This Date in Rock Music History: November 25

1957:  The great Sam Cooke took over at #1 on the R&B chart with "You Send Me".
1961:  Don and Phil Everly were both inducted into the United States Marine Corps Reserves, working as artillerymen for the 8th Battalion.   








1963:  The Rip Chords released "Hey Little Cobra".












1966:  The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed at the Bag O'Nails Club in London.
1967:  Al Green released his first career single "Back Up Train".
1967:  "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave held on to #1 on the R&B chart for a seventh week.







  
    The Who were in an unfamiliar place--the Top 10...

1967:  Strawberry Alarm Clock had themselves a #1 song with "Incense And Peppermints", dethroning Lulu's "To Sir With Love" after five weeks at the top.  The Cowsills edged up with "The Rain, The Park & Other Things".  Sam & Dave were down with "Soul Man" but the Monkees climbed from 33 to 5 with the song written by John Stewart--"Daydream Believer".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Please Love Me Forever" by Bobby Vinton, Dionne Warwick had song #7--"I Say A Little Prayer", Vikki Carr dropped with "It Must Be Him", the Who were at #9 with the only Top 10 of their career "I Can See For Miles" and the Soul Survivors closed the list with "Expressway To Your Heart".
1968:  The Beatles released The White Album in the United States.
1968:  The 5th Dimension were guests on the Frank Sinatra television special Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing on CBS.

1971:  The Doors announced they would continue as a group despite the loss of lead singer Jim Morrison, who died earlier in the year.

1972:  Lead singer Allan Clarke left the Hollies.
1972:  Johnny Nash owned the top Easy Listening song for the fourth straight week with "I Can See Clearly Now".









                  The Moody Blues with their classic...

1972:  Nash also had four weeks at #1 on the popular chart to his credit with "I Can See Clearly Now", forever keeping Lobo's "I'd Love You To Want Me" as a #2 song.  The Spinners maintained with "I'll Be Around", Helen Reddy wasn't going away with "I Am Woman" and the Temptations were up to 5 with "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone".  The rest of the Top 10:  The debut single by new duo Seals & Crofts was "Summer Breeze", Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes moved from 13-7 with "If You Don't Know Me By Now", Al Green slipped up to #8 with "You Ought To Be With Me", the Moody Blues were at #9 with their classic "Nights In White Satin" and the 5th Dimension were right behind with their 25th career hit--"If I Could Reach You".  
1976:  The group which called itself The Band performed for the final time at the Winterland Auditorium in San Francisco, California, known as "The Last Waltz".  The event, filmed by movie director Martin Scorsese, was later released as a movie and also featured Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Van Morrison and Dr. John.
1978:  Al Stewart's "Time Passages" remained #1 for a third week on the Adult chart.

               Foreigner was seeing double...

1978:  Donna Summer relaxed in "MacArthur Park" as her latest topped the chart for a third week.  Foreigner had one of their biggest with "Double Vision", Ambrosia remained third with "How Much I Feel" and the incredible combined talent of Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond resulted in the huge hit "You Don't Bring Me Flowers".  The rest of the Top 10:  Anne Murray's former #1 "You Needed Me", Chic was tearing up dance floors and car speakers were blazing with "Le Freak", which moved from 37 to #6, Gino Vannelli's move of one spot was pale in comparison for "I Just Wanna' Stop", Alicia Bridges danced into the Top 10 with "I Love The Nightlife", Al Stewart's "Time Passages" moved to #9 and the Captain & Tennille peaked at 10 with "You Never Done It Like That".
1984:  Andy Gibb starred as himself on the television show Punky Brewster on NBC.

1984:  Bob Geldof organized artists from Great Britain and North America together as Band-Aid to record "Do They Know It's Christmas" at Sarm West Studios in London, with proceeds going to famine relief in Ethiopia.
1985:  Bobby Brown announced that he was leaving New Edition for a solo career when really, everyone wished he would just leave period.





1989:  Phil Collins blasted into the Top 10 with the only new entry--"Another Day in Paradise".
1989:  Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville posted a fifth week at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Don't Know Much".
1992:  The Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston with Kevin Costner, opened in theaters.
1995:  Alice in Chains debuted at #1 on the Album chart with their self-titled release.  Daydream by Mariah Carey was second with Alanis Morissette taking #3 with her album Jagged Little Pill.

1995:  Whitney Houston debuted at #1 with "Exhale (Shoop Shoop"), taking over from Mariah Carey's "Fantasy", another song which had debuted at #1 and remained there for nine weeks until Whitney came along.  
1997:  Garth Brooks released the album Sevens.
1997:  The original members of the Zombies reunited onstage for the first time in 30 years at the Jazz Café in Camden Town, England.
2001:  Robbie Williams had the top U.K. album with Swing When You're Winning.
2001:  S Club 7 was at #1 in the U.K. with "Have You Ever".
2003:  Meat Loaf, who had collapsed onstage in a recent concert, was recovering from heart surgery and was being treated for Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

2004:  Dexter Holland of the Offspring, finished a 10-day, 25,000 mile around the world trip in his twin-engine Cessna Citation.
2005:  Take That announced they would reunite after 10 years for a tour, but without Robbie Williams.
2007:  Kevin Dubrow, lead vocalist with Quiet Riot, was found dead in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada at age 52, yet another victim of drugs.


Born This Day:

1940:  Percy Sledge was born in Leighton, Alabama; died April 14, 2015 of liver cancer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  (Note:  some sites show his birth year as 1941, but the 'Encyclopedia of Alabama' and the Rock Hall of Fame state that his birth was in 1940, and this is confirmed by the book 'Historical Gazetteer of the United States' by Paul T. Hellman, as well as the Louisiana Hall of Fame and the 'BBC'.)










1945:  Bev Bevan, drummer of Black Sabbath, the Move and ELO, was born in Sparkhill, Birmingham, England. (Note:  there is considerable disagreement on both Bevan's birthday and birth year.  According to 'Billboard' and the newspaper 'The Village Times', Bevan was born on the 25th.  'MTV' and 'Billboard' both state his birth year is 1946, but 'The Birmingham Music Archive', which as the website in his place of birth should have the most accurate information on him, states that he as born in 1945.)
1944:  Bob Lind ("Elusive Butterfly" from 1966) was born in Baltimore, Maryland.
1947:  Val Fuentes, drummer of It's a Beautiful Day, who gave us one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era* ("White Bird"), was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1950:  Jocelyn Brown, singer who worked with John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, was born in Kinston, North Carolina.

1960:  Amy Grant was born in Augusta, Georgia.











1966:  Stacy Lattisaw ("Let Me Be Your Angel") was born in Washington, D.C.
1967:  Rodney Sheppard, guitarist of Sugar Ray, was born in Trinidad.

New Featured Unknown/Underrated Track of the Rock Era: "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me" by Linda Ronstadt

This great song written by Karla Bonoff was included on Linda Ronstadt's excellent album Hasten Down the Wind.  It only reached #42 in 1977, but should have done much better:

"Someone To Lay Down Beside Me"

by Linda Ronstadt

 

Words and Music by Karla Bonoff

 

 

There's somebody waiting alone in the street

For someone to walk up and greet

 

Here you are all alone in the city

Where's the one that you took to your side

Lonely faces will stare through your eyes in the night

And they'll say - woman sweet woman please come home with me

You're shining and willing and free

But your love it's a common occurence

Not like love that I feel in my heart

Still you know that may be what I need

Is someone to lay down beside me

And even though it's not real

Just someone to lay down beside me

You're the story of my life

 

Well morning is breaking the street lights are off

The sun will soon share all the cost

Of a world that can be sort of heartless

Not like love that you feel in our heart

Still you know that may be all you get
Is someone to lay down beside me

And even tho it's not real

 

Just someone to lay down beside me

You just can't ask for more

This Date in Rock Music History: November 24

1958:  The Platters were up 36 notches with their new single "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".
1958:  Conway Twitty had the new #1 song with "It's Only Make Believe", knocking "Tom Dooley" by the Kingston Trio down a notch.  The Teddy Bears appeared to have a big hit with "To Know Him Is To Love Him", but "Topsy II" by Cozy Cole and "It's All In The Game" both fell.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Beep Beep" by the Playmates, Elvis Presley hopped into the Top 10 with two songs--"One Night", moving 14-7 and "I Got Stung".  Ricky Nelson dropped with "Lonesome Town" and Bobby Darin had #10 with "Queen Of The Hop".
1962:  Brenda Lee made it three weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "All Alone Am I".
1964:  After changing their name from the High Numbers because their manager told them they'd be mistaken for a bingo game, the Who played at the Marquee in London.  It was the beginning of a seven-week residency for the group.
1966:  The Beatles began recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" at Abbey Road Studios in London.

1972:  Of course now, the music isn't worth putting on television but on this date the great late-night show In Concert premiered on ABC.  Promoter Don Kirshner was the brainchild behind the show which on this date featured Alice Cooper, the Allman Brothers Band and Poco.







1973:  Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes owned the new #1 R&B song with "The Love I Lost".
1973:  The Silver Fox, Charlie Rich, had the #1 Easy Listening song for a third week with "The Most Beautiful Girl".








1973:  Ringo Starr surprised all by reaching #1 with "Photograph".  Eddie Kendricks was derailed with "Keep On Truckin'" and the Carpenters had another monster hit at #3 with "Top Of The World".  Billy Preston advanced with "Space Race".  The rest of the Top 10:  The DeFranco Family with "Heartbeat - It's A Lovebeat", Gladys Knight & the Pips had #6 with their great song "Midnight Train To Georgia", Chicago's "Just You 'N' Me", Marie Osmond with "Paper Roses", Elton John moved from 15-9 with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes found the Top 10 with "The Love I Lost".

          Neil Diamond's new album...

1973:  Elton John had what to date was the biggest album of his career as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road remained at #1 for a third week.  Quadrophenia by the Who peaked at 2 while Ringo by Ringo Starr moved from 15 to 3.  Goats Head Soup spilled down to #4 for the Rolling Stones with Jim Croce's posthumous release You Don't Mess Around with Jim right behind.  The rest of the Top 10:  Jonathan Livingston Seagull from Neil Diamond, moving 14-6, Brothers and Sisters taking a turn down for the Allman Brothers Band, Life and Times by Jim Croce #8, The Joker by the Steve Miller Band and Los Cochinos from Cheech & Chong at #10.
1974:  John Lennon rehearsed with Elton John for EJ's upcoming concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.





1975:  Gary Wright, former keyboardist with Spooky Tooth, released the single "Dream Weaver".











1979:  J.D. Souther spent a second week at #1 on the newly-named Adult Contemporary chart with "You're Only Lonely".
1979:  "Still" by the Commodores took a turn at the top of the R&B chart.








                           Two decades of great material...

1979:  The Eagles topped the Album chart for a fourth week with their great album The Long Run.  Styx would peak at #2 with Cornerstone and In Through the Out Door by Led Zeppelin was hanging around at #3.  Tusk, the new Fleetwood Mac release, was fourth with Donna Summer holding on to #5 with her compilation On the Radio--Greatest Hits-Volumes I & II.  The rest of the Top 10:  Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants from Stevie Wonder, Rise by Herb Alpert, Wet, remaining in the eighth position for Barbra Streisand, One Voice by Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees Greatest was #10.











1980:  Bill Withers sang lead on this one as jazz great Grover Washington, Jr. released the single "Just The Two Of Us".








 

1980:  Steely Dan released the single "Hey Nineteen".
1984:  No one could topple Purple Rain from the #1 spot on the Album chart as Prince remained there for the 17th consecutive week.  Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen took second while Tina Turner's Private Dancer remained in the Top 10 for the 16th week.  "The Woman in Red" Soundtrack from Stevie Wonder was #4 while the new Honeydrippers release Volume One was fifth.  The rest of the Top 10:  Big Bam Boom from Hall & Oates moving from 11-6, Sports by Huey Lewis & the News logged its 39th week in the Top 10, Can't Slow Down was in its 55th week of release for Lionel Richie, and Billy Ocean scored a Top 10 album with Suddenly, which leaped over Cyndi Lauper's She's So Unusual.
1985:  Blues artist Big Joe Turner, who wrote "Shake, Rattle and Roll" for Bill Haley & the Comets, died of a heart attack in Inglewood, California.  (Note:  some websites show his death as November 23, but 'The Los Angeles Times' reported that he died on Sunday, November 24.  Some websites report the cause of death was kidney failure, but both 'The Los Angeles Times' and 'The Chicago Tribune" reported that he died of a heart attack.)
1987:  The Style Council performed at the Apollo in Manchester, England.


                                   Alias peaked at #2...

1990:  Mariah Carey copped a third week at #1 with "Love Takes Time".  Alias moved one step away with "More Than Words Can Say" while Whitney Houston had the #3 song with her 13th career hit--"I'm Your Baby Tonight".  
1990:  Bette Midler chalked up a fourth week at #1 on the AC chart with "From a Distance".






1991:  Cyndi Lauper married David Thornton.

1991:  Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, died of complications from AIDS at age 45.









1991:  Eric Carr, drummer of Kiss since 1982, died of cancer at the age of 41.
1992:  Bill Wyman, bass guitarist of the Rolling Stones, and his wife divorced.  I know shocker, that a woman would divorce a rolling stone.  Even more of a shocker that one would actually want to marry one.  (Note:  some websites report the date of divorce as 1993, but two prominent newspapers, 'The New York Times' and 'The Orlando Sentinel', show that the divorce occurred in November of 1992.)
2003:  One of the greatest record labels in the history of the Rock Era continued to be tossed around in the new sad corporate world.  Time Warner sold Warner Brothers Music to a group led by Edgar Bronfman, Jr. for $2.6 billion.  It's not about the money, guys--it's about the Music.
2003:  The original members of Motley Crue reformed for the first time in five years.
2003:  Glen Campbell was arrested for drunk driving and hit and run in Phoenix, Arizona.  It was more than a little ironic given one of Campbell's biggest hits was entitled "By The Time I Get To Phoenix".


Born This Day:

1939:  Jim Yester, keyboardist of the Association, was born in Birmingham, Alabama.









1941:  Pete Best, drummer for the Beatles in the early years, was born in Madras, India.
1941:  Donald Dunn, bass guitarist of the Mar-Keys ("Last Night") and Booker T. & the M.G.'s, was born in Memphis, Tennessee; died in his sleep May 13, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan.
1943:  Richard Tee, session pianist for Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Peter Gabriel and Ashford & Simpson, was born in New York City.







1945:  Lee Michaels ("Do You Know What I Mean" from 1971) was born in Los Angeles.
1950:  Bob Burns, drummer of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was born in Jacksonville, Florida; died April 3 in a car accident in Cartersville, Georgia. 
1955:  Clem Burke, drummer of the Ramones and Blondie, was born in New York City.  (Note:  some websites claim his place of birth is New York City or Trenton, New Jersey, but the book 'Disco, Punk, New Wave, Heavy Metal, and More: Music in the 1970s and 1980s' by Britannica Educational Publishing states that Burke was born in Bayonne, New Jersey.)
1957:  Chris Hayes, guitarist of Huey Lewis & the News, was born in Great Lakes, Illinois.
1970:  Chad Taylor, guitarist of Live, was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

This Date in Rock Music History: November 23

1899:  The first jukebox was placed in the Palais Royal Hotel in San Francisco, California.
1959:  After taking a week off, "Mack The Knife" returned to inflict more damage on the chart with a seventh week at #1 for Bobby Darin.
1960:  Elvis Presley's first movie since returning from military service, G.I. Blues, was released.
1962:  The Beatles auditioned at St. James' Church Hall in London for the BBC, that was looking for people with the potential to be on television. They failed.  The person responsible for the decision was no doubt fired and made to wear the tattoo "I'm the world's biggest loser" on their forehead for the rest of their life.
1963:  Dale & Grace reached #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "I'm Leaving It Up To You".
1963:  Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs had the top R&B song with "Sugar Shack".

                                                                      Lots of standards on this album...


1963:  For the fourth week, Peter, Paul & Mary owned the #1 album with In the Wind.  Barbra Streisand was close behind with The Second Barbra Streisand Album and Elvis' Golden Records, Volume 3 came in third.  The rest of the Top 10:  Trini Lopez at PG's, Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul by Ray Charles, the debut from Peter, Paul and Mary was moving back up to #6 after 83 weeks of release, Surfer Girl, the new album from the Beach Boys, moved to #7, The Singing Nun moved from 54 to 8 with her self-titled debut, a third album from Peter, Paul & Mary--Moving was #9 and Al Martino held on to #10 with Painted, Tainted Rose.







1963:  Dale & Grace stormed up to #1 with "I'm Leaving It Up to You".  The Village Stompers had song #2 with "Washington Square" while Nino Tempo & April Stevens slipped with "Deep Purple".  Former #1 "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs was #4 with the Impressions remaining at #5 with "It's All Right".  The rest of the Top 10:  "She's A Fool" from Lesley Gore, Tommy Roe's "Everybody", Elvis Presley had #8--"Bossa Nova Baby", the Singing Nun melodically moved from 19 to 9 with "Dominique" and Los Indios Tabajaras finished the group with "Maria Elena".








1964:  The Beatles released the single "I Feel Fine".
1964:  The Rolling Stones were late for the radio shows Top Gear and Saturday Club and were banned by the BBC.
1965:  The Beatles filmed promotional clips for "I Feel Fine", "Ticket to Ride", "Help!", "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out" at Twickenham Studios in London.  Three films were made of both "We Can Work It Out" and "Day Tripper", two for "I Feel Fine", and one each for "Help!" and "Ticket To Ride".  The videos were sold and distributed by NEMS.  The BBC paid paid £1,750 for the broadcast rights, and deals were struck with other broadcasters throughout the world. 
1966:  The Elvis Presley movie Spinout opened in theaters.
1967:  The Who were at the New Barn at the Lions Delaware County Fairgrounds in Muncie, Indiana.
1968:  The Cowsills:  A Family Thing was televised by NBC.






