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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History May 28th
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
May 28th
- May 28th Birthday, Bluesman T-Bone Walker, born Aaron Thibeaux Walker in 1910 in Linden, Texas. He died on March 16th, 1975, aged 64.
- May 28th Birthday, Fiddle player for Jefferson Airplane and solo artist Papa John Creech, born John Henry Creech in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in 1917. He died on February 22nd, 1994, aged 76.
- May 28th Birthday, Billy J Kramer And The Dakotas drummer Tony Mansfield, born Anthony Bookbinder. Mansfield was the brother of British blues singer Elkie Brooks, born in Salford, Lancashire, England in 1943.
- May 28th Birthday, R&B Singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and author Gladys Knight. Knight has won seven Grammy Awards, born in 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia.
- May 28th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, actor, author and music historian Billy Vera, born in 1944 in Riverside, California.
- May 28th Birthday, Creedence Clearwater Revival singer, songwriter and guitarist John Fogerty, born in 1945 in Berkeley, California.
- May 28th Birthday, Asylum Records house band bassist Leland Sklar, born in 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sklar has contributed to over two thousand albums as a session player and touring musician. He has toured with James Taylor, Phil Collins, Toto, Lyle Lovett and other major acts.
- May 28th Birthday, The Plasmatics singer Wendy O. Williams, born in 1949 in Webster, New York. Williams committed suicide in the woods near her Connecticut home on April 6th, 1998.
- May 28th Birthday, Fine Young Cannibals singer Roland Gift, born in 1961 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.
- May 28th Birthday, Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison, born in 1963 in Harrow, Middlesex, England.
Today In Rock and Roll History
May 28th
- May 28th, 1959 Ray Charles records the “Ray Charles In Person” album live at Herndon Stadium on the campus of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. The record was recorded from the audience with a single microphone by WAOK DJ Zenus “Daddy” Sears. The album came out in May 1960, peaked at No. 13 in America and was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1999.
- May 28th, 1965 Pye Records in Britain release “Colours” by Donovan on 45. The song was written by Donovan Leitch and co-produced by Geoff Stephens, Peter Eden and Terry Kennedy. Hickory Records released the song as a 45 in the US in June. Hitting No. 4 in England, the single went to No. 61 in America on September 18th. When Epic Records put together Donovan’s “Greatest Hits” album, the rights to the original recording weren’t secured, so the song was rerecorded with Big Jim Sullivan on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards.
- May 28th, 1966 “When A Man Loves A Woman” by Percy Sledge is the No. 1 record in the US.
- May 28th, 1966 Dunwich Records release “Oh Yeah” by Chicago, Illinois band The Shadows Of Knight. The members of the group all attended Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. The school’s sports teams were called The Knights. The group attracted record label attention opening for The Byrds in Chicago in early 1965. “Oh Yeah” was written by Bo Diddley under his given name Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel. Issued as the band’s second single, “Oh Yeah” entered the charts on June 4th and peaked at No. 39 on June 2nd.
- May 28th, 1966 “Batman And His Grandmother” by Dickie Goodman enters the singles charts on Red Bird Records. The single peaked at No. 70 on June 4th.
- May 28th, 1966 Bang Records release “Hand Jive” by The Strangeloves on 45. The song was essentially a rewrite of the band’s biggest single “I Want Candy.” The record entered the singles charts on June 18th for one week at No. 100.
- May 28th, 1966 White Whale Records release “Grim Reaper Of Love” by The Turtles on 45. Co-written by Turtles members Chuck Portz and Al Nichol, the track has the band working in a psychedelic rock mode, with odd time signatures and sitars as part of the arrangement with producer Bones Howe. The record entered the singles charts in June and peaked at No. 81 on June 25th.
- May 28th, 1966 Decca Records release “It’s That Time Of Year” by Len Barry on 45. Co-produced by David White and John Madara, who wrote the song with Lenny Barry and Leon Huff. The record entered the singles charts for two weeks and peaked at No. 91 on June 25th.
- May 28th, 1968 Columbia Records release “I Can’t Quit Her,” the first single by Blood, Sweat and Tears. Written by Al Kooper and produced by John Simon, the record didn’t chart.
- May 28th, 1968 Fantasy Records release the self-titled debut album by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The album was co-produced by Saul Zaentz and John Fogerty at Coast Recorders in San Francisco. The LP featured the long version of the hit “Suzie Q.” Charting for seventy-three weeks, the album peaked at No. 52 on December 7th.
- May 28th, 1968 Paul Revere And The Raiders Featuring Mark Lindsay release “Don’t Take It So Hard” on 45. The single came after several changes had occurred with the original Raiders lineup and was also issued on the psychedelic tinged Raiders album “Something Happening.” Written, produced and arranged by the Raiders’ singer Lindsay, the record entered the singles charts in June and went to No. 21 in America on July 27th, No. 11 in Canada.
- May 28th, 1969 Imperial Records release “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” by Jackie DeShannon. Deshannon co-wrote the song with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. The record, co-produced by George Vitale and Dargin McWhorter, became DeShannon’s highest-charting hit, reaching No. 4 on August 30th. On September 29th, Jackie DeShannon was awarded a Gold Record for a million copies sold.
- May 28th, 1969 UNI Records release Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” on 45. The recording session for the track was arranged by Charles Calello and recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Diamond stated the inspiration for his song was John F. Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline, who was eleven years old at the time it was released. The single entered the charts in June reached No. 4 in America on August 16th and was certified gold for sales of one million singles two days later.
- May 28th, 1969 Tamla Records release “Doggone Right” by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles on 45. The song was co-written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Marv Tarplin along with Motown staff songwriter Al Cleveland and produced by Smokey Robinson. The song was initially offered to The Temptations, who turned it down. The record entered the singles charts in June and peaked at No. 32 on July 26th.
- May 28th, 1971 Atlantic Records release “Songs For Beginners,” the first solo album by Graham Nash. The LP was cut at various sessions in 1970 and 1971 at Wally Heider Studio III in Los Angeles and Studio “C” in San Francisco. Guest musicians on the sessions include David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Rita Coolidge, Neil Young, Phil Lesh, John Barbata, Dallas Taylor, David Lindley, Bobby Keys, P.P. Arnold and Clydie King. Nash produced the record with Glyn Johns mixing. The record peaked at No. 15 on July 10th and featured the hit single “Chicago.”
- May 28th, 1971 Mercury Records release “Every Picture Tells A Story,” the third solo album by Rod Stewart. Produced by Stewart at Morgan Studios in London, Stewart’s band mates in The Faces all play on the record, Ronnie Wood, Ian McLagan, Ronnie Lane and Kenny Jones. Other guests include Danny Thompson on upright bass, Pete Sears, Andy Pyle, Long John Baldry, Maggie Bell, Madeline Bell, Mickey Waller and others. The LP featured two hit singles, “Maggie May” co-written by Stewart and classical guitarist Martin Quittenton and the Tim Hardin song “Reason to Believe.” The album charted in America for fifty-two weeks and peaked at No. 1 on October 2nd.
- May 28th, 1971 Columbia Records release “Love Me” by The Rascals on 45. The track was written and produced by The Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere. Issued as a single from the “Peaceful World” LP. it was the first record released by The Rascals following the departure of original members Eddie Brigati and Gene Cornish. The record entered the in June and reached No. 95 on July 10th, the band’s last chart single.
- May 28th, 1971 Youngblood Records in Britain release “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” by Mac And Katie Kissoon on 45. The original recording of the song by its composer, Lally Stott, was a Top Fifteen hit in France and a minor hit in Italy, Australia and the United States. Trinidadian brother-and-sister duo Mac and Katie Kissoon released their version nearly simultaneously with Scottish group Middle Of The Road. In America, ABC Records released the Mac and Katie Kissoon version of “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep,” entering the charts in July and peaked at No. 20 on October 2nd.
- May 28th, 1976 Mountain Records in Britain release “Boston Tea Party” backed with “Sultan’s Choice” by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band on 45. “Boston Tea Party” was co-written by Harvey and keyboardist Hugh McKenna. The flip side was a co-write between Alex Harvey and guitarist Zal Cleminson. The single was produced by David Batchelor.
- May 28th, 1976 The Allman Brothers band dissolves for the first time when group members decide they can no longer work with Gregg Allman, all stemming from Allman’s court testimony against the brother’s roadie Scooter Herring.
- May 28th, 1977 “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder is the No. 1 record in the US.
- May 28th, 1977 Island Records release “Exodus” by Bob Marley and The Wailers. The LP was recorded at Harry J Studios in Kingston, Jamaica and Island Studios in London with Marley and the band producing. The record entered the charts in July and peaked at No. 20 on August 20th.
- May 28th, 1977 “I’m In You” by Peter Frampton enters the singles charts on A&M Records. Written by Frampton following the success of the “Frampton Comes Alive” album, the song was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Also the title track of his new album, “I’m In You” reached No. 2 on July 30th, Frampton’s biggest hit single.
- May 28th, 1977 “Barracuda” by Heart enters the singles charts on Portrait Records. The song was co-written by Ann and Nancy Wilson, Roger Fisher and Michael Derosier. The record, produced by Mike Flicker, charted for twenty weeks and peaked at No. 11 on September 3rd.
- May 28th, 1977 “Just A Song Before I Go” by Crosby, Stills and Nash enters the singles charts on Atlantic Records. Written in Hawaii by Graham Nash, Joe Vitale plays keyboards on the song with Tim Drummond on bass and Russ Kunkle on drums. The song became the trio’s biggest hit single, reaching No. 7 on August 27th.
- May 28th, 1977 Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland played together for the first time as members of a group led by Mike Howlett called Strontium 90.
- May 28th, 1977 “Ridin’ The Storm Out” by REO Speedwagon enters the singles charts on Epic Records following an April release. Written by guitarist Gary Richrath, who co-produced the track with John Stronach and John Henning, the record peaked at No. 94 on June 4th.
- May 28th, 1978 DJM Records release “Sure The Boy Was Green” by Horslips on 45. The record was self-produced by the band and Alan O’Duffy. Co-written by the band, copies of the single were issued on lime green vinyl.
- May 28th, 1981 The Clash perform the first of seven concert dates at Bonds in New York City. Fire Marshals move in when promoters allow too many people in the doors.
- May 28th, 1982 Atco Records release “Avalon,” the eighth album by Roxy Music. The band co-produced the LP with Rhett Davies at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas and the Power Station in New York City. Session musicians on the record include Paul Carrack, Neil Hubbard, Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta and Alan Spenner. A No. 1 record in Britain, the album peaked at No. 53 in the US on July 17th and became the band’s only million-selling record in the US.
- May 28th, 1983 The Eurythmics second album, their first in the US, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” enters the album charts following a March release on RCA Records. The record was mostly a home grown affair with David Allan Stewart and Annie Lennox working in an attic studio at home on an eight track machine and at The Church in London. The LP charted for almost a year and peaked at No. 15 on August 27th.
- May 28th, 1983 The US festival opened in San Benandino, California. Featured acts over the three-day event ranged from David Bowie and Van Halen to Stevie Nicks, U2 and The Stray Cats. The event lost millions of dollars.
Miscellaneous May
- May 1949 “Back Home Blues” backed with “Rock Awhile” by Goree Carter and His Hep Cats is released as a 78 rpm record on the Freedom Records label. Influenced by the guitar work of T Bone Walker, “Rock Awhile” stakes a legitimate claim as the first rock and roll record released. Eighteen years old when he recorded the song, the overdriven guitar tone and pentatonic lead predated rock and a style similar to Chuck Berry.
- May 1966 White Whale Records release “If You Gotta Go, Go Now” backed with “I’ll Go On,” the second single by Lyme & Cybelle, the folk rock duo of Warren Zevon and Violet Santangelo. Bob Dylan wrote “If You Gottsa Go, Go Now,” and the B-side was a Zevon/Santangelo co-write. The record was produced by Bones Howe.
- May 1968 Parlophone Records in Britain release “(The Autobiography Of) Mississippi Hobo,” the second single by Hans Christian. Hans Christian was future Yes singer Jon Anderson. The single was arranged and produced by Paul Korda.
- May 1970 Viking Records press promotional copies of “From Denver To L.A.” on 45. Credited with a vocal by “Elton Johns,” it was taken from the movie soundtrack from the 20thCentury Fox film The Games. Original copies of the record are considered one of the rarest Elton John singles.
- May 1972 Bearsville Records release “Wonder Girl,” the debut single by Sparks. Written by Ron Mael, the record was produced by Todd Rundgren. Rundgren signed the band to Bearsville and produced their first album when the band was known as Halfnelson. The band changed its’ name to Sparks after the LP came out in October 1971. The name change led to a new cover and re-release of the album in February 1972.
- May 1973 Chrysalis Records release “Grand Hotel” by Procol Harum on 45. Co-written by Keith Reid and Gary Brooker, the song served as the title track of Procol Harum’s sixth studio LP, produced by Chris Thomas.
- May 1975 Harvest Record release “HQ,” the eighth studio album by Roy Harper. Recorded in March at Abbey Road Studios in London with producer Peter Jenner, when the LP came out in America, the cover art and the title changed to “When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease.” David Gilmour, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and John Paul Jones played sessions on the LP.
- May 1976 MCA Records release “Gimme Back My Bullets” by Lynyrd Skynyrd on 45. The song was co-written by Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant. The studio track was produced by Tom Dowd.
- May 1977 CBS Records in Britain release “Ian Hunter’s Overnight Angels” album. Recorded at several different studios in the US, Canada and England with producer Roy Thomas Baker, Hunter’s US label, Columbia Records refused to release the LP with Hunter’s business management in disarray and no tour scheduled to support the album. Featured on the album sessions were guitarist Earl Slick.
- May 1984 Passport Records release “Russians & Americans,” the tenth studio album by Al Stewart. The LP was produced by Mike Flicker at four different studios, three in California and Abbey Road Studios in London. British and US issues on the record had different tracks. A 2007 reissue collected all the songs on one CD.
- May 1985 EMI Records in Britain release remixed versions of “Loving The Alien” backed with “Don’t Look Down” on 45, originally from from the David Bowie LP “Tonight.” Bowie wrote the AS-side. “Don’t Look Down” was a song co-written by David Bowie and The Stooges’ guitarist James Williamson.
- May 1985 Legacy Records in Britain release “Under Fire” backed with “On Top Of The World” by Roy Wood on 45. Both songs were written and produced by Roy Wood from the LP “Starting Up.”
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of May 24th
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 5/24 The Turtles
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