This Date In Music History - October 6

Birthdays:

Robin Shaw - Flowerpot Men (1945)

Millie Small (1948)

Bobby Farrell - Boney M (1949)

Thomas McClary - Commodores (1949)

David Hidalgo - Los Lobos (1951)

Kevin Cronin - REO Speedwagon (1951)



Tim Mooney - American Music Club (1958)

Matthew Sweet (1965)

Tommy Stinson - Replacements (1966)

Kitty - B-Rock and the Bizz (1971)

William Pierce - Arcade Fire (1982)


They Are Missed:

Australia’s ‘King of rock’n’roll’ Johnny O’Keefe, the first Australian rock’n’roll performer to tour the United States, and Australia’s most successful chart performer, with 29 Top 40 hits between 1958 and 1974, died of a heart attack in 1978 (age 43). O’Keefe’s 1958 hit, "Real Wild Child," was covered by Iggy Pop in 1986.


History:

The Beatles make their first personal appearance in 1962. They signed copies of "Love Me Do" at a record store in Widnes.

The Yardbirds appeared at Studio 51, Leicester Square, London in 1963.

In 1964, the Beatles spent the afternoon recording "Eight Days A Week" at Abbey Road studios in London. Late evening was spent at The Ad Lib Club, London, partying with The Ronettes and Mick Jagger.



In 1965, Gary Lewsi & the Playboys recorded the cuts "She's Just My Style" and Sure Gonna Miss Her."

The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded a session for the UK BBC radio show 'Top Gear' in 1967. Stevie Wonder, who was also appearing on the show, jammed with Hendrix.

The Doors appeared at the Cal State Gymnasium, Los Angeles, California in 1967. With The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and The Sunshine Company.

'The Doors are Open' was aired on British TV in 1968. The show was a documentary, appropiately about the Doors.

In 1969, for the first time in Beatles history, a George Harrison song got the A side of a 45 rpm record, "Something"/"Come Together."

The US Top 5 singles in 1970 were: at #5, "All Right Now" by Free, at #4, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross, at #3, "Candida," by Dawn, at #2, "I'll Be There, by the Jackson Five and at #1, "Cracklin' Rose," by Neil Diamond.

Cher started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1973 with "Half-Breed." It was her second US #1 hit.

Amazingly, the inane cut "Disco Duck," by Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots, received a gold record in 1976. The song became only the fourth single to be certified platinum in December of 1976.

Robert John went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with "Sad Eyes."

"Heartache Tonight," by the Eagles, was released in 1979.

Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" was released in 1979.

In 1980, the Bee Gees sued their record company Polygram and the band's manager Robert Stigwood for fraud for 200 million (case settled out of court).

Barry Manilow plays a concert for charity at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1983. The show was attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Maxi Priest went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1990 with "Close To You."

In 1991, Michael Jackson gave away the bride at Elizabeth Taylor's seventh wedding, held at Jackson's Neverland Ranch. The Groom was construction worker Larry Fortensky, whom Taylor would divorce in 1997.

Celine Dion was at #1 on the US album chart in 1996 with 'Falling Into You.'

Country singer Tim McGraw married Faith Hill in 1996.

In 1998, an interesting music industry poll was published by London Magazine 'Time Out', naming the top stars from the past 30 years. 5th place was Marvin Gaye, 4th; James Brown, 3rd; Bob Marley, 2nd; The Beatles and first place went to David Bowie. Bowie? Hmmmm......

Elvis Presley started a three week run at No.1 on the US album chart in 2002 with ‘Elvis 30 #1 Hits.’

TAKE THAT! In 2004, Britney Spears threw a full cup of cola over a photographer. The snapper was waiting to take pictures of the singer and her new husband outside a subway take-away shop in Malibu, California.

Also in 2004, Incubus singer Brandon Boyd was arrested for carrying a switchblade in his bag while trying to board a plane at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on his way to a concert in Raleigh. Charged with criminal possession of a weapon, Boyd was able to make the concert. He says he forgot the knife was in the bag. DUH! you're going through airport security!

In 2005, a Rolling Stones concert at the University of Virginia was halted eight songs into the show at the Scott Stadium after police received a bomb threat targeting the stage area. Audience members in the first 20 rows vacated their seats while bomb-sniffing dogs checked the area. Nothing was found, so the concert resumed. "Thanks for being so patient . . . Off we go," says Jagger as the group starts up again. The Stones were touring to promote their latest album, 'A Bigger Bang.'

In 2006, an audio tape Bob Dylan recorded in 1959 with a high-school friend in his hometown of Hibbing, MN, went up for auction. The cassette featured Dylan singing three tunes.

In 2007, Bruce Springsteen was being sued for $850,000 by a man who claimed he backed out of a contract to buy a horse. Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa were both named in legal documents filed in Florida by Todd Minikus. He claimed the couple pulled out of a deal to pay $650,000 for a horse, named Pavarotti.

Queen's groundbreaking promo for their 1975 hit Bohemian Rhapsody was named the UK's best music video in 2007 in a survey of music fans. Out of 1,051 adults polled by O2, 30% named the six-minute video, (which took only three hours to shoot and cost a mere $5,000 to make), their favorite.



John Kay & Steppenwolf played the Dreamcatcher rally in Aberdeen, MD in 2007. The show closed out the group's 40th Anniversary Farewell Tour.

Pink Floyd's David Gilmour received the Outstanding Contribution to Music trophy at the Q Awards 2008 in London. The guitarist payed tribute to the recently deceased Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright. "He deserves this just as much as I do," says Gilmour. "His work was vitally important to (Floyd's) entire career."

KISS issued “Sonic Boom” in 2009. The album was part of a three-disc set that was sold exclusively at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores – and their online outlets. The collection contains “KISS Klassics,” 15 re-recorded hits and a DVD with footage of an ’09 concert in Buenos Aires. As part of their Halloween promotion Wal-Mart stores offer special KISS merchandise - T-shirts, wigs, makeup, limited edition M&M's and even versions of Mr. Potato Head. And that evening, the group was on The Late Show with David Letterman. "Our next guests are here to blow the roof off the dump, ladies and gentlemen," says Letterman. The "dump" would be the Ed Sullivan Theater. Amazing, didn't they do this in the 70's?