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.

August 1-November 30--Inside The Rock Era Now The Most Accurate Log of Rock Era Events in the World

We are well into our extensive research on every news item and information pertaining to musicians and artists in the Rock Era.  We are confident in the work done from Auust through November that this website is now the most accurate Calendar* or music timeline you can find.

You will note that in our daily entries, we point out when there is a discrepancy as to facts contained in the Calendar*, and point out the corroborating confirmations from respected sources.  When we complete this overhaul, Inside The Rock Era will be without question the most reliable source for DJ's who need such information as well as music fans around the world who want to learn more about the Rock Era.  We have looked into reported information from thousands of websites, and when we finish the remaining two/thirds of our work, this website will be more accurate in the items it reports than even Billboard, MTV, and Rolling Stone.  We can say this because we have found numerous mistakes relating to music news on all three of these established leaders in the music business.

We look forward to completing our research, and hope you'll be patient while we correct the errors found on the Internet.

"Straight On" by Heart, this week's featured Unknown/Underrated Song*

It only peaked at #15, but we know that people can and do make mistakes, and true blue Heart fans will tell you that it is one of the best songs in the group's catalog:

 

"Straight On"

Heart

 

Written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, & Sue Ennis

 

Quite some time, I been sittin' it out
Didn't take no chances
I was a pris'ner of doubt.
I knocked down the wailin' wall
Ain't no sin
Got the feel of fortune; deal me in

Comin' straight on for you. You made my mind.
Now I'm stronger. Now I'm comin' through
Straight on, straight on for you
Straight on for you.

Now I know I got to play my hand
What the winner don't know, a gambler understands
My heart keeps playin' it through
with you, my friend
I'll take my chances on you again and again

Comin' straight on for you. You made my mind
Now I'm stronger. Now I'm comin' through
Straight on, straight on for you
Straight on for you 

Commodores, The #48 Artist of the Seventies*

Students, mostly freshmen, at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama had formed two groups, the Mystics and the Jays, and the Commodores came about as a result of the merging of those two groups.  The original lineup was:  Lionel Richie (saxophone and lead vocals), guitarist Thomas McClary, keyboardist Milan Williams, William King on trumpet, drummer Andre Callahan, and Michael Gilbert on bass.  Walter "Clyde" Orange replaced Callahan on drums and Ronald La Pread took over for Gilbert. 

The band had the good fortune of opening for the Jackson 5 on tour, which helped them secure a recording contract with Motown Records in 1972.  Three years later, they released their debut album.  The instrumental title song "Machine Gun" hit #22 for them.

In 1975, the Commodores released the album Caught in the Act.  The single "Slippery When Wet" only went to #19, but did earn them a spot at #1 on the R&B chart.

 

 

So the group released another album, Movin' On, later in the year, and the single "Sweet Love" was the one that made them known.  The great song was probably even a bit underrated at #5, but it scored a #2 on the R&B chart.

 

 

 

 

 

The Commodores earned another Top 10 with "Just To Be Close To You" (#7 overall and #1 R&B) from their album Hot on the Tracks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1977, the Commodores released their self-titled album, which spawned the monster hit "Easy".  It soared high to #4 in the U.S. (#1 R&B), and caused folks across the Atlantic Ocean to take notice too, as evidenced by the group's first Top 10 hit in the U.K. (#9).





 

Although the Commodores excelled at ballads, but they could also crank out the funk, as they proved with the #5 song "Brickhouse".







 

Another song on the album is a favorite among fans--"Zoom".













The group released The Commodores Live!, which contained the #1 R&B song "Too Hot Ta' Trot".









 

The band was gearing up for the 1978 album Natural High, which contained their biggest career hit.  "Three Times A Lady" gave them a "triple #1"--#1 Popular, #1 Adult Contemporary, and #1 R&B, that was also #1 in the U.K. and Ireland.





 

"Flying High" is another nice track from the album.










 

In 1979, the Commodores released the album Midnight Magic.  The single "Sail On" led the way, breezing to #4 in the U.S. and #4 in the U.K.






 

"Still" was another monster ballad, #1 both overall and R&B in the United States and #4 in the U.K.

The Commodores were riding high at the end of the decade, securing their place as one of the top acts of the Seventies.  Leader Lionel Richie left after two more albums for a highly successful solo career, but the group continued on well into the 80's. A few of the original members still tour with new faces.

The group scored 13 hits in the Seventies, with seven going Top 10 and two #1 songs.

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

While you're appreciating the great songs of Al Green...

Be sure to listen to each song, and each artist in The Top 100 Artists of the Seventies*--you will get much more out of the special, and enjoy it infinitely more!

Tomorrow, a group that not only put out some amazing music in the decade; they also launched the solo career of one of The Top Artists of the Eighties*.  Listen for #48* tomorrow on Inside The Rock Era!

