Rock 'n' Roll History for
August 24
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1956
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Little Richard played at the Cotton Club in Lubbock, Texas, with hometown boy
Buddy Holly in the audience. Richard's tune "Rip It Up" sat at #37 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, on it's way to #17. His version was in direct competition with one by Bill Haley And His Comets, which would peak at #25.
August 24
Elvis Presley records "Love Me Tender" at 20th Century Fox Studios, in Los Angeles, California. Songwriter Ken Darby had written new words to a Civil War song called "Aura Lee", first published in 1861. Presley's name was added to the credits because his publishing contract with Hill & Range demanded songwriters concede 50 percent of the credit of their song if they wanted Elvis to record it. The song would top the Billboard Top 100 as well as the Cashbox Top 100, and reach #11 in the UK. It was later ranked at #437 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
1959
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
A headline in Billboard reads, "Rock and Roll Ain't Ready For The Ol' Rockin' Chair Yet." The story says that Rock 'n' Roll was losing popularity a year ago, but record buyers now like
Elvis Presley, Lloyd Price and
Fats Domino along with newcomers,
The Everly Brothers, The Drifters and
Ricky Nelson.
August 24
The Browns, who were comprised of Jim Ed Brown and his sisters Maxine and Bonnie, had the top tune in the US with "The Three Bells". The record is an English version of a French song originally titled "Les Trois Cloches", written in 1945.
1963
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
After a couple of flop singles for smaller record companies,
The Ronettes scored their only Billboard Top Ten hit when their first effort for Phil Spector, "Be My Baby" rose to #2. None of their other records, including "Baby I Love You" (#24), "The Best Part of Breaking Up" (#39), "Do I Love You?", (#34) and "Walking In the Rain" (#23) could crack the US Top 20.
August 24
Darlene Love's biggest solo hit, "Wait Til' My Bobby Gets Home", enters the Billboard chart, where it will top out at #26. She had greater success when she sang for The Crystals, The Blossoms and Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans.
August 24
Stevie Wonder became the first artist ever to score a US #1 album and single in the same week. Wonder was at the top of the LP chart with "Little Stevie Wonder / The 12 Year Old Genius" and had the #1 single with "Fingertips part 2", which was also the first ever live recording to lead the hit parade.
1964
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Taking him up on his telegram invitation to help out in any way he can in America, Beatles manager Brian Epstein meets Elvis Presley manager Colonel Tom Parker for the first time when they have lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
1966
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
The Youngbloods record their biggest hit, "Get Together". The single, which would be included on their self-titled album released in 1967, stalled at #62 at the time, but would be re-issued in 1969 and made it to #5 the second time around. The record flopped in Great Britain, but
The Dave Clark Five would record a cover version that reached the UK Top 10 in 1970.
1968
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
While celebrating his 21st Birthday, The Who's drummer, Keith Moon, drives a Lincoln Continental into the pool of a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. The band would later get a $50,000 bill for the damage they caused and were subsequently banned from every Holiday Inn for life. It was also rumored that Decca Records had to purchase the ruined car from its rightful owner.
1969
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Arlo Guthrie's movie, Alice's Restaurant opens in New York and Los Angeles. While Guthrie wrote the lyrics and music for the song "Alice's Restaurant Massacree", he did not write the screenplay for the film, which was instead co-written by Venable Herndon and Arthur Penn.
August 24
John Lennon writes "Cold Turkey", a song about kicking his heroin addiction. He rehearsed the song all afternoon and recorded it that evening with the help of Ringo Starr and Klaus Voorman. When it was released, critics hated it and the BBC refused to play it, yet somehow it still made the UK Top 20 and the US Top 30.
1974
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
"(You're) Having My Baby" by Paul Anka with Odea Coates topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of three weeks. It would later be certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. The record was Anka's first chart topper since 1959's "Lonely Boy".
1977
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Waylon Jennings, the former member of Buddy Holly's backup band turned Country star, was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine. He had recently been named an honorary police chief.
