Saturday, October 17, 2020

Music History Today: October 18, 2020

October 18, 1969: Promoter Richard Nader puts on the first "Rock and Roll Revival" concerts at Madison Square Garden.

Richard Abi-Nader and his brother Sheb grew up with the music of the 1950s in their hometown of Masontown, Pa. While in high school Richard began promoting shows and hosting record hops. He worked his way through college and wound up as a disc jockey for the Armed Forces.

(sign up to follow by email)

By the spring of 1969, 28-year-old Richard Abi-Nader had a dream: gather some of the legends of rock and roll and package them together for a gala at Madison Square Garden. He envisioned Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and the Comets, the Platters, and his favorite group, the Five Satins. 
Read more: Times-News 

October 18, 1947: Celebrated songwriter Laura Nyro, whose compositions include "Wedding Bell Blues" and "And When I Die," is born in New York City. 

Laura Nyro wrote a multitude of miracle songs during her short lifetime; 

Laura Nyro

“And When I Die,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Save the Country,” “Stoney End,” “Blowing Away,” “Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp,” “Eli’s Coming” and so many more. She died at only 49. 

Read more: American Songwriter

 

October 18, 1969: Fastest rising song this day, "Wedding Bell Blues," shot up from 25 to 8 for the 5th Dimension.

5th Dimension

The song “Wedding Bell Blues” was written by the talented singer, songwriter, and musician Laura Nyro , who was the first to record it in 1966. Her version was on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles “Bubbling Under” Chart and rose to number 103. 
Read more: Pass the Paisley

October 18, 1974: Following an argument, Mary Woodson threw boiling grits on Al Green, then shot herself. 

On October 18, 1974 Mary Woodson, Al Green’s then-girlfriend threw hot grits on the singer, giving him second and third degree burns. 

Mary Woodson/Al Green

What most people leave out of the story, though, is the fact that Mary Woodson immediately killed herself in Green’s bedroom afterward.

Read more: Moore News

October 18, 1976: Leo Sayer released the single "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing."

Leo Sayer came from the UK coastal town Shoreham-By-Sea, and he came up busking in London and singing soul songs on American Army bases. 
Leo Sayer
As a college student in the late ’60s, he sang in bands with extremely late-’60s names: Terraplane Blues, Patches. Eventually, the UK pop star Adam Faith took on Sayer as a protege and started managing him. 
Read more: Stereogum


October 18, 1986:  The  album Fore! from Huey Lewis & the News was at Number 1. 

It took three years for Huey Lewis and the News to come out with the follow-up to their multiplatinum hit album Sports, Fore! The tempo of Fore! is mostly mid-paced compared the power-pounding rockers of Sports, plus there's more of a polish to the songs. 

Huey Lewis & the News

"Stuck With You," three weeks on the top spot and on the adult contemporary charts, is a leisure, mid-paced Beach Boys-type pop song with doowop harmonies and organ in the chorus. A catchy song about deciding to stick together despite the ups and downs and thoughts of breaking up, it was a wise choice to be the first single from Fore! 
Read more: The Giant


Still of the Night
Five Satins

No comments:

Post a Comment