Sunday, December 10, 2017

This Date in Rock Music History: December 7







1958: George Harrison joined the Quarrymen, named after John Lennon's school. The group also included Paul McCartney, Len Garry and John Lowe.  (Note:  most websites show this date as February 6, however, David Bedford, in his book 'The Fab one Hundred and Four', contradicts this date.  Bedford points out that guitarist Eric Griffiths left the group because he was being replaced by Harrison.  In new research conducted by Bedford, he shows the Merchant Navy records of Griffiths, who joined his first ship on February 11.  Obviously, one doesn't just hop aboard a ship right after deciding to join the Navy.  In fact, Eric qualified as an officer cadet in January, 1958, meaning that in order to complete his training, he would have had to sign up for the Merchant Navy no later than mid-December, 1957.  All sources agree that Harrison joined the Quarrymen following an audition at Wilson Hall in Liverpool.  Records showed that the Quarrymen played the venue on December 7, after which time Griffiths quit music and joined the Navy.)   



1959:  J.P. Richardson ("The Big Bopper"), who had the big hit "Chantilly Lace" and died in the tragic plane crash on February 3, was buried in Beaumont, Texas. 
1959:  "Smokie - Part 2" by Bill Black's Combo raced up from 98 to 65.
1959:  "Mack The Knife" by Bobby Darin, which had spent six weeks at #1 before falling from its perch, had since returned and this week added a third additional week to that total.  

1960:  Neil Sedaka released the single "Calendar Girl".  (Note:  many websites erroneously report the date of release as December 19.  It is physically impossible for a record company to print 45's, mail them to radio stations, have the radio stations add the song to their playlist, then call the trade magazines, and have the trade magazines print that the song debuted on the chart, all in the same day--"Calendar Girl" debuted on the chart on December 19.)







1962:  The Rolling Stones held an audition for bass players at the World's End pub in Chelsea, London.  Bill Wyman got the job partially because he had lots of equipment the group could use.
1963:  The Beatles performed at the Empire Theatre in London in the afternoon, and filmed at the Odeon Theatre that night for the BBC television show Jukebox Jury.
1963:  The #1 album in the U.K. was With the Beatles.
1963:  "Dominique" was the new #1 on the Easy Listening chart by The Singing Nun.




1963:  One of the big hits on this day was "Popsicles And Icicles", which moved from 63 to 32 for the Murmaids.









               The Raiders' version of "Louie Louie"...

1963:  The Singing Nun took over at #1 with "Dominique".  Dale & Grace dropped with "I'm Leaving It Up To You" but Tommy Roe was a man on the move with "Everybody".  The Kingsmen moved from 23-4 with "Louie Louie" but it was Paul Revere & the Raiders that had the better version of the song. The rest of the Top 10:  Lesley Gore and "She's A Fool", Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs with their smash "Sugar Shack", the Caravelles jumped from 19-7 with "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry", the Beach Boys had spirit at #8--"Be True To Your School", the Village Stompers tumbled with "Washington Square" and "Walking The Dog" from Rufus Thomas was 10th.









1965:  The Righteous Brothers released the single "(You're My) Soul And Inspiration".
1964:  Brian Wilson, the genius behind the Beach Boys, married Marilyn Rovell in Los Angeles.  









1966:  Nancy Sinatra appeared on the television special Frank Sinatra:  A Man & His Music Part II on CBS.











1967:  The Beatles opened their Apple Records Boutique on Baker Street in London.
1968:  Eric Burdon announced that the Animals would break up following their December 22 concert at Newcastle City Hall in England.
1968:  The White Album by the Beatles was #1 in the U.K.
1968:  Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & the Holding Company posted a sixth week at #1 on the Album chart.
1968:  Mary Hopkin had one of the great early adult songs with "Those Were The Days", which remained at #1 for a sixth week.




       The Classics IV take us back to 1968 with "Stormy"...

1968:  "Love Child", one of The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era* by the Supremes, was #1 again.  the Beatles were still at #2 after spending nine weeks at the top with "Hey Jude".  Stevie Wonder made a bid with "For Once In My Life" while Marvin Gaye climbed up from 16 to 4 with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine".  The rest of the Top 10:  Johnnie Taylor with "Who's Making Love", Steppenwolf's journey on the "Magic Carpet Ride" was ending, Dion was at 7 with "Abraham, Martin And John", Glen Campbell's great "Wichita Lineman" remained at #8, we got to hear the great voice of Dennis Yost and the Classics IV with "Stormy" and Mary Hopkin's #2 smash "Those Were The Days" was #10.
1971:  Genesis and Roxy Music were in concert at the Hobbits Garden in Wimbledon, England.
1973:  Paul McCartney & Wings released the album Band on the Run in the U.K.
1973:  Clifford Davis, the manager of Fleetwood Mac, announced that he owned the rights to the group's name and assembled a second Fleetwood Mac to tour the country, essentially ripping off unsuspecting fans.  After a lengthy court battle, the original members won the right to force the second group to rename themselves.
1974:  Barry White scored his first #1 in the U.K. with "You're The First, The Last, My Everything".
1974:  Helen Reddy reached #1 on the Adult chart with "Angie Baby".



1974:  Carl Douglas chopped a path to #1 with "Kung Fu Fighting", sending fellow newcomer Billy Swan in a dive with "I Can Help".  In retrospect, hard to believe the Three Degrees did not land a #1 with "When Will I See You Again". B.T. Express chugged along with "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)" and Harry Chapin had a smash with "Cat's In The Cradle".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Angie Baby", one of Helen Reddy's biggest, Bobby Vinton with his comeback "My Melody Of Love", BTO were at #8 although they were #1 in most markets with "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet", Al Green sauntered into the Top 10 with "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)" and Barry White moved from 17-10 with "You're The First, The Last, My Everything".