1968:  After Dusty Springfield had recommended Jimmy Page to Ahmet Ertegun, head of Atlantic Records, Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant finalized the deal that gave the group their recording contract.
1968:  Steve Miller debuted on the chart with his first single "Living In The U.S.A.".
1968:  Mary Hopkin celebrated four weeks at #1 on the Adult chart with "Those Were The Days".








1968:  B.J. Thomas moved from 97 to 69 with "Hooked On A Feeling", one of the week's biggest movers.









1968:  The Beatles tied the existing Rock Era record (held by Bobby Darin's "Mack The Knife") with a ninth week at #1 for "Hey Jude".  Diana Ross & the super Supremes were making a bid for another #1 with "Love Child" and, after being unable to overtake the Fab Four, Mary Hopkin slipped to #3 with "Those Were The Days".  Steppenwolf's rocker "Magic Carpet Ride" came in fourth and Dion moved from 9 to 5 with "Abraham, Martin And John".  The rest of the Top 10:  "White Room" from Cream, Johnny Nash slipped slightly with "Hold Me Tight", Johnnie Taylor wondered "Who's Making Love", O.C. Smith with "Little Green Apples" and Glen Campbell shot up from 23 to 10 after just four weeks with "Wichita Lineman".








1970:  George Harrison released his first solo single--"My Sweet Lord" in the U.S.  (Note:  some websites report the date of release as November 27.  This is physically and logistically impossible to release a song on the 27th and then debut on the charts on the following day, November 28.)
1972:  Bob Dylan arrived in Durango, Colorado to begin filming the movie Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.
1974:  Gary Wright left the group Spooky Tooth to begin a solo career.
1974:  Elton John began an 11-week run at #1 on the U.K. Album chart with his Greatest Hits package.








1974:  Billy Swan moved from 6 to 1 with "I Can Help", leaping over "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)" from B.T. Express, "My Melody Of Love" from Bobby Vinton and America's "Tin Man".  Neil Diamond surged to #5 with "Longfellow Serenade".  The rest of the Top 10:  Carl Carlton and "Everlasting Love", Carl Douglas mastered his way from 27 to 7 with "Kung Fu Fighting", the Three Degrees blasted into the Top 10 with their great song "When Will I See You Again", John Denver was "Back Home Again" at #9 and Harry Chapin pulled of a 22 to 10 move for one of The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era*--"Cat's In The Cradle".
1975:  David Bowie was a guest on Cher's television show on CBS.  The two sang a medley of ""Young Americans," "Song Sung Blue," "One," "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Wedding Bell Blues," "Maybe," "Day Tripper," "Ain't No Sunshine," and "Youngblood."   (Note:  several websites report the date of broadcast as either November 8 or 9.  However, 'Openculture.com" and several other sites report that the date was November 23.  Our best research indicates the broadcast was this latter date. )
1975:  "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen landed at #1 on the U.K. chart; it would not relinquish the position for nine weeks.

1976:  The Scorpions were in concert at Accrington Town Hall in England.
1976:  Police arrested Jerry Lee Lewis as he showed up at the gates of Graceland in Tennessee for the second time, waving a pistol, shouting and demanding to see Elvis Presley.








1979:  Dan Fogelberg released the single "Longer".
1979:  Marianne Faithfull was arrested for possession of marijuana at Oslo Airport in Norway.
1976:  Wings kicked off a 19-date tour of the U.K. at the Royal Court in Liverpool, England.
1979:  The Rod Stewart Special was televised on NBC.
1983:  Tom Evans, bass guitarist for Badfinger, committed suicide after the band decided to call it quits.






                                                               Newcomers Tears for Fears...

1985:  The Soundtrack to "Miami Vice" was #1 on the Album chart for the fourth week but John Cougar's great album Scarecrow was second and Dire Straits were up to #3 with Brothers in Arms.  Heart's self-titled release was fourth followed by In Square Circle from Stevie Wonder.  The rest of the Top 10:  Whitney Houston and her debut, Tears for Fears remained at 7 with Songs from the Big Chair, Sting's solo album The Dream of the Blue Turtles was #8, Bruce Springsteen remained at #9 after 75 weeks of release with Born in the U.S.A. and ZZ Top sped in from 32 to 10 with Afterburner.
1989:  Paul McCartney kicked off the North American leg of his first major tour in ten years when he played the first of five nights at the Los Angeles Forum.
1991:  Genesis owned the top album in the U.K. with We Can't Dance.
1991:  Michael Jackson was on top of the U.K. singles chart with "Black Or White".






   
                                                                  The completely awesome Paula Abdul...

