SEPTEMBER 16 – 22 – THIS WEEK IN ROCK!
THE ANSWER TO THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Great jazz guitarist George Benson receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – September 19, 1996
BORN THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
B.B. King – September 16, 1925 (blues singer and guitarist)
Donald Byrd – September 16, 1925 (jazz guitarist)
Earl Klugh – September 16, 1954 (jazz guitarist)
Hank Williams – September 17, 1923 (country singer-songwriter)
Kerry Livgren – September 18, 1949 (guitar, Kansas)
Brian Epstein – September 19, 1934 (Manager, The Beatles)
Cass Elliot – September 19, 1941 (singer, The Mamas and the Papas)
Leonard Cohen – September 21, 1934
Don Felder – September 21, 1947 (guitar, The Eagles)
David Coverdale – September 22, 1949 (singer, Whitesnake/deep purple)
Joan Jett – September 22, 1958 (guitar and vocals, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts)
DIED THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Marc Bolan: September 16, 1977 (guitar and vocals, T. Rex)
Willie “Big Eye” Smith: September 16, 2011 (electric blues singer)
Jimi Hendrix: September 18, 1970 (greatest guitarist ever)
Jimmy Witherspoon: September 18, 1997 (jump blues singer)
Jim Croce: September 20, 1973 (singer-songwriter)
Jaco Pastorius: September 21, 1987 (jazz bassist)
NEW RELEASES & TOP OF THE CHARTS
The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s LP Are You Experienced? enters the charts: September 16, 1967
Boston’s “Don’t Look Back” Hits #1: September 16, 1978
Boston, “More Than A Feeling” was released: September 18, 1976
“Play That Funky Music” hits the Billboard pop charts September 18, 1976
The Doors’ LP Greatest Hits is certified platinum: September 18, 1981
The unofficial biker anthem “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf is certified Gold: September 19, 1968
CCR gets UK # 1 single with “Bad Moon Rising”: September 19, 1969
Diana Ross’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” hits #1: September 19, 1970
David Bowie’s “Fame” hits #1: September 20, 1975
The Who’s LP Who Are You is certified gold: September 20, 1978
Jimi Hendrix, “All Along the Watchtower” was released: September 21, 1968
“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love” by Barry White hits number 1: September 21, 1974
Nirvana releases their album “In Utero”: September 21, 1993
The Band’s the Band was released: September 22, 1969
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
The Beatles topped the Melody Maker fan poll of the top rock acts every single year for 8 straight years in the mid to late 1960’s. However, in 1970, they were knocked from the top spot by none other than Led Zeppelin. Blues-rock, hard rock, and future heavy metal fans rejoiced: September 16, 1970
Bob Dylan becomes the oldest person to top Billboard charts when his album Modern Times releases when he was 65: September 16, 2006
The Doors appear on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show. Not wanting to offend their viewers, the network asks The Doors to change one of their lyrics from “Girl we couldn’t get much higher” to something more sanitary in their hit song “Light My Fire”. Jim Morrison agrees to the lyric change. Then, he goes and sings the original offending line anyway. They are banned from the show for life: September 17, 1967
The Who perform “My Generation
The Who perform “My Generation” on the CBS-TV show the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Ever the prankster, Keith Moon enlists a stagehand to help him rig his drum kit to explode at the end of the performance. The stagehand was a little overzealous in the number of fireworks that he decided to use. The resulting explosion injured Keith Moon’s leg and caused Pete Townshend to suffer permanent hearing loss. It’s all fun and games ‘til someone loses an ear, Keith: September 17, 1967
Switzerland’s Montreux music festival, previously dedicated to classical music, is “crashed” by a rock band – Pink Floyd: September 18, 1971
The Door’s greatest hits album reaches platinum status more than 10 years after their singer Jim Morrison’s death: September 18, 1981
KISS appears for the first time ever publicly without their iconic makeup. The occasion was a promotional event on MTV for KISS’ new album Lick It Up: September 18, 1983
Frank Zappa, John Denver and Dee Snider of Twisted Sister testify at a Senate hearing where the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) argue for a ratings system on music. The musicians explain that this is censorship, but the PMRC wins a victory and warning labels are ordered on albums containing explicit lyrics.
Great jazz guitarist George Benson receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: September 19, 1996
The Roxy club in Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip opens. The inaugural act is Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Hey hey, my my, the Roxy club will never die September 20, 1973
The first ARMS (Action into Research for Multiple Sclerosis) concert is held in London. The show is a benefit for former Faces guitarist Ronnie Lane, who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The impressive lineup included Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Charlie Watts, John Paul Jones and Kenney Jones: September 20, 1983
Janis Joplin announces her upcoming split from her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. While she would go on to make incredible music without them, many people have felt that Big Brother was Joplin’s best backing band: September 21, 1968
America – A Tribute to Heroes
America: A Tribute to Heroes is a benefit concert that airs on television with the mission of raising funds for victims of 9/11. Included in the concert were performances by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon: September 21, 2001
Bob Dylan makes his Carnegie Hall debut. He’s part of an all-star folk concert: September 22, 1962
The Great Society, a band featuring vocalist Grace Slick of future Jefferson Airplane fame, play their first show at a venue called The Coffee Gallery in San Francisco: September 22, 1965
David Bowie debuts his Ziggy Stardust tour in America with a show in Cleveland: September 22, 1972
Geffen Records is created on September 22,1980. Most importantly, they have several popular bands on their roster including Nirvana, Guns N Roses, Aerosmith and many more!
The first Farm Aid concert is created in Champaign, IL. It features performances by organizers Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Billy Joel, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison. Most importantly, $7 million is raised for struggling American family farmers. Furthermore, the benefit concert is held every year since. – September 22, 1985
That’s all for This Week in Rock History! Be sure to check back next week for the latest Rock history tidbits!