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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History April 26th
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 26th
- April 26th Birthday, R&B groups The Gladiolas, The Excellos and The Diamonds singer and solo artist Maurice Williams, born in Lancaster, South Carolina in 1938. He passed away on August 6th, 2024 at the age of 86.
- April 26th Birthday, Blues singer Ma Rainey, born Gertrude Pridgett in 1886 in Columbus, Georgia. She died on December 22nd, 1939 from a heart attack in Rome, Georgia, aged 53.
- April 26th Birthday, Delta Blues slide guitarist Johnny Shines, born in 1915 in Frayser, Memphis, Tennessee. He died on April 20th, 1992, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, aged 76.
- April 26th Birthday, Guitarist Duane Eddy, born in Corning, New York in 1938. He passed away from cancer on April 30th, 2024 at the age of 86.
- April 26th Birthday, Record producer and songwriter Georgio Moroder, born in 1940 in Urtijëi, South Tyrol, Italy. He is the founder of the former Musicland Studios in Munich, a recording studio used by many artists, including The Rolling Stones, Electric Light Orchestra, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen and Elton John. Moroder was the producer behind the boards of Donna Summer’s breakthrough hit “Love To Love You Baby.”
- April 26th Birthday, Pop singer Bobby Rydell, born Robert Louis Ridarelli in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1942. Rydell died aged 79 on April 5th, 2022 from complications of pneumonia.
- April 26th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, keyboardist Gary Wright, born in Cresskill, New Jersey in 1943. He passed away on September 4th, 2023, suffering from Parkinson’s disease and dementia, at the age of 80.
- April 26th Birthday, Plastic Penny and The Troggs bassist Tony Murray, born in 1945.
- April 26th Birthday, Wet Willie singer Jimmy Hall, born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1949.
- April 26th Birthday, Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor, born in Nechells, Birmingham, England in 1960.
Today In Rock and Roll History
April 26th
- April 26th, 1962 Sam Cooke records “Bring It On Home” and “Havin’ A Party at RCA Studio One in Hollywood. Both songs were written by Sam Cooke. Co-produced by Hugo and Luigi and arranged and conducted by René Hall. “Havin’ A Party” was completed in twelve takes with Lou Rawls on backing vocals, former Keen Records assistant A&R rep Fred Smith and J.W. Alexander joining in to provide backing vocals and handclaps to the chorus. “Bring It On Home” was released as the B-side to “Having a Party” before it became a hit in its own right. The song peaked at No. 13 on August 25th, No. 2 R&B. “Havin’ A Party” went to No. 17 on July 14th.
- April 26th, 1963 Parlophone Records release “Do You Want To Know A Secret” backed with “I’ll Be On My Way,” the first single by Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas. Produced by George Martin at EMI Studios in London, both songs were co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Liberty Records in the US issued the record on June 10th. The record went to No. 2 in the UK, but didn’t chart in the US.
- April 26th, 1965 Columbia Records release “Before And After” on 45 by Chad and Jeremy. The song was recorded during sessions for the duo’s third album at Columbia’s New York City Studios with producer Lor Crane. The song was written by Van McCoy, then a staff writer for Columbia’s publishing arm April Blackwood Music. McCoy would score his own big hit, the disco standard “The Hustle,” in 1975. The Chad and Jeremy record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 17 on June 19th.
- April 26th, 1969 Dunhill Records release Three Dog Night’s cover version of the Nilsson song, “One.” Issued as the second single from Three Dog Night’s self-titled first album, the 45 became their first of seven Gold Records over the next five years. “One” entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 5 on June 28th.
- April 26th, 1969 “From Both Sides Now” by Dion enters the singles charts following a March release on Laurie Records. Produced by Phil Gerhhard, the song was a cover of the Joni Mitchell song. “From Both Sides Now” peaked at No. 91 on April 26th.
- April 26th, 1969 Fantasy Records release “Bad Moon Rising” backed with “Lodi” by Creedence Clearwater Revival on 45. The songs, both written by John Fogerty, were recorded in March and issued as a standalone single, four months before the songs appeared on the band’s “Green River” LP. “Lodi” describes a fictional tale of a down-and-out musician whose career has landed him playing gigs in the town of Lodi, a small agricultural city in California’s Central Valley. Both sides of the single entered the charts on May 3rd as separate entries. “Bad Moon Rising” peaked at No. 2 on June 28th and “Lodi” peaked at No. 52 on May 24th.
- April 26th, 1969 “Home To You” by Earth Opera enters the singles charts for one week following a March release on Elektra Records. Produced by Peter K. Siegel, the record peaked at No. 97. The song was written by the band’s guitarist, Peter Rowan.
- April 26th, 1969 Initial sessions begin for The Beatles’ “Octopus’ Garden” at EMI Studios in London with Chris Thomas producing. Ringo Starr began writing the song on Peter Sellers’ yacht in Sardinia in 1968 and introduced the song to The Beatles during the January 1969 Get Back sessions. Ringo taped his lead vocals on April 29th. Three months later, July 17th and 18thsessions to complete the track were produced by George Martin.
- April 26th, 1972 Tamla Records release “You’re The Man (Part 1)” by Marvin Gaye on 45. Produced by Marvin Gaye, who co-wrote the song with Kenny Stover, the record entered the charts on May 20th and peaked at No. 50 on June 3rd.
