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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

September 26th

September 26th Birthday, Bassist George Chambers of The Chambers Brothers, born in 1931 in Carthage, Mississippi. He passed away on October 19th, 2019 at the age of 88.

September 26th Birthday, Colosseum, John Mayall, Graham Bond Organization saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, born in 1934 in Ludlow, Shropshire, England. He died on December 17th, 2004 at the age of 70.

September 26th Birthday, A founding member of The Youngbloods, drummer Joe Bauer, born in 1941 in Memphis, Tennessee.

September 26th Birthday, Roxy Music singer, songwriter and solo artist Bryan Ferry, born in 1945 in Washington, County Durham, England.

September 26th Birthday, Singer Olivia Newton-John, born in 1948 in Cambridge, England. She passed away at the age of 73 on August 8th, 2022 after battling cancer for many years.

September 26th Birthday, Drummer Stuart Tosh, born Stuart MacIntosh, from the Alan Parsons Project, 10cc, Camel and Pilot, born in 1948 in Aberdeen, Scotland.

September 26th Birthday, Bassist Tony Sales, who worked with David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Todd Rundgren and others, born in Detroit, Michigan in 1951.

September 26th Birthday, Singer, guitarist and founder of Los Lobos, Cesar Rosas, born in 1954 in Hermosillo, Mexico.

September 26th Birthday, Jefferson Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico (Cha KEE Sow) born in 1954 in Sacramento, California.

September 26th Birthday, Singer Carlene Carter, born in 1955 in Gallatin, Tennessee.

September 26th Birthday, Blind Melon singer Shannon Hoon, born in 1967 in Lafayette, Indiana. He passed away on October 21st, 1995 at the age of 28.

Today In Rock and Roll History

September 26th

September 26th, 1958 Chuck Berry records four tracks at Ter-Mar Studio in Chicago, Illinois. “Sweet Little Rock And Roller,” “Anthony Boy,” “Joe Joe Gunne” and “Memphis, Tennessee” were co-produced by Leonard and Phil Chess. Backing Berry on the session were pianist Otis Spann, Willie Dixon on double bass and Jasper Thomason on drums. “Sweet Little Rock And Roller” and “Joe Joe Gunne” would appear as a Chuck Berry single in October “Sweet Little Rock And Roller” peaking at No. 47 on November 29th, while “Joe Joe Gunne” went to No. 83 on November 22nd. Chess Records released “Back In The USA” backed with “Memphis, Tennessee” on 45 on June 1st. Chess issued “Anthony Boy” backed with “That’s My Desire” by Chuck Berry on 45 on January 19th, 1959. “Memphis, Tennessee” featured Berry playing everything but drums.

September 26th, 1961 Folksinger Bob Dylan lands his first major gig, opening for the Greenbriar Boys for two weeks at Gerdes Folk City in New York. Critic Robert Shelton writes a New York Times review of the show that essentially launches Dylan’s career.

September 26th, 1964 Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” hits No. 1.

September 26th, 1964 “All Cried Out” by Dusty Springfield enters the singles charts. In America, it was Dusty’s follow up to her fourth straight Top Forty hit “Wishin’ And Hopin’.” “All Cried Out” was co-written by American songwriters Phil Springer and Buddy Kaye and was originally recorded by Darlene Paul for release that June. “All Cried Out” peaked at No. 41 on October 31st.

September 26th, 1967 Columbia Records release “Groovin’ Is Easy,” the debut single by The Electric Flag, led by Mike Bloomfield and Buddy Miles. The song was written by group guitarist Nick Gravenites but credited to Ron Polte. Cass Elliot sang uncredited vocals on the track, produced by John Court.

September 26th, 1968 The first of three nights recorded, September 26th, 27thand 28th by Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper at Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Also appearing were Elvin Bishop and Carlos Santana. Highlights were released in January 1969 as a double LP “The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper” on Columbia Records. The LP peaked at No. 18 on March 8th.

