BIRTHDAYS
Jet Black [born Brian Duffy] (1938) Stranglers drummer/co-founder [current]
Fred Milano (1939) Dion and the Belmonts second tenor/co-founder (died 2012) age 72 – lung cancer
Vic Dana (1940) singer/dancer [“Red Roses for a Blue Lady”]
Chris Curtis [born Christopher Crummey] (1941) The Searchers drummer/songwriter/singer (died 2005) age 63 – long illness
Maureen “Moe” Tucker (1944) Velvet Underground drummer
Valerie Simpson (1946) Ashford & Simpson singer/pianist/co-founder
Leon Redbone [born Dickran Gobalian] (1949) guitarist/singer/songwriter (died 2019) age 69 – long illness
Bob Cowsill (1949) Cowsills singer/guitarist/co-founder [“The Rain, The Park & Other Things”/Hair”]
Dick Cowsill (1949) Cowsills singer [“The Rain, The Park & Other Things”/Hair”] (died 2014) age 64 – lung cancer
Billy Rush (1952) Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes guitarist/composer/co-founder
Michael Chetwood (1954) T’Pau keyboardist/co-founder [“Heart and Soul”]
Branford Marsalis (1960) jazz saxophonist/bandleader/composer
Jimmy Olander (1961) Diamond Rio lead guitarist/dobroist/banjoist [current]
Dan Vickrey (1966) Counting Crows lead guitarist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/co-founder [current]
Shirley Manson (1966) Garbage lead singer/songwriter/guitarist/keyboardist/co-founder [current]
Adrian Young (1969) No Doubt drummer/songwriter [current]
Brian Kelley (1985) Florida Georgia Line singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [current]
DEATHS
Ronnie White (1995) The Miracles singer/songwriter/co-founder (born 1939) age 56 – leukemia
Laura Branigan (2004) singer/songwriter/pianist [“Gloria”/”Self Control”] (born 1952) age 52 – ventricular cerebral aneurysm
CHARTS
In 1967, “Ode to Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry hits No. 1 – 4 weeks (only No. 1 single)
In 1972, “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass hits No. 1 – 1 week (only No. 1 single)
In 1978, “Grease” by Frankie Valli hits No. 1 – 2 weeks (second and final solo No. 1 single)
In 1995, “Kiss From a Rose (From ‘Batman Forever’)” by Seal hits No. 1 – 1 week (only No. 1 single)
In 2000, “Doesn’t Really Matter” by Janet Jackson hits No. 1 – 3 weeks (ninth of 10 No. 1 singles)
NEW RELEASES
(Albums)
In 1968, Tamla Records releases the eighth studio album from Marvin Gaye, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (originally titled “In the Groove”); Billboard 200: 63; “You,” Chained,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
In 1974, Mercury Records releases the third studio album from Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “Not Fragile”; Billboard 200: 1 (1 week); “Roll on Down the Highway,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
In 1976, RCA Records releases the fifth studio album from Hall & Oates, “Bigger Than Both of Us”; Billboard 200: 13; 500,000 copies U.S.; “Rich Girl”
In 1997, Wind-up Records releases the debut studio album from Creed, “My Own Prison”; Billboard 200: 22; 6 million copies U.S.; “My Own Prison,” “One”
(Singles)
1968, “Hey Jude/Revolution,” The Beatles (first single released on Apple Records)
1968, “Those Were the Days,” Mary Hopkins
1969, “Suspicious Minds,” Elvis Presley
COMINGS/GOINGS
In 1973, 10cc makes their live stage debut at the Palace Lido Isle in the Isle of Man
In 1977, The Pretenders makes their live stage debut at a concert at Unity Hall in Wakefield, England.
In 1980, bassist Tom Petersson quits Cheap Trick. He is replaced by Pete Comita but rejoins the band in 1988.
NOTEWORTHY
In 1970, Jimi Hendrix makes his last public appearance, performing at the Isle of Wight Festival in England. Others who performed at the five-day festival included The Who, Chicago, The Moody Blues, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Jethro Tull, Sly and the Family Stone, and Free. Hendrix performed with Mitch Mitchell on drums and Billy Cox on bass. Hendrix closed his portion of the show with “In From the Storm.” Hendrix would die of asphyxia while intoxicated on barbiturates on September 18, 1970.
In 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan performed for the final time at the Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy Wisconsin. Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Jimmie Vaughan all joined Vaughan for the encore song, which was “Sweet Home Chicago. A few hours later, early in the morning on August 27, Vaughan would die in a helicopter crash in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
The Journalism Gypsy 