the Who and Pink Floyd are not shown because they basically began together, rather than all coming from separate groups.  Further, although groups such as Jethro Tull and Yes are extremely important in the whole picture, they too formed their own groups without much connection to the others.  I will do other Family Trees in the future, especially connecting some of the 70's groups such as Yes with other acts that followed.)


In 1957, sixteen year-old John Lennon and fifteen year-old Paul McCartney joined
together to form a skiffle group called the Quarrymen.  Soon, 14 year-old lead guitarist George
Harrison joined.


Mick Green, who could play both rhythm and lead
guitar simultaneously, played in the Wayfaring Strangers with Johnny Spence and
Frank Farley.  The band came in second in a bands competition to the
Quarrymen.


In 1961, Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies, who had played blues together since 1954, formed Blues Incorporated, the first electric R & B band in
Britain.   This group produced some of the deepest and richest roots in British rock history as you will soon see.  Korner and Davies
brought in Long John Baldry, drummer Charlie Watts, bassist Jack Bruce and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith.  They became regular performers at the Marquee Club in London and musicians such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Rod Stewart, Paul Jones, John Mayall, Zoot Money and Jimmy Page would occasionally sit in on Blues Incorporated performances.  Graham Bond also was briefly a member of the group.


In 1959, Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle formed the Bluefrets.

Keyboardists Geoff Bradford and Kevin Scott began playing as a duo at The Roundhouse club in the late 1950's, owned by Davies and Korner.  Bradford and Scott soon formed a band
with Brian Knight on vocals and harmonica, Charlie
Watts on drums and Peter Andrews on bass guitar known as Blues by Six.

By 1960, the Quarrymen changed their name to the Beetles as a tribute to Buddy Holly and the Crickets.  After trying several other names (Johnny and the Moondogs, Long John and the Beetles and the Silver Beatles), the group decided on the Beatles.  By the end of the year, they had hired Pete Best.  

Mick Jones, Johnny Spence and Frank Farley of the Wayfaring Strangers joined
Red-E Lewis and the Redcaps, who became the Redcaps when Reddy Lewis left.


Zoot Money formed the Big Roll Band, with himself as lead vocalist and organist.
 Roger Collins played lead guitar, Al Kirtley played piano, Mike Montgomery played bass and Johnny Hammond was on drums.


Guitarist Spencer Davis formed a band in 1961 with bass player Bill Perks called the Saints.
 Perks would later change his name to Bill Wyman.


Another group that contributed greatly to the British influence in rock music was formed in 1961 featuring Rod Argent on piano, Paul Atkinson on lead guitar, bassist Chris White, Hugh Grundy on drums and Colin Blunstone on vocals.  That group would become known as the Zombies.

Lead singer Billy J. Kramer founded the
Dakotas with rhythm guitarist Robin MacDonald, Bryn Jones on lead guitar, Tony Bookbinder on drums and bass player Ian Fraser.  Ray Jones soon joined the band as bass player replacing Fraser.  Mike Maxfield joined the band in 1962 as lead guitarist placing Bryn Jones.   

In 1962, bass player John McVie was in the Krewsaders.

Drummer Pete Brookes replaced
Hammond in the Big Roll Band.  Bassist Johnny King and tenor saxophonist Kevin Drake also joined the band.  

Guitarist Mick Jones left the Redcaps and joined Johnny Kidd & the Pirates.

A group was starting elsewhere in
England.   Alan Price, keyboardist, invited lead singer Eric Burdon, guitarist Hilton Valentine, drummer John Steel on drums and Bryan"Chas" Chandler to form the Alan Price Rhythm & Blues Combo.  The group soon changed their name to the Animals.

Also that year, Ray and Davie Davies formed the Ray Davies Quarter along with Pete Quaife
and John Start.  The group featured a series of lead singers, most notably Rod Stewart.  Stewart soon formed his own group, Rod Stewart and the Moonrakers.  In 1962, Davies left to play guitar with the Dave Hunt Band.  Ray and Dave soon formed with Pete Quaife again under several names, including the Pete Quaife Band, the Bo-Weevils, the Ramrods and the Ravens. 
 

Pete Best was let go from the Beatles in favor of Ringo Starr, who had played with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.

Meanwhile, Jagger, guitarist Brian Jones, guitarist Keith Richards, pianist Ian Stewart, bassist Dick Taylor and drummer Charlie Watts formed the Rolling Stones.  Shortly after, Bill Wyman replaced
Taylor on bass.

Another group formed in 1962 with lead singer Allan Clarke, guitarist and vocalist Graham Nash, guitarist Vic Steele, bass player Eric Haydock and drummer Don Rathbone.  They would name themselves the Hollies.  In succession, three members of the Dolphins joined the group, two of them right away.  Hicks replaced Steele on guitar, Elliott replaced Rathbone
on drums. 
 
Stewart then joined the Dimensions in 1963.  

Also that year, Tony Hicks, Bobby Elliott and Bernie Calvert started a band known as the Dolphins.

In 1963, singer/harmonica player Keith Relf and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith were in the Metropolitan Blues Quartet and changed their name to the Blue-Sounds.  Later that year, drummer Jim McCarty, lead guitarist Top Topham and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja joined and the group changed their name to the Yardbirds.  In October, lead guitarist Eric Clapton replaced Topham.

In 1963, drummer Mick Fleetwood began in The Cheynes.  He played in Peter B's Looners (with guitarist Peter Green) and Shotgun Express (with Green and vocalist Rod Stewartt).

Baldry became friends with Paul McCartney in the early 1960's when McCartney was in the group the Quarrymen and Baldry later played on a 1964 Beatles television special.  In 1963, Baldry joined the Cyril Davies R&B All-Stars with Bernie Watson and Jimmy Page on guitar on Nicky Hopkins on piano.  The group soon became known as the Hoochie Coochie Men with lead singer Rod Stewart and Geoff Bradford on guitar.  

Meanwhile in
England, the Mann-Hug Blues Brothers were formed by keyboardist Manfred Mann, Mike Hugg (drums/vibes), Mike Vickers (guitar, alto sax and flute), bassist Dave Richmond and lead singer Paul Jones.  Jones left in 1966.  Richmond left in
1964 and was replaced by Tom McGuinness.  The group became Manfred Mann and the Manfreds and then Manfred Mann.  Guitarist Jack Bruce joined the group briefly in 1966,
replacing Vickers.  Jones left  and was replaced by Mike D'Abo as lead singer. 
 

In 1963, John Mayhall formed the Bluesbreakers with vocalist Peter Ward, John McVie on bass, Bernie Watson on guitar and Martin Hart on drums.  

Soon after, Roger Dean (formerly in Nu Notes) replaced Watson on guitar and Hughie Flint
replaced Hart on drums. 
Flint stayed in the group from 1964-1969 before forming McGuinness
Flint with Tom McGuinness, the former guitarist with Manfred Mann.  Aynsley Dunsbar was brought in to replace
Flint on drums.  In 1965, Eric Clapton joined the group to focus on playing blues music, replacing Dean.  

Steve Marriott began the group Steve Marriott and the Moments, featuring lead guitarist John Weider.

Another important group with deep roots in the British Family Tree began.  Guitarist Spencer
Davis invited fourteen year-old vocalist/organist Steve Winwood (who had already logged incredible experience playing for B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, among others) and his bassist brother Muff Winwood to join a band.   Drummer Pete York completed the group that would be called the Rhythm and Blues Quartette but eventually the Spencer Davis Group.


Vocalist Wayne Fontana founded a band that same year with Bob Lang, Ric Rothwell
and Eric Stewart called Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.  Grahame Foote later joined.

In 1964, the Ravens had hired Mickey Willet on drums, but he was soon replaced by Mick Avory,
who had played a gig with the Rolling Stones.  The group also changed their name to the Kinks. 

Mick Green left Johnny Kidd & the Pirates to join Billy J. Kramer and the
Dakotas, replacing Ray Jones.  Guitarist John Weider replaced Green in the Pirates.

In 1964, Andy Summers replaced Collins as guitarist for the Big Roll Band.  Nick Newall was brought in as a saxophonist and drummer Colin Allen replaced Brooks.  Zoot Money soon left for Blues Incorporated.

When Clapton left the Yardbirds to join the Bluesbreakers, Jeff Beck replaced him on lead guitar.

Another group was forming that same year.  Michael Pinder and Ray Thomas, who had been members of the Krew Cats, recruited guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick to form the Moody Blues.  Thomas, Lodge and Pinder
had been members of El Riot & the Rebels along with bassist John Lodge.


In 1965,
Ronnie Lane and Steve Marriott recruited Kenny Jones and keyboardist Jimmy Winston to form the group Small Faces. Later that year, Winston was replaced by Ian McLagen.


Meanwhile, Graham Bond formed the Graham Bond Quartet with musicians he had met while with Blues Incorporated--Ginger Baker on drums, Jack Bruce on bass and John McLaughlin on guitar.  McLaughin was soon replaced by Dick Heckstall-Smith.  

Guitarist and vocalist Graham Gouldman formed the Mockingbirds with Stephen Jacobson (guitar, bongos), bassist Bernard Basso and drummer Kevin Godley.
Price left his own band, the Animals, in 1965.  He was replaced by Dave Rowberry.
Fontana left his own band as well, which was renamed simply the Mindbenders.  Eric Stewart
assumed the lead singing role of the group.

Also in 1965, the Hoochie Coochie Men became Steampacket with Baldry and Stewart as male vocalists, Julie Driscoll as female vocalist, guitarist Vic Briggs and Brian Auger on organ.  When Steampacket broke up in 1966, Baldry then formed Bluesology featuring Reginald Dwight on keyboards and guitarists Elton Dean and Caleb Quaye on guitar.  Dwight soon adopted the
name Elton John, his first name being from Dean and his last name from Baldry


In 1966, Samwell-Smith left the Yardbirds and was replaced by Jimmy Page.  Also, Jeff Beck was fired from the group. 

The Animals disbanded, then re-formed under the name Eric Burdon & the Animals.  Barry Jenkins was the new drummer, John Weider (formerly with Steve Marriott and the Moments and
Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) played guitar, violin and bass, Vic Briggs (formerly with Steampacket) played piano and guitar, and bass player Danny McCulloch joined Burdon (lead singer).


