Sunday, December 10, 2017

This Date in Rock Music History: December 9


1957:  Smooth Sam Cooke remained at #1 on the R&B chart for a third week with "You Send Me".
1961:  The Beatles paid their dues at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, England before 18 people, as the show had not been promoted well by Sam Leach.  Leach thought he had booked the group in London, but Aldershot was a small military town 37 miles from London.



 Leach had paid the local newspaper with a check, but they only took cash for new customers and Leach hadn't provided them any contact number.  To add insult to injury, a neighbor called the police, and when the group emerged from the Ballroom, they were told to "leave town and never return".  With nowhere to go, the Beatles drove to London and played a set at the Blue Gardenia Club in Soho in the early morning hours.  All this difficulty, and they still became the most successful music act the world has ever known. 
1961:  The Marvelettes maintained their hold on the R&B chart for the fifth straight week with "Please Mr. Postman".
1961:  Jimmy Dean remained at #1 on the Easy Listening chart for a seventh week with "Big Bad John".

 

1962:  Brian Epstein, manager of the Beatles, took George Martin, future producer of the group, to the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England to see the group perform.
1962:  The Supremes released their debut album Meet the Supremes(Note:  some websites claim that the release was in 1963, or even March 9 of 1961.  According to the 'BBC' and other credible sources, the correct date of release is December 9, 1962.)
1963:  Rolf Harris ("Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport") was a guest on To Tell the Truth on CBS-TV.






1964:  The Kinks released the single "All Day And All Of The Night".













1964:  "I Feel Fine" by the Beatles exceeded one million in sales in the U.K. in just its second week.
1965:  The Christmas classic A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on CBS-TV.
1967:  Jim Morrison was arrested onstage in New Haven, Connecticut and charged with breach of peace and resisting arrest.
1967:  The Beatles topped the U.K. chart with "Hello Goodbye".





                 "I Say a Little Prayer" was #4 on this date, and it's gotten better since then...

1967:  The Monkees prevailed for the second week at #1 with "Daydream Believer" with the Cowsills ("The Rain, The Park & Other Things") and Strawberry Alarm Clock ("Incense And Peppermints") remaining at #2 and #3, respectively.  Dionne Warwick's new song "I Say A Little Prayer" was up to 4 while Gladys Knight & the Pips were at 5 with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine".  The rest of the Top 10:  One of the top songs of the year, "To Sir With Love" was sixth, followed by the new Top 10 for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles--"I Second That Emotion", the Beatles flew past everyone from 45 to 8 with "Hello Goodbye", Diana Ross & the Supremes notched their eighth consecutive Top 10 (and 14th out of their last 15 releases) with "In And Out of Love" and Victor Lundberg's "An Open Letter To My Teenage Son" came in #10.



1968:  Tommy James & the Shondells released the single "Crimson And Clover".
1968:  The Supremes and the Temptations combined for the television special TCB (Takin' Care of Business) on NBC.
1972:  Pete Townshend, guitarist of the Who, was a narrator for the orchestral performance of Tommy at the Rainbow Theatre in London that starred Roger Daltrey, Richie Havens, Steve Winwood and actor Peter Sellers and featured the London Symphony Orchestra.
1972:  "Clair" reached #1 on the Adult chart for Gilbert O'Sullivan.






1972:  The solid album Seventh Sojourn by the Moody Blues rose from #5 to #1.  All Directions by the Temptations was #2 followed by the new album from Stanley, Idaho's Carole King, Rhymes & Reasons.  Cat Stevens' former #1 Catch Bull At Four tumbled to 4 and Yes also stumbled with Close to the Edge.  The rest of the Top 10:  The "Superfly" Soundtrack, Phoenix by Grand Funk Railroad at #7, Santana remained at #8 with Caravanserai, Al Green entered the Top 10 with I'm Still In Love With You and newcomers Seals & Crofts saw their album Summer Breeze move from 13-10.
1972:  A new song was captivating music lovers--"You're So Vain" by Carly Simon moved from #99 to #60 on this date.



         
        
                  America had another Top 10 hit...

