July 10th: On this Day
1950, The US music show Your Hit Parade premiered on NBC-TV. The program, which featured vocalists covering the top hits of the week, had been on radio since 1935. It moved to CBS in 1958 but was canceled the following year, unable to cope with the rising popularity of Rock 'n' Roll.
1954, Producer Sam Phillips took an acetate of Elvis Presley singing 'That's All Right' to DJ Dewey Phillips at Memphis radio station WHBQ. After Dewey played the song on the air around 9:30 that evening, listeners flooded the phone lines, requesting to hear the song again.
1961, Bobby Lewis started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Tossin' and Turnin', the longest running No.1 single of 1961, spending seven weeks at the top of the chart.
1964, 200,000 Liverpudlians took to the streets to celebrate The Beatles return to Liverpool for the northern premiere of the group's first film 'A Hard Day's Night.' The group were honored in a public ceremony in front of Liverpool Town Hall and as The Beatles stood on a balcony looking at the large crowd gathered below, John Lennon, gave a few Nazi "Sieg Heil" salutes. Not everyone appreciated his sense of humor.
1965, The Rolling Stones started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction', the group's first chart-topper there. In the UK, the song was initially played only on pirate radio stations because its lyrics were considered too sexually suggestive.
1966, Johnny Tilotson, The Jive Five, The Tymes, The Shangra-Las and local band The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) all appeared at the Surf 'n See Club in Seabright New Jersey.
1968, Eric Clapton announced that Cream would break-up after their current tour.
1968, The Nice were banned from appearing at London's Royal Albert Hall after burning an American flag on stage. Two years later, Keith Emerson, leader of the Nice, joined Greg Lake and Carl Palmer in Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
1969, The funeral of Rolling Stone Brian Jones took place in his home town at Hatherley Road Parish Church, Cheltenham. Canon Hugh Evan Hopkins read Jones' own epitaph, 'Please don't judge me too harshly'. Bill Wyman, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts from The Stones attended the funeral.
1974, David Bowie played the first of five dates at The Tower Theatre in Philadelphia the recordings of which made up the 'David Live' album released later that year.
1976, One hit wonders Starland Vocal Band started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Afternoon Delight', it was also their only hit in the UK making No.18 on the chart.
1976, Rod Stewart scored his sixth No.1 UK album when 'A Night On The Town' went to the top.
1978, Rolling Stone Bill Wyman was knocked unconscious after falling from the stage during a Stones concert at the Coliseum, St Paul, Minnesota.
1979, Chuck Berry was sentenced to five months in jail after being found guilty of tax evasion.
1980, Bob Marley and the Wailers began what would be Marley's last ever UK tour when they appeared in Dublin, Ireland.
1980, During their 23 date '11 O'Clock Tick Tock' tour U2 appeared at The Clarendon Hotel in London.
1987, Producer and record company executive John Hammond died. He brought Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen to Columbia Records. Hammond also worked as a producer with Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman and Count Basie.
1989, David F Pearsall age 18 from Manchester, New Jersey was charged with theft after stealing a guitar at a concert in Riverfront Park belonging to Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi.
1993, Girl trio SWV started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Weak', a No.33 hit in the UK.
2002, David Bowie, Suede, Divine Comedy, Green Day, No Doubt, Paul Weller, Ian Brown, Joe Strummer, New Order, Doves and Shed 7 all appeared at the four day Move festival, Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, England.
2005, The four members of Led Zeppelin were voted the UK's ideal supergroup after 3,500 music fans were asked to create their fantasy band for Planet Rock Radio. Jimmy Page won best guitarist, followed by Guns N' Roses' Slash and Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore. John Paul Jones was named top bassist, with John Bonham, who died in 1980, winning best drummer and Robert Plant beat the late Freddie Mercury to best singer.
2005, George Strait was at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Somewhere Down In Texas', the US country singers third No.1 album.
2008, The drum skin used on the cover of The Beatles' Sgt Pepper album sold for £541,250 ($1m) at Christie's Memorabilia auction in London. Other items sold included John Lennon's lyrics for 'Give Peace a Chance' which sold for £421,250 ($832,257) and a pair of tinted prescription sunglasses belonging to Lennon, which he wore for the cover of the single 'Mind Games', sold for £39,650 ($79,000). A rare 1/4 inch reel to-reel master tape recording of the Jimi Hendrix Experience performing at the Woburn Music Festival in 1968 went for £48,050 ($95,000), a Marshall amplifier used by Hendrix in concert fetched £25,000 ($50,000) and a pair of his stripy flared trousers made £20,000 ($49,000).
2011, A pub in Dundee, Scotland called Lennon's Bar was forced to change the name of the venue and remove all Beatles memorabilia the former Beatles wife Yoko Ono threatened legal action for copyright infringement.
July 10th: Born on this day
1941, Born on this day, Ian Whitcomb, UK singer, (1965 US No.8 single 'You Turn Me On, Turn On Song').
1943, Born on this day, Jerry Miller, guitar, Moby Grape, (1967 album 'Moby Grape').
1944, Born on this day, John Dymond, (Beaky), guitar, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, (1968 UK No.1 single 'Legend Of Xanadu').
1947, Born on this day, Arlo Guthrie, US singer, songwriter, son of folksinger Woody Guthrie, (1967 album 'Alice's Restaurant', 1972 US No.18 single 'The City Of New Orleans').
1949, Born on this day, Dave Smalley, The Young Rascals, (1967 US No.1 and UK No.8 single 'Groovin'). The Raspberries, (1972 US N.5 single 'Go All The Way').
1949, Born on this day, Ronnie James Dio, vocals, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio. Died on May 16, 2010, after a six-month battle with stomach cancer. He was 67 years old.
1950, Born on this day, Greg Kihn, US singer, (1983 US No.2 & UK No.63 single 'Jeopardy').
1954, Born on this day, Neil Tennant, vocals, Pet Shop Boys, (1986 UK & US No.1 single 'West End Girls', plus 3 other UK No.1 singles and over 20 UK Top 40 hits), ex editor of music paper Smash Hits.
1959, Born on this day, Sandy West, drummer, founding member of US all girl group The Runaways. West died on 21 Oct 2006. Read the full story
1960, Born on this day, Martyn P Casey, keyboards, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, (1996 UK No.36 single with PJ Harvey, 'Henry Lee').
1964, Born on this day, Graham Lambert, guitar, Inspiral Carpets, (1990 UK No.14 single 'This Is How It Feels').
1965, Born on this day, Peter DiStefano, Porno For Pyros, (1993 US No.3 & UK No.3 self-titled album).
1970, Born on this day, Jason Orange, vocals, Take That, (1995 UK No.1 single 'Back For Good' and seven other UK No.1 singles, 1993 UK No.1 album 'Everything Changes spent 78 weeks on the UK chart). Re-formed without Robbie Williams in 2006 for a sold-out European tour. Topped the UK singles and album charts simultaneously for the first time in their career when the single ‘Patience’ and album ‘Beautiful World’ both reached No.1 in Dec 2006.
1970, Born on this day, Gary LeVox, singer, Rascal Flatts, (2004 US country No.2 single ‘I Melt’, 2006 US No.1 album ‘Me And My Gang’).
1974, Born on this day, Imelda May, Irish singer who has worked with Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour.
1980, Born on this day, Jessica Simpson, US singer, (2000 UK No.7 single 'I Wanna Love You Forever'). Featured on MTV 'Newlyweds' show with her husband ex 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey.