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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History April 9th
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
April 9th
- April 9th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and solo artist Carl Perkins, born in Tiptonville, Tennessee in 1932. Perkins is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. He died on January 19th, 1998, aged 65.
- April 9th Birthday, Terry Knight, born Richard Terrance Knapp, in Flint, Michigan in 1943. He was the lead singer of Terry Knight and The Pack and later became the manager of Grand Funk Railroad. He died on November 1st, 2004, aged 61.
- April 9th Birthday, Pretty Things bassist and record producer Wally Waller, born Alan Edward Waller in Barnehurst, England.
- April 9th Birthday, American drummer Steve Gadd, who played on hundreds of hit recording sessions, born in Irondequoit, New York in 1945. Gadd plays on hits by Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Joe Cocker, Kenny Loggins, Eric Clapton and others.
- April 9th Birthday, Paper Lace drummer and singer Phil Wright, born in Nottingham, England in 1948.
- April 9th Birthday, Al Stewart, Roger Waters and Natural Gas pianist Peter Wood, born in Middlesex, England in 1950. He passed away on December 1st, 1993
- April 9th Birthday, Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly, born in Dublin, Ireland in 1961.
- April 9th Birthday, The Strokes singer, songwriter and guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., born in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. Hammond is the son of hit songwriter and solo artist Albert Hammond.
Today In Rock and Roll History
April 9th
- April 9th, 1958 Sun Records release “High School Confidential” backed with “Fools Like Me” by Jerry Lee Lewis and His Pumping Piano on 45. The A-side was written by Tom Hargrave. Produced by Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in Memphis, the song became the theme song for the MGM movie of the same name directed by Jack Arnold. The flip side was co-written by Jack Clement and Murphy Maddox. “High School Confidential” reached No. 21 on June 30th, 1958.
- April 9th, 1964 The Rolling Stones make their first live appearance on British TV’s Ready Steady Go!
- April 9th, 1965 Philips Records in Britain release “Love Her” by The Walker Brothers on 45. The song was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and first recorded by The Everly Brothers in 1963. The Walker Brothers version was the first the group released with Scott Walker as the lead singer. Produced by Nick Venet and arranged by Jack Nitzche who gave the track a Phil Spectorish Wall Of Sound treatment. The single went to No. 25 in England in June. Smash Records in the US issued the single that April, but the record did not chart in America.
- April 9th, 1965 Bruce Johnston joined The Beach Boys as permanent replacement for Brian Wilson.
- April 9th, 1966 Bang Records release The McCoys’ version of the Ritchie Valens song “Come On, Let’s Go” on 45. Co-produced by the team of Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer, the record entered the charts on April 23rd and peaked at No. 22 on June 4th.
- April 9th, 1966 RCA Records release “Let’s Go Steady Again” by Sam Cooke on 45. Written by singer, songwriter and record producer James Woodie (J.W.) Alexander, who mentored Cooke’s solo career in 1957. Originally issued as the B-side of Cooke’s 1957 single “Only Sixteen,” the record peaked on the singles charts at No. 97 on April 30th.
- April 9th, 1966 Nola Records release New Orleans Louisiana singer and saxophonist Robert Parker’s “Barefootin.” Written by Parker and arranged and produced by Wardell Quezergue in 1965, “Barefootin’” peaked at No. 7 in Canada and in the US, on June 18th.
- April 9th, 1967 Columbia Records release “Paul Revere and The Raiders Greatest Hits” album. The LP peaked at No. 9 on June 10th.
- April 9th, 1969 Columbia Records release “Nashville Skyline,” the ninth studio album by Bob Dylan. The LP, recorded at Columbia Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Bob Johnston, was a stylistic change for Dylan, heavily influenced by country music. Many country music stars appear on the album, including Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Pete Drake and others. The album went to No. 3 in America on May 24th, No. 1 in Britain and featured the single “Lay Lady Lay.”
- April 9th, 1969 King Crimson, then including Robert Fripp, Greg Lake and Ian McDonald make their stage debut at London’s Speakeasy Club.
- April 9th, 1970 In a press announcement included with promotional copies of his forthcoming first solo album, Paul McCartney announces what he was calling a “temporary break with The Beatles.” John Lennon had told the rest of the group he wanted to leave months earlier.