Al Green, The #49 Artist of the Seventies*

Al Greene began performing in the Greene Brothers with his brothers at age ten in Arkansas.  The family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan in the late 50's.  In high school, Al formed the vocal group Al Greene & the Creations, which changed their name to Al Greene & the Soul Mates in 1968.  They recorded "Back Up Train", which became a minor hit on the R&B chart.

Al hooked up with producer Willie Mitchell, who signed Greene to a recording contract with Hi Records.  Al removed the final "e" from his last name, and released the album Green Is Blues.

Next, Green released the album Al Green Gets Next to You, which spawned the single "Tired Of Being Alone".  It was Al's first big hit, climbing to #4 in the U.K. and #11 in the United States.  More important for the bank account, it sold over one million copies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green came into his own with the album Let's Stay Together.  The title song and album both went Gold and was a double #1, achieving that feat on both the Popular and R&B charts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the great tracks that Al recorded was this one:  "I've Never Found A Girl".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1972, Green released the album I'm Still in Love with You.  He scored two big million-selling hits, the first being "Look What You Done For Me" (#2 R&B, #4 overall). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The title song reached #3 overall and #1 in the R&B genre, and helped Green achieve his only career Platinum album.

Green followed with the album Call Me, which yielded the hit single "You Ought To Be With Me" (#3 Popular, #1 R&B).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Al's next release, "Call Me (Come Back Home") gave him his fifth Top 2 R&B hit in the last seven releases, also reaching #10 with the public.

The album generated a third Top 10 song, the only LP of Green's career to stake that claim.  Al continued the magic with "Here I Am (Come And Take Me)".

The album Livin' for You included two Top 10 R&B hits (the title song and "Let's Get Married"), but they were both mid-charters with a mass audience.  We do want to feature this prime track--"Beware".

 

Green bounced back in 1974 with another Gold single, "Sha La La (Makes Me Happy)" from the album Al Green Explores Your Mind.  The song hit #7 overall, and was another #2 R&B smash.

Al Green Explores Your Mind became the singer's fifth consecutive Gold album.  People who love the Talking Heads song "Take Me To The River" have Al Green to thank for recording the song first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following year, Green released the album Al Green Is Love.  The single "L-O-V-E (Love)" landed just outside the Top 10 at #13, and was Al's fifth R&B #1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That would be the final Top 20 song Green would have until 1988, but he would continue to do well on the R&B chart, with hits that included another #1, "Full of Fire", later in the year.  We want to feature one last solid track from Al's 1976 album Full of Fire--"I'd Fly Away".
 

By the next decade, Green had left Hi Records for Myrrh Records, became a minister, and recorded only gospel music.

In 1995, Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, and in 2002, earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.  Two years later, Green was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.  Also in 2004, Green earned a BMI Icon Award.

Green achieved 18 hits in the Seventies, with seven going Top 10.  His sales are a bit low for this portion of the rankings at six million albums sold, but enough to place him at #50*.

This Date in Rock Music History: November 21

1956:  The Elvis Presley movie Love Me Tender opened nationally in theaters.  It had premiered November 16 in New York City.

1960:  George Harrison was deported from Germany because he was too young to perform there with the Beatles.  Harrison spent the night teaching John Lennon his guitar parts, then used all the money he had left to purchase train tickets, tips, and taxi fares.  The group had to play without him at the Kaiserkeller Club in Hamburg.

1960:  "Stay" by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs took over at #1.  However, Elvis Presley burned up the charts with a 35-2 move for "Are You Lonesome Tonight?  
1960:  Ray Charles had four songs on the Billboard Hot 100--"Georgia on My Mind" at #5, "Ruby" at #51, "Hard Hearted Hannah" at position #66 and "Come Rain Or Come Shine" came in at #95.
1962:  The movie Girls!  Girls!  Girls!  starring Elvis Presley opened in theaters.



1963:  The movie Fun in Acapulco starring Elvis Presley opened in theaters.
1964:  "Ringo" by Lorne Greene was the new #1 on the Easy Listening chart.
1964:  The Supremes continued to own the #1 R&B song with "Baby Love" for the fourth week.
1964:  People by Barbra Streisand was the #1 album for the fourth straight week.
1964:  The Supremes were in a hurry as "Come See About Me" sped up from #66 to #31.




The Zombies were just beginning to show us how great they were...


