August 19th-25th
8/21/1904- Jazz Piano legend Count Basie is born in New Jersey.
8/22/1917- Blues legend John Lee Hooker is born in Clarksdale, MS.
8/25/1918- Leonard Bernstein, regarded by many as the most talented and successful musicians in American History is born in Massachusetts. He is also the first American born conductor to lead a major U.S. symphony.
8/20/1923- Country Music legend Jim Reeves is born just outside Carthage on the Texas/Louisiana border. He was the very first Country to cross-over into the pop market. He died in a plane crash at 39 years old in 1964.
8/21/1938- Kenneth Ray Rogers is born in Houston. He would cross Country, Rock, jazz, Folk and Pop genres in his career and sell over 100 records across the globe. It’s said his singing voice is among the most distinctive and catchy is music history.
8/19/1939- Ginger Baker, all-time great drummer for both Cream and Blind Gaith is born in London.
8/21/1939- James Burton, guitarist for Elvis from his ’68 special through the Las Vegas years until 1977, is born in Louisiana.
8/20/1942- Soul legend Isaac Hayes is born in TN. In addition to his influential work for Stax records, he won an Oscar for his movie score from the 1971 film Shaft winning Best Original Song for the film’s theme. During his time on the hit animated show South Park”, he hit no.2 on the UK singles charts with “Chocolate Salty Balls”.
8/19/1945- Forner lead singer for Deep Purple Ian Gillan is born in London.
8/23/1946- One of the very best drummers there’s ever been, Keith Moon, is born in London.
8/20/1948- Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant, one of the greatest frontmen of Rock, is born in England.
8/23/1948- Rick Springfield is born in New South Wales.
8/20/1949- Phil Lynott, the lead singer and songwriter for the Irish Rock band Thin Lizzy is born in England.
8/25/1949- Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz and later Gene Klien coming to the U.S.) is born In Haifa, Israel. His parents (his mother one of 2 people of her entire family to survive The Holocaust) fled to Israel from Hungary after The Soviets took over Hungary. Gene was born just after the 1st Arab-Israeli War, and emigrated to the U.S at the age of 8.
8/19/1951- Queen bassist John Deacon is born in England.
8/25/1951- Rob Halford, lead singer for 80’s metal giants Judas Priest, is born in England.
8/21/1952- Joel Strummer, lead singer and the force behind the iconic British Punk band The Clash, is born in Turkey. The band’s music incorporated Ska, Reggae, Rock, Funk and Rockabilly; and heavily influenced alternative bands that came after.
Do you guys remember some of these places in Austin?
8/21/1954-Journey drummer Steve Smith is born in Massachusetts.
8/25/1954- Elvis Costello is born in London. While considered to one the greatest songwriters of his generation, he’s also credited as a New Wave pioneer that saved Rock form Disco.
8/21/1961- In Nashville, Patsy Cline, in crutches from an auto collision 2 months prior, records this song written by a struggling songwriter out of Houston, Willie Nelson. The rest is history.
The Marvellettes bring in the 1st U.S. no.1 single for Motown Records with “Please, Mr. Postman.”
8/22/1961- Musician Roland Orzabal, one half of Tears for Fears is born in England.
8/23/1961- Stone Temple Pilots guitarist extraordinaire Dean DeLeo is born in New Jersey.
8/22/1963- Musician Tori Amos is born in North Carolina. She was awarded a Peabody Scholarship for Music at age 5 and released her widely acclaimed debut album at 18.
8/21/1965- The Rolling Stones 3rd studio album Out of Our Heads begins a 5-week run as the no. 1 album in America.
Barry McGuire releases his tale of social upheaval, the Vietnam War, the threat of Nuclear War and chaos in the Middle East (yes even then too.)
8/19/1966- Country singer Lee Ann Womack is born just south of Tyler, TX.
8/201966- Guitar legend and co-founder of the seminal heavy metal group Pantera, Darrell Abbott is born in Grand Prairie.