The third former member of the Dolphins, Bernie Calvert joined former group members Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott in the Hollies, with Calvert replacing Haydock.

Denny Laine and Warwick both left the Moody Blues.  Rod
Clark briefly replaced him but later in the year, the group re-formed with new members John Lodge, the bassists from El Riot, and Justin Hayward, formerly with The Wild Three. 

In 1966, Clapton left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Bruce left Manfred Mann and initially they hooked up with Paul Jones on harmonica, pianist Ben Palmer and Steve Winwood (vocals and keyboards) and drummer Pete York, both from the Spencer Davis Group, to form Eric Clapton's Powerhouse.  That project was short-lived and Clapton and Bruce invited Ginger Baker to form
Cream.


Klaus Voorman replaced Bruce in Manfred Mann when Bruce went to form Cream.

Peter Green replaced Clapton on guitar for the Bluesbreakers.  Mick Fleetwood oined the group as well for a brief period, replacing Dunsbar 

Soon after, however, Green and Fleetwood formed Fleetwood Mac with slide guitar player Jeremy Spencer and bassist Bob Brunning, who was a temporary member.  Two months
later, McVie too left the Bluesbreakers to replace Brunning in Fleetwood Mac.

Guitarist Mick Taylor joined the Bluesbreakers to replace Green and bassist Tony Reeves
replaced McVie.


But
Taylor too stayed for a little over a year, joining the Rolling Stones in 1969.  The Bluesbreakers also included Larry Taylor, Walter Trout and Harvey Mandel for a brief time in
1967.  That trio later left to join Canned Heat, but that branch would take us well into the American rock scene and that will be taken up in another Family Tree.


In 1967, after an unsuccessful audition for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Aynsley Dunsbar formed the Aynsley Dunsbar Retaliation (1967-1969) and also took Fleetwood's place as the drummer for the Bluesbreakers, whom he played with through 1971.  Dunsbar joined Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention from 1970-1974, while also playing for others, including David Bowie and Lou Reed.  

Steve Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group and formed the group Traffic with drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist Dave Mason and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood.

Zoot Money formed a new group featuring Andy Somers (who changed his name to Summers) on guitar, Pat Donaldson on bass and Colin Allen on drums.

Former Searchers drummer Chris Curtis wanted to begin a band called Roundabout, one that members could hop on and off.  He recruited organ player Jon Lord, session guitarist Ritchie Blackmore.   Curtis soon quit the project, but Lord and Blackmore carried on.  Former bassist Nick Simper of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates was brought in and soon vocalist Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice completed the lineup that would become Deep Purple.

In 1968 Marriott his band to form Humble Pie, which also included Peter Frampton. 

John Mayall was looking for a new bass player for the Bluesbreakers and he found 15 year-old Andy Fraser.  But, through the help of Alexis Korner, Fraser soon teamed up with 17 year-old lead guitarist Paul Kossoff and 18 year-olds Paul Rodgers (lead singer) and drummer Simon Kirke to form the group Free.  Free's four years together had immeasurable influence on rock music.

Elsewhere, guitarist and vocalist Graham Gouldman joined the Mindbenders.  That group dissolved eight months later but the beginnings of another British band would take root.
 Eric Stewart and Gouldman joined with Lol Creme and Kevin Godley (who had been a member of the Mockingbirds with Gouldman).   By 1973, the group became 10cc.


The Zombies split up, but Rod Argent formed a new group Argent, with drummer Bob Henrit and guitarist/keyboardist Russ Ballard.

George Bruno was added as a keyboardist to the Animals.  Guitarist Andy Summers replaced Briggs and McCulloch in the group.

Another group was forming that was not extremely well known in the
United States but laid
the foundation for its members to significantly contribute to rock music.   Guitarist Robert Fripp, drummer Michael Giles, bassist
Greg Lake, Peter Sinfield and Ian McDonald (who played saxophone, flute, vibraphone, keyboards and guitar) formed King Crimson.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood Mac invited guitarist Danny Kirwan to join.

Also that year, the Yardbirds became the New Yardbirds, featuring Jimmy Page on guitar, lead vocalist Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham.  That name soon gave way to Led Zeppelin.

Guitarist Graham Nash traveled to the
United States, where he met David Crosby.  This led to the formation of one of the first "supergroups", Crosby, Stills & Nash.  Nash was replaced in the Hollies by Terry Sylvester.   

Relf and McCarty of the Yardbirds formed the groups Together and Renaissance, with
McCarty briefly starting a group called Shoot in 1973 and Relf forming the short-lived Armageddon in 1975.


In 1969, Quaife left the Kinks and was replaced by John Dalton.  The Kinks also added
keyboardist John Gossling to their lineup in 1970.


Meanwhile, guitarist Ronnie Wood and lead singer Rod Stewart were with the Jeff Beck Group.
Later that summer, Wood and Stewart joined Small Faces members Lane, McLagan and Jones to form the group Faces.


Nick Simper and Rod Evans were fired from Deep Purple.  Ian Gillian became the new voice of the group.  

Keyboardist Vincent Crane and drummer Carl Palmer, both former members of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, arranged a meeting with Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones and, with bassist Nick Graham, formed the group Atomic Rooster. 

