portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Sunday, September 08, 2019


ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC


September 8th

1952 - Ray Charles
After Atlantic Records bought Ray Charles' contract from Swingtime, Charles recorded his first session for Atlantic, cutting four songs. Over the next seven years, he would record such classics as ‘Mess Around,’ ‘I Got a Woman,’ ‘Hallelujah, I Love Her So’ and ‘What'd I Say.’
I loved Ray but his version of Ahmet Ertegun's 'Mess Around' isn't a patch on The Fess (Professor Longhair or Dr John's come to that but he is usually quoting Fess, I think it was Dr John's version I first heard on the 'Gumbo' album?) but hey, anyone covering it is alright by me . . . . . Fats and Ray overshadowed the Fess too much really . . . . . 
Maybe only the Good Doctor could meld two numbers together as he blends here the Cow Cow Blues with the Mess Around! Mac has said it has it's roots in Pete Johnson and Cow Cow Devenport and thus is hardly 'written' by Ertegun but came about in the studio when he encouraged Charles to play looser and more boogie woogie style and allegedly then came up with the lyrics backing Charles' riff on the piano. Messing around in the studio is what I would call it and it certainly isn't a Ray Charles number and Ertegun was clever in getting his name on it so as to take the royalties but hey . . . . . so it goes

another live version . . . . . . . nearly seven minutes of heaven!

I miss them . . . . all three . . . . .most recently the good Doctor! What's a boy to do without his doctor!?

1956 - Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran signed a one year contract with Liberty Records, Cochran went on to give Liberty three top 40 hits over the next several years including ‘Summertime Blues,’ ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ and ‘C’mon Everybody’. One of th earliest disc I bought was a 78 of Eddie's Twenty Flight Rock tythough I wish it had been C'mon Everybody as it might have been worth something and was a  better song some might say


1957 - Jackie Wilson
'Reet Petite' by Jackie Wilson was released for the first time, it became a UK No. 1, 29 years later. During a 1975 benefit concert, Wilson collapsed on-stage from a heart attack and subsequently fell into a coma that persisted for nearly nine years until his death in 1984. We posted Reet Petite the other day so it gives me the opportunity to play another all time favourite from the Master!


1968 - The Beatles
The Beatles performed 'Hey Jude' on the UK television show 'Frost On Sunday' in front of an invited audience. The song was the first single from The Beatles' record label Apple Records and at over seven minutes in length, 'Hey Jude' was, at the time, the longest single ever to top the British charts. It also spent nine weeks as No.1 in the United States—the longest run at the top of the American charts for a Beatles' single. 

1968 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin appeared at Raventlow Parken, Nykobing, Falster, Denmark supported by The Beatnicks and The Ladybirds, (who were an all girl topless go-go dancing outfit). This was the group's third ever live gig. What WAS it with all the Danish gigs? Anyone?
They'd played support (sic) to Jimmy before when he was in the Yardbirds!

1973 - Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Let's Get It On', his second US No.1, only reached No.31 in the UK. 

1974 - Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Beach Boys all appeared at the New York 'Summersault '74' at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury.

1977 - Wings
Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch left Wings to help re-form the Small Faces. McCulloch had played with Paul McCartney band on the Venus and Mars and Wings At the Speed of Sound albums, as well as on the Wings Over America tour. He died two years later at the age of 26. Drummer Joe English also left Wings at this time, joining Sea Level.

1979 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin scored their eighth UK No.1 album when 'In Through The Out Door' went to the top of the charts for two weeks. The eighth studio album by Zeppelin, was their final album of entirely new material.

1984 - Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder had his first UK No.1 with 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. Taken from the film 'The Woman In Red', it was 18 years after Wonder's chart debut in 1966. The song stayed at No.1 for six weeks.

1993 - Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love appeared on stage together at a show in Hollywood. They performed a song they wrote together 'Penny Royal Tea'.

1997 - Led Zeppelin
29 years after the band first formed, Led Zeppelin released 'Whole Lotta Love', their first ever single in the UK. The track recorded in 1969 and featured on the bands second album was issued to promote their re-issued back catalogue.

1997 - Derek Taylor

Derek Taylor the publicist for The Beatles died aged 67. Taylor had been responsible for many of the legends surrounding their career and had also worked with The Beach Boys and The Byrds. In 1967 he helped organise the Monterey Pop Festival together with Lou Adler and John Philips. He helped launch the Beatles Anthology trilogy in the 90s.
Derek Taylor (right) with George and folk

1999 - Sean 'Puffy' Combes
Sean 'Puffy' Combes and his bodyguard Paul Offerd both pleaded guilty to harassment in a New York Court. The pair faced charges of assaulting record company executive Steve Stoute with a champagne bottle, a chair and a telephone.

2002 - Bruce Dickinson
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson started his new job as an airline pilot. The heavy metal singer qualified as a £35,000 - a year first officer with Gatwick based airline Astraeus who took holidaymakers to Portugal and Egypt.
just for the rush . . . . . 

