Album Review: Led Zeppelin Four

Some albums will be around 200 years from now, as compositions from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart are now.  This album is one of those timeless classics.

At the time of this album’s release, Led Zeppelin were already superstars.  They were so big that they didn’t have to include sleeve notes, a band image or song titles on the sleeve.  Nor did they include a title for the project.  Thus, the album has been called many names, including “Led Zeppelin Four” or simply “Four”, some have referred to it as “****”, the “rune” album for its many Lord of the Ring references or Zoso because of the medieval symbols on the inner sleeve or even “No Title”. 

Quite simply, this album transformed the British superstars into legendary performers.  It is a perfect album, meaning not only that there is not a bad track on it, but also it isn’t a collection of songs but truly is an album concept.  Led Zeppelin album “Four” has sold over 23 million copies in the United States and near 30 million worldwide.

Led Zeppelin was formed when the Yardbirds, of which Jimmy Page was a member, disbanded.  Page had become a pronounced session player, most famously on the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me”, in which Page invents one of the most famous guitar riffs of all-time.  Robert Plant embodied what a rock singer looked and sounded like, with his loud, rough wailing, yells and whines.  Bassist John Paul Jones was also well known in music circles as an accomplished session musician.  Word is that John Bonham only went down with Robert Plant from Birmingham, England, to an audition to keep his friend company.  By the time the journey was over, Bonham had been selected as the fourth member of the band. 

The first sound you hear on the album is this:

`Hey, Hey Mama, said the way you move, 
Gonna make You sweat Gonna make You groove, 
My, My Child when You shake that thing,
Gonna make you burn, Gonna make You sting.`...

Robert Plant belts out those lyrics and you know you’re in for something special, only something called rock & roll can deliver, and only a band like Led Zeppelin can give you.  “Black Dog” gets the album kickstarted with one of Jimmy Page’s many famous guitar riffs. 

Jones is credited with writing the main riff of the song and he intentionally set out to write a song that you couldn’t dance to.

I wanted to try an electric blues with a rolling bass part. But it couldn't be too simple. I wanted it to turn back on itself. I showed it to the guys, and we fell into it. We struggled with the turn-around, until John (Bonham) figured out that you just four-time as if there's no turn-around. That was the secret.

The song got its title from a nameless Labrador retriever that had been hanging around Headley Grange studios but said dog has nothing to do with the song itself, which is about the desperate desire for a woman’s love and the happiness forthcoming.  "Black Dog" features a wailing Robert Plant at his best.  The song weaves Plant's pleading lyrics with Page's classic guitar work.  The track begins with acoustic guitar and launches into full-fledged rock and roll.  The song features start-and-stop Plant lyrics followed by responses from the band, a pattern that the group took from the Fleetwood Mac song “Oh Well”.  A complex shifting time signature was used by the band they say to prevent future groups from covering the song.  You can hear Plant belting his a cappella lines with the band kicking in in response.  Bonham taps his sticks together before each riff to “signal” the band. 

Page:  “We put my Les Paul through a direct box, and from there into a mic channel. We used the mic amp of the mixing board to get distortion. Then we ran it through two Urei 1176 Universal compressors in series. Then each line was triple-tracked. Curiously, I was listening to that track when we were reviewing the tapes and the guitars almost sound like an analog synthesizer.” 

Page warms up his guitar at the beginning of the track—“waking up the army of guitars” as he put it, which actually are multi-track parts recorded in unison supported by Jones’ bass.  

2.  “Rock and Roll” is an anthem, pure and simple.  It is an anthem to everything loud and raucous, wild and free.  Page gives you one riff after another, building the song to a crescendo.  Meanwhile, Jones is busy frettering away on his base and Bonham is just back there providing the beat for all-time.  The song of course has become a rock standard. 

Rolling Stones pianist Ian Stewart makes an appearance on the song, which is based on the basic 12-bar blues progression.  Page has said that the song came about in a failed attempt to finish the track “Four Sticks”.  Zeppelin went into a spontaneous jam session, with Bonham playing the intro to Little Richard’s “Keep a Knockin’” and Page adding a guitar riff.  The tape was rolling, and the sound was so exciting that the group started working on the new song.


"Rock and Roll" grabs you by the throat at the beginning, one of the top Zeppelin tracks in their career.  Page's brilliance was in carving up all these supportive guitar riffs, like the engine that drives the band forward.


3.  "Battle of Evermore"
Plant brings Tolkien influences into the album on this track.  Only someone like Page could play a mandolin that   The song was written when Page picked up Jones’s mandolin, which he had never played before, and wrote the chords in one sitting. 
The song sounds medieval, featuring more harmony for the group than usual.  Ex-Fairport Convention folk singer Sandy Denny contributes to the piece in a duet with Plant.  Fairport shared a gig with Zeppelin in 1970 at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music.


4.  "Stairway To Heaven"

Like many of the classics, "Stairway" is composed of several sections, each increasing in volume and tempo.  Jones’ wooden bass recorders lead the song in its beginning as a slow, acoustic song with Page plucking on a six-string.  As “Stairway” progresses, there are several time signature changes, going to ¾, 5/4 and 7/8.  Plant’s vocals get more pleading, giving way to an elaborate and landmark Page guitar solo, recorded on a 1959 Fender guitar he had used often with the Yardbirds. 

The song was written in 1970 following the group's concert tour when Page and Plant were at Bron-Yr-Aur, a remote cottage in Wales.  Page has said that, while the song had its beginning there, it was the result of putting several taped bits together. 

I had these pieces, these guitar pieces, that I wanted to put together. I had a whole idea of a piece of music that I really wanted to try and present to everybody and try and come to terms with. Bit difficult really, because it started on acoustic, and as you know it goes through to the electric parts. But we had various run-throughs [at Headley Grange] where I was playing the acoustic guitar and jumping up and picking up the electric guitar. Robert was sitting in the corner, or rather leaning against the wall, and as I was routining the rest of the band with this idea and this piece, he was just writing. And all of a sudden he got up and started singing, along with another run-through, and he must have had 80% of the words there ... I had these sections, and I knew what order they were going to go in, but it was just a matter of getting everybody to feel comfortable with each gear shift that was going to be coming.

While listening to Page go on with his idea, Plant began writing the words:  'There's a lady is sure (sic), all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'.  Plant said it was a cynical look about a woman getting everything she wanted all the time without ever giving back any consideration.  Plant had been reading the works of Lewis Spence and he later cited Spence’s Magic Arts in Celtic Britain as one of the sources for the lyrics.  

According to Page, "Stairway to Heaven":

...crystallized the essence of the band. It had everything there and showed the band at its best... as a band, as a unit. Not talking about solos or anything, it had everything there. We were careful never to release it as a single. It was a milestone for us. Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something which will hold up for a long time and I guess we did it with "Stairway". 

Stairway to Heaven has now been played nearly 3 million times on U.S. radio stations.  Although Atlantic Records wanted to release the song as a single, Led Zeppelin to their credit would not compromise on shortening the song and so it remains as the most popular song never released as a single.



Side Two:
1.  "Misty Mountain Hop" 
Jones starts off the second side of the album on electric piano.  The song features layered guitar and keyboard, as well as powerful  drumming from Bonham.  "Misty Mountain" is another reference to Tolkien’s work, specifically The Hobbit. 

2.   “Four Sticks” was so-named when Bonham achieved the sound he wanted for the song when drumming with four sticks simultaneously.  The track takes you on musical chord rides you neither expect nor have ever been on before.


3.  The acoustic ballad “Going to California” features the melodic whines of Plant. 
The song stands in stark contrast to the tracks on side one with acoustic guitar by Page and mandolin by Jones.  Reportedly, it is about Joni Mitchell.  This verse  “To find a Queen without a King, They say she plays guitar and cries, and sings” is believed to be in reference to Joni Mitchell’s 1967 song “I Had a King".


4.  The dark and  bluesy “When the Levee Breaks” closes the album, featuring Plant’s harmonica and vocals.  It  is a blues number originally written and recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929 about the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. 

The pounding drum of Bonham in the background, driving guitars and Plant’s wailing harmonica combine to symbolize the storm that threatens to break the levee.  Bonham’s sound was achieved by setting him in front of a Ludwig drum kit at the bottom of a stairwell at Headley Grange, giving it the resonant sound.  Plant’s harmonica was recorded using a backward echo technique, with the echo heard prior to the sound.

In summary, this is a staple in any rock fan's collection, even more so if you like hard rock and the group Led Zeppelin.  Most people will find it to be one of the best albums they own.




Side One:
1.  "Black Dog", written by Page, Plant and Jones (4:54)
2.  "Rock and Roll", written by Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham (3:40)
3.  "The Battle of Evermore", written by Page & Plant (5:51)
4.  "Stairway to Heaven", written by Page & Plant (8:00)


Side Two:
1.  "Misty Mountain Hop", written by Page, Plant and Jones (4:39)
2.  "Four Sticks", written by Page & Plant (4:44)
3.  "Going to California", written by Page & Plant (3:31)
4.  "When the Levee Breaks", written by Memphis Minnie, Page, Plant, Jones & Bonham (4:47)

Robert Plant:  Vocals, Tambourine

Jimmy Page:  Guitars

John Paul Jones:  Bass, Recorder, Electric Piano

John Bonham:  Drums

Singles by Johnny Rivers

Johnny Rivers was a very unique artist, in that a good deal of his hits (especially the early ones) were recorded live at Whisky A-Go Go in Los Angeles.  He was the resident performer at Whisky for several years and one of its most popular acts.  Here is Johnny's record:

