07/18/2025
Happy Friday!
First of all, I made one mistake on yesterday's "Today In Rock N' Roll History." The entry for Rag Doll hitting #1 in 1964 should have been, and now is, in today's "History." You'll see it below. Sorry for the misread. Here's today's report in full:
July 18th: TODAY IN ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY!
1953, 18-year-old, unknown truck driver, Elvis Presley makes two vanity recordings for his mom, at Memphis Recording Service (soon to become Sun Studios) in Memphis TN. The chosen songs are, "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," which he records for the low, low price of $3.98. (Yeah, that's right! Elvis had to PAY to be recorded…at least at first.)
1960, "I'm Sorry," by Brenda Lee goes #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of three weeks.
1964, "Rag Doll" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons hits #1 for the first of two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100! It's the groups 4th #1 hit! [Trivia: The other three that preceded it were, "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" in 1962 and "Walk Like A Man" in 1963! They would have only one more #1 hit after that, "December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)" in 1975!]
1964, The Rolling Stones cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," their very first release in America, peaks at #48 on the Billboard Hot 100! It also expands the British Invasion.
1966, The Beach Boys release, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" with "God Only Knows" on the B-side. The two songs chart separately with "Wouldn't It Be Nice" debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 on 7/30 at #84, peaking at #8 on September 17th. Meanwhile, "God Only Knows," debuts on 8/13, at #81, peaking at only #39 on September 24th.
1966, 23-year-old Bobby Fuller, singer, songwriter and guitar player for The Bobby Fuller Four, is found dead, soaked in gasoline, in his parked car, outside of his Hollywood apartment! (The death certificate says it was su***de by asphyxia from gasoline fumes, or was it that he "fought the law" and lost?)
1968, "Lady Willpower" by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap goes gold, just as it reaches it's peak position on the Billboard Hot 100 ( #2 for the first of two weeks on 7/20/68.).
1968, "Grazing In The Grass" by Hugh Masekela also goes gold the same week it hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100! The actual day it tops the chart is recorded as 7/20, (actually "for the week ending on 7/20" just between us!)!
1968, The Beatles recorded two songs during sessions today at Abbey Road studios. "Cry Baby Cry" and several versions of "Helter Skelter," one of which was more than 27 minutes long, making it the longest Beatles recording ever put to tape!
1969, During sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr laid down vocals for "Octopus's Garden." The song was written by Starr during a break from the band due to in-fighting, which forced him to "quit" temporarily. Starr was on the yacht of actor, Peter Sellers in the Mediterranean Sea when he conceived the lyrics.
1970, Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, Kevin Ayers and the Edgar Broughton Band were the bill for a free summer concert at Hyde Park in London.
1972, Sly & The Family Stone go to jail after police search their motor home/bus, for drugs and find two pounds of pot and two vials of co***ne (or what Sly calls Monday.).
1973, Bruce Springsteen launches a four-night stand in Max's Kansas City with Bob Marley & The Wailers as a warm-up band!
1974, John Lennon is denied the renewal of his non-immigrant visa, based on a pot possession conviction in the UK. Lennon is ordered to leave the US by September 10th, but he appeals and in 1975, the US Court Of Appeals overturns the deportation order! Lennon is granted permanent resident status in 1976.
1978, Def Leppard play their first live concert at Westfield School in Sheffield. 150 students attend. (Hey, ya gotta start somewhere…)
1980, Billy Joel is #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 with "It's Still Rock N' Roll To Me," for the first of two weeks, and on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, with "Glass Houses," for the first of six weeks!
1983, Simon & Garfunkel follow-up their reunion concert in Central Park with a 19-city US tour, which launches on this day in Akron OH.
1988, The Velvet Underground singer, Nico dies at 49, when she suffers a heart attack during a bike ride, which causes her to fall and hit her head, inducing a cerebral hemorrhage.
1988, Ike Turner is sentenced to a year in jail for possession and transportation of co***ne. The drug was found in his car when police pulled Turner over for driving erratically in August 1987.
1992, Singers, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown marry at Houston's New Jersey estate. Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Natalie Cole, Patti LaBelle and Freddie Jackson made the guest list. The bride wore a $40-thousand gown! It lasts until 2006.
2001, Kiss unveils the "Kiss Kasket!" Pantera's late guitar player, Dimebag Darrell is buried in one.
2002, Stating that he didn't feel well and was going to take a nap, The Rolling Stones 54-year-old road crew chief, Royden Magee, collapsed and died while the band was rehearsing in Toronto! He was rushed to Sunnybrook hospital where he was pronounced dead.
2007, Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler were ordered to pay their former chef, who they fired when she got pregnant. She received £24,944 in compensation.
2007, Paul Simon sues a Japanese clock maker, based in Georgia, for making a clock that plays "Bridge Over Troubled Water," without getting the proper licensing.
2008, It was announced that Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones was in rehab.
2008, Billy Joel plays the second and final "Shea Goodbye" show, also dubbed, "Last Play at Shea," at Shea Stadium in New York City. The final song of the show was a duet with Joel and Paul McCartney on The Beatles classic, "Let It Be." Other guests during the show were Steve Tyler of Aerosmith and Roger Daltrey of The Who!
2012, The Who celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of "Quadrophenia" by announcing that they will be featuring it on their forthcoming tour. The album was released in 1973. The documentary film in 1979.
2018, Billy Joel plays his 100th show at Madison Square Garden in NYC! In honor of the feat, New York City declares it to be, "Billy Joel Day!'
ROCK N' ROLLERS BORN TODAY!
1909, Harriet Nelson, singer/ actress and Ricky Nelson's mom (would be 116 in 2025)!
1929, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, singer and arguably the first shock rocker (would be 96 in 2025)!
1931, Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen, percussion and vocals for War (would be 94 in 2025)!
1935, Johnny Funches, original lead singer for The Dells (would be 90 in 2025)!
1938, Ian Stewart, secret keyboard player (ie road manager) for The Rolling Stones (would be 87 in 2025)!
1939, Dion DiMucci, singer (86 in 2025)!
1939, Brian Auger, keys for Steampacket (86 in 2025)!
1941, Martha Reeves, singer for Martha & The Vandellas (84 in 2025)!
1943, Robin McDonald, rhythm & bass guitar for Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas (82 in 2025)!
1945, Danny McCulloch, bass for The Animals (80 in 2025)!
1946, Tim Lynch, guitar/ harmonica for the Flamin' Groovies (79 in 2025)!
1948, Phil Harris, guitar and vocals for Ace (77 in 2025)!
1948, Cesar Zuiderwijk, drums for Golden Earring (77 in 2025)!
1949, Wally Bryson, guitar and vocals for The Raspberries (76 in 2025)!
1950, Glenn Hughes, leather/ biker guy from The Village People (75 in 2025)!
Today's chart is from this day, July 18th in 1960!
