May 20th -26th.
5/21/1904- Jazz pianist Fats Waller is born in NYC. He was famously kidnapped by armed henchman of Al Capone's outfit and brought to a club Al owned, and then ordered to play a surprise birthday party for Capone himself. He was paid $100.00 per song for the function which lasted nearly 3 days. After that, he was driven home several thousand dollars richer.
5/25/1921- Lyricist Hal David is born in NYC. He teamed with Burt Bacharach and wrote timeless songs in addition to winning 2 Oscars for film score in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the song “Raindrops keep falling on my head.” He also penned Country hits like “To all the girls I’ve loved before” and “It was almost like a song.”
5/26/1926- Miles Davis III is born outside St Louis.
5/23/1934- Robert Moog, the father of the synthesizer is born in NYC. His 1964 invention would go on to change music’s sound and enhance its development and creation to the present.
5/26/1940- Levon Helm of “The Band” is born in rural Arkansas. The group was originally formed as the backing group behind Bob Dylan when he went electric on his 1965 U.S. Tour and his World Tour the next year and most of his tours until 1968.
5/24/1941- Robert Allen Zimmerman is born in Duluth. His legacy, music and influence are too great to put into a few words.
5/21/1942- R&B legend Ronald Isley is born in Cincinnati.
5/20/1944- Joe Cocker is born in Sheffield.
5/20/1946- Cherilyn Sarkisian was born near the Mexico & California border. She would become globally known as Cher.
5/25/1947- Scorpions’ lead singer Klause Meine is born in Hanover.
5/26/1947- Stephanie Lynn Nicks is born in Phoenix. She had, has nor will have no equal.
5/26/1949- Hank Williams Jr. is born in Shreveport.
5/22/1950- Lyricist and poet Bernie Taupin is born in England. As Elton John’s main songwriting partner, they collaborated on 30 albums writing legendary songs together (Tiny dancer, Bennie, Rocket Man to name a few). He also wrote “these dreams“for Heart and “We built this city” for Starship. Here is their 1st collaboration and maybe still their finest.
5/21/1955- Chuck Berry records his debut single that he penned for Chess Records that would pioneer Rock & Roll and hit no. 1 on the R&B charts. It's been said by many writers and historians that Rock & Roll began with this tune. Chuck tailored the composition of the song to mirror "Ida Red" by Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys.
5/24/1956- The inaugural Eurovision Song Contest begins. It is now the longest running international music contest.
5/20/1958- The Go-Go’s guitarist Jane Wieldin is born in Wisconsin.
5/25/1958- English punk rocker and New Wave stalwart Paul Weller is born in London. His band The Jam had 17 UK Top 40 singles and a solo career earned him 6 UK no. 1 albums.
5/22/1959- Stephen Patrick Morrissey is born in Manchester. He would front immortal British Indie band The Smiths and go on to a massively successful solo career.
5/23/1960- The Everly Brothers’ “Cathy Clown” becomes the 1st ever song to be no. in both the U.S. and UK at the same time.
5/21/1961- Musician/songwriter Dan Wilson of Semisonic is born. He also has Grammys for his work on albums by the Dixie Chicks and Adele.
5/21/1963- Stevie Wonder records his 3rd album “12-Year-Old Genius”, it would be come Motown’s 1st no. 1 album. The 13-year-old Wonder would also earn a no. 1 single from the album. Here it is.
5/23/1963- Blue guitarist and the “King of the Slide Guitar” Elmore James dies in Chicago.
5/26/1963- Lenny Kravitz is born in NYC.
5/25/1962- The “West side story” soundtrack goes to no. 1 in the U.S., staying there for 54 non-consecutive weeks.
5/23/1964- The Beach Boys get their first no. 1 record with “I get around”, which was also included “Don’t Worry, Baby” as the B-side. Wow.
5/22/1965- The Beatles nab their 8th U.S. no 1. Single with “Ticket to ride.”
5/23/1966- The Doors play the Whiskey a GoGo for the 1st time and quickly become the house band. By the end of the Summer, they will record their debut album that will be released the very beginning of the next year. They would record 5 more albums until the death of Jim Morrison, just over 5 years after that 1st gig at the Whiskey. To this day they have sold over 100 million albums.
5/26/1966- 13 days after it was release, “Paint it, Black” by The Rolling Stones reaches no. 1 in the UK, giving them 6 no. 1’s since their debut album just 2 years prior.
5/26/1967- Finding inspiration from the Beach Boys’ album Pet Sounds, The Beatles release their 8th album, “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Simply put, it was a defining moment in pop culture still revered, celebrated and copied to this day. It has sold over 32 million copies.
5/24/1968- The Rolling Stones release the single “Jumping Jack Flash.” It's not attached to any album.
5/24/1969- The Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson is born.
5/25/1969- The Hollies release their classic single “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”
5/26/1969- John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin a 8-day “Bed in” to promote Peace. They also recorded this song, which is credited to Lennon & McCartney though Paul had no part in the recording.
5/21/1970- CSNY release “Ohio” in reaction to the Kent State shootings just 17 days earlier where 4 people were killed protesting US policies in Vietnam.
5/21/1970- “What’s going on” was released by Marvin Gaye on Motown’s label, Tamla Records. Gaye produced it and he was backed by the Funk Brothers. It is regularly on the short list of greatest albums ever made. It is a landmark concept album centered around a Vietnam Vet’s distressing return to the U.S.. The album explored themes ranging from racism, inequality, other social issues and introspection. It would remain on the U.S. album charts for an entire year.
5/21/1904- Jazz pianist Fats Waller is born in NYC. He was famously kidnapped by armed henchman of Al Capone's outfit and brought to a club Al owned, and then ordered to play a surprise birthday party for Capone himself. He was paid $100.00 per song for the function which lasted nearly 3 days. After that, he was driven home several thousand dollars richer.
5/25/1921- Lyricist Hal David is born in NYC. He teamed with Burt Bacharach and wrote timeless songs in addition to winning 2 Oscars for film score in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the song “Raindrops keep falling on my head.” He also penned Country hits like “To all the girls I’ve loved before” and “It was almost like a song.”
5/26/1926- Miles Davis III is born outside St Louis.
5/23/1934- Robert Moog, the father of the synthesizer is born in NYC. His 1964 invention would go on to change music’s sound and enhance its development and creation to the present.
5/26/1940- Levon Helm of “The Band” is born in rural Arkansas. The group was originally formed as the backing group behind Bob Dylan when he went electric on his 1965 U.S. Tour and his World Tour the next year and most of his tours until 1968.
5/24/1941- Robert Allen Zimmerman is born in Duluth. His legacy, music and influence are too great to put into a few words.
5/21/1942- R&B legend Ronald Isley is born in Cincinnati.
5/20/1944- Joe Cocker is born in Sheffield.
5/20/1946- Cherilyn Sarkisian was born near the Mexico & California border. She would become globally known as Cher.
5/25/1947- Scorpions’ lead singer Klause Meine is born in Hanover.
5/26/1947- Stephanie Lynn Nicks is born in Phoenix. She had, has nor will have no equal.
5/26/1949- Hank Williams Jr. is born in Shreveport.
5/22/1950- Lyricist and poet Bernie Taupin is born in England. As Elton John’s main songwriting partner, they collaborated on 30 albums writing legendary songs together (Tiny dancer, Bennie, Rocket Man to name a few). He also wrote “these dreams“for Heart and “We built this city” for Starship. Here is their 1st collaboration and maybe still their finest.
5/21/1955- Chuck Berry records his debut single that he penned for Chess Records that would pioneer Rock & Roll and hit no. 1 on the R&B charts. It's been said by many writers and historians that Rock & Roll began with this tune. Chuck tailored the composition of the song to mirror "Ida Red" by Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys.
5/24/1956- The inaugural Eurovision Song Contest begins. It is now the longest running international music contest.
5/20/1958- The Go-Go’s guitarist Jane Wieldin is born in Wisconsin.
5/25/1958- English punk rocker and New Wave stalwart Paul Weller is born in London. His band The Jam had 17 UK Top 40 singles and a solo career earned him 6 UK no. 1 albums.
5/22/1959- Stephen Patrick Morrissey is born in Manchester. He would front immortal British Indie band The Smiths and go on to a massively successful solo career.
5/23/1960- The Everly Brothers’ “Cathy Clown” becomes the 1st ever song to be no. in both the U.S. and UK at the same time.
5/21/1961- Musician/songwriter Dan Wilson of Semisonic is born. He also has Grammys for his work on albums by the Dixie Chicks and Adele.
5/21/1963- Stevie Wonder records his 3rd album “12-Year-Old Genius”, it would be come Motown’s 1st no. 1 album. The 13-year-old Wonder would also earn a no. 1 single from the album. Here it is.
5/23/1963- Blue guitarist and the “King of the Slide Guitar” Elmore James dies in Chicago.
5/26/1963- Lenny Kravitz is born in NYC.
5/25/1962- The “West side story” soundtrack goes to no. 1 in the U.S., staying there for 54 non-consecutive weeks.
5/23/1964- The Beach Boys get their first no. 1 record with “I get around”, which was also included “Don’t Worry, Baby” as the B-side. Wow.
5/22/1965- The Beatles nab their 8th U.S. no 1. Single with “Ticket to ride.”
5/23/1966- The Doors play the Whiskey a GoGo for the 1st time and quickly become the house band. By the end of the Summer, they will record their debut album that will be released the very beginning of the next year. They would record 5 more albums until the death of Jim Morrison, just over 5 years after that 1st gig at the Whiskey. To this day they have sold over 100 million albums.
5/26/1966- 13 days after it was release, “Paint it, Black” by The Rolling Stones reaches no. 1 in the UK, giving them 6 no. 1’s since their debut album just 2 years prior.
5/26/1967- Finding inspiration from the Beach Boys’ album Pet Sounds, The Beatles release their 8th album, “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Simply put, it was a defining moment in pop culture still revered, celebrated and copied to this day. It has sold over 32 million copies.
5/24/1968- The Rolling Stones release the single “Jumping Jack Flash.” It's not attached to any album.
5/24/1969- The Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson is born.
5/25/1969- The Hollies release their classic single “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”
5/26/1969- John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin a 8-day “Bed in” to promote Peace. They also recorded this song, which is credited to Lennon & McCartney though Paul had no part in the recording.
5/21/1970- CSNY release “Ohio” in reaction to the Kent State shootings just 17 days earlier where 4 people were killed protesting US policies in Vietnam.
5/21/1970- “What’s going on” was released by Marvin Gaye on Motown’s label, Tamla Records. Gaye produced it and he was backed by the Funk Brothers. It is regularly on the short list of greatest albums ever made. It is a landmark concept album centered around a Vietnam Vet’s distressing return to the U.S.. The album explored themes ranging from racism, inequality, other social issues and introspection. It would remain on the U.S. album charts for an entire year.
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