This British group had a loyal cult following, but it wasn't until their blockbuster breakthrough Breakfast in America that they became known to the masses. Here is the complete Hits List for Supertramp: 1971: "Forever" 1974: "Land Ho" 1975: "Dreamer" (#36, #13 U.K., #75 Canada) "Bloody Well Right' (#35, #49 Canada)--underrated. "Lady" 1976: "Ain't Nobody But Me" (#64 Canada) "Give a Little Bit" (#15, #29 U.K., #29 Germany, #8 Canada) "Babaji" 1978: "From Now On" 1979: "The Logical Song" (#6, #7 U.K., #12 Germany, #1 Canada) "Breakfast in America" (#62, #9 U.K., #23 Germany) "Goodbye Stranger" (#15, #57 U.K., #6 Canada) "Take the Long Way Home" (#10, #4 Canada) 1980: "Dreamer" (live) (#15, #1 Canada) "Breakfast in America" (live" (#62) 1982: "It's Raining Again" (#11, #7 Mainstream Rock, #26 U.K., #3 Germany, #4 Canada) "Don't Leave Me Now" (#32 Mainstream Rock) "Crazy" (#10 Mainstream) 1983: "My Kind of Lady" (#31, #74 Germany) 1985: "Still in Love" "Cannonball" (#28, #4 Mainstream, #60 Germany, #24 Canada) "Better Days" 1987: "I'm Beggin' You" (#73 Canada) 1988: "Free as a Bird" 1989: "School" 1992: "Give a Little Bit" (re-issue) 1997: "You Win, I Lose" (#63 Germany, #38 Canada) "Listen to Me, Please" 2002: "Slow Motion"
The group's discography is complicated because of different release dates and even different album titles and associated tracks. It's an amazing performance on the top charts of the world. What's noteworthy is that they finished their career on top at #1 (just like they started), something few artists are able to do.
1963: Please Please Me (#1 U.K., #5 Germany) With the Beatles (#1 U.K., #1 Germany) Beatlemania! With the Beatles 1964: Introducing the Beatles (#2) Meet the Beatles! (#1) Twist and Shout (in Canada) The Beatles' Second Album (#1) The Beatles' Long Tall Sally (in Canada) "A Hard Day's Night" Soundtrack (#1) Something New (#2, #8 Germany) Beatles for Sale (#1 U.K., #1 Australia, #1 Germany) Beatles '65 (#1, #9 Germany) 1965: Beatles VI (#1, #5 Germany) "Help!" Soundtrack (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Australia, #1 Germany) Rubber Soul (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Australia, #1 Germany) 1966: Yesterday and Today (#1, #3 Germany) Revolver (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Australia, #1 Germany, #14 Norway) 1967: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" Soundtrack (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Australia, #1 Germany, #1 Norway) "Magical Mystery Tour" Soundtrack (#1, #31 U.K., #1 Australia, #1 Germany, #13 Norway) 1968: The Beatles (which became known as The White Album) (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Canada, #1 Australia, #1 Germany, #1 Norway) 1969: "Yellow Submarine" Soundtrack (#2, #3 U.K., #1 Canada, #4 Australia, #5 Germany, #1 Norway) Abbey Road (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Canada, #1 Australia, #1 Germany, #1 Norway) 1970: Let It Be (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Canada, #1 Australia, #1 Germany, #1 Norway)
Live Albums: 1977: Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962 (#111) The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (#2, #1 U.K., #12 Australia, #4 Norway) 1979: First Live Recordings 1994: Live at the BBC (#3, #1 U.K., #2 Australia)
Compilations: 1962: My Bonnie 1964: The Beatles with Tony Sheridan & Guests The Beatles Beat Something New Ain't She Sweet The Beatles' Story (#7) 1965: The Early Beatles (#43) The Beatles The Beatles' Greatest (#38 Germany) Los Beatles 1966: Greatest Hits Volume 1 (Australia & New Zealand) A Collection of Beatles Oldies (#7 U.K., #7 Australia, #12 Norway) 1967: Greatest Hits Volume 2 (Australia) The Beatles' First (U.K.) 1969: Very Together (Canada) 1970: Hey Jude (#2, #1 Australia, #2 Canada) In the Beginning (#117) From Then to You (U.K.) The Beatles' Christmas Album 1971: Por Siempre Beatles (Argentina) 1973: 1962-1966 (#3, #3 U.K., #2 Germany, #38 Canada, #9 Australia, #1 Norway)--definitely one of their best compilations. 1967-1970 (#1, #2 U.K., #2 Germany, #42 Canada, #8 Australia, #2 Norway)--needs to be purchased with the above. 1976: Rock 'n' Roll Music (#2, #11 U.K., #10 Germany, #2 Canada, #4 Australia, #8 Norway) 1977: Love Songs (#24, #7 U.K., #18 Canada, #59 Australia, #20 Norway) 1978: The Beatles Collection (#33 Australia) Rarities (#71 U.K.) 1980: Rarities (#21, #26 Canada, #27 Australia) The Beatles' Ballads (#17, #69 Canada, #1 Australia) Rock 'n' Roll Music, Volume One Rock 'n' Roll Music, Volume Two The Beatles Box (boxed set) The Beatles 1967-1970 (East Germany) 1982: The Beatles (East Germany) Reel Music (#19, #26 Canada, #56 Australia) 20 Greatest Hits (#50, #10 U.K., #52 Canada) 1983: The Number Ones (#1 Australia) 1984: The Early Tapes of The Beatles (U.K.) 1988: Past Masters, Volume One (#149, #49 U.K., #79 Australia) Past Masters, Volume Two Past Masters, Volumes One & Two The Beatles Box Set 1995: Anthology 1 (#1, #2 U.K., #1 Germany, #1 Canada, #1 Australia, #5 Norway)--the three Anthology albums are another way to capture the great Beatles music in a collection. 