October 27 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS

Floyd Cramer (1933) country pianist [“Last Date”] (died 1997) age 64 – lung cancer

Melvin “Lee” Greenwood (1942) country singer/songwriter [“God Bless the U.S.A.”]

Mike Appel (1942) The Balloon Farm lead singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“A Question of Temperature”] [also co-wrote “Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted”/”I Can Feel Your Heartbeat”]

Dick Dodd Jr. (1945) The Standells lead singer/co-founder [“Dirty Water”] (died 2013) age 68 – cancer

Mark Ryan (1945) Quicksilver Messenger Service bassist

Byron Allred (1949) Steve Miller Band keyboardist

Garry W. Tallent (1949) E Street Band bassist/co-founder [current]

Jack Daniels (1949) Highway 101 guitarist/co-founder

K.K. Downing (1951) Judas Priest lead guitarist/songwriter/co-founder

Pete Dodd (1953) Thompson Twins guitarist/songwriter/co-founder

Simon Le Bon (1958) Duran Duran lead singer/songwriter/lyricist/multi-instrumentalist [current]

Scott Weiland [born Scott Kline] (1967) Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver lead singer/songwriter/guitarist/co-founder and solo singer/songwriter/guitarist (died 2015) age 48 – drug overdose

DEATHS

Steve Peregrin Took [born Stephen Porter] (1980) Tyrannosaurus Rex multi-instrumentalist/co-founder (born 1949) age 31 – asphyxiation

Xavier Cugat [born Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeu] (1990) bandleader/singer/songwriter/violinist (born 1900) age 90 – heart failure

Lou Reed (2013) Velvet Underground lead singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“Sweet Jane”/”Rock and Roll”/”Venus in Furs”] and solo singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Walk on the Wild Side”] (born 1942) age 71 – liver disease

CHARTS

In 1973, “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight and the Pips hits No. 1 – 2 weeks (only No. 1 single)

In 1990, “Black Cat” by Janet Jackson hits No. 1 – 1 week (fourth of 10 No. 1 singles)

NEW RELEASES

(Albums)

In 1982, Warner Bros. Records releases the fifth studio album from  Prince, “1999”; Billboard 200: 7; 4 million copies U.S.; “1999,” “Little Red Corvette,” “Delirious”

In 1983, Epic Records and Portrait Records releases the second studio album from Culture Club, “Colour By Numbers”; Billboard 200: 2; 4 million copies U.S.; “Karma Chameleon,” “It’s A Miracle,” “Church of the Poison Mind,” “Miss Me Blind,” “Victims”

In 2006, Island Records releases the second and final studio album from Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”; Billboard 200: 2; 12 million copies (3 million copies U.S.); Grammy Award: Best Pop Vocal Album; “Rehab,” “You Know I’m No Good,” “Back to Black,” “Tears Dry on Their Own,” “Love is a Losing Game”

(Singles)

1957, “Oh Boy!”/b-side “Not Fade Away,” Buddy Holly & the Crickets

1964, “Come See About Me,” The Supremes

1980, “Love on the Rocks,” Neil Diamond

1980, “The Tide is High,” Blondie

1981, “Under Pressure,” Queen and David Bowie

1985, “Say You, Say Me,” Lionel Richie

NOTEWORTHY

In 1988, the U2 concert film, “Rattle and Hum,” premieres in Dublin, Ireland.

In 2010, the Michael Jackson concert film, “Michael Jackson’s This is It,” premieres in 25 locations around the world – 15 of them simultaneously.