1976:  The Eagles released the single "New Kid In Town".
1984:  Vince Neil of Motley Crue crashed his car in Redondo Beach, California, killing his passenger Nick Dingley.  Neil was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter.
1985:  Lionel Richie was on a roll--four consecutive #1 Adult Contemporary songs and eight out of nine for his solo career as he slided into the #1 spot with "Say You, Say Me".







1985:  Mr. Mister impressed enough to land a #1 song with "Broken Wings".  
1986:  Huey Lewis and the News sang the United States national anthem, singing A Capella prior to the National Football League game between San Francisco and the New York Jets at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.
1987:  Richard Taylor of the Manhattans ("Shining Star" from 1980) died at the age of 47 in Kansas City, Kansas.





1990:  Dee Clark ("Raindrops") died of a heart attack at age 52 in Smyrna, Georgia.
1991:  Elton John & George Michael had the top U.K. song with the live version of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me".
1991:  Two weeks after the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury, Queen's Greatest Hits II was the #1 album in the U.K.
1991:  Amy Grant made it two straight weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "That's What Love Is For".





    "I Can't Dance" helps propel Genesis into the Top 10...

1991:  U2 debuted at #1 on the Album chart with their solid follow up to The Joshua Tree--Achtung Baby.  That put a halt on Garth Brooks' album Ropin' the Wind after eight weeks at the top--though amazingly, he would be back for much more.  Too Legit to Quit by Hammer was the third best with Nirvana's Nevermind fourth.  The rest of the Top 10:  Michael Bolton's outstanding Time, Love & Tenderness, Guns N' Roses with Use Your Illusion II was still around, Metallica by Metallica was #7, Genesis checked in with We Can't Dance while Mariah Carey wasn't going away as her second album Emotions re-entered the Top 10.



1991:  Michael Jackson's 32nd career hit "Black Or White" took over at #1 on this date.  Incredibly, 22 of those were Top 10 songs with 12 going all the way to #1.  Counting his work with his brothers, Michael was now up to 58 hits, 32 Top 10's and 16 #1 songs.  Michael Bolton had #2--"When A Man Loves A Woman", PM Dawn's previous #1 "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" was third followed by "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" from Boyz II Men.  Color Me Badd had #5--"All 4 Love" while Paula Abdul rose up to 6 with "Blowing Kisses In The Wind".  The rest of the Top 10:  Prince and "Cream", an amazing new talent, Mariah Carey had another stunning song, "Can't Let Go", which rose from 17 to 8, Amy Grant made the Top 10 with "That's What Love Is For" and "O.P.P." by Naughty By Nature was #10.




1996:  Tragic Kingdom, the breakthrough album for No Doubt, was still #3 after 47 weeks of release.










1996:  Toni Braxton's amazing song "Un-Break My Heart" took over at #1.  Barbra Streisand's 42nd and final career hit was the only new Top 10 song--a duet with Bryan Adams called "I Finally Found Someone".








1999:  The Eagles were honored by the Recording Industry Association of America with the Best-Selling Album of the Century--Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975(Note:  many websites state the date of the honor was November 9 or 10.  The correct date, according to 'CNN', was December 7.  Where those websites fell into the trap, we believe, was in following the RIAA certification on November 10.  That certification of the Eagles album was for 26 million, which put it in a tie with Michael Jackson's 'Thriller', which was certified at 26 million on October 30.  The RIAA did not present the Best-Selling Album of the Century until December 7.)

2003:  Mary J. Blige married producer Kendu Isaacs in a ceremony at her home in Bergen County, New Jersey.
2003:  Whitney Houston called police to her home in Alpharetta, Georgia, alleging then-husband Bobby Brown hit her in the face.  The loser was charged with battery three days later.




2003:  James Brown received a Lifetime Achievement award at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
2003:  Outkast rose to #1 with "Hey Ya".
2004:  The Stereophonics announced they brought in Javier Weyler to take the place of drummer Stuart Cable.
2004:  Three artists garnered the lion's share of Grammy Award nominations.  Kanye West got 10 while Alicia Keys and Usher received eight each.  Better give them all to West or he might get upset.  He is, after all, a college dropout.
2005:  It was by this time tough for one artist to put together a great album so on this date, the compilation Now 20, which included songs from the Pussycat Dolls, Missy Elliott and others, was #1.
2008:  Take That owned the top U.K. album with The Circus.

Born This Day:

1942:  Harry Chapin was born in Greenwich Village, New York; died on July 16, 1981 when a tractor trailer crashed into the car he was driving on the Long Island Expressway.  (Note:  some websites claim Harry was born in Brooklyn, but according to the official website for The Harry Chapin Foundation as well as the book 'The Greatest Rock Discography' by Martin Charles Strong, Chapin was born in Greenwich Village, New York.)
1948:  Michael Andre Lewis (Mandre), keyboardist who played for the Who, Diana Ross, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Sly & the Family Stone and Frank Zappa, was born in Omaha, Nebraska; died January 31, 2012 in Shreveport, Louisiana at the age of 63.




1949:  Tom Waits was born in Pomona, California.
1958:  Tim Butler, songwriter, bass guitarist and co-founder of the Psychedelic Furs, was born in Teddington, Middlesex, England.
1963:  Barbara Weathers, lead singer of Atlantic Starr ("Always"), was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.
1974:  Nicole Appleton of All Saints was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
1987:  Aaron Carter was born in Tampa, Florida.

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