FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: MAY 4

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: MAY 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1956: England’s New Musical Express erroneously reports that ‘Elvin’ Presley will be performing in an upcoming gig at the Palladium in London. Elvis Presley never did Europe.

1957: ABC-TV premiers Alan Freed’s Rock and Roll Revue show, an attempt to replicate the success of their own American Bandstand. The first show features performances by the Clovers, The Del-Vikings, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Sal Mineo and Guy Mitchell.

The first Grammy Award winner Domenico Modugno in 1959.

1959: The very first Grammy Awards are held in Los Angeles, with Record Of The Year honors going out to Domenico Modugno’s “Volare (Nel Blu Depinto De Blu)” and Henry Mancini’s The Music Of Peter Gunn soundtrack winning Record Album Of The Year. The Champs’ “Tequila,” for some reason, takes home Best Rhythm and Blues Performance honors.

1964: British musicians Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder form an R&B group, naming themselves the Moody Blues. The group’s name comes as a derivative from Dukes Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.”

1967: The Turtles’ hit “Happy Together” is certified gold by RIAA.

1968: Twiggy, one of England’s first supermodels, catches an 18 year-old singer named Mark Hopkins on the BBC-TV talent show Opportunity Knocks and calls friend Paul McCartney, who eventually signs her to Apple Records and gives her one of his songs, “Those Were The Days,” to record.

1968: Steppenwolf makes its U.S. television debut, performing “Born To Be Wild” on ABC-TV Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “OHIO” single; released in 1970.

 

1970: The US National Guard opens fire on Vietnam war protesters at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four unarmed students and wounding eleven more. After seeing photos of the shooting later in the week in LIFE magazine, Neil Young immediately writes the song, “Ohio,” which Crosby, Stills and Nash will record the next day. Twenty-five years later to the day, Peter Paul and Mary play a commemorative concert at the university, performing Dylan’s “Blowin’ In The Wind.”

1977: The Beatles long-anticipated and only live LP, The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl is released.

1985: The legendary Apollo Theater re-opens in Harlem after a massive  $10,000,000 dollar makeover.

David Bowie’s ex, Angie. (Click on image for larger view).

1990: In an interview, David Bowie’s ex-wife, Angie (she was of whom the Stones penned and sang of in their hit), claims for the first time in how she walked in on her ex, and Mick Jagger — caught — having sex with each other.

1992: Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke declares today “KISS Day” and presents the band with an honorary key to the city.

2008: Martha Reeves’ home in Detroit is burglarized and $1,000,000 worth of recording equipment is stolen. In just a few hours, the perpetrator is captured while attempting to hock the stolen-merchandise for a bargained steal — $400.00.

 

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day….

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