1983
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Jerry Lee Lewis' fifth wife, Shawn Stevens, died of a methadone overdose at the couple's Mississippi home. The two had been married less than three months. "The Killer" had previously been wed to Dorothy Barton (1952), Jane Mitcham (1953), his second cousin Myra Brown (1957) and Jaren Pate (1971). He would marry again in 1984 to 22 year-old Kerrie McCarver, but split from her in 2004.
1987
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Donny Osmond released "I'm In It For Love", his first single in ten years. The record did not crack the Billboard Top 40, but Donny would be back with "Soldier Of Love", which reached #2 in 1989.
1989
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
The Who perform "Tommy" at the Universal Amphitheatre with special guests Steve Winwood, Elton John, Phil Collins, Patti LaBelle and Billy Idol.
1995
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Microsoft's Windows 95 was released using a commercial featuring
The Rolling Stones song "Start Me Up" (a reference to the Start button). Microsoft paid Mick Jagger and Keith Richards twelve million pounds for the use of the song, which Microsoft detractors were quick to point out, contains the lyrics "You make a grown man cry."
1996
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
"Missing" by an English duo called Everything But The Girl breaks the all-time chart stay record previously held by
The Four Seasons' "December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)", when it appears on the Billboard chart for the 55th week.
2004
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Donovan released his first new album in eight years, "Beat Cafe". The first 1000 CDs were autographed and hand numbered.
2005
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Hal Kalin of The Kalin Twins, who are most often remembered for their 1958 million seller, "When", died as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was 71.
2006
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
60 year old Linda Ronstadt canceled tour dates for the rest of the year to recover from an undisclosed surgery.
2007
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
78 year old Bo Diddley was reported in stable condition at a Gainesville, Florida hospital after suffering a heart attack. He had complained of dizziness and nausea during a routine medical checkup with his physician. The guitar legend topped the US R&B charts in 1955 with "Bo Diddley" and enjoyed more success with "Who Do You Love", "Before You Accuse Me", "Mona" and "I'm a Man".
2009
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide caused by a mix of drugs meant to treat insomnia. On February 8, 2010, Dr. Conrad Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles. Dr. Murray would be found guilty in November, 2011 and was sentenced to four years in a Los Angeles County jail. The convicted cardiologist became a free man on October 28, 2013.
2010
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Bob Dylan revealed his intentions to fight internet re-sellers by only allowing fans to purchase just one ticket at the door for each concert. The policy was established to prevent scalpers (touters) from purchasing large batches of tickets and selling them for an inflated price online.
2013
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
A tie that once belonged to John Lennon sold for 3,627 Pounds (about $5,600) at an auction in Liverpool. Lennon had given the black knitted tie to Joyce McWilliam, a regular Cavern Club patron, in 1962.
August 24
A Las Vegas mansion once owned by pianist Liberace was sold for $500,000 to a British businessman. The ten-bedroom, two-bathroom home, built in 1962, sold for about $3 million more than that just seven years ago. His full name was Wladziu Valentino Liberace, but his friends called him Lee, and his family called him Walter.
2014
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Tommy Gough of The Crests died of throat cancer at his home in Flint, Michigan. He was 74. The Doo-Wop group had seven Billboard Top 40 hits, including "16 Candles", which reached #2 in 1959.
2017
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville hosted an invitation-only memorial for Glen Campbell. Among those appearing were Jimmy Webb, who played a piano/vocal version of "Wichita Lineman", as well as
Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and the current Beach Boys line-up who performed "I Get Around", one of numerous titles that Campbell played on as studio musician.
2021
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Charlie Watts, drummer for The Rolling Stones, passed away at the age of 80. In 2016, he was ranked 12th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest drummers of all time.
2023
- ClassicBands.com
August 24
Bernie Marsden, the original guitarist for Whitesnake, passed away at the age of 72. Along with lead singer, David Coverdale, he co-wrote the band's 1987, chart topping single, "Here I Go Again".
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