This Date In Music History- September 18

Birthdays:

Teen idol Frankie Avalon was born in Philadelphia in 1940. While Elvis was in the Army, he filled a vacuum with hits like "Venus" and "Why," as well as starring in a popular string of Beach Party movies with former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello.

Joanne Catherall, vocalist with the Human League, was born in Sheffield, England in 1962.

Ricky Bell of Bell Biv Devoe and New Edition was born in New Jersey in 1967.

Jimmie Rodgers ("Honeycomb") is 75.

History:

1970 - James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix died in his London apartment at the age of 27. He was in an ambulance after taking too many sleeping pills when he choked to death on his own vomit and was pronounced D.O.A. at the hospital. Hendrix left the message 'I need help bad man', on his managers answer phone earlier that night. His death was ruled an accident, but in 1993, an investigation was re-opened by Scotland Yard. When no new evidence was unearthed, the matter was dropped.

In 1980, Amsterdam's Paradise Club was the setting for a two-day festival celebrating the life of Jimi Hendrix, which ended 10 years ago today. The 1,100 attendees watched Hendrix films and an appearance by the Noel Redding Band, with Mitch Mitchell guesting on drums.

KISS appeared without their 'make-up' for the first time during an interview on MTV in 1983. Now we know why they wore it.

The Beatles were involved in a bomb scare in 1964, as a phone caller says there was an explosive on their flight to Dallas. It turns out to be a false alarm.

Listeners tuning in to New York's WNEW-FM tonight in 1974 would have heard a soothing voice taking them into the night. The guest DJ was John Lennon.

Earl Van Dyke, otherwise known as "Chunk of Funk," died of prostate cancer in Detroit in 1992. As half of the Funk Brothers, he played keyboards on Motown smashes by the Temptations and the Miracles.

In 1991, Rob Tyner, lead singer with the MC5, died at age 47 of a heart attack.

In 1985, Frank Zappa delivered a brilliant monologue on censorship before the State Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, rebutting efforts by the Parents Music Resource Council (PMRC) to have warning labels placed on albums.

In 1956, a fight broke out during a Fats Domino concert at the naval base in Newport, Rhode Island, where several are injured and arrested. As a result, the base commander bans Rock n’ Roll shows saying the damage was caused by the "excitement accompanying the fever-pitched Rock n’ Roll."

"Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry topped the Billboard pop chart in 1976. It was the first of five chart singles for the band who took their name from a box of cough drops.

Here’s a surprise: In 2006, 73 year old country singer Willie Nelson and four members from his band were charged with drug possession after marijuana and magic mushrooms were found by police on his tour bus. Police had stopped the tour bus near Lafayette, Louisiana.

In 1996, at Sotheby's in London, Julian Lennon successfully bids just over $39,000 for the recording notes for a song that Paul McCartney wrote for him, "Hey Jude". At the same event, John Lennon's scribbled lyrics to "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" sold for $103,500.