This Date in Rock Music History: September 28

1953:  Johnny Horton ("The Battle Of New Orleans") married the widow of Hank Williams, Billie Jean.

1962:  The Beatles performed at lunch at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England and then gave a show aboard the MV Royal Iris (commonly known as the Fish and Chip Boat) on the River Mersey.  Ray McFall, owner of the Cavern Club, organized the Riverboat Shuffles, with cruises beginning and ending at the Pier Head in Liverpool.
1963:  Disc jockey Murray the K in New York City played "She Loves You" by the Beatles on WINS-AM, believed to be the first time that a Beatles song was played in the United States.
1963:  Bobby Vinton continued to set the pace with four weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart for "Blue Velvet".
1963:  "Heat Wave" led the way on the R&B chart for Martha & the Vandellas.

1963:  Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs moved from 65 to 19 with "Sugar Shack".
1963:  "Blue Velvet" by Bobby Vinton was the #1 song again.  The Jaynetts owned #2--"Sally, Go 'Round The Roses", the Ronettes were up from 12 to 3 with "Be My Baby", Martha & the Vandellas came in #4 with "Heat Wave" and the Angels' former #1 "My Boyfriend's Back was #5.
1964:  Connie Stevens' television series Wendy and Me (with George Burns) debuted.
1965:  Sonny & Cher performed at a private party for Jacqueline Kennedy at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
1968:  Albert Grossman, manager of Janis Joplin, announced that Joplin would be leaving the group Big Brother and the Holding Company.
1968:  Dewey Phillips, a pioneer among rock & roll disc jockeys, and the first DJ to play Elvis Presley's debut single "That's All Right", died of heart failure from drugs at the age of 42.

1968:  Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 owned the Easy Listening chart with "The Fool On The Hill", four weeks at #1.
1968:  Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's duet "You're All I Need To Get By" was #1 on the R&B chart for a fifth week.
1968:  Time Peace/The Rascals' Greatest Hits was the #1 album, taking over from Waiting for the Sun by the Doors.  Feliciano!  from Jose Feliciano came in third but Big Brother & the Holding Company moved from 13 to 4 with Cheap Thrills.  The rest of the Top 10:  Realization from Johnny Rivers, Wheels of Fire by Cream was #6, the Jimi Hendrix Experience remained at 7 with Are You Experienced?, Glen Campbell moved from 15-8 with Gentle on My Mind, the self-titled Steppenwolf and the Soundtrack to "The Graduate" was #10.




1968:  The Turtles moved from 97 to 54 with "Elenore".

1968:  "Hey Jude" became the Beatles' 16th #1 song.  Jeannie C. Riley fell with "Harper Valley P.T.A." and the Rascals' former #1 "People Got To Be Free" came in third.  Deep Purple's "Hush" was followed by "Fire" from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.  The rest of the Top 10:  Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 with their version of "The Fool On The Hill", 1910 Fruitgum Company had "1,2,3 Red Light", the Bee Gees climbed to 8 with "I've Gotta' Get A Message To You", the O'Kaysions moved from 16 to 9 with "Girl Watcher" while Clarence Carter moved into the Top 10 with "Slip Away".







1972:  The Temptations released the single "Papa Was A Rolling Stone".
1972:  David Bowie sold out Carnegie Hall (2,804 capacity) in New York City.
1972:  Rory Storm of the Hurricanes (Ringo Starr's former band) was found dead after taking sleeping pills the night before to battle a chest infection.  (Note:  some websites incorrectly say Rory died on September 27.  He had trouble sleeping the night of September 27, but he was not found nor pronounced dead until the morning of September 28.  Some websites also claim Storm committed suicide but there simply is no evidence of that.)
1973:  The Doobie Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire highlighted the debut of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert on ABC-TV.  The Rolling Stones taped a show from London.

                              Stevie ridicules U.S. Republican Richard Nixon...

1974:  Stevie Wonder took over on the R&B chart with "You Haven't Done Nothin'".
1974:  "I Honestly Love You" by Olivia Newton-John was the #1 song on the Easy Listening chart for the third consecutive week.
1974:  Carl Carlton moved from 87 to 63 with "Everlasting Love".