1964:  "Memphis" (#2)
           "Maybelline" (#12)
           "Mountain of Love" (#9)
           "Lawdy Miss Clawdy"
1965:  "Midnight Special" (#20
           "Cupid" (#76)
           "Seventh Son" (#7)
           "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" (#26)
           "Under Your Spell Again" (#35)
1966:  "Do You Wanna Dance?" (#31)
           "Secret Agent Man" (#3)
           "(I Washed My Hands In) Muddy Water" (#19)
           "Poor Side Of Town" (#1)


1967:  "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" (#3)
           "The Tracks Of My Tears" (#10)
           "Summer Rain" (#14)
1968:  "Look To Your Soul" (#49)
           "Right Relations" (#61)
1969:  "These Are Not My People" (#55)
           "Muddy River" (#41)
           "One Woman" (#89)
1970:  "Into the Mystic" (#51)
           "Fire and Rain" (#94)
1971:  "Sea Cruise" (#84)
           "Think His Name" (#65)
1972:  "Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu" (#6)
1973:  "Blue Suede Shoes" (#38)
1974:  "Six Days on the Road"
1975:  "Help Me Rhonda" (#22)
1977:  "Ashes and Sand" (#96)
           "Swayin' To the Music (Slow Dancin')"--#10
           "Curious Mind (Um, Um,Um, Um, Um, Um)" (#41)

Discography: Whitney Houston

1985:  Whitney Houston (#1)
1987:  Whitney (#1)
1990:  I'm Your Baby Tonight (#3)
1992:  Soundtrack to "The Bodyguard" (#2)
1996:  Soundtrack to "The Preacher's Wife" (#3)
1998:  My Love Is Your Love (#13)
2002:  Just Whitney (#9)
2009:  I Look To You (#1)

Compilations:
2000:  Whitney:  The Greatest Hits (#5)
2001:  Love, Whitney
2003:  One Wish:  The Holiday Album (#48)
2007:  The Ultimate Collection

A & M Records

A&M Records was formed in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, with the label name taken from the pair's initials.  From 1966 to 1999, A&M was located at the famous Charlie Chaplin Studios at 1416 North LaBrea Avenue near Sunset Boulevard.





The two had a great record label, which initially featured Alpert & the Tijuana Brass but in the next few years signed acts such as Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, the Carpenters, We Five, Lee Michaels, the Captain and Tennille, Quincy Jones, Liza Minnelli, Paul Williams, Joan Baez, Billy Preston and Toni Basil.  Alpert' group was the only act that could rival the Beatles in the 60's.  Obviously the Carpenters were a huge moneymaker for the label.  A&M soon added artists from across the Atlantic including Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Spooky Tooth, Procol Harum, Free and Humble Pie. 

 Within a decade, A&M was the world's largest independent record label.  In the 1970's, A&M released albums by Carole King under an agreement with Ode Records.  They also signed new acts such as Styx, Supertramp, Peter Frampton, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Nazareth, the Tubes, Rick Wakeman and Squeeze.  The label continued to score in the 80's with Janet Jackson, Bryan Adams, the Police, Atlantic Starr, Joe Jackson, Chris De Burgh, Suzanne Vega and Falco. 
Then, Alpert and Moss sold out, specifically to PolyGram in 1989.  Alpert and Moss had PolyGram sign an integrity clause allowing the duo to continue to manage the label and control the label's image through 2009.  We all know that means nothing to corporations.  Of course, Alpert's nose for talent continued to carry the company as new acts such as Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow, the Gin Blossoms, Extreme and Soundgarden, Blues Traveler were signed and the label also landed new contracts with John Hiatt, Sting, Barry White and Aaron Neville.


But, as said, when you sell out to a corporation, money becomes more important than talent.  In 1998, PolyGram was bought by Seagram and merged with MCA to create the Universal Music Group.  Alpert & Moss, who were supposed to remain in control through 2009, lost that control as a result of the sale.  Most of the famous A&M support staff, many who had been with Alpert & Moss for 15-20 years, were let go.  Alpert & Moss sued for violation of the "integrity" clause, but of course that didn't affect the fired employees.  The A&M building was shut down in January of 1999.  In the farewell celebration of the famed company, the staff placed a black band over the A&M sign above the main entrance, symbolizing the death of the company. 
The message, and it is timeless, is never deal with corporations--they don't care about people, they care bout the bottom line.  And they have zero loyalty.   

This Date in Rock Music History: April 23

1963:  The Rolling Stones played at the Crawdaddy Club at the Station Hotel in Richmond, Surrey, England.

