1960 - As the fifties morphed into the sixties, Tony Williams, principle singer for vocal group The Platters, left the band for a solo career on June 6, the same day and same year that a band called The Silver Beatles, along with another Liverpudlian group, Gerry and the Pacemakers, appeared at the Grosvenor Ballroom, Liscard, Lancashire, in England. Talk about old and new, it was also the day, June 6, in 1960, that music crooner legend Bing Crosby was presented with a platinum disc to commemorate his 200 millionth record sold. The sales figures were a combined total of 2,600 recorded singles and 125 albums. Crosby's global lifetime sales on 179 labels in 28 countries totaled 400 million records. This was also the year that a brand new singer named Roy Orbison released this stunning, self-penned song, which was his first hit - check out the clip, he's not wearing his standard image-making sun glasses.
1962 - It was June 6, 1962 when The Beatles first auditioned at Abbey Road for producer George Martin of EMI Records, the audition turning into the Beatles' first recording session. The group recorded four songs, one of which was Love Me Do, the four musicians receiving payments for the session of £7.10 ($12.07) each. Two years later, on June 6, and girl group The Dixie Cups started a three week run at #1 on American singles chart with Chapel Of Love; it made #22 in England, #1 in Australia and at least top 10 in most western countries. Here they are in 1989, 25 years after their hit, performing live on a TV show called Let's Rock Tonight, and hosted by sixties teen idol, Fabian...The Dixie Cups.
1968 - England's mad man of rock, Screaming Lord Sutch, appeared at the Freehold Hullabaloo in Freehold, New Jersey, today, June 6. Sutch was touring the East Coast of America in a old custom-painted Rolls Royce hearse. Support band was Jersey's The Castiles, with Bruce Springsteen on vocals - check out this gem, with Bruce and his '68 Beatles haircut, satin waist coat, and a bellow-sleeved puffy shirt.
1969 - It's still June 6, 42 years ago, and ex-Faces singer, Rod Stewart signed a solo recording contract with Mercury Records, while down the road at London's Olympia, and a year later on the same day, Syd Barrett played his first gig since leaving Pink Floyd, at the Extravaganza '70 event. He was joined on stage by Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. On this same day in 1970, over in USA, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young released one of the most poignant songs of the time, Teach Your Children. And it remains timelessly poignant still today.
1971 - He was America’s unofficial ambassador of entertainment, with a platform that reached millions of viewers every Sunday night. Ed Sullivan hosted the most democratic variety series in US television history - nay, world TV history. There was always something that appealed to both young and old age groups; to men and women; to families and singles. The Ed Sullivan Show was a mixture of popular American and global musical art, carefully stirred with commercials, and kept warm for an entire hour every Sunday night for 23 years. Amazingly, Sullivan himself chose the talent, and that was the secret of the show - the talent. Sullivan introduced USA - and much of the world - to Elvis Presley and The Beatles. This was the day, June 6, 40 years ago, The Ed Sullivan Show aired for the final time. It was cancelled after 23 years on the air. Gladys Knight and the Pips were the musical guests on this final show.
1971 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono appeared on stage for the first time since 1969 when they join Frank Zappa for a show at the Fillmore East. John & Yoko jammed live on stage with Frank Zappa at The Filmore East in New York. Just 12 months later, and the world was introduced to David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars when the album of the same name was released around the world. Here's a live performance, featuring the late Mick Ronson.
1977 - This was the day in '77 superstar genius Stevie Wonder delivered an unannounced lecture to a UCLA class which was studying the record industry. He also performed at the music lesson. Same year, and borderline heavy metal pop band, Queen, appeared at Earls Court in London, England. They really were on the border of heavy metal rock'n'roll all those years ago, as music was on the edge of the new punk movement.
1987 - It's 24 years ago, now, since Kim Wilde made all young teenage boys - and some not so teenaged - to experience crotch bulge as she went to #1 on world music charts with a remake of The Supremes' 1966 version of You Keep Me Hanging On. But the original song was written and performed by Vanilla Fudge, featuring the world's heavy metal drumming pioneer, Carmine Appice. Here's Kim's version, and the original Fudge version follows...go-go girls and all!!!
