Today in Rock & Roll History: March 6th

1958: The Everly Brothers recorded “All I Have To Do Is Dream” at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The single became the duo’s second #1 on the US pop and R&B charts, their third on the country charts, and first in the UK.

1961: Del Shannon’s debut single, “Runaway,” entered the Billboard Hot 100. The song later reached the top of the charts in the US, UK, and Australia.

1965: The Temptations hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “My Girl.” Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, the single had been the group’s first top 10 single on the pop charts, their first #1 on the Hot 100, their second to top the Cash Box R&B chart, as well as their first song to chart in UK.

1965: “Eight Days a Week” by the Beatles went to #1 on the US Cash Box chart. It was the first single by a British act to top the American charts but not make the charts in Britain, where it was unreleased. A week later, it also topped the Billboard Hot 100.

1966: The Rolling Stones started recording sessions for their tenth single, “Paint It Black,” at RCA Studios in Hollywood.

1966: Five thousand UK Beatles fan signed a petition urging British Prime minister Harold Wilson to re-open Liverpool’s Cavern Club, where the group had gotten their start, after the venue had closed down after going bankrupt.

1967: The Temptations released their first live album, Temptations Live!. The album was recorded in early October at the Roostertail in Detroit, Michigan.

1968: Los Angeles band The United States of America released their only album. Within months after the eponymous album’s release, disagreements between the group’s members led to them splitting up. Since then, the album has often been cited as an early showcase for the use of electronic devices in rock music.

1970: The Temptations released their twelfth studio album, Psychedelic Shack. The group fully embraced psychedelia on the LP, trading out the traditional “Motown Sound” for hard rock guitars, synthesizer effects, multi-tracked drums, and stereo-shifting vocals.

1970: The Beatles released their nineteenth US single, “Let It Be.” It later debuted at a then record-high position of #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it became the group’s penultimate #1 on the chart. It was also the Beatles’ final single before Paul McCartney announced his departure from the band.

1970: David Bowie released “The Prettiest Star.” Written as part of his proposal to Angela Barnett, the song is in the style of the Greek hasapiko dance as a tribute to Barnett’s Cypriot ethnic origin. It also features Marc Bolan playing guitar.

1971: Nick Drake released his second album, Bryter Layter. Drake was accompanied on the LP by members of Fairport Convention, John Cale of the Velvet Underground, and Beach Boys musicians Mike Kowalski and Ed Carter.

1971: The Temptations went to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart with “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me).” A month later, the single reached #1 on the Hot 100 pop chart.

1972: Badfinger released “Baby Blue,” the second single from their fourth studio album, Straight Up, in the US. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the Cash Box Top 100 charts.

1973: Asylum Records released Tom Waits’ debut album, Closing Time, which had been produced and arranged by former Lovin’ Spoonful member Jerry Yester. Waits had been signed to the Asylum label less than a month after being discovered at West Hollywood nightclub The Troubadour by Asylum co-creator David Geffen.

1974: Three Dog Night released their eleventh album, Hard Labor.

1976: “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop entered Billboard Hot 100, where it later became his only top 40 hit, peaking at #3.

1976: The Miracles went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Love Machine.” It was the group’s only top 10 single with lead singer Billy Griffin, who replaced Smokey Robinson after Robinson left to pursue a solo career.

1978: John Mellencamp, then known as Johnny Cougar, released his second album, A Biography.

1981: English band Spandau Ballet released their debut studio album, Journeys to Glory.

1982: The Go-Go’s topped the Billboard pop album chart with their debut album, Beauty and the Beat.

1990: Kris Kristofferson released his thirteenth solo album, Third World Warrior.

1995: Annie Lennox released her second solo album, Medusa. The album of covers entered the UK chart at #1 and reached #11 in the US.

1995: Mike + The Mechanics released their fourth album, Beggar on a Beach of Gold.

2006: David Gilmour released On an Island, his first solo album in twenty-two years and twelve years since Pink Floyd’s album The Division Bell in 1994.

2006: Van Morrison released his thirty-second studio album, Pay the Devil, which features twelve cover versions of American country and western tunes and three original compositions.

2009: The Church released their twenty-third studio album, Untitled #23.

2012: Bruce Springsteen released his seventeenth studio album, Wrecking Ball.

Birthdays Today

Furry Lewis, country blues guitarist and songwriter who came out of retirement during the folk blues revival of the 1960s, was born Walter Lewis in Greenwood, MS in 1893 or 1899.

Bob Wills, musician, songwriter, and bandleader known as the “King of Western Swing” who formed several bands including the Texas Playboys, was born James Robert Wills in Kosse, TX in 1905.

Wes Montgomery, jazz guitarist, was born John Leslie Montgomery in Indianapolis, IN in 1923.

Domingo “Sam” Samudio, lead vocalist and frontman of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, was born in Dallas, TX in 1937.

Ben Keith, was born Bennett Keith Schaeufele in Fort Riley, KS in 1937. (multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known as a pedal steel guitarist with Neil Young and a fixture of the Nashville scene in the 1950s and 1960s)

Doug Dillard, influential banjo player, pioneering participation in late-1960s country rock who played with his brother Rodney as The Dillards, with Gene Clark as Dillard & Clark, and as a solo artist, was born in East St. Louis, IL in 1937.

Jerry Naylor, recording artist, television and radio personality, and lead singer of the Crickets after the death of Buddy Holly, was born Jerry Naylor Jackson in Chalk Mountain, TX in 1939.

Billy Adams, rockabilly singer-songwriter known for his 1950s song “Rock, Pretty Mama,” was born in 1940.

Mary Wilson, singer and founding member of the Supremes, was born in Greenville, MS in 1944.

Hugh Grundy, drummer and founding member of the Zombies, was born in Winchester, Hampshire, England in 1945.

David Gilmour, guitarist, singer, songwriter, member of Pink Floyd, and a solo artist, was born in Cambridge, England in 1946.

Kiki Dee, singer, was born Pauline Matthews in Little Horton, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1947.

Chris Tomson, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and drummer with Vampire Weekend, was born in Upper Freehold Township, NJ in 1984.