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Next broadcast August 22nd Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History August 20th
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
August 20th
- August 20th Birthday, The Seeds guitarist, singer and songwriter Sky Saxon, born in 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He died on June 25th, 2009 at the age of 71.
- August 20th Birthday, Hawkwind guitarist Dave Brock, born in Isleworth, Middlesex, England in 1941.
- August 20th Birthday, R&B singer, songwriter Isaac Hayes, born in 1942 in Covington, Tennessee. Hayes passed away on August 10th, 2008 at the age of 65.
- August 20th Birthday, German electronic music pioneer, Ralf Hutter from Kraftwerk, born in Krefeld, Rhine Province, Allied-occupied Germany in 1946.
- August 20th Birthday, Chicago trombonist James Pankow, born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1947.
- August 20th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, guitarist David Lasley, known primarily as a guitarist for Jackson Browne and for writing hits for Bonnie Raitt, Aretha Franklin and others, born in Sault St. Marie, Michigan. Lasley died after a long illness on December 9th, 2021 at the age of 74.
- August 20th Birthday, Led Zeppelin singer and solo artist Robert Plant, born in 1948 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England.
- August 20th Birthday, Thin Lizzy bassist, singer and songwriter Phil Lynott, born in 1949 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England. Lynott died on January 4th, 1986 at the age of 36.
- August 20th Birthday, The Knack guitarist, singer and songwriter Doug Fieger, born in Oak Park, Michigan in 1952. Fieger passed away on February 14th, 2010 from cancer at the age of 57.
- August 20th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and solo artist John Hiatt born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1952.
- August 20th Birthday, Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell, born Darrell Lance Abbot in Ennis, Texas in 1966. He was shot and killed onstage on December 8th, 2004 at the age of 38.
Today In Rock and Roll History
August 20th
- August 20th, 1960 “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke enters the singles charts following a July release, his first for RCA Victor Records. Co-written by Cooke and his older brother Charles, the song itself was inspired after a chance meeting with an actual chain-gang of prisoners on a highway, seen while Cooke was on tour. According to legend, Sam and Charles felt sorry for the men and gave them several cartons of cigarettes. “Chain Gang” peaked at No. 2 on October 8th.
- August 20th, 1963 Columbia Records release “Donna The Prima Donna” by Dion on 45. Co-written by Dion DiMucci and Ernie Maresca, the track was produced by Robert Mersey. The Del-Satins were the backing vocal group on the recording. The lyrics reference Zsa Zsa Gabor and how “Donna” tries to look like her. The record peaked at No. 6 on October 26th.
- August 20th, 1965 Parlophone Records in England release “You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving” backed with “Baby Loves That Way” by Davy Jones before he changed his stage name to David Bowie. Jones wrote both songs. The IBC Studio session in London was produced by Shel Talmy and engineered by Glyn Johns in July.
- August 20th, 1965 Liberty Records release “Everybody Loves A Clown” by Gary Lewis and The Playboys. The track was produced by Snuff Garrett and co-written by Leon Russell, Gary Lewis and Garrett under his real name, Tom Lesslie. “Everybody Loves A Clown” peaked at No. 4 on November 6th.
- August 20th, 1966 Fourteen thousand fans crowded into the Forest Hills Music Festival in Queens, New York to hear The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and The Temptations.
- August 20th, 1966 “And Then - - - Along Comes The Association” the debut album by The Association enters the album charts following a July release on Valient Records. Produced by Curt Boettcher during sessions in June the record featured the hits “Along Comes Mary” and “Cherish” and peaked at No. 5 on November 19th.
- August 20th, 1968 Paul McCartney records the fifty-three second long “Wild Honey Pie” at EMI Studio Two in London. The song began as an improvised sing-along in Rishikesh, India. McCartney worked on the studio track while John Lennon and Ringo Starr worked on “Yer Blues” in Studio Three.
- August 20th, 1969 Frank Zappa temporarily disbands The Mothers of Invention right after an eight-day tour in Canada. Zappa says he’s “tired of playing for people who clap for all the wrong reasons.”
- August 20th, 1969 The four Beatles are together in a recording studio for the last time, completing sessions for “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” for the “Abbey Road” album at EMI’s London studio with keyboardist Billy Preston. It was the first song recorded for the album but one of the last songs to be finished. Rehearsed during the Get Back sessions in January the basic track and Lennon’s guide vocal, also used in the finished take, were recorded at Trident Studios on the 22nd of February.
- August 20th, 1970 Beginning a nine-week run at the top, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s LP “Cosmos Factory” is the No. 1 album in the US. The record ultimately sold over three million copies.
- August 20th, 1971 Columbia Records release “Glory, Glory” by The Byrds on 45. The record features a piano motif by studio musician Larry Knechtel. The song was written by Arthur Reynolds and the track co-produced by Terry Melcher and Chris Hinshaw.
- August 20th, 1976 Jet Records in Britain release “Any Old Time Will Do” by Roy Wood on 45. Written and produced by Roy Wood, the track came from Wood’s LP “Mustard.”
