This Date in Rock Music History: January 5

1954:  Elvis Presley recorded a 10-minute demo tape at Memphis Recording Studio.

1957:  Pat Boone began filming the movie Bernadine.
1957:  Ivory Joe Hunter took over from Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" at #1 on the R&B chart.  "Since I Met You Baby" moved into the top spot after Fats had owned the position for 11 weeks.
1958:  Pat Boone was the mystery guest on the television show What's My Line? on CBS.



 

1959:  Buddy Holly released the single "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" on Coral Records, the final release before his death.

1959:  Jackie Wilson logged a fourth week at #1 on the R&B chart with "Lonely Teardrops".

1959:  "The Chipmunk Song" by the Chipmunks remained at #1 for a third week, holding off "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by the Platters, which was being patient while waiting a turn.  The Teddy Bears remained third with "To Know Him Is To Love Him" and the Everly Brothers reached the fourth position with "Problems".  The rest of the Top 10:  Elvis Presley with "One Night", Connie Francis burst into the Top 10 (13-6) with "My Happiness", the Kingston Trio were headed southward with "Tom Dooley", Clyde McPhatter asked "A Lover's Question" at #8 and Billy Grammer's "Gotta' Travel On" skipped over "Whole Lotta' Loving" by Fats Domino.

1961:  The Beatles played at Litherland Town Hall in Liverpool, England.  Two members of Rory Storm & the Hurricanes--Johnny Guitar and Ringo Starr, were in the audience.  Paul McCartney played bass for the Beatles for the first time, as Stuart Sutcliffe decided to stay in Hamburg, Germany.

1963:  The Beatles released "My Bonnie" in the U.K. under the name Tony Sheridan and the Beatles.  (Note:  some websites claim the song was released on June 8.  According to the books 'The Beatles Encyclopedia:  Everything Fab Four' by Kenneth Womack and 'All The Songs:  The Story Behind Every Beatles Release' by Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon, the song was released January 5, 1962 in the U.K. and April 23, 1963 in the United States.)

1963:  Steve Lawrence remained on top of the Easy Listening chart for a fourth week with "Go Away Little Girl".

1963:  The great instrumental "Telstar" by the Tornadoes remained at #1 overall for a third week.  

1965:  The Supremes began recording "Stop!  In The Name Of Love" at the Hitsville U.S.A. Studios in Detroit, Michigan  (Note:  'Rolling Stone' and other sites report that the group recorded this on January 5, as if the song was recorded in one day.  The group spent three days on the song--January 5, 7, and 11th.)

1966:  The Beatles recorded overdubs for the movie The Beatles At Shea Stadium.

1966:  The Who performed on the U.K. television show The Whole Scene Going.

1967:  Paul McCartney recorded his vocal for "Penny Lane" for the Beatles' upcoming album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

1967:  Tommy James & the Shondells released the single "I Think We're Alone Now".

1967:  Pink Floyd was in concert at the Marquee Club in London.

1968:  Jimi Hendrix was thrown in jail in Stockholm, Sweden after going crazy and destroying everything in his room at the Goteborg Hotel.

           

  Creedence with their great song "Keep On Chooglin'"...

1969:  CCR released the album Bayou Country.

1970:  Brook Benton released the great single "Rainy Night In Georgia".

1973:  Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

1974:  Yes owned the #1 album in the U.K.--Tales from Topographic Oceans.

              "It's Going to Take Some Time" featuring the great flute solo by Bob Messenger...

1974:  The Carpenters had the first #1 album of the New Year as their compilation The Singles 1969-1973 took over from Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.  You Don't Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce was #3, as fans continued to discover the greatness of the late singer/songwriter.  The Steve Miller Band fell with The Joker and the Soundtrack to "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Neil Diamond trailed.  The rest of the Top 10:  Another posthumous album from Croce--I Got a Name, rose from 12 to 6, Quadrophenia by the Who remained at #7, Ringo from Ringo Starr, Bette Midler with her self-titled release and Full Sail from Loggins & Messina.

             Al Wilson had a smash with "Show and Tell"...

1974:  Jim Croce remained at #1 with "Time In A Bottle", one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.  Steve Miller Band closed with "The Joker", passing over Helen Reddy's ("Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)".  Charlie Rich saw his former #1 "The Most Beautiful Girl" drop but Al Wilson was on the move with his great new song "Show And Tell".  The rest of a solid Top 10:  Elton John and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", Barry White was "Never, Never Gonna' Give Ya' Up", Stevie Wonder  was just beginning a great mid-70's run with his 33rd hit and 16th Top 10 song ("Living For The City") while Gladys Knight & the Pips entered the list with "I've Got To Use My Imagination".

1979:  Prince made his debut as a solo artist at the Capri Theatre in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1980:  Michael Jackson took over the #1 slot on the R&B chart with "Rock With You".

1980:  Stevie Wonder registered a third straight week at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Send One Your Love".

1980:  People were discovering the great In Through the Out Door album and on this date, Led Zeppelin moved from 64 to 42 with "Fool in the Rain".

                            

            Kool and the Gang had it down...

1980:  K.C. and the Sunshine Band made a comeback of sorts with "Please Don't Go" at #1, knocking off Rupert Holmes and "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)".  Michael Jackson raced into the Top 10 with "Rock With You", moving from 11-3 and Stevie Wonder had another big hit with "Send One Your Love".  The rest of an excellent Top 10:  The Captain & Tennille's "Do That To Me One More Time" was #6, but former #1 "Babe" from Styx and "Still" from the Commodores held the next two spots, Kenny Rogers shot up from 22 to 8 with "Coward Of The County", Kool & the Gang and "Ladies Night" while Cliff Richard had a rare U.S. hit with "We Don't Talk Anymore".

           "Even the Losers", one of the great tracks on 'Damn the Torpedoes'...

1980:  Donna Summer's compilation On the Radio-Greatest Hits-Volumes I & II moved to #1 on the Album chart with the double-album compilation Bee Gees Greatest moving to #2.  Cornerstone by Styx continued to hold down #3 while Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants by Stevie Wonder and the previous #1 The Long Run from the Eagles were close behind.  The rest of an incredible Top 10:  In Through the Out Door by Led Zeppelin, The Wall from Pink Floyd moved from 20-7, Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Tusk from Fleetwood Mac and Michael Jackson had his biggest career album to date with Off the Wall.

1984:  The Police announced that their farewell concert would be March 2 in Australia.

1985:  Jermaine Jackson continued to top the AC chart for a third week with "Do What You Do".

1985:  Cyndi Lauper re-entered the Top 10 on the Album chart with She's So Unusual after 55 weeks of release with her debut album while a great new album, Reckless from Bryan Adams, moved to #10.

1985:  Madonna remained at #1 with her first chart-topper "Like A Virgin".  Duran Duran was second with "The Wild Boys" while the Honeydrippers edged up with their remake of "Sea Of Love".  The New Edition was right behind with "Cool It Now" and Pat Benatar had another smash with "We Belong".  The rest of the Top 10:  actor Jack Wagner with "All I Need", Hall & Oates were on the way down with "Out Of Touch", Bryan Adams moved in with "Run To You", Chicago collected hit #38 with "You're The Inspiration" and John Lennon's son Julian had a Top 10 hit with "Valotte".

1987:  Huey Lewis & the News released the single "Jacob's Ladder".

1990:  Paul McCartney was in concert at the NEC Birmingham in England.

             Suzanne Vega with her second Top 10 hit...

1991:  Madonna scored her 10th career #1 with "Justify My Love".  Stevie B finally relinquished his hold after four weeks with "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)", Bette Midler remained close behind with "From A Distance" and the Damn Yankees were up to 4 with "High Enough".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Tom's Diner" from D.N.A. with Suzanne Vega, Wilson Phillips dropped slowly with "Impulsive", Janet Jackson reached the Top 10 for the 11th time with "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", Ralph Tresvant moved to 8 with "Sensitivity", Surface was racing up (16-9) with "The First Time" and Whitney Houston's former #1 "I'm Your Baby Tonight" was now at #10.

1998:  Sonny Bono of Sonny & Cher, later mayor of Palm Springs, California and a United States Congressman, died in a skiing accident when he hit a tree at the Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California at the age of 63.

2003:  Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after being stopped in California.  He failed the breath test and was thrown in jail.

2003:  Avril Lavigne's debut album Let Go rose to #1 in the U.K.

2004:  Britney Spears' three-day-old marriage to childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander was officially annulled.  Or to report it more accurately, the childlike Britney Spears annulled her marriage after three days.

               A true hero...

2004:  A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys chased down and captured a jewel thief in the parking lot of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  McLean was in the hotel's boutique when he spotted the man running off with a diamond ring.

2004: B2K ("Bump, Bump Bump") announced they were breaking up.

2004:  John Guerin, a prolific session drummer who worked with Elvis Presley, Elton John, the Beach Boys, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, Helen Reddy, the Everly Brothers, Bread, the Association, Joni Mitchell, Sheena Easton, the Monkees, Seals & Crofts, the Byrds, Willie Nelson, Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa and Gram Parsons, among others, died from pneumonia in West Hills, California at age 64.  (Some websites claim Guerin died on January 7.  He died January 5 according to the newspaper 'The Telegraph', 'Jazz Times' and 'MTV'.)

2005:  Danny Sugerman, manager of the Doors and writer of the biography No One Gets Out of Here Alive, died from lung cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 50.  (Note:  some websites report that Sugerman died on January 6, but it was January 5, according to the newspaper 'The Los Angeles Times'.)

2010:  Willie Mitchell ("Soul Serenade" from 1968), who also produced for Al Green and others, and owned Royal Studio, where John Mayer and Buddy Guy recorded, died at the age of 81 after suffering cardiac arrest in Memphis, Tennessee.

Born This Day:

1923:  Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records who discovered Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash, was born near Florence, Alabama; died of respiratory failure in Memphis, Tennessee on July 30, 2003.

1929:  Wilbert Harrison ("Kansas City" from 1959) was born in Charlotte, North Carolina; died of a stroke in a Spencer, North Carolina nursing home on October 26, 1994.

1930:  Don Rondo ("White Silver Sands") was born in Ware, Massachusetts; died January 27, 2011 after a battle with lung cancer.

1932:  Johnny Adams ("Reconsider Me" from 1969) was born in New Orleans, Louisiana; died of cancer September 14, 1998 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

1934:  Phil Ramone, songwriter, violinist, recording engineer, and legendary producer of the best albums that Billy Joel did as well as albums by Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Chicago, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart, Olivia Newton-John, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Guess Who, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Richard Marx, Sheena Easton, Peter, Paul and Mary and Ray Charles, among others, was born in South Africa; died March 30, 2013 in Manhattan, New York after being hospitalized for an aortic aneurysm.

1940:  George Malone of the Monotones; died October 5, 2007 of a stroke in Avondale, Arizona.

1949:  George Brown, drummer of Kool & the Gang, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. 

1950:  Chris Stein, co-founder and guitarist of Blondie, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

1964:  Grant Young, drummer of Soul Asylum ("Runaway Train"), was born in Iowa City, Iowa.  (Note:  some websites show his birth year as 1963; he was born in 1964 according to 'MTV'.)