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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

December 23rd

December 23rd Birthday, Lead singer for Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, Johnny Kidd born Frederick Albert Heath in 1935 in Willesden, North London, England.

December 23rd Birthday, Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna guitarist and solo artist Jorma Kaukonen, born in Washington, DC in 1940.

December 23rd Birthday, Singer, songwriter Tim Hardin, born in Eugene, Oregon in 1941. He died on December 29th, 1980, at the age of 39.

December 23rd, 1946 Mott The Hoople, Spooky Tooth guitarist and solo artist Luther Grosvenor, known as Ariel Bender during his stint with Mott The Hoople, born in 1946 in Evesham, Worchester, England.

December 23rd Birthday, Chi-Lites singer Eugene Record born in Chicago, Illinois in 1940. He died on July 22nd, 2005 after a long bout with cancer.

December 23rd Birthday, Solo artist and Rainbow singer Graham Bonnet, born in 1947 in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.

December 23rd Birthday, King Crimson guitarist and solo artist Adrian Belew, born Robert Steven Belew in 1949 in Covington, Kentucky.

December 23rd Birthday, Original Genesis guitarist and solo artist Anthony Phillips, born in Chiswick, England in 1956.

December 23rd Birthday, Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray, born in Edmonton, Middlesex, England in 1956.

December 23rd Birthday, Singer Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam, born Edward Louis Severson III in Evanston, Illinois in 1964. The surname Vedder is his mother’s maiden name.

Today In Rock and Roll History

December 23rd

December 23rd, 1957 Los Angeles band The Champs record “Tequila” at Gold Star Recording Studio, Hollywood with producer Joe Johnson for Challenge Records. Written by songwriter Danny Flores, “Tequila” became a No. 1 hit on both the Pop Singles and R&B charts three weeks after its release on single on January 15th, 1958. The track was originally issued as the B-side of the single “Train To Nowhere,” but a Cleveland DJ began playing the flip side of the record and it became a national hit.

December 23rd, 1959 The Drifters with Ben E. King on vocals record “This Magic Moment” at Bell Sound Studios, New York City. Released on January 28th, 1960, the song was co-written by songwriters Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and co-produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The song reached No. 16 on April 2nd, 1960.

December 23rd, 1964 On a flight from Los Angeles to a concert in Houston, the Beach Boys Brian Wilson suffers a nervous breakdown, leading to his immediate retirement from touring. Glen Campbell is hired to take his place on stage and is eventually replaced by permanent member Bruce Johnston.

December 23rd, 1967 “I Wonder What She’s Doing” by Boyce and Hart enters the singles charts following a November release on A&M Records. In addition to three Top Forty hits as artists, the duo is well known for its songwriting for The Monkees. “I Wonder What She’s Doing” was co-written, produced and sung by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, arranged by Artie Butler and features a trumpet solo by Marvin Stamm. The record reached No. 8 on February 24th, 1968.

December 23rd, 1967 The Move record “Fire Brigade” at De Lane Lea Studios in London with Denny Cordell producing. Regal Zonophone Records in Britain released “Fire Brigade” backed with “Walk Upon The Water” on January 26th, 1968. Both songs were written by Roy Wood. “Fire Brigade” went to No. 3 in Britain. A&M Records in the US issued the single on 45 in February 1968.

December 23rd, 1968 “The Natch’l Blues,” the second album by Taj Mahal enters the album charts following an August 1968 release on Columbia Records. Produced by David Rubinstein, the album peaked at No. 160 on May 24th.

December 23rd, 1968 Tamla Records release “I’m Gonna Hold On As Long As I Can” by The Marvelettes. Produced by Frank Wilson and co-written by Wilson and Lena Manns, the single peaked at No. 76 on January 18th, 1969.

December 23rd, 1969 Elton John meets for the first time with what would become his classic team, songwriter Bernie Taupin, arranger Paul Buckmaster and producer Gus Dudgeon, to begin work on his second solo album.

December 23rd, 1969 Cotillion Records release “Rainy Night In Georgia” by Brook Benton. Written by Tony Joe White in 1967 and released on his 1969 LP “Continued,” the Brook Benton session was produced by Arif Mardin and featured Toots Thielemans on harmonica. The song was recorded in November after Benton was signed to the Cotillion label by Jerry Wexler. The record entered the charts in January and went to No. 4 on the Pop Singles charts on March 7th, 1970, No. 1 R&B.

December 23rd, 1970 Joni Mitchell earns her first Gold Record with her third album “Ladies of the Canyon.”

December 23rd, 1971 A&M Records release “Hurting Each Other” by The Carpenters on 45. Co-written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell, produced by Jack Daugherty and arranged by Richard Carpenter, the record entered the charts in January and peaked at No. 2 on February 26th.

December 23rd, 1972 “Dreidel” by Don McLean enters the singles charts. The song served as the lead song on the self-titled “Don McLean” album, recorded at The Record Plant Studios in New York City with producer Ed Freeman. Future King Crimson bassist Tony Levin played bass on the session. “Dreidel” peaked at No. 21 on February 24th, 1973.

December 23rd, 1972 Metromedia Records release “Stop, Wait and Listen” by Cleveland, Ohio band Circus on 45. The song was written by Dan Hrdlicka and produced by Walt Masky. The record entered the charts in February and peaked at No. 91 on March 17th, 1973.

December 23rd, 1972 “Remember (Christmas)” by Nilsson enters the singles charts. The song was written by Nilsson and produced by Richard Perry from the “Son Of Schmilsson” album. “Remember (Christmas)” peaked at No. 53 on January 13th, 1973.