1974:  Andy Kim had the new #1 song with "Rock Me Gently".  Olivia Newton-John was one step closer with "I Honestly Love You" and Billy Preston was next with "Nothing From Nothing".  Dionne Warwick and the Spinners combined for "Then Came You" and First Class were up big (12-5) with "Beach Baby".  The rest of the Top 10:  Stevie Wonder and "You Haven't Done Nothin'", the Guess Who had song #7 with "Clap For The Wolfman", Cat Stevens reached the Top 10 with "Another Saturday Night", Johnny Bristol and "Hang On In There Baby" and Lynyrd Skynyrd reached the Top 10 with "Sweet Home Alabama".
1974:  Bad Company climbed to #1 with their debut album.  Endless Summer from the Beach Boys was the runner-up with the previous #1--Fulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder falling to #3.  Olivia Newton-John was beginning to break through with If You Love Me, Let Me Know and Caribou by Elton John rose from 12 to 5.  The rest of the Top 10:  Not Fragile by Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Back Home Again by John Denver was #7, Chicago VII, Can't Get Enough by Barry White shot up from 22 to 9 and 461 Ocean Boulevard by Eric Clapton tumbled to #10.
1975:  The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Starship performed for free before 40,000 at Golden Gate Park's Lindley Meadows in San Francisco, California.
1976:  Stevie Wonder released the landmark album Songs in the Key of Life on Motown Records.
1980:  The Police had the #1 song in the U.K. with "Don't Stand So Close To Me".
1985:  Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits remained #1 on the Album chart.
1985:  Kool & the Gang continued to top the Adult Contemporary chart with "Cherish".
1987:  Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson were guests on the popular television show $10,000 Pyramid.
1987:  U2 played the first of two concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1989:  Jimmy Buffett released Tales From Margaritaville, a book of short stories.
1991:  AC/DC, Metallica, and Pantera headlined a Monsters of Rock concert at the Tushino Airfield outside Moscow, Russia.








1991:  Bryan Adams was awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia.









1991:  "I Adore Mi Amor" held down #1 on the R&B chart.
1991:  Color Me Badd reigned at #1 on the Popular chart with "I Adore Mi Amor", holding off "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch.  Boyz II Men with "Motownphilly" was #3 while Mariah Carey joined the group at #4 with "Emotions".  The rest of the Top 10:  Firehouse and "Love Of A Lifetime", C + C Music Factory with "Things That Make You Go Hmmmm....", Michael Bolton held steady at 7 with "Time, Love And Tenderness", Natural Selection moved from 16-8 with "Do Anything", Bonnie Raitt had her first Top 10 with "Something To Talk About" and R.E.M. moved up with "Shiny Happy People".
1991:  Michael Bolton took over at #1 on the AC chart with "Time, Love And Tenderness".
1991:  Ropin' the Wind debuted at #1 for Garth Brooks on the Album chart.
1996:  Bob Dylan was nominated by Professor Gordon Ball of Virginia Military Institute for the Nobel Literature Prize.




1996:  The count was up to nine for weeks at #1 for "Macarena" by Los Del Rios.  "Where Do You Go" by No Mercy was the only new song in the Top 10.
1999:  The members of the band All Saints had casts made of their hands for the "Wall of Hands" exhibit at Madame Tussaud's Rock Circus in London.
2000:  Radiohead played at Glasgow Green in Scotland.
2002:  The City of Nutbush, Tennessee named a portion of State Highway 19 the "Tina Turner Highway".  Turner lived in Nutbush (about 50 miles northeast of Memphis) until she was 17.
2003:  Muse had the #1 album in the U.K. with Absolution.
2003:  John Mayer owned the top album in the United States with Heavier Things.
2005:  Disturbed led the way on the Album chart with Ten Thousand Fists.
2007:  The John Lennon Northern Lights Festival, named after the popular star, kicked off for the first of three days in Durness, Scotland.  Lennon spent holidays between the ages of nine and 13 in the village.

Born This Day:

1901:  Ed Sullivan, who hosted numerous rock acts including the Beatles, whose appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964 drew an estimated 73 million viewers, was born in Manhattan, New York; died October 13, 1974 of cancer in New York City.  (Note:  several websites state Sullivan was born in Harlem, New York.  Harlem is not a city; it is a neighborhood, and you will never see Harlem listed as the official City of Birth for Sullivan.)







1938:  Ben E. King, lead singer of the Drifters and a solo star ("Stand By Me" and "Spanish Harlem") was born in Henderson, North Carolina; died of natural causes April 30, 2015 in Hackensack, New Jersey at age 76. 
1943:  Nick St. Nicholas, bass guitarist of Steppenwolf, was born in Hamburg, Germany.   (Note:  some sources list his birthplace as Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, but the Nick St. Nicholas born there is an actor who appeared in 'Police Woman', among other shows.)
1950:  Paul Burgess, drummer of 10cc, was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England.
1953:  Keni Burke of the Five Stairsteps ("O-o-h Child") and bassist with Sly & the Family Stone and Diana Ross, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1955:  George Lynch, guitarist of Dokken, was born in Spokane, Washington.

1960: Jennifer Rush was born in Queens, New York.
1977:  Young Jeezy, whose real name is Jay Jenkins, was born in Columbia, South Carolina.  (Note:  some websites say Jenkins was born in Atlanta.  He was born in Columbia and moved to Atlanta with his family later.)
1984:  Melody Thornton of the Pussycat Dolls was born in Charleston, South Carolina.  (Note:  you will find confusion with some sources saying that Melanie Thornton was in the Pussycat Dolls and died in a plane crash.  Melanie Thornton fronted the group Labouche, was born in 1967, was never with the Pussycat Dolls, and died in 2001 in a plane crash.  Melody Thornton (no relation) was born in 1984, joined the Pussycat Dolls, and is still very much alive.) 
1987:  Hilary Duff was born in Houston, Texas.

Another Top Unknown/Underrated Song* in the Spotlight

Often, the songs we include in this category are from a subjective opinion.  In this case, there is a mountain of evidence backing up the assertion of "underrated".  To clarify, when we say "underrated", this is true at least in the United States, but may also be true in multiple countries.  This song sold over ten million copies worldwide, yet only peaked at #13 in the U.S.:

"Fernando"

ABBA

 

Written by Bjorn Ulvaus and Benny Andersson

 

Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar

They were closer now Fernando
Every hour every minute seemed to last eternally
I was so afraid Fernando
We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die
And I'm not ashamed to say
The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

Now we're old and grey Fernando
And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand
Can you hear the drums Fernando?
Do you still recall the fateful night we crossed the Rio Grande?
I can see it in your eyes
How proud you were to fight for freedom in this land

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando
Yes, if I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando...

Five Best*: Rick Springfield

The guy you first knew as Noah Drake on television proved he could score as a singer and guitarist as well.  Here are the songs we chose as the Five Best* from Rick Springfield:

1. Jessie's Girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Don't Talk To Strangers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. I've Done Everything For You




 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Love Somebody

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Love Is Alright Tonight

This Date in Rock Music History: September 27

1963:  Cilla Black made her live television debut on Ready Steady Go! on British television singing "Love Of The Loved".

1963:  The Merseybeats opened for the Rolling Stones at the Floral Hall Ballroom in Morecambe, Lancashire, England.

1964:  Ringo Starr and Beatles manager Brian Epstein were judges along with Cilla Black and others at the National Beat Group Competition to benefit the Oxfam charity at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.
1964:  The Beach Boys performed "I Get Around" on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1967:  The Beatles recorded producer George Martin's orchestral score and added overdubs to "I Am The Walrus" (a song they had recorded on September 5 and 6) and worked on "Fool On The Hill" in two sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London.
1968:  The Jackson 5 opened for Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight at a concert in Gary, Indiana.
1971:  Led Zeppelin appeared at the Shiei Taiikukan Hall in Hiroshima, Japan.

1975:  Linda Ronstadt released the album Prisoner in Disguise on Asylum Records.
1975:  "Do It Any Way You Wanna'" by People's Choice was the new #1 on the R&B chart.








1975:  George Harrison had a hot song moving up the charts with "You", up from 75 to 49 on this date.
1975:  John Denver hit #1 with "I'm Sorry".








1975:  Red Octopus by Jefferson Starship took a turn at #1 on the Album chart.  Honey from the Ohio Players was #2 but the Eagles were on their way back up with One of These Nights.  Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run came in fourth while Janis Ian's former #1 album Between the Lines fell to 5.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Heat Is On from the Isley Brothers, Elton John's epic Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, the Allman Brothers Band rose from 43 to 8 with Win, Lose Or Draw, the Spinners were at 9 with Pick of the Litter and Fleetwood Mac entered the Top 10 for the first time with their self-titled release.
1978:  Eric Clapton sponsored the Union of European Football Association (soccer) match between West Bromwich Albion and Galatasaray of Turkey to decide the winner of the UEFA Cup.  Following the match, Clapton presented each player with a copy of his album Slowhand.





1979:  Blondie released the album Eat to the Beat.
1979:  The Police released the album Reggatta de Blanc.
1979:  Elton John collapsed onstage at the Universal Amphitheater in Hollywood, California due to exhaustion brought on by the flu.  After 10 minutes, John returned and finished the show.










