Yes, it’s another Sunday here in the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge where we never really sleep. We just rest our eyes for a spell. We welcome you back!
Here’s today’s lesson!
December 13, 1961: The Beatles signed Brian Epstein to manage them.
On the same day, Mike Smith of Decca Records arrived at the Cavern Club to see The Beatles perform. He determined after that the band had “no future in music.” Boy, did he fuck that one up, right?
December 13, 1962: Elvis Presley’s Return to Sender became his 13th #1 song in the US.
December 13, 1966: Jimi Hendrix recorded Foxy Lady. (It was misspelled on the US version of the album as Foxey Lady.) He also made his television debut on Ready Steady Go! on ITV in the UK.
December 13, 1967: The Grateful Dead perform the song Dark Star for the first time ever in concert at The Shrine Exhbition Hall in Los Angeles. It becomes a Deadhead favorite and is the conduit for some of their most fabled jams. The studio version, oddly enough, ran only 2:44.
December 13, 1969: Someday We’ll Be Together by the Supremes took over the #1 spot on the R & B chart.
Also on this day, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head by B.J. Thomas shot up to #1 on the Adult chart, and moved into the Top 10 overall.
And speaking of the guys with no future in music, The Beatles’ Abbey Road made it seven weeks at #1 on the Album chart.
December 13, 1970: Dave Edmunds went to #1 on the UK chart with I Hear You Knocking.
December 13, 1986: Bruce Hornsby & The Range top the charts with The Way It Is, an excellent debut song from this band about the U.S. Civil Rights movement. Did you know that Bruce Hornsby was the keyboardist for The Grateful Dead for several years running?
Born On This Day
December 13, 1933: Lou Adler was born in Chicago. Adler has an amazing musical history. He was the founder of Dunhill Records, where he produced The Mamas & The Papas, Johnny Rivers, The Grass Roots, Carole King and Barry McGuire (Eve of Destruction). He was also the architect of 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival, and managed Jan & Dean. Whew.
December 13, 1948: Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, veteran of two great bands — Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers — was born in Washington, D.C.
School’s out for today, children! Have a wonderful day, and stick around for our line-up!
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