1991:  Michael Bolton repeated the feat of the original "When A Man Loves A Woman" by Percy Sledge by hitting #1.  "Cream" from Prince dripped down while PM Dawn had song #3--"Set Adrift On Memory Bliss".  Boyz II Men held steady with "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" and Bryan Adams dropped after peaking at #2 with "Can't Stop This Thing We Started".  The rest of an excellent Top 10:  Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest with "Set The Night To Music", Amy Grant was up with "That's What Love Is For", Paula Abdul moved from 13 to 8 with her great song "Blowing Kisses In The Wind", Boise, Idaho's Curtis Stigers moved into the Top 10 with "I Wonder Why" and Guns N' Roses remained in the 10th position with "Don't Cry".
1991:  The Adult Contemporary chart was already way ahead of the so-called popular chart as Michael Bolton spent a fourth week at #1 with "When A Man Loves A Woman".






1991:  Garth Brooks had a monster album as Ropin' the Wind held down #1 for the sixth week.









1992:  Michael Jackson released the single "Heal The World".









1992:  Boyz II Men released their version of the great Five Satins song "In The Still Of The Nite ("I'll Remember").
1993:  Metallica released the album Garage Inc.
1993:  Metallica also released their first live album, the boxed set Binge & Purge.  (Note:  some websites report the date of release as November 29--according to the band's official website, the correct date is November 23.)
1993:  Emerson, Lake & Palmer received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1994:  Michael Jackson was cleared in a paternity suit in California by DNA testing.
1994:  Tommy Boyce, who wrote "Last Train To Clarksville" and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" for the Monkees with songwriting partner Bobby Hart and had a hit with Hart ("I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight") committed suicide after a long battle with depression.







1995:  Junior Walker, soul artist and elite saxophonist ("How Sweet It Is" from 1966 and "What Does It Take To Win Your Love" from 1969), who played the famous solo on "Urgent" by Foreigner, died of cancer in Battle Creek, Michigan at the age of 64.  (Note:  one website incorrectly reports that Walker died at age 53--he was born June 14, 1931, and thus was 64, as confirmed in the book 'The Tombstone Tourist:  Musicans' by Scott Stanton.)






                                                                              Toni Braxton had a winner...

1996:  "No Diggity" by Blackstreet with Dr. Dre was #1 for a third week, holding off Celine Dion again with her song "It's All Coming Back To Me Now".  Toni Braxton wasn't going away with "Un-Break My Heart" and now Merril Bainbridge challenged with "Mouth".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Nobody" from Keith Sweat with Athena Cage, Ginuwine's "Pony", Donna Lewis slipped to 7 with her smash "I Love You Always Forever", No Mercy edged up with "Where Do You Go", Los Del Rio was still in the Top 10 after 49 weeks of release with "Macarena" and Babyface held on to #10 with "This Is For The Lover In You".









2001:  O.C. Smith ("Little Green Apples" from 1968), who later became the founder and pastor of The City of Angels Church in Los Angeles, died of a heart attack at the age of 65 at his home in Ladera Heights, California.
2003:  Westlife scored their 12th #1 song in the U.K. with their remake of the Barry Manilow song "Mandy".
2003:  Michael Jackson's compilation Number Ones rose to #1 on the Album chart in the U.K.
2005:  Madonna had the top album with Confessions on a Dance Floor.
2014:  One Direction won Best Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
 

Born This Day:

1939:  Betty Everett ("The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" was born in Greenwood, Mississippi; died of a heaert attack on August 19, 2001 in Beloit, Wisconsin.  (Note:  some websites show that Everett died in South Beloit, Illinois, but according to 'The Chicago Tribune', she died in Beloit, Wisconsin.)
1940:  Freddie Marsden, drummer of Gerry and the Pacemakers, was born in Liverpool, England; died in Southport, Lancashire, England on December 9, 2006.
1949:  Sandra Stevens of the Brotherhood of Man ("Save All Your Kisses For Me" from 1976) was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.








1954:  Bruce Hornsby, elite keyboard player and leader of Bruce Hornsby & the Range, was born in Williamsburg, Virginia.  (Note:  some websites show that Bruce was born in Richmond.  He went to school at the University of Richmond, but he was born in Williamsburg, according to the books 'The Great Rock Discography' by Martin Charles Strong and 'Williamsburg and Virginia's Historic Triangle' by Mary Alice Blackwell, Anne Patterson Causey, and Joetta Sack.  
1962:  Calvin Hayes, guitarist and bassist of Johnny Hates Jazz ("Shattered Dreams" from 1987), and the son of producer Mickie Most, was born in London.
1962:  Chris Bostock, bassist of the Jo Boxers and Style Council, was born in Bristol, England.
1984:  Lucas Stephen Grabeel, part of the cast of High School Musical, was born in Springfield, Missouri.
1992:  Miley Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee.
1996:  Ken Block, songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of Sister Hazel ("All For You"), was born in Gainesville, Florida.