1979:  Jimmy McCulloch, lead guitarist of Thunderclap Newman and Wings, was found dead in London from heart failure due to heroin at the age of 26.
1980:  Queen remained at the top of the Album chart for a second week with The Game.
1980:  George Benson's "Give Me The Night" held on to #1 for a third week on the R&B chart.








      
            Air Supply captured fans from the release of their first song...

1980:  Diana Ross remained on top with "Upside Down", the #1 song for a fourth week.  In many markets, however, Australia's Air Supply's "All Out Of Love" was #1.  Queen trailed those two with "Another One Bites The Dust".  George Benson moved up with "Give Me The Night" while Johnny Lee was "Lookin' For Love".  The rest of the Top 10:  Paul Simon's "Late In The Evening", Eddie Rabbitt hopped up with "Drivin' My Life Away", Irene Cara's "Fame" was at #8, Larry Graham remained at 9 with "One In A Million You" and Kenny Loggins reached the Top 10 with "I'm Alright".
1986:  Lionel Richie took over at #1 on the Album chart with Dancing On the Ceiling.
1986:  Twenty-two years after its release, "Twist And Shout" by the Beatles re-entered the chart after being featured on the soundtracks to Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Back to School.




1986:  Cliff Burton, bassist of Metallica, was killed at the age of 24 when the group's bus crashed in Ljungby, Sweden.
1987:  Dolly Parton's television series Dolly debuted on ABC.
1988:  Def Leppard became the first artist of the Rock Era to sell seven million copies of consecutive albums as on this date, Hysteria joined Pyromania as a seven-million seller.  (Note:  some websites incorrectly list this date as October 14--the official RIAA website shows September 27.)










1989: Billy Joel released a huge comeback hit for him--"We Didn't Start The Fire".













1990:  Marvin Gaye was given a star posthumously on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California (1504 Vine Street).  (Note:  some sources show the event on September 28, but according to the books 'Marvin Gaye, My Brother' by Frankie Gaye and 'African Americans in Los Angeles' by Karin L. Stanford, the star was unveiled on September 27.)
1994:  The Dave Matthews Band released the album Under the Table and Dreaming.  (Note:  some sites show the release as September 20, but the official website for the Dave Matthews Band pegs the release as September 27.)
1995:  Time Warner Records cut ties with rap label Interscope.  A very wise and responsible choice.
1997:  Bob Dylan performed at the World Eucharistic Congress in Bologna, Italy to an audience that included the Pope.






                              Third Eye Blind with their biggest career hit...

1997:  Mariah Carey's "Honey" was #1 for a third week while Boyz II Men debuted at #2 with "4 Seasons Of Loneliness".  Usher stayed at 3 with "You Make Me Wanna...", LeAnn Rimes had "How Do I Live" and the Backstreet Boys slipped with 'Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Mo Money Mo Problems" from the Notorious B.I.G. with Puff Daddy & Mase, the Puffman was the big star of the time with Faith Evans and 112 on "I'll Be Missing You", the Spice Girls slipped with "2 Become 1", new group Third Eye Blind and "Semi-Charmed Life" and Jewel was at 10 with her double-sided hit "Foolish Games"/"You Were Meant For Me".
1999:  Atlanta, Georgia declared it "ZZ Top Day" after the Texas band.

2000:  U2 played from the rooftop of the Clarence Hotel (which they own) in Dublin, Ireland.  Over 4,000 fans gathered below them to listen.
2001:  Jonathan King ("Everyone's Gone To The Moon" from 1965) was found guilty of six charges of sexual assault of under-age boys.  He was later sentenced to seven years in prison.
2002:  Vince Neil of Motley Crue pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge for attacking a record producer in West Hollywood on April 28, 2002.
2003:  Carly Simon sued the Dakota building in New York City, alleging she was denied application to live there but was not refunded her $99,000 down payment.
2004:  Producer Phil Spector was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of actress Lana Clarkson.
2006:  Jamie Lyons, lead singer of Music Explosion ("Little Bit O' Soul" in 1967), died of a heart attack at his home in Little River, South Carolina at the age of 57.
2006:  In today's Inmates Run Rap Music segment, Snoop Dogg was arrested at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California for possessing a firearm.
2007:  As part of the Clinton Global Initiative, Shakira announced in New York City that a charity group co-founded by her (The Latin America for Solidarity Foundation) would donate $40 million to assist relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Peru and hurricane-stricken Nicaragua.  (Note:  several websites incorrectly say the announcement was made September 26.  Shakira announced the donation Thursday, September 27 in New York City.)
2007:  Dale Houston of Dale & Grace ("I'm Leaving It Up To You") died of congestive heart failure in Hattiesburg, Mississippi at the age of 67.
2008:  Bryan Morrison, manager of Pink Floyd and music publisher of the Bee Gees, Elton John, Wham!  T-Rex and Syd Barrett, died at age 66 after being in a coma for two years.  Morrison was in a polo accident at the Royal Berkshire Polo Club in England in 2006 and suffered severe brain injuries.
2008:  George Jones, lead singer of the Edsels (who wrote and sang "Rama Lama Ding Dong") died of cancer at his home in Youngstown, Ohio the age of 71.
2008:  Metallica owned the #1 album with Death Magnetic.
2010:  Tickets to what was to be the tour This Is It by Michael Jackson went on sale.