- April 9th, 1975 Country Joe McDonald performs a free lunchtime concert at The University of California at Berkeley to support his mother’s campaign for city auditor.
- April 9th, 1977 “Hold Back The Night” by Graham Parker and The Rumour enters the singles charts following a March release on Mercury Records. The track was issued from Parker’s “Pink Parker” EP and the full-length “Heat Treatment” LP, produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. “Hold Back The Night” reached No. 24 in Britain, No. 58 in the US, on May 14th.
- April 9th, 1977 Elton John’s Rocket Records release “Gonna Capture Your Heart “by Blue on 45. Written by Blue front man and former Marmalade guitarist Hughie Nicholson and co-produced by Elton John and Clive Franks, the record entered the charts on May 7th and peaked a week later at No. 88.
- April 9th, 1977 “Sound And Vision” by David Bowie enters the singles charts following a February release on RCA Records. RCA in Britain issued the single on February 11th. Written by Bowie, the record was issued from the Bowie and Tony Visconti co-produced “Low” album, peaking at No. 69 on May 7th.
- April 9th, 1977 “You Are On My Mind” by Chicago enters the singles charts following a March release on Columbia Records. Written by Chicago’s James Pankow and produced by Jim Guercio, the record peaked at No. 49 on April 30th.
- April 9th, 1977 “The Whistler” by Jethro Tull enters the singles charts following a March release on Chrysalis Records. Written and produced by Ian Anderson from the Tull LP “Songs From The Wood,” the record peaked at No. 59 on May 7th.
- April 9th, 1978 Oyster Records release “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the third studio album by Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. The last Rainbow record to feature vocalist Ronnie James Dio before he left to join Black Sabbath, the record peaked at No. 89 on the LP charts on June 24th, No. 7 in Britain.
- April 9th, 1982 Rocket Records in Britain release “Jump Up!” the sixteenth studio LP by Elton John. The album was recorded and mixed digitally in September and October 1981 at AIR Studios in Montserrat and Pathe Marconi Studios in France with producer Chris Thomas. The record featured the Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute to John Lennon, “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny).” The record came out ten days later in the US and peaked at No. 17 on June 12th.
- April 9th, 1982 A&M Records in Britain release “Black Coffee In Bed” by Squeeze on 45. The song was co-written by Chris Diofford and Glenn Tilbrook and co-produced by the band with Phil McDonald. Elvis Costello sings backing vocals in the track. The single was Issued in America in June.
- April 9th, 1984 IRS Records release “Reckoning” by R.E.M. Co-produced by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, the album was recorded at Reflection Sound Studio in Charlotte, North Carolina over sixteen days in December 1983 and January 1984, often using live takes the band recorded during the sessions. The album reached No. 27 in America on June 2nd.
- April 9th, 1988 Epic Records release “Lap Of Luxury” by Cheap Trick. The LP was produced by Richie Zito. It marked the return original bassist Tom Petersson and the first occasion of the group members working with outside writers for a Cheap Trick project. The album was recorded at One On One Studios in North Hollywood, Sound Castle Studios and A&M Studios in Hollywood. “Lap Of Luxury” featured a No. 1 single, “The Flame.” The album peaked at No. 16 on September 24th.
Miscellaneous April
- April 1953 Specialty Records release “Don’t Take It Out On Me” backed with “Lucy Mae Blues,” the third single by Texas electric blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims. Both songs were written by Frankie Lee Sims, a cousin to musician Lightnin’ Hopkins. “Lucy Mae Blues” became a regional hit in Texas.
- April 1954 Specialty Records release “The Story Of My Life” backed with “A Letter To My Girl Friend,” the third single by electric blues pioneer Guitar Slim and His Band. Both songs were written by Slim, credited to his given name Eddie Jones.
- April 1963 Ron Romans record “Tell Me” and “Love Of My Life.” Daani Records released them as the A and B-side of a single. The A-side was written by Frank Zappa associate Kenny Williams, while “Love Of My Life” was a Zappa/Dave Aerni co-write. The song was recorded at PAL Recording Studio in Cucamonga, California with Zappa playing guitar and drums. Zappa rerecorded “Love Of My Life” with The Mothers Of Invention on the 1968 LP “Cruising With Ruben and The Jets.
- April 1964 Chess records release the “Folk Singer” album, the fourth by Muddy Waters. The album features Waters on acoustic guitar, Willie Dixon on string bass, Clifton James on drums and Buddy Guy on acoustic guitar.