In late 1969, Greg Lake of King Crimson and keyboardist Keith Emerson of Nice began working together.  They soon invited drummer Carl Palmer to join them as Emerson, Lake
&
Palmer.


Cream's short stay on the music scene ended, but Clapton and Baker joined Steve Winwood (Traffic too proved to be short-lived) and bass player Ric Grech in Blind Faith.  Clapton, never one to stay in a group long, left a few months later.  The remaining members recruited former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine, vocalist Jeanette Jacobs, drummer Remi Kabaka, Chris Wood (tenor sax and flute), Graham Bond on alto sax, Harold McNair on tenor sax and flute
and Phil Seamen on percussion to form a group known as Ginger Baker's Air Force.


In 1969, Manfred Mann the group split up, with Mann forming Manfred Mann Chapter 3 and then Manfred Mann's Earth Band, which had the hit "Blinded By the Light" and still tours to this day.

The Beatles famously broke up in 1970, leaving the members to pursue solo projects.

Vocalist and bassist Boz Burrell joined King Crimson.

McGuinness left Manfred Mann in 1970 to form McGuinness Flint with drummer Hughie Flint (formerly with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers) and songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle.

Peter Green left Fleetwood Mac in 1970.  Keyboardist and vocalist Christine Perfect, formerly with Chicken Shack and a part-time contributor to Fleetwood Mac in the past, was
formally invited to join the group.  Perfect was married to John McVie and changed her stage name to Christine McVie.  In 1971, while on tour in the
United States, Spencer announced he was going to "go out and get a magazine" but never returned.  While out, Spencer had been
brainwashed and converted to the Children of God, a religious cult.  Green joined back just long enough to finish the tour, so guitarist Bob Welch was brought in.  The group fired Kirwan in 1972 and added slide guitarist Bob Weston and vocalist Dave Walker, formerly of Savoy Brown.


In 1971, McCartney began forming the group Wings with his wife Linda on vocals and ex-Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine.  Drummer Denny Seiwell , who had been a session musician for McCartney on his second solo album, also joined the group.    In the latter part of the year, McCartney added Henry McCullough, formerly with Spooky Tooth.  

In 1972, Gallagher and Lyle formed the duo Gallagher & Lyle.  Lyle went on to become an
accomplished songwriter, writing "What's Love Got to Do With It" and "We Don't Need Another Hero" for Tina Turner and several other songs.  In 1979, McGuinness,
Flint, former Manfred Mann lead singer Paul Jones, slide guitarist/vocalist Paul Kelly and former Manfred Mann bassist Gary Fletcher formed the Blues Band, which still tours Europe.

McCullough and Seiwell left Wings in 1973, leaving McCartney to hire Jimmy McCullouch,
a lead guitarist in Thunderclap Newman. 
 

Ian Gillian left Deep Purple in 1973 and David Coverdale repaced him as lead singer.

With the breakup of the group Free, lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke
were joined by guitarist Mick Ralphs (Mott the Hoople) and King Crimson bassist Boz
Burrell to form Bad Company.


In 1973, Fleetwood Mac fired both guitarist Weston and vocalist Walker.  Welch then left the following year and the group needed both a lead guitarist and a vocalist.  They found both in the duo Buckingham-Nicks.  Guitarist Buckingham, who also sang, and lead singer Stevie Nicks would, together with Christine McVie, give the group three lead vocalists.

Taylor quit the Rolling Stones in 1974 and was replaced by Ronnie Wood.  

Geoff Britton joined Wings in 1974 to give the group a full-time drummer.

Dunsbar joined Jefferson Starship from 1975-1978, playing on the group's first four albums.  That too takes us into the States and a later Family Tree.

A  three-piece group consisting of Sting (Gordon Sumner), guitarist Henry Padovani and
Copeland was formed  That evolved into a Gong reunion of bassist Mike Howlett, guitarist Sting, drummer Stewart Copeland and former Eric Burdon and the Animals guitarist Andy Summers called Strontium 90.  Padovani replaced Howlett and the band renamed themselves the Police.  Padovani left a month later, leaving Summers, Sting and Copeland to carry on as a
three-piece. 
Kenny Jones of the Faces joined as the Who's drummer in 1978 after Keith Moon died.

Deep Purple singer David Coverdale formed the band Whitesnake with fellow Purple alum Jon Lord, and drummer Ian Paice.  

In 1982, Chuck Leavell was hired as the full-time keyboardist of the Rolling Stones, as Stewart had been primarily the group's road manager since 1963 and only part-time keyboardist. 

In the 1980's, former Yardbird members McCarty, Dreja and Samwell-Smith formed a group called a Box of Frogs, which included Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck from time to time.

In 1984, Coverdale brought in guitarist John Sykes, formerly of Thin Lizzy, to join Whitesnake.  Dunsbar joined Whitesnake on drums in 1985 and played on their debut album.

Another British supergroup formed, although they were together barely over a year.  Paul Rodgers had left Bad Company and Led Zeppelin was essentially done as a group when John Bonham died after recording the album In Through the Out Door in 1979.   This led to Rodgers and Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page forming the Firm with drummer Chris Slade form Manfred Mann and Uriah Heap and bass player Tony Franklin.

In 1991, McCarty formed Pretty Things.

