bmusic - Newsletter No. 228

In 1954, Elvis Presley made his professional debut at Overton Park in Memphis, as the opening act for Slim Whitman.

In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis made his TV debut with the first of three appearances on the "Steve Allen Show." His now famous antics, which included kicking the piano stool across the stage and playing notes on the piano with the heel of his shoe cause massive sales of his single 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On'.

In 1958, US fuel giant Esso published a report claiming that listening to rock 'n' roll while driving could cost a motorist money. The oil company's research centre said the rhythm could cause the driver to unconsciously jiggle the gas pedal, thus wasting fuel.

In 1965, Bob Dylan's first live performance with an electric guitar at the Newport Jazz Festival met with a less than enthusiastic reception from his fans.

In 1966, Bob Dylan crashed his motorcycle near Woodstock, New York. He broke several vertebrae in his neck and was in critical condition for a week. As a result of the accident, Dylan suffered from amnesia and mild paralysis. He took nine months to recover.

In 1968, the Byrds left for a tour of South Africa without group member Gram Parsons. Parsons thus became one of the first rock musicians to boycott South Africa because of apartheid. He then formed the Flying Burrito Brothers. Gram Parsons died in 1973 at the age of 26.

In 1969, Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash for the first time at a concert at the Filmore East in New York. Young and Stephen Stills had worked together previously in Buffalo Springfield. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's second appearance was at the Woodstock Festival a month later. The quartet broke up in 1971.

In 1970, the three-day Manseau, Quebec Pop Festival, held on a farm 80 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, Canada, wrapped up in a sea of mud and ill feeling. Torrential rain swamped the site, only 10,000 fans turned out, and only one of the dozen name acts announced, New Orleans rocker Dr. John, showed up. Organizers filled the gaps by playing tapes of the previous year's Woodstock Festival in New York. By the closing night, the promoters were forced by rebellious patrons to cease charging admission.
Among the no-shows were Jimi Hendrix, the Allman Brothers and Little Richard. Hendrix didn't show because organizers refused to send a $25,000 advance fee. The Montreal Musicians Union had cautioned all performers to make sure they were paid in advance.
Michael Lang, the producer of Woodstock, acted as technical adviser to the Manseau promoters. But after watching the opening night's proceedings, he called it "the most screwed-up mess I have ever seen."

In 1973, Led Zeppelin lost $180,000 in concert receipts after someone robbed the group's safe deposit box at a New York hotel.

In 1974, promoter Bill Graham's "Greetings From San Francisco" concert, featuring the Grateful Dead and Santana at London's Wembley Stadium, was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

In 1977, Elvis Costello was arrested performing outside the Hilton Hotel in London where a CBS record company executiives meeting was being held. It was Costello's attempt to audition without invitation in an effort to secure a record deal. CBS later invited Costello back for an authorised audition and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1979, one man was shot to death in the parking lot, two women were raped and 30 people were robbed during Cleveland's World Series of Rock. About 65,000 people turned out to hear Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Journey and Thin Lizzy.

In 1980, drummer Eric Carr made his live debut with KISS at New York City's Paladium. Carr, made up as a fox, was the replacement for former KISS cat Peter Criss.

In 1980, AC/DC's first album with new singer Brian Johnson, replacement for the deceased Bon Scott, was released. The album, "Back In Black", is now regarded as one of the absolute classic AC/DC releases.

In 1980, John Phillips, formerly of the Mamas and Papas, was arrested for conspiracy to distribute narcotics at his summer home on Long Island, New York. He was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined $15,000. The sentence was later reduced to 30 days in jail.

In 1986, the show business newspaper Variety reported that RCA dropped singer John Denver from its roster after the release of his single, "What Are We Making Weapons For." Variety said the record upset the record company's new owner, General Electric, one of the largest defence contractors in the US. GE sold RCA two months later.

In 1987, Def Leppard's "Hysteria" was released. The album spawned six hit singles, and sold more than eleven-million copies worldwide.

In 1987, Apple Corps Limited charged shoe maker Nike in a $15-million lawsuit with improperly using the Beatles' song "Revolution" in an advertising campaign.

In 1987, Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama married Dave Stewart of Eurythmics at a chateau in Dangu, France.

In 1991, Black Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson was given six months probation for spitting on a customer in a Seven-Eleven store in Denver. When the woman said she didn't know who the Black Crowes were, Robinson told her she would know if she didn't eat so many Twinkies. The woman claimed Robinson then spat on her.

In 1992, rapper Ice T announced that Warner Brothers Records would pull the controversial song "Cop Killer" from all future copies of his "Body Count" album. Ice T said he would give away recordings of "Cop Killer" at his concerts.

In 1992, KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley wed Pamela Bowen in L.A.

In 1994, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley confirmed that a judge had married them in the Dominican Republic on May 26th.

In 1995, Courtney Love and her band Hole quit about halfway through a Lollapalooza show in Pittsburgh after someone threw a shotgun shell casing on to the stage. Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, had used a shotgun to kill himself the previous year.

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Births In 1901, Rudy Vallee, one of the great entertainers of the late 1920's and through the 1930's, was born in Island Pond, Vermont.

In 1924, pop pianist Joe Harnell, whose "Fly Me to the Moon" was a top-20 hit in 1963.

In 1931, jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell.

