Good Morning, Music Minions! We are here getting a proverbial “jump” on the week with our Monday edition of all the news that’s fit to print!
Here’s today’s musical lesson!
December 21, 1963: Joan Baez was gaining steam as she entered the Top 10 on the Album chart with Joan Baez In Concert.
Also on this day, The Beatles did their first Christmas show at the Gaumont Theatre in Bradford, England.
December 21, 1966: The Beach Boys receive three gold records: for the single Good Vibrations, and for the albums Little Deuce Coupe and Shut Down, Volume 2.
December 21, 1967: The Beatles throw a costume party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London to celebrate the showing of their film, Magical Mystery Tour, on the BBC.
December 21, 1968: The newly-formed trio of Crosby, Stills & Nash performed together for the first time.
Also on this day, Glen Campbell topped the Billboard 200 with the album, Wichita Lineman. It would remain on the charts for 46 weeks, but will also be Campbell’s only number one.
If that isn’t enough, Janis Joplin made her debut as a solo concert artist at an event for the Stax/Volt record label. The Stax house band, Booker T & The MG’s, also performed at the event.
December 21, 1969: Diana Ross & The Supremes make their final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. They sang Someday We’ll Be Together, their twelfth and final number one single.
December 21, 1970: Traffic’s album John Barleycorn Must Die is certified gold.
December 21, 1972: Martha & The Vandellas play their last show at Cobo Hall in Detroit. Their career spanned nine years, charting over two dozen times. Ten of their singles reached the Top Ten of the Billboard R & B chart, and twelve made it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100, including Dancing In The Street, Nowhere to Run, and Jimmy Mack.
December 21, 1974: Harry Chapin enjoys his only number one single with Cats In The Cradle, one of the best damned songs every recorded.
December 21, 1979: The Eagles, Chicago and Linda Ronstadt perform a benefit show for California Governor Jerry Brown’s presidential campaign. Brown also happens to be Ronstadt’s boyfriend.
December 21, 1990: A concert in memory of John Lennon was held at the Tokyo Dome. Taking part were Sean Lennon, Hall & Oates, Natalie Cole and Linda Ronstadt.
December 21, 1991: Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody returned to #1 after the death of Freddie Mercury, and remained there for five weeks.
December 21, 1992: Legendary bluesman Albert King dies of a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 69.
Born On This Day
December 21, 1940: Frank Zappa, rocker, composer and performer with the Mothers of Invention (and solo), was born in Baltimore, Maryland.
December 21, 1942: Soul singer Carla Thomas, soloist and also a duet performer with Otis Redding, was born in Memphis, Tennessee.
December 21, 1943: Albert Lee, famous session guitarist (Emmylou Harris, among others), was born in Lingen, Herefordshire, England.
December 21, 1946: Carl Wilson was born in Hawthorne, California. He forms The Beach Boys with older brothers Dennis and Brian, then becomes the band’s lead guitarist.
And that’s it from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge today!
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