Dunsbar is now with the World Classic Rockers.

Discography: Police

1978:  Outlandos d'Amour (#23)
1979:  Reggatta de Blanc (#25)
1980:  Zenyatta Mondatta (#5)
1981:  Ghost in the Machine (#2)
1983:  Synchronicity (#1)

Live Albums:
1995:  Live!  (#86)
2008:  Certifiable:  Live in Buenos Aires


Compilations:
1986:  Every Breath You Take:  The Singles (#7)
1990:  Their Greatest Hits
1992:  Greatest Hits
1993:  Message in a Box:  The Complete Recordings
1997:  The Very Best of Sting & the Police
2007:  The Police (#11)

Hits List: Aretha Franklin

This woman is one of the giants of the Rock Era.  Here is the complete Hits List for the Queen of Soul:

1956:  "Never Grow Old"
           "Precious Lord (Part One)"
1960:  "Today I Sing the Blues" (#10 R&B)
1961:  "Won't Be Long" (#76, #7 R&B)
           "Are You Sure"
           "Operation Heartbreak" (#6 R&B)
           "Rock-a Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody" (#37)
1962:  "I Surrender, Dear" (#87)
           "Rough Lover" (#94)
           "Don't Cry, Baby" (#92)
           "Just For a Thrill"
           "Try a Little Tenderness" (#100)
           "Trouble in Mind" (#86)
1963:  "Here's Where I Came In (Here's Where I Walk Out)
           "Say It Isn't So"
           "Skylark"
           "Kissin' by the Mistletoe"
1964:  "Soulville"
           "Runnin' Out of Fools" (#57, #30 R&B)
           "The Christmas Song"
1965:  "Can't You Just See Me"
           "One Step Ahead" (#18 R&B)
           "(No, No) I'm Losing You" (#34 Adult Contemporary)
           "You Made Me Love You" (#32 AC)
1966:  "Tighten Up Your Tie, Tighten Up Your Jacket"
           "Until You Were Gone"
           "Cry Like a Baby" (#27 R&B)
1967:  "Lee Cross" (#31 R&B)
           "Take a Look" (#56, #28 R&B)
           "Mockingbird" (#94)
           "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)--#9, #1 R&B
           "Do Right Woman-Do Right Man" (#37 R&B)
           "Respect" (#1, #1 R&B)
           "Baby I Love You (#4, #1 R&B)
           "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (#8, #2 R&B)
           "Chain of Fools" (#2, #1 R&B)
1968:  "Soulville" (re-release)--#83
           "Satisfaction"
           "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (#5, #1 R&B)
           "Ain't No Way" (#16, #9 R&B)
           "Think" (#7, #1 R&B)
           "You Send Me" (#56, #28 R&B)
           "The House That Jack Built" (#6, #2 R&B)
           "I Say a Little Prayer" (#10, #3 R&B)
           "See Saw" (#14, #9 R&B)
           "My Song" (#31, #10 R&B)
1969:  "Jim"
           "Today I Sing the Blues" (re-release)
           "The Weight" (#19, #3 R&B)
           "Tracks of My Tears" (#71, #21 R&B)
           "I Can't See Myself Leaving You (#28, #3 R&B)
           "Gentle on My Mind" (#76, #50 R&B)
           "Share Your Love With Me" (#13, #1 R&B)
           "Eleanor Rigby" (#17, #5 R&B)
1970:  "Call Me"/"Son of a Preacher Man" (#13, #1 R&B)
           "Spirit in the Dark"/"The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday's Kiss)" (#23, #3 R&B)
           "Don't Play That Song" (#11, #1 R&B)
           "Border Song (Holy Moses)"/"You and Me" (#37, #5 R&B)
1971:  "You're All I Need to Get By" (#19, #3 R&B)
           "Bridge Over Troubled Water"/"A Brand New Me" (#6, #1 R&B #40 AC)
           "Spanish Harlem" (#2, #1 R&B)
           "Rock Steady" (#9, #2 R&B)
1972:  "Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)--#73, #9 R&B)
           "Day Dreaming" (#5, #1 R&B, #11 AC)
           "All the King's Horses"/"April Fools" (#26, #7 R&B)
           "Wholy Holy" (#81, #49 R&B)
1973:  "Master of Eyes (The Deepness of Your Eyes)"--#33, #8 R&B
           "Angel" (#20, #1 R&B, #44 AC)
           "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna' Do)"--#3, #1 R&B, #33 AC
1974:  "I'm in Love" (#17, #1 R&B)
           "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (#47, #6 R&B)
           "Without Love" (#45, #6 R&B)
1975:  "With Everything I Feel in Me" (#20 R&B)
           "Mr. D.J. (5 for the D.J.)"--#53, #13 R&B
1976:  "You" (#15 R&B)
           "Something He Can Feel" (#28, #1 R&B)
           "Jump"/"Hooked on Your Love" (#72, #17 R&B)
1977:  "Look into Your Heart" (#82, #10 R&B)
           "Break It to Me Gently" (#85, #1 R&B)
           "When I Think About You" (#16 R&B)
1978:  "Almighty Fire (Woman of the Future)"--#12 R&B
           "More Than Just a Joy" (#51 R&B
1979:  "Ladies Only" (#33 R&B)
           "Half a Love" (#65 R&B)
1980:  "United Together" (#56, #3 R&B)
1981:  "What a Fool Believes" (#17 R&B, #39 Dance)
           "Come to Me" (#84, #39 R&B)
           "Love All the Hurt Away" with George Benson (#46, #6 R&B, #49 Dance)
           "It's My Turn" (#29 R&B)
1982: "Livin' in the Streets"
          "Jump to It" (#21, #1 R&B, #4 Dance)
          "Love Me Right" (#22 R&B)
1983:  "This Is for Real" (#63 R&B)
           "Get It Right" (#61, #1 R&B, #9 Dance)
           "Every Girl (Wants My Guy)"--#7 R&B
1985:  "Freeway of Love" (#3, #1 R&B, #11 AC, #1 Dance)
           "Who's Zoomin' Who" (#7, #1 R&B, #10 AC, #1 Dance)
           "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (#18, #66 R&B, #10 Dance)
1986:  "Another Night" (#22, #9 R&B, #21 AC, #4 Dance)
           "Freeway of Love" (re-release)
           "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" (#30 R&B, #9 Dance)
           "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (#21, #20 R&B)
           "Jimmy Lee" (#28, #2 R&B, #17 AC, #19 Dance)
1987:  "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" with George Michael (#1, #5 R&B, #2 AC, #12 Dance)
           "Rock-A-Lott" (#82, #25 R&B, #4 Dance)
           "If You Need My Love Tonight" with Larry Graham (#88 R&B)
1988:  "Oh Happy Day"
           "If Ever a Love There Was" with the Four Tops (#31 R&B, #26 AC)
1989:  "Through the Storm" with Elton John (#16, #17 R&B, #3 AC)
           "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna' Be" with Whitney Houston (#41, #5 R&B, #18 Dance)
           "Gimme' Your Love" with James Brown (#48 R&B)
1991:  "Everyday People" (#13 R&B, #33 Dance)
           "Someone Else's Eyes" (#53)
           "What You See is What You Sweat"
1992:  "Ever Changing Times" with Michael McDonald (#19 R&B, #11 AC)
           "Someday We'll All Be Free"
1994:  "A Deeper Love" (#63, #30 R&B, #1 Dance)
           "Willing to Forgive" (#26, #5 R&B, #22 AC)
           "Jump to It" (#18 Dance)
           "Honey" (#30 R&B)
1996:  "It Hurts Like Hell" (#51 R&B)
1998:  "A Rose Is Still a Rose" (#26, #5 R&B, #1 Dance)
           "Here We Go Again" (#76, #24 R&B, #1 Dance)
           "In Case You Forgot"
2003:  "The Only Thing Missin'" (#53 R&B, #7 Dance)
           "Wonderful" (#46 R&B)
2007:  "Put You Up on Game" with Fantasia (#41 R&B)