December 23rd, 1972 “The Red Back Spider” by Brownsville Station enters the singles charts following a November release on Big Tree Records. The song was written by Ralph Ernest Newton and credited to Slim Newton. Produced by future Sony Music CEO Doug Morris, “The Red Back Spider” peaked at No. 96 on January 6th, 1973.

December 23rd, 1973 Jim Croce’s “Time In A Bottle” is the No. 1 record in the US.

December 23rd, 1974 Reprise Records release “Child Of Winter Christmas Song” by The Beach Boys on 45 as a stand-alone single. The song was co-written by Brian Wilson and Steve Kalinich. Wilson’s daughters Carnie and Wendy play sleigh bells on the track.

December 23rd, 1978 Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” enters the singles charts. Co-written by Rod Stewart, Carmine Appice and Duane Hitchings, the record was produced by Tom Dowd for Warner Brothers Records. The record spent one week at No. 1 in Britain and four weeks at No. 1 in the US, beginning February 10th, 1979.

December 23rd, 1978 “Blue Morning, Blue Day” by Foreigner enters the singles charts. Co-written by singer Lou Gramm and guitarist Mick Jones, the record was co-produced by Keith Olsen, Mick Jones and Ian McDonald. “Blue Morning, Blue Day” was the third single from Foreigner’s second album, “Double Vision.” The record went to No. 15 on March 3rd, 1979.

Miscellaneous December

December 1951 RPM Records release “3 O’clock Blues” backed with “That Ain’t The Way To Do It,” the first single by B. B. King. Both songs were written by B.B. King. Johnny Ace played piano on the track.

December 1953 Specialty Records release “The Things I Used To Do” backed with “Well, I Done Got Over It” by Guitar Slim and His Band on 45. The tracks were recorded at Cosimo Matassa’s J&M Studio in New Orleans with John Vincent producing. The songs were arranged by Ray Charles, who plays piano on the sessions. Both tracks were written by Guitar Slim, credited to his real name, Eddie Jones. Slim was seriously injured in an automobile accident at the time “The Things I Used To Do” was the No. 1 R&B single in the country.

December 1959 Checker Records release the Bo Diddley album “Have Guitar Will Travel.”

December 1963 Daytone Records release “Hurricane” backed with “Sweet Love” by Conrad and The Hurricanes on 45. The tracks were taped at PAL Studios in Cucamonga, California. Both songs were written by Ed Sigarlaki and produced by Frank Zappa and Dave Aerni using the aliases Curry, Ivan. The single was reissued on Era Records in June 1964 with the A&B sides reversed.

December 1964 Fantasy Records release “Don’t Tell Me No Lies” backed with “Little Girl (Does Your Mama Know?),” the first record by The Golliwogs on 45. 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.

December 1965 Sue Records release “The New Breed (pts. 1&2)” by Ike Turner and His Kings Of Rhythm on 45. The instrumental was written by Ike Turner and co-produced by he and Tinas Turner.

December 1968 Verve Forecast Records release “Reason To Believe” by Tim Hardin on 45. The song was a No. 62 hit for Rod Stewart when it was released as the first single from Stewarts “Every Picture Tells A Story” LP in 1971.

December 1968 Island Records in Britain release “What We Did On Our Holidays,” the second album by Fairport Convention, their first to feature singer and songwriter Sandy Denny. Produced by Joe Boyd, the record was released in America with a different cover and a self-titled name.

December 1969 Mercury Records release “Earth” backed with “Step On Me” by Smile at 45. The A-side was written by singer and bassist Tim Staffell. “Step On Me” was co-written by Staffell and guitarist Brian May. Drummer Roger Taylor and May changed the name of the band to Queen when Staffell quit the group and they hired singer Freddie Mercury.

December 1969 Island Records in Britain release the Joe Boyd produced “Liege And Lief” album by Fairport Convention. The record was issued in America on A&M Records the following July. A No. 17 hit in England, it was Fairport’s third album of 1969 and their first following the road accident that killed drummer Martin Lamble.

December 1970 The Famous Charisma Label in Britain release “H To He Who Am The Only One,” the third album by Van der Graaf Generator. The LP was recorded at Trident Studios in London with John Anthony producing. Dunhill Records in the US issued the album in February 1971. Robert Fripp of King Crimson played guitar on the track “The Emperor And His War Room.”

December 1972 Epic records release “R.E.O. T.W.O.,” the second studio LP by REO Speedwagon. Initial sessions for the LP were recorded in Nashville, then moved to The Record Plant in Los Angeles. The album was co-produced by Paul Leka and Billy Rose II.

December 1972 United Artists Records release The Move compilation “Splits Ends.” The tracks drew mostly from the band’s previous album “Message From The Country” as well as earlier group singles.

December 1974 Atlantic Records release “Can’t Stop The Music (He Played It Much Too Long)” by Hall and Oates on 45. Written by John Oates, the record was produced by Todd Rundgren at Secret Sound Studios in New York City.

December 1987 Barking Pumpkin Records release Frank Zappa “Old Masters Box Three.” The set completed a trio of archival reissues of the original albums Zappa recorded with The Mothers Of Invention. The release featured the albums “Waka/Jawaka,” “The Grand Wazoo,” “Over-Nite Sensation,” “Apostrophe (‘),” “Roxy And Elsewhere,” “One Size Fits All,” “Bongo Fury” and “Zoot Allures”.