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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History July 7th
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 7th
- July 7th Birthday, Blues pianist Pinetop Perkins, born Joe Willie Perkins in 1913 in Belzoni, Mississippi. He died on March 21st, 2011 at the age of 97.
- July 7th Birthday, Vocalist and guitarist Mary Ford, who with her husband Les Paul, pioneered multi-track recording, born Iris Colleen Summers in El Monte, California in 1924.
- July 7th Birthday, Pianist and composer Joe Zawinul, born in 1932 in Vienna, Austria. Among others, Zawinul played in Weather Report, with Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderly.
- July 7th Birthday, The Beatles’ drummer, singer, actor and solo recording artist Ringo Starr, born Richard Starkey in 1940 in Liverpool, England.
- July 7th Birthday, Argent and Kinks bassist Jim Rodford, born in 1941 in Hertfordshire, England. He died on January 20th, 2018 at the age of 76.
- July 7th Birthday, Iron Butterfly and Captain Beyond guitarist Larry Rheinhardt, known as Rhino, born in Florida in 1948. He passed away on January 2nd, 2012 at the age of 63.
Today In Rock and Roll History
July 7th
- July 7th, 1959 The Everly Brothers record “(Til) I Kissed You” at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Archie Bleyer. On the session were Don and Phil Everly, Sonny Curtis and Chet Atkins on guitars, Floyd T. “Lightnin’” Chance on bass, drummer Jerry “J.I.” Allison and pianist Floyd Cramer. Written by Don Everly, Cadence Records released “(Til) I Kissed You” backed with “Oh, What A Feeling” on 45 on August 3rd. The record peaked at No. 4 on September 26th.
- July 7th, 1967 Columbia Records release “Fakin’ It” by Simon and Garfunkel on 45. Originally issued as a stand-alone single, the track was later included on the duo’s “Bookends” LP. Co-produced by Simon and Garfunkel and Columbia staff producer John Simon, viola, a brass section and percussionists were brought in by Paul Simon, taking advantage of the deal they had where Columbia Records were to pay for all of the group’s session costs. The B-side of the single “You Don’t Know Where Your Interest Lies” remained as a non-LP track. Both songs were written by Paul Simon. “Fakin’ It” went to No. 23 on September 2nd.
- July 7th, 1969 Atco Records release “Best Of Cream.” The record peaked at No. 3 on September 13th.
- July 7th, 1969 The Beatles begin studio sessions for “Here Comes The Sun” with George Martin producing. John Lennon did not play or sing on the track. George Harrison wrote the song in Eric Clapton’s garden in Surrey, England the previous Spring with lyrics completed in Sardinia on vacation in June.
- July 7th, 1970 Elektra Records release “Fun House,” the second album by The Stooges. The album was recorded at Elektra Sound Recorders in Los Angeles from May 11ththrough the 25th with former Kingsmen keyboardist Don Gallucci producing. The band and singer Iggy Pop performed the songs in the studio as they would have played them live, without sound baffling, singing into a handheld microphone. Initially promoted as a hard rock album, the record has had a lasting influence on alternative rock.
- July 7th, 1972 A&M Records in Britain release “Give A Boy A Break” by Gallagher and Lyle on 45, out in the US in April 1973. Pete Townshend plays a bass harmonica on the track.
- July 7th, 1972 The soundtrack album from the movie The Harder They Come is released in Britain on Island Records. Not issued in America until February 1973 on the Mango Records label, the film and its music brought reggae music to a much larger audience. In 2021 it was deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by The Library Of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry. The record peaked at No. 140 on April 12th.
- July 7th, 1973 “Angel” by Aretha Franklin enters the singles charts on Atlantic Records. The song was co-written by Aretha’s sister, Carolyn Franklin and Sonny Sanders and co-produced by Aretha Franklin with Quincy Jones. The record sold over nine hundred thousand copies in the US and peaked at No. 20 on September 1st.
- July 7th, 1973 The self-titled debut album by The Marshall Tucker Band enters the charts following an April release on Capricorn Records. Produced by Paul Hornsby at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia, the LP peaked at No. 29 on November 17th.
- July 7th, 1973 “Will It Go Round In Circles” by Billy Preston is the No. 1 record in the US.
- July 7th, 1973 “Lord Mr. Ford” by Jerry Reed enters the singles charts following a May release on RCA Victor Records. Written by Dick Feller, the studio session was co-produced by Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed. “Lord Mr. Ford” peaked at No. 68 on August 11th.
- July 7th, 1973 United Artist Records release “Gypsy Man” by War on 45. The track was written collectively by the band and co-produced by Howard E. Scott, Jerry Goldstein and Lonnie Jordan. The album version of the song was over eleven and a half minutes long. The single edit was trimmed to 5:22. The single peaked at No. 8 on September 15th.
- July 7th, 1977 A&M Records release “The Grand Illusion,” the seventh album by Styx. The group recorded the LP in their hometown at Paragon Studios in Chicago, Illinois, producing the record themselves. The album featured the hits “Come Sail Away” and “Fooling Yourself” and peaked at No. 6 on February 25th, 1978.
- July 7th, 1978 Sire Records release “More Songs About Buildings And Food,” the second studio album by Talking Heads. The LP was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, The Bahamas in March and April with the band co-producing with Brian Eno. Eno also sang backing vocals and played a variety of instruments on the sessions. The record peaked at No. 29 on November 25th.
- July 7th, 1979 Mercury Records release The Scorpions’ LP “Lovedrive.” Recorded from September through December 1978 at Dierks Studios in Stommein, West Germany with Dieter Dirks producing, the album reached No. 55 in the US.
- July 7th, 1979 Atlantic Records release “Best Of The J. Geils Band,” reissuing selections from the band’s Atlantic catalog from 1972 through 1977. The album peaked at No. 129 on August 4th.
- July 7th, 1979 “Goodbye Stranger” by Supertramp enters the singles charts. Written by the band’s Rick Davies and produced by Supertramp with Peter Henderson, the song came from the Supertramp LP “Breakfast In America.” The record peaked at No. 15 on September 8th.
- July 7th, 1979 “Girl Of My Dreams” by British band Bram Tchaikovsky enters the singles charts on Polydor Records. The song was written by Ronnie Thomas. The studio session was co-produced by the group with Nick Garvey and Peter Ker. The band were led by singer and guitar player Peter Bramall, formerly of The Motors. The record peaked at No. 37 on September 1st.
- July 7th, 1980 The original four members of Led Zeppelin, with John Bonham on drums, play their last gig together, at the Eissporthalle in Berlin.
- July 7th, 1986 Warner Brothers Records release “Eat “Em And Smile,” the first full-length solo album by former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth. The LP was produced by Ted Templeman. The record peaked at No. 4 on August 30th.
- July 7th, 1987 Virgin Records release “Sentimental Hygiene,” the sixth studio album by Warren Zevon. Guest appearances on the LP include Bob Dylan and all four members of REM. Three years later, REM and Zevon would release an entire album together, calling themselves The Hindu Love Gods. “Sentimental Hygiene” peaked at No. 63 on July 25th.
- July 7th, 1997 Parlophone Records in Britain release “The World Tonight” by Paul McCartney on 45. Written by McCartney who co-produced the track with Jeff Lynne, the record was released as a seven-inch picture disc. Two different versions of the British CD singles included tracks from the “Flaming Pie” album as well as “Oobu Joobu” (Pt. 3) and “Oobu Joobu” (Pt. 4), depending on which one you purchased. The single came out on CD on May 22nd in the US and peaked at No. 64 on May 24th.
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.
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of July 5th
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 7/5 Jimmy Cliff
Cool songs from the Rock and Roll Era, Closet Classics and more.
Craig Maher / Exo-X-Xeno Wax Museum Interview
Craig Maher from Exo-X-Xeno talking about the 2025 album "Luminous Voyage"
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Nektar Wax Museum interview 4/11/25
Nektar interviewed on the second night of the 2025 "Mission To Mars" Tour
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The Paul Bielatowicz Band Wax Museum interview 4/11/25
The Paul Bielatowicz Band interviewed on their 2025 Spring Tour
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Jonas Reingold in The Wax Museum
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Annie Haslam 2019 Wax Museum interview
Annie Haslam "In Words and Music"
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Tommy James Wax Museum Interview January 2019
Tommy James
- Click picture to hear Tommy promoting all his planned 2019 activities; new album, Sirius XM radio show, touring, new movie, etc.
From the Radio Oz interview archives
Firesign Theatre interview 1980
- Click picture to listen to this archival interview with The Firesign Theatre recorded during their 1980 Fighting Clowns tour of the US for Radio Oz now available for purchase in the Firesign Theatre's "Fighting Clowns" of Hollywood" collection! Also check out this Tiny Ossman interview from 1995 -
Woody Lissauer Wax Museum Interview 2/22/20
Baltimore based Woody Lissauer steps up to the Wax Museum microphones for this in depth interview!
- Click picture to listen to the Wax Museum interview with Woody Lissauer and his latest album "Trouble The Water" with Barbara Ireland and Steve Caplan.
