1956: Gene Vincent recorded the classic rock 'n roll song 'Be Bop-A-Lula', at Owen Bradley's studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The song went on to be a US & UK Top 20 hit in this year. Vincent has said that he wrote the words to the song after being inspired by a comic strip called "Little Lulu".
1970: Four students at Kent University were killed and eleven wounded by National Guard troops at a campus demonstration protesting the escalation of the Vietnam War. The incident inspired Neil Young to compose 'Ohio' which became a hit for Crosby Stills Nash & Young.
1973: Led Zeppelin opened their 1973 North American tour, which was billed as the 'biggest and most profitable rock & roll tour in the history of the United States'. The group would gross over $4 million from the dates, flying between gigs in 'The Starship' a Boeing 720 passenger jet, complete with bar, shower room, TV and video in a 30' lounge and a white fur bedroom.
1968: Steppenwolf made their U.S. television debut on American Bandstand where they performed “Born to Be Wild”.
1974: Grand Funk Railroad reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for the second and final time with a cover of “The Loco-Motion” which spent two weeks on top of the singles chart. It was the second time that a song had reached number one by two different artists.
1886: Chichester Bell and Charles S. Tainter patented the gramophone. It was the first practical phonograph.
1957: The "Alan Freed Show" premiered on ABC-TV. It was the first prime-time network rock show.
1964: The Moody Blues formed in Birmingham, England.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared on UK TV's Top Of The Pops, performing 'Purple Haze'. During afternoon rehearsals for the show, Mick Jagger went into the studio to see Jimi Hendrix.
1974: Grand Funk Railroad started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with their version of the Little Eva hit 'The Loco-Motion.' It was only the second time that a cover version had been a No.1 as well as the original.
1987: American blues vocalist, harmonica player Paul Butterfield, who fronted The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, died at his home in North Hollywood, California, of drug-related heart failure, he was 44. Gained international recognition, as one of the early acts performing during the Summer of Love, at Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock festival.
1989: Stevie Ray Vaughan set out on what would be his last ever tour at the Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia. The guitarist was killed in a helicopter crash on 27th Aug 1999 after a concert at Alpine Valley Music Theater in Wisconsin, after playing 107 of the 110 dates.
1967: The Young Rascals started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Groovin.' Atlantic Records head Jerry Wexler did not want to release the song. US disc jockey Murray the K heard the track and encouraged Atlantic to release it.
♫ They Say It's Your Birthday, Happy Birthday To You ♫
1937: Dick Dale (born Richard Anthony Mansour) an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar, as he pioneered the surf music style. He worked closely with Fender to produce custom made amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier. The "breakneck speed of his single-note staccato picking technique" and showmanship with the guitar is considered a precursor to heavy metal music, influencing guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen.
1923: Ed Cassidy, drummer, from American group Spirit who had the 1969 US No.25 single 'I Got A Line On You'. In 1964 he formed the Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. Cassidy died on 12th Dec 2012.
1942: Born on this day, Ronnie Bond, drummer with English garage rock band The Troggs, who had the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Wild Thing' and the hits 'With a Girl Like You' and 'Love Is All Around'. Bond died on 13th November 1992.
1945: George Wadenius, from jazz-rock American music group Blood Sweat & Tears. They scored the 1969 US No.2 single 'Spinning Wheel', and the 1969 US No.12 single 'You've Made Me So Very Happy'. They had a US No.1 with their second album Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1968.
1951: Bruce Day, from Santana, who had the 1970 US No.4 single 'Black Magic Woman' and the 1977 UK No.11 single 'She's Not There'.
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