Friday, April 25, 2008

This Date In Music History- April 25

Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA ("SOS") turns 63.

The late Jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Va. in 1913. Her incredible interpretative ability makes her one of the most influential singers in America.

Songwriter Jerry Leiber (wrote "Hound Dog", "Stand By Me", "Charlie Brown" "Yakety Yak" and "Jailhouse Rock" and many other tunes with his partner, Mike Stoller) is 75.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("Monster Mash") died of leukemia in 2007.

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s bassist, Stu Cook, was born “down on the corner” in Stanton, CA. in 1945.

In 1999, "Joe DiMaggio Day" is held at New York's Yankee Stadium and Paul Simon sang "Mrs. Robinson" in his honor.

The Ramones' movie, "Rock & Roll High School" opened in 1979.

Blues guitarist Albert King was born in Indianola, Miss in 1923. Guitarists like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan have spent their lives searching for his unique expressive tone.

In 1964, the Beatles have an amazing 14 singles on the American chart.

Also in 1964, in England, Peter & Gordon take the Lennon/McCartney song "World Without Love" to the top of the singles chart, where it knocks off the Beatles' own "Can't Buy Me Love."

In 1974, Rolling Stone reported that concerts by Yes and Gregg Allman, were hit by streakers, no doubt inspired by Ray Stevens' No. 1 hit "The Streak." In a related story The Beach Boys are streaked by members of their own road crew, during a concert in 1974.

In 1977, Elvis Presley made his last-known recordings during a live concert at the Saginaw (Mich.) Civic Center. The tracks will turn up on the posthumous album Moody Blue.

In 1990, the Fender Stratocaster on which Jimi Hendrix played "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock sold at a London auction for $295,000.

The Beatles recorded "All You Need Is Love" during a British TV broadcast in 1967. Marianne Faithfull sang in the chorus.

1955- John Walker, the British delegate on the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs announced that there is a "definite connection between increased marijuana smoking and that form of entertainment known as bebop and rebop."

On this date in 1968, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed that listening on the job to Radio 1, the major Pop and Rock station of the BBC, made workers less productive. (maybe they were listening to bebop!)

Elvis Presley's first release since leaving the US Army, "Stuck On You" topped the Billboard chart in 1964. The record had been so highly anticipated, it sold over one million copies before it was even recorded. It reached #3 in the UK.

The Eagles performed their first reunion concert in 1994. Though having previously said it would never happen, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmitt, play for an invited audience at Warner Burbank (CA) Studios. The concert was taped and shown on MTV later in the year.

Bruce Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" was released in 2006. The album features 13 tracks associated with Folk singer Pete Seeger.