This Date In Music History - October 26

Birthdays:

Michael Piano - Sandpipers (1944)

Keith Hopwood - Herman's Hermits (1946)

Bootsy Collins - James Brown, Parliament, Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band (1951)

Maggie Roche - Roches (1951)

David Was - Was Not Was (1952)

Keith Strickland - B-52's (1953)

Natalie Merchant - 10,000 Maniacs (1963)


They Are Missed:

Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911– January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. With her powerful contralto voice, Mahalia Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and is the first Queen of Gospel Music.



In 1966, English singer Alma Cogan died of stomach cancer (age 34). Scored the 1955 UK #1 single 'Dreamboat', plus 20 other UK Top 40 hits. In the 50’s Cogan was the most consistently successful female singer in the UK and the youngest female act to top the charts during the 50's.

Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His major recordings were "Skyliner", "Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", and "Southland Shuffle."

In 1991, legendary rock concert promoter Bill Graham was killed when the Bell 206B JetRanger III helicopter he was riding in struck the top of a Pacific Gas and Electric transmission tower near Sears Point, northwest of Vallejo and exploded. The fiery crash, which left the helicopter's wreckage dangling near the top of the towering structure, killed Graham (age 60), his girlfriend Melissa Gold (age 47) and pilot Steve Kahn. Graham had founded the Fillmore theaters in San Francisco and New York and had played key roles in supporting such bands as the Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, The Band, Bob Dylan, The J. Geils Band, The Allman Brothers Band and The Rolling Stones.

In 1994, "Kansas City" singer Wilbert Harrison died of a stroke.

Singer Hoyt Axton died of a heart attack in 1999. He is most often remembered for writing Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World" and "Never Been To Spain" as well as Ringo Starr's "The No No Song" and The Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar." His mother, Mae Buran Axton, wrote Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel."

In 2004, Bill Read, the bass singer for The Diamonds passed away at the age of 68. After signing with Mercury Records in 1955, The Diamonds became the first Canadian group to make an impact on the US record charts, placing nine songs in the top twenty during the late 1950s. Their most memorable hits, "Little Darlin" and "The Stroll" reached the Top Ten.

Influential BBC DJ John Peel died in 2004 (age 65). His program, “The John Peel Sessions,” helped launch several bands.


History:

In 1935, Judy Garland, at the age of 12, sang on Wallace Berry's radio show on NBC.

Bill Haley and his Comets played the first rock 'n' roll concert in West Berlin, Germany in 1958. Over 7,000 rock 'n' roll fans turned the show into a riot, with 20 policemen injured, as teens from the East and West Berlin skirmished. Oh, that dern rock and roll!

Bob Dylan signed his first recording contract with Columbia Records in 1961.

In 1962, the Rolling Stones, (known as The Rollin' Stones), and consisting of Keith Richard, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart and drummer Tony Chapman recorded their first demo tape at Curly Clayton Studios in Highbury, London. They recored three songs, Jimmy Reed's "Close Together," Bo Diddlley's "You Cant Judge A Book By The Cover" and Muddy Waters' "Soon Forgotten."

Also in 1962, Mary Wells headlined the first 'Motor Town Revue' (along with Martha & the Vandellas, the Marvelettes, the Contours, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and more) which began a tour in Washington DC.

Bob Dylan played a sell out concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1963.

“Dance, Dance, Dance” was released by the Beach Boys in 1964.



The Beatles were awarded the prestigious MBE (Members of the Most Honorable Order of the British Empire ) medal at Buckingham Palace in 1965. Many former recipients gave theirs back in protest, to which John Lennon responded "Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war, for killing people." He continued: "We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more." When asked how he enjoyed meeting Queen Elizabeth II, John said "She's much nicer than she is in the photos." According to an account by John Lennon, the group smoked marijuana in one of the palace bathrooms to calm their nerves. Cool....

The San Francisco International Pop Festival got underway in 1968. The weekend event features, Johnny Rivers, Eric Burdon & The Animals and the Iron Butterfly.

Al Green's "Tired of Being Alone," his first hit, went gold in 1971.

Barry White scored his only US #1 album in 1974 with 'Can't Get Enough.'

