This Date in Rock Music History: August 18

1956:  One of the great early songs of the Rock Era, "My Prayer" from the Platters, was #1 on the R&B chart.
1958:  The Kalin Twins had the top U.K. song with "When".








1958:  Domenico Modugno posted the second #1 in the history of Billboard magazine with "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)".  The Elegants moved from 14 to 2 with "Little Star".







1962:  Ringo Starr debuted with the Beatles as their new drummer at a concert at the Horticultural Society Dance in Birkenhead, England. 
1962:  Bobby Vinton posted his fourth week at #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "Roses Are Red (My Love)".
1964:  The Beatles arrived in San Francisco to begin their first tour of America and were met by 9,000 frenzied fans.  The Beatles were driven into a protective enclosure so that photographers could take pictures.  The fans, however, pressed against the fencing, and the Beatles barely managed to get out before it came down on them.
1965:  The Beatles were in concert at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before a sellout crowd of 35,000.  Fans paid $5.50 for the highly sought-after tickets.
1966:  Vocalist and harmonica player Paul Jones left the group Manfred Mann.
1969:  Mick Jagger was accidentally shot in the hand during the filming of the movie Ned Kelly in Australia.
1969:  Edward Bear ("Last Song") opened for Led Zeppelin at the Rock Pile in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.






1973:  The Pointer Sisters released their first single "Yes We Can Can" in February, but on this date, the news was that it finally became their first hit, debuting on the charts.

 
1973:  Marvin Gaye started a long run at #1 on the R&B chart with "Let's Get It On".














1973:  Grand Funk had a solid hit with "We're An American Band", which moved from 59 to 29.





1973:  Diana Ross hit #1 again with "Touch Me In The Morning", jumping over both "Live And Let Die" from Wings and "Brother Louie" by the Stories.  Maureen McGovern fell with "The Morning After" and Marvin Gaye had his 45th hit with "Let's Get It On" at #5.  The rest of the Top 10:  Jim Croce's former #1 "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", Gilbert O'Sullivan followed up his #1 "Alone Again (Naturally)" with "Get Down" at #7, Helen Reddy moved from 15 to 8 with "Delta Dawn", Charlie Daniels had "Uneasy Rider" and Chicago moved into the Top 10 with their great song "Feelin' Stronger Every Day".








1975:  The seeds of one of the greatest comebacks of the Rock Era were planted on this day.  Monday, the day for new releases, fell on this date and the Four Seasons released the single "Who Loves You", which would become their first Top 10 song in eight years.
1976:  Marvin Gaye faced two consecutive five-day prison terms in the Los Angeles county jail for contempt of court after missing alimony and child support payments.
1977:  The Police performed as a trio for the first time after guitarist Henri Padovani left the group when they played at Rebecca's in Birmingham, England.  (Note:  several websites report the show was August 17.  'Billboard' magazine and the book 'Sting:  Back on the Beat' by Christopher Sandford both state that it was on August 18.)

1977:  Funeral services were held for Elvis Presley at Graceland near Memphis, Tennessee.  Only 150 people were invited but tens of thousands gathered outside the gates.
1979:  With a hit song behind him, Nick Lowe ("Cruel To Be Kind" from 1979) married Carlene Carter in Los Angeles.
1979:  The Who, AC/DC, Nils Lofgren and the Stranglers shared a bill at Wembley Stadium in London.








1979:  Moon Martin had the highest-debuting song with "Rolene".
1979:  Chic made it four weeks at #1 on the R&B survey with "Good Times".
1979:  The Commodores were flying up the chart with "Sail On"--up from 68 to 37 on this date.








         
                                                                  The Knack were rocking towards the top...


1979:  Chic somehow reached #1 with "Good Times" while the Knack moved into position with "My Sharona".  Barbra Streisand had song #3--"The Main Event/Fight".  Donna Summer slipped from the top with "Bad Girls" while Earth, Wind & Fire moved from 19 to 5 with their great song "After The Love Has Gone".  The rest of the Top 10:  Dr. Hook with one of the biggest of their 21 career hits--"When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman", Anita Ward with "Ring My Bell", the Charlie Daniels Band surged from 21 to 8 with "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", Raydio edged up with "You Can't Change That" and Elton John landed his 16th Top 10 hit with "Mama Can't Buy You Love".








                                                                          "Surrender" from 'Live at Budokan'...