2003 - David Bowie
David Bowie performed the first interactive concert when his performance was beamed live into 21 cinemas from Warsaw to Edinburgh. Members of the audience talked to Bowie via microphones linked to ISDN lines and took requests for songs from fans.


2004 - Robert Plant
Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant was guest of honour at the unveiling of a statue of 15th century rebel leader Owain Glyndwr at Pennal church, near Machynlleth in Wales. Plant, who owns a farmhouse in the area had donated money towards a bronze sculpture of the Welsh prince.

2005 - Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart was ordered to pay a Las Vegas casino $2m (£1.1m) for missing a New Year concert in 2000. Stewart had said he was unable to play at the Rio hotel and casino because his voice disappeared after an operation to remove a cancerous thyroid tumour. The singer said his voice only recovered in time to begin a world tour in June 2001 and he had since performed 150 shows.

2005 - War Child 


A charity album featuring some of the biggest bands in the UK was thought to be the fastest ever produced. ColdplayRadiohead, Kaiser Chiefs, Antony and the Johnsons, The Magic Numbers, The Coral, Bloc Party and Gorillaz were among those who recorded tracks for ‘Help: A Day in the Life.’ The whole 22-track album was made available for download from the War Child website the following day.

2007 - Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown was sent to jail for a year in New York for violating her probation terms after she travelled outside New York without the court's permission and had missed anger management classes. The rapper (real name Inga Marchand), was arrested for allegedly assaulting a neighbour and in October 2006 she was put on probation for allegedly assaulting two nail salon workers in August 2004.

2007 - Don Arden



A commemorative plaque dedicated to Don Arden and The Small Faces was unveiled at 52–55 Carnaby Street, London, Arden's former offices. Arden achieved notoriety in Britain for his aggressive, sometimes illegal business tactics and looked after the career's of Small Faces, the Move, the Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath. He was the father of Sharon Osbourne (and father-in-law of Ozzy Osbourne).

2011 - Michael Jackson
Jury selection began for the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. Prospective jurors were asked to fill out a 30-page questionnaire to determining their level of knowledge of the case and any strong views about Jackson or Murray.

Dr Murray

2016 - Prince Buster

Jamaican singer, songwriter and producer, Cecil Bustamente Campbell otherwise known as Prince Buster died in a hospital in Miami, Florida, after suffering heart problems. The first Jamaican to have a top 20 hit in the UK, Prince Buster defined the sound of ska in the 1960s before going on to inspire the Two Tone movement of the late '70s. Hush up!
Amongst the greatest singles of all time IMHO
it's all just one step beyond



BIRTHDAYS

1979 - Pink
Pink, (Alecia Beth Moore), 2001 UK No.2 single 'Get The Party Started', 2001 US & UK No.1 single with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Mya 'Lady Marmalade'. Pink has become one of the most successful artists of her generation, having sold over 110 million records worldwide. We like Pink don't we? We don't dare otherwise! 



1945 - Ron 'Pigpen' Mckernan
Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan, vocals & organ, and one of the founding members of Grateful Dead who played in the group from 1965 to 1972. Unlike the other members of the Grateful Dead, McKernan avoided psychedelic drugs, preferring to drink alcohol (namely whiskey and flavored fortified wine). By 1971, his health had been affected by alcoholism and liver damage and doctors advised him to stop touring. He died on 8th March 1973 from cirrhosis of the liver aged 27. When asked about Pigpen's death Jerry Garcia said "well he was a juicer, man!"





1932 - Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline country music singer. Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht's and Alan Block's 'Walkin' After Midnight', Hank Cochran's and Harlan Howard's 'I Fall to Pieces', Willie Nelson's 'Crazy' and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's 'Sweet Dreams'. She died aged 30 on 5 March 1963 at the height of her career in a plane crash. She was one of the most influential, successful and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century. Ten years after her death, in 1973, she became the first female solo artist inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

1925 - Peter Sellers


Peter Sellers actor, The Goons, (1956 UK No.9 single 'Ying Tong Song' with The Goons, 1960 UK No.4 single 'Goodness Gracious Me', with Sophia Loren, 1965 UK No.14 single 'A Hard Day's Night' amongst the 14 singles released by the Goons). Perhaps his most successful work on the Pink Panther Films playing the legendary Inspector Clouseau. Although my personal favourite is 'Being There' the film based on Jerzy Kosinski's book of the same name. Sellers died of a heart attack on 24th July 1980.
an inveterate giggler it is a wonder any film ever got actually made . . . . once you have seen four grown adult males laughing at fart in a lift gags you do wonder!

an exceptionally fine and very VERY silly man, I loved him!



1897 - Jimmie 'The Singing Brakeman' Rodgers
Jimmie Rodgers singer, songwriter, the first country music star and contemporary of the Carter Family. Sold over 12 million records and was the first person to be elected into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Rodgers died on 26th May 1933 in the Taft Hotel from a pulmonary haemorrhage caused by years of battling TB. His last recording spent resting on a cot between songs overseen by a nurse.


I love some Jimmie Rodgers . . . . . 

Thanks to On This Day in Music

No comments: