2020

Here we are on a snowy day bringing you all the news you need to know to impress friends and family alike!

***Carroll James, the first DJ to play a Beatles record on the airwaves in the U.S. You will get all the details below!***

December 17, 1954: Bill Haley & The Comets’ Rock Around The Clock becomes the first rock n’ roll song to enter the UK singles charts. I was ten months old.

December 17, 1955: With their hit Only You still at #2, the Platters’ The Great Pretender enters the charts at #13.

December 17, 1963: Carroll James a disc jockey at WWDC in Washington, D.C., becomes the first DJ to play a Beatles’ song on American airwaves. The song is I Want To Hold Your Hand, which he got from his airline stewardess girlfriend who bought a copy when she was in the UK. Because of high listener demand, James helps out the Beatles by playing the song every day, every hour. Because it had not yet been released in the US, Capitol Records initially considered legal action against the station but, instead, thought better of it and simply released the song in the US earlier than they planned. The rest, as they say, is history, my friends. Thank you, Carroll James. Forever.

December 17, 1966: Standing In The Shadows of Love by the Four Tops enters the Billboard Hot 100. On it’s ten-week stay on the charts, it will peak at #6. It reaches #2 on the R & B charts.

December 17, 1967: John Lennon and George Harrison throw a party in London for the area secretaries of their official fan club. The film Magical Mystery Tour is screened for the very first time for them.

December 17, 1971: John Lennon appears at a benefit at the Apollo Theater in Harlem for the families of the victims of the Attica State Prison riots.

December 17, 1977: Linda Ronstadt’s career continues to roll along through the seventies as her album, Simple Dreams, remains #1 on the Album charts for a third week.

December 17, 1979: Paul McCartney & Wings play the Glasgow Appollo and record a live version of the great song Coming Up. The song would reach #2 in the UK and will top the charts in the US, selling 4 million copies.

Born On This Day

December 17, 1937: Art Neville, keyboardist for the Neville Brothers (you can hear them here, people), was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

December 17, 1939: Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations was born in Union Springs, Alabama. His falsetto voice is heard on the great Temptations hits The Way You Do The Things You Do and Just My Imagination.

December 17, 1942: Paul Butterfield (the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) was born in Chicago.

December 17, 1949: Paul Rogers, lead singer and lyricist for both Free and Bad Company, was born in Middlesbrough, England.

December 17, 1950: Carlton “Carlie” Barrett, drummer for The Wailers, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.

And there you have it for today because we don’t give a shit about Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus. You’ll never hear them here.

Today in Music History From The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/10/2020

Well, children, here we are again in The Mermaid Lounge, home of The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge where we work hard to impart our special brand of education.

***Antoine “Fats” Domino, a musical monster. There is no denying his contribution to rock n’ roll.***

Here is your curriculum for today:

December 10, 1927: The Grand Ole Opry made its first radio broadcast ever from Nashville, Tennessee.

December 10, 1949: Fats Domino recorded eight tracks during his first recording session at Cosimo Matassa’s J & M Studios, including his first single, Detroit City Blues backed by The Fat Man. The B-side became the hit, and it was one of many for Fats Domino.

December 10, 1965: The Grateful Dead played their first concert, and only their second overall, at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco.

December 10, 1966: The Rolling Stones released the album Got Live If You Want It in the US.

And also on this day, Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys hits #1.

December 10, 1967: Otis Redding, just 26 years old, is killed when the plane he is touring in crashes into a Wisconsin lake. His touring band, The Bar-Kays, also perish except for trumpet player Ben Cauley, the sole survivor. One month later, (Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Bay is released, becoming the first #1 song released after the artist’s death.

Also on this day, The Steve Miller Blues Band signs its first contract with Capitol Records for $759,000. The band immediately dropped “Blues” from their name.

December 10, 1976: The album Wings Over America was released on this day.

Also on December 10, Queen released A Day At The Races in the UK (it is released in the US on December 18). LIke their previous album, A Night at The Opera, the title is taken from a Marx Brothers movie. The Queen single Somebody To Love is also released on this day.

December 10, 2016: Bob Dylan accepts The Nobel Prize for Literature.

Born On This Day

December 10, 1941: Chad Stuart of Chad & Jeremy, was born David Stewart Chadwick in Windermere, Cumbria, England.

December 10, 1946: Ace Kefford, bass guitarist for The Move, was born in Moseley, Birmingham, England. The lead singer of the Move? That was Jeff Lynne, before ELO and The Traveling Wilburys.

December 10, 1948: Jessica Cleaves, lead singer for Friends of Distinction (great, little-known band), was born in Los Angeles.

There you have today’s lesson, my friends! Use your knowledge wisely!

Good Morning From the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12-7-2020

Here we are again from the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge with today’s lesson in musical facts! We never rest here in The Mermaid Lounge.

***The Grateful Dead. The ultimate jam band. There is no ‘Dead’ as long as Jerry Garcia is dead.***

Here’s today’s ‘no child left behind’ lesson:

December 7, 1963: The Beatles’ second album, With The Beatles, started a 21-week run at #1 on the UK album chart. It replaced their first album, Please Please Me, which had held the top spot since it’s release 30 weeks earlier.

