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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History July 3rd
Daily Rock and Roll History, Birthday and short music clips.
A year long, day by day look back at this date in Rock History in 3-5 minute segments. Now airing WRGG in Greencastle, PA.
Rock and Roll Birthdays
July 3rd
- July 3rd Birthday, Wrecking Crew guitarist and actor Tommy Tedesco, born in Niagara Falls, New York in 1930. He played on hundreds of hit records and was seen onstage during the taping of Elvis Presley’s 1968 Comeback TV Special. Tedesco died of lung cancer on November 10th, 1997 at the age of 67.
- July 3rd Birthday, R&B singer Fontella Bass born in 1940 in St. Louis, Missouri.
- July 3rd Birthday, The Seekers singer Judith Durham, born Judith Mavis Cock in 1943 in Essendon, Victoria, Australia. Durham died on August 5th, 2022 at the age of 79.
- July 3rd Birthday, Original Yardbirds guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham, born in Southall, Middlesex, England in 1947. He passed away on January 23rd, 2023 at the age of 75.
- July 3rd Birthday, Little Feat guitarist, singer, songwriter Paul Barrere, born in 1948 in Burbank, California. Barrere died on October 26th, 2019 at the age of 71.
- July 3rd Birthday, John Mayall and Free bassist Andy Fraser, born in 1952 in Paddington, London, England. He died on March 16th, 2015, aged 62.
- July 3rd, 1951 Drummer Sandy Gennaro. A veteran of sessions by The Monkees, Pat Travers, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett and others, born Santo Gennaro in 1951 in Manhattan, New York City.
- July 3rd Birthday, Singer Laura Branigan, born in Brewster, New York in 1952. She passed away at the age of 52 on August 26th, 2004.
- July 3rd Birthday, Singer, songwriter Stephen Pearcy from hard rock band Ratt, born in Long Beach, California in 1956.
Today In Rock and Roll History
July 3rd
- July 3rd, 1957 Atlantic Records release the self-titled debut album by Ray Charles. The album featured the hit “Hallelujah I Love Her So” and other singles Atlantic had issued at the time.
- July 3rd, 1961 Musicor Records release “Every Breathe I Take” by Gene Pitney on 45. The song was co-written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. The record peaked at No. 42 on September 16th.
- July 3rd, 1961 Laurie Records release “A Little Bit Of Soap” by Richmond, Virginia R&B group The Jarmels on 45. Written by Bert Berns and credited to his pseudonym Burt Russell, the song was covered often by other artists. The single was The Jarmels only chart record, peaking at No. 12 on September 23rd, 1961.
- July 3rd, 1963 The Beatles record a BBC Radio session at Playhouse Theatre on St John’s Road, Hulme, Manchester, Lancashire for the BBC Light Programme show The Beat Show. Recording took place from 8-9pm in front of a live audience along with two other artists, The Trad Lads and the Northern Dance Orchestra directed by Bernard Herrman. The program was broadcast on July 4th. Recorded that evening were “From Me To You” co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, “A Taste Of Honey” co-writtenby Bobby Scott and Ric Marlowe, “Twist And Shout” co-written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns.
- July 3rd, 1964 British band The High Numbers release their debut single in England “Zoot Suit” backed with “I’m The Face.” Recorded at Fontana Studios in London, “Zoot Suit” was written by the records’ co-producer Peter Meadon, while “I’m The Face” was a rewrite of th Slim Harpo song “Got Love If You Want It.” The band changed its name shortly afterwards to The Who.
- July 3rd, 1965 “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” by The Temptations is the No. 1 record in the US.
- July 3rd, 1965 Warner Brothers Records release “You’d Better Come Home” by Petula Clark on 45. Written, produced and arranged by Tony Hatch, the record entered the singles charts a week later and peaked at No. 22 on August 21st.
- July 3rd, 1965 Monument Records release “(Say) You’re My Girl” by Roy Orbison on 45. The song was co-written by Orbison and Bill Dees. The studio session was co-produced by Fred Foster and Wesley Rose. The record entered the singles charts a week later and peaked at No. 39 on August 14th.
- July 3rd, 1965 “Blue Shadows” by B.B. King enters the singles charts for one week on Kent Records, following a May release. The song was credited to Lowell Fulsom, a pseudonym for Lowell Fulsun, sometimes known as Tulsa Red. “Blue Shadows” peaked at No. 97.
