Music History - May 6

On May 6, 1957, at Chess Studios in Chicago, Chuck Berry recorded "Rock And Roll Music." The session was produced by the Chess brothers – Leonard and Phil – and backing Chuck Berry were pianist Lafayette Leake, bassist Willie Dixon, and drummer Fred Below.  The song has been recorded by a number of other well-known artists, including Humble Pie, Manic Street Preachers, Bill Haley & His Comets, REO Speedwagon, Mental As Anything, the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Tenpole Tudor.  In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked Berry's version as #128 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is also a part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll List.

In 1958, in Boston, Alan Freed's "Big Beat Show" concert tour played Boston Garden, with performances by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Danny & the Juniors, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Diamonds, Billy & Lillie, the Chantels, Dicky Doo and the Don'ts, Jo Ann Campbell, Larry Williams, Ed Townsend, the Pastels, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

In 1960, at CBS 30th Street Studio in New York City, Tony Bennett recorded "Put On A Happy Face."

In 1964, at Western Studios in Los Angeles, the Beach Boys began recording "All Summer Long." They completed the track the following day.

In 1965, in their Clearwater, Florida hotel room, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards work out the opening guitar riff of "Satisfaction," following Richard's purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day. The song is considered to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs ever recorded. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed the song in the second spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

On May 6, 1965, James Brown reworked a song called "I Found You" by Yvonne Fair and comes up with "I Got You" (I Feel Good).  It will become the biggest hit of his career, reaching #3 in the US and #29 in the UK and is arguably his most widely known recording.  In 2004, the seminal cut was ranked #78 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

In 1966, working at Abbey Road studios in London, the Beatles recorded overdubs on "I'm Only Sleeping" and worked on various mixes of the track. The song features the then-unique sound of a reversed guitar duet played by Harrison who perfected the part with the tape running backwards so that, when reversed, it would fit the dreamlike mood.  Credited as a Lennon–McCartney song, it was written primarily by John Lennon.

In 1966, during a four month world tour, Bob Dylan played the first night of 11 UK dates at the ABC in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In 1967, Jimi Hendrix, the Walker Brothers, Engelbert Humperdink and Cat Stevens all appeared at the Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire, England.

In 1967, the Who's Keith Moon offers this insightful advice to young drummers during an interview in Melody Maker Magazine: "To get your playing more forceful, hit the drums harder."

Also in 1967, two weeks after being pushed out of the top spot on the Cashbox Best Sellers list by the Monkees'"A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You," Nancy and Frank Sinatra returned to the top spot with "Something Stupid."

In 1969, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, the Beatles recorded 36 takes of "You Never Give Me Your Money." On July 1, Paul McCartney overdubbed the lead vocal onto take 30, and added more vocals and chimes on July 15.

In 1971, Ike and Tina Turner receive their only Gold record for their version of "Proud Mary," which climbed to #4 in the US.

In 1972, the Tyrannosaurus Rex double album 'Prophets, Seers And Sages And The Angels Of The Ages / My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair But Now Their Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows' went to #1 in the UK. The cover art and subject matter of many of the songs dealt with the fantasy themes that would pervade much of the subsequent T. Rex catalog. It was recorded at Advision Studios in London in early 1968. It was the longest title of an album ever at the time! 

In 1973, Paul Simon's first solo tour began with a performance at the Music Hall in Boston. Recordings from the tour were later released on the 1974 album, 'Live Rhymin'.' Former partner Art Garfunkel would release his first solo album, 'Angel Clare' and the single "All I Know" later in the year.

On this day in 1976, "Welcome Back" by John Sebastian was the #1 song.

In 1977, Led Zeppelin broke their own concert attendance record at a show in Michigan, when more than 76,000 fans saw their performance.

In 1977, having just been signed to their first major recording contract, Dublin's Boomtown Rats, lead by vocalist Bob Geldof, perform for a group of record company employees at Studio 51 in London.

In 1978, the soundtrack to 'Saturday Night Fever' started an 18 week run at #1 on the UK album chart, also #1 in the US. The album, which features seven Bee Gee songs, went on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.

In 1983, trombonist/composer/conductor Kai Winding died of a brain tumor at the age of 60.

In 1984, in New York City, the spoof rock group Spinal Tap performed at the CBGB music club.

In 1993, agents of the US Internal Revenue Service raided Jerry Lee Lewis' home in Nesbit, Mississippi, and hauled away his belongings in an attempt to make up for what it said were $1.6 million in back taxes.

In 1995, James Taylor and Natalie Cole received honorary degrees at Berklee College of Music's 50th anniversary commencement.

In 1995, Oasis scored their first UK #1 single when “Some Might Say” went to the top of the UK charts. It was the first single to be released from the Manchester band’s second album '(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?' and the last Oasis track to feature original drummer Tony McCarroll.

In 1996, Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville sang at a White House event celebrating the musical diversity of the President Bill Clinton and his wife Hilary were the hosts for In Performance at the White House, which was later broadcast on public television.

In 1996, in Toronto, the Tragically Hip gave the first of two surprise performances at the Horseshoe Tavern.