Dionne Warwick and the Spinners went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1974 with "Then Came You."

Elton John concluded his West of the Rockies US Tour at Dodger Stadium (L.A.) in 1975. He’s the first performer to play the venue since The Beatles in ’66. Fittingly, he does “I Saw her Standing There” and “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.”

The Police played their first U.S. show in Boston at the Rat Club in 1978.

Paul Kantner of Jefferson Starship suffered a brain hemorrhage during a recording session in 1980. After 15 days in the hospital he recovers fully. Whew....

Queen and David Bowie recorded their hit single "Under Pressure" in Montreaux, Switzerland in 1981.

In 1984, 19-year-old John D. McCollum killed himself with a .22 caliber handgun after spending the day listening to Ozzy Osbourne records. One year later, McCollum's parents took court action against Ozzy and CBS Records, alleging that the song "Suicide Solution" from the album Blizzard of Ozz contributed to their son's death. The case was eventually thrown out of court.



Also in 1984, during a seven date Australian tour, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the first of three nights at the Melbourne Concert Hall in Melbourne.

Whitney Houston went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1985 with "Saving All My Love For You," (also a #1 hit in the UK). The most overplayed song of the decade.....

In 1991, Ozzy Osbourne broke his foot after an accident on stage at a gig in Chicago, causing him to cancel the remaining dates of a US tour.

In 1992, Pearl Jam set a new record for first week sales when the LP 'Vs.' sold more than 950,000 copies.

Catholic churches in San Juan, Puerto Rico asked residents to tie black ribbons on trees in 1993 in protest against Madonna's first live appearance in the country. Yeah that'll help.....

In 1994, MTV broadcasted the Eagles reunion concert. Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmitt, played for an invited audience at Warner Burbank (CA) Studios the previous April.

In 1998, a US federal judge refused to issue an injunction against the sale of MP3. The device was used to play music downloaded from the Internet. The Recording Industry Association of America had brought the case to court. And music distribution has never been the same.

American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken was at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with ‘Measure Of A Man.’ Really? A man?

In 2004, Elvis Presley came top of a list of the highest-earning dead celebrities. Forbes.com listed the Top 5 dead music earners; 1. Elvis Presley $40m 2. John Lennon $21m 3. George Harrison $7m 4. Bob Marley $7m 5. George and Ira Gershwin $6m.

Also in 2004, Apple launched the U2 Special Edition iPod as part of a partnership between Apple, U2 and Universal Music Group. The new U2 iPod held up to 5,000 songs and featured a red Click Wheel and custom engraving of U2 band member signatures. The iPod was being introduced as the band released their new album ‘How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.’

In 2006, Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor quit the band during the US leg of their world tour. A statement on behalf of the group described the relationship with Andy Taylor as unworkable and one that could not be resolved.

Also in 2006, a private bidder shelled out $15 million for the rights to some of Jimi Hendrix's best-known songs. The auction is organized by the estate of late Hendrix manager Michael Jeffrey. The Hendrix family contests the validity of the auction. In a prepared statement they say, "The assertion that the catalog is the property of (Jeffery's estate) has never been upheld by any court," and adds that they will "vigorously protect its rights to (Hendrix's) catalog." Bear in mind that Hendrix died 35 years earlier so this legal scuffle is at least three decades old.

'The Times They Are A-Changin',' a Broadway musical based on Bob Dylan’s songs, opened in 2006. Prior to Broadway, the show ran for two months in San Diego.

AC/DC went to #1 on the UK album chart with ‘Black Ice’ the Australian bands fifteenth studio album which went on to become a #1 hit in 29 different countries and the second-best selling album of 2008.

In 2009, Wolfmother issued “Cosmic Egg,” the group’s second album but first with the revised line-up of Aidan Nemeth (guitar) Ian Peres (bass/keyboards) and Dave Atkis (drums) – in addition to frontman Andrew Stockdale.

'Life,' an autobiography by Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, is in bookstore now. "You can’t imagine that this book could be any better than it is," says Rolling Stone Managing Editor Will Dana. "Keith holds nothing back. It’s funny, gossipy, profane and moving and by the time you finish it you feel like you’re friends with Keith Richards."