2012:  R.B. Greaves (nephew of Sam Cooke), who gave us "Take A Letter, Maria", died in Granada, California of prostate cancer at age 68.  (Note:  some sources report that he died in Inglewood, California or in Granada Hills, California.  Granada Hills is a community within Los Angeles, not a city.  According to 'Billboard', Greaves died in Los Angeles.)

2012:  Singer Frank Wilson ("Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" who wrote and produced for artists such as the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops and the Miracles, and also created the publishing firms Traco Music and Specolite Music, died of a lung infection while being treated for prostate cancer in Duarte, California at age 71.




Born This Day:

1936:  Don Cornelius, host and producer of the long-running television show Soul Train, was born in Chicago, Illinois; shot himself at the age of 75 on February 1, 2012 in Sherman Oaks, California.
1941:  Don Nix, saxophonist for the Mar-Keys ("Last Night") and producer of albums for Jeff Beck and Freddie King, was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1943:  Randy Bachman, guitarist of the Guess Who and co-founder of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.










1947:  Meat Loaf (real name Marvin Lee Aday) was born in Dallas, Texas.  (Note:  Meat Loaf doesn't know when he was born; he gives various dates when asked, but the book 'The Rough Guide to Rock' by Peter Buckley, "Allmusic.com", and 'Biography.com' all say that he was born on September 27, 1947.)
1953:  Greg Ham, flautist, keyboardist, percussionist and saxophone player of Men At Work, was born in Melbourne, Australia; was found dead in his home in Melbourne April 19, 2012 after suffering a heart attack.
1953:  Robbie Shakespeare, session bass guitarist for Robert Palmer, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.




1959:  Shaun Cassidy, actor, singer, songwriter and producer, and brother of David Cassidy, was born in Los Angeles.  (Note:  some websites report Cassidy was born in Santa Monica.  The book 'From Small Screen to Vinyl:  A Guide to Television Stars Who Made Records' by Bob Leszczak states that Shaun was born in Los Angeles.)  
1966:  Stephan Jenkins, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of Third Eye Blind, was born in San Bernardino, California.  (Note:  some websites say Jenkins was born in Indio, California or in Oakland.  Our best research indicates he was born in San Bernardino and raised in Palo Alto.)1970:  Mark Calderon of Color Me Badd was born in Bakersfield, California.
1973:  Lee Brennan, singer, songwriter, and lead singer with the group 311, was born in Carlisle, Cumbria, England.
1978:  Bradley Kirk Arnold, lead singer of 3 Doors Down, was born in Escatawpa, Mississippi.
1982:  Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1984:  Avril Lavigne was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada.

This Date in Rock Music History: September 26

1955:  Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher married in Grossinger, New York.

1956:  The city of Tupelo, Mississippi declared Elvis Presley Day in honor of its native son.
1957:  The Monotones recorded "Book Of Love".
1957:  The classic musical West Side Story opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City.
1961:  Bob Dylan opened for the Greenbriar Boys at Gerde's Folk Club in New York's Greenwich Village.


1964:  The Rolling Stones released the single "Time Is On My Side".









1964:  The British continued to come over in waves.  On this date, the Kinks debuted on the U.S. chart with their first single release "You Really Got Me".
1965:  While on tour in Denmark, lead singer Roger Daltrey of the Who punched drummer Keith Moon.  Daltrey was concerned that the group was using drugs to the detriment of the group's music, and he flushed Moon's drugs down the toilet.  Moon protested, so Daltrey hit him, flattening him with one punch.  Daltrey was kicked out of the group, but when he apologized the next day, he was reinstated.
1968:  Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones was found guilty of  possession of marijuana by a jury at the Marlborough Street Magistrates Court.