Awards Won by Sir Elton John

Elton John has sold more than 250 million records worldwide, making him one of the legendary stars of all-time.  His "Candle in the Wind 1997", a tribute to Princess Diana that Elton played at her funeral, is the best-selling single in music history (33 million copies).  EJ has 56 Top 40 hits, 16 Top 10's and nine #1 songs.

1975:  Given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1987:  Won Special Recognition Award at the MTV Video Music Awards.

1987:  Won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for his work on the song "That's What Friends Are For" with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder.

1991:  Won Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for "Basque".

1992:  Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

1994:  Received the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King.

1994:  Received Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

1994:  Won Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

1994:  Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in hist first year of eligibility.

1995:  Won Polar Music Prize.

1995:  Won BMI Award for Most Performed Song from a Film for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

1995:  Honored as a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

1997:  Won Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Candle in the Wind 1997".

1998:  Won the Freddie Mercury Award at the Brit Awards for his charitable work.

1998:  Won American Music Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist.

1998:  Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on February 24.

1999:  Received the Grammy Legend Award.

2000:  Won the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards.

2000:  Received a Tony Award for Best Original Score for Aida.

2000:  Won Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album for Aida.

2003:  Received Goldene Kamera Award in the category Life's Work Music.

2004:  Won Q Classic Songwriter Award at the Q Awards Show.

2004:  Recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor.

2006: Given the Disney Legends Award.

2007:  Won Ivor Novello Award for the PRS Most Performed Work "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'".

2009:  Won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music for Billy Elliot The Musical.

2010:  Awarded the PRS for Music Heritage Award.

This Date in Rock Music History: March 26

1955:  Johnny Ace was still cooking with the #1 R&B song--"Pledging My Love" was there for a ninth week.
1956:  Elvis Presley had a screen test for the first of three days at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.  Presley performed two scenes from The Rainmaker(Note:  several websites report that the test was on April 1.  They're fooling you.  According to the books 'Elvis Presley:  194 Success Facts -Everything you Need to Know about Elvis Presley' by Helen French and 'Elvis Presley:  The King of Rock 'n' Roll' by Jean-Pierre Hornbach, as well as numerous other credible sources, Presley did his screen tests on March 26-28.) 

