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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

September 16th

September 16th Birthday, Blues guitar icon B.B. King born Riley B. King in Berclair, Mississippi in 1925. King passed away on May 14th, 2015 at the age of 89.

September 16th Birthday, The Hollies bassist and keyboard player Bernie Calvert, born in Brierfield, England in 1942.

September 16th Birthday, Singer and guitarist Joe Butler, an original member of The Lovin’ Spoonful, born in 1941 in Long Island, New York.

September 16th Birthday, Singer Betty Kelly from Martha and The Vandellas, born in 1944 in Attalla, Alabama.

September 16th Birthday, Small Faces and The Who drummer Kenney Jones born in 1948 in London, England.

September 16th Birthday, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers bassist Ron Blair, born in 1938 in San Diego, California.

September 16th Birthday, Singer, songwriter Richard Marx, born in 1963 in Chicago, Illinois.

Today In Rock and Roll History

September 16th

September 16th, 1960 Johnny Burnette records the original version of “You’re Sixteen” at United Recorders, Hollywood, California with producer Snuff Garrett. The Crickets drummer Jerry Allison played on the session. Liberty Records released the track as a 45 on October 5th. Co-written by brothers Robert and Richard Sherman, the song would hit No. 8 on December 31st.

September 16th, 1963 Capitol Records release “Surfer Girl,” the third studio album by The Beach Boys. The first Beach Boys album to officially credit Brian Wilson as producer, recording at Western Studio in Hollywood ran from May through July and incorporated a string section and employed Wrecking Crew session musicians. The LP featured the hits “Surfer Girl,” “Catch A Wave,” “Little Deuce Coupe” and “In My Room.” The record peaked at No. 7 on November 23rd.

September 16th, 1964 Shindig! debuts on ABC-TV with The Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers and Bobby Sherman as guests. Los Angeles DJ Jimmy O’Neill hosted the show until it ended in January 1966.

September 16th, 1965 The Beatles single “Eight Days A Week” is a certified Gold Record for a million copies sold in the US.

September 16th, 1967 Bang Records release “Just For You,” the second album by Neil Diamond. It was Diamond’s first album of all original compositions and his last release for Bang Records, not counting numerous reissues the label issued after he left the label. At one point or another, Bang released every song on the LP as a single A or B side. “Just For You” peaked at No. 80 on October 21st.

September 16th, 1967 “Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)” by Memphis, Tennessee band The Hombres enters the charts on Verve Forecast Records. Part novelty song, part parody of Bob Dylan, the intro of the song “A preachment, dear friends, you are about to receive on John Barleycorn, nicotine and the temptations of Eve,” dates to the 1947 novelty recording “Cigareetes, Whuskey and Wild, Wild Women” by Red Ingle and His Natural Seven. Produced by Huey P. Meaux, the single went to No. 12 on November 18th.

September 16th, 1968 Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr record “I Will” at EMI Studio Two in London. Written prior to the trip to India, McCartney tried writing lyrics with Donovan in Rishikesh but wasn't happy with the results. Take sixty-five of sixty-seven recorded was chosen for overdubs. An unused section of take nineteen containing the words “Can you take me back where I came from” etc, was later edited on to the end of the song “Cry Baby Cry.” The following day McCartney completed the song himself with a vocalized bass part, acoustic 12-string guitar and additional vocals.

September 16th, 1970 Jimi Hendrix made his final public appearance at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho, London, England where he climbed onstage to jam with Eric Burdon. He died two days later.

September 16th, 1972 Former Humble Pie guitarist Peter Frampton makes his live solo debut in New York City, opening for The J. Geils Band.

September 16th, 1972 “Midnight Rider” by Joe Cocker and The Chris Stainton Band enters the singles charts following an August release on A&M Records. Co-produced by Denny Cordell and Nigel Thomas, the song was a cover of the Gregg Allman song. Backing Cocker on the song were Stainton on keyboards, Alan Spenner on bass, Neil Hubbard on guitar and drummers Jim Keltner and Alan White. “Midnight Rider” reached No. 27 on October 28th. The singles’ B-side charted as well. Co-written by Cocker and Chris Stainton, “Woman To Women” hit No. 56 on January 6th, 1973.

