Good Morning, Students! Here’s today’s lesson from the college:
December 19, 1955: Carl Perkins recorded Blue Suede Shoes two days after writing it. Although it is generally the Elvis Presley version we hear, that version peaked at #20 on Billboard’s Top 100, while Perkins’ original version went to #2 and spent 17 weeks on the charts.
December 19, 1964: The Beatles’ fourth album, Beatles For Sale, begins a seven-week run at the top of the UK album charts by knocking off The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night. It stayed in the Top 20 for an amazing 46 weeks.
Also on this day, Come See About Me by the Supremes became their third straight #1 single.
New singer Petula Clark makes her debut on the chart with her single, Downtown.
December 19, 1968: Led Zeppelin performed at the Exeter City Hall in England for 125 pounds. They had to bill themselves as The New Yardbirds to attract an audience.
December 19, 1969: The Rolling Stones moved to #1 in the UK with their album, Let It Bleed.
December 19, 1970: Elton John’s first US hit, Your Song, enters the Billboard Hot 100, where it will peak at #8.
December 19, 1974: Guitarist Ron Woods joined the Rolling Stones.
December 19, 1993: Michael Clarke, original drummer for The Byrds, died of liver failure at the age of 47 after decades of alcohol abuse. After The Byrds, he played for the Flying Burrito Brothers (1969-1973) and Firefall (1974-1981).
Born On This Day
December 19, 1918: Blues singer Henry Roeland “Roy” Byrd, better known as Professor Longhair, was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
December 19, 1944: Zalman (Zal) Yanovsky, lead guitarist and found of The Lovin’ Spoonful, was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Also on December 19 1944: Alvin Lee, great guitarist of Ten Years After and who worked with George Harrison, John Mayall, Steve Winwood, and Bo Diddley (among others), was born in Nottingham, England.
December 19, 1945: John McEuen, founding member of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, was born in Garden Grove, California.
That is it from the college. We’ll be back with the line-up soon!
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