Rock History July 4
1959: Bobby Darin’s hit “Dream Lover” tops the UK chart. The track, which would reach the second postion in the US, includes Neil Sedaka on piano.
1964: “I Get Around” becomes the first US number one single for The Beach Boys. In the UK, it would be the band’s first Top Ten hit, reaching number 7. The B-side of the single was “Don’t Worry Baby”, which itself charted in 24th place in America. Although all of the Beach Boys either played or sang on the record, noted session man Hal Blaine was brought in to play drums.
1966: The Beatles were booed by fans at the airport in Manila, Philippines after they failed to make a private appearance before President Marcos, his wife and 300 Filipino children. The group claims they were not told of the engagement. Marcos then makes a statement regretting the airport incident. After paying taxes on their gate receipts, the band leaves the country, vowing never to return.
1969: Grand Funk Railroad performs at the Atlanta Pop Festival in Hampton, Georgia. Capitol Records executives see the band at the show and later sign them to a record deal. Also performing were Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Delaney and Bonnie, Chuck Berry, Spirit, Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago, and Paul Butterfield.
1970: The 3-day Atlanta Pop Festival opens at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia before a crowd of 200,000. Jimi Hendrix played his feedback filled version of “The Star Spangled Banner”. Two days later, Georgia Governor Lester Maddox says he will seek legislation to ban all Rock festivals in the state.
1973: Slade drummer Don Powell was badly injured in a car crash in which his girlfriend was killed.
1974: Steely Dan’s Walter Becker and Donald Fagan play their final gig together in Santa Monica, CA. The split occurs even though they have the number four song in the US with “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and a current Platinum album with “Pretzel Logic”, California. They would not tour again for the next eighteen years.
1976: Paul Revere is married at King’s Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati on the fourth of July, on America’s Bicentennial.
1976: The Clash made their live debut supporting the Sex Pistols at the Black Swan, in Sheffield, England.
1976: Elton John and Kiki Dee’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” is released in the US, where it will reach #1.
1980: The Beach Boys perform at a free Fourth of July concert attended by an edtimated 500,000 people in Washington, D.C.
1982: Diana Ross kicks off her first world solo tour with a concert at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. The opening act was Miles Davis.
1982: Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne marries Sharon Arden, daughter of music promoter and rock and roll entrepreneur, Don Arden. His drummer, Tommy Aldridge, serves as Best Man.
1983: Crooner Wayne Newton replaced The Beach Boys at the White House Fourth of July party after US Interior Secretary James Watt deemed the band “unsuitable” for the occasion because they attracted the wrong element. First Lady Nancy Reagan felt differently, and hired the group to play a private performance at the executive mansion.
1984: The Beach Boys are joined by Ringo Starr on drums, John Lodge and Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues on guitars as well as Cory Wells, Chuck Negron and Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night during an Independence Day concert in Washington D.C. The all star ensemble rocked their way through “Back In The U.S.S.R.”, “Good Vibrations”, “Help Me Rhonda” and “Fun Fun Fun”. Wolfman Jack was the emcee for the event that also included America, Hank Williams Jr., La Toya Jackson The O’Jays and Julio Iglesias.
1986: The second Farm Aid benefit concert took place at Manor Downs Racetrack, Manor, Texas. Held to raise money for family farmers in the US, the concerts were organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young. Artists who appeared included: Alabama, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Emmylou Harris, Jason & the Scorchers, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Vince Neil and Willie Nelson. The first Farm Aid concert was held in September 1985 in Champaign, Illinois.
1987: The Grateful Dead appeared at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
1989: The Grateful Dead performed a 21-song concert at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
2001 – Madonna sells out all 80,000 tickets to her concerts at London’s Earl’s Court arena in just four hours.
2001: A US federal judge orders file sharing service Napster to cease all operations.
2003: R & B star Barry White, known for his lush baritone voice and “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love” and “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything”, passed away at the age of 58.
2005: U2 won a court battle for the return of items of memorabilia, including a Stetson hat which they accused a former stylist of stealing. Judge Matthew Deery at Dublin’s Circuit Court ordered Lola Cashman to return the items, which also include earrings, within seven days. Ms Cashman, had worked as the band’s stylist during the 1980s and wrote an unauthorized book called Inside the Zoo.
2007: Bill Pinkney, the last surviving member of the original Drifters passed away at the age of 81.
2009: Drake Levin, the lead guitarist for Paul Revere And The Raiders on their early hits that included “Steppin’ Out”, “Just Like Me” and “Kicks”, died of cancer at the age of 62.
2009: 77-year-old Allen Klein, the former manager of The Rolling Stones and later The Beatles, died after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The assets of his company, ABKCO Music & Records, include recordings by The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Bobby Womack, The Kinks, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and many others.
2012: Bonhams of London announced that Freddie Mercury’s black and white harlequin stage costume had sold for £22,500 at their Entertainment Memorabilia sale. The harlequin costume was one of Freddie’s most recognisable stage designs, which he wore at a number of high-profile concerts in the 1970s. Also a pair of Freddie’s ballet pumps went for £4,000 to an overseas internet bidder. Freddie had worn the white leather ballet shoes during Queen’s legendary Hyde Park performance in 1976.
2013: Barry Manilow sang “Let Freedom Ring” and Neil Diamond sang his fan favorite anthem “Sweet Caroline” in celebration of The Fourth Of July at the National Mall in Washington D.C.
2013: After years of feuding over the right to use the name The Doors, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore announced that they would come together one last time to honor keyboardist Ray Manzarek, who died from cancer in May at the age of 74.
2015: Blur’s Damon Albarn was removed from stage at the Roskilde festival in Denmark after a five-hour set. The singer who was headlining the event with his Africa Express project encouraged the crowd to protest at the plug being pulled. The stage manager emerged, put the singer’s jacket over his shoulders and lifted him off stage.
2015: Bob Weir, along surviving members of the Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Phil Lesh, play the second night of Fare Thee Well, a three-show engagement to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the band. They are joined by special guests Bruce Hornsby, Jeff Chimenti, and Phish’s Trey Anastasio.
Born on July 4: Mitch Miller, conductor (1911); Bill Withers, singer-songwriter (1938); Dave Rowberry, English pianist and organist, The Animals (1940