Hell, we’re a global radio station and it’s Boxing Day, the official Christmas, of many of our compadres. So, we wish you a very happy holiday indeed.
Here’s today’s rock n’ roll lesson:
December 26, 1960: Elvis Presley’s Are you Lonesome Tonight was at $1 for a fifth week.
December 26, 1963: The Beatles release their first hit single in the US, I Want To Hold Your Hand backed by I Saw Her Standing There. It’s their first single released by Capitol Records; within months Beatlemania will be full-blown in the States.
December 26, 1964: The Beatles score another #1 with I Feel Fine. They finish the year with six #1 songs and own the top spot on the chart for 18 weeks.
December 26, 1966: The Spencer Davis Group release the single Gimme’ Some Lovin‘ which was written by seventeen-year-old Steve Winwood.
Also on this day, Jimi Hendrix wrote the words to Purple Haze in his dressing room between shows at London’s Uppercrust Club.
December 26, 1967: The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour film debuts on BBC-TV.
Also on this day, The Doors and Chuck Berry open a weeklong series of concerts at The Fillmore West in San Francisco.
December 26, 1968: Led Zeppelin’s first US tour begins in Denver, Colorado, where they are the opening act for Vanilla Fudge.
Also on this day, D.A. Pennebaker’s documentary, Monterey Pop, which chronicles the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival, opened in theaters. This was the concert where The Who smashed their instruments and Hendrix lit his guitar on fire.
December 26, 1970: George Harrison becomes the first ex-Beatle to top the Hot 100 as a solo act as My Sweel Lord hits #1.
Also on this day, a new singer from Canada named Gordon Lightfoot enters the charts for the first time with If You Could Read My Mind. He will make some great music in his time.
December 26, 1979: Paul McCartney held the first of three concerts at Hammersmith Odeon in London to benefit relief efforts in war-torn Kampuchea. He was joined by The Who, The Clash, Queen, Elvis Costello, and Rockpile.
Born On This Day
December 26, 1935: Duke Fakir of the Four Tops was born Abdul Fakir in Detroit, Michigan.
December 26, 1940: Famed record producer and despicable human being, Phil Spector, was born in The Bronx, New York.
December 26, 1946: Bob Carpenter, keyboardist and accordionist for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
And that is today’s less here at the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge!
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