- July 3rd, 1965 “Justine” by The Righteous Brothers enters the singles charts following a June release on Moonglow Records. The song was co-written by Dewey Terry and Don “Sugarcane” Harris. The record was part of the soundtrack of the film A Swingin’ Summer. The record peaked at No. 85 on July 17th.
- July 3rd, 1965 Chips Moman’s Youngstown Records label release “Keep On Dancing” by The Gentrys on 45. The band were all members of the Class of 1965 at Treadwell High School in Memphis, Tennessee. “Keep On Dancing” was produced by Moman at American Studios in Memphis. Co-written by Allen A. Jones and Willie David Young, the song was originally recorded by The Avantis for the Chess subsidiary label Argo Records. The Gentrys’ version spent thirteen weeks on the charts and peaked at No. 4 on October 30th.
- July 3rd, 1967 Atlantic Records release “A Girl Like You” by The Young Rascals on 45. The song was co-written by Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere. The band self-produced themselves and brought in Arif Mardin to help with the arrangements. King Curtis played tenor saxophone on the track. The record peaked at No. 10 on August 12th.
- July 3rd, 1968 The Beatles begin sessions for “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” with producer George Martin. Written in Rishikesh India, the title phrase was taken from Nigerian Congo player Jimmy Scott who was part of the London music scene. Demo’d at George Harrison's Esher home, July 3rd, 4th and 5th recordings were set aside when the song was rearranged and remade on July 8th, 9th, 11th and the 15th, all at EMI Studios in London. The remade version appeared on the White Album, sped up to play in the key of B flat. The original version appeared on the “Anthology 3” LP in 1996.
- July 3rd, 1969 Island Records in England release “Five Leaves Left,” the first album by British folk singer, songwriter Nick Drake. Joe Boyd produced the album with engineer John Wood during sessions begun a year earlier at Chelsea’s Sound Techniques Studios in London. Members of Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson on electric guitar and Danny Thompson on double bass, played on the sessions, with string arrangements done for all but one song on the album by Drake’s friend Robert Kirby.
- July 3rd, 1969 Island Records in Britain release “Unhalfbricking,” the third album by Fairport Convention. The LP was recorded at Sound Techniques and Olympic Studios in London with the band co-producing with Joe Boyd. Fairport singer Iain Matthews left the band after recording one song for the record. Singer Sandy Denny’s “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” is on the LP, considered a classic of the genre and Denny’s signature song. The album’s single “Si Tu Dois Partir” reached No. 21 on the UK singles charts and the album peaked at No. 12. Two months before the LP was issued, the band were involved in a road accident on the journey home from a gig in Birmingham in which drummer Martin Lamble and Richard Thompson’s girlfriend Jeannie Franklyn died.
- July 3rd, 1969 For the first and last time, the Newport Jazz Festival featured rock artists. Among them were Led Zeppelin, Sly & The Family Stone, The Mothers Of Invention, Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Johnny Winter, Blood Sweat and Tears and Ten Years After.
- July 3rd, 1970 A&M Records release “The Last Puff,” credited to Spooky Tooth Featuring Mike Harrison, the first and only time the band was billed that way. After the departure of keyboardist Gary Wright, the LP was considered a Mike Harrison solo album until the record company convinced them to call it a Spooky Tooth record. Spooky Tooth members Harrison, Luther Grosvenor and Mike Kellie were augmented by the Grease Band, Chris Stainton on keyboards, Henry McCulloch on guitar and Allen Spenner on bass. The record peaked at No. 84 on September 19th.
- July 3rd, 1970 CBS Records in Britain release “Nothing Special” backed with “Epitaph,” the debut, and only, single by British folk rock group Trees. The A-side was co-written by guitarist Barry Clarke, singer Celia Humphris, guitarist David Costa and drummer Stephen Unwin Brown. The B-side was written by bassist Tobias Boshell. Boshell became Kiki Dee’s musical director. Clarke and Costa formed the band Casablanca and signed to Elton John’s Rocket Records label in 1973. The Trees record was produced by Tony Cox.
- July 3rd, 1970 Island Records in Britain release “Full House” by Fairport Convention. Recorded at Sound Techniques Studios in London with producer Joe Boyd, it was their first album without singer Sandy Denny, who left to form Fotheringay, their first with bassist Dave Pegg and their last with guitarist Richard Thompson.