8/19/1967- The Jimi Hendrix Experience releases the single “Burning of the Midnaigh Lamp” off of their final album Electric Ladyland. It features backing vocals from The Inspirations, which included Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston.
The Beatles reach no. 1 on the U.S. singles for an astonishing 14th time with “All you need is Love.”
8/21/1967- Serj Tankian, musician and lead vocalist for System of a Down is born in Beirut, Lebanon.
The Doors begin recording their 2nd album, Strange Days. The album would climb up to no. 2 on the U.S. album charts.
8/22/1967- Alice in Chains Layne Staley is born in Seattle.
8/25/1967- Bobbie Gentry’s song that wrote, composed and produced herself “Ode to Billy Joe” begins a 6-week stay as no. 1 on the U.S. singles charts. The mystery of what Billy Joe and his unknown (presumed to be the narrator) companion dropped off the Tallahatchie Bridge still lives on.
8/19/1969- Rapper Nate Dogg, who help pioneer the West Coast hip hop movement is born in Long Beach.
Country musician Clay Walker is born in Beaumont.
8/23/1969- Johnny Cash’s live album, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, begins 6-week as the no. 1 album in America.
“Honkey Tonk Woman” by The Rolling Stones is the no. 1 song in America, off the album Let it bleed.
8/19/1970- The Carpenters else their 2nd album Close to you. Featuring songs written by Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Roger Nichols, Paul Williams and the Beatles and led by the title track, it would sell 4 million copies.
After leaving The Supremes and going solo, Diana Ross land her 1st U.S. no. 1 single with “Aint No Mountain High Enough”, it would remain on top for 5 weeks.
8/22/1970- Bread hits no. 1 on the U.S. singles with this song.
Creedance Clearwater Revival’s album Cosmo’s Factory begins a 10-week stay as the no. 1 album in America. Every one of the 11 songs is damn good, with 9 songs being CCR staples we all know.
8/21/1904- Jazz Piano legend Count Basie is born in New Jersey.
8/22/1917- Blues legend John Lee Hooker is born in Clarksdale, MS.
8/25/1918- Leonard Bernstein, regarded by many as the most talented and successful musicians in American History is born in Massachusetts. He is also the first American born conductor to lead a major U.S. symphony.
8/20/1923- Country Music legend Jim Reeves is born just outside Carthage on the Texas/Louisiana border. He was the very first Country to cross-over into the pop market. He died in a plane crash at 39 years old in 1964.
8/21/1938- Kenneth Ray Rogers is born in Houston. He would cross Country, Rock, jazz, Folk and Pop genres in his career and sell over 100 records across the globe. It’s said his singing voice is among the most distinctive and catchy is music history.
8/19/1939- Ginger Baker, all-time great drummer for both Cream and Blind Gaith is born in London.
8/21/1939- James Burton, guitarist for Elvis from his ’68 special through the Las Vegas years until 1977, is born in Louisiana.
8/20/1942- Soul legend Isaac Hayes is born in TN. In addition to his influential work for Stax records, he won an Oscar for his movie score from the 1971 film Shaft winning Best Original Song for the film’s theme. During his time on the hit animated show South Park”, he hit no.2 on the UK singles charts with “Chocolate Salty Balls”.
8/19/1945- Forner lead singer for Deep Purple Ian Gillan is born in London.
8/23/1946- One of the very best drummers there’s ever been, Keith Moon, is born in London.
8/20/1948- Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant, one of the greatest frontmen of Rock, is born in England.
8/23/1948- Rick Springfield is born in New South Wales.
8/20/1949- Phil Lynott, the lead singer and songwriter for the Irish Rock band Thin Lizzy is born in England.
8/25/1949- Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz and later Gene Klien coming to the U.S.) is born In Haifa, Israel. His parents (his mother one of 2 people of her entire family to survive The Holocaust) fled to Israel from Hungary after The Soviets took over Hungary. Gene was born just after the 1st Arab-Israeli War, and emigrated to the U.S at the age of 8.
