This Date in Rock Music History: September 9

1954, Elvis Presley played at the opening of the Lamar-Airways Shopping Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

1955:  The J.P. Seeburg Corporation came out with the Dual Music System Jukebox which was the first of its kind to hold 100 45's, for a total of 200 selections.

1956:  Elvis Presley made his first of three appearances on the Ed Sullivan show Toast of the Town.  Contrary to myth, he was not shown from just the waist up but was in full view.  If you read that somewhere, you can discount that source's credibility.  (As the 'Encyclopedia of Television' by Horace Newcomb points out, for the third appearance (on January 6, 1957), Presley indeed did appear from the waist up but speculation was that his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had ordered the semblance of censorship to generate publicity for Presley.)
1956:  The Johnny Burnette Trio appeared on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour on ABC-TV.   
1957:  Jerry Lee Lewis took over at #1 on the R&B chart with "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On".
1965:  The Rolling Stones had the top song in the U.K. with "Satisfaction".
1967:  The Doors performed at the Village Theatre in New York City, which would later be known as Fillmore East.
1967:  James Brown topped the R&B chart with "Cold Sweat - Part 1".
1967:  The Association soared from 59 to 25 with "Never My Love".
1967:  It was a magical time in music as "Ode To Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry was the #1 song, having taken over from the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love".  That song replaced "Light My Fire" by the Doors, which was the successor to "Windy" from the Association.  On its way up from 15-5 was "The Letter" from the Box Tops.  In between--"Reflections" from Diana Ross & the Supremes (as they were billed at the time), Bobby Vee's "Come Back When You Grow Up" at #3 and "Baby I Love You" by Aretha Franklin.  The rest of the Top 10:  "All You Need Is Love", "You're My Everything" by the Temptations, "Light My Fire", Jay & the Techniques with "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" and the great sound of the Animals with "San Franciscan Nights", which moved from #25 to 10 on this date.
1968:  The Beatles recorded 18 takes of "Helter Skelter" for The White Album, and in the course of the day, transformed the song from a slow blues jam into the frantic song you hear on the album.
1970:  Elvis Presley began his first tour in nine years in Phoenix, Arizona at the Phoenix Coliseum.
1971:  John Lennon released the album Imagine in the United States.  He released the LP a month later in the U.K.

1971:  Another famous day in the Rock Era as John Lennon released the single "Imagine".  Lennon released the single on October 8 in the U.K.

1972:  "Back Stabbers" by the O'Jays was the new #1 on the R&B chart.











1972:  Chicago V landed at #1 on the Album chart again for the fourth week.  Rod Stewart's Never a Dull Moment came in second followed by Big Bambu from Cheech & Chong.  Elton John's Honky Chateau was #4, itself a former #1 album.  The rest of the Top 10:  Moods from Neil Diamond, Carney by Leon Russell, Trilogy at #7 for Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles!  Live!, Seven Separate Fools by Three Dog Night at #9 and Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits coming in tenth.









1972:  Bread owned the #1 Easy Listening song with "The Guitar Man".













1972  New group the Doobie Brothers had a hot song on this date, moving from 89 to 62 with their first release "Listen To The Music".
1972:  Gilbert O'Sullivan logged a sixth week at #1 with "Alone Again (Naturally)".  The Hollies couldn't get higher than #2 with "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress".  Al Green had song #3--"I'm Still In Love with You" and Mac Davis was looking good with "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me".  The rest of the Top 10:  Looking Glass and their former #1 "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)", "Back Stabbers" from the O'Jays, Gary Glitter with "Rock And Roll Part 2", Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around With Jim", Three Dog Night with their ninth Top 10 "Black & White" and Chicago jumped in with "Saturday In The Park".




1975:  Wings set out on a world tour, beginning at the Gaumont Theatre in Southampton, England.
1978:  U2 opened for the Stranglers at the Top Hat Ballroom in Dublin, Ireland.
1978:  Boney M topped the Album chart in the U.K. with Night Flight To Venus.










1978:  Newcomer Chris Rea had the top Adult Contemporary song with "Fool (If You Think It's Over)".

1981:  Sting of the Police and Phil Collins of Genesis both made their solo debuts at Amnesty International's "The Secret Policeman's Other Ball" in London.
1982:  Al Green and Patti LaBelle starred in the gospel musical Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God, which opened at Alvin Theatre in New York City.








1985:  Glenn Frey released the single "You Belong To The City".













