BIRTHDAYS
Randy Sparks (1933) The New Christy Minstrels founder/singer/songwriter
Neal Doughty (1946) REO Speedwagon keyboardist/songwriter/co-founder [current]
Geddy Lee [born Gary Weinrib] (1953) Rush bassist/lead singer/keyboardist/songwriter/co-founder [current]
Patti Scialfa (1954) Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band guitarist/songwriter/singer [current]
John Sykes (1959) Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist/songwriter and solo guitarist/songwriter/singer
Martin McCarrick (1962) Siouxsie and the Banshees and Therapy? multi-instrumentalist/composer
Woody Weatherman (1965) Corrosion of Conformity guitarist/co-founder [current]
Martina McBride (1966) country singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
Chris Gorman (1967) Belly drummer/co-founder [current]
Simon Jones (1972) the Verve bassist/co-founder [“Bitter Sweet Symphony”]
Wanya Morris (1973) Boyz II Men tenor singer/cofounder [“I’ll Make Love to You”/”On Bended Knee”/”Motownphilly”]
Danger Mouse [born Brian Burton] (1977) Gnarls Barkley keyboardist/drummer/co-founder [“Crazy”]
DEATHS
“Mama” Cass Elliot [born Ellen Cohen] (1974) The Mamas & the Papas singer/cofounder, also solo singer (born 1941) age 32 – heart attack (and possible asphyxiation)
Glenn Goins (1978) Parliament-Funkadelic singer/guitarist/songwriter (born 1954) age 24 – Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Ed Guzman (1993) Rare Earth drummer (born 1944) age 49 – diabetes
Gene McDaniels (2011) singer/songwriter [“A Hundred Pounds of Clay”] (born 1935) age 76 – unknown causes
Jim Sohns (2022) The Shadows of Knight lead singer/co-founder [“Gloria”] (born 1946) age 75 – stroke complications
CHARTS
In 1967, “Light My Fire” (edited version)/b-side “The Crystal Ship” by The Doors hits No. 1 – 3 weeks (second and final No. 1 single; eventually, radio stations began playing the full 6:50 album track with its long instrumental break)
In 1972, “Alone Again (Naturally)” by Gilbert O’Sullivan hits No. 1 – 4 weeks (only No. 1 single)
In 2000, “It’s Gonna Be Me” by ‘N Sync hits No. 1 – 2 weeks (only No. 1 single)
NEW RELEASES
(Albums)
In 1980, RCA Records releases the ninth studio album from Hall & Oates, “Voices,” Billboard 200: 17; 1 million copies U.S.; “Kiss on My List,” “You Make My Dreams,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” “How Does It Feel to Be Back”
(Singles)
1978, “Whenever I Call You ‘Friend’,” Kenny Loggins with Stevie Nicks
1996, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” Celine Dion
COMINGS/GOINGS
In 1966, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce make their live debut as Cream at The Twisted Wheel in Manchester, England.
In 1968, Gram Parsons quits The Byrds prior to a tour of South Africa, refusing to play before segregated audiences.
NOTEWORTHY
In 1965, The second film featuring The Beatles, “Help!” has its premiere at The Pavilion in London, England. The band later remarked that the movie was shot in a haze of marijuana smoke, such as the curling scene when Ringo Starr said he and Paul McCartney snuck over a hill to smoke a joint.
In 1966, The teen magazine Datebook reprints a John Lennon quote from an interview, conducted by Maureen Cleave, which had been published in the London Evening Standard newspaper: “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue with that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first – rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” This causes a major uproar in the U.S., especially the Deep South, where The Beatles’ albums are burned and death threats are made against the band for its upcoming U.S. tour. Lennon later apologizes.
In 1987, in honor of The Grateful Dead’s guitarist Jerry Garcia, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream introduces a new flavor called Cherry Garcia.
The Journalism Gypsy 