- April 1965 Fantasy Records release “Where You Been” backed with “You Came Walking,” the second single 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.
- April 1966 Are You Kidding Me? Records issue “The Ballad Of The Yellow Beret” backed with “Florida Time” by The Beach Bums, actually Bob Seger’s first released record. Done as an answer record to Sgt. Barry Sandler’s “The Ballad Of The Green Beret,” “The Ballad Of The Yellow Beret” is executed in a humorous manner but the lyrics are a sharp criticism of men who dodged the draft in the US. The song is credited to D. Dodger. “Florida Time” is closer to the style of The Beach Boys, written by long-time Seger producer “Punch,” with both sides produced and arranged by The Omens.
- April 1966 Paradise Records out of Texas release “Splash Day” backed with “Life’s A Misery” by The Warlocks on 45. The band featured brothers Rocky and Dusty Hill. The band would change their name to American Blues when drummer Frank Beard joined. Beard and Dusty Hill would later join Billy Gibbons in ZZ Top.
- April 1969 Liberty Records in Britain release “Folkjoke Opus,” the third album by Roy Harper. Produced by Shel Talmy, the LP sessions included Nicky Hopkins on piano and Clem Cattini on drums. Ron Geesin scored the arrangements on the record.
- April 1970 CBS Records in Britain release “Zero She Flies,” the third album by Al Stewart. The LP was produced by Roy Guest at Sound Technics Studios in London. Gerry Conway and Trevor Lucas from Fairport Convention played sessions on the record.
- April 1971 Harvest Records release “Stormcock,” the fifth studio album by Roy Harper. Produced by Peter Jenner at EMI Studios in London, David Bedford played keyboards and did the arrangements and Jimmy Page played guitar on “The Same Old Rock,” credited as S. Favius Mercurius.
- April 1973 Chrysalis Record in England release “Parcel Of Rogues,” the fifth studio album by Steeleye Span. The LP was co-produced by Steeleye Span and Jerry Boys at Sound Techniques Studios in Chelsea, London. The band toured the album in the US opening for Jethro Tull.
- April 1975 Asylum Records release “Fountain Of Sorrow” by Jackson Browne on 45. Written by Browne, it was the second single issued from his “Late For The Sky” LP. The 45 version was two minutes shorter than the nearly seven-minute-long album version.
- April 1975 Bob Seger releases “Beautiful Loser,” his first single for Capitol Records. The 45 peaked at No. 103 on the Pop Singles charts.
- April 1978 DB Records in Georgia release “Rock Lobster” backed with “52 Girls,” the debut single by The B-52’s. The A-side was co-written by Fred Schneider and Ricky Wilson. “52 Girls” was co-written by Jeremy Ayers and Ricky Wilson.
- April 1978 Virgin Records release “This Is Pop” backed with “Heatwave,” the third single by XTC. “This Is Pop” was written by Andy Partridge and “Heatwave” was written by Colin Moulding. Both songs were produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. The A-side was an album track, re-recorded for its’ single release.
- April 1979 Asylum Records release “Alison,” Linda Ronstadt’s cover version of the Elvis Costello song on 45, produced by Peter Asher.
- April 1980 Harvest Records release “The Unknown Soldier,” the tenth studio album by Roy Harper. Co-produced by Harper and Peter Jenner at Abbey Road Studios in London, David Gilmour Andy Roberts, Andy Newmark, Kate Bush, B.J. Cole, Pete Wingfield and others play on the record. David Bedford did the orchestral arrangements.
- April 1981 RCA Records release the soundtrack to the movie Christiane F., Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo. The record was a collection of previously released songs by David Bowie that spanned the years 1976-1978. Bowie appears in an in-concert sequence of the movie during the Isolar Tour of 1976.
- April 1982 Warner Brothers Records release “Deep Sleep” by The B-52’s on 45. The track came from the David Byne produced “Mesopotamia” EP, recorded at Blank Tape Studios in New York City. The song was co-written by Keith Strickland, Kate Pierson and Robert Waldrop.
- April 1982 Woody Records in Britain release “O.T.T.” backed with “Mystery Song” by Roy Wood on 45. Both songs were written and produced by Roy Wood.
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of April 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 4/5 Baby Ray and The Ferns
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