- July 3rd, 1970 ABC Records release “James Gang Rides Again!” the second album by the James Gang, produced by Bill Szymczyk at The Record Plant in New York City. Original pressings of the album included a version of Ravel’s “Bolero.” Ravel’s estate threatened to sue, so the track was edited out. New group bassist Dale Peters joined drummer James Fox and guitarist Joe Walsh and the result was a hit single with “Funk #49,” and an LP the peaked at No. 20 on October 31st.
- July 3rd, 1971 A&M Records release “Moon Shadow” by Cat Stevens on 45. Issued from the Paul Samwell-Smith produced “Teaser And The Firecat” LP, the song was written by Cat Stevens and became his second charting single in America, peaking at No. 30 on August 14th.
- July 3rd, 1971 Reprise Records release “Hymn 43” by Jethro Tull on 45. Written by the group’s Ian Anderson from the “Aqualung” LP, it became Tull’s first charting single in the US. Produced by Ian Anderson and the band’s manager, Terry Ellis, “Hymn 43” peaked at No. 91 on August 21st.
- July 3rd, 1971 A double album career retrospective of tracks featuring Steve Winwood, including Traffic and Spencer Davis cuts, is temporarily pulled from release after a May release on United Artists Records. Island Records brought suit claiming exclusive rights to Traffic songs. The disc was re-released again in 1972, but did not chart.
- July 3rd, 1971 “Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants)” by James Brown enters the singles charts following a June release on People Records. Written by James Brown, the record peaked at No. 10 on August 21st.
- July 3rd, 1971 Dunhill Records release “Ride With Me” by Steppenwolf on 45. Written by Dennis Edmunton, whose stage name was Mars Bonfire, “Ride With Me” was produced by Richard Podolor for Steppenwolf’s “For Ladies Only” album. Edited for single release, the record entered the charts two weeks later and reached No. 52 on August 21st.
- July 3rd, 1971 “Death Walks Behind You,” the second studio album by Atomic Rooster enters the album charts following a May release on Elektra Records. Out in November in England, the LP peaked at No. 90 on the US charts.
- July 3rd, 1971 “It’s Too Late” backed with “I Feel The Earth Move” by Carole King is the No. 1 record in the US.
- July 3rd, 1971 ABC/Dunhill Records release “Liar” by Three Dog Night on 45. Written by Russ Ballard from the band Argent as that group’s 1970 debut single, Three Dog Night’s version came out a year later. Produced by Richard Podolor, “Liar” went to No. 4 in Canada, No. 7 in the US, on August 28th.
- July 3rd, 1973 A sixty date David Bowie tour came to a close at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. He shocked the crowd right before the encore by announcing that this would be the last show they’d ever do and closed with “Rock and Roll Suicide.”
- July 3rd, 1976 Boz Scaggs single “Lowdown” enters the singles charts. Released in June after positive radio listener response when a Cleveland DJ began playing the song from Scaggs’ “Silk Degrees” LP. The song was co-written by Scaggs with David Paich. Members of the backup band on the song include Paich, Jeff Porcaro and David Hungate who later formed Toto. The 45 became Boz Scaggs’ biggest hit, peaking at No. 3 on October 9th, No. 2 in Canada.
- July 3rd, 1982 Elektra Records release “Under The Big Black Sun,” the third studio album by X, their first with a major record label. The record was produced by Ray Manzarek and peaked at No. 76 on August 21st.
- July 3rd, 1982 Columbia Records release “Take It Away” by Paul McCartney on 45. Backed with the Non-LP B-side “I’ll Give You A Ring,” both songs were written by McCartney and produced by George Martin. The record peaked at No. 10 on August 21st.
Miscellaneous July
- July 1959, Chess Records release “Go Bo Diddley,” the second album by Bo Diddley.
- July 1959, Chess Records release “Berry Is On Top” by Chuck Berry. Other than the song “Blues For Hawaiians,” the record was a collection of previously issued singles with nine hit 45’s.
- July 1964 Nashville label RIC Records release “Beach Walkin’” backed with “Banzai Washout,” the first single by California band The Catalinas on 45. Both songs were written by Los Angeles session musician and record producer Steve Douglas. Future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and Wrecking Crew alumni Hal Blaine, Bill Pitman, Billy Strange, Leon Russell and others were part of the studio band.
- July 1965 Fantasy Records release “You Can’t Be True” backed with “You Got Nothin’ On Me,” the third single by The Golliwogs. Both sides were co-written by Tom and John Fogerty, using the names Rann Wild and Toby Green. The Golliwogs renamed themselves Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967.
- July 1967, Elektra Records release “The 5,000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion” by The Incredible String Band in England. Recorded at Sound Techniques in Chelsea, London with producer Joe Boyd, it was the group’s second album, regrouped as a duo following their first album in 1966. “The 5,000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion” went to No. 25 in Britain. The LP came out in America in January 1968.
- July 1969, Douglas Records release “Devotion,” the second album by John McLaughlin. There are conflicting dates attributed to the release. Some say May some July and others say September. The record was recorded while McLaughlin was a member of Tony Williams Lifetime, using a backing band of organist Larry Young, bassist Billy Rich and Buddy Miles. The album did not chart in the US.
- July 1970 Capitol Records release the self-titled debut album by British jazz-rock band “If.” The album reached No. 187 in the US.
- July 1974, Casablanca Records release “Strutter,” the third single by Kiss. The song was co-written by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. The track was co-produced by Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise, taken from Kiss’ self-titled first album.
- July 1975, RCA Records release “Why Do Fools Fall In Love,” the second single by Bruce Johnston, Gary Usher and Terry Melcher’s California Music. The song was credited to Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy. The song was originally a hit for Lymon and The Teenagers in 1956.
- July 1976 Oyster Records release “Child In Time” by the Ian Gillan Band. It was the first solo album by former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. The group featured keyboardist Mike Moran, guitarist Ray Fenwick and bassist John Gustafson. The LP was produced by Purple’s Roger Glover at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany in December 1975 through January 1976. The album reached No. 55 in England.
- July 1976 Atco Records release “Viva! Roxy Music,” a live album by Roxy Music, six months in advance of its British release date in February 1977. The recordings were taped at the Glasgow Apollo in November 1973, Newcastle City Hall in October 1974 and the Wembley Empire Pool in October 1975. “Viva! Roxy Music” was produced by Chris Thomas. The same month, Island Records in Britain release a new four-song EP by Bryan Ferry, “Price Of Love” and “Shame Shame Shame” backed with “Heart On My Sleeve” and “It’s Only Love.” Island issued “Price Of Love” as a single in August.
- July 1981 A&M Records in America release “Iris” by Split Enz on 45. The track came from the band’s “Waiata” album, produced by David Tickle.
- July 1983 Virgin Records release “Wonderland” by XTC on 45 in England. Written by Colin Moulding, the session was co-produced by XTC and Steve Nye. It was the only single from the group’s “Mummer” LP to be released in the US, in February 1984.
- July 1984 A&M Records in the US release “Message To My Girl” by Split Enz on 45 from the LP “Conflicting Emotions.” The song was written by Neil Finn, co-produced by Hugh Padgham and Eddie Rayner.
- July 1987 Jet Records release “1, 2, 3” backed with “O What A Shame” by Roy Wood on 45. The A-side was a cover version of the Len Barry hit from 1967, co-written by J Madaea, D White and L Bonsoff. The B-side was written by Roy Wood. Both tracks were produced by Roy Wood.
- July 1987 Virgin Records release “You’re A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)” by The Dukes Of Stratosphere on 45. The band were XTC with guitarist Dave Gregory’s brother Ian on drums. The song was written by Andy Partridge and credited to Sir John Johns. The record was co-produced by the band and John Leckie.
- July 1990 Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay release “Christmas ; MacKay and Manzanera featuring The Players” on Ryko Records. Album is a collection of Christmas songs by Andy MacKay and Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music.
- July 1991 Demon Records in Britain release the soundtrack to the British TV series “G.B.H.” It was the first of two collaborations between Elvis Costello and English composer, musician and member of progressive rock band Gryphon, Richard Harvey.
- July 1994 Warner Brothers Records in Britain release “You Tripped At Every Step” by Elvis Costello and The Attractions on 45, the third single released from the band’s “Brutal Youth” LP. The song was written by Costello, who co-produced the track with Mitchell Froom.
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