- August 20th, 1976 Reprise Records release “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot on 45. The song was written by Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10th, 1975. Recorded in December 1975 at Eastern Sound Studios in Toronto, the track was co-produced by Lightfoot and Lenny Waronker. The record peaked at No. 2 on November 20th.
- August 20th, 1977 “I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You” by the Alan Parsons Project enters the singles charts following a July release on Arista Records. The song was co-written by Parsons and Eric Woolfson from the group’s second LP “I Robot.” Orchestration was arranged by Andrew Powell. The single peaked at No. 36 on October 8th.
- August 20th, 1979 Columbia Records release “Gotta Serve Somebody” on 45 and the “Slow Train Coming” LP by Bob Dylan. The album was recorded in May at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield, Alabama with producers Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett. Dylan wrote all the songs on “Slow Train Coming” and won a Grammy for “Gotta Serve Somebody” for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Male in 1979. The single peaked at No. 24 on November 3rd. The LP went to No. 3 on September 22nd.
- August 20th, 1980 Arista Records in America and RCA Records in Britain release “24 Carrots,” the ninth studio album by Al Stewart and his first with the band Shot In The Dark. The LP was recorded at Davlen Studios in Los Angeles with Stewart and Chris Desmond producing. The record featured the hit “Midnight Rocks” and peaked at No. 37 on October 11th.
- August 20th, 1980 John Lennon begins recording his final album, “Double Fantasy.” Released November 17th, the album would peak at No. 1 on December 27thand win the 1982 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
- August 20th, 1983 “Lawyers In Love” by Jackson Browne enters the album charts following a release on Asylum Records earlier in the month. Browne wrote the song and co-produced the track with Greg Ladanyi. The record peaked at No. 8 on September 10th.
- August 20th, 1983 Epic Records release “Passionworks” by Heart. Produced by Keith Olsen, the album featured the hits “How Can I Refuse?” and “Allies.” The record peaked at No. 39 on October 22nd.
- August 20th, 1986 The fourth album by Huey Lewis and The News “Fore!” is released on Chrysalis Records. The group self-produced the LP at three different studios, Studio D and The Record Plant in Sausalito, California and Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California. The Tower Of Power Horn section play on two songs on the record. The album peaked at No. 1 on October 18th.
- August 20th, 1990 Epic Records release “Time’s Up,” the second album by Living Colour. The LP was recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood and RPM in Los Angeles with producer Ed Stasium. Mick Jagger and Little Richard are among the guests that appear on the album. The record peaked at No. 13 on October 6th.
- August 20th, 1990 EMI America Records release “Empire,” the fourth full-length album by Queensryche. The band recorded the LP at Vancouver Studios in Vancouver, Canada and Triad Studios in Redmond, Washington with producer Peter Collins. The album featured the hit “Silent Lucidity” which featured an orchestral arrangement by Michael Kamen. The record peaked at No. 7 on October 6th.
- August 20th, 1991 Epic Records release “Pocket Full Of Kryptonite” by Spin Doctors. The group recorded the LP at The Power Station and RPM Studios in New York City and ACME Recording in Mamaroneck, New York, self-producing with Frank Aversa, Peter Deneberg and Frankie LaRocka. The album featured the hits “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes.” The record peaked at No. 3 on April 24th, 1992.
Miscellaneous August
- August 1957 Ace Records release “Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu” by Huey “Piano” Smith on 45. The song was co-written by Smith and Johnny Vincent. The session for the track included Sidney Rayfield and “Scarface” John Williams on vocals, Lee Allen on tenor sax, Earl King on guitar, Frank Fields on bass and Charles “Hungry” Williams on drums. The record peaked at No. 52 on the Pop singles charts.
- August 1958 Dot Records release “Scratchin’” backed with the novelty song “I Hates Rabbits” by Jerry Neal on 45. Neal was a stage name of Jerry Capehart. He co-wrote both songs with Eddie Cochran. Cochran is rumored to play all the instruments on “Scratchin’,” while Cochran plays lead guitar on “I Hates Rabbits.”
- August 1958 Tune Town Records release “Boxtop” by Ike Turner, Carson Oliver and Little Ann, the first record release to feature the future Tina Turner on vocals. The song was written by Ike Turner, who heard the seventeen-year-old sing during the intermission of a Kings Of Rhythm set at the Manhattan Club in East St. Louis. Carson Oliver was one of the vocalists in Turner’s group, the Kings Of Rhythm band. The track was recorded at Turner’s house on Virginia Place, in East St. Louis.
- August 1963 Original Sound Records release “Heavies” backed with “The Cruncher” by The Rotations on 45. The Rotations were an alias for Paul Buff and Dave Aerni. Both songs were co-written by Aerni and Buff, produced by Frank Zappa at PAL Studio in Cucamonga, California in June. A few seconds of “Heavies” is heard in the opening moments of “Nasal Retentive Caliope Music” on The Mothers Of Invention LP “We’re Only In It For The Money.”
- August 1963 Original Sound Records release “Tijuana” backed with “Grunion Run” by The Hollywood Persuaders on 45. Paul Buff wrote the A-side. “Grunion Run” was performed by Paul Buff and Frank Zappa, recording at PAL Studios in Cucamonga, California in June. Zappa played guitars, bass and drums with Paul Buff on saxophone.
- August 1965 Autumn Records release “Beau Brummels Volume II.” The record featured the hit “You Tell Me Why” and follow-up single “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” but didn’t chart. Sylvester Stewart, later known professionally as Sly Stone, is listed as the album’s producer, but members of the band didn’t recall him being there for the recording sessions.
- August 1969 Immediate Records in Britain release the self-titled album by “The Nice,” the group’s second album.
- August 1971 A&M Records release “White Light,” the second studio album by The Byrds’ singer, songwriter Gene Clark. The LP was recorded at A&M Studios and Village Recorders in Los Angeles with Jesse Ed Davis producing in the Spring, 1971. Playing on the record were Davis, bassist Chris Ethridge of the Flying Burrito Brothers, organist Michael Utley, pianist Ben Sidran and drummer Gary Mallaber, both of the Steve Miller Band.
- August 1972 Thunderclap Newman pianist Andy Newman releases the solo LP “Rainbows” on Track Records in England. Pete Townshend is the executive producer of the album.
- August 1974 Ardent Records release “September Gurls” by Big Star on 45. The song was written by Alex Chilton with autobiographical lyrics about several women in his life. The record was co-produced by Big Stay and John Fry on a six track recording console at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee during sessions for the band’s second album “Radio City.”
- August 1976 Mushroom Records in Australia release “Second Thoughts,” the second LP by Split Enz. The group’s first LP “Mental Notes” had not been released in America or in Europe, so Chrysalis Records issued “Second Thoughts” in September in Britain and January 1977 in the US – as “Mental Notes” with new cover art. “Second Thoughts” was produced by Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera at Basing Street Studios in London. The LP went to No. 18 in the New Zealand album charts.
- August 1978 Chrysalis Records release “I’m Gonna Love You Too” by Blondie on 45, a cover version of The Crickets’ song from 1957. The song was written by Crickets’ bassist Joe Maudlin, guitarist Niki Sullivan and record producer Norman Petty. Produced by Mike Chapman, it was the first single released from Blondie’s “Parallel Lines” LP.
- August 1980 Virgin Records in Britain release “Generals And Majors” by XTC on 45. Written by Colin Moulding and produced by Steve Lillywhite, it was the first single released from the band’s “Black Sea” album and peaked at No. 32 in England.
- August 1980, Virgin Records release “Doc At The Radar Station” by Captain Beefheart. The album was recorded in June at Sound Castle Recording Studios in Los Angeles with Beefheart producing.
- August 1983 Warner Brothers Records release “Song For A Future Generation” by The B-52’s as the second single from the “Whammy!” LP. The song was written collectively by The B-52’s, produced by Steven Stanley.
- August 1984 EG Records release “The Pearl,” the second album by Harold Budd and Brian Eno. Recorded in Toronto, Canada with Daniel Lanois also producing, the premise of the recordings were established on the pair’s first collaboration “The Plateaux Of Mirror,” with Eno treating Budd’s improvised piano parts with studio effects and later making compositional decisions together to create the released tracks.
- August 1986 IMP Records in Britain release “Tokyo Storm Warning” by Elvis Costello and The Attractions on 45, a song Costello wrote with his wife, The Pogues bassist Cait O’Riordan. The track was Costello’s first single release to give credit to his given name MacManus. “Tokyo Storm Warning” was co-produced by Nick Lowe and Colin Fairley.
- August 1987 Virgin Records in England release “Psonic Psunspot,” the first full-length album by The Dukes Of Stratosphere, actually XTC under a different name with guitarist Dave Gregory’s brother Ian on drums. The record was co-produced by John Leckie and the band at Sawmills Studio in Fowey, Cornwall, England in June.
- August 1987 Columbia Records release the movie soundtrack LP “Back To The Beach,” a various artists collection of songs from the film. Highlights include the Stevie Ray Vaughn/Dick Dale remake of “Pipeline,” songs by Dave Edmunds, Eddie Money, Aimee Mann, M<arti Jones and a Herbie Hancock version of “Wipe Out” featuring Dweezil Zappa on guitar and Terry Bozzio on drums.
- August 1989 Virgin Records release “The Loving” by XTC on 45 in Britain. The track came from the band’s Paul Fox produced “Oranges And Lemons” LP.
- August 1992 Warner Brothers Records in Britain release “Real Cool World” by David Bowie on 45. The song was the theme from Real Cool World movie, written by Bowie and produced by Nile Rodgers. The B-side was an instrumental version of the track.
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of August 16th
This Week In Rock and Roll History is a weekly one hour look back at the songs, the artists, and the stories behind the music of the rock and roll era.
The Cool Song Of The Week
Cool Song Of The Week 8/16 The Band
Cool songs from the Rock and Roll Era, Closet Classics and more.
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