1964:  "Baby Love" by the Supremes wouldn't budge from its #1 position, although it got a close challenge this week from "Leader Of The Pack" by the Shangri-Las.  Jay & the Americans advanced with "Come A Little Bit Closer", swapping places with "Last Kiss" by J. Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers.  The Zombies had one of their biggest career hits as "She's Not There" moved to #5.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Ringo" from Lorne Greene, the Honeycombs slid with "Have I The Right?, the Kinks moved into the list with "You Really Got Me", Dean Martin was on the way down with "The Door Is Still Open To My Heart" and the Rolling Stones had their second Top 10 hit with "Time Is On My Side".
1968:  Yoko Ono, wife of John Lennon, suffered a miscarriage.  The couple named the unborn child John Ono Lennon II.
1969:  T. Rex played at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England.
1970:  Two months after his death, Jimi Hendrix had the new #1 song in the U.K.--"Voodoo Chile".
1970:  Although Diana Ross had left for a solo career, the Supremes were still viable with their 36th hit "Stoned Love", which moved from 48 to 22 on this date.

1970:  The Partridge Family saw an opening and moved to #1 with "I Think I Love You", amazingly jumping over "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters and forcing it to be one of the top #2 songs of the Rock Era.  After five weeks at the top, the Jackson 5 fell to #3 with Smokey Robinson & the Miracles now at 4 with their hot song "The Tears Of A Clown".






    Sly & the Family's Greatest Hits package was battling for the top...


1970:  Led Zeppelin III held on to the #1 position on the aAbum chart for the fourth week.  Abraxas by Santana was a solid 2 and Sweet Baby James by James Taylor was hanging around.  The Carpenters remained at 4 with their debut Close to You, the Third Album by the Jackson 5 was fifth and the great Cosmo's Factory from CCR was #6.  The rest of the Top 10:  Get Yer (sic) Ya-Ya's Out! by the Rolling Stones, After the Gold Rush from Neil Young the Greatest Hits package from Sly & the Family Stone and Grand Funk Railroad moved in with Closer to Home.
1970:  The Carpenters had one of the top Adult songs of the 70's as "We've Only Just Begun" remained #1 for a seventh week.

1971:  Elton John was in concert at the Coventry Theatre in Coventry, England.
1974:  After years of estrangement, Marty Balin reunited with Jefferson Airplane (now called Jefferson Starship) during their show at the Winterland in San Francisco, California, paving the way for Balin to rejoin the group for their Red Octopus album.

1975:  Elton John earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard.
1975:  Frida Lyngstad of ABBA had the #1 album in Sweden with her solo release Frida Alone.
1976:  The band Chelsea, featuring lead singer Billy Idol, performed together for the final time at the Nashville Club in London.  Idol and Tony James left to form the group Generation X.




1979:  Dr. Hook enjoyed the #1 song in the U.K.--"When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman".
1980:  The documentary Van Morrison in Ireland premiered at the National Film Theatre in London.
1980:  REO Speedwagon released the epic album Hi Infidelity.
1981:  Bob Dylan was "on" on this night.  He played 28 songs and six encores in Lakeland, Florida.
1981:  Air Supply logged a third consecutive week at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)".

1981:  "Physical" by Olivia Newton John was officially the #1 song although most radio stations had either "Waiting For A Girl Like You" by Foreigner or "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones as the top song.  The Police had the only new song in the Top 10 with "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic".







1981:  The great 4 album by Foreigner took over at #1 from Tattoo You by the Rolling Stones.  Ghost in the Machine by the Police moved to #3, followed by Escape from Journey.  The rest of the Top 10:  Nine Tonight by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Raise!  by Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Nicks with her solo release Bella Donna at #7, Private Eyes from Hall & Oates, Abacab dropped Genesis off at #9 and Dan Fogelberg's The Innocent Age was #10.
1982:  Joni Mitchell and her producer and bass player Larry Klein married in Malibu, California.




1983:  The legendary "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson premiered in movie theaters in Los Angeles.
1987:  Little Richard was the minister when actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were married.








1987:  Billy Idol rose all the way to #1 with "Mony Mony 'Live'".  Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes were one step away with "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life" and Belinda Carlisle had a strong contender with "Heaven Is A Place on Earth".  Tiffany's former #1 "I Think We're Alone Now" was fourth, followed by Bruce Springsteen and one of his only big hits outside of the Born in the U.S.A. album--"Brilliant Disguise".  The rest of the Top 10:  Swing Out Sister and "Breakout", Richard Marx at #7 with Should've Known Better", Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies", the Cutting Crew scored another Top 10 with "I've Been In Love Before" and George Michael bounced from 18 to 10 with"Faith".
1987:  ...Nothing Like the Sun by Sting was the only new entry on the Top 10 Album chart.
1987:  Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes combined for the #1 Adult Contemporary hit--"(I've Had) The Time of My Life".
1988:  Elite guitarist Jimmy Page began a tour at the Hummingbird in Birmingham, England.
1990:  Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall married in Bali, Indonesia.  But once again, a Rolling Stone got it wrong.  The marriage was declared "null and void" in 1999 when it was discovered that the marriage was never registered.
1992:  Cher moved into the #1 slot on the U.K. Album chart with her Greatest Hits package.