In 1997, in suburban Tokyo, police arrested former Band singer/bassist Rick Danko on a charge of heroin possession after they raided his hotel room and discovered less than 28 grams of the drug that had been mailed to him from the US. Danko was later found guilty and given a suspended sentence.

In 1997, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young failed to show up for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mitchell apparently wanted to avoid media hoopla over her reunion with the daughter she gave up for adoption 32 years earlier. Young, who was to be enshrined as a member of Buffalo Springfield, declined to attend after organizers refused to give him more than one free ticket to the induction dinner.

In 2002, songwriter Otis Blackwell died from a heart attack. Among his hits were "All Shook Up", "Return To Sender", "Don't Be Cruel", "Great Balls Of Fire", "Fever" and "Handy Man". Over the years, Blackwell's songs have sold more than 185 million copies. He wrote the classic songs ‘All Shook Up’, ‘Return To Sender’, ‘Don't Be Cruel’, ‘Great Balls Of Fire’ and ‘Fever.’ Over the years, Blackwell's songs have sold more than 185 million copies.

Also in 2002, the Guinness Hit Singles book listed "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen as the UK's favorite single of all time, followed by "Imagine" by John Lennon, "Hey Jude" by The Beatles, "Dancing Queen" by ABBA and "Like A Prayer" by Madonna.

In 2003, after the controversy regading Dixie Chicks member Natalie Maines’ comments about President George W. Bush and the Iraq war, a Colorado radio station suspended two of its disc jockeys for playing music by Dixie Chicks.

In 2004, a sale at Christie's in London, England became the most successful pop auction in the company's history after Beatles memorabilia sold for a record $1.3 million. The auction included a leather collar worn by John Lennon which sold for $193,172 and a signed copy of a management deal between the Beatles and Brian Epstein sold for $202,463.  A Vox Kensington guitar used by Lennon and George Harrison went for $164,831.  Also sold, a colored felt-pen drawing by Lennon for $16,483, a letter with his signature for $9,064, and a pen-and-ink drawing called Happy Fish for $15,653.

In 2004, jazz guitarist Barney Kessel died of brain tumor at 80. He produced and played on Ricky Nelson's first recordings, and his guitar is featured prominently on Julie London's classic "Cry Me A River," which he arranged.

In 2004, David Bowie cancelled a Miami concert after a stagehand was killed in a fall before the show.

In 2005, coffee shop chain Starbucks banned the sale of Bruce Springsteen's latest album 'Devils and Dust' over concerns about its adult content. The retailer - which stocked CDs at its branches in the US - said it would be promoting other albums instead.

In 2005, in Augusta, Georgia, a bronze, life-size statue of singer James Brown was unveiled.

In 2006, the Go-Betweens singer, songwriter Grant McLennan, died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane, Australia, at age 48. The Australasian Performing Rights Association named his 1983 song “Cattle and Cane” one of the 30 greatest Australian songs of all time.

In 2008, Cher played the first of 78 shows at the Las Vegas Coliseum, Las Vegas, Nevada. The singer had signed-up for 200 shows over a three year period. 

In 2009, a former publicist for Michael Jackson was suing the singer for $44m (£29m) for his alleged failure to pay her for her services. Raymone Bain said Mr Jackson had agreed to give her 10% of any business deals arranged with her assistance. Ms Bain acted as Mr Jackson's publicist during his 2005 trial for child abuse.

In 2009, Donald "Ean" Evans, the bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd, died of cancer at the age of 48. He joined the band in 2001 following the passing of Leon Wilkeson and remained with them until his death.

In 2010, real estate agent Tim Bachman, a founding member and former guitarist in the band Bachman-Turner Overdrive, turned himself in to Abbotsford, British Columbia police, six days after a warrant was issued for his arrest. The formal charges against him were "sexual interference with a person under the age of 14, sexual assault and touching a young person for a sexual purpose." Police said the girl was 11 when the crimes started. In court on May 1, 2013, Bachman was found not guilty of the three charges as the judge determined the evidence provided by the woman, age 24 at the time of the ruling, was not reliable enough to support a criminal conviction.

In 2012, over 300 guests, including Chubby Checker, Paul Anka, Berry Gordy, Marie Osmond and Stevie Wonder, gathered on the grounds of Dick Clark's Malibu estate for a private memorial service. Clark’s three children spoke first, followed by his widow Kari, who read a list of "65 reasons I love Dick Clark." The long-time host of TV's American Bandstand died April 18 of a heart attack.

In 2013, Lauryn Hill was sentenced in the US state of New Jersey to three months in jail for tax evasion. The 37 year-old Grammy-winning singer had failed to pay taxes on about $1.8m (£1.2m) of earnings between 2005-07. In a statement to the judge, Hill said she had intended to pay the taxes but could not after withdrawing from public life and ending her music career to raise her children. Hill has six children, five of whom she had with Rohan Marley, the son of Bob Marley.

birthdays today include (among others):  Bob Seger (1945), John Flansburgh - They Might Be Giants (1960), Tony Scalzo - Fastball (1964), Laetitia Sadier - Stereolab (1968) and Chris Shiflett, guitar, Foo Fighters (1971)