December 21, 1971 - MARTHA and the Vandellas disbanded today, following a career that tagged them as being among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963–1967. In contrast to other Motown groups such as The Supremes and The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas were known for a harder, R&B sound, typified by (Love Is Like a) Heat Wave, Nowhere to Run, Jimmy Mack, and their signature song, Dancing in the Street. During the group's nine-year run on the charts from 1963 to 1972, Martha and the Vandellas charted more than 26 hits and recorded in the styles of doo-wop, R&B, pop, blues, rock and soul. A total of 10 Vandellas songs reached the top ten of the Billboard R&B singles chart, including two R&B #1s. There were 12 of the Vandellas' songs that charted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, with six songs charting in the top ten, including Dancing in the Street, Heat Wave, Nowhere to Run and Jimmy Mack. Following is a video tribute, including one of their final TV performances of the song, Bless You. Martha and the Vandellas ranked #96 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
1996 - TONY Bennett was rushed to a hospital for an emergency operation for an erupted hernia, today. Bennett was just arriving at the White House for a holiday dinner with American President and Mrs. Clinton when he fell ill. He is the last of the real crooning greats, his ability to remain at the top of his genre a tribute to his style and singing voice. He has always been considered as a smooth operator, many female singers wanting to join him in song. Following is a tribute to the great Tony Bennett, and musical duets he has performed with Judy Garland, Christina Aguilera, Lady Ga Ga, and Amy Winehouse.
1955 - LAVERNE Baker, was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were Tweedlee Dee (1955), Jim Dandy (1956), and I Cried a Tear (1958). She was reportedly a fiery performer with a brilliant voice, as you can hear yourself in this version of her hit, Jim Dandy, which she recorded 55 years ago, today. Here she is performing the song, live, on Milt Grant's Record Hop - a video gem.
1960 - ELVIS Presley, in an outrageous publicity stunt, was inducted into the Los Angeles Indian Tribal Council today, just happening to coincide with the opening with his movie Flaming Star, and here's the original trailer from the movie.
1967 - ROLLING Stones album, Their Satanic Majesties Request was released today, and from 20 years ago, live in Barcelona, here's Mick pretending to do Tai Chi as the band rocks on with one of the Stones' best ever songs.
1968 - GLEN Campbell topped the US album chart with Wichita Lineman today, a song that has become a bona fide classic. Although the LP would stay on the chart for 46 weeks, it was be the multi-talented Campbell's only #1 album.
1968 - CROSBY, Stills and Nash performed together in public for the first time, tonight, and this was also the year that Janis Joplin gave her very first solo performance in Memphis, Tennessee. A month later on the same night - it was a Sunday night - and Diana Ross gave her last performance as a member of the Supremes on The Ed Sullivan Show. This was complete outrage to millions of Supremes fans all over the world, and I think a tiny little bit of that resentment became a stain on Diana Ross for the rest of her career, despite her overwhelming success throughout the ensuing years. Let's go back to the best of the Supremes on Ed Sullivan, and Ms. Ross's final performance as a Supreme, 43 years ago.
1996 - TONY Bennett was rushed to a hospital for an emergency operation for an erupted hernia, today. Bennett was just arriving at the White House for a holiday dinner with American President and Mrs. Clinton when he fell ill. He is the last of the real crooning greats, his ability to remain at the top of his genre a tribute to his style and singing voice. He has always been considered as a smooth operator, many female singers wanting to join him in song. Following is a tribute to the great Tony Bennett, and musical duets he has performed with Judy Garland, Christina Aguilera, Lady Ga Ga, and Amy Winehouse.
1955 - LAVERNE Baker, was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were Tweedlee Dee (1955), Jim Dandy (1956), and I Cried a Tear (1958). She was reportedly a fiery performer with a brilliant voice, as you can hear yourself in this version of her hit, Jim Dandy, which she recorded 55 years ago, today. Here she is performing the song, live, on Milt Grant's Record Hop - a video gem.
1960 - ELVIS Presley, in an outrageous publicity stunt, was inducted into the Los Angeles Indian Tribal Council today, just happening to coincide with the opening with his movie Flaming Star, and here's the original trailer from the movie.
1967 - ROLLING Stones album, Their Satanic Majesties Request was released today, and from 20 years ago, live in Barcelona, here's Mick pretending to do Tai Chi as the band rocks on with one of the Stones' best ever songs.
1968 - GLEN Campbell topped the US album chart with Wichita Lineman today, a song that has become a bona fide classic. Although the LP would stay on the chart for 46 weeks, it was be the multi-talented Campbell's only #1 album.
1968 - CROSBY, Stills and Nash performed together in public for the first time, tonight, and this was also the year that Janis Joplin gave her very first solo performance in Memphis, Tennessee. A month later on the same night - it was a Sunday night - and Diana Ross gave her last performance as a member of the Supremes on The Ed Sullivan Show. This was complete outrage to millions of Supremes fans all over the world, and I think a tiny little bit of that resentment became a stain on Diana Ross for the rest of her career, despite her overwhelming success throughout the ensuing years. Let's go back to the best of the Supremes on Ed Sullivan, and Ms. Ross's final performance as a Supreme, 43 years ago.
