Sunday, December 10, 2017

This Date in Rock Music History: December 6


1964:  The movie Ferry Cross the Mersey, starring Gerry & the Pacemakers, premiered a the New Victoria Cinema in London.










1965:  The Beatles released the double-sided single "We Can Work It Out"/"Day Tripper" in the United States.
















1965:  The Rolling Stones recorded "19th Nervous Breakdown" and "Mother's Little Helper" for the fourth of six days at RCA's studios in Hollywood, California.  (Note:  some websites would have you believe that both these songs were recorded in one day (December 6).  This is not true, according to the book 'Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings' by Steve Sullivan and numerous credible websites.)   

 


1966:  The Beatles recorded two takes of "When I'm Sixty-Four", their first work on the upcoming album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
1968:  The Rolling Stones released the album Beggars Banquet in the U.K
1968:  Apple Records released James Taylor's self-titled debut album in the U.K.
1968:  Elvis Presley received a letter that United States President Richard Nixon sent out to potential administrative office holders.  No word on which office the president had in mind for Elvis.
1969:  Ringo Starr was on The David Frost Show.





1969:  Four people died during a free concert at Altamont, California by the Rolling Stones.  One was a stabbing that occurred near the stage when a member of Hell's Angels, foolishly hired to provide security, stabbed a fan in the back.









1969:  The Originals led the way on the R&B chart for the fifth straight week with "Baby, I'm For Real".
1969:  For the third week, Peter, Paul & Mary had the top Easy Listening song with "Leaving On A Jet Plane".









1969:  Newcomers Steam moved into the #1 slot with "(Na Na Hey Hey) Kiss Him Goodbye".  Peter, Paul & Mary took a leap up with "Leaving On A Jet Plane" and the Beatles' former #1 "Come Together"/"Something" was third.  R.B. Greaves had a great song at 4--"Take A Letter, Maria" while CCR's double-sided winner "Down On The Corner"/"Fortunate Son" moved from 9 to 5.  The rest of an excellent Top 10:  Blood, Sweat & Tears with "And When I Die", the 5th Dimension's 11th hit "Wedding Bell Blues" was at #7, Stevie Wonder maintained with "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", Diana Ross & the Supremes moved into the Top 10 with their 33rd hit, 18th Top 10 and final song with Ms. Ross--"Someday We'll Be Together" and Three Dog Night held on to #10 with their great song "Eli's Coming".





1969:  The Beatles' Abbey Road continued as the #1 album for a sixth week.
1970:  The documentary Gimme Shelter, which shows the Rolling Stones' horrific concert at Altamont, California, debuted.








      The song that probably describes why you're here...

1975:  "I Love Music" by the O'Jays was the #1 R&B song.
1975:  Diana Ross took over on the #1 spot overall with "Theme From 'Mahogany' (Do You Know Where You're Going To)".


1975:  Paul Simon's outstanding album Still Crazy After All These Years was the new #1, meaning a brief one-week stay for Red Octopus by Jefferson Starship.  John Denver was still hanging around with Windsong at #3, followed by Rock of the Westies from Elton John and Chicago IX, the group's Greatest Hits package.  The rest of the Top 10:  Wind on the Water from David Crosby & Graham Nash, Art Garfunkel's Breakaway at #7, The Who by Numbers from the Who, K.C. and the Sunshine Band bulleted up the chart from 24 to 9 with their self-titled debut and Kiss had themselves a Top 10 album with Alive!  




1975:  The Bay City Rollers first entered the Top 10 with their debut single "Saturday Night".  Simon & Garfunkel had the only other new entry--"My Little Town".









1976:  Barbra Streisand released the single "Evergreen".
 







1977:  Bob Seger released his single "Night Moves".










1977:  Kansas released the single "Carry On Wayward Son".
1977:  Jackson Browne released the album Running On Empty.
1978:  Sid Vicious smashed glass in the face of Patti Smith's brother Todd during a fight at Hurrah's in New York City.  Vicious was out on bail on the charge of the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen.






1980:  John Lennon was interviewed by British disc jockey Andy Peebles.
1980:  Stevie Wonder remained at #1 on the R& chart for a sixth week with "Master Blaster (Jammin')".











        "Promises" helped make Guilty a #1 album...

1980:  Guilty by Barbra Streisand was the new #1 album, followed closely by Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits.  Stevie Wonder edged up with Hotter Than July while The River by Bruce Springsteen was done after just six weeks and AC/DC was beginning to attract attention with Back In Black.  The rest of the Top 10:  Queen with The Game, Pat Benatar's amazing Crimes of Passion, the Eagles Live album moved from 14-8, the Police moved into the list with Zenyatta Mondatta and Earth, Wind & Fire placed Faces at #10.
1980:  "Lady" by Kenny Rogers was the #1 song on the Adult Contemporary chart.



1980:  Kenny Rogers registered a fourth week at #1 with "Lady".  Leo Sayer was second-best with "More Than I Can Say" while Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust", a #1 song in most markets by now, was third.  Barbra Streisand had hit #30 with "Woman In Love".  The rest of the Top 10:  Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster", John Lennon was up to 6 with "(Just Like) Starting Over", Neil Diamond was back in a big way with "Love On The Rocks", Bruce Springsteen moved into the Top 10 with "Hungry Heart", Diana Ross was down with "I'm Coming Out" and Cliff Richard remained 10th with "Dreaming".










1984:  John Fogerty released the single "The Old Man Down the Road".
1986:  Newcomers Bruce Hornsby & the Range had themselves a #1 Adult Contemporary song with "The Way It Is".