1956: Kay Starr had the #1 song in both the United States and the U.K. with "Rock And Roll Waltz".
1957: Ricky Nelson recorded his first songs.
1960: The television special Welcome Home Elvis, hosted by Frank Sinatra, was recorded at Miami Beach, Florida. Elvis Presley had recently been discharged from active duty in the United States Army. Presley and Sinatra sang duets of "Love Me Tender" and "Witchcraft". 

1961: The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, before driving to Hamburg, Germany to begin a second residency.






1964: Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand, opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway.
1965: Mick Jagger, Brian Jones and Bill Wyman received electric shocks from a defective microphone while performing at the Fyens Forum in Odense, Denmark. Wyman was unconscious for several minutes.
1965: The Yardbirds announced that Jeff Beck would take Eric Clapton's place in the group.








     "Green Peppers", one of the great tracks on 'Whipped Cream...'

1966:  Ballads of the Green Berets by Ssgt. Barry Sadler was the top album for the third week but Whipped Cream & Other Delights floated near the top for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.  Herb & the boys were also #3 with Going Places and #10 with The Lonely Bull, an unprecedented feat in the Rock Era.  The rest of the Top 10:  The timeless Soundtrack to "The Sound of Music", moved back up to #4 after 54 weeks of release, Rubber Soul from the Beatles was fifth, The Best of the Animals jumped from 19 to 7, Boise, Idaho's Paul Revere & the Raiders matched them step for step with a 20 to 7 move for their new album Just Like Us!, The Best of Herman's Hermits fell to #8 and Grammy winner September of My Years from Frank Sinatra was #9.
1966:  Wilson Pickett had the right combination as "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.) was #1 on the R&B chart for the third consecutive week.




1966:  Johnny Rivers carried out his mission to fly up the charts as "Secret Agent Man" used all manner of stealth and sly tricks to climb from 60 to #22.












1968:  The Classics IV released the great single "Stormy".
1969:  Pat Boone starred in an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies on CBS-TV.
1969:  Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was #1 in the U.K.
1972: Mott the Hoople announced they were breaking up, but then changed their mind after David Bowie gave them the song "All The Young Dudes".











1973:  Elton John released the single "Daniel".1975: Tommy, the movie based on the rock opera by the Who, premiered in London.
 









1976:  Duster Bennett, who worked with Fleetwood Mac, B.B. King, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Alexis Korner, was killed in a car accident in Warwickshire, England at age 29.










1977:  Alice Cooper gave a show at the RAS Showground in Sydney, Australia that attracted 40,000, the largest rock concert in that country's history to that point.  (Note:  some websites mistakenly claim that the show was on April 11, with one website saying it was on March 14.  The correct date, as you can see from the ticket stub above, is March 26.)










1977:  A brand new group consisting of both British and American musicians first appeared on the chart on this date and they would take the world by storm.  Foreigner's first hit song was "Feels Like The First Time".










1977:  Natalie Cole led the way once again on the R&B chart as her great song "I've Got Love On My Mind" was #1 for a fifth week.
1977:  Glen Campbell returned for a fourth week atop the Adult chart with "Southern Nights".
1977: "Rich Girl" by Hall & Oates was on top, but only briefly.  Wonder if there's a message in there for us all--if you're rich, you're really only on top briefly before everything comes crashing down.








      
  "Valdez in the Country" helped George Benson score another Top 10 album.

1977:  Very few albums in the Rock Era could go toe to toe with Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and actually top it in a given week but that's what Hotel California by the Eagles did on this date.  Hotel California vaulted from 4-1, past Rumours, to achieve it's third stay at the top.  The Soundtrack to "A Star Is Born" from Barbara Streisand relinquished its position while Songs in the Key of Life from Stevie Wonder got a boost from its Grammy win and moved back up to #4.  Fly Like An Eagle from the Steve Miller Band was fifth with newcomer Boston also edging up with their debut.  The rest of the Top 10:  John Denver's Greatest Hits, Volume 2, Leftoverture from Kansas moved from 12 to 8, George Benson's In Flight and Animals by Pink Floyd slid to #10.
1980: The Police became the first act from the West to play in India in over ten years, opening their Zenyatta Mondatta tour at the Rang Bhavan in Mumbai.

1980: Jon Paulus of the Buckinghams died of a drug overdose at the age of 32.
1983: Duran Duran was mobbed by 4,000 screaming fans at an in-store appearance in New York City to promote their single "Is There Something I Should Know".

1983:  Duran Duran reached #1 in the U.K. with "Is There Something I Should Know".








1983:  "You Are" from Lionel Richie spent a fourth week at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
1983:  Michael Jackson couldn't be topped as "Billie Jean" continued to set the pace on the R&B chart for the sixth week.









1983:  INXS debuted on the chart with their first single in the U.S.--"The One Thing".











1983:  "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson ruled the chart for a fourth week.  The only new song in the Top 10 was Golden Earring's "Twilight Zone".
1983:  Thriller by Michael Jackson held off all challengers for a fifth week at #1 on the Album chart.
1985: South Africa radio stations banned all Stevie Wonder music after he dedicated his Oscar award to Nelson Mandela.

1988:  "Man In The Mirror" from Michael Jackson moved to #1 on the R&B chart.









                                                         Def Leppard had arrived...

