This Date In Music History- June 8, 2008

Birthdays:

James Darren ("Goodbye Cruel World") is 72.

Boz Scaggs ("Lido Shuffle") turns 64.

Bonnie Tyler ("It's A Heartache") is 55.

Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night ("One") turns 66.

Drummer Alex Van Halen was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands in 1950.

Black Flag guitarist and SST label boss Greg Ginn was born in 1954.

Glamour boy Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran was born in Moseley, England in 1962.

History:

One of the Beatles' earliest recordings, "My Bonnie," was re-released in England in 1963 under the name “Tony Sheridan & the Beatles.” The single reached #48 on the English chart.

The Beatles were in the studio in 1967, where Rolling Stone Brian Jones joined them to play sax on "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)."

In 1969, Brian Jones announced that he’s quitting the Rolling Stones, saying he doesn’t agree with the group’s musical direction. Actually, Brian was kicked out because of his increasing unreliability due to drugs and his reluctance to tour.

Pete Seeger performed a historic concert at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1963, which was recorded and released as 'We Shall Overcome.' It reaches #42 and remained on the album charts for 36 weeks.

Talking Heads performed their first gig in 1975 at the New York punk club CBGB’s, where they opened for the Ramones.

A month after the release of the African-themed 'Uprising,' Bob Marley and the Wailers kicked off the Tuff Gong Uprising tour in 1980, during which they would perform for over a million people in 12 countries.

Elvis Presley's movie, "Wild In The Country" premiered in Memphis in 1961.
In 1974, ten days before his 32nd birthday, Paul McCartney’s “Band On The Run” is a #1 hit for his band Wings.

In 1998, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr appeared in public together for the first time in 30 years to attend the memorial service for Paul’s wife, Linda, who succumbed to cancer following a long battle.

Tragedy strikes Luther Vandross' band as his drummer, Yogi Horton - who also played on albums by Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross - jumped to his death from the window of a New York hotel in 1987.

The Elvis Presley film "Paradise Hawaiian Style" premiered in 1966.

Mariah Carey released her self-titled debut album in 1990.

In 2005, the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) says AC/DC's “Back in Black” has sold more than 21 million copies in the U.S. tying it for fifth place on the all-time list with “Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits I & II” (“The Eagles Greatest Hits Volume I” is #1). The 1980 release was the group’s first with singer Brian Johnson (following the death of original vocalist Bon Scott).

The Beatles began work on “Good Day Sunshine” in 1966. The song was finished the next day.

In 1963, the Essex released "Easier Said Than Done", a song that would climb to #1 on both the US Pop and R&B charts.

"I Only Have Eyes For You" by the six man, Chicago vocal group, The Flamingos entered the Billboard chart in 1959, where it will reach #11.