1969:  The Beatles released the album Abbey Road, the last album they recorded as a group.

1970:  Tamla-Motown Records released news that the Jackson 5 had sold 10 million singles worldwide in nine months since their debut, officially a world record.
1970:  Pink Floyd performed at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the opening show of their Fall tour of North America.
1974:  John Lennon released the album Walls and Bridges in the United States (it was released on October 4 in the U.K.)
1975:  The Rocky Horror Picture Show opened in theaters.  Movie-going would never be the same.

1980:  U2 had a concert in the Cedar Ballroom in Birmingham, England.
1981:  Bruce Dickinson became the lead singer of Iron Maiden.  He made his official debut with the group one month later, October 26, in Bologna, Italy.
1981:  Genesis moved to #1 on the U.K. Album chart with Abacab.






1984:  Paul Anka received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6840 Hollywood Boulevard.
1984:  Prince released the single "Purple Rain".
1989:  Paul McCartney played several Lennon/McCartney songs live for the first time as a solo artist at the
Drammenshallen in Oslo, Norway.
1992:  Paul Simon, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Jimmy Buffett performed at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to raise money for victims of Hurricane Andrew.
1992:  Belinda Carlisle owned the top U.K. album with The Best of Belina Carlisle, Volume 1.












1997:  The initial 300,000 units of Elton John's single "Candle In The Wind 1997" sold out in Japan on the first day of release.
1998:  Prince slipped and pulled a ligament onstage in Atlantic City, New Jersey, forcing a postponement of the remainder of his U.S. tour.  After recovery, Prince resumed the tour on October 17.
1998:  Melanie B rose to #1 in the U.K. with her solo hit "I Want You Back".
1999:  Kenny Rogers put his 360-acre Beaver Dam Farms estate in Colbert, Georgia up for auction.
1999:  The Dixie Chicks landed at #1 on the Album chart with Fly.



2003:  Robert Palmer, solo star and lead singer with Power Station, died of a heart attack at the age of 54 in Paris, France.









2004:  Green Day ruled the U.K. Album chart with American Idiot.
2007:  Paul Rodgers, classic lead singer of Free, Bad Company and the Firm, married former Miss Canada, Cynthia Kereluk.  (Note:  some websites report the marriage took place on September 22, while others say it was September 24.  According to the official website of Paul Rodgers, he married Cynthia on September 26.)
2012:  Marty Fortson, singer and guitarist with the Rivieras ("California Sun"), died in South Bend, Indiana at age 67.



Born This Day:

1925:  Marty Robbins ("El Paso") was born in Glendale, Arizona; died December 8, 1982 from respiratory failure in Nashville, Tennessee six days after suffering a heart attack.
1926:  Julie London ("Cry Me A River") was born in Santa Rosa, California; died October 18, 2000 in Encino, California after being in poor health since a stroke in 1995.
1931:  George Chambers of the Chambers Brothers ("Time Has Come Today") was born in Flora, Mississippi.
1941:  Joseph Bauer, drummer of the Youngbloods, was born in Memphis, Tennessee; died in September, 1982 of a brain tumor in Memphis.

1945:  Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music was born in Washington, Tyne and Wear, England.
1947:  Lynn Anderson, who gave us the great song "Rose Garden", was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota; died July 30, 2015 of a heart attack in Nashville, Tennessee.

1948:  Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
1951:  Stuart Tosh of the Alan Parsons Project, who also toured with 10cc and Pilot ("Magic" from 1975), was born in Aberdeen, Scotland.








1954:  Ace guitarist Craig Chaquico of Jefferson Starship and later Cusco, was born in Sacramento, California.  (Note:  many sources report his birth as September 25, but both his talent agency (In Demand Talent) and his record company (Blind Pig Records) list his birth as 9/26 in his biography.)
1954:  Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos was born in Hermosillo, Mexico.
1958:  Kris "Angelo" Moe of Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids was born in Lanesboro, Minnesota; died July 8, 2005 after batting ALS for 13 years.
1962:  Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl was born in Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire, England.  
1965:  Cindy Herron of En Vogue and an actress (Batman Forever) was born in San Francisco, California.






1972:  Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1981:  Christina Milian, actress and singer ("Dip It Low" from 2004), was born in Jersey City, New Jersey.