1957: “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley was released. Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, it later became Presley’s ninth US #1, leading the singles chart for seven weeks starting in early November. In the UK, it became the first record to debut at #1, spending three weeks at the top early the following year. In America, the single also managed to top the country and R&B charts.

1964: Hermans Hermits went to #1 in the UK with their debut single, “I’m Into Something Good,” a song penned by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

1965: Decca Records released the Rolling Stones’ third British album, Out of Our Heads. The LP had been released by London Records with significant differences as the band’s fourth album in American at the end of July. The US version contained their first #1 hit in the States, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” and became the group’ first to top the Billboard pop chart.

1966: Jimi Hendrix arrived in London with his soon-to-be manager and former bassist for the Animals, Chas Chandler. Hendrix had little more than the shirt on his back after selling all his belongings to pay off his New York hotel bill. Shortly after arriving, Hendrix formally changed his name from James to Jimi and signed with Chandler. His new manager then began auditioning musicians to perform with Hendrix, ultimately finding bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, who accompanied the American guitarist as the Jimi Hendrix Experience. On the day of his arrival in the UK, Hendrix played his first show in London, a solo gig at a nightclub called The Scotch of St. James. After nine months of recording and touring in Britain, Hendrix returned to the US to play at the Monterey International Pop Festival in California.

1966: The Association had their second #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Cherish.” The song’s ending had been edited for the single version in an effort to keep the track under three minutes, since disc jockeys at the time refused to play anything that was much longer. Despite the initial edit, the record was still too long at 3:13, but instead of editing it further, producer Curt Boettcher simply listed its duration as 3:00 on the label.

1966: The Temptations began five weeks at #1 on the Billboard R&B chart with “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep.”

1967: Finishing up their Magical Mystery Tour movie, the Beatles filmed the closing dance number accompanied by the song “Your Mother Should Know.”

1967: Traffic made their live UK debut at the Saville Theatre in London.

1969: Laura Nyro released her third studio album, New York Tendaberry.

1970: “The Tears of a Clown” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles was released as a single three years after the released of the album it initially appeared on, Make It Happen. As a result of the chart-topping success of “Tears of Clown,” Make It Happen was reissued as Tears of a Clown in 1970.

1971: T. Rex released their sixth studio album, Electric Warrior. The album marked a shift away from the folk-oriented sound of the group’s previous albums toward pioneering a flamboyant pop rock style of music known as glam rock.

1973: Ringo Starr’s single, “Photograph,” was released. Co-written with former Beatles bandmate George Harrison, it is the only single officially credited to the pair. In addition to Starr and Harrison, musicians on the record include Nicky Hopkins, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, and Jack Nitzsche. In November, the song became Starr’s first #1 in the US.

1973: Roy Orbison released Milestones, his eighteenth studio album and last with MGM Records.

1978: Donna Summer released a disco version of the Jimmy Webb song “MacArthur Park” as the first single from her first live LP, Live and More. The song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Summer her first nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. In November, Summer became the first female artist of the modern era to have the #1 single and album simultaneously on the Billboard pop charts.

1979: The Eagles released their sixth studio album, The Long Run. It was the group’s final album with Asylum Records and first to feature bassist Timothy B. Schmit, who replaced founding member Randy Meisner.

1982: Prince released “1999,” the lead single and title track from his fifth studio album and first to feature his band the Revolution. The song reached #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its initial release and, after it was reissued in 1998, reached #12. Following Prince’s death in 2016, it once again re-entered the chart, peaking at #41, making it the fourth separate time the song had entered the Hot 100 and the third different decade in which the song re-charted.

1983: Billy Joel scored his second US #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Tell Her About It.” In the UK, it became his first top 10 single, reaching #4.

1983: Culture Club topped the UK singles chart for the second time with their international hit, “Karma Chameleon.” The song hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US the following February.

1983: UB40 had their first UK #1 album with their fourth studio LP, Labour of Love.

1984: David Bowie released his sixteenth studio album, Tonight.

1984: Depeche Mode released their fourth studio album, Some Great Reward.

1984: “No More Lonely Nights” by Paul McCartney was released. The lead single from McCartney’s fifth studio album and soundtrack to the film Give My Regards to Broad Street, the song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 in the UK.

1984: Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys performed their first live gig at a nightclub called the Fridge in Brixton.

1984: Julian Lennon released his debut single, “Too Late for Goodbyes,” from his first studio album, Valotte. The song reached #6 in the UK and #5 on the US pop charts.

1985: Diana Ross released her sixteenth studio album, Eaten Alive. Primarily written and produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, the album also includes a contribution from Michael Jackson who co-wrote and performed on the title track.

1988: The Hollies went to the top of the UK singles chart with the re-release of their 1969 single “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” after it had been featured in a television commercial.

1991: Red Hot Chili Peppers released their fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The album propelled the band into worldwide popularity and critical acclaim, however guitarist John Frusciante later quit mid-tour in 1992 due to his inability to cope with their newly-found superstardom. The LP reached #3 on the Billboard pop chart and is recognized as a significant influence on the increased popularity of alternative rock in the 1990s.

1991: John Prine released his tenth studio album, The Missing Years, which later won the 1992 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

1991: Little Feat released their tenth studio album, Shake Me Up. It was the group’s last album recorded with frontman Craig Fuller, their only album to feature no lead vocals from keyboardist Bill Payne, and their last album with cover art by Neon Park before his death in 1993.

1991: James Taylor released his thirteenth studio album, New Moon Shine.

1991: Thompson Twins released their eighth and final studio album, Queer.

1996: Sheryl Crow released her self-titled second studio album. Unlike her debut release, Tuesday Night Music Club, which was written with the help of several other musicians, Crow’s sophomore LP was produced alone with minimal songwriting collaboration.

1996: Frank Zappa’s sixty-fifth album, Läther, was posthumously released.

2002: Beck released his eighth studio album, Sea Change.

2002: Jackson Browne released his twelfth studio album, The Naked Ride Home.

2002: Steve Earle released his tenth studio album, Jerusalem.

2013: Gov’t Mule released their tenth studio album, Shout!. Released as a two CD set, the first consists of songs with Warren Haynes as vocalist while the other features the same songs, each with a different guest singers.

2013: And I’ll Scratch Yours, a compilation album developed by Peter Gabriel was released. The original concept behind the album was that it would serve as a companion piece to Gabriel’s 2010 covers album, Scratch My Back, in which the artists Gabriel covered would record covers of songs he had written. David Bowie, Neil Young, and Radiohead refused, however, so Brian Eno, Joseph Arthur, and Feist contributed instead.

Birthdays Today

“Blind Lemon” Jefferson, blues and gospel singer, songwriter, and musician who was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s and has been called the “Father of the Texas Blues,” was born in Coutchman, TX in 1893.

Carl Sigman, one of the most prominent and successful songwriters in American music history, was born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY in 1909.

Jack Costanzo, composer, conductor, and drummer known as “Mr. Bongo,” was born in Chicago, IL in 1919.

Anthony Newley, actor, singer, and songwriter, was born in London, England in 1931.

Mel Taylor, drummer for the Ventures from 1962-1973 and 1979-1996, was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1933.

Steve Douglas, saxophonist, flutist, and member of Los Angeles session group The Wrecking Crew who worked with Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, Mink DeVille, and Ry Cooder, and can be heard on records by Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Duane Eddy, and the Ramones, was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1938.

Linda McCartney, keyboardist for Wings and wife of Paul McCartney, was born Linda Louise Eastman in New York City in 1941.

Gerry Marsden, leader of the British Merseybeat band Gerry and the Pacemakers, was born in Toxteth, Liverpool, Lancashire, England in 1942.

Rosa Lee Hawkins, member of The Dixie Cups, was born in 1944.

Carson Van Osten, co-founder and bassist for the Nazz who had played with Todd Rundgren in his previous band, Woody’s Truck Stop, was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1945.

Jerry Donahue, guitarist, producer and member of Fotheringay, Fairport Convention, and The Hellecasters who has also recorded and toured with artists including Joan Armatrading, Gerry Rafferty, Robert Plant, Elton John, Warren Zevon, Bonnie Raitt, Roy Orbison, The Beach Boys, and The Yardbirds, was born in Manhattan, NY in 1946.