10/14-10/20
10/17/1849- Virtuoso pianist Frederic Chopin dies in Paris.
10/16/1924- Ma Rainey the “Mother of the Blues” releases the 12-bar blues standard “C.C. Rider.”
10/18/1926- Chuck Berry is born in St. Louis. There is simply no Rock & Roll without him.
10/17/1941- Musician Jim Seals of Seals & Crofts is born outside Brownwood.
10/17/1942- Gary Puckett, lead vocalist for Gary Puckett & The Union Gap is born in MN.
10/16/1945- Famed drummer Roger Hawkins of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is born in Indiana.
10/19/1945- Jeannie C. Riley is born in Abilene. She would be the 1st Country artist to have a single top both the Country and U.S Pop charts with “Harper Valley PTA.”
10/14/1946- Justin Heyward, lead singer and songwriter for The Moody Blues, is born in England.
10/14/1946- Musician, producer, arranger and songwriter Richard Carpenter, of the duo The Carpenters is born in CT.
10/16/1947- Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is born in San Francsico.
10/15/1948- Musician Chris de Burgh is born in Argentina.
10/20/1950- Thomas Earl Petty is born in Gainesville.
10/15/1955- While opening for Elvis Presley in Lubbock, hometown kid Buddy Holly is discovered by talent scouts and is quickly signed by Decca Records.
10/15/1956- Little Richard release one of the most celebrated and influential early Rock songs “Good Golly Ms. Molly.”
10/14/1957- The Everly Brothers hit no. 1 on the U.S. singles charts for the 1st time with “Wake Up Little Susie.”
Elvis releases the “Elvis’ Christmas album”. It is the best-selling Christmas album by a huge margin.
10/16/1957- The Chantels, pioneers of all girl group harmony, release their single “Maybe.”
Sam Cooke releases his biggest hit “You Send Me.”
10/18/1958- 17-year old Ritchie Valens releases his cover of an old Mexican folk song dating back to the 1700’s.
10/16/1960- Husker Du guitarist and singer Bob Mould is born in upstate New York.
10/17/1960- “Save The Last Dance For Me” from The Drifters is the no. 1 song in America.
10/20/1960- After multiple attempts to sell their song to Elvis Presley and his label RCA Victor, struggling musician and singer/songwriter Roy Orbison and his songwriting partner agree the tune should be his to sing and re-arrange certain notes and lyrics. It would rocket to no. 1 on the U.S. and UK singles charts and launch Roy to stardom.
10/18/1961- Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis is born in New Orleans.
West Side Story is released in theatres.
10/16/1962- Michael Balzary, or Flea as he is known to the world, is born in Melbourne.
10/20/1962- This is the no. 1 song in America.
10/17/1963- The Beatles release their 5th single, “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” It would become their 1st no. 1 song in America.
10/14/1964- Famed composer and songwriter Cole Porter dies at 73 years old.
10/17/1964- This classic by Manfred Mann is the no. 1 song in America.
10/19/1964- The incredibly influential and far reaching “American Negro Folk and Blues Festival“ begins touring in the UK. This event featuring American blues legends Sonny Boy Williamson, Wille Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker are frequently cited as inspirational and seminal in the minds of many guitarists and musicians that would take a heavier edge to those blues standards they heard and push Rock ‘N Roll forward. Attendees of this tour included Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Lynne, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Mark Knopfler and score of other acclaimed British musicians.
10/15/1966- The Four Tops’ “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” begins a month long stay as the no. 1 song in America. It also topped the UK charts, the first Motown act to do so.
10/14/1967- Bobby Gentry’s album Ode to Billie Joe knocks Sgt. Pepper’s off of its U.S. no. 1 album perch, where it had stayed for 18 weeks.
10/18/1967- Louis Armstrong releases this immortal classic..
The Bee Gee’s hit no. 1 on the UK singles charts for the first time with “Massachusetts.”
10/19/1967- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles release the Motown classic “I second that emotion”, written and produced by Smokey.
10/16/1968- The Jimi Hendrix Experience release their final album Electric Ladyland.
Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley is born in Jamaica.
10/14/1969- The Supremes release the last single with Diana Ross, “Someday, We’ll Be Together.” Ross would launch a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell, whose brother was former WBA Heavyweight Champion Ernie Terrell.
10/16/1969- Leonard Chess, co-founder of the legendary R&B label Chess Records, dies in Chicago.
10/18/1969- The Temptations get their 2nd U.S no. 1 single with this smash recording.
10/17/1970- “I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5 is the no. 1 song in America.
10/17/1849- Virtuoso pianist Frederic Chopin dies in Paris.
10/16/1924- Ma Rainey the “Mother of the Blues” releases the 12-bar blues standard “C.C. Rider.”
10/18/1926- Chuck Berry is born in St. Louis. There is simply no Rock & Roll without him.
10/17/1941- Musician Jim Seals of Seals & Crofts is born outside Brownwood.
10/17/1942- Gary Puckett, lead vocalist for Gary Puckett & The Union Gap is born in MN.
10/16/1945- Famed drummer Roger Hawkins of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is born in Indiana.
10/19/1945- Jeannie C. Riley is born in Abilene. She would be the 1st Country artist to have a single top both the Country and U.S Pop charts with “Harper Valley PTA.”
10/14/1946- Justin Heyward, lead singer and songwriter for The Moody Blues, is born in England.
10/14/1946- Musician, producer, arranger and songwriter Richard Carpenter, of the duo The Carpenters is born in CT.
10/16/1947- Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is born in San Francsico.
10/15/1948- Musician Chris de Burgh is born in Argentina.
10/20/1950- Thomas Earl Petty is born in Gainesville.
10/15/1955- While opening for Elvis Presley in Lubbock, hometown kid Buddy Holly is discovered by talent scouts and is quickly signed by Decca Records.
10/15/1956- Little Richard release one of the most celebrated and influential early Rock songs “Good Golly Ms. Molly.”
10/14/1957- The Everly Brothers hit no. 1 on the U.S. singles charts for the 1st time with “Wake Up Little Susie.”
Elvis releases the “Elvis’ Christmas album”. It is the best-selling Christmas album by a huge margin.
10/16/1957- The Chantels, pioneers of all girl group harmony, release their single “Maybe.”
Sam Cooke releases his biggest hit “You Send Me.”
10/18/1958- 17-year old Ritchie Valens releases his cover of an old Mexican folk song dating back to the 1700’s.
10/16/1960- Husker Du guitarist and singer Bob Mould is born in upstate New York.
10/17/1960- “Save The Last Dance For Me” from The Drifters is the no. 1 song in America.
10/20/1960- After multiple attempts to sell their song to Elvis Presley and his label RCA Victor, struggling musician and singer/songwriter Roy Orbison and his songwriting partner agree the tune should be his to sing and re-arrange certain notes and lyrics. It would rocket to no. 1 on the U.S. and UK singles charts and launch Roy to stardom.
10/18/1961- Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis is born in New Orleans.
West Side Story is released in theatres.
10/16/1962- Michael Balzary, or Flea as he is known to the world, is born in Melbourne.
10/20/1962- This is the no. 1 song in America.
10/17/1963- The Beatles release their 5th single, “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” It would become their 1st no. 1 song in America.
10/14/1964- Famed composer and songwriter Cole Porter dies at 73 years old.
10/17/1964- This classic by Manfred Mann is the no. 1 song in America.
10/19/1964- The incredibly influential and far reaching “American Negro Folk and Blues Festival“ begins touring in the UK. This event featuring American blues legends Sonny Boy Williamson, Wille Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker are frequently cited as inspirational and seminal in the minds of many guitarists and musicians that would take a heavier edge to those blues standards they heard and push Rock ‘N Roll forward. Attendees of this tour included Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Lynne, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Mark Knopfler and score of other acclaimed British musicians.
10/15/1966- The Four Tops’ “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” begins a month long stay as the no. 1 song in America. It also topped the UK charts, the first Motown act to do so.
10/14/1967- Bobby Gentry’s album Ode to Billie Joe knocks Sgt. Pepper’s off of its U.S. no. 1 album perch, where it had stayed for 18 weeks.
10/18/1967- Louis Armstrong releases this immortal classic..
The Bee Gee’s hit no. 1 on the UK singles charts for the first time with “Massachusetts.”
10/19/1967- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles release the Motown classic “I second that emotion”, written and produced by Smokey.
10/16/1968- The Jimi Hendrix Experience release their final album Electric Ladyland.
Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley is born in Jamaica.
10/14/1969- The Supremes release the last single with Diana Ross, “Someday, We’ll Be Together.” Ross would launch a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell, whose brother was former WBA Heavyweight Champion Ernie Terrell.
10/16/1969- Leonard Chess, co-founder of the legendary R&B label Chess Records, dies in Chicago.
10/18/1969- The Temptations get their 2nd U.S no. 1 single with this smash recording.
10/17/1970- “I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5 is the no. 1 song in America.
