December 31

Guess who has a birthday? 

Burton Cummings joined The GUESS WHO and was with the band from 1965 to 1975. 

Check out "These Eyes" and brush up on your español.

  

John and Michelle Phillips married on New Year's Eve, 1962- it lasted 7 years. 

The Pendletones changed their name and first performed as The BEACH BOYS 12/31/1961.

The latest movie at theaters New Year's Eve 1960 was about the Easter Break craze.

New Year's Rockin' Eve won't be the same this year.

Dick Clark (1929-2012)

December 30

MONKEES Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones were both born December 30th.



Maybe the biggest Michigan-born star of the 60's not with Motown, DEL SHANNON was born 12/30/1934 in Grand Rapids.

His biggest hit was written while playing a show at the Hi-Lo Club in Battle Creek.

Noel Stooky was the "Paul" in PETER, PAUL & MARY.

Mary Frances Penick (12/30/1931–9/19/ 2004) was better known as SKEETER DAVIS.

Although the Mayans got it wrong in 2012, Skeeter got this song right.

December 29

Marianne + Mick

The beautiful Marianne Faithfull was born in London, December 29, 1946.  She would become more famous for her personal life that her career accomplishments.  If you ask Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton, she was way ahead of her time

December 28

Long before texting, The BOX TOPS very first hit went to #1.

Alex Chilton (December 28, 1950 – March 17, 2010) was just 16 and looks like a surly teenager in this video.

Alex would go on to found the band BIG STAR which, although largely unsuccessful was a major influence on other musicians.

Did you know Dennis Wilson was the only Beach Boy that actually surfed?

Ironically he drowned on December 28, 1983.

Enjoy a great video from JOHNNY OTIS (December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012) 

after these messages.

December 27

Legendary guitarist SCOTTY MOORE is 81 today. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer played with ELVIS PRESLEY in his early days and sits at his left in this performance from the '68 comeback special.

Mike Pinder (born 27 December 1941) not only was a co-founder of the MOODY BLUES, he also introduced his friend JOHN LENNON to the mellotron. 

You can hear it on "Strawberry Fields Forever".







Do you remember this song?

Walter Scott, the lead singer, was shot to death by his wife on December 27, 1983; interestign considering the subject matter of the hit song.

What makes this story even more strange is that his body was not found for 3 years! 

December 26

 

The British Invasion began on 12/26/1963.

 

Duke Fakir, the only surviving member of The FOUR TOPS is 77 today.








“For us it was EASY! It was all down to those four letters - L.O.V.E.! We loved the people we entertained, and we loved everything about the way we did things together! You know, everyone in the group had a particular role, or roles, to play that we all played very well... And that’s genuinely the reason why we stayed TOGETHER! Because we loved everything we did together, and everything we did for other PEOPLE!”

In 1970, GEORGE HARRISON hit #1 for the first time as a solo artist.

December 25

#timeless

December 24

Are you working on Christmas Eve?

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Born in New Orleans 12/24/1924, LEE DORSEY passed away in 1986.

The FOUR SEASONS' Nick Massi (left) died on Christmas Eve 2000.  Nick played bass guitar with the band until 1965 and did the vocal arrangements.

December 23

Let the record show that Gene would've been 72 today.  Check out this Q & A with the CHI-LITES:

Pete Quaife (31 December 1943 – 23 June 2010) started a group called The Ravens in 1963 with brothers Ray and Dave Davies.



You may remember them better as The KINKS.

December 22

Remembering the Gibb twins: Robin and Maurice, born 22 December 1949.

Barry was the star at the height of their success during the disco years in the 70's but Maurice sang on many of the BEE GEES early hits.

Maurice died in 2003 and Robin passed away last year..

December 21

 

Remembering CARL WILSON (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998)

12/20/1970:  ELVIS PERSLEY met with President Richard Nixon at The White House to volunteer his services in fighting the war on drugs. 

Elvis gave Nixon a chrome-plated colt .45 gun & Presley also received a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge.

I hope she gets lots of presents; BETTY WRIGHT is 59 today.

He was not Paul,nor was she Paula.

Ray Hildebrand is 72 today- you just have to call a little louder for is attention.

December 20

BOBBY DARIN died at just 37 years old on December 20 1973, following heart surgery.

WILSON PICKETT gave us the number for Soulsville U.S.A. in a recording session 12/20/1965.

John, Tom, Doug & Stu peaked at #3 December, 1969 with their song about Willie & the Po' Boys.

December 19

 

At 68, I'd bet ALVIN LEE would still like to change the world.  In this clip he talks about his biggest hit which could also be seen as a New Year's Resolution.

Those who said "that'll be the day" were proven wrong when Lubock, Texas named a street after it's favorite son on December 19, 1996.

"Zal & Denny, workin' for a penny, tryin' to get a fish on the line."

Zalman "Zal" Yanovsky (December 19, 1944 – December 13, 2002)

December 18

 

 KEITH RICHARDS
9 December 1943

Happy Birthday, Keef!

Chas Chandler (18 December 1938 — 17 July 1996) played bass in The ANIMALS.

After the group disbanded, Chas saw a young guitarist called Jimmy James play at a New York nightclub and signed as his manager and producer. 

December 17

The night of December 17, 1955 CARL PERKINS was having trouble sleeping so he got up and wrote some lyrics on a brown paper bag. 

You probably know The TEMPTATIONS (like many Motown artists) didn't write their own songs; Eddie Kendricks (b 12/17/1939) was featured on their first chart hit.

After a brief solo career, Eddie was back in the spotlight as he and David Ruffin turned in a great performance with HALL & OATES at The Apollo  in 1985.  The Temptations were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and Eddie died just 2 years later of lung cancer at just 52.

The RASPBERRIES' drummer Jim Bonafanti hits 64.

December 16

Playing lead guitar, from Nelson, weighing 140 pounds, born December 16, 1945- Tony Hicks!

Still touring and recording, Tony has been with The HOLLIES since 1963.

December 15

Young Dave Clark dropped out of school to become a stuntman and then started a band to raise money to buy uniforms for his football team.  After The DAVE CLARK FIVE rode the British Invasion to America the only stunt he did was knocking The BEATLES off the top of the charts.

We're not sure what year, but we do know that the day of Dave's birth is December 15.

She's a lady, so I won't tell you how old she is; Cindy Birdsong (b 12/15/1939) sang with PATTI LaBELLE and the BLUE BELLES before her stint in The SUPREMES from 1967-1970.

R.I.P. RUFUS THOMAS.

December 14

Nothing remarkable happened in Rock & Roll on December 14th, 

so I thought you might enjoy this video for the #1 song this week in 1957.

December 13

Big handshakes, big smiles and big hair as GEORGE HARRISON, BILLY PRESTON and the late RAVI SHANKAR visit the White House on December 13, 1974. 

President Ford's son Jack was a big fan. 

Come along if you can, and take a look at TED NUGENT (b 12/13/1948) during the Psychedelic 60's.

JIMI HENDRIX recorded "Foxy Lady" today in 1966.  Did anyone listen to that song before deciding to send him on the road as the opening act for The MONKEES the next year?

December 12

  

 

 

 

 

And now the end is near

And so I face the final curtain,

I’ll state my case of which I’m certain.

I’ve lived a life that’s full, I traveled each and ev’ry highway,

And more, much more than this. I did it my way. 

Francis Albert Sinatra
(December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998)







Although critical of rock & roll in the early days, Frank Sinatra certainly embodies its spirit.

 
Is this rock & roll?


MICK JAGGER (pictured with his father) was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace 10 December 2003. 

The always eloquent KEITH RICHARDS: "I told Mick it's a paltry honour ... It's not what the Stones is about, is it?"





In other Stones news, MICK TAYLOR left the band 12/12/1974 and will rejoin them later this week. 

December 11

December 10

Remembering OTIS REDDING  (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967)

Otis and three members of the Bar-Kays were killed when their plane crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.  The wreckage was recovered, including a piece of the fuselage bearing Otis' name.  I've seen it in Cleveland and it literally took my breath for a moment.

 

 

 

 

David Stuart Chadwick, better known as Chad Staurt was born in Windermere, Cumbria 10 December 1941.  He was the bespeckled half of the British-Invasion duo CHAD & JEREMY.

 

 

The band had almost as many guest appearnaces on TV shows as they had hit singles in the U.S.