This Date In Music History- October 14

Birthdays:

Cliff Richard, England's answer to Elvis, ("Devil Woman") turns 68.

Robert Parker ("Barefootin'") is 78.

Birthday wishes to Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues.

Electronic pioneer Thomas Dolby ("She Blinded Me With Science") was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1958.

Born on this day in 1978, R&B singer Usher (his 2004 album “Confessions” sold over a million copies in the US in its first week of release, selling the greatest amount of records in one week for any R&B artist).

Happy Birthday to Dixie Chick Natalie Maines.

History:

In 1955, Buddy Holly opened for Bill Haley & the Comets in Lubbock, Texas. Talent agent Eddie Crandell was in the audience and in the next few weeks arranged for Holly to record his first demo.

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) was organized in 1939. BMI competed directly with ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers).

"Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley was released in 1957. It became his ninth US number one single and stayed on the Billboard chart for nineteen weeks. The film clip from the movie where he sang the song is considered by many historians to be the first Rock & Roll video.

This morning in 1963, the London papers were filled with coverage of the Beatles' performance the night before on the British variety show Sunday Night at the Palladium. More than 15 million people watched the show.

Although it was banned by some US radio stations for its suggestive lyrics, The Everly Brothers' "Wake Up Little Susie" reached the top of the Billboard singles chart in 1957. In the UK, it reached #2.

At London's All Saints Hall in 1966, Pink Floyd played their first set made up entirely of their psychedelic originals after a band decision to dump its R&B direction.

The Temptations released their definitive single "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" in 1972. The song became their fourth No. 1.

In 1977, legendary crooner Bing Crosby died at in Madrid from a heart attack (age 74). He was in Spain on a golfing trip.

The great American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein died at age 72 in 1990.

The soundtrack to the film "Casablanca" was released for the first time in 1997.

All four solo albums by the members of KISS broke through Billboard's Top 100 in 1978. Gene Simmons effort will prove to be the highest charting at #22, followed by Ace Frehley at #26, then Paul Stanley at #40 and Peter Criss at #43.

Freddy Fender, the Tex-Mex hit maker known for such '70s jukebox standards as "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights", died of complications from lung cancer in 2006.

In 1969, police in New Jersey issued a warrant for the arrest of Frank Sinatra in relation to his connections with the Mafia. Ya think?

In 1966, Grace Slick performed for the first time with Jefferson Airplane, at San Francisco's Fillmore (West).

In 1972, Michael Jackson's song "Ben", from the movie of the same name, reached number one on Billboard's Pop chart and #7 in the UK. It was the third hit in a year for the 13 year old singer.

In 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono appeared on "The Dick Cavett Show" on ABC to promote Lennon's new LP and film ("Imagine"), Yoko's book, two films and a fine arts show.

Bobbie Gentry started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart in 1967 with “Ode To Billie Joe.”