Rock 103 – Rock FM – Low Power Station

Nick Mason, drummer for Pink Floyd, is born. (1945)

Elvis Presley releases “Heartbreak Hotel”. (1956)

Little Richard enters Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. It’s a school for blacks run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Little Richard explains while flying over the Philippines on tour, the wing on his plane caught fire and his prayers that the flames go out were answered. As a result, he says he’s giving up rock & roll so he can serve God. (1958)

Elvis Presley receives his 29th gold record for “Can’t Help falling in Love,” just weeks after getting one for the soundtrack to his seventh movie, “Blue Hawaii.” (1962)

The Rolling Stones appear as judges on the British “rate-a-record” TV show “Juke Box Jury.” Their somewhat impolite behavior on the set causes a furor in the British press. (1964)

Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” is released, 6 weeks after he is killed in a plane crash. (1968)

The Bee Gees make their U.S. debut with two concerts at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. They put $50,000 in their pockets and immediately head back to England without appearing elsewhere in the states. (1968)

The New Seekers receive a gold record for “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.” It’s a tune that will be better remembered as the music for the Coca-Cola commercials. (1972)

Mahalia Jackson, who once remarked that she sang “because I was lonely,” dies on this date. The gospel singer had been in ill-health ever since her heart attack in 1964. She was 60 years old. (1972)

A $2 million suit is brought against attorney Micahel Lippan by his former client, David Bowie. Bowie charges that Lippman took a 15-percent agent’s fee instead of the customary ten percent and that he withheld $475,000 after being dismissed by Bowie. (1976)

Michael Jackson’s hair bursts into flames while filming a Pepsi commercial. (1984)

“Tom Petty Day” is declared in the musician’s hometown of Gainsville, FL. (1990)

Warner Brothers Records announces that it is releasing rapper Ice-T from his contract due to “creative differences.” The previous summer the record company found itself in the middle of the controversy over Ice-T’s song, “Cop Killer.” (1993)

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Buddy Holly’s first recording session for Decca is held in Nashville. (1956)

Eddie Van Halen, guitar player for Van Halen, is born. (1957)

Bishop Burke of the Buffalo, New York Catholic Diocese bans the Twist. It can’t be danced, sung about or listened to in any Catholic school, parish or youth event. Later in the year, the Twist will be banned from community center dances in Tampa, Florida as well. (1962)

The Four Seasons’ “Walk Like A Man” is released. (1963)

John Lennon and Phil Spector write and record “Instant Karma” which is released early next month. (1970)

Australia’s first rock festival, the Ourimbah Rock Festival is attended by 11,000 people over the weekend. There are only 26 arrests. (1970)

Opening a concert for Bob Seger in Tampa, Florida, Patti Smith falls off the stage and must be rushed to the hospital for 22 stitches to close head lacerations. Her injuries mean a temporary retirement from the stage, during which time she will write her fifth book of poetry , “Babel.” (1977)

Fleetwood Mac’s first lead guitar player, Peter Green, is committed to a mental hospital in England after firing a pistol in the general direction of a delivery boy who was attempting to delver to Green a royalties check from Fleetwood Mac record sales. Green left the band in May 1970 to live a life of religious seclusion. (1977)

Workers at EMI’s record processing plant in Britain refuse to press copies of punk band the Buzzcocks’ “Oh S**t,” the flip side of their single “What Do I Get?” The single does get pressed and the “What Do I Get?” is a #1 smash in the U.K. (1978)

Singer Michael Jackson suffers scalp and neck burns when his hair catches fire in an accidental explosion on the set of a Pepsi commercial. The commercial debuted on MTV on February 27, 1984 with the fire scene edited out. (1984)

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Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” becomes the first single ever to enter the U.K. pop chart at Number One. (1958)

Sam Cooke’s “Twistin’ the Night Away,” later done by Rod Stewart, is released on RCA Records. It will make it up to #9 on the pop chart. (1962)

Producer Phil Spector appears as a panelist on the British rate-a-record TV program “Juke Box Jury.” (1964)

Creedence Clearwater Revival releases the “Proud Mary” LP. (1969)

Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of the Jefferson Airplane become the proud parents of a baby girl, which the they originally wanted to name God, but settled on China. (1971)

Charles Manson and three female members of his “family” are found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and seven counts of murder in the first degree and are sentenced to life imprisonment. During one of the most sensational trials in history, it was revealed that Manson regarded the Beatles as angels who communicated to him through their music. In particular, “Helter Skelter,” “Piggies,” “Revolution 9″ and other songs on the “The White Album.” (1971)

The Cars win the Rolling Stone magazine annual readers’ poll as the best new band of the year. (1979)

Paul McCartney is released from a Tokyo jail where he’d been imprisoned for ten days after trying to carry a half pound of marijuana through customs at the Tokyo airport. (1980)

The day after his birthday, comedian John Belushi of “Saturday Night Live” and Blues Brothers fame jams with punk rockers, the Dead Boys, at The Whiskey in Los Angeles. (1980)

Johhny Cash’s country rock singing daughter, Rosanne and her country-rock singer/songwriter husband Rodney Crowell, have a daughter, Chelsea Jane. (1982)

Bruce Springsteen’s “My Hometown” peaks at #6 on the chart. (1986)

Singer Markey Mark is sued by a Portland, Oregon woman who said she was trampled during one of his shows. She said he invited the crowd to rush the stage after he stripped down to his underwear. (1994)

The Rolling Stones open their No Security Tour in Oakland, CA. It is the band’s first arena tour in more than two decades. (1999)

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The All-New Hank And Jim Show – Hank Hayes and Jim Nazium, live music and fun from Brooklyn, New York!

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JOIN ROCKIN RON EVERY WEEKDAY FOR THE 80′S FLASHBACK. YOU CAN CATCH IT MONDAY, TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AT 6PM EASTERN, WEDNESDAYS AT 4PM EASTERN AND FRIDAYS AT 1PM EASTERN.

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