1964:  Peter and Gordon topped the U.K. Singles chart with “A World Without Love”.


1965:  The Four Tops released the single 'I Can't Help Myself".

1965:  The Rolling Stones opened their North American tour at the Aréna Maurice-Richard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1966:  Going Places by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass remained at #1 for the second of five weeks at the top of the Album chart . 

             
                         Rivers at Whisky a Go-Go (with studio polishing...)

1966:  The Righteous Brothers enjoyed a third week at #1 with "(You're My) Soul And Inspiration.  "Daydream" by the Lovin' Spoonful was #2 with Cher's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" coming in at #3.  The rest of the Top 10:  Johnny Rivers moved to #4 with "Secret Agent Man", the Outsiders' great song "Time Won't Let Me" jumped from 11-5, the Stones fell to #6 with "19th Nervous Breakdown", SSgt. Barry Sadler had #7 with "The Ballad Of The Green Berets", B.J. Thomas remained at #8 with "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", the Young Rascals climbed from 16-9 with "Good Lovin'" and Paul Revere & the Raiders jumped from 18-10 with their classic "Kicks".

1969:  The Beatles were #1 on the U.K. chart with “Get Back”.

1970:  Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and Matthews Southern Comfort were at the Roundhouse in London.






1971:  The Carpenters released the single "Rainy Days And Mondays".

1971:  The Rolling Stones released the album Sticky Fingers.

1975:  Pink Floyd played the first of five sold out performances at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

1976:  The Rolling Stones released the album Black and Blue on their own Rolling Stones Records.

1976:  The Ramones released their debut album on Sire Records.

1976:  Bob Marley and the Wailers began their 42-date tour at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.









1977:  We were introduced to the younger brother of the Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, on this date as his first career single, "I Just Want To Be Your Everything", debuted on the chart.

1977:  Joan Jett and Blondie performed at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.

1977:  After 19 weeks on the charts, Thelma Houston culminated her ascension at #1 with "Don't Leave Me This Way".  At the time, it was a record number of weeks to #1, but it has since fallen out of the top 10 in that category.  Houston was followed by Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights".  The Eagles were climbing fast with "Hotel California" while David Soul's displaced #1 "Don't Give Up On Us" fell to #4.  The remainder of the Top 10:  10cc were at #5 with "The Things We Do For Love", Natalie Cole edged up one with "I've Got Love On My Mind", Barbra Streisand's former #1 "Evergreen" moved back up to #7, the Atlanta Rhythm Section held #8 with "So In To You", Leo Sayer had a big hit with "When I Need You" at #9 and Jennifer Warnes scored her first top ten with "Right Time Of The Night".

1977:  Leo Sayer topped the Adult Contemporary chart with "When I Need You".

1977:  Hotel California by the Eagles topped Fleetwood Mac's Rumours on the Album chart as those two would occupy either #1 or #2 or both spots on the chart for 18 consecutive weeks.  The Soundtrack to 'A Star Is Born'" would have to settle for #3 with Stevie Wonder's classic Songs in the Key of Life at #4.  The rest of the Top 10:  Left Overture from Kansas, This One's For You by Barry Manilow at #6, Boston's great debut at #7, Unpredictable from Natalie Cole at #8, Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle and George Benson's In Flight at #10.

1978:  The Police performed at the Roundhouse in London.
1979:  ABBA released the album Voulez-Vous.











 
1979:  Kenny Rogers released the single "She Believes in Me". Don't be fooled by the plethora of other "fake" songs.

1983:  Stephen Bishop was #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "It Might Be You".

1983:  U2 began the U.S. leg of their War tour at the Carolina Concert For Children benefit at Keenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

1983:  Thriller spent another week at #1 on the Album chart with Journey's Frontiers at #2 and H2O from Hall & Oates remaining at 3.  The rest of the Top 10:  Business As Usual from Men At Work, Kilroy Was Here at #5 for Styx, Rio remaining at #6 for Duran Duran, Lionel Richie's debut at #7, Pyromania from Def Leppard at #8, The Final Cut from Pink Floyd moving up to 9 and Toto's classic album IV at #10.

                     Dexy's Midnight Runners surprised the world with a #1 song...

1983:  Dexy's Midnight Runners had the new #1 song with "Come On Eileen".  Michael Jackson was moving up with "Beat It", Styx remained at #3 with "Mr. Roboto" and the Greg Kihn Band's "Jeopardy" was at #4.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Der Kommissar" from After the Fire moved up to #6, Hall & Oates had #7 with "One On One", Journey remained at #8 with "Separate Ways", David Bowie moved into the Top 10 with "Let's Dance" and Thomas Dolby was at #10 with "She Blinded Me With Science".