1972:  One of The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era*--"I Am Woman" by Helen Reddy, moved into the #1 spot, passing "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" by the Temptations.  Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes lurked nearby with "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and Johnny Nash's smash "I Can See Clearly Now" was still at #4.  The rest of a good Top 10:  "You Ought To Be With Me" by Al Green, Billy Paul with "Me And Mrs. Jones", Albert Hammond moved to 7 with "It Never Rains In Southern California", America at #8 with "Ventura Highway", Gilbert O'Sullivan found the Top 10 with "Clair" and the great soul group the Stylistics reached the list with "I'm Stone In Love With You".





1974:  George Harrison released the first album on his new record label Dark Horse--Dark Horse.









1974:  Grand Funk released the single "Some Kind Of Wonderful".









1974:  Styx re-released the single "Lady" (it had originally been released in 1972.)
1974:  John Lennon was a guest in the booth during a National Football League game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football on ABC television. 
1976:  John Lennon bought a painting by Renoir for half a million dollars.
1977:  The Carpenters hosted the special The Carpenters At Christmas on ABC-TV.
1978:  Boney M reached #1 in the U.K. with their remake of the 1957 Harry Belafonte song "Mary's Boy Child".





1978:  Al Stewart made it five weeks at #1 on the Adult chart with "Time Passages".
1978:  Newcomer Nicolette Larson moved from 76 to 51 with "Lotta' Love".









1978:  Chic moved into the #1 position after just seven weeks with their great song "Le Freak".  Donna Summer's former #1 "MacArthur Park" refused to move while the previous #1--"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond, lost its petals and fell to #3.  Canada's Gino Vannelli was up to #4 with his biggest hit "I Just Wanna' Stop".  The rest of the Top 10:  Ambrosia with "How Much I Feel", newcomer Alicia Bridges and "I Love The Nightlife (Disco 'Round)", Al Stewart at #7 with "Time Passages", Billy Joel edged up with "My Life", Dr. Hook had a hot song with "Sharing The Night Together" and Andy Gibb was one of the hottest artists ever out of the gate, registering his fifth consecutive Top 10 song to begin his career--"(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away".
1981:  Sonny Til, lead singer of the Orioles, who helped create doo-wop music, died at the age of 53 from heart failure complicated by diabetes.
1984:  The Jacksons performed for the final time at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
1988:  Michael Jackson's Bad tour was in full swing and on this night he began a nine-night run at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.
1989:  It was such a bad time in music that a fake band, Milli Vanilli, had the #1 album Girl You Know It's True.  Among the albums that weren't strong enough to top the fake band:  Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, Hangin' Tough by New Kids on the Block, Steel Wheels by the Rolling Stones, Pump by Aerosmith and Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue.
1989:  Luther Vandross added quality to the scene with "Here and Now", #1 on the R&B chart for a second week.

1989:  Billy Joel reached #1 for the third time in his career with his 11th Top 10 and 33rd career hit--"We Didn't Start The Fire".  Phil Collins moved up to challenge with "Another Day In Paradise" while Milli Vanilli's "Blame It On The Rain" dropped from #1.  Paula Abdul was at 4 with "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me" and Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville were at #5 with "Don't Know Much".  The rest of the Top 10:  Soul II Soul with "Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)", Richard Marx slipped with "Angelia", Taylor Dayne achieved her fifth consecutive Top 10 to begin her career "With Every Beat Of My Heart", the B-52's were moving out with "Love Shack" and Technotronic moved from 16-10 with "Pump Up The Jam".
1991:  Guns N' Roses played the first of three concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
1992:  Bill Wyman, bassist of the Rolling Stones, quit the group after 30 years.
1994:  James Brown filed for divorce from his wife.
1995:  The Beatles song "Free As A Bird", the group's first new song in 25 years, debuted on a six-hour documentary on ABC featuring the group.


 "Not The Doctor", one of the great tracks on 'Jagged Little Pill'...