8/19/1951- Queen bassist John Deacon is born in England.
8/25/1951- Rob Halford, lead singer for 80’s metal giants Judas Priest, is born in England.
8/21/1952- Joel Strummer, lead singer and the force behind the iconic British Punk band The Clash, is born in Turkey. The band’s music incorporated Ska, Reggae, Rock, Funk and Rockabilly; and heavily influenced alternative bands that came after.
Do you guys remember some of these places in Austin?
8/21/1954-Journey drummer Steve Smith is born in Massachusetts.
8/25/1954- Elvis Costello is born in London. While considered to one the greatest songwriters of his generation, he’s also credited as a New Wave pioneer that saved Rock form Disco.
8/21/1961- In Nashville, Patsy Cline, in crutches from an auto collision 2 months prior, records this song written by a struggling songwriter out of Houston, Willie Nelson. The rest is history.
The Marvellettes bring in the 1st U.S. no.1 single for Motown Records with “Please, Mr. Postman.”
8/22/1961- Musician Roland Orzabal, one half of Tears for Fears is born in England.
8/23/1961- Stone Temple Pilots guitarist extraordinaire Dean DeLeo is born in New Jersey.
8/22/1963- Musician Tori Amos is born in North Carolina. She was awarded a Peabody Scholarship for Music at age 5 and released her widely acclaimed debut album at 18.
8/21/1965- The Rolling Stones 3rd studio album Out of Our Heads begins a 5-week run as the no. 1 album in America.
Barry McGuire releases his tale of social upheaval, the Vietnam War, the threat of Nuclear War and chaos in the Middle East (yes even then too.)
8/19/1966- Country singer Lee Ann Womack is born just south of Tyler, TX.
8/201966- Guitar legend and co-founder of the seminal heavy metal group Pantera, Darrell Abbott is born in Grand Prairie.
8/19/1967- The Jimi Hendrix Experience releases the single “Burning of the Midnaigh Lamp” off of their final album Electric Ladyland. It features backing vocals from The Inspirations, which included Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston.
The Beatles reach no. 1 on the U.S. singles for an astonishing 14th time with “All you need is Love.”
8/21/1967- Serj Tankian, musician and lead vocalist for System of a Down is born in Beirut, Lebanon.
The Doors begin recording their 2nd album, Strange Days. The album would climb up to no. 2 on the U.S. album charts.
8/22/1967- Alice in Chains Layne Staley is born in Seattle.
8/25/1967- Bobbie Gentry’s song that wrote, composed and produced herself “Ode to Billy Joe” begins a 6-week stay as no. 1 on the U.S. singles charts. The mystery of what Billy Joe and his unknown (presumed to be the narrator) companion dropped off the Tallahatchie Bridge still lives on.
8/19/1969- Rapper Nate Dogg, who help pioneer the West Coast hip hop movement is born in Long Beach.
Country musician Clay Walker is born in Beaumont.
8/23/1969- Johnny Cash’s live album, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, begins 6-week as the no. 1 album in America.
“Honkey Tonk Woman” by The Rolling Stones is the no. 1 song in America, off the album Let it bleed.
8/19/1970- The Carpenters else their 2nd album Close to you. Featuring songs written by Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Roger Nichols, Paul Williams and the Beatles and led by the title track, it would sell 4 million copies.
After leaving The Supremes and going solo, Diana Ross land her 1st U.S. no. 1 single with “Aint No Mountain High Enough”, it would remain on top for 5 weeks.
8/22/1970- Bread hits no. 1 on the U.S. singles with this song.
Creedance Clearwater Revival’s album Cosmo’s Factory begins a 10-week stay as the no. 1 album in America. Every one of the 11 songs is damn good, with 9 songs being CCR staples we all know.