1979:  The Knack continued to possess the #1 album with Get the Knack.  Bad Girls from Donna Summer was #2 followed by Supertramp's Breakfast In America, still in the Top 3 after 21 weeks.  Candy-O by the Cars was fourth.  The rest of the Top 10:  Teddy from Teddy Pendergrass, I Am by Earth, Wind & Fire, Discovery from ELO at 7, the Who couldn't get past #8 with "The Kids Are Alright" Soundtrack, Cheap Trick At Budokan was #9 and Charlie Daniels Band reached #10 with Million Mile Reflections.








1979:  Maxine Nightingale had one of the top Adult Contemporary songs of the 70's as "Lead Me On" prevailed at #1 for a seventh week.
1982:  The City of Liverpool, England named four streets after the Beatles--John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, Ringo Starr Drive and George Harrison Close.
1983:  The Police, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and R.E.M. were at Shea Stadium in New York City.
1984:  Prince enjoyed eight weeks at #1 on the R&B chart with his classic "When Doves Cry".










1984:  Lionel Richie had the top AC song with "Stuck On You" for the third straight week.

1986:  Bon Jovi released the album Slippery When Wet in the United States on Mercury Records.
1990:  Romeo Beresford (Jazzie B) from Soul II Soul was injured in a seven-car pileup while en route from Detroit, Michigan to Chicago, Illinois.
1990:  "Vision Of Love" gave Mariah Carey a #1 song on the R&B chart for a second week.
1990:  Mariah Carey's "Vision Of Love" was #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for the third week.








1990:  Ah, back in the days when she wore the Triple Crown (#1 on the Popular chart, #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #1 on the R&B chart), something Mariah Carey can't come close to these days.  "Vision Of Love" was #1 overall for the third straight week. 
1993:  U2 performed at the National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales.
1999:  Johnny Byrne, guitarist with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, died from motor neurone disease in Liverpool, Merseyside, England at the age of 59. 
1999:  Two acts who love to wear makeup settled out of court.  Alice Cooper claimed that the KISS song "Dreamin'" was copied from his 1971 song "Eighteen".
2000:  Joey Molland of Badfinger fell off stage and fractured his leg during the Classic Rock Festival in Darrington, Washington. 
2001:  Coldplay, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nelly Furtado headlined the V2001 Festival at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, England.
2002:  The Sugababes sang their way to #1 in the U.K. with "Round Round".
2003:  Tony Jackson, bass guitarist and vocalist with the Searchers, died in Nottingham, England at the age of 63 from complications of diabetes, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver due to a lifetime of heavy alcohol drinking.  (Note:  some websites report Jackson died at the age of 65.  According to the newspapers 'The Guardian' and 'The Telegraph', he died at age 63.)






2004:  Ashlee Simpson had the top album with Autobiography.
2005:  Kanye West called for an end to homophobia in the hip-hop world.
2008:  Pervis Jackson of the Spinners died of cancer at the age of 70 in Detroit, Michigan.










2012:  Scott McKenzie, who wrote an anthem for a generation ("San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)", co-wrote "Kokomo" for the Beach Boys, and also worked with the Mamas and the Papas, died in Los Angeles at age 73. 




Born This Day:
1939:  Johnny Preston ("Running Bear" from 1959) was born in Port Arthur, Texas; died of heart failure in Beaumont, Texas on March 4, 2011.
1943:  Carl Wayne of Carl Wayne & the Vikings and the lead singer with the Move and the Hollies in later years, was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England; died August 31, 2004 weeks after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in Pyrford, Surrey, England.  (Note:  'Allmusic.com' says he died in Moseley, England, but according to the newspaper 'The Independent', he died in Pyrford.) 
1945:  Sarah Dash of Labelle was born in Trenton, New Jersey.
1945:  Barbara Harris of the Toys ("A Lover's Concerto" from 1965) was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
1949:  Nigel Griggs, bass guitarist of Split Enz, was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
1950:  Dennis Elliott, drummer of Foreigner from 1976-1992, was born in Peckham, London.
1951:  John Rees, bassist of Men at Work

1952:  Patrick Swayze ("She's Like The Wind") was born in Houston, Texas; died of pancreatic cancer on September 14, 2009.
1957:  Ron Strykert, co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist of Men At Work
1969:  Erik Schrody of House of Pain was born in Valley Stream, New York.
1983:  Mika was born in Beirut, Lebanon.