1987 - She may have fallen from grace for being a fragile human, but on this day in 1987, Whitney Houston was on top of the sane, sober world with her second #1 song, I Wanna Dance with Somebody. It reached #1 in over a dozen countries and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1988.
1990 - For some reason, on June 6, 21 years ago, an American Federal judge in Florida declared that 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be LP was obscene. Elvis was once declared obscene. The Beatles were once called obscene. The Rolling Stones were once considered obscene. Do you think 2 Live Crew is obscene?
1962 - It was June 6, 1962 when The Beatles first auditioned at Abbey Road for producer George Martin of EMI Records, the audition turning into the Beatles' first recording session. The group recorded four songs, one of which was Love Me Do, the four musicians receiving payments for the session of £7.10 ($12.07) each. Two years later, on June 6, and girl group The Dixie Cups started a three week run at #1 on American singles chart with Chapel Of Love; it made #22 in England, #1 in Australia and at least top 10 in most western countries. Here they are in 1989, 25 years after their hit, performing live on a TV show called Let's Rock Tonight, and hosted by sixties teen idol, Fabian...The Dixie Cups.
1968 - England's mad man of rock, Screaming Lord Sutch, appeared at the Freehold Hullabaloo in Freehold, New Jersey, today, June 6. Sutch was touring the East Coast of America in a old custom-painted Rolls Royce hearse. Support band was Jersey's The Castiles, with Bruce Springsteen on vocals - check out this gem, with Bruce and his '68 Beatles haircut, satin waist coat, and a bellow-sleeved puffy shirt.
1969 - It's still June 6, 42 years ago, and ex-Faces singer, Rod Stewart signed a solo recording contract with Mercury Records, while down the road at London's Olympia, and a year later on the same day, Syd Barrett played his first gig since leaving Pink Floyd, at the Extravaganza '70 event. He was joined on stage by Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. On this same day in 1970, over in USA, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young released one of the most poignant songs of the time, Teach Your Children. And it remains timelessly poignant still today.
1971 - He was America’s unofficial ambassador of entertainment, with a platform that reached millions of viewers every Sunday night. Ed Sullivan hosted the most democratic variety series in US television history - nay, world TV history. There was always something that appealed to both young and old age groups; to men and women; to families and singles. The Ed Sullivan Show was a mixture of popular American and global musical art, carefully stirred with commercials, and kept warm for an entire hour every Sunday night for 23 years. Amazingly, Sullivan himself chose the talent, and that was the secret of the show - the talent. Sullivan introduced USA - and much of the world - to Elvis Presley and The Beatles. This was the day, June 6, 40 years ago, The Ed Sullivan Show aired for the final time. It was cancelled after 23 years on the air. Gladys Knight and the Pips were the musical guests on this final show.
1971 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono appeared on stage for the first time since 1969 when they join Frank Zappa for a show at the Fillmore East. John & Yoko jammed live on stage with Frank Zappa at The Filmore East in New York. Just 12 months later, and the world was introduced to David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars when the album of the same name was released around the world. Here's a live performance, featuring the late Mick Ronson.
1977 - This was the day in '77 superstar genius Stevie Wonder delivered an unannounced lecture to a UCLA class which was studying the record industry. He also performed at the music lesson. Same year, and borderline heavy metal pop band, Queen, appeared at Earls Court in London, England. They really were on the border of heavy metal rock'n'roll all those years ago, as music was on the edge of the new punk movement.
1987 - It's 24 years ago, now, since Kim Wilde made all young teenage boys - and some not so teenaged - to experience crotch bulge as she went to #1 on world music charts with a remake of The Supremes' 1966 version of You Keep Me Hanging On. But the original song was written and performed by Vanilla Fudge, featuring the world's heavy metal drumming pioneer, Carmine Appice. Here's Kim's version, and the original Fudge version follows...go-go girls and all!!!
1987 - She may have fallen from grace for being a fragile human, but on this day in 1987, Whitney Houston was on top of the sane, sober world with her second #1 song, I Wanna Dance with Somebody. It reached #1 in over a dozen countries and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1988.
1990 - For some reason, on June 6, 21 years ago, an American Federal judge in Florida declared that 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be LP was obscene. Elvis was once declared obscene. The Beatles were once called obscene. The Rolling Stones were once considered obscene. Do you think 2 Live Crew is obscene?
