1957: “That’ll Be the Day” by Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes was released. Recorded in July of 1956 for Decca Records, Decca did not issued any recordings from the session until Holly’s re-recording of the song with The Crickets became a hit.

1957: The Everly Brothers released “Wake Up Little Susie,” the second single from the duo’s eponymous debut album. Written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, the song was banned from Boston radio stations for what were, at the time, considered “suggestive” lyrics. Nonetheless, the record went to #1 on the Billboard and Cash Box pop charts.

1964: “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks was released as a single in the US, a month after its release in the UK. The song was the group’s first to chart in America, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

1964: “Baby Don’t You Do It” by Marvin Gaye was released as the third single from his fifth studio album, How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You.

1965: Surf rock band Rick & the Ravens recorded six songs at World Pacific Studios in Los Angeles, California, all of which were written by singer Jim Morrison. Members at the three hour session were Jim Morrison on vocals, Ray Manzarek on piano and background vocals, John Densmore on drums, Rick Manzarek on guitar, Jim Manzarek on harmonica, and Patricia Hansen on bass guitar. Both Jim and Rick Manzarek, who were disappointed by the response to the acetate demo, subsequently quit the band. A month later, the group changed its name to the Doors at the suggestion of Morrison, and Robby Krieger, who’d previously performed with Densmore in the Psychedelic Rangers, joined on guitar. Manzarek then decided to handle bass duties using the newly released Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, and Hansen was dropped from the line-up in December, thus resulting in the Doors line-up of Morrison, Manzarek, Krieger, and Densmore.

1965: Marvin Gaye released “Baby Don’t You Do It,” the third single from his fifth studio album, How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You.

1967: After its release in the UK in mid-August, “Dandelion” by the Rolling Stones was issued in the US on London Records.

1967: “Paper Sun,” the debut single by English band Traffic, entered the Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked at #94 in the US and reached #5 in the UK.

1968: The Byrds released their arrangement of the traditional Christian hymn “I Am a Pilgrim” as the second single from their sixth studio album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

1972: Rod Stewart went to the top of the UK singles chart with his second British #1, “You Wear It Well.”

1972: Pink Floyd’s live performance at Pompeii, filmed in early October of 1971, was first screened at the 26th Annual Edinburgh Film Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1977: Thin Lizzy released their eighth studio album, Bad Reputation. The LP was the band’s last with guitarist Brian Robertson, who is only credited on three tracks.

1981: Prince released “Controversy,” the lead single and title track from his fourth studio album.

1981: Ronnie Wood released his fourth solo studio album, 1234. The LP features contributions from Ian McLagan, Charlie Watts, Bobby Womack, Waddy Wachtel, and Nicky Hopkins, among others.

1983: The Moody Blues’ eleventh studio album, The Present, was issued in the US less than a week after it was released in the UK.

1985: UB40 released their sixth studio album, Baggarddim. Most of the tracks are reworkings of the group’s previous recordings and feature guest vocalists including Chrissie Hynde.

1986: Peter Gabriel released “In Your Eyes” as the third single from his fifth studio album, So.

1989: Tina Turner released her cover of “The Best,” originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler in 1988, as the lead single from her seventh solo studio album, Foreign Affair. The song features a saxophone solo by Edgar Winter.

1991: Tin Machine, fronted by David Bowie, released their second and final studio album, Tin Machine II.

1995: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH celebrated it’s opening with a 7-hour concert at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, with performances by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, the Allman Brothers Band, Dr. John, James Brown, Johnny Cash, George Clinton, Melissa Etheridge, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Kinks, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Soul Asylum, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, the Pretenders, Bruce Springsteen, Slash, Boz Scaggs, John Fogerty, and many others, including surprise guest Bob Dylan. It was the final concert held at Cleveland Municipal Stadium before it was demolished. Lou Reed performed “Sweet Jane” as a tribute to recently deceased Velvet Underground guitarist Sterling Morrison, and Bruce Hornsby payed tribute to Jerry Garcia with set of Grateful Dead songs.

1996: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released their tenth studio album, Universal.

1997: Joe Jackson released Heaven & Hell, a musical interpretation of the seven deadly sins that features guest artists including Suzanne Vega, Brad Roberts, Jane Siberry.

2013: Elton John was awarded the first ever Brits Icon Award for his lasting impression on UK culture. Rod Stewart presented the citation to Sir Elton, calling him “the second best rock singer ever.”

2014: Counting Crows released their seventh studio album, Somewhere Under Wonderland.

Birthdays Today

Booker T. Laury, boogie-woogie, blues, gospel and jazz pianist and singer who worked with Memphis Slim and Mose Vinson and did not record his own album until he was in his late sixties, was born in Memphis, TN in 1914.

Emil Richards, vibraphonist, percussionist, frontman for the Microtonal Blues Band, member of Los Angeles session group The Wrecking Crew, touring sideman with George Harrison, and contributor to recordings by Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Doris Day, Judy Garland, Steely Dan, and Sarah Vaughan, was born in Hartford, CT in 1932.

Richard “Rick” Lewis, tenor vocalist for The Silhouettes, was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1933.

Sam Gooden, soul singer and original member of the Impressions, was born in Chattanooga, TN in 1934.

Jimmy Clanton, singer and songwriter known as the “swamp pop R&B teenage idol,” was born im Raceland, LA in 1938.

Judy Clay, soul and gospel singer known for her duets with Billy Vera as The Sweet Inspirations who was also a backing vocalist for Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Donny Hathaway, and Wilson Pickett, was born Judith Grace Guions in St. Pauls, NC in 1938.

Bobby Purify, R&B singer and half of the duo James & Bobby Purify with his cousin James Lee Purify, born Bobby Lee Dickey birthday in Tallahassee, FL in 1939.

Rosalind Ashford, R&B and soul singer and original member of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, was born in Detroit, MI in 1943.

Marty Grebb, keyboardist, guitarist, saxophonist, session musician, member of The Buckinghams, touring musician with artists including Leon Russell, Elton John, Muddy Waters, Chicago, and Bonnie Raitt, arranger and producer for artists such as Peter Cetera, Eric Clapton, Etta James, Leon Russell, and Bonnie Raitt, and member of The Weight Band with former members of The Band, was born in Chicago, IL in 1945.

Billy Preston, R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel singer and keyboardist who started as a session musician and later achieved fame as a solo artist as well as the only musician other than Tony Sheridan to be credited on a Beatles recording other than group’s four main members, was born in Houston, TX in 1946.

Mik Kaminski, violinist for Electric Light Orchestra from 1973-1979, was born in Harrogate, England in 1951.

Steve Porcaro, keyboardist, singer, songwriter, producer, composer, original member of Toto, solo artist, and session musician for Yes and Jefferson Airplane, was born in Hartford, CT in 1957.

Jerome Augustyniak, drummer for 10,000 Maniacs, was born in Sloan, NY in 1958.

Paul Deakin, drummer for The Mavericks, was born in Miami, FL in 1959.