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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

April 11th

April 11th Birthday, The Specials and Fun Boy Three singer Neville Staple, born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica in 1955.

April 11th Birthday, Singer, guitarist, songwriter Stuart Adamson from Big Country, born in 1958 in Manchester, England. He died on December 16th, 2001, aged 43.

April 11th Birthday, Gin Blossoms guitarist and songwriter Doug Hopkins, born in 1961 Seattle, Washington. He died on December 5th, 1993, aged 32.

April 11th Birthday, Singer and actress Joss Stone, born Joscelyn Eve Stoker in Dover, Kent, England in 1987.

Today In Rock and Roll History

April 11th

April 11th, 1956 Elvis Presley teams with vocal group The Jordanaires for the first time at a Nashville studio session where they cut the song, “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.” Co-written by Maurice Mysels and Ira Kosloff, the record was issued on May 4th, 1956 by RCA Victor Records, backed with “My Baby Left Me.” Written by blues singer Arthur Crudup in 1950, the released master of “My Baby Left Me” is take nine of the song. The single went to No. 1 on the Country charts, No. 3 on the Pop Singles charts.

April 11th, 1961 A nineteen-year-old Bob Dylan performs professionally for the first time at Gerde’s Folk City in Greenwich Village, opening for John Lee Hooker.

April 11th, 1962 “My Bonnie” by Tony Sheridan and The Beatles is released for the first time in the US on the Decca label. Credited to Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers, the 45 failed to chart until two years later. When The Beatles achieved their breakthrough in North America, MGM re-serviced the record. The second time around, it peaked at No. 26 on March 14th, 1964.

April 11th, 1964 United Artist Records release “Who’s That Lady” by The Isley Brothers on 45. The song was co-written by Ronnie Isley, O’Kelly Isley and Rudolph Isley. The record was produced by Bert Berns. The group rerecorded the song in 1973, when it became a No. 6 hit that October.

April 11th, 1964 “Can’t Buy Me Love” by The Beatles was the No. 1 record in the US. “Twist And Shout” was at No. 2, “She Loves You” at No. 3, while “Love Me Do” and “There’s A Place” entered the charts.

April 11th, 1964 “I’m On Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis enters the singles charts on Smash Records. Produced by Shelby S. Singleton, the song was co-written by Richard Gottehrer, Jerry Goldstein and Bob Feldman, the single charted for one week and peaked at No. 98.

April 11th, 1964 “Tall Cool One” by The Wailers enters the singles charts. Often credited as The Fabulous Wailers, the band were an American rock band from Tacoma, Washington. Originally released and charting in 1959 on the Golden Crest Records label, the second time around the record went to No. 36 on June 27th.

April 11th, 1964 “Ronnie” by The 4 Seasons Featuring The Sound of Frankie Valli enters the singles charts. Co-written by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe, the record peaked at No. 6 on May 16th.

April 11th, 1968 Motown Records release “If I Were A Carpenter” by the Four Tops on 45. Written and released first by singer, songwriter Tim Hardin, one of two songs Hardin performed onstage at The Woodstock Festival. It was partly inspired by the construction of a recording studio for Hardin, in the home of Lenny Bruce and by his love for actress Susan Morss. The Four Tops version went to No. 20 on June 20th, No. 7 in Britain.

April 11th, 1969 Apple Records release The Beatles’ “Get Back” backed with “Don’t Let Me Down” on 45 in Britain. Conceived as the title track for the next Beatles album and movie, “Get Back” was recorded live in the studio and released nearly a year before the LP and film, by then re-titled “Let It Be.” Both sides of the single charted in the US. Written by Paul McCartney, “Get Back” went to No. 1 while John Lennon’s “Don’t Let Me Down” peaked at No. 35 on May 24th.

April 11th, 1970 “Ladies Of The Canyon,” the third album by Joni Mitchell enters the charts. The record featured the songs “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Woodstock” and “The Circle Game.” Recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood and self-produced by Mitchell, the record is critically viewed as the next step in her musical evolution from folk artist to one with a broad artistic vision. “Ladies Of The Canyon” peaked at No. 27 on April 25th.

April 11th, 1970 Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green announces he is leaving the band to follow his religious beliefs.

April 11th, 1970 The Beatles “Let It Be” is the No. 1 record in the US.

April 11th, 1970 “Hey Lawdy Mama” by Steppenwolf enters the singles charts. Co-written by John Kay, Larry Byrom and Jerry Edmonton, the record, produced by Gabriel Mekler, was released as a standalone single and reached No. 35 on May 16th.

April 11th, 1970 Epic Records release the self-titled album by Edgar Winter’s White Trash. The back cover of the LP included a Patti Smith poem printed on the sleeve. Johnny Winter guests on the record on guitar, harmonica and vocals. Produced by Rick Derringer, the album peaked at No. 111 in America and featured the single “Keep Playin’ That Rock and Roll.”

April 11th, 1972 Fantasy Records release “Mardi Gras,” the seventh and final album by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Recorded as a three-piece band after the departure of guitarist Tom Fogerty at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco and at Fantasy Records Studio A in Berkeley, California with the three members of CCR co-producing. The album peaked at No. 12 on May 20th and featured the hits “Sweet Hitch-Hiker” and “Someday Never Comes.” The group broke up after its release.

April 11th, 1977 Brother Records release “Love You” by The Beach Boys. Most of the album was recorded at the band’s Brother Studios in Santa Monica, with Brian Wilson writing and performing almost all the tracks on the LP himself. Produced by Brian Wilson and mixed by Carl Wilson, it was the last record Brian worked on until his first solo album in 1988. “Love You” peaked at No. 53 on May 21st.

April 11th, 1980 Parlophone Records release “Coming Up” by Paul McCartney on 45 in Britain, out seven days later in the US. The record went to No. 2 in the UK. A live version of the song was placed on the single’s B-side, recorded in Glasgow, Scotland, on December 17th, 1979 by Wings during their tour of the UK. Columbia Records wanted to place the live version on the otherwise studio album “McCartney II.” The compromise was to include a 7” single of the live version in with the album and that’s the version that charted in America, peaking at No. 1 on June 28th.

April 11th, 1981 Sire Records release “Extended Play” by the Pretenders. The five song twelve-inch record featured a live track by the band recorded at Central Park, New York City on August 30th, 1980, their latest two singles, “Message Of Love” and “Talk Of The Town,” and two other studio tracks. The record peaked at No. 27 on May 16th.

April 11th, 1988 Capitol Records release “Son Of A Seventh Son” by Iron Maiden. The album was produced, engineered and mixed by Martin Birch from February through March at Musicland Studios in Munich, West Germany. The record peaked at No. 12 on May 28th.

April 11th, 1990 Sire Records release “Songs For Drella” by Lou Reed and John Cale. “Drella” was a nickname for Andy Warhol and the album was a tribute to him by the two founding members of The Velvet Underground after his passing in 1987. The LP peaked at No. 103 on May 26th.

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.