Today in Rock and Roll History

Amos Otis said:

Those could be a lot worse. Rumours has some great Lindsey Buckingham cuts, but yeah, Hotel Cali mostly bites. Can't fault the pop vocals pick, in fact, well deserved. I love it...

How ironic, that in spite of being one of the world's most successful acts, spanning decades, the Bee Gees still remain 'light weights' in some eyes. I blame the high falsetto Barry Gibb disco period for this perception. I came to the Bee Gees party last...real late, but am happy I made it.

As an often times single man bar hopper, I'd tip the dj to play this if I had a hot target sighted. Nearly can't miss.

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Yes, that song does bring back memories. I do have a few Bee Gees CD's in my collection. Can't really say that I've listened to them. Maybe put some of the music on thumb drives for my wife's car.

The disco years got me listening to folk rock, etc. But you couldn't escape it. It was everywhere. I've found that 40 odd years later I will hear a song that I know by heart and have no idea of the title or who sang it.

The Byrds made their final live appearance when they played at The Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey. (The then-current incarnation of the Byrds, which included Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, John York and Gene Parsons).

A month before that. . . . . .

2004 - Estelle Axton
Estelle Axton, who helped create the legendary US soul music label Stax, died in hospital in Memphis, aged 85. Stax was home to Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes and Booker T and the MG's and the Stax studio, 'Soulsville USA', was second only to Motown in its production of soul hits during its 1960s heyday.

2010 - Ramones
The personal assistant to former Ramones manager Linda Stein was convicted in a New York court of bludgeoning her boss to death at her Manhattan apartment on 30 October 2007. Prosecutors said Natavia Lowery, 28, stole more than $30,000 (£19,500) from Stein, then clubbed her with a piece of exercise equipment. Jurors spent less than a day reaching a second-degree murder verdict.

2014 - Franny Beecher
Franny Beecher the lead guitarist for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962 died in his sleep from natural causes. He was 92 years old. He continued to perform with surviving members of the Comets into 2006.

February 27th
1964 - The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones made their second appearance on BBC TV show Top Of The Pops performing their latest single 'Not Fade Away'.

too larry said:

2004 - Estelle Axton
Estelle Axton, who helped create the legendary US soul music label Stax, died in hospital in Memphis, aged 85. Stax was home to Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes and Booker T and the MG's and the Stax studio, 'Soulsville USA', was second only to Motown in its production of soul hits during its 1960s heyday.

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Starring Donald 'Duck' Dunn and Colonel Steve Cropper of The Blues Brothers

March 3rd
1966 - Neil Young
Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay formed Buffalo Springfield in Los Angeles. Among the first wave of American bands to become popular in the wake of the British invasion, the group combined rock, folk, and country music into a sound all its own. Its million-selling song 'For What It's Worth' became a political anthem for the turbulent late 1960s.

1969 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin recorded their first BBC Radio 1 'Top Gear' session during the afternoon at the Playhouse Theatre in London, England. Songs recorded were 'Dazed And Confused', 'Communication Breakdown', 'You Shook Me' and 'I Can't Quit You Baby'. Free, The Moody Blues and Deep Purple were also in session on the show.

1972 - Elton John
Elton John released 'Rocket Man' as a single, (officially titled 'Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)'. The song was inspired by the short story "The Rocket Man" in The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, and echoes the theme of David Bowie's 1969 song 'Space Oddity'. Kate Bush released a cover of 'Rocket Man' in 1991 as part of the Elton John, Bernie Taupin tribute album Two Rooms.

2017 - Jim Fuller
American guitarist Jim Fuller from The Surfaris died aged 69. The Surfaris had the 1963 US No.2 & UK No.3 single 'Wipe Out' and Fuller was known as the "Godfather" of surf music, a Californian instrumental music. With his Fender guitar he contributed to the popularity of Leo Fender's instruments.

2017 - Lyle Ritz
American jazz ukulele musician Lyle Ritz died at the age of 87. As a session musician on the bass guitar he joined the Wrecking Crew a popular group of studio musicians in the Los Angeles recording industry. Ritz compiled over 5,000 recording credits including such notable tracks as Herb Alpert's 'A Taste of Honey', The Righteous Brothers' 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'', and The Beach Boys 'Good Vibrations.'

1963 - Patsy Cline
Country singers Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee. They were travelling to Nashville after appearing at a benefit concert for the widow of Kansas City disc jockey 'Cactus' Jack Call, who had died in a car crash. On 7 March, country singer Jack Anglin was killed in a car crash on his way to Cline's funeral. Cline was the first country singer to cross over as a pop artist.

It's safer to walk.

1965 - David Bowie
The Mannish Boys released their second single 'I Pity The Fool', featuring a young David Bowie. Produced by Shel Talmy, (who was also producing the early singles and albums by The Who and The Kinks). Jimmy Page was Talmy's regular session musician and played the guitar solo on 'I Pity the Fool'.

1971 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin started a 12-date 'Thank You' tour for British fans, appearing at the clubs from their early days and charging the same admission prices as in 1968. The first show was at The Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland where they played songs from their upcoming fourth album, including the first public performances of 'Black Dog', 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Going To California' and 'Rock And Roll'.

1982 - John Belushi
Actor and singer John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. Belushi was one of the original cast members on US TV's Saturday Night Live, played Joliet 'Jake' Blues in The Blues Brothers and also appeared in the film Animal House. His tombstone reads "I may be gone, but rock n roll lives on."

Everyone should know you can't trust someone who spins up boy bands.

2008 - Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman, the man behind boy bands 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys was set to plead guilty to a $300m (£152m) fraud scheme. The music mogul admitted to a court in Florida of running scams that defrauded investors and major banks for more than 20 years. The charges carried a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $1m (£506,000) fine.

1965 - The Rolling Stones
During a Rolling Stones gig at The Palace Theatre in Manchester, England a female fan fell from the circle while the group were playing. The crowd below broke her fall and the girl escaped serious injury just breaking a few teeth.

1966 - Tina Turner
Tina Turner recorded her vocal on the Phil Spector produced 'River Deep Mountain High'. It went on to make No.3 in the UK but only No.88 on the US chart. Spector was well aware of Ike Turner's controlling attitude in the studio, and therefore he drafted an unusual contract: the River Deep – Mountain High album and single would be credited to Ike & Tina Turner, but Ike was paid $20,000 to stay away from the studio, and only Tina Turner's vocals would be used on the record. Session musicians who played on the track included Leon Russell (keyboards), Glen Campbell (guitar), and Hal Blaine (drums).

1969 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin appeared at the Bluesville 69 Club at the Hornsey Wood Tavern, Finsbury Park, London, England. The venue was a function room at the back of the pub, and was so small that the stage was only just big enough for John Bonham's drums, and the rest of the group had to stand on the floor at the same level as the crowd.