JULY 22 – JULY 28: THE ANSWER TO THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Queen becomes the first western artist since Louis Armstrong, who did it in 1964, to perform in Eastern Europe. Queen played at Budapest’s Nepstadium and the show was filmed and released as Queen Magic In Budapest “ – July 27, 1986
Be sure to check back each week to see what happens next on “This Week In Rock!”
BORN THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
George Clinton: July 22, 1941 (band leader, Parliament Funkadelic)
Don Henley – July 22, 1947 (drums and vocals, The Eagles)
Al Di Meola: July 22, 1954 (jazz fusion / Latin guitarist)
Blair Thornton – July 23, 1950 (guitar, Bachman-Turner Overdrive)
Slash: July 23, 1965 (guitar, Guns N’ Roses)
Alison Krauss: July 23, 1971 (bluegrass singer)
Jim McCarty: July 25, 1943 (drums, The Yardbirds)
Jose “Chepito” Áreas – July 25, 1946 (percussion, Santana)
Verdine White: July 25, 1951 (bass, Earth, Wind, & Fire)
Thurston Moore: July 25, 1958 (guitar, Sonic Youth)
Brian Blade: July 25, 1970 (jazz drummer)
Mick Jagger: July 26, 1943 (vocals, The Rolling Stones)
Roger Taylor: July 26, 1949 (drums, Queen)
Mike Bloomfield: July 28, 1949 (guitar, Paul Butterfield Band)
Richard Wright: July 28, 1943 (keys, Pink Floyd)
Simon Kirke: July 28, 1949 (drums, Free and Bad Company)
Delfeayo Marsalis: July 28, 1965 (jazz trombone)
DIED THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Art Neville – July 22, 2019 (Keyboardist, singer with the Neville Brothers and the Meters)
Keith Godchaux: July 23, 1980 (keys, The Grateful Dead)
Amy Winehouse: July 23, 2011
Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton: July 25, 1984
Tal Farlow: July 25, 1998 (jazz guitarist)
Brent Mydland: July 26, 1990 (keys, The Grateful Dead)
JJ Cale: July 26, 2013
Lighting Slim: July 27, 1974 (blues singer)
Leon Wilkeson: July 27, 2001 (bass, Lynyrd Skynyrd)
MUSIC RELEASES AND TOP OF THE CHARTS
John Mayall’s Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton is released – July 22, 1966
Johnny Cash tops the albums chart with his posthumous album American V: A Hundred Highways – July 22, 2006
Byrds release Sweetheart of the Rodeo – July 22, 1968
The Doors’ L.A. Woman is certified gold – July 22, 1971
The Who releases “Join Together”: July 22, 1972
Chuck Berry releases his first single “Maybelline”: July 23, 1955
“Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra hits #1: July 23, 1966
The final album by Police “Synchronicity” goes to #1: July 23, 1983
Jefferson Airplane’s “Surrealistic Pillow” is certified Gold: July 24, 1967
“China Grove,” the most popular song by the Doobie Brother is released: July 25, 1973
The Eagles’ One Of These Nights LP hits #1: July 26, 1975
The Rolling Stones’ Emotional Rescue hits #1: July 26, 1980
“Sweet Home Alabama” is released: July 27, 1974
Grand Funk Railroad, “We’re An American Band” was released: July 28, 1973
The Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like An Eagle LP is certified gold: July 28, 1976
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
The Beatles’ first album is pressed by Vee-Jay records. This caused a legal issue with another record company – July 22nd, 1963
The first major Vanilla Fudge show is performed in New York City at the Village Theater in NYC – July 22nd, 1967
John Lennon and Yoko Ono work on the “Imagine” promotional film for the second day at their Tittenhurst Park Ascot, England home – July 22nd, 1971
Billy Joel and Elton John began the first of five duet concerts at Giants Stadium in New Jersey – July 22nd, 1994
Backstage at the “Days On The Green” festival in Oakland, CA, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham allegedly sees a member of promoter Bill Graham’s staff slap his son for taking down a dressing room sign. Bonham kicks the employee, and band manager Peter Grant later breaks into the staff member’s trailer and beats him savagely. Bonham and Grant, among others, are arrested for assault. Both would bargain down to misdemeanors, plead guilty, and eventually pay a combined $2 million fine – July 23, 1977
Ringo Starr begins his first tour since the Beatles stopped touring in 1966, introducing his “All-Starr Band” of Seventies icons in Dallas, TX – July 23, 1989
At the Rolling Stones’ gig in Blackpool, England’s Empress Ballroom, an angry audience member spits on guitarist Brian Jones, sparking a riot which injures two policemen and 30 fans, as well as destroying chandeliers, seats and a Steinway grand piano. Their remaining performances at the venue are cancelled and the group is banned from performing in the city, a ban which was not lifted until 2008 – July 24, 1964
At the end of their gig at the Fillmore in San Francisco, Crosby, Stills and Nash invite Neil Young on stage to back them on a couple of songs. They like the result so much that Young almost immediately becomes part of the band – July 25, 1969
London graffiti artists hired by the Rolling Stones’ management spray paint various local sites as promotion for the groups’ latest single, “It’s Only Rock And Roll” – July 26, 1974
The Allman Brothers play a show at the Boston Garden with another pretty groovy band, The Eagles, as their opening act – July 26, 1974
Led Zeppelin has to cut short their North American tour after Robert Plant’s five-year old son tragically dies from a virus – July 26, 1977
John Lennon ends his four-year fight to stay in the US as a special government hearing granted him a green card (Number A-17-597-321) – July 27, 1976
Queen becomes the first western artist since Louis Armstrong, who did it in 1964, to perform in Eastern Europe. Queen played at Budapest’s Nepstadium and the show is filmed and released as “Queen Magic” In Budapest “ – July 27, 1986
The Summer Jam at Watkins Glen is held. This show at one point held the Guinness record for “Largest audience at a pop festival.” The concert featured three heavy hitters, The Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, and The Band. The Dead begins the show, opening with “Bertha,” and plays two long sets, which includes songs such as “Box of Rain,” “China Cat Sunflower,” “Eyes of the World,” and “Jack Straw.” The Band followed, although their set was interrupted by a terrible downpour. The Allman Brothers took the stage and previewed music from their upcoming album Brothers and Sisters as well as playing some fan favorites including “Statesboro Blues,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” and “Whipping Post”. Finally, the event was capped by an impressive encore that lasted a whole hour, featuring members of all three bands! That set included “Not Fade Away,” “Mountain Jam,” and “Johnny B. Goode” – July 28, 1973
That’s all for This Week in Rock History. Be sure to check back next week for the latest Rock history tidbits!