In 1955, at the recommendation of R&B artist Lloyd Price, Richard Penniman, who is currently leading an ensemble called Little Richard and The Upsetters, sends a demo tape to Specialty Records founder Art Rupe. After some initial reluctance, Rupe will sign Penniman to a contract that will pay the singer a half cent for every record sold.
In 1958, Ricky Nelson recorded "Believe What You Say" and "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It." They became the "A" and "B" sides of the fifth single to earn him a Gold Record.
In 1959, at the Chess Recording Studio in Chicago, Chuck Berry recorded his compositions "Almost Grown" and "Back In The U.S.A," with background vocals by Etta James and the New Moonglows. The New Moonglows, who had worked as the Marquees until the previous month, included second tenor/baritone Marvin Gay. He later added an "e" to his last name when he became a solo artist.
In 1960, after achieving more than 15 million in sales with Cadence Records, The Everly Brothers sign a ten year, $1 million contract with Warner Brothers records, where they will enjoy eight more US Top 40 hits over the next seven years.
Also in 1960, Elvis Presley receives his first Gold record for the album 'Elvis.'
In 1962, Gene Chandler had the top tune on the Billboard Pop chart with "The Duke Of Earl," the first of his six US chart hits.
In 1964, Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass appear in their first major concert in Los Angeles. Over the next three years they will become one of the most successful instrumental acts in history, achieving twelve Billboard Top 40 hits.
In 1965, "Shindig!" on ABC-TV featured the Moody Blues, Herman's Hermits, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dee Dee Sharp, Sonny & Cher, and Steve Alaimo.
In 1966, the Beach Boys begin recording sessions for Brian Wilson's masterpiece, "Good Vibrations," a song he had written with the group's Mike Love. Brian spent six months working on the tracks, recording in seventeen different sessions in four Los Angeles studios, using 13 additional musicians (besides the Beach Boys themselves), at a cost of more than $50,000. The recording engineer later said that the last take sounded exactly like the first one, made six months earlier. Although the record would top charts around the world and sell millions of copies, it would be the Beach Boys' last to reach the Billboard Top 10 for ten years.
Also in 1966, in Sheffield, Alabama, Percy Sledge recorded "When A Man Loves A Woman." Before the recording session, the song had no title or lyrics. The session proceeded, the instrumental track was laid down, with the expectation that Sledge would eventually reveal the lyric sheet for the vocal takes. But when it came time to record the vocals, Sledge improvised the lyrics with minimal pre-planning using the melody as a guide for rhythm and phrasing. The performance was so convincing that everyone working on the session assumed he had the lyrics written down.
In 1966, 25-year-old Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler receives two Gold records for the single "The Ballad of the Green Berets" and the album of the same name.
In 1966, Nancy Sinatra was at #1 on the UK singles chart with "These Boots Are Made For Walking," Frank's eldest daughters first #1 hit. Written by Lee Hazlewood Sinatra's recording of the song was made with the help of Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew.
In 1967, the Beatles started recording a new John Lennon song "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite" at Abbey Road studios, London. John's lyrics for the song came almost entirely from an antique poster advertising a circus performance scheduled to take place in Rochdale, Lancashire, in February 1843. John had purchased the poster in Sevenoaks on January 31 while The Beatles were on location for the filming of the 'Strawberry Fields Forever' promotional film. The track was completed on March 31. It was one of three songs from the "Sgt. Pepper" album banned from airplay on the BBC, supposedly because the phrase "Henry the horse" combined two words that were individually known as slang for heroin. Lennon denied the connection.
In 1968, Big Brother and the Holding Company, featuring singer Janis Joplin, played the Anderson Theatre in New York City, their first East Coast concert.
In 1969, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan had a recording session in Nashville, TN. "Girl from the North Country" was the only duet released from the session. The track appeared on Dylan's 'Nashville Skyline' album.
In 1970, Joni Mitchell announced her retirement from live performances. She returned to the stage within a year.
In 1970, composer/arranger/conductor Alfred Newman died of complications from emphysema at age 68.
In 1971, James Taylor made his TV debut on The Johnny Cash Show. Other guests included Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt and Tony Joe White.
In 1972, Pink Floyd premiered some material that was scheduled to appear on the 'Dark Side of the Moon' album, including the song "Eclipse," at the Rainbow Theatre in London. Eventually, the playing of live versions of songs yet to be released would have to be stopped, as bootleg copies of their material started to appear before the studio releases.
Also in 1972, Los Angeles radio station KDAY played two new Rolling Stones tracks non-stop for a day after obtaining stolen tapes from a producer's home.
In 1973, War started a two-week run at #1 on the Billboard album chart with "The World Is A Ghetto".
In 1973, the rock ensemble Free, who reached #2 in the UK and #4 in the US in 1970 with "All Right Now", play their final show at Florida's Hollywood Sportatorium. Vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke will move on to form Bad Company.
In 1975, AC/DC released their debut album 'High Voltage.' The album featured a cover of "Baby, Please Don't Go" a blues song first recorded by Big Joe Williams and "She's Got Balls" which was written about singer Bon Scott's ex-wife Irene - the first AC/DC song for which he wrote lyrics. Prior to the release of the international version of 'High Voltage,' AC/DC had already released their debut album under the same name a year before in Australia only, which had a different track listing. The international release only included two tracks from the original release, with the rest of its songs being pulled from AC/DC's second album 'T.N.T.'
On February 17, 1976, the Eagles released their legendary 'Greatest Hits'(1971–1975)' LP, comprising of nine best-selling singles released between 1972 and 1975, as well as "Desperado," which had never been previously released as an A-side. All single tracks but "Tequila Sunrise" charted in the top 40, with five in the top ten, and "One of These Nights" and "Best of My Love" both topping the singles chart. With such airplay success in the span of a little over four years, the band became a formidable presence on American commercial radio in the 1970's, and 'Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)' debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 album chart upon its release. As of November 2012, 29 million copies have been shipped in the domestic market, making it tied with Michael Jackson's Thriller as the best-selling album in the US. With an additional 13 million internationally, for a total of 42 million, it is the third-best selling album in music history, behind 'Thriller' and Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon.' The album has sold the most copies of any album in the USA.
In 1976, Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatrical society gives its annual Women of the Year award to Bette Midler. Upon accepting, Bette says: "This award characterizes what the American male wants in a woman...brains, talent and gorgeous tits."
In 1979, the Clash opened its first U.S. tour in New York City, opening with a mainstay of their live act called "I'm So Bored With The USA."
In 1979, Blondie scored their first UK #1 album when 'Parallel Lines' started a four-week run at the top of the charts, featuring the singles "Heart Of Glass,""Hanging On The Telephone" and "Sunday Girl."
In 1982, jazz pianist/composer Thelonious Monk died after a stroke at 64.
On this day in 1983, "Baby, Come To Me" by Patti Austin & James Ingram was the #1 song.
In 1988, a 12-year old fan of Motley Crue set his legs on fire while trying to imitate a stunt in the band's "Live Wire" video. The boy suffered burns over ten percent of his body.
In 1989, R.E.M. Hoodoo Gurus and The Go-Betweens all appeared at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia.
In 1990, Aerosmith appeared on "Saturday Night Live." The performed the Wayne's World theme song while appearing in the skit as themselves.
In 1996, a Platinum American Express card once belonging to Bruce Springsteen was sold for $4,500 (£2,650) at a New York memorabilia sale. The singer had given the expired card to a waiter in a LA restaurant by mistake and let them keep it as a souvenir.
In 1997, all four of the Monkees participated in the ABC-TV documentary "Hey, Hey It's The Monkees," directed by Michael Nesmith.
In 1998, Destiny Child's self-title debut album was released.
In 1998, songwriter Bob Merrill committed suicide after becoming gravely ill at age 76.
In 2000, John Lennon's Steinway piano, on which he composed 'Imagine', went on display at the Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool, England. The piano was set to be auctioned on the Internet later in the year and was expected to fetch more than £1 million ($1.7 million).
In 2004, the Recording Industry Association of America filed 531 "John Doe" lawsuits against suspected users of peer-to-peer file-sharing services. Once a John Doe suit has been approved by a judge, the record-label plaintiffs can subpoena the information necessary to identify the defendant by name.
In 2004, winners at this years Brit awards included, Daniel Bedingfield who won Best British male, Dido won Best British Female, The Darkness won Best British group, Best Rock group and Best British album with 'Permission To Land', Busted won British Breakthrough act and Duran Duran won Outstanding Contribution to Music.
In 2005, a 1965 Fender Stratocaster guitar belonging to Jimi Hendrix sold for £100,000 at an auction in London. Other Hendrix items sold included a poem written two weeks after his appearance at the Monterey Festival which went for £10,000 and the first Jimi Hendrix Experience's single "Hey Joe," signed by all the band sold for £2,000.
In 2006, singer/songwriter/guitarist ("Hair,""Indian Lake,"The Rain The Park & Other Things") Bill Cowsill, lead vocalist of the Cowsills, died at the age of 58 from complications of emphysema, Cushing's syndrome and osteoporosis.
In 2006, Latin jazz conga player Ray Barretto died of heart failure at the age of 76.
In 2008, Little Richard got a standing ovation from a crowd of 2,400 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville without playing a single note. The 75 year old Rock 'n Roll pioneer was seated at the rear of the auditorium during a concert by The Temptations and The Four Tops when he was introduced by The Temp's Otis Williams.
In 2010, singer Susan Jacks, formerly of the Poppy Family, received a kidney transplant from her brother Billy, who was the inspiration for her biggest hit, "Which Way You Goin' Billy?"
In 2012, bassist Michael Davis of the MC5 died of liver failure at age 68.
In 2013, country music singer Mindy McCready committed suicide at age 37.
birthdays today include (among others): Buck Trent (inventor electric banjo) (76), John Leyton (75), Rick Medlocke (Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd) (64), Tim Mahoney (311) (44), Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) (42) and Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters) (42)
