Classic Pop, Rock & Country Music News by Steve Smith: MARCH 12: HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY, JAMES TAYLOR!

This week, my column, "CLASSIC POP, ROCK & COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS," looks at The Beatles coming to a theater near you; Billy Wyman re-joining The Rolling Stones; early 60s teen idol Bobby Vee; Universal Jazz Day; and former Pink Floyd leader Roger Waters.
Also Bob Dylan; Country legend George Jones; Journey & its former singer Steve Perry; Kenny Rogers; Gregg Allman; British Invasion legends The Zombies; Levon Helm & The Band; Yanni; Tom Jones; Brian McKnight; Liza Minnelli; Shelby Lynne; The Beach Boys; soul singers Brenton Wood and former Impressions lead singer Jerry Butler - and more!
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_20543051/steve-smith-beatles-at-movies

Monday, March 12, 2012

MARCH 12: HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY, JAMES TAYLOR!

The pop & folk balladeer began playing coffeehouses on Martha's Vineyard with guitarist Danny Kortchmar back in '63.

In 1968, he became the first non-Brit signed to The Beatles' Apple Records (by Apple staffer Peter Asher, formerly of Peter & Gordon; and Paul McCartney).

His self-titled debut LP was released in December '68 in Britain & in February '69 here. It contained the Taylor fan fave, "Something in the Way She Moves" and the first version of one of his all-time classics, "CAROLINA ON MY MIND."

This livelier first version of "CAROLINA" featured McCartney on bass & Paul, George Harrison & Asher, who produced the album & played tambourine, all singing backup vocals.

Here is that original version. I prefer it 100-to-1 over the slower 1976 version Taylor recorded for his Warner Bros. "Greatest Hits" album. It's my favorite James Taylor song.

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ON THIS DATE: MARCH 16

1968: The posthumously-released Otis Redding single “Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay,” started a 5-week run at #1 (it hit #3 the UK). Otis was killed in a plane crash on December 10, 1967, only three days after recording the song.

1970: Motown singer Tammi Terrell died of a brain tumor at 24 after collapsing onstage on October 14, 1967 into Marvin Gaye's arms during a concert in Hampton, Virginia.

Initially Terrell recorded solo, but from 1967 onwards she recorded a series of duets with Marvin, including “Your Precious Love,” that hit #5 in 1967, the 1968 hit, ‘Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing’. Marvin reacted to her death by taking a four year hiatus from concert performance and went into self-isolation.

1971: Simon and Garfunkel were the big winners at the Grammy Awards including Record of the year, Song of the year and Album of the Year for “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The Carpenters won Best New Act and Best vocal performance.

1977: After being with the label for just six days The Sex Pistols were fired from A&M due to pressure from other label artists. 25,000 copies of “God Save The Queen” were pressed and the band made $127,500 from the deal.

1991: Seven members of Reba McEntire's band and her road manager were among 10 people who were killed when their private jet crashed in California just north of the Mexican border. Reba, who had given a private concert in San Diego for IBM employees the night before, was not on the plane.

2010: Abba, Genesis and The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Happy Birthday

Jerry Jeff Walker, 70, country singer-songwriter, wrote “Mr. Bojangles, a #9 hit for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1971.

Michael Bruce, 65, guitarist for the original Alice Cooper Band.

Ray Benson, 60, leader of the cowboy swing band Asleep at the Wheel.

Nancy Wilson, 58, guitarist & singer (mostly backups) for Heart

ON THIS DATE: MARCH 15

1969: Cream started a two-week run at #1 in the UK with their farewell album “Goodbye.”

Also in 1969: Tommy Roe began a 4-week run at #1 on the US Singles chart with “Dizzy,” that also hit #1 in the UK.

1973: Roberta Flack had the #1 single with “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” while Elton John had the #1 album with “Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player.”

1975: Led Zeppelin went to #1 on the UK chart with the 2-LP, “Physical Graffiti,” the first on their own Swan Song record label. The album also spent 6 weeks at #1 on the US chart.

Also in 1975: Olivia Newton-John went to #1 on the Album chart with “Have You Ever Been Mellow,” the singers 2nd #1 LP; while The Doobie Brothers had the #1 single, “Black Water,” the group's first of two #1 singles.

Happy Birthday

Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins, blues singer & guitarist, born in 1912, died in 1982 at age 70.

Arif Mardin, produced albums by Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Wilson Pickett, Average White Band, The Bee Gees, & Barbra Streisand. Born 1932, died in 2006 at 74.

Phil Lesh, 72, bassist for The Grateful Dead.

Sly Stone, 68, former leader of Sly &The Family Stone.

Ry Cooder, 65, guitarist

ON THIS DATE: MARCH 14

1991: Songwriter Doc Pomus died at 65. He & Mort Shuman wrote many early 60's hits including, “A Teenager in Love” for Dion & The Belmonts, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me” for Ben E. King & The Drifters, “Can't Get Used to Losing You” for Andy Williams, and “Viva Las Vegas” for Elvis. Pomus was a member of the Songwriters and the Blues and also the Rock & Roll Halls of Fame.

1998: Celine Dion returned to #1 on the UK Singles chart with “My Heart Will Go On,” from “Titanic.” The single sold more than 15 million copies worldwide and was also #1 in the US & 15 other countries.

The song won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Original Song. It overwhelmed the 1999 Grammys, winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture of Television.