1996: Anthology 2 (#1, #1 U.K., #4 Germany, #3 Canada, #2 Australia, #5 Norway) Anthology 3 (#1, #4 U.K., #9 Germany, #3 Canada, #3 Australia, #13 Norway) 1999: Yellow Submarine Songtrack (#15, #8 U.K., #11 Germany, #12 Canada, #1 Norway) 2000: 1 (#1, #1 U.K., #1 Germany, #1 Canada, #1 Australia, #1 Norway) 2001: Beatles Bop - Hamburg Days 2003: Let It Be...Naked (#5, #7 U.K., #13 Germany, #8 Canada, #11 Australia, #6 Norway) 2004: The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 (#35, #80 Germany) 2006: The Capitol Albums, Volume 2 (#46) Love (#4, #3 U.K., #2 Germany, #1 Canada, #2 Australia, #8 Norway) 2009: The Beatles in Mono (#40, #57 U.K., #3 Germany) Mono Masters The Beatles Stereo Box Set (#15, #24 U.K., #23 Australia, #3 Norway) Past Masters (#31 U.K., #61 Germany, #34 Australia) 2010: 1962-1966/1967-1970 (#59 U.K., #29 Germany, #38 Norway)
Inside the Rock Era looked at some of the other lists of top guitarists as a basis to go on. Then we listened and listened to each of the top guitarists of the rock era. We evaluated them on their overall ability, the sound of their guitar-playing, their popularity, their longevity, their experience, their guitar riffs, the ability to play a melody, their speed, creativity, their entertainment ability and live stage presence. We narrowed it down to about 160. Then we listened some more, continuing to evaluate each on the factors above. We ranked them then re-ranked them, doing our best to compare each guitarist and rank them where they truly deserved to be ranked. #783is next.
#83: Dave Mason, Traffic, solo
active guitarist for 46 years
(solo on "All Along the Watchtower)
David Thomas Mason was born May 10, 1946 in Worcester, England. He became prominent as the singer-songwriter and guitarist with Traffic. Mason has performed live and in the studio with artists such as Michael Jackson, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Eric Clapton. Mason was a friend of Hendrix, who heard "All Along the Watchtower" at a party that Mason had invited him to. That night, he recorded the song with Mason playing acoustic guitar.
Although Mason co-founded Traffic, he left the group following the recording of their first album, Mr. Fantasy in 1967, only to rejoin halfway through the recording of the next album Traffic. He then left again, although Dave did tour with the group briefly in 1971 when they re-formed. Mason played guitar on the 1968 album Beggars Banquet by the Rolling Stones, although the band did not credit him. He also played on the George Harrison album All Things Must Pass, the Jimi Hendrix album Electric Ladyland and on Paul McCartney's song "Listen to What the Man Said". In 1970, Mason was set to be the second guitarist for Derek and the Dominos behind Eric Clapton, but Dave left before the group recorded any material.
Mason recorded several solo albums with moderate success, with his biggest hit being "We Just Disagree" in 1977. Dave's last solo albumwas 26 Letters - 12 Notes in 2008. He joined Fleetwood Mac for a brief period and recorded the album Time with them in 1995. He has kept a fairly active tour schedule, in 2005 doing about 100 shows a year in the United States and Canada.
Mason favors Fender Telecaster but is also working with RKS Guitars. Mason is one of the most experienced of The Top 100 Guitarists* at 46 years. He ranks #83 for the Rock Era*...
1956: The Platters ruled the R&B chart for the seventh week with "The Great Pretender". 1959: Elvis Presley performed at the Lido Club in Paris, France while on leave from the United States Army. 1962: While on leave from training in the United States Marines, the Everly Brothers appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, in full uniform and cropped hair, singing "Crying in the Rain". 1963: The Chiffons released the single "He's So Fine". 1965: The Beatles recorded two new songs--"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "Tell Me What You See" at Abbey Road studios in London.
1965: The Kinks topped the U.K. chart with "Tired of Waiting For You".
1967: Ed Ames had the #1 Easy Listening song for the third week with "My Cup Runneth Over". 1968: Boise, Idaho's Paul Revere & the Raiders had the highest debut of the week, "Ups and Downs", at #77.
The Spencer Davis Group gave us this great song.
