This Date In Music History- July 6

Birthdays:

Soul singer Jan Bradley ("Mama Didn't Lie") was born in Byhalia, Miss in 1943.

Della Reese ("And That Reminds Me") turns 77.

Folk singer Nanci Griffith was born in Austin TX in 1953.

"Duke of Earl" singer Gene Chandler was born in Chicago in 1937.

History:

Van McCoy, who scored a number one disco hit called "Do The Hustle", died of a heart attack at the age of 39 on July 6th 1979. He had worked for several record labels throughout the 1960s and produced The Shirelles, Gladys Knight and The Pips and The Stylistics.

In 1954, WHBQ in Memphis became the first radio station to play an Elvis Presley record ("That's Alright Mama").

Still on Sun Records, Elvis Presley’s “Baby, Let’s Play House” appeared on the national pop charts in 1955. It peaked at #10 on Country & Western.

In 1957, Paul McCartney met John Lennon at a Liverpool church festival concert by John's group, the Quarrymen. In the church basement between sets, 15 year old McCartney teaches a 16 year old Lennon to play and sing Eddie Cochran's, "Twenty Flight Rock" and Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lula". Lennon would later say that he was impressed with McCartney's ability to tune a guitar.

Louis Armstrong ("Hello Dolly") died of a heart attack in 1971.

Jefferson Airplane was formed in 1965.

The Beatles' movie, "A Hard Day's Night" opened in London in 1964. The Beatles themselves didn’t get a chance to see the finished film until July 10. Andrew Sarris describes the film as "The Citizen Kane of jukebox movies."

Elvis Presley's "Paradise Hawaiian Style" movie opened nationwide in 1966.

The No. 1 single in 1965 was the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," the band's first American chart-topper.

1968- The No. 1 single in the U.S. today was the Rolling Stones with "Jumping Jack Flash."

In Hollywood, Florida in 1980, 36 Ted Nugent fans were arrested for allegedly throwing bottles and smoking pot at the gonzo rocker's concert. Smoking pot at a rock concert- unheard of!

In 1998, singing cowboy and TV actor Roy Rogers died at age 86.

In 2005, Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof became the first member of the Boomtown Rats to ever be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Queen released their first single, "Keep Yourself Alive" in 1973.

In 2005, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Wildwood, N.J. inducted The Jordanaires, The Ronettes, The O'Jays, The Dells and the Tokens.

The late Bill Haley ("See You Later Alligator") was born in 1925.

'Countdown to Ecstasy,' Steely Dan's second album, is released in 1973. It contains several of their most popular songs, including "Bodhisattva" and "My Old School."

Today in 1974, the song "Rock the Boat" by the Hues Corporation topped the charts and stayed there for a week.

Also in 1963, The Surfaris released their classic surf tune, "Wipe Out", a song that was recorded in just two takes, but would rise to number two in the US and would stay in the Top 40 for ten weeks.

In 1987, Kris Kristofferson made a public apology after a plaque that was given to him by a Vietnam veteran's group is found in a trash can. Kristofferson was given the plaque for playing at a welcome home benefit concert for veterans two days earlier, along with John Fogerty, Neil Diamond and Stevie Wonder. Kristofferson would later donate $1,000 to the Vietnamese Veterans Association.

Nearly a quarter-century after its release, AC/DC`s classic “Back in Black” album was certified double diamond in 2004 by the music industry for shipment of 20 million units. The disc moved its first 10 million copies by 1990. The album was the group`s first with Brian Johnson, who replaced original singer Bon Scott - after his alcohol-related death in 1979.

Pink Floyd performed for the third time on the BBC's Top of the Pops in 1967, promoting their successful "See Emily Play" single. Singer Syd Barrett showed up in a psychedelic outfit, but for the actual televised performance, he changed into a costume of rags.

Three members of The United States Marine Corps at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina who called themselves The Essex, had the number one song on Billboard's chart in 1963 with "Easier Said Than Done". It was a tune that the group would later confess none of them really liked. In the studio, they rushed through the recording, intending the track to be the "B" side of their first single.