1988: Michael Jackson began a two-week stay at #1 with "Man In The Mirror".  Richard Marx peaked at #2 with "Endless Summer Nights" while Rick Astley took a fall with "Never Gonna' Give You Up".  Debbie Gibson was back with "Out Of The Blue" and Billy Ocean liked what he saw in his 10-5 move for "Get Outta' My Dreams, Get Into My Car".  The rest of the Top 10:  Belinda Carlisle with her former #2 smash "I Get Weak", Keith Sweat kept saying "I Want Her", George Michael was on the way down with his classic--"Father Figure", the Jets entered the list with "Rocket 2 (sic) U (sic)" and Def Leppard achieved their first Top 10 song with "Hysteria".

1988:  Rick Astley remained at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Never Gonna' Give You Up".





The title track helped INXS score the biggest album of their career.

1988:  After nine weeks at #1 on the Album chart and then falling back, the Soundtrack to "Dirty Dancing" had now spend three more weeks at #1.  Faith from George Michael wasn't going away, Michael Jackson's Bad was third with the impressive new release from INXS, Kick, at #4.









1994: Soundgarden debuted on the Album chart at #1 with Superunknown.  The Downward Spiral from Nine Inch Nails debuted at #2.  Pretty easy in the days of little competition, almost like they drew it up back home in the barn.  The Sign from Ace of Base fell to third.  Other notable entries:  Toni Braxton's self-titled debut fell from 1 to 5, Music Box by Mariah Carey was on its way down, August and Everything After by the Counting Crows remained in the #7 spot and The Colour of My Love from Celine Dion fell to #8.










1994:  The tea leaves said that Ace of Base had a huge hit on their hands, as "The Sign" remained #1 for a third week.
1995: Rapper, producer and record executive Eazy-E died of AIDS at the age of 31 in Los Angeles. Eric Lynn Wright had worked with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube.
1998: Chuck Negron filed a suit against the other members of Three Dog Night, alleging that they had breached a 1990 settlement and interfered with his career.










2000: Phil Collins was presented the Oscar for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards with "You'll Be In My Heart" from the movie Tarzan.

2000:  Melanie C of the Spice Girls replaced former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell at #1 in the U.K. with "Never Be The Same Again", her duet with Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC.
2000:  Santana topped the U.K. Album chart with Supernatural.









                                            Celine returned after a 2 1/2 year hiatus...

2002: Celine Dion released the album A New Day Has Come(Note:  some websites claim the album was released on March 22, but according to Celine's official website, the correct date is March 26.)
2002: Randy Castillo, drummer for Lita Ford, Motley Crue and Ozzy Osbourne's band, died of cancer in Los Angeles at age 51.
2004: Sammy Hagar announced that he was back with Van Halen, and the group would tour that summer.






2004: Jan Berry of Jan and Dean died at the age of 62. Berry had been in poor health ever since his car crash in 1966.
2005: Paul Hester, drummer with Crowded House and Split Enz, died at the age of 46 from suicide in Melbourne, Australia.
2006: The Edge of U2 donated his favorite guitar (a 1975 Gibson Les Paul) to a charity he had co-founded to replace instruments lost or destroyed as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
2006:  Ne-Yo had the top U.K. song with "So Sick".
2012:  Madonna released the album MDNA.


Born This Day:
1917: Rufus Thomas ("Walking The Dog"), the father of soul singer Carla Thomas, was born in Cayce, Mississippi; died of heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee on December 15, 2001.
1936: Fred Parris, songwriter and vocalist with the Five Satins, was born in New Haven, Connecticut.

1942:  Larry Butler, keyboardist and vocalist with the Esquires and the Gentrys ("Keep On Dancin'"), songwriter (co-wrote "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" for B.J. Thomas) and producer for Kenny Rogers, Debbie Boone and Mac Davis, was born in Pensacola, Florida; died January 20, 2012 in his sleep at the age of 69 in Pensacola, Florida.



1944: Diana Ross (real name Diane Earl) was born in Detroit, Michigan.
1946:  Johnny Crawford ("Cindy's Birthday" from 1962), an actor who became famous playing "Mark" on The Rifleman television series, was born in Los Angeles.
1948: Richard Tandy, keyboardist with Electric Light Orchestra, was born in Birmingham, England.  (Note:  'Allmusic.com claims Tandy was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but that is false.  Tandy was born in Birmingham, England, according to the 'BBC' and many other reliable sources.)








 
1948: Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith, was born in Yonkers, New York.








1949:  Vicki Lawrence, who had one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* with "The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia" in 1973, was born in Inglewood, California.
1949: Fran Sheehan, bassist of Boston, was born in Boston, Massachusetts.







 
1950: Teddy Pendergrass, solo singer and member of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died January 13, 2010 of respiratory failure at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia.
1953: William Lyall, keyboardist with Pilot ("Magic") and session musician for Sheena Easton and the Bay City Rollers, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland; died of AIDS December 1, 1989.
 1957: Paul Morley, co-founder of Art of Noise and music journalist, was born in Stockport, Cheshire, England.  (Note:  some websites claim he was born in Farnham, Surrey, England, but that would be news to Moreley--according to the official Art of Noise website, he was born in Stockport.)
1968: James Jonas Iha, guitarist with Smashing Pumpkins, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1981: Jay Sean, producer for Lil' Wayne, was born in London.