In 1936, bluesman Buddy Guy. This author once fixed Buddy Guy's Marshall Super Bass over the phone whilst he was in my hometown playing. One hour before curtain draw.

In 1938, steel guitarist George Cummings, formerly with Dr. Hook.

In 1941, singer/songwriter Paul Anka was born in Ottawa, Canada.

In 1943, Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty.

In 1943, Rolling Stones singer, Michael Phillip Jagger, was born in Dartford, England.

In 1945, Rick Wright, Pink Floyd keyboard player and vocalist, was born in London.

In 1946, REO Speedwagon keyboard player Neal Doughty.

In 1946, Jeffrey Hammond, former bass guitarist for Jethro Tull.

In 1946, rock singer and guitarist Bob Welch, formerly with Fleetwood Mac, was born in California. Welch joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971 after original member Jeremy Spencer disappeared in Los Angeles. Spencer later turned up in a religious commune. Welch stayed with Fleetwood Mac until 1974. He later had a couple of hit singles on his own.

In 1949, Roger Taylor, drummer and founding member of Queen, was born in Norfolk, England.

In 1949, Simon Kirke, drummer with Free and Bad Company.

In 1949, Andy Scott of '70s band Sweet.

In 1953, Geddy Lee, vocalist, bass guitarist and keyboards player with the Canadian rock band Rush, was born in Toronto. Lee formed the group in 1968 with guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer John Rutsey. Rutsey left after Rush's first album in 1974, and was replaced by Neil Peart. By 1982, five of Rush's albums "2112," "Moving Pictures," "All the World's a Stage" and "Signals" had sold more than a million copies each.

In 1954, Dixie Dregs leader Steve Morse, now playing with Deep Purple.

In 1956, Patti Sciafa, wife of Bruce Springsteen and backing vocalist with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

In 1958, singer and songwriter Kate Bush.

In 1963, Norman Cook, bassist with the British pop band the Housemartins, more famous for his role in Beats International and as Fatboy Slim.

In 1964, Adam Duritz, singer of the Counting Crows.

In 1974, Wayne (Squirt) Morris of Boys II Men.

In 1990, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Sciaffa (one-time Springsteen backing singer) welcomed their son Evan into the world.

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Deaths In 1964, country star Jim Reeves, piloting his own plane, died when the aircraft crashed near Nashville. Reeves was 39. Also killed in the crash was Reeves's pianist, Dean Manuel.

In 1964, singer Johnny Burnette died in a boating accident while fishing at Clear Lake, California. He was 30 years old.

In 1971, a 22 year-old security guard was stabbed to death by an ex-convict at Forest Hills Stadium in New York just before a show by the Who. The ex-con, Kerry Flaherty, had allegedly been denied admission to the concert.

In 1974, Mama Cass Elliott, of the Mamas and Papas, died in London at the age of 32. The initial report on her death said she choked on a ham sandwich, but an autopsy revealed she also suffered a heart attack.

In 1977, Led Zeppelin's U.S. tour ended abruptly with seven dates to go when vocalist Robert Plant's six year old son Karac dies unexpectedly of a respiratory ailment in England.

In 1979, one man was shot to death in the parking lot, two women were raped and 30 people were robbed during Cleveland's World Series of Rock. About 65,000 people turned out to hear Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Journey and Thin Lizzy.

In 1986, jazz pianist Teddy Wilson, best known for his work with Benny Goodman, died in New Britain, Connecticut after a long illness. He was 73. In joining Goodman in the 1930's, Wilson became one of the first blacks to become accepted playing alongside white musicians.

In 1988, Pete Drake, the man who introduced the "talking" steel guitar style, died in Nashville from complications of lung disease. He was 55.

In 1996, Marge Ganser, a member of the 1960s girl group the Shangri-Las, died in New York of breast cancer. She was 48.

In 1997, Svyatoslav Richter, one of the foremost classical pianists of the century, died of a heart attack in Moscow. He was 82.

In 1996, Pennywise bassist, Jason Thirsk, fatally shot himself.

In 1999, Porfirio Delgado, Guitar Maker and player. Delgado made guitars used by several generations of classical, Latin and pop performers including Los Lobos, Theodore Bikel, Burl Ives, Arlo Guthrie, The Kingston Trio, José Feliciano and Charo. He was also a guitarist for Los Hermanos Candelas and Son Torreón.

In 2000, Jerome Smith, rhythm guitarist for KC & the Sunshine Band, was crushed by a bulldozer he was operating after falling off the vehicle.

In 2001, Jeanne Loriod, the woman who created the music for films such as Mad Max and Lawrence of Arabia, drowned after suffering a stroke while swimming. She had been scheduled to play with Radiohead before she died.

In 2001, Ron Townson died of renal failure after a four-year battle with kidney disease. He was 60 years old. Townson was one of the original members of The Versatiles who changed their name to The 5th Dimension. They had hits with "Aquarius/ Let The Sunshine In" and "Up, Up and Away". He was also the leader of Ron Townson And Wild Honey.

In 2002, Australian Country Music Hall Of Fame Inductee and Country Music Roll Of Renown Inductee, Barry Thornton died in Launceston, Tasmania aged 68. Thronton was a country music guitarist and singer who rose to fame playing the character Mulga Dan in the Slim Dusty Show.

In 2003, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and former Iron Butterfly member Erik Braunn died aged 52.

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