June 16 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS

Billy “Crash” Craddock (1939) country singer/songwriter [“Rub It In”]

Lamont Dozier (1941) songwriter [Holland-Dozier-Holland: “Heat Wave”/”Mickey’s Monkey”/”Can I Get a Witness”/”Where Did Our Love Go”/”Nowhere to Run”/”I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch”/”Give Me Just a Little More Time”] (died 2022) age 81 – unknown causes

Eddie Levert (1942) The “Mighty” O’Jays lead singer/songwriter/pianist/drummer/co-founder [current]

Iain Matthews [born Iain McDonald] (1946) Fairport Convention guitarist/singer/songwriter/co-founder

Tom “Bones” Malone (1947) The Blues Brothers trombonist/multi-instrumentalist

James Smith (1950) The Stylistics singer/co-founder [“Betcha By Golly Wow”/”You Make Me Feel Brand New”]

Charlie Dominici (1951) Dream Theater lead singer/guitarist/co-founder (died 2023) age 72 – unknown causes

Gino Vannelli (1952) singer/songwriter [“I Just Wanna Stop”]

Garry Roberts (1954) The Boomtown Rats lead guitarist/ co-founder [“I Don’t Like Mondays”/”Up All Night”] (died 2022) age 72 – unknown causes

Patrick Waite (1968) Musical Youth bassist/singer/co-founder [“Pass the Dutchie”] (died 1993) age 24 – heart condition

Tupac Shakur [born Lesane Crooks] (1971) rapper (died 1996) age 25 – drive-by shooting

DEATHS

James Honeyman-Scott (1982) The Pretenders guitarist/songwriter/co-founder (born 1956) age 25 – cocaine overdose

Kristen Pfaff (1994) Hole bassist (born 1967) age 27 – acute opiate intoxication

Screaming Lord Sutch [born David Sutch] (1999) singer/politician (born 1940) age 58 – suicide-hanging

CHARTS

In 1956, “The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant hits No. 1 – 6 weeks (only No. 1 single)

In 1990, “It Must Have Been Love” by Roxette hits No. 1 – 2 weeks (third of four No. 1 singles; the theme song from “Pretty Woman”)

In 2018, “Psycho” by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla Sign hits No. 1 – 1 week (second of three No. 1 singles for Malone; only No. 1 single for Ty Dolla Sign

NEW RELEASES

(Albums)

In 1969, Capitol Records releases the third studio album from the Steve Miller Band, “Brave New World”; Billboard 200: 22; “Space Cowboy,” “My Darkest Hour”

In 1972, RCA Records releases the fifth studio album from David Bowie, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”; Billboard 200: 75 (2016 rerelease: 21); 500,000 copies U.S.; Rolling Stone 500: 35; “Moonage Daydream,” “Starman,” “Ziggy Stardust,” “Suffragette City,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”

In 1975, United Artists Records releases the seventh studio album from War, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”; Billboard 200: 8; 500,000 copies U.S.; “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” “Low Rider”

In 1980, Epic Records releases the sixth studio album from Ted Nugent, “Scream Dream”; Billboard 200: 13; 500,000 copies U.S.; “Wango Tango”

In 1997, Parlophone Records and Capitol Records releases the third studio album from Radiohead, “OK Computer”; Billboard 200: 21; 2 million copies U.S.; “Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police,” “No Surprises”

(Singles)

1962, “Twist and Shout,” The Isley Brothers

1969, “In the Year 2525,” Zager and Evans

1975, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),” James Taylor

NOTEWORTHY

In 1967, the first of the major rock festivals, the Monterey Pop Festival, is held in California across three days. The show features established acts like The Mamas and the Papas, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Johnny Rivers, Canned Heat, The Association, Booker T. and the MGs, The Who, and the Byrds. The show also ends up making superstars of relative unknown acts like Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Buffalo Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, Simon & Garfunkel, Canned Heat, Ravi Shankar, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Electric Flag, and The Steve Miller Band. More than 50,000 concert-goers pay between $3.50 and $6.50 to see more than two dozen acts, all of whom appeared for free with the proceeds going to charity. The event is also the unofficial starting point for the “Summer of Love” which led to an exodus of college-age adults to visit and move to the Bay Area.

In 1978, the movie “Grease,” starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, opens nationwide in U.S. theaters.

In 1980, “The Blues Brothers” movie, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and featuring a who’s who of popular music stars like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Ray Charles, opens in Chicago. The movie re-established the music careers of many of its co-stars.

In 1993, the U.S. Postal Service honored the roots of rock ‘n’ roll by releasing a set of stamps that featured Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Clyde McPhatter, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Ritchie Valens, and Dinah Washington.