1962 - The first of many tragedies hit Jerry Lee Lewis today in 1962 when his 3-year-old son drowned, and in 1973 his 19-year-old son, Jerry Lee Lewis junior was killed when he overturned the jeep he was driving. In 1966, April 22, the classic rock song Wild Thing was released in the USA by British band the Troggs, then later around the world. The Troggs formed in 1964, and this was their most famous hit, written by band member Chip Taylor. It later reached #2 and #1 in music charts around the world, from USA to UK, Sweden to Australia, and everywhere in between - it was a world wide smash hit anthem. Its combination of a simple heavy guitar riff and double entendre lyrics helped it to quickly become a garage rock standard. It was recorded in one complete take (take two) at Olympic Studios in London, with Keith Grant engineering. The band's success in the US was limited by not touring there until 1968. Following are three versions; the first and the original from The Troggs; the second from Jimi Hendrix; The third version from Cold Chisel.
1968 - This was the day that Herb Alpert debuted This Guy's in Love With You - classic song, a master of his craft. Then there is this version from Faith No More...and why not have a version from the master himself...just to make a circle, dear reader.
1969 - John Lennon legally changed his middle name from Winston to Ono, 42 years ago, and on the same day, same year, The Carpenters signed with A&M Records, soon to be owned by the aforementioned Herb Alpert. The Who gave their first complete live performance of the rock opera Tommy at a show in Dolton, England, and five years later, same day in 1974, Tina Turner started filming in the role of Acid Queen in the movie version of the musical. Dear reader, this is a must-see video...watch Tina, the acid queen, push blind Roger Daltrey into the netherworld.
1976 - This was the day soul-singing Johnnie Taylor's Disco Lady became the first certified platinum single, - that's two million copies - as awarded by America's RIAA. Same day, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd were preparing for their first appearance as The Blues Brothers on that night' NBC's Saturday Night Live. Sorry, couldn't find footage of this event. Two years later, same day in 1978, and Bob Marley and the Wailers performed at the One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica. It was Marley's first public appearance in Jamaica since being wounded in an assassination attempt 18 months earlier. The One Love Peace Concert was a large concert held on April 22, 1978, at The National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. The concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties, the Jamaican Labour Party and the People's National Party. The concert came to its peak when Bob Marley & The Wailers performed Jammin'; then Marley joined the hands of political rivals Michael Manley (PNP) and Edward Seaga (JLP). He was no lightweight, Bob Marley, that was 36 years ago. Here's a mini-doco on Marley's political achievements for his country
1981 - The great guitar hero Eric Clapton was hospitalized after he suffered bruised ribs and a lacerated chin in a car accident in Seattle, USA, and four years after this event, again on the same day, Prince released the album Around The World In a Day" It was his first release after Purple Rain.
1989 - Guns N' Roses released Patience. Here's Axl whistling like a canary and slow-dancing, perfectly, like a go-go girl.
1998 - It is difficult to think that it is now 13 years since Faith No More announced they were breaking up.
Spotlight on Glen Campbell
This was the day in 1936 when Grammy, Dove Award-winning and two time Golden Globe-nominated American country-pop singer, guitarist and occasional actor, Glen Campbell was born in Delight, Arkansas. Campbell's career has been versatile, to say the least. He is, perhaps, best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a television variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television. Campbell's hits include John Hartford's Gentle on My Mind, Jimmy Webb's By the Time I Get to Phoenix and Wichita Lineman, plus Allen Toussaint's Southern Nights and Larry Weiss's Rhinestone Cowboy. Campbell made history by winning a Grammy in both country and pop categories in 1967: Gentle on My Mind snatched the country honors, while By the Time I Get to Phoenix won in pop. He has been awarded Male Vocalist of the Year from both the CMA and the ACM, and was also given CMA's top honor as Entertainer of the Year.
During his 50 years in show business, Campbell has released more than 70 albums. He has sold 45 million records and racked up 12 RIAA Gold albums, 4 Platinum albums and 1 Double-Platinum album. Of his 75 trips up the charts, 27 landed in the Top 10. Glen Campbell was hand-picked by actor John Wayne to play alongside him in the 1969 film True Grit, which gave Campbell a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer, and gave Wayne his only Academy Award. Campbell sang the title track, had a hit with it, and was nominated for an Academy Award for it. He performed it live at that year's Academy Awards Show. Check out the original True Grit, starring, amongst others, Glen Campbell.
But that is only part of Campbell's extraordinary career. He was in great demand as a session musician in the 1960s, and part of the famous studio musicians clique known as "The Wrecking Crew," many of whom went from session to session together as the same group. This made Campbell a genuine rock'n'roll pioneer. In addition to Campbell, there was Hal Blaine on drums, Leon Russell on piano, Carol Kaye on bass guitar, and Al Casey on guitar, all part of this elite group of session musicians that defined many pop and rock recordings of the era. They were also heard on Phil Spector's so-called "Wall of Sound" recordings in the early 1960s. Campbell is heard on some of the biggest-selling records of the era by such artists as Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, The Kingston Trio, Merle Haggard, The Monkees, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Troggs, Frankie Laine, The Association, Jan & Dean, and The Mamas & the Papas. He was also a touring member of The Beach Boys, filling in for Brian Wilson in 1964 and 1965. He played guitar on the group's Pet Sounds album, and on tour, played bass guitar and sang falsetto harmonies. Other classics featuring his guitar playing include: Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin by The Righteous Brothers, and I'm a Believer by The Monkees, where you can here 'that' guitar riff right up front from jump street...like this...God bless Glen Campbell.