December 7, 1967: Otis Redding went into the studio to record (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay. The song was his biggest hit ever, but he never even saw its release; he was killed in a plane crash three days after it was recorded.

December 7, 1968: The Beatles, also known as The White Album, started a seven-week run at #1 on the UK charts. It was the first double-album ever released by Apple Records.

Also on this day, Eric Burdon announced that The Animals would dissolve after a December 22 concert in Newcastle.

The Grateful Dead play the song Rosemary at Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky. In spite of the fact that the song is a favorite of Deadheads, the band never plays it again on stage.

December 7, 1971: Paul McCartney’s new band, Wings, releases their first album, called Wild Life, in the UK. It would not be released in the US until 1980.

December 7, 1976: The Eagles released New Kid In Town, which became the group’s third US #1 hit. It was written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther.

December 7, 1987: Bruce Springsteen, Judy Collins and Paul Simon, among others, took the stage at Carnegie Hall to pay tribute to Harry Chapin, who would have been celebrating his 45th birthday.

Born On This Day

December 7, 1949: Singer-songwriter Tom Waits was born in Pomona, California.

It is a light day from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and that’s a good thing because it’s Monday, and we all need to be eased into the week. We’ll be back with the line up soon!

Happy Monday From The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/30/2020

It’s another Monday morning in the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and it’s going to be pretty nasty here. Why not tune us in while you’re at it?

***Paul McCartney & Wings in their heyday.***

Here’s today’s lesson!

November 30, 1960: The Shirelles re-released Dedicated To The One I Love, originally released in 1959. It was re-released after Will You Love Me Tomorrow became a hit.

Also on this day, The Beatles finished up their 56-night run at the Kaiserkeller Club in Hamburg, Germany.

November 30, 1963: The Beach Boys song In My Room cracks Billboard’s Top 40. Although it peaks at #23, it becomes one of the band’s most popular songs.

Meanwhile, back in Beatle Land, She Loves You returns to #1 on the UK charts, while the album With The Beatles sits at #1 on the Album charts.

November 30, 1965: Petula Clark, one of the most influential singers of the British Invasion, releases her hit Downtown.

November 30, 1966: Legendary but quirky guitarist Jeff Beck quits The Yardbirds after a year and a half. He later forms The Jeff Beck Group.

November 30, 1968: Sly & The Family Stone released the single Everyday People.

Also on this day, The Supremes topped the Billboard Top 100 with their eleventh hit, Love Child. The song was introduced on The Ed Sullivan Show.

And Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & The Holding Company (featuring Janis Joplin) takes over the #1 slot on the Album charts.

November 30, 1969: The Rolling Stones wrap up a tour with an appearance at the International Raceway Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida. Also appearing at the event are King Crimson, Iron Butterfly, Ten Years After, The Band, Janis Joplin, Steppenwolf, and The Moody Blues.

November 30, 1970: All Things Must Pass is already released in the US. On this day, George Harrison released it in the UK.

November 30. 1971: Al Green, one of the most pleasantly soulful singers on the damned planet, released Let’s Stay Together.

November 30, 1972: Paul McCartney & Wings released the song Hi, Hi, Hi, which is promptly banned by the BBC because of its “unsuitable lyrics.” In site of that it goes to #5 in the UK. It will peak at #10 in the US.

November 30, 1974: The Eagles Best of My Love is released. It will become one of The Eagles’ five US #1 singles.

November 30, 1977: The Atlanta Rhythm Section released the single, So Into You.

November 30, 1980: Pink Floyd releases their double-album masterpiece, The Wall.

November 30, 2001: In Liverpool, flags are flown at half staff in memory of George Harrison. In London, the Coldstream Guards play a Beatles medley during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in his honor.

Born On This Day

November 30, 1944: Rob Grill, singer, songwriter and bassist for the seventies hit machine known as The Grass Roots, was born in Los Angeles.

November 30, 1945: Roger Glover, songwriter, producer and bassist for Deep Purple, was born in Brecon, Wales.

That’s today’s lesson. We’ll be back with the line up as soon as I make some coffee and become human again.

A Tribute to Fats Domino, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers On the Mojo Tour, The Dead’s Free Piedmont Park Concert & Farewell to “Band On The Run,” Saturday, February 22, 2020

Good Morning, Ungovernables! We have a full slate of programming today, and we do hope you’ll join us!

The Grateful Dead on stage

Here’s Saturday’s line-up:

11:00 a.m. Album of the Week: Paul McCartney & Wings’ Band On The Run

Our final airing of this masterpiece before we select a new album on Sunday morning!

2:00 p.m. Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Lucinda Williams, Taj Mahal & The New Orleans Social Club, Elton John, and John Lennon all pay tribute to one of the pioneers of rock n’roll.

5:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers On the Road in 2010: The Mojo Tour

10:00 p.m. Live Dead: The Grateful Dead’s Free Concert in Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia (July 7, 1969)

Dead devotees can learn more about this day in Grateful Dead history right here.

Please tune us in at www.tinyurl.com/becomeungovernableradio