1988:  Elton John sold some of his old costumes (including those famous boots he wore in the movie Tommy) and memorabilia from his concerts at a four-day London auction for $8.2 million.  (Note: several websites report the items were sold September 8, but the action was held September 6-9, according to the newspaper 'The New York Times'.)1989:  Sonic Youth and Nirvana performed at the Caberet Metro in Chicago, Illinois.
1989:  Richard Marx made it six weeks at #1 on the AC chart with "Right Here Waiting".
1991:  On the heels of his massive #1 "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", Bryan Adams released another great one--"Can't Stop This Thing We Started".
1995:  Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips married actor William Baldwin.

1995:  Combine a great song with a great movie and you get a #1 song.  Coolio with L.V. climbed to #1 with "Gangsta's Paradise", a remake of Stevie Wonder's song "Pastime Paradise".  Michael Jackson had to fall with "You Are Not Alone", Seal remained at #3 with "Kiss from a Rose" and TLC completed an excellent Top Four with "Waterfalls".
1996:  Tom Petty's wife, Jane, filed for divorce.
1999:  D'Arcy Wretzky, bass guitarist of the Smashing Pumpkins, left the group.
1999:  Nine Inch Nails performed at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.
2000:  Neil Peart of Rush married photographer Carrie Nuttall in Montecito, California.
2001:  Aaliyah had the #1 album with her self-titled release.
2003:  Simon and Garfunkel announced they would reform for a fall tour.
2003:  Velvet Revolver inked a recording contract with RCA 
Records.

2003:  John Mayer released his third album Heavier Things.
2003:  A Kiss concert at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne, Australia from February (recorded with a 60-piece symphony orchestra) was shown in movie theaters in 21 cities in the United States.

2003:  Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay constructed four 10-foot letters which spelled "hope" on a beach outside where the World Trade Organization was conducting a meeting in Cancun, Mexico.  The group represented the organization Make Trade Fair.
2003:  In today's episode of Dangerous Inmates Run Rap Music, the guy who is worth 50 cents (50 Cent) was asked to turn himself in after fleeing the scene in which shots were fired in a New Jersey hotel that the rapper was seen entering moments before.
2005:  The Eagles were in concert at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
2005:  U2, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, the Dixie Chicks, Neil Young, and Randy Newman were among those who performed in difference cities around the United States for the benefit "Shelter From The Storm--A Concert For The Gulf Coast".

2006:  Travis Barker, formerly the drummer in Blink-182, broke his arm while shooting a video for his new group +44.

2006:  Danity Kane rose to #1 on the album chart with their self-titled release.


Born This Day:
1940:  Joe Negroni of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, was born in New York City; died September 5, 1978 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

1941:  Otis Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia; died in a plane crash on October 10, 1967, three days after recording the single "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay".  The song was remixed and released early in 1968. 
1942:  Luther Simmons of the Main Ingredient was born in New York City.
1942:  Inez Foxx, who combined with brother Charles for the 1963 hit "Mockingbird", was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.
1945:  Dee Dee Sharp (real name Dione LaRue, who did "Mashed Potato Time" in 1962) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1946:  Bruce Palmer, bass guitarist with Buffalo Springfield, was born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada; died of a heart attack in Belleville, Ontario, Canada on October 1, 2004.
1946:  Inez Foxx ("Mockingbird" from 1963) was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.
1946:  Doug Ingle, founding member and keyboard player of Iron Butterfly, was born in Omaha, Nebraska.
1947:  Freddy Weller, who co-wrote "Dizzy" with Tommy Roe and played a brief time as lead guitarist with the Boise, Idaho group Paul Revere & the Raiders, was born in Atlanta, Georgia.







1952:  Dave Stewart, guitarist with the Eurythmics, songwriter ("Don't Come Around Here No More" for Tom Petty and "Stay" for Shakespeaers Sister, among others) and producer (Petty, Stevie Nicks, Jon Bon Jovi and Joss Stone)  was born in Sunderland, England.  (Note:  many websites that Dave was born on December 30, 1950--the Dave Stewart born on that date is a British keyboardist, note Stewart of the Eurythmics.)1953:  John McFee, singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the Doobie Brothers and later Elvis Costello, was born in Santa Cruz, California.  (Note:  several websites report McFee's birthday as November but 18, according to the book 'Motown Encylopedia' by Graham Betts, as well as the official website of the Doobie Brothers, McFee was born on September 9.)
1975:  Michael Buble was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.