BORN THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Tampa Red: January 8, 1904. (Blues Musician: guitar, singer, kazoo)
Elvis Presley: January 8, 1935. (The King of Rock and Roll)
Robby Krieger: January 8, 1946. (guitar, The Doors)
David Bowie: January 8, 1947. (Rock Singer-Songwriter: keyboards and guitar)
Jimmy Page: January 9, 1944. (guitar, Led Zeppelin)
Dave Matthews: January 9, 1967
Jim Croce: January 10, 1943 (Folk Rock singer/songwriter)
Rod Stewart: January 10, 1945
Donald Fagen: January 10, 1948 (singer/keyboardist, Steely Dan)
Pat Benatar: January 10, 1953 (Rock singer)
Katie Webster: January 11, 1936. (Blues and Soul musician: keyboards)
Mississippi Fred McDowell: January 12, 1904. (Blues Musicians: guitar & vocals)
Long John Baldry: January 12, 1941. (Blues vocalist)
Died THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Howlin’ Wolf: January 10, 1910. (Blues Vocalist & Guitarist)
David Bowie: January 10, 2016
Spencer Dryden: January 11, 2005. (drums, Jefferson Airplane)
MUSIC RELEASES AND TOP OF THE CHARTS…
The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” hit the top of the charts on January 8, 1966.
“Rubber Soul” by the Beatles hits number 1, the seventh top album for them: January 8, 1966
“Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” is released: January 8, 1968
David Bowie’s last album “Black Star” is released two days before his death: January 8, 2016
“The Joker” by Steve Miller reaches number 1: January 12, 1974
Muddy Waters 12th studio album Hard Again is released on January 10, 1977.
Muddy Waters’ “I’m Ready” is released on January 10, 1978.
Nirvana’s “Nevermind” becomes number 1: January 11, 1992
“Strange Days” by the Doors is certified gold: January 12, 1968
Led Zeppelin 1 is released in the US: January 12, 1969
The Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” hit #1 on January 12, 1974.
Joe Walsh’s “So What” is certified Gold: January 14, 1975
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac hits #1: January 14, 1978
This Week in Rock History:
Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath by the end of 1977 because of irreconcilable differences, prompting the band to get Dave Walker (Fleetwood Mac) to replace him on vocals. Dave Walker did his one and only performance with Black Sabbath on January 8, 1978, and soon after Ozzy rejoined the band.
Charlie Watts met the Rolling Stones gang in 1962 and joined the lineup on January 9, 1963 to be its drummer, role he has kept up to this day.
The Rolling Stones’ performance in Japan on January 9, 1973 gets cancelled because of legal issues caused by Mick Jagger’s drug abuse from previous years. He almost gets banned from Australia as well.
Jimi Hendrix records his famous tune “Purple Haze”
Queen, Iron Maiden and Whitesnake play on Day 1 of the first Rock In Rio festival.: January 11, 1985
Berry Gordy Jr. founded the American record company Tamla Records on January 12, 1959 in Detroit, Michigan with the help of an $800 loan from his family. A bit over a year later he changes the name to Motown Records.
Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” is certified Gold on January 10, 1968, and “See Saw” is certified Gold on January 13, 1969.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebrated its induction ceremonies for the years of 1993, 1995, and 1998 on January 12. The inductees were Cream, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Etta James, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Ruth Brown, The Doors, Van Morrison, Sly and the Family Stone, Dick Clark, Milt Gabler, and Dinah Washington in 1993; Neil Young, The Allman Brothers Band, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Al Green, Frank Zappa, Martha and the Vandellas, The Orioles, and Paul Ackerman in 1995; and The Eagles, Santana, Fleetwood Mac, Gene Vincent, The Mamas and the Papas, Lloyd Price, Allen Toussaint, and Jelly Roll Morton in 1998.
Patrick Ortiz