Happy Birthday

Producer-arranger Quincy Jones, 79. Produced Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” that has sold more than 110 million copies worldwide, and the “We Are the World” charity single that hit #1 in more than 10 countries, including the US & UK, and sold more than 10 million copies. He wrote acclaimed scores to such films as “In the Heat of the Night” & to TV series, including “Ironside.”He also arranged & conducted on several Frank Sinatra albums from 1958-84.

Jim Pons, 68, founding bassist for The Leaves in 1963, who recorded their hit version of “Hey Joe,” in 1965. He then joined The Turtles, remaining with them til their end in 1979, when he & Turtles singer Flo & Eddie joined Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Pons retired from music in 1973 to serve as video/film director for the NY Jets, a job he held until hi s retirement in 2000. He came out of retirement in 2006 to handle game-day video for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

Les Baxter, composer-conductor who hit #1 in 1955 with “The Poor People of Paris” leading The Lex Baxter Orchestra.” In the ‘60s & ‘70s, he wrote & conducted dozens of scores for American International, including Director Roger Corman’s Edgar Allen Poe horror films starring Vincent Price and the Frankie & Annette beach epics. Baxter died in 1996 at 73.

ON THIS DATE: MARCH 13

1964: Billboard reported that sales of Beatles 45s accounted for 60% of the total US singles sold; and the album, "Meet The Beatles" had sold a then-record 3.5 million copies.

1975: Country stars Tammy Wynette and George Jones divorced after six years of marriage & several hits as a recording duo.

1999: Cher began a 4-week run at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a major comeback smash, "Believe," making her, at 53, the oldest woman to top the Hot 100.

2006: The Kinks were the top earners for music used in TV adverts in the US, earning them approx. $10 million a year. The British Invasion legends enjoyed a resurgence with their music being used to sell washing powder, computers and medicines. Led Zeppelin came in 2nd place with approx. $7 million and The Rolling Stones were 3rd at approx. $4 million.

Happy Birthday

Mike Stoller, 79, with Jerry Leiber, they composed & produced dozens of Top 40 hits, many with Elvis, The Drifters & especially The Coasters.

Singer-Songwriter Neil Sedaka, 73, hit #1 in 1962 with his "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" & again in 1975 with another of his compositions, "Laughter in the Rain."

Adam Clayton, 52, U2 bassist

ON THIS DATE: MARCH 12

1955: Bebop jazz sax-man and composer Charlie "Bird" Parker, known for such classics as "Billie's Bounce" & "Ornithology," died of a heart attack in NYC at 34 while watching The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on television. Probably because of years of heavy drug (heroin) & alcohol abuse, the coroner who performed his autopsy estimated Parker to be between 50-60 years of age.

1968: At Olympic Studios in London, The Rolling Stones began recording their next single "Jumpin' Jack Flash" with its new producer, Jimmy Miller, whose initial notoriety came via producing The Spencer Davis Group.

Keith Richards said that he and Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at his country house. They were awakened one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Mick asked what the noise was, Keith replied, "Oh, that's Jack - that's jumpin' Jack."

1971: The Allman Brothers Band played the first of 2 nights at the Fillmore East in NYC. Both show's were recorded and released as The Allman Brothers live 2-LP that went platinum, hitting #13 on the Billboard Album chart, and was ranked #49 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

2001: Judy Garland's "Over The Rainbow," from "The Wizard of Oz" (1939), was voted the Song Of The Century in a US poll of musicians, critics and fans compiled by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction") by The Stones was #16, and The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was #28.

Birthdays

Leonard Chess, co-founder (w/ brother Phil) of Chess Records in Chicago, recording home to Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, The Moonglows, Larry Williams, Little Walter, The Flamingos & many others. Chess died in 1969 at 52.

Liza Minelli, 66

Marlon Jackson, 55

ON THIS DATE: MARCH 11

1965: Tom Jones hit #1 on the UK Singles chart with "It's Not Unusual." It was the first of 16 Top 40 hits there during the '60s for the Welsh singer.

1967: The Supremes registered their 9th #1 45 with "Love Is Here And Now Your Gone."

1968: Otis Redding's single, "Dock Of The Bay," was certified as a gold record 3 months after he was killed in a plane crash.

1969: After 25 years together, one of the most successful bluegrass artists ever, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs broke up. The met in 1946 as member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys & were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985.

Their biggest hits were the theme to "The Beverly Hillbillies," that hit #1 on the Country Singles chart in 1963; and Scruggs' "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," that they originally recorded in 1949 but became a hit when it was featured in "Bonnie & Clyde," the 1967 film that starred Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway.

1972: Neil Young hit #1 on the US & UK Album charts with his 4th solo LP, "Harvest," that featured the #1 45, "Heart Of Gold." "Harvest" was the top selling album of the year.

ON THIS DATE: MARCH 10

1956: RCA Records 1/2-page ad in Billboard Magazine claims Elvis is "the new singing rage."

1964: Simon & Garfunkel record "The Sounds Of Silence" as an acoustic duo. Columbia Records producers later a band without S&G's knowledge. That version became a smash in late 1965.

1967: "More of The Monkees" was the #1 album.

1973: Pink Floyd released its 8th studio LP, "Dark Side Of The Moon." It remained on the US album charts for more than 1,500 discontinuous weeks from 1973 to 2006, longer than any LP in history. Worldwide sales: 50 million copies.

1979: James Brown played the Grand Ole Opry.

BIRTHDAYS
Tom Scholz, 65, leader-guitarist of Boston

Jeff Ament, 49, Pearl Jam bassist

Edie Brickell, 46, singer for The New Bohemians (Mrs. Paul Simon)

Monday, March 12, 2012

MARCH 12: HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY, JAMES TAYLOR!

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