This Date in Rock Music History: November 22

1955:  Sun Records sold the recording contract of Elvis Presley to RCA Records for $40,000.  Presley manager Sam Phillips invested his portion of that in the struggling chain of hotels called Holiday Inn and became a millionaire.
1957:  Simon and Garfunkel appeared under the name Tom & Jerry on American Bandstand.
1961:  Bob Dylan finished recording his debut album.








1961:  Elvis Presley released the single "Can't Help Falling In Love".











1961:  Dion released the single "The Wanderer".
1961:  The movie Blue Hawai'i, starring Elvis Presley, opened in theaters.








1963:  The Beatles released their album With the Beatles, with orders of 300,000 already.











1965:  Stevie Wonder released his single "Uptight (Everything's Allright)".
1965:  Bob Dylan married Sara Lownds outside a judge's office on Long Island, New York.  (Note:  numerous sources report that Dylan married Sara Lowndes on this date.  Dylan never married someone named Lowndes.  Sara (birth name Shirley Marlin Noznisky) changed her name to Sara and married Hans Lownds, a magazine photographer, and kept her married name after they divorced.   The newspapers The New York Times', 'The Daily Mail', 'The Independent', 'The Telegraph', and 'The Guardian", the books 'Inside the Dream Palace: The Life and Times of New York's Legendary Chelsea ...' by Sherill Tippins, 'Life on the Tracks:  Bob Dylan's Songs' by Guido Bieri, 'No Direction Home:  The Life and Music of Bob Dylan' by Robert Shelton, 'Whispering Pines:  The Northern Roots of American Music' by Jason Schneider and 'Sounds of Rebellion:  Music in the 1960's' by the Britannica Publishing Company, all say that Bob married Sara Lowndes on this date.)  But the books 'A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the Making of Blood on the Tracks' by Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard, 'Bob Marley:  The Father of Music' by Jean-Pierre Hombach, 'Bob Dylan:  Intimate Insights from Friends and Fellow Musicians' by Kathleen Mackay, and 'The Band:  Pioneers of Americana Music' by Craig Harris got it right.) 

1967:  George Harrison of the Beatles began recording the soundtrack to the movie Wonderwall.  (Note:  several websites report that the recording took place from December of 1967 through February of 1968.  They may have gotten the start date from 'Penny Laine's Anthology' by Terry Rowan, but all Rowan says for a start date is "Circa December".  In the book 'The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver Through the Anthology' by Walter Everett, Everett put a specific start date of November 22.)
1968:  The Beatles released their double album we now call The White Album.
1969:  The Originals made it three weeks atop the R&B chart with "Baby, I'm For Real".
1969:  Peter, Paul & Mary had the top Easy Listening song with the song John Denver wrote for them, "Leaving On  Jet Plane".

1969:  The 5th Dimension had the #1 song for a third week with "Wedding Bell Blues".  Together with "Aquarius", their hit earlier in the year, it gave the group nine weeks at #1 for the year.
1969:  The Beatles had the #1 album Abbey Road but Led Zeppelin made a 15 to 2 move with Led Zeppelin II.










1971:  The Hillside Singers released the single "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing".
1975:  The Staple Singers returned to #1 for a second week on the R&B chart with "Let's Do It Again".








1975:  Simon & Garfunkel's first song together in five years hit #1 on the Easy Listening chart--"My Little Town".

  
 Radio stations ignore Jigsaw's song at their peril...and add to the popularity of this web site!

1975:  K.C. and the Sunshine Band moved to #1 in an active Top 10 with "That's the Way (I Like It)".  Silver Convention threatened by moving from 16 to 2 with "Fly, Robin, Fly" with the 4 Seasons peaking at #3 with "Who Loves You".  The previous #1 "Island Girl" by Elton John was fourth while the Captain & Tennille proved they were for real with "The Way I Want to Touch You".  The rest of the Top 10:  Natalie Cole's first hit--"This Will Be", "Feelings" from Morris Albert, War moved up to #8 with "Low Rider", Jigsaw had their one and only hit "Sky High" and the Staple Singers moved from 21 to 10 with "Let's Do It Again".



                                      The master was at it again...