September 26th, 1968 Dusty Springfield begins sessions for her LP “Dusty In Memphis” at American Sound Studios in Memphis, with vocal overdubbing at Atlantic Studios later in New York with co-producers Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd. Released January 17th, 1969, five songs from the album charted in America, “Son of a Preacher Man,” “Breakfast in Bed,” “Don’t Forget About Me,” “In the Land of Make Believe” and “The Windmills of Your Mind.” The album peaked at No. 99 on April 12th, 1969.

September 26th, 1968 Leonard Cohen records “Bird On A Wire” in Nashville with producer Bob Johnston. Written by Cohen, the track was released as Cohen’s second single by Columbia Records on April 1st, 1969.

September 26th, 1969 The Beatles “Abbey Road” LP is released. Sessions for songs on the album stretched from February through August at three different studios, EMI, Olympic and Trident, with producer George Martin. The album achieved Gold Record status for a million copies sold in the US a month later, on October 27th. “Abbey Road” peaked at No. 1 on November 1st and remained in the Top 200 for four hundred and ninety weeks.

September 26th, 1969 RCA Records release “I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City” as the B-side to Nilsson’s single “Maybe.” The song was written by Harry Nilsson for the film Midnight Cowboy but was passed over for “Everybody’s Talking.” “Maybe” didn’t chart but the flip side did. “I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City” became Nilsson’s second hit record, reaching No. 34 on November 29th.

September 26th, 1969 Epic Records release The Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” on 45. Co-written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell and originally recorded by Kelly Gordon, The Hollies tracked the song June 25th and August 7that Abbey Road Studios with producer Ron Richards. A pre-fame Elton John played piano. The record peaked at No. 7 on March 21st, 1970.

September 26th, 1969 Reprise Records in Britain release “Oh Well” (part 1) by Fleetwood Mac on 45, where it went to No. 2 in the charts. The song was written and sung by band guitarist Peter Green. Over a year later, December 6th, 1970 Reprise Records released the single in the US. The record entered the US charts in January and peaked at No. 55 on March 14th, 1971.

September 26th, 1970 Capitol Records release “Mongrel,” the third album by Bob Seger, credited to the Bob Seger System. The record was recorded at GM Studios in East Detroit, Michigan with Punch Andrews producing. The LP featured the hit “Lucifer.” “Mongrel” peaked at No. 171 on November 14th.

September 26th, 1970 Atco Records release “To Delaney From Bonnie” by Delaney and Bonnie And Friends. It was the group’s fourth album, recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida with co-producers Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Delaney Bramlett and assisted by King Curtis. Among the many friends on the album were Duane Allman, Jim Gordon, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Little Richard, Jim Dickinson, Bobby Whitlock and Ron Tutt. The LP peaked at No. 58 on October 31st.

September 26th, 1972 Atlantic Records release “Live Full House” by the J Geils Band. Co-produced by Geoffrey Haslam and the J. Geils Band, the LP was recorded live on April 21st and 22nd, 1972 at the Cinderella Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan. The record peaked at No. 54 on December 2nd.
September 26th, 1973 Columbia Records release “Rock On” by David Essex on 45. Written by Essex, arranged and produced by Jeff Wayne, the distinctive bass line in the song was played by veteran session player Herbie Flowers. The single earned a Gold Record award for a million copies sold. Entering the charts in November the single reached No. 3 in England, No. 1 in Canada and No. 5 in the US on March 9th, 1974.

September 26th, 1974 Lifesong Records release “Photographs And Memories His Greatest Hits” by Jim Croce. The record charted for forty-eight weeks and peaked at No. 2 on November 16th.

September 26th, 1974 John Lennon’s “Walls and Bridges”LP is released in the US, out on October 4th in Britain. Rehearsals for the new material to be included on the album began in June 1974 at Record Plant East in New York City. Studio musicians on the sessions included Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, Klauss Voormann, Bobby Keyes, Jesse Ed Davis, Elton John and Harry Nilsson. An impromptu performance of the Lee Dorsey song “Ya Ya” was tagged on the LP with Lennon and his son Julian playing drums. Recorded at The Record Plant during July and August with Lennon producing, the album went to No. 1 in the US on November 16th and featured two hit singles, “Whatever Gets You Through The Night” and “Number 9 Dream.”