1968: The Buckinghams had the new #1 song with "Kind of a Drag", ending seven weeks at the top for the Monkees' "I'm a Believer". The Rolling Stones edged up with "Rube Tuesday" while the former #2 smash "Georgy Girl" by the Seekers fell this week. The rest of the Top 10: "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" by Blues Magoos, the Supremes were back with "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone", Keith remained steady at "98.6", Aaron Neville and "Tell It Like It Is", Sonny & Cher were at #9 with "The Beat Goes On" and the Spencer Davis Group rolled up from 17 to 10 with "Gimme' Some Lovin'".
1968: David Gilmour replaced Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd. After being released from a psychiatric hospital, Barrett went into seclusion.
1969: The Jimi Hendrix Experience were in concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
1969: Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees and Lulu ("To Sir With Love") were married at St. James' Church in Gerrard's Cross, England in front of over 3,000 guests.
1974: He'd been playing cocktail bars up to this time. But that was soon going to change. On this date, Billy Joel released his first career single--"Piano Man". 1974: Sister Janet Mead released the single "The Lord's Prayer". 1974: Kiss released their self-titled debut album. 1974: Yes performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The Trammps' "Disco Inferno" helped fuel 'Saturday Night Fever'.
1978: The Soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" was the #1 album for a fifth week. The Stranger from Billy Joel moved to challenge while Queen's News of the World was third. Earth, Wind & Fire were at #4 with All 'N All and Rod Stewart dropped with Foot Loose & Fancy Free. The rest of the Top 10: Neil Diamond's I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight, Styx and The Grand Illusion, Jackson Browne edged up to #8 with Running On Empty, Randy Newman placed ninth with Little Criminals and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours was still in the Top 10 after 52 weeks. 1978: Working off of two consecutive number ones, the Bee Gees positioned themselves well with another single--"Night Fever" moving from 32 to 17.
Dan Hill had himself a Top 5 song.
1978: "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees stayed at #1 for the third week. The group had spent six of the last nine weeks at #1 counting their previous #1 "How Deep Is Your Love". Brother Andy Gibb was now #2 with "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Billy Joel moved to #3 with "Just the Way You Are" and Queen's "We Are the Champions" remained fourth. The rest of the Top 10: "Sometimes When We Touch" by Dan Hill, Samantha Sang and the Bee Gees were up to 6 with "Emotion", Chic and "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)", Randy Newman dropped with "Short People", the former #1 "Baby Come Back" by Player and the Bee Gees were still at 10 after 22 weeks with their earlier #1 "How Deep Is Your Love". 1980: Bob Seger released the single "Fire Lake".
1980: The Eagles released the single "I Can't Tell You Why". 1984: Christopher Cross controlled the Adult Contemporary chart for a third week with "Think of Laura".
Newcomer Cyndi Lauper...
1984: Culture Club remained at #1 with "Karma Chameleon". "Jump" by Van Halen was #2 in an awesome Top 10. Kool & the Gang were down with "Joanna", newcomer Nena's "99 Luftballoons" elevated from 12 to 4 and the Romantics were at #5 after 20 weeks with their biggest hit "Talking In Your Sleep". The rest of the Top 10: "That's All!" from Genesis, Michael Jackson moved from 20 to 7 with "Thriller", Yes and "Owner of a Lonely Heart", the first hit ever from Cyndi Lauper--"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and Shannon entered the list with "Let the Music Play". 1984: Thriller by Michael Jackson was #1 on the album chart for the 29th week, just two shy of the Rock Era record set in 1977 by Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. 1985: Simple Minds released the single "Don't You (Forget About Me)". 1985: Don Henley released the single "All She Wants to Do is Dance". 1989: The Fine Young Cannibals owned the #1 album in the U.K. with The Raw and the Cooked.
1989: Sheriff grabbed the #1 spot on the AC chart with the great song "When I'm With You". 1991: Amy Grant released the single "Baby, Baby". 1992: Vince Neil, lead singer of Motley Crue for 11 years, quit the band. 1995: Newcomers Hootie & the Blowfish scored their first Top 10 song as "Hold My Hand" reached #10. 1995: TLC had the #1 song for a fourth week with "Creep". 2001: James Taylor married his longtime girlfriend Caroline "Kim" Smedvig at a church in Boston, Massachusetts. 2001: Joe and Mystikal had the #1 song with "Stutter". 2006: The Rolling Stones gave a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil before one million people. 2007: Norah Jones went to #1 on the album chart with Not Too Late, her third consecutive #1. 2008: Carpenters fans objected to plans to have the duo's former family home in Downey, California bulldozed. The current owners said they objected to fans looking in the windows and leaving floral tributes. You know what? If you didn't want that, you shouldn't have bought the house. Duh. 2012: Otis "Damon" Harris, who joined the Temptations in 1971 at age 21 when original lead singer Eddie Kendricks left, died of prostate cancer at the age of 62 in a Baltimore hospice.
Born This Day: 1934: Skip Battin, singer-songwriter and bassist of the Byrds, the New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Flying Burrito Brothers; died July 6, 2003 from complications associated with Alzheimer's in Salem, Oregon. 1939: Bobby Hart, singer-songwriter with Tommy Boyce ("I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight" from 1968), who also wrote "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" for the Monkees
1941: Irma Thomas ("Wish Someone Would Care" from 1964) was born in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.
