May 11th – May 17 – This Week In Rock
This Week’s Trivia Answer:
Ronald Reagan presents Michael Jackson with a Presidential Humanitarian Award for using “Beat It” for an anti-drunk-driving commercial. May 14, 1984
Born This Week in Rock History
5/11/ 1941 – Eric Burdon (Vocals, The Animals and War)
5/11/1947 – Butch Trucks (Drums, The Allman Brothers Band)
5/12/1948 – Steve Winwood (Vocals, Keys, & Guitar, Traffic and Blind Faith)
5/12/1950 – Billy Squier (Guitar and Vocals, Solo)
5/12/1952 – Guy Davis (blues guitarist/banjo player)
5/12/1989 – Megan Lovell (dobro/vocals, Larkin Poe)
5/13/1950 – Stevie Wonder (singer, piano player, composer)
5/13/1950 – Daniel Kirwan (Fleetwood Mac, guitar, vocals)
5/14/1934 – Grady Gaines (Saxophone)
5/14/1979 – Dan Auerbach (guitar, Black Keys)
Happy Birthday Jack Bruce!
5/14/1943 – Jack Bruce (Cream, bass and lead vocals)
5/14/1952 – David Byrne (Talking Heads, guitar, vocals)
5/14/1937 – Vic Flick (guitar on James Bond Theme)
5/15/1915 – Louis Charles (L.C. “Good Rockin’” Robinson: (vocals, guitar)
5/15/1948 – Brian Eno (Roxy Music, synthesizers)
5/16/1944 – Billy Cobham (drummer, Miles Davis /Mahavishnu orchestra)
5/16/1946 Robert Fripp (King Crimson, guitar)
5/16/1947 – Darrell Sweet (Nazareth, drums)
5/16/1965 – Krist Novoselic (Nirvana, bass)
5/17/1942 – Taj Mahal (Blues Singer-Songwriter)
5/17/1949 – Bill Bruford (Yes/King Crimson, drums)
5/17/1965 – Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)
Died This Week in Rock History
5/11/1981 – Bob Marley (Vocals & Guitar, Bob Marley and the Wailers)
5/11/2003 – Noel Redding (Bass, The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
5/11/2008 – John Rutsey (Drums, Rush)
5/14/1976 – Keith Relf: (The Yardbirds, lead vocals and harmonica)
5/14/2015 – B.B. King: (blues guitar legend)
5/14/1998 – Frank Sinatra: (The jazz singer)
5/15/2004 – June Carter Cash: (Country Singer-Songwriter)
5/15/2004 – Clint Warwick: (Moody Blues, bass)
5/16/1993 – Johnson: (R&B & Soul Singer)
5/16/2002 – James Dewar: (Robin Trower, bass)
5/16/1953 – Django Reinhardt: (Gypsy jazz guitarist)
5/16/2010 – Ronnie James Dio: (Black Sabbath, vocals)
5/17/1996 – Johnny Watson: (Blues Singer-Songwriter)
Music releases and the top of the charts
5/11/1963 – Beatles first LP, “Please Please Me” reaches top of UK chart
5/11/1964 – The Beach Boys release single “I Get Around”
5/12/1967 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience “Are You Experienced” is released
5/12/1972 – The Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street is released
5/12/1973 – Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy hits #1
5/13/1966 – ROLLING STONES RELEASE “PAINT IT BLACK”
5/14/1970 – CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG, “OHIO” IS RELEASED
5/15/1963 – ROLLING STONES SIGN WITH DECCA RECORDS
5/15/1976 – ROLLING STONE’S BLACK AND BLUE GOES TO #1 IN AMERICA
5/16/1966 – BOB DYLAN BLONDE ON BLONDE iS RELEASED
5/16/1970 – CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG’S LP DEJA VU HITS #1
5/16/1987 – “WITH OR WITHOUT YOU” BY U2 HITS #1
5/16/2009 – BOB DYLAN HITS NUMBER 1 WITH TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE
517/1963 – VERY FIRST MONTEREY FOLK FESTIVAL
This Week in Rock History
5/11/1995 – A slew of blues monsters gathered in Austin Texas to honor the great guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn. Hosted by Austin City Limits and organized by his brother Jimmie Vaughn, this concert showcases the love and admiration everyone had for Stevie. Being a great blues player himself, Jimmie shares the electrifying stage with guitarists such as: Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, and more! What a fantastic way to honor such an iconic individual!
Scheduled to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, Bob Dylan walks out after being told he can’t do the song he wants to. The song is “Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues” and he’s told not to perform it. Mainly because its lyrics are sharply critical of the U.S. military and segregation. Dylan said in response to the request to play a different song, “No this is what I want to do. If I can’t play my song, I’d rather not appear on the show.” Good for you, Mr. Dylan! 5/12/1963
“More of the Monkees,” the second album by The Monkees reaches number one spot on the UK charts. May 13, 1967
Led Zeppelin becomes one of the first well known British rock acts to perform in Hawaii, where they performed at the Civic Auditorium in Honolulu. May 13, 1969.
Bo Diddley’s song “Bo Diddley” is seen on the R&B chart and will eventually hit the #1 spot. May 14, 1955.
Buddy Holly visits his optometrist’s office to correct his horrible 20/800 vision with primitive contact lenses, but Buddy hates them, and decides to keep his signature glasses. May 14, 1956
Keith Relf of The Yardbirds dies tragically by electrocuting himself while tuning a guitar that is not properly grounded. May 14, 1976
Ronald Reagan presents Michael Jackson with a Presidential Humanitarian Award for using “Beat It” for an anti-drunk-driving commercial. May 14, 1984.
Madison Square Garden hosts the 40th anniversary celebration of Atlantic Records. Featuring appearances from many famous artists on the label’s roster: The Bee Gees, Wilson Pickett, The Rascals, The Coasters, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Crosby Stills and Nash, Foreigner, Yes, Genesis, and the event’s main attraction, a rare reunion of Led Zeppelin, featuring John Bonham’s son Jason taking over drums for his father. May 14, 1988
Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” hits the number 39 spot on the top 40 chart. May 15, 1965
Pink Floyd play London’s Crystal Palace Bowl. May 15, 1971
The latest and ultimately most famous lineup of Fleetwood Mac — Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks play their first show together in El Paso. May 15, 1975
Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney hit #1 with their song “Ebony and Ivory” May 15, 1982.
Billboard reports that Detroit music mogul Berry Gordy is starting three new record labels, including one called Motown. May 16, 1960
Neil Young plays an unannounced show at the Bottom Line in New York City. May 16, 1971
The first Monterey Folk Music Festival is held in Monterey, California. Featuring great acts such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and Joan Baez. May 17, 1963
A band known as “The Chicago Transit Authority” releases their debut album. Later, it goes on to peak at number 17 on the top charts. Due to a lawsuit issue, the band later shortened their name to Chicago. May 17,1969
Blues and R&B greats Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Little Richard gather in Sheffield, England to perform their first show together. May 17, 1995
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