September 26th, 1983 “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles re-enters the Pop Singles chart over twenty-five years after it was first released. The song was featured in several movies at the time and an animated video from the 1960’s US Saturday morning cartoon series was in heavy MTV rotation.

September 26th, 1986 MCA Records release “Amanda,” the lead single from the “Third Stage” album by Boston. Written and produced by Tom Scholz, the record peaked at No. 1 on November 8th.

September 26th, 1989 Opal/Warner Brothers Records release “Acadie,” the first solo album by Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer Daniel Lanois. U2’s Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. and Brian Eno make guest appearances on the record. The LP peaked at No. 166 on January 20th, 1990.

September 26th, 1995 Polydor Records release “Peel Slowly And See,” a five-disc career retrospective by the Velvet Underground. The set included all four studio LP’s the band recorded with Lou Reed and previously unreleased recordings.

Miscellaneous September

September 1965 Muriel Records release “Lookie There” backed with “Wail Baby Wail” by Tommy Louis with Marshall and The Versatiles on 45. Ike Turner plays guitar on the tracks.

September 1967 CBS Records in Britain release “Love Chronicles,” the second album by Al Stewart. “Love Chronicles” was issued in the US in September. The album was issued in America in January 1969 on Epic Records. The LP was co-produced by Roy Guest, John Wood and Al Stewart. Session musicians included Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and four members of Fairport Convention, Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, Martin Lamble and Ashley Hutchings. Songs on the record were orchestrated by Alexander Faris.

September 1970 Liberty Records release “Love Is A Game” backed with “Takin’ Back My Name” by a solo Ike Turner on 45. “Love Is A Game” was written by Tina Turner’s sister Ailllene Bullock. “Takin’ Back My Name” was credited to Leah Graham, an alias for Ike Turner, who produced and arranged the tracks as well.

September 1973, RCA Records in Britain release “The Tra La La Days Are Over” by Neil Sedaka. Recorded at Strawberry Studios in the Spring with Eric Stewart producing and 10cc as the backing band, the LP produced “Love Will Keep Us Together.” The song, co-written by Sedaka with Howard Greenfield, would become a huge hit for The Captain And Tennille in 1976.

September 1975 A&M Records release “White Punks On Dope” by the Tubes on 45. The song was co-written by Bill Spooner, Roger Steen and Michael Evans and produced by Al Kooper from the band’s eponymous first album. The single was edited to omit the curse word in the lyrics.

September 1977 DEVO release their second single on their own Booji Boy label. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was a cover version of The Rolling Stones song. “(I Saw My Baby Getting) Sloppy” was co-written by DEVO. The 45 was produced by the group. “Satisfaction” was rerecorded by DEVO and released as their major label debut for Warner Brothers Records a year later.

September 1979 Reprise Records release “Rust Never Sleeps (Hey Hey, My My [Out Of The Blue])” by Neil Young on 45. The A-side was the acoustic version of the song. The flip side was the full band version, recorded with the band Crazy Horse and both from the “Rust Never Sleeps” LP.

September 1979 CBS Records in Ireland issue the seven-inch EP “Out Of Control” backed with “Stories For Boys” & “Boy/Girl,” the first release by U2. All three songs were written collectively by the band and co-produced by U2 and Chas De Whalley.

September 1981 David Bowie records the five songs written for Bertolt Brecht’s Baal. Bowie appeared in the BBC television production of Baal. The play was transmitted in Britain on March 2nd, 1982. The tracks were co-produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti, who also played bass on the recordings. The EP was released in September 1982, reaching No. 29 in Britain.

September 1981 Island Records in Britain release “Gloria” by U2 on 45. The second single released from the group’s second album “October,” the song was written collectively by U2. “Gloria” was recorded during July and August sessions with producer Steve Lillywhite at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland. The record peaked at No. 55 in Britain.

September 1986 Warner Brothers Records release “Summer Of Love” by The B-52’s on 45. The song was co-written Keith Strickland, Rocky Wilson, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, produced by Tony Mansfield from the LP “Bouncing Off The Satellites.” The single had a unique remix with additional production by Shep Pettibone.