1988:  Iron Maiden topped the U.K. Album chart with Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

1988:  The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack was at #1 on the U.S. Album chart with Bad from Michael Jackson #2, More Dirty Dancing from the movie at #3, George Michael's Faith at #4 and Kick from INXS #5.

1988:  Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine moved into the #1 slot on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Anything For You".

1988:  Whitney Houston broke a record held by the Bee Gees when she recorded her seventh straight #1 song with “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”.  "Devil Inside" from INXS was #2, followed by the former #1 "Get Outta' My Dreams, Get Into My Car" by Billy Ocean, "Wishing Well" by Terence Trent D'Arby and "Girlfriend" by Pebbles at #5.

1991:  Michael Bolton released the great album Time, Love & Tenderness on Columbia Records.

1993:  Guns N’ Roses played the first of two nights at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico.

2001:  Coldplay performed at the Music Hall, Aberdeen in Scotland.
2003:  The parents of Jim Morrison sued Doors members Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger, claiming they "maliciously misappropriated" the group's name and logo of the original Doors lineup on their U.S. tour that year.  (Note:  some websites report the lawsuit was filed on April 24 or April 25.  According to 'Rolling Stone' magazine, the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, April 23, 2003.)
2011:  Tom King, guitarist with the Outsiders ("Time Won't Let Me") died of congestive heart failure in Wickcliffe, Ohio at the age of 68.

2016:  Beyoncé premiered her sixth album, Lemonade, on HBO.

Born This Day:

1936:  Roy Orbison was born in Vernon, Texas; died of a heart attack in Madison, Tennessee December 6, 1988.  (Note:  some websites claim Orbison died in London.  He died in Madison, according to his official website and other reputable sources.)

1939:  Ray Peterson ("Tell Laura I Love Her") was born in Denton, Texas; died of cancer January 5, 2005 in Smyrna, Tennessee.
1947:  Glenn Cornick, original bassist with Jethro Tull, was born in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England (now part of Cumbria); died of congestive heart failure in Hilo, Hawai'i on August 28, 2014.  (Note:  some websites claim Cornick was born on April 24.  According to Cornick's official website, he was born April 23.)

1949: John Miles ("Music"), songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and pianist who worked with Jimmy Page, Tina Turner, Alan Parsons and Joe Cocker, was born in Jarrow, County Durham, England.  (Note:  the 'BBC' and others report Miles was born in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, England.  Jarrow did not become part of Tyne and Wear until 1974, long after Miles was born, and you will never find Tyne and Wear on Miles' official birth certificate.  Miles was born in Jarrow, County Durham.)

1960:  Steve Clark, co-lead guitarist of Def Leppard, was born in Hillsborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England; died January 8, 1991 due to heavy alcohol consumption and prescription drugs.  (Note:  some websites show Clark's birth as Hillsborough, Sheffield, or Hillsborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.  Hillsborough is a suburb of Sheffield, so Clark was officially born in Hillsborough, South Yorkshire, England.)

1964:  Simon Matthews, drummer with Jesus Jones ("Right Here, Right Now"), was born in Devizes, Wiltshire, England.

1968:  Stan Frazier, drummer of Sugar Ray ("Every Morning"), was born in Newport Beach, California.  (Note:  some websites show Frazier was born in Orange County.  Although no credible sources exist for his correct birthplace, our best research shows he was born in Newport Beach.)

Hits List Tab

This Tab at the top will take you to a page with lists of all the hit songs that each artist has had.  As the days go on, there wil eventually be names of all the big stars throughout the rock era.

Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell, born on April 22 of 1936, was one of the most successful singer-songwriters of the 60's and 70's.  He has been in show business for over 50 years now, singing, releasing 70 albums, touring, and hosting his popular Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS-TV.  Campbell has sold over 45 million records, and had 12 Gold albums, 4 Platinum and 1 Double-Platinum album. 
Campbell's biggest hits were "Rhinestone Cowboy", "Southern Nights", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Gentle on My Mind" and "Wichita Lineman".  He was won scores of awards, as shown below.  Happy Birthday Glen!

Grammy Awards:
1967--Best Vocal Performance, Male for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix"
           Best Contemporary Male Solo Vocal Performance for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix"
           Best Country & Western Solo Vocal Performance, Male for "Gentle on My Mind"
           Best Country & Western Recording for "Gentle on My Mind"
1968--Album of the Year for By the Time I Get to Phoenix
2000--Grammy Hall of Fame Award for "Wichita Lineman"
2004--Grammy Hall of Fame Award for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix"
2008--Grammy Hall of Fame Award for "Gentle on My Mind"

American Music Awards:
1976--Favorite Pop/Rock Single for "Rhinestone Cowboy"
           Favorite Country Single for "Rhinestone Cowboy"
1977--Favorite Country Album for Rhinestone Cowboy




Academy of Country Music:
1967--Album of the Year for Gentle on My Mind
           Top Male Vocalist
1968--Album of the Year to Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell          
           Top Male Vocalist
           TV Personality of the Year
1971--TV Personality of the Year
1975--Single of the Year for "Rhinestone Cowboy"
1998--Pioneer Award

Country Music Association:
1968--Entertainer of the Year
           Male Vocalist of the Year

Country Music Association of Great Britain:
1974--Entertainer of the Year

Gospel Music Association (Dove Awards):
1986--Album by a Secular Artist for No More Night
1992--Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the ear for "Where Shadows Never Fall"
2000--Country Album of the Year for A Glen Campbell Christmas

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005
Inducted into the Musicians' Hall of Fame in 2007
Received the Q Legend Award in 2008

Songs on Volume One Album by the Traveling Wilburys

What a fun project it must have been for George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison to get together and do an album.  The group actually would go on to release three albums of material.


It was an incredible effort, a surprise that took the music business by storm.  How it came about was Harrison was in Los Angeles to record the B-side of a 12-inch single.  Lynne was also in L.A. to help out Orbison and Tom Petty with tracks they were working on.  The three of them were having dinner, and Harrison told the other two that he needed help recording the new track.  They were glad to help, but needed a studio on short notice since they wanted to record it the next day.  Bob Dylan had a home studio in Malibu and he agreed to have them come by for the session.  After dinner, Harrison stopped by Tom Petty's house to pick up his guitar and invited Tom along as well.  The next day, the five stars wrote and recorded "Handle With Care" in five hours and all five sang vocals.

When finished, it was obvious to all that the song was too good to be a B-side that would probably never be heard.  It was then that Harrison brought up the idea about forming a band.  On the spot, all five agreed to record another nine songs for an album and in May, they recorded the vocals. 



They came up with the whole Wilbury brothers theme and the group would consist of Nelson (Harrison), Lucky (Dylan), Charlie T. Jr. (Petty), Lefty (Orbison) and Otis (Lynne).  The real names of the five superstars would never appear anywhere on the songwriting credits, liner notes or anywhere.

As anyone would expect from an album with that kind of talent, it was an amazing collection and highly successful as one of the top albums of all-time.  It spawned five hit tracks, there is not a bad song on the album, which was top five album all over the world and won a Grammy Award.  Here is the song list:

1.    "Handle With Care"
2.    "Dirty World"
3.    "Rattled"
4.    "Last Night"
5.    "Not Alone Any More"
6.    "Congratulations"
7.    "Heading for the Light"
8.    "Margarita"
9.    "Tweeter and the Monkey Man"
10.  "End of the Line"

Discography: Jackson Browne

If you don't already know, Jackson Browne puts together some of the best albums out there.  His lyrics are contemplative and about things that really matter and he's a great storyteller.  Hold Out was his best album but Late for the Sky is very good also.

1972:  Saturate Before Using (#53)
1973:  For Everyman (#43)
1974:  Late for the Sky (#14)
1976:  The Pretender (#5)
1980:  Hold Out (#1)
1983:  Lawyers in Love (#8)
1986:  Lives in the Balance (#23)
1989:  World in Motion (#45)
1993:  I'm Alive (#40)
1996:  Looking East (#36)
2002:  The Naked Ride Home (#36)
2008:  Time the Conquerer (#20)


Live Albums:
2005:  Solo Acoustic, Volume One (#55)
2008:  Solo Acoustic, Volume Two (#24)
2010:  Love is Strange (Live 2006 Tour)

Compilations:
1997:  The Next Voice You Hear:  The Best of Jackson Browne (#47)
2004:  The Very Best of Jackson Browne (#46)

This Date in Rock Music History: April 22

1955:  Elvis Presley was in concert at the New Boston High School Football Field in Texas.
1956:  Elvis made his Las Vegas debut at the Frontier Hotel in the first night of a two-week residency.  The artist who would become one of the most famous performers in Las Vegas history on this night though gave a miserable performance, and was booed off stage.

1957:  Elvis had his custom-built "Music Gates" installed at Graceland.
1962:  The three-year-old son of Jerry Lee Lewis (Steve) drowned.









1963:  The Crystals released the single "Da Doo Ron Ron".
1964:  The Beatles scored their seventh #1 of the year on the U.K. chart with "Ticket To Ride".









1966:  The Troggs released the single "Wild Thing".
1966:  Two dozen local groups competed in a Battle of the Bands at Matawan Keyport Roller Dome in New Jersey.  Bruce Springsteen's group the Castiles finished third.
1967:  "Somethin' Stupid" by Frank & Nancy Sinatra spent a fourth out of nine weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.







                       Julie Andrews and Cast had the #8 album...


1967:  The album More of the Monkees topped the chart, with The Mamas & the Papas Deliver coming in second.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Soundtrack to "Doctor Zhivago" was #3, Ed Ames had the #4 album with My Cup Runneth Over, the Monkees' debut album slipped to #5,  Between the Buttons by the Rolling Stones was #6, The Best of the Lovin' Spoonful was #7, the great Soundtrack to 'The Sound of Music' was #8, S.R.O. by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass came in at #9 and The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland moved into the Top 10.






1968:  Simon & Garfunkel released the single "Mrs. Robinson".













1968:  Richard Harris released the single "MacArthur Park".  And it got everyone wondering just what in the heck baking a cake had to do with anything.1968:  Herb Alpert debuted "This Guy's In Love With You" on his CBS-TV show.
1969:  John Lennon changed his middle name from Winston to Ono.









1969:  The Carpenters signed with A&M Records.
1969:  Fleetwood Mac and B.B. King appeared at the Royal Albert Hall in London.











1969:  The Who gave their first complete performance of Tommy in Dolton, England.
1972:  Deep Purple hit #1 on the U.K. Album chart with Machine Head.
1972:  Roberta Flack moved to #1 on the R&B chart with "Day Dreaming".









                                              Browne was on the board...

1972:  Roberta Flack had the #1 song, where she would stay for six weeks with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".  Michael Jackson's "Rockin' Robin" was at #2 with "I Gotcha'" by Joe Tex remaining at #3.  The Rest of the Top 10:  The former #1 "A Horse With No Name" from America was at #4, the Dramatics had #5 with "In The Rain", the Stylistics were at 6 with "Betcha' By Golly, Wow", Aretha Franklin had song #7 with "Day Dreaming", Neil Young's former #1 "Heart Of Gold" was #8, "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done" from Sonny & Cher edged up to #9 and Jackson Browne scored his first Top 10 song with "Doctor My Eyes".
1972:  Roberta Flack also controlled the Adult Contemporary chart for the fourth week with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".





                                              "Beautiful" from 'Tapestry'...

1972:  The debut album from America ruled the charts for a fifth week, followed by Neil Young's Harvest and First Take by Roberta Flack.  The rest of the Top 10:  Fragile by Yes, Eat a Peach by the Allman Brothers Band was #5, Nilsson Schmilsson by Nilsson was at 6 after peaking at #3, Paul Simon's first solo album was at #7, Let's Stay Together by Al Green moved up to #8, Baby I'm-A Want You by Bread was #9 and Tapestry, an album that would go on to spend 302 weeks on the album chart for Stanley, Idaho's Carole King, re-entered the Top 10 at #10 in its 55th week.
1974:  Tina Turner started filming her role of the Acid Queen in the movie Tommy.
1977:  The Jam, a band that would go on to have 17 Top 40 hits in the U.K., released "In The City".




1978:  John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd appeared as the Blues Brothers on Saturday Night Live.  (Note:  several websites claim the Blues Brothers debuted on 'Saturday Night Live' on this date, when in fact, according to official 'Saturday Night Live' transcripts, their first appearance was January 17, 1976.)






                                                      Kansas brought us all down to earth...

1978:  "Night Fever" by the Bee Gees ruled the charts for a sixth out of eight weeks at #1 on this date.  Yvonne Elliman was at #2 with "If I Can't Have You", while Barry Manilow moved up with "Can't Smile Without You" and "Lay Down Sally" by Eric Clapton was at 4.  The remainder of the Top 10:  "The Closer I Get To You" from Roberta Flack with Donny Hathaway, Kansas remained at #6 with "Dust In The Wind", Wings had #7 "With A Little Luck", Raydio remained at #8 with "Jack And Jill", England Dan & John Ford Coley had the #9 song "We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again" and Natalie Cole was at #10 with "Our Love".





                               "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" from Joel...

1978:  The Soundtrack to 'Saturday Night Fever' was #1 for a 14th week on the Album chart.  Eric Clapton was #2 with Slowhand but he was nowhere close to the top.  Billy Joel's great album The Stranger was #3.  The remainder of the Top 10:  Even Now by Barry Manilow was #4, hopping over Steely Dan's Aja, George Benson had another Top 10 album with the live Weekend in L.A., Jackson Browne dropped to #7 with Running On Empty, Kansas was at #8 with Point Of Know Return, Queen's News Of the World was at #9 and Styx had #10 with The Grand Illusion.
1981:  Eric Clapton was hospitalized with bruised ribs and a lacerated chin resulting from a car crash in Seattle, Washington.







         
                          "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" from the Wilburys...

1989:  Like a Prayer from Madonna became the #1 album in its third week on the chart, taking the place of Tone Loc's Loc-ed After Dark.  Electric Youth from Debbie Gibson was at #3 with Don't Be Cruel from Bobby Brown trailing.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Raw & the Cooked by Fine Young Cannibals, G N' R Lies rose from 12-6 for Guns N' Roses, Roy Orbison's Mystery Girl fell to #7, Hangin' Tough by New Kids On the Block was #8, Forever Your Girl, the great debut album by Paula Abdul, was #9 and the incredible album Volume One by the Traveling Wilburys was #10.





1989:  The title song from Like a Prayer by Madonna moved to #1, replacing "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals.  The rest of the Top Five:  "The Look" from Roxette was at #3, "Funky Cold Medina" by Tone Loc moved from 7-4 and Bon Jovi had the #5 song with "I'll Be There For You".
1989:  "After All" from Cher and Sun Valley, Idaho's Peter Cetera was #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
1990:  An Earth Day concert featuring Hall & Oates, B.B. King, the B-52's and Edie Brickell drew 750,000 at Central Park in New York.





1991:  The Dave Matthews Band performed for the first time at the Earth Day Festival in Charlottesville, Virginia.
1993:  The rock opera Tommy opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre.
1994:  The Division Bell by Pink Floyd debuted at #1 on the Album chart, followed by the Soundtrack to "Above the Rim" and The Sign from Ace of Base.  The Rest of the Top 10:  Bonnie Raitt fell from #1 to #4 with Longing In Their Hearts, the Counting Crows had #5 with August and Everything After, R. Kelly slipped to #6 with 12 Play, Tim McGraw had #7 with Not a Moment Too Soon, Yanni moved to #8 with Live at the Acropolis, Mariah Carey dropped to 9 with Music Box and The Coulour Of My Love from Celine Dion was at #10.
1995:  Montell Jordan sat on top of the R&B chart for a fourth week with "This Is How We Do It".
2001:  Destiny's Child rose to #1 on the U.K. chart with "Survivor".  
2003:  The group S Club 7 announced that they would split.

2003:  Famous songwriter Felice Bryant died from cancer in Gatlinburg, Texas.  Felice and her husband Boudleaux were a writing machine in the 50's and 60's, writing hits such as "Bye Bye Love", "All I Have To Do Is Dream" "Bird Dog", "Devoted To You", "Wake Up Little Susie" and several others for the Everly Brothers as well as songs for Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys and scores of other artists.






2004:  AC/DC assisted in the war effort as World troops blasted the song "Shoot To Thrill" to drive Iraqi insurgents from their homes.
2007:  Avril Lavigne hit #1 on the U.K. Album chart with The Best Damn Thing.
2007:  Beyonce & Shakira had the #1 song in the U.K. with "Beautiful Liar".
2010:  Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, was rushed to the hospital in Phoenix, Arizona after suffering a brain hemorrhage.  (Note:  some websites report the incident occurred on April 21, but according to 'CNN', 'Billboard' and the newspapers 'USA Today' and 'The New York Daily News', the correct date is April 22.)

2013:  Richie Havens, who led off the famous Woodstock Festival, died of a heart attack in Jersey City, New Jersey at age 72.


Born This Day:

1936:  Glen Campbell was born in Delight, Arkansas.
1937:  Jack Nitzsche, songwriter and producer for the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and the Walker Brothers, was born in Chicago, Illinois; died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on August 25, 2000.
1939:  Simon Napier-Bell, manager of Wham! and T. Rex, was born in Ealing, London.
1944:  Howard Wyeth, drummer who worked with Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez and Don McLean, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey; died of a heart attack in Manhattan, New York on March 27, 1996.





1950:  Peter Frampton, vocalist and guitarist for the Herd and Humble Pie, session musician for George Harrison, David Bowie and Harry Nilsson,  and popular solo star, was born in Beckenham, Kent, England.  (Note:  some websites claim Frampton was born in London, but the correct place of birth is Beckenham, according to 'Billboard' magazine and the book 'Legends of Rock Guitar:  The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists' by Pete Prown, Harvey P. Newquist, and Jon F. Eiche.)

 

1951:  Paul Carrack, one of rock's great vocalists with Ace ("How Long"), Squeeze ("Tempted") and Mike & the Mechanics ("The Living Years") as well as a solo performer, was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.
1955:  Arthur Baker, producer of New Order, was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
1956:  Kenny Lyons, an early bassist with 38 Special and bassist and producer of the Lemonheads ("Into Your Arms"),  Coral Gables, Florida
1977:  Aaron Fink, lead guitarist of Breaking Benjamin
1974:  Shavo Odadjian, songwriter and bassist for System of a Down, was born in Yerevan, Armenian SSR.
1979:  Daniel Johns, songwriter, vocalist, pianist and guitarist of Silverchair ("Freak"), was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
1984:  Amelle Berrabah, singer-songwriter of the Sugababes, was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, England.