1975:  Rock of the Westies by Elton John led the way on the Album chart with Windsong by John Denver a strong second.  Jefferson Starship had a great album with Red Octopus and as always, a Linda Ronstadt album was a threat as Prisoner In Disguise was fourth.  The rest of the Top 10:  Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, Paul Simon edged up to #6 with Still Crazy After All These Years, the collaboration between David Crosby & Graham Nash led to the #7 album Wind on the Water, Born to Run from Bruce Springsteen tumbled to #8 after just 11 weeks, The Who By Numbers from the Who was ninth and Art Garfunkel's album Breakaway cracked the Top 10.

1980:  ABBA owned the #1 album in the U.K. with Super Trouper.
1981:  Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones joined blues superstar Muddy Waters on stage at the Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago, Illinois.







1983:  The Pretenders released their great single "Middle Of The Road".











We were introduced to one of the elite keyboard players of the Rock Era...

1986:  The Human League had the top song with "Human", taking over from Boston's "Amanda".  Madonna peaked at #3 with "True Blue", but Bon Jovi had designs on the top with "You Give Love A Bad Name".  The rest of the Top 10:  Eddie Money with "Take Me Home Tonight", Cameo's "Word Up" at #6, Sun Valley, Idaho's Peter Cetera teamed with Amy Grant for "The Next Time I Fall", Huey Lewis & the News reached the Top 10 with "Hip To Be Square", Bruce Hornsby's first hit "The Way It Is" jumped from 14-9 and Lionel Richie joined the group with "Love Will Conquer All".

1986:  Boston led the way on the Album chart for a fourth week with Third Stage while the previous #1 Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi was still second.  Fore!  by Huey Lewis & the News was next followed by Cyndi Lauper's True Colors and Dancing on the Ceiling by Lionel Richie.  The rest of the Top 10:  Break Every Rule by Tina Turner, the landmark Graceland album from Paul Simon moved from 11-7, Billy Idol was up to #8 with Whiplash Smile, Billy Joel was overtaken with The Bridge and Madonna closed the list with True Blue.




1988:  Paula Abdul released the single "Straight Up".
1991:  Alice Cooper helped two fans, Patrick and Dee Ann Kelly, whose home in California was about to be re-possessed.  Patrick had painted Cooper's face on the house to help sell the property.  Cooper signed autographs at a yard sale to help raise money for the couple.  4,000 people showed up, and the Kelly's were able to make their mortgage payment.
1992:  Paul Simon began a tour of South America in Brazil.
1995:  Sophie B. Hawkins was on the television show Party of Five.
1997:  Michael Hutchence, the lead singer of INXS, was found hanging in his hotel room in the Ritz Carlton in Double Bay, Australia, dead from suicide at the age of 37.

1997:  It was easy to crack the Top 10 albums by now and Shania Twain had one of four albums that debuted in the Top 10--lame.  This was a good one though and Come On Over debuted at #2.  Another solid album--Spiceword by the Spice Girls, debuted at #8.
1998:  Ladies and Gentlemen:  The Best of George Michael topped the U.K. Album chart.
2002:  Ray Manzarek and Robbi Krieger, the surviving members of the Doors, announced they had recruited ex-Cult lead singer Ian Astbury and Stewart Copeland, former drummer for the Police, and would record and tour again.
2003:  ZZ Top, which first played at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas in 1975, became the final rock band to play the venue.
2004:  U2 filmed the video "All Because of You" from a moving flat bed truck on the streets of Brooklyn, New York.  They then gave a concert under the Brooklyn Bridge.
2005:  Poems written by Bob Dylan when he was studying at the University of Minnesota were sold for $78,000 at an auction in New York City.

2005:  Will Smith won the award for Favorite Male Artist at the American Music Awards.


Born This Day:
1942:  Steve Caldwell, vocalist of Orlons ("The Wah-Watusi"), was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1943:  Floyd Sneed, drummer with Three Dog Night, was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

1944:  Jesse Colin Young, lead singer of the Youngbloods, was born in Manhattan, New York.
1946:  Aston Barrett, bassist for Bob Marley who also played on albums by John Denver, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
1947:  Rod Price, guitarist of Foghat, was born in Willesdon, North London, England; died when he fell down a flight of stairs while suffering a heart attack at his home in Wilton, New Hampshire on March 22, 2005. (Note:  some websites report that Rod was born in Willesden, London, England, but according to the newspaper 'The Independent', Price was born in Chiswick, West London.

1950:  Steven Van Zandt, songwriter, guitarist, arranger and producer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  (Note:  some websites report his place of birth as Boston, but according to the official website of Boston, as well as 'Allmusic.com', Steven was born in Winthrop.)
1950:  Tina Weymouth, founding member and bassist of the Talking Heads, was born in Coronado, California.
1968:  Rasa Don of Arrested Development