1992:  Michael Bolton had a #1 album with Timeless (The Classics).  That bumped The Chase by Garth Brooks to second, while Sade debuted with Love Deluxe at #3, Eric Clapton slipped with his Unplugged album and Bon Jovi debuted at #5 with Keep the Faith.
1993:  Sonny Bono was a guest star on Lois & Clark:  The New Adventures of Superman on ABC-TV.

1995:  2 Pac Shakur gave out 2,000 turkeys in Los Angeles.




 

1995:  The Beatles' compilation Anthology I set a compilation record for first-day sales with 450,000 copies sold.
1995:  Matthew Ashman, guitarist of Adam and the Ants ("Goody Two Shoes") and Bow Wow Wow ("I Want Candy"), died at age 35 from complications of diabetes.

1995:  Peter Grant, shrewd manager for Led Zeppelin, the Everly Brothers, the Animals, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, died at age 60 in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England of a heart attack brought on by years of drug abuse.









1995:  Bruce Springsteen began a tour at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
1997:  Coolio and seven members of his group were arrested and charged with assaulting a female clerk in a clothing store in Boblingen, Germany and stealing $2,000 worth of merchandise. 






1998:  It was easy to get a Top 10 album by now if you had anything of quality at all.  Alanis Morissette debuted at #1 with Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and U2 debuted at #2 with The Best of 1980-1990/The B-Sides.
1999:  Alvin Cash ("Twine Time" from 1965) died at the age of 60 from ulcer complications.
1999:  Celine Dion achieved her fourth #1 album in the U.K. with her compilation All the Way...A Decade of Songs.
2001:  Jonathan King ("Everyone's Gone To The Moon" from 1965), who discovered acts such as Genesis and was the head of Decca Records, was thrown in jail for seven years for six offenses of indecent assault, burglary and attempted burglary against five boys age 14-16 between 1983 and 1989.
2005:  Shots were fired at Bret Michaels' tour bus in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  The lead singer of Poison was hit by falling glass but escaped serious injury.
2007:  Bob Relf of Bob & Earl ("Harlem Shuffle" from 1964) died at the age of 70 in Bakersfield, California.

Born This Day:

1907:  Samuel "Buck" Ram, manager and producer of the Platters and one of the most successful songwriters of the Rock Era ("The Great Pretender", "Twilight Time" and "Only You (And You Alone)", was born in Chicago, Illinois; died January 1, 1991 of natural causes in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Note:  several websites report Buck's birthday as November 21, but according to the 'BBC', as well as the books 'Rock Obituaries:  Knocking on Heaven's Door' by Nick Talevski and 'All Music Guide to Soul:  The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul' by Vladimir Bogdanov, Ram was born on November 21.)







1940:  Dr. John ("Right Place Wrong Time" from 1973) was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1941:  Andrew Love, saxophonist with the Memphis Horns, was born in Memphis, Tennessee; died of complications from Alzheimer's disease in Memphis at the age of 70.  Love worked with Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, U2, James Taylor, the Doobie Brothers, Sting, Dusty Springfield, Al Green, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt and Otis Redding, among others. (Note:  some websites report his birth as 1942, but the renowned newspapers 'The New York Times', 'The Los Angeles Times', 'The Guardian', and 'The Telegraph', as well as the official website for the Memphis Horns, all report that Love was born in 1941.)
1941:  David Porter, who wrote "Hold On!  I'm Coming" and "Soul Man" with Isaac Hayes for Sam & Dave, was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1946:  David Williams, session guitarist who played on all of Michael Jackson's later albums, and was included in The Guinness Book of World Records as the most prolific guitarist of all-time, was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad; died March 6, 2009 of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke in Hampton, Virginia.  Williams also played for Mariah Carey, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney, the Temptations, Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, Dionne Warwick, Genesis, Kenny Loggins, Stevie Nicks, Melissa Manchester, Boz Scaggs, and Michael McDonald, just to name a few.  (Note:  some websites show David's place of birth as Port of Spain, Trinidad, but his official obituary in the newspaper 'The Daily Press' lists his birthplace as Newport News.) 
1948:  Lonnie Jordan, singer, keyboardist and founder of the group War, was born in San Diego, California.
1949:  Randy Zehringer, drummer with the McCoys ("Hang On Sloopy") and brother of Rick Derringer, was born in Celina, Ohio.
1950:  Livingston Taylor ("I Will Be in Love With You" from 1978) and brother of James, was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
1955:  Peter Koppes, guitarist and founding member of the group the Church

1965:  Bjork, eclectic singer originally with the Sugarcubes and now a solo star who has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, was born in Reykjavik, Iceland. 
1967:  Margret Ornolfsdottir, keyboardist of the Sugarcubes
1968:  Alex James, bassist and songwriter of Blur, was born in Boscombe, Bournemouth, England.