- April 26th, 1972 Warner Brothers Records release “School’s Out” by the Alice Cooper band on 45. Guitarist Glen Buxton created the song’s signature guitar riff, with lyrics by singer Alice Cooper. It was the band’s first major hit single and their highest charting 45. Credited to the five members of the band with Bob Ezrin producing, the record entered the charts in June and reached No. 7 on July 29th.
- April 26th, 1972 Warner Brothers Records release America’s “I Need You” on 45. The song was written by group guitarist Gerry Beckley and co-produced by Ian Samwell and Jeff Dexter. “I Need You” was the second single released from America’s first album. The record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 9 on July 29th.
- April 26th, 1973 Paramount Records release “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette” by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen on 45. Co-written by Merle Travis and Tex Williams for Williams and His Western Caravan in 1947, the record entered the singles charts in July and peaked at No. 94 on August 4th.
- April 26th, 1975 Mercury Records release “I’m Not In Love” by 10cc on 45. Co-written by band members Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman, vocal tracking sessions for the song lasted three weeks recording sustaining backing voices, building a “choir” of forty-eight voices for each note of the scale. The 45 mix of the song edited over two and a half minutes off of the album track. The record entered the US charts in May reaching No. 2 in the US on July 26th. In Britain, “I’m Not In Love” became 10cc’s second No. 1 hit.
- April 26th, 1975 “Old Days” by Chicago enters the singles charts. Written by trombonist James Pankow and sung by Peter Cetera, the track was the second single from the band’s “Chicago VIII” album. Produced by Jim Guercio, “Old Days” peaked at No. 5 on June 7th.
- April 26th, 1975 “Real Man” by Todd Rundgren enters the singles charts. Written, produced and arranged by Rundgren, the record peaked at No. 83 on May 10th.
- April 26th, 1975 “Let There Be Music” by Orleans enters the singles charts. Co-written by bassist Larry Hoppen and singer John Hall, the record was produced by Chuck Plotkin. “Let There Be Music” peaked at No. 55 on May 24th.
- April 26th, 1975 “One More More Tomorrow” by Henry Gross enters the singles charts. Written by Gross and co-produced by Terry Cashman and Tommy West, the record peaked at No. 93 on May 10th.
- April 26th, 1975 “This ‘Ol Cowboy” by The Marshall Tucker Band enters the singles charts. It was the band’s first charting single, written by guitarist Toy Caldwell. Produced by Paul Hornsby, the record peaked at No. 78 on May 17th.
- April 26th, 1975 “99 Miles From LA” by Albert Hammond enters the singles charts following a February release on Mums Records. Co-written and produced by Hammond and Hal David, the record peaked at No. 91 on May 24th.
- April 26th, 1975 “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” by B.J.Thomas is the No. 1 song in the US.
- April 26th, 1975 Rocket Records release Kiki Dee’s “How Glad I Am” on 45. Dee had first released the song on Fontana Records on July 19th, 1964. The record was a remake of a remake. A hit for Nancy Wilson in 1964, Kiki Dee first recorded the song the same year in Britain with an arrangement by Les Reed based on the Nancy Wilson recording. The new version was produced by Gus Dudgeon and released on the Kiki Dee LP “I’ve Got The Music In Me.” The record peaked at No. 74 on May 4th.
- April 26th, 1976 Warner Brothers Records release “Today’s The Day” by America on 45. The song was written by Dan Peek. Produced by George Martin, the record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 23 on July 10th.
- April 26th, 1978 Ringo Starr appears in his first American television network special. Called Ringo the plot is essentially a retelling of Mark Twain’s The Prince And The Pauper.
- April 26th, 1980 Slash Records release “Los Angeles,” one of the seminal punk albums, by X. Recorded at Golden Sound Studios in Hollywood, California, produced by Doors’ keyboardist Ray Manzerek, who also plays keyboards on the LP.
- April 26th, 1982 Rod Stewart is mugged and robbed of his Porsche by a gunman in broad daylight while walking his three-year-old daughter on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.
- April 26th, 1982 Joe Strummer disappeared on the eve of a Clash British tour. Strummer turned up three weeks later in Paris, explaining he had doubts about his career, so he went to Paris to live like a bum.
- April 26th, 1982 Parlophone Records in Britain and Columbia Records in the US release the “Tug Of War” LP by Paul McCartney. Sessions with producer George Martin at AIR Studios in London and Montserrat yielded enough material for two albums, so a number of tracks were held over for McCartney’s next LP “Pipes Of Peace.” Eric Stewart became a frequent writing and recording collaborator and Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr and Stanley Clarke were among the musicians that worked on both records. The album went to No. 1 for three weeks in America on May 29th.
- April 26th, 1985 Columbia Records release “Nervous Night,” the second studio album by The Hooters. The LP was produced by Rick Chertoff at Record Plant Studios in New York City and Studio 4 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The album charted in the US seventy-four weeks and peaked at No. 12 on March 22nd, 1986. The record featured three hit singles, “And We Danced,” “Day By Day” and “Where Do the Children Go.” Rolling Stone Magazine voted The Hooters “Best New Band Of The Year in 1986.”
- April 26th, 2005 Bruce Springsteen releases his thirteenth studio album on Columbia Records. Recorded at various sessions between 1996 and 2005 with Springsteen and Brendan O’Brien co-producing. The record peaked at No. 1 on May 14th.
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 26th
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.
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