            Billy was up to #10 with "To Be a Lover"...

1986:  Sun Valley, Idaho's Peter Cetera had the new #1 song with Amy Grant--"The Next Time I Fall".  That knocked Bon Jovi out of the top spot with "You Give Love A Bad Name".  Huey Lewis & the News were "Hip To Be Square", Bruce Hornsby & the Range were up to #4 with "The Way It Is" and the Bangles had a monster smash with "Walk Like An Egyptian".  The rest of the Top 10:  Cameo's "Word Up", Wang Chung partied up to #7 with "Everybody Have Fun Tonight", "Human" by the Human League, Lionel Richie was at 9 with "Love Will Conquer All" and Billy Idol entered the list with "To Be A Lover".





1988:  Metallica recorded the video "One".










1988:  Roy Orbison, who had 32 hits including the #1 songs "Oh Pretty Woman" and "Running Scared", and later was a member of the Traveling Wilburys, died of a massive heart attack at his home in Henderson, Tennessee at the age of 52.
1993:  The Eagles filmed a video for Travis Tritt's version of "Take It Easy" that led to their famous reunion.
1994:  Pearl Jam released their third album Vitalogy.

1995:  Michael Jackson was hospitalized after collapsing in a theater in New York City while rehearsing for a television special.




1995:  Joni Mitchell was awarded the Century Award from Billboard magazine.
1997:  Metallica performed "Fuel" and "The Memory Remains" with Marianne Faithfull on Saturday Night Live on NBC-TV.
1997:  Reload by Metallica and Let's Talk About Love from Celine Dion were the top two albums.






1997:  Elton John remained at #1 for the ninth week with "Candle In The Wind 1997", tying "Mack The Knife" by Bobby Darin, Kim Carnes and "Bette Davis Eyes", "Hey Jude" from the Beatles, Diana Ross & Lionel Richie with "Endless Love" and Percy Faith's "The Theme From 'A Summer Place'" for 12th in the Rock Era for the longest-running #1.  
1999:  The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its new inductees:  James Taylor, Earth, Wind & Fire, Nat King Cole, Eric Clapton, the Lovin' Spoonful, Bonnie Raitt and the Moonglows, as well as executive Clive Davis and musicians Scotty Moore, Earl Palmer, and Hal Blaine.
2003:  George Clinton was arrested for possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia in Tallahassee, Florida.
2003:  Good to hear that in those terrible times the common person wasn't the only one having financial trouble.  Peabo Bryson sold his two Grammy awards ("Beauty And The Beast" and "A Whole New World") to pay a $1.2 million tax bill.



2003:  In happier news, Elvis Costello married jazz superstar Diana Krall in a ceremony at Elton John's castle outside London.  Paul McCartney was one of the attendees.
2004:  Motley Crue announced they were reuniting for their first tour in five years.
2005:  Valerie Bertinelli filed for divorce from Eddie Van Halen
2006:  Incubus had the #1 album with Light Grenades.
2009:  Bruce Springsteen and Dave Brubeck were given Kennedy Center Honors by U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C.
2010:  Richard Finch, bass guitarist for K.C. & the Sunshine Band, was sentenced to seven years in prison in Ohio for sexually abusing teenaged boys.
2011:  Dobie Gray, who had 14 hits including the #1 "Drift Away" from 1973, died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 71 of cancer.
2016:  Adele's "Hello", "Formation" by Beyoncé, "7 Years" from Lukas Graham, "Work" by Rihanna and Drake and "Stressed Out" by Twentyone Pilots were announced as the nominees for the 2017 Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards.  Beyonce and Adele were also nominated for Song of the Year and Album of the Year.






Born This Day:

1920:  Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, who gave us the memorable album Take Five, was born in Concord, California; died of heart failure on December 5, 2012, one day shy of his 92nd birthday, in Norwalk, Connecticut.
1940:  Steve Alaimo, host of the 60's music television show Where the Action Is, was born in Omaha, Nebraska.  (Note:  some websites claim Steve was born in 1939, but according to 'The New York Times' and 'Allmusic.com', Alaimo was born in 1940.  Several websites also state that he was born in Rochester, New York, but according to numerous reputable sites, he was born in Omaha, and moved to Rochester with his family when Steve was five.)






1943:  Mike Smith, songwriter, lead vocalist and keyboard player of the Dave Clark Five, was born in Edmonton, North London; died February 8, 2008 outside London of pneumonia resulting from a spinal cord injury sustained in 2003 that left Mike paralyzed below the ribs. 
1944:  Jonathan King ("Everyone's Gone To The Moon") and the person responsible for breaking the groups Genesis and 10cc, was born in London.
1946:  Frankie Beverly, who was in several bands including Maze, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1954:  Singer/songwriter Chris Stamey of Sneaker, who gave us two of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era* ("More Than Just The Two Of Us" and "Don't Let Me In") was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
1956:  Peter Buck, co-founder and guitarist of R.E.M., was born in Berkeley, California.

1956:  Randy Rhoads, elite guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot, was born in Santa Monica, California; died March 19, 1982 in Leesburg, Florida when goof-off pilot Andrew Aycock, who was trying to "buzz" the Osbourne tour bus, clipped the wings on the bus and crashed, killing all three aboard.
1962:  Ben Watt of Everything But the Girl was born in Marylebone, London.
1970:  Ulf Ekberg, singer, songwriter and keyboardist of Ace of Base, was born in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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