September 16th, 1974 Bob Dylan begins recording sessions for his “Blood On The Tracks” LP. Thirty-two years later, 2006, a sixty-five-year-old Dylan held the No. 1 spot on the album chart with “Modern Times,” making him the oldest living musician to ever top the US album charts.

September 16th, 1974 Apple Records release John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You Through The Night” on 45, out October 4th in Britain. Written and produced by John Lennon, the track features Elton John on piano and harmony vocals and was a subject of a bet Elton and Lennon made with one another when the song was recorded at The Record Plant studios in New York City. Elton remarked that the song would reach No. 1 on the singles charts. Lennon, who had never had a solo single top the charts, said it wouldn’t happen. Elton bet John that if the 45 went to No. 1, Lennon would join him onstage to perform the song during his upcoming New York City show in November. “Whatever Gets You Through The Night” hit No. 1 in America on November 16th, No. 36 in Britain. Lennon appeared onstage with Elton on Thankgiving night 1974, his last live appearance.

September 16th, 1977 T Rex singer and songwriter Marc Bolan dies in a car wreck driven by his girlfriend Gloria Jones. The accident was later determined to be caused by a mechanical failure.

September 16th, 1977 In Britain, Rolling Stones Records release the second official live album by The Rolling Stones, the double LP set “Love You Live,” featuring a cover designed by Andy Warhol. The live recordings were made at live dates The Stones’ played in 1975 and 1976 and at the El Mocambo Tavern in Toronto, Canada on March 4th and 5th, 1977. Co-produced by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the record peaked at No. 5 on October 29th.

September 16th, 1977 Sire Records release “Talking Heads ’77,” the debut album by Talking Heads. Co-produced by the band with Tony Bongiovi and Lance Quiin at Sundragon Studios in New York City from late 1976 through the Spring of 1977, the record peaked at No. 97 on March 4th, 1978.

September 16th, 1977 Atlantic Records release Ringo Starr’s cover version of the Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff song “Drowning In The Sea Of Love” on 45 in Britain and two days later in the US. The track came from the Arif Mardin produced “Ringo The 4th” album.

September 16th, 1978 “Straight On” by Heart enters the Pop Singles charts on Portrait Records. The song was co-written by Ann and Nancy Wilson and Sue Ennis and was placed on Heart’s “Dog And Butterfly” LP, co-produced by Mike Flicker, Heart and Michael Fisher. The record became Heart’s third Top Twenty single, peaking at No. 15 on December 16th

September 16th, 1979 Chrysalis Records release “Top Priority” the eighth studio album by Rory Gallagher. The LP was recorded at Dierks Studio in Cologne, Germany with Gallagher and Alan O’Duffy co-producing. With Gallagher on guitar and vocals, Gerry McAvoy on bass and former Sensational Alex Harvey Band drummer Ted McKenna on drums, the record peaked at No. 140 on October 13th.

September 16th, 1985 EMI Records release “Hounds Of Love” by Kate Bush. The album features the hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God).” Side one was subtitled “Hounds Of Love” and featured three hit British singles. Side two was subtitled “The Ninth Wave” and formed a conceptual suite about a woman drifting alone on the sea at night. Bush produced the LP herself at three studios, Wickham Farm Home Studio in Welling, England, Windmill Lane in Dublin, Ireland and Abbey Road in London. Guest musicians included John Williams, Danny Thompson, Stuart Elliot, Morris Pert and Michael Kamen. The record peaked at No. 12 on June 18th, 2022, twenty-seven years after it was first released.

Miscellaneous September

September 1967 CBS Records in Britain release “Love Chronicles,” the first album by Al Stewart. The LP was produced by Roy Guest. Songs on the record were orchestrated by Alexander Faris. “Love Chronicles” was issued in the US in September.

September 1973, RCA Records in Britain release “The Tra La La Days Are Over” by Neil Sedaka. Recorded at Strawberry Studios in the Spring with Eric Stewart producing and 10cc as the backing band, the LP produced “Love Will Keep Us Together.” The song, co-written by Sedaka with Howard Greenfield, would become a huge hit for The Captain And Tennille in 1976.

September 1975 A&M Records release “White Punks On Dope” by the Tubes on 45. The song was co-written by Bill Spooner, Roger Steen and Michael Evans and produced by Al Kooper from the band’s eponymous first album. The single was edited to omit the curse word in the lyrics.