1995:  The impressive Anthology 1 by the Beatles debuted at #1 on the Album chart.  Fresh Horses by Garth Brooks also easily sailed past what competition there was to debut at #2.  Those sent Daydream, the new album by Mariah Carey, down to #3 after just eight weeks.  Christmas in the Aire (sic) by Mannheim Steamroller moved from 10 to 4, the "Waiting to Exhale" Soundtrack was #5 and Alanis Morissette was at #6 with Jagged Little Pill.  The rest of the Top 10:  R. Kelly tumbled to #7 with his self-titled album, Cracked Rear View from Hootie & the Blowfish was still at 8 after 72 weeks, the Smashing Pumpkins were down with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Alan Jackson was down to 10 after just five weeks with The Greatest Hits Collection.
1995:  Whitney Houston topped the R&B chart for a third week with "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)".
1998:  Nicole Appleton walked out of the BBC television show Later, saying she had quit the group.
2000:  U2 performed "Beautiful Day" and "Elevation" in their first-ever appearance on Saturday Night Live on NBC-TV.
2001:  Usher rose to the top of the chart with "U (sic) Got It Bad".
2003:  The road manager of Great White was indicted for involuntary manslaughter for a February fire at a Great White concert in Rhode Island.
2006:  Freddie Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers died of lung cancer in Southport, England at the age of 66.
2006:  Georgia Gibbs ("Dance With Me Henry") died from complications of leukemia in Manhatta, New York at age 87.
2008:  Toni Tennille of the Captain & Tennille cracked a femur, needing three titanium screws to repair her hip.

Born This Day:
1932:  Sam Strain, originally with Little Anthony & the Imperials and later a member of the O'Jays when William Powell left
1932:  Donald Byrd, trumpet player with the Blackbyrds ("Walking In Rhythm" from 1975), who also worked with Lionel Hampton, Cannonball Adderly, Thelonius Monk and Herbie Hancock, among others, was born in Detroit, Michigan; died February 4, 2013 in Dover, Delaware.
1932:  Junior Wells, blues singer and harmonica player who worked with Carlos Santana, Van Morrison and Bonnie Raitt and toured with the Rolling Stones in 1970, was born in Memphis, Tennessee; died January 15, 1998 in Chicago, Illinois after being in a coma from a heart attack the previous fall.
1943:  Kenny Vance, singer and original member of Jay & the Americans, who also was music director for the movies Animal House and Eddie and the Cruisers and the popular television show Saturday Night Live beginning in 1980, was born in New York City.  (Note:  some websites claim that Vance was born in Brooklyn, but according to United Press International, was born in New York City.)  
1944:  Shirley Brickley of Orlons ("The Wah Wahtusi") was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died October 13, 1977 when she was murdered by an intruder in her home in Philadelphia.
1946:  Dennis Dunaway, bass guitarist with Alice Cooper, was born in Cottage Grove, Oregon.  (Note:  many websites list his birth year as 1948; it was 1946, according to the 'BBC' and other reputable sources.)
1950:  Joan Armatrading was born in Basseterre, St. Kitts. 
1954:  Jack Sonni, guitarist with Dire Straits, was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1955:  Randy Murray, a member of Bachman-Turner Overdrive from 1991 to 2005

1957:  Donny Osmond, young singer of the Osmonds and a solo star, was born in Ogden, Utah.
1958:  Nick Seymour, bassist of Crowded House ("Don't Dream It's Over"), was born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia.
1968:  Brian Bell, songwriter and rhythm guitarist of Weezer, was born in Iowa City, Iowa.  (Note:  several sources claim Bell was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, but according to the book 'Musicians That Changed Sound:  Profiles of Four Musicians That Changed The Industry' by Jennifer Warner and Lora Greene, Bell was born in Iowa City and then moved to Knoxville with his family.)




1969:  Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers ("One Headlight"), and son of Bob Dylan, was born in New York City.
1970:  Zak Foley of EMF ("Unbelievable" from 1990), was born in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England; died January 3, 2002 at age 31 when he collapsed in Camden, London from a cocktail of drink and drugs and was dead when police arrived.  (Note:  several websites report his death as December 31, 2001 or January 2, 2002, but 'MTV' and 'Billboard" both reported that he died on Thursday, January 3, 2002.)  
1972:  Tre Cool (real name Frank Edwin Wright III), drummer of Green Day who joined in 1990, was born in Frankfurt, Germany.

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