1941: Herman Santiago of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
1947: Dennis DeYoung, lead singer and keyboardist with Styx, was born in Chicago, Illinois. 1948: Keith Knudsen, songwriter and drummer of the Doobie Brothers, was born in LeMars, Iowa; died February 8, 2005 of pneumonia. 1952: Juice Newton was born in Lakehurst, New Jersey. 1953: Robbie Bachman, drummer of BTO, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 1953: Derek Pellicci, founder and drummer of the Little River Band, was born in London. 1954: John Travolta, movie superstar who teamed with Olivia Newton-John for the #1 song "You're the One That I Want" as well as the big hit "Summer Nights" and was also a solo artist ("Let Her In") was born in Englewood, New Jersey. 1965: Dr. Dre (real name Andre Young) was born in Compton, California.
I don't think people realized in the 70's how good this guy was. But over the years, he's gotten the respect and in fact, made himself a better player too:
#84: Rick Derringer, the McCoys, the Edgar Winter Group, Solo
48 years as an active guitarist
Richard Zehringer was born August 5, 1947. He started the band the McCoys, who scored a #1 hit when Rick was 17 years old. Since then, he's stayed active; in fact Rick is one of the most experienced of The Top 100 Guitarists*.
When Rick was 17, his group the McCoys recorded "Hang On Sloopy", which became a #1 song. He adopted the stage name of Derringer after the Bang Records logo which featured a derringer pistol. The group got a tremendous break when they were chosen to open for the Rolling Stones on their entire 1966 American tour. Derringer played the guitar solo on "Under My Wheels" for the Alice Cooper album Killer in 1971. He was also featured on several Todd Rundgren albums in the 1970's. Derringer joined the Edgar Winter Group for a brief time in the early 1970's. Derringer had the solo hit "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" in 1974.Derringer opened for Led Zeppelin on their final tour before the tragic death of John Bonham. He also recorded with Steely Dan on several of their albums.
Derringer began producing in the 1980's, playing guitar and mandolin and producing "Weird Al" Yankovic and others. That's Derringer's guitar solo on the Weird Al song "Eat It", paying homage to Eddie Van Halen's solo on the Michael Jackson song "Beat It". In 1983, Rick played the solo on "Exciter" on the Kiss album Lick It Up. In 1990, Derringer reunited with Edgar Winter for the album Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer Live in Japan. Edgar returned the favor, playing for Rick on his album Winter Blues in 1999. Derringer recorded four blues albums beginning in 1993 which were well-received.
Rick on the Ringo Starr tour...
Derringer, who likes to delve into many different styles, released a jazz album called Free Ride Smooth Jazz in 2002 which also did well. Along with wife Brenda, her eight year-old son Marn and Rick's nine year-old daughter Loving, the family recorded the gospel rock album We Live in 2008. In 2009, Derringer released his latest album Knighted by the Blues. He spent the summer of 2010 touring with Ringo Starr's 11th All-Starr Band along with longtime friend Edgar Winter.
He's got the speed, the melody, the knowledge of his guitar, the experience and the showmanship. Rick Derringer...#84 for All-Time...
1955: Little Richard sent his first audition tape to Specialty Records.
1958: The Silhouettes stood tall at #1 for a third week on the R&B chart with "Get a Job".
1960: Paul Anka released the single "Puppy Love". 1960: Elvis Presley received his first gold record for his debut album Elvis. 1960: The Everly Brothers signed a new 10-year contract with Warner Brothers Records for $1 million. 1962: "Midnight In Moscow" by Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen was still #1 on the Easy Listening chart. 1962: For the fifth week in a row, "Duke of Earl" by Gene Chandler was #1 on the R&B chart. 1962: A new group appeared on the chart with a sound that was unlike anything we'd heard. They would go on to become one of The Top 20 Artists of the Rock Era*. The Beach Boys debuted on the chart with their first single release--"Surfin'". 1962: Gene Chandler took over at #1 with "Duke of Earl". 1964: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass made their live debut in Los Angeles. 1966: The Beach Boys began recording "Good Vibrations". When they were done, it would be the most expensive single song in the history of the Rock Era. 1966: Nancy Sinatra topped the U.K. singles chart with "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'".
1967: The Beatles recorded seven takes of the track "Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite!" at Abbey Road Studios in London. John Lennon got the words from an antique poster of a circus performance that took place in February of 1843 in Rochdale, Lancashire. John had purchased the poster in Sevenoaks on January 31 while the Beatles were filming the "Strawberry Fields Forever" promotional film. 1968: Big Brother and the Holding Company signed a recording contract with Columbia Records. 1968: Diana Ross & the Supremes' compilation Greatest Hits was #1 on the U.K. album chart. 1968: "Love Is Blue" from Paul Mauriat was the #1 Adult song for the fifth consecutive week.
Boyce and Hart had a lot of requests for this one.
1968: Paul Mauriat continued to have a firm hold on #1 with "Love Is Blue". The Lemon Pipers were still at #2 with "Green Tambourine" while the Classics IV were right behind with "Spooky". The Temptations placed fourth with "I Wish It Would Rain". The rest of the Top 10: Dionne Warwick jumped up 10 with "(Theme From) 'Valley of the Dolls'", the late Otis Redding vaulted from 28 to 6 with "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", the Lettermen's medley of "Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You", the Human Beinz remained in the #8 spot with "Nobody But Me", John Fred & His Playboy Band dropped with their former #1--"Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" and Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart reached the Top 10 with "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight". 1970: Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees opened in the stage musical Sing a Rude Song in London. 1971: James Taylor made his prime-time television debut on The Johnny Cash Show on ABC, performing "Fire and Rain" and "Carolina on my Mind". Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young and Tony Joe White ("Polk Salad Annie") were the other guests. 1972: Pink Floyd wrapped up a tour of the U.K. at the Rainbow Theatre in London. 1973: Anne Murray moved to #1 on the Adult chart with "Danny's Song". 1973: War ruled the album chart with The World is a Ghetto, knocking Carly Simon's No Secrets from the top. The great Stevie Wonder album Talking Book was third. 1973: Gladys Knight & the Pips took over at #1 on the R&B chart with "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", toppling "Love Train" by the O'Jays. Both songs are ranked in The Top 30 R&B Songs of the 1970's*. 1973: The Stylistics' new song "Break Up to Make Up" was a hot song, moving from 88 to 53. Steely Dan--not bad for a first single, huh?
1973: Elton John's first career #1 was a big one--"Crocodile Rock" remained there for a third week. Carly Simon's former #1 "You're So Vain" proved durable with its fourth week at #2 since it left the top spot. Hurricane Smith snuck in with "Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?", Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell jumped into the Top 10 with "Dueling Banjos" and Roberta Flack moved from 15 to 5 with "Killing Me Softly With His Song". The rest of a solid Top 10: Impressive Steely Dan with "Do It Again", the Spinners had song #7 with "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", Lobo edged up with "Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend", Timmy Thomas's #3 song "Why Can't We Live Together" was on its way down and John Denver had another Top 10 with "Rocky Mountain High".. 1975: John Lennon released the album Rock n' Roll, his last before leaving the music business for five years. 1975: AC/DC released their debut album, High Voltage. 1976: The Eagles released their Greatest Hits album, that would go on to temporarily become the #1 seller of the Rock Era. 1976: Bette Midler was named the "Woman of the Year" by Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatrical Society. 1979: The Clash began its first tour of the United States in New York City. 1979: The U.K. was ahead on this group as Blondie already was #1 on the album chart with Parallel Lines.
1979: Another exciting new wave group appeared on the scene as Blondie first hit the charts with their debut single--"Heart of Glass". 1979: The Bee Gees landed at #4 on the album chart with Spirits Having Flown in its first week. The first album from Dire Straits moved from 15-7, while Totally Hot by Olivia Newton-John moved from 12-8 and the self-titled debut from Toto entered the Top 10. 1980: Kenny Rogers owned the #1 U.K. song--"Coward of the County".
1986: Janet Jackson released the single "What Have You Done for Me Lately". 1989: David Coverdale, formerly with Deep Purple and now with Whitesnake, married Tawny Kitaen.
1990: Aerosmith appeared on Saturday Night Live on NBC-TV. 1990: Quincy Jones, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, Barry White and El DeBarge combined for the new #1 R&B song--"The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)". 1990: Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville followed up their smash hit "Don't Know Much" with another #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart--"All My Life". 1990: Few albums in the Rock Era were still at #1 at this point in their lifespan but on this date, Forever Your Girl was still #1 for Paula Abdul. 1992: Mariah Carey released the great single "Make It Happen". 1996: A Platinum American Express card that once belonged to Bruce Springsteen sold for $4,500 at a memorabilia sale in New York City. Springsteen had given the expired card to a waiter by mistake and let him keep it.
LaBouche exploded for a huge hit.
1996: Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men were in the stratosphere with a 13th week at #1. That tied them with "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men and just two songs--"I'll Make Love to You" by Boyz II Men and "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston, with 14 weeks apiece, had ever spent more time at #1. "Missing" by Everything But the Girl would likely have been a #1 song in nearly any other time period but had to settle for #2. Whitney Houston was third with "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)", Mary J. Blige moved up to fourth with "Not Gon' Cry" and the Tony Rich Project placed "Nobody Knows" at #5. The rest of the Top 10: Brandy's "Sittin' Up in My Room", LL Cool J fell with "Hey Lover", La Bouche had the dance floors cooking with "Be My Lover", Joan Osbourne was on her way down with "One of Us" and the Goo Goo Dolls wrapped up the list with "Name". 1997: Michael Nesmith, guitarist for the Monkees, directed the documentar television special Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees, in which all four members performed. 1998: Bob Merrill, who wrote "People" for Barbra Streisand and other hits, committed suicide at age 77. That's beyond sad.
1998: Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album.
2000: The Steinway piano that John Lennon used to write "Imagine" went on display at the Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool, England.
2001: The Manic Street Preachers became the first Western band to play in Cuba as they were in concert at Karl Marx Stadium in Havana.
2002: Westlife reached #1 in the U.K. with "World of Our Own", their 10th #1 on that chart.
2002: Ja Rule and Ashanti had the #1 song in the United States with "Always On Time".
2004: Krist Novoselic, former bassist of Nirvana, dropped out of the race for lieutenant governor of Washington.
2004: Don Henley said what we all feel in an editorial published in the Washington Post. "When I started in the music business," Henley wrote, "music was important and vital to our culture. Record labels signed cutting-edge artists and there was an incredible variety of music. Music touched fans in a unique and personal way. Our culture was enriched and the music business was healthy and strong. That's all changed." So true, Don.
2006: The Rolling Stones were named the top money-makers for 2005, grossing $168 million in record and ticket sales. 2006: Bill Cowsill of the Cowsills ("Hair" from 1969) died of emphysema at the age of 58. 2010: Susan Jacks of the Poppy Family ("Where Evil Grows" from 1971) received a kidney transplant from her brother, Billy. 2012: Mumford & Sons captured the Grammy for Album of the Year. 2012: Gotye won Record of the Year for "Somebody That I Used to Know". 2012. Fun was awarded the Grammy for Best New Artist.
Born This Day: 1905: Orville "Hoppy" Jones, bassist, cello player and singer with the Ink Spots, was born in Chicago, Illinois; died October 18, 1944. 1922: Tommy Edwards, who had one of the great songs of the early Rock Era ("It's All in the Game" from 1958), was born in Richmond, Virginia; died October 22, 1969. 1933: Bobby Lewis, who himself had another of the great early rock songs ("Tossin' and Turnin'" from 1961), was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1940: Gene Pitney, one of the great stars of the early Rock Era, who also wrote "Hello, Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson, "He's a Rebel" for the Crystals and "Rubber Ball" for the Cyrkle, was born in Hartford, Connecticut; was found dead at age 65 in his bed in a hotel in Cardiff, England April 5, 2006 while on a tour of the U.K. 1946: Dodie Stevens ("Pink Shoe Laces" from 1959 when she was 13 years old) was born in Chicago, Illinois. 1950: Rickey Medlocke, singer and guitarist of Blackfoot ("Train, Train") and guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was born in Jacksonville, Florida. 1970: Tim Mahoney, lead guitarist of 311
1972: Billie Joe Armstrong, songwriter, lead guitarist and lead vocalist with Green Day, was born in Oakland, California.
96. Daron Malakian, System of a Down 95. Sam Totman, Dragonforce
94. Kerry King, Slayer 93. Robbie Krieger, Doors
92. Ted Nugent
91. Jason Becker, David Lee Roth
90. John 5, David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson 89. Jake E. Lee, Ratt, Ozzy Osbourne
88. Michael Wilton, Queensryche 87. James Munky Shaffer, Korn
86. Uli Jon Roth, Scorpions
Up next, a cowboy, with a steel horse he rides...
#85: Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi
30 years as an active guitarist (compilation of some of his best solos)
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora was born July 11, 1959 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He has been the steady lead guitarist and one of the main songwriters that made Bon Jovi a special group for so many years. Richie taught himself to play the guitar at the age of 12, shortly after the death of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. Sambora is one of those natural talents--as he says, if he hears a song on the radio, he can start playing it and know the guitar part within five minutes. I'm envious but I greatly respect it.
Sambora graduated from Woodbridge High School in New Jersey. He was influenced mostly by blues and rock & roll in the 1960's, specifically the Beatles, Hendrix, Jimmy Page, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. Spanish classical music appealed to Richie and led him to a lifetime of playing the Spanish guitar. Sambora has also said that Janis Joplin's singing had a big influence on his style and classical music too has had its influence.
Sambora reportedly saw a Bon Jovi concert and approached Jon Bon Jovi about the possibility of working together. The two hit it off immediately and Sambora was invited to a rehearsal. That rehearsal went so well that Richie was hired on the spot. Sambora was the missing piece of the puzzle and the group has thrived ever since. Their album Slippery When Wet has now sold over 28 million copies worldwide. The group's follow-up New Jersey was itself wildly successful and many songs are still demanded at live shows.
Sambora has also released two solo albums and he has been working on a third. He has also done session work for Pink and Bo Diddley.
Sambora's favorite guitar of over 120 in his collection is the 1959 Gibson Les Paul. In the 1980's, Sambora played Kramer, Jackson, Chavel and Hamer superstrats and custom Les Paul guitars, such as his Rod Schoepfer model. In 1987, Kramer released a Richie Sambora signature guitar with three humbuckers, a pointy drooped headstock, gold hardware, star-shaped fingerboard inlays and a Floyd Rose Original locking tremolo.
Since then, Sambora has been seen often with a custom black Jackson, but he's also played a Floyd Rose tremolo system along with vintage Fenders and Gibsons. In 1991, Fender issued their own Richie Sambora signature, a Stratocaster with an original Floyd Rose tremolo system and an HSS combination of DiMarzio PAF Pro humbucking and two Fender Texas Special single-coil pickups.
Sambora has used Ovation acoustic-electric guitars from the early 1980's through the present day. He plays a custom-made doubleneck designed by Gary Douglas. Not wanting to miss out, Taylor began production of a Sambora signature model in 2000, a six-string acoustic made of koa wood, called the RSSM. Martin put out two of Sambora's signature models as well since Sambora likes to use those on recordings. Sambora mentions the 1930 Martin OM-45 as his favorite and he will also use a Yamaha double-neck acoustic at some live shows.
In late 2007, Sambora endorsed the ESP Guitar Company and they debuted the Richie Sambora signature, the LTD SA-2.
On early work for Bon Jovi, Sambora used Marshall amplifiers, including the JCM800 models with 4 x 12" speaker cabinets and a variety of rack and pedal units. In 1995, Richie started using Fender ToneMasters with 4 x 12" cabinets. On tour, he used up to 12 cabinets on stage. In 2000, Sambora began using Marshall JCM2000 DSL.
Richie employs an A/B box, the Frampton Talkbox, the Jimi Hendrix Dunlop ah, the Keeley SD-1, Stock SD-1, Roger Mayer Octavia, the Boss CH-1 and the EHX Electric Mistress Deluxe. Beginning in 2010, Sambora started using a rack system that includes the Furman Power Conditioner, Lexico and Eventide rack effects. He uses the following pedals: BOSS OD-1, Hermida Audio Zendrive, Tone Freak Effects Naked OD and Abunai 2, Klon Centaur, Analog Man Octron, EHX Micro POG,Tone Freak Effects MelloTremo, BBE Soul Vibe, Retro-Sonic Chorus, MXR EVH Flanger, MXR Phase 90, Maxon Auto Filter and the EHX Deluxe Memory Man. Sambora runs all of these effects through a MIDI Controller. He also uses the BOSS TU-2 Chromatic Tuner, Moollon Wah, and an Ernie Ball Volume Pedal running from his guitar to his amplifier. In 2009, Richie was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Sambora not only has speed but is one of the most melodic of The Top 100 Guitarists*. He ranks #85.
1953: "Venus" was the name of Frankie Avalon's newest, and it rose from #99 to #53 on this date. 1963: Paul Anka married Marie-Ann DeZogheb in the chapel of Orly Airport in Paris, France. 1963: The Miracles climbed to #1 on the R&B chart with "You've Really Got a Hold On Me". 1964: The first time one week earlier was such a ratings blockbuster that the Beatles were invited back and performed for a second time on The Ed Sullivan Show. The group performed "She Loves You", "This Boy", "All My Loving", "I Saw Her Standing There", "From Me to You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. 1967: Petula Clark scored her second #1 on the U.K. chart with the song written by Charlie Chaplain, "This Is My Song". 1968: The city of Detroit, Michigan declared it "Aretha Franklin Day".
1970: Edison Lighthouse released the single "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)". 1971: Aretha Franklin recorded "Spanish Harlem". 1972: The Rolling Stones made their Australian debut with the first of six concerts at the Subiaco Oval in Perth.
1974: Bob Dylan & the Band were serious about getting to the top of the album chart, riding Planet Waves from 19 to 1. John Denver's Greatest Hits was second again with Under the Influence Of... from Love Unlimited still climbing. Jim Croce, who was yet another victim of a light plane just a few months before, had two albums in the Top 10: the previous #1 You Don't Mess Around With Jim at #4 and the posthumous release I Got a Name at #6. The rest of the Top 10: Former #1 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John at #5, The Joker from the Steve Miller Band at the #7 spot, Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings, Charlie Rich was down with Behind Closed Doors and Tales from Topographic Oceans entered the Top 10 for Yes.
1974: Diana Ross rose to #1 on the Adult chart with "Last Time I Saw Him".
1974: Barbra Streisand had her second #1 song as "The Way We Were" reached the top spot. Previous #1 "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra was now second. Ringo Starr's former #1 "You're Sixteen" remained third while the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was back with "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna' Do)". The rest of the Top 10: "Spiders & Snakes" from Jim Stafford, Byron MacGregor sang about "Americans", Olivia Newton-John's first big hit "Let Me Be There", Kool & the Gang" placed "Jungle Boogie" at #8, Eddie Kendricks moved from 14 to 9 with "Boogie Down" and David Essex wrapped up the Top 10 with "Rock On". 1975: Cher, who had starred with former husband Sonny Bono on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, started her own weekly music and comedy show on CBS-TV. 1976: Peter Frampton released the single "Show Me the Way".
1980: Barry Manilow was on top of the Adult Contemporary chart with "When I Wanted You". It was his 17th AC hit, and an incredible 16 of those had gone Top 10 with 10 #1's in just six years of his career.
Queen with one of the biggest hits of their career...
1980: Five years after their first single, "Love Will Keep Us Together" reached #1, the Captain & Tennille did it again with "Do That To Me One More Time". Queen was up to #2 although many stations already had "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" #1. Kenny Rogers was #1 on many others with "Coward of the County". Smokey Robinson's great song "Cruisin'" was fourth after 20 weeks while previous #1 "Rock With You" from Michael Jackson fell to fifth. The rest of the Top 10: Teri DeSario with K.C. and the remake of "Yes, I'm Ready", Fleetwood mac's "Sara" was #7, Donna Summer had her 10th Top 10 song in 16 releases and eighth in a row--"On the Radio" and Andy Gibb reached #10 with "Desire". Gibb's song was his sixth consecutive Top 10 out of the gate to open his career. 1980: Shalamar landed a #1 R&B song with "The Second Time Around".
"The Sad Cafe", one of the great tracks on The Long Run...
1980: The Wall by Pink Floyd stood tall at #1 on the album chart for the fifth week and it wasn't close to done. Some great albums in the Top 10--most fans would be happy owning them. Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers was runner-up with Michael Jackson enjoying the best album of his career to date with Off the Wall. The Eagles' great album The Long Run was on its way down while the new Dan Fogelberg album Phoenix was attracting plenty of attention. The rest of the Top 10: Kenny from Kenny Rogers, On the Radio-Greatest Hits-Volumes I & II by Donna Summer, Tusk from Fleetwood Mac was #8, Styx edged up with Cornerstone and Neil Diamond reached #10 with September Morn. 1981: Juice Newton released the single "Angel of the Morning". 1982: Simon & Garfunkel released the album recorded live for the Concert In Central Park in New York City, which attracted more than 700,000 fans. 1985: Bruce Springsteen moved to #1 in the U.K. with the album Born in the U.S.A.
1985: Wham! hit #1 with "Careless Whisper". Foreigner dropped with "I Want To Know What Love Is" while Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins were at position #3 with "Easy Lover". Billy Ocean had song #4--"Loverboy" while Hall & Oates, one of The Top Duos of the Rock Era*, had their 14th and final Top 10 song--"Method of Modern Love". The rest of the Top 10 "Neutron Dance" from the Pointer Sisters, REO Speedwagon with "Can't Fight This Feeling", Glenn Frey had a solo Top 10 with "The Heat Is On", fellow Eagles mate Don Henley was on the way down with "The Boys of Summer" and David Lee Roth checked in with his remake of the Beach Boys classic "California Girls". 1990: Ike Turner was sentenced to four years in federal prison on cocaine charges. 1991: Queen, which was always bigger in their native England, scored their seventh #1 album in the U.K. with Innuendo. 1991: Keith Sweat had the new #1 song on the R&B chart with "I'll Give All My Love To You". 1991: Whitney Houston had her 8th #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 13 releases with "All the Man That I Need". 1991: Two of the top artists of the Rock Era both reached the Top 10 with their latest on this date. Mariah Carey bounced from 13 to 5 with "Someday" while Celine Dion moved from 11 to 6 with "Where Does My Heart Beat Now". It was Carey's third Top 10 song of her career and for Celine, her first Top 10. Where has the time gone? 1993: The group Faces reunited at the Brit Awards. 1999: The state of Minnesota declared it "Rolling Stones Day". 1999: In today's edition of Inmates Run Rap Music, the artist who names himself Ol' Dirty #(*#(*U(# was arrested for wearing body armor, strictly prohibited in light of all his previous arrests. 2002: Billy Ward of Billy Ward & the Dominoes ("Star Dust") died from complications associated with Alzheimer's.
2004: Doris Troy ("Just One Look" from 1963), who was a session singer with Dionne Warwick and sang on the album Dark Side of the Moon for Pink Floyd, died from emphysema in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 67.
2009: Chris Brown was being investigated by police over claims that he attacked a woman. The woman was rumored to be girlfriend Rihanna.
2009: Trent Reznor announced that Nine Inch Nails' tour would be their last "for a while". 2011: Rod Stewart and wife Penny celebrated the birth of son Aiden, Stewart's eighth child.
Born This Day: 1916: Bill Doggett ("Honky Tonk" from 1956) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died of a heart attack November 13, 1996 in New York City. 1918: Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters, who also worked with Bing Crosby and the Glenn Miller Orchestra, was born in Los Angeles; died February 16, 1918 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1932: Otis Blackwell, songwriter and producer who wrote "All Shook Up", "Don't Be Cruel" and "Return To Sender" for Elvis Presley, "Great Balls of Fire" for Jerry Lee Lewis and "Fever" for Peggy Lee, was born in Brooklyn, New York; died of a heart attack on May 6, 2002. 1935: Sonny Bono (real name Salvatore Phillip Bono) of Sonny & Cher was born in Detroit, Michigan; died January 5, 1998 when he hit a tree while skiing on the Nevada side of Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California. 1939: Harold and Herbie Kalin, who as the Kalin Twins were the first twins to have a #1 song in the Rock Era ("When" from 1958), were born in Port Jervis, New York. Harold died August 24, 2005 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident; Herbie died July 21, 2006 from a heart attack. 1949: Lynn Paul, singer with the New Seekers ("I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing" From 1971)
1956: James Ingram was born in Akron, Ohio.
1958: Ice-T (real name Tracy Marrow) was born in Newark, New Jersey. 1961: Andy Taylor, songwriter, guitarist and singer of Duran Duran and the Power Station ("Some Like It Hot" from 1985) and also a producer, was born in Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear, England. 1962: Tony Kylie of the Blow Monkeys ("Digging Your Scene") 1965: Dave Lombardo, great drummer with Slayer, was born in Havana, Cuba. 1972: Taylor Hawkins, drummer who worked with Alanis Morrisette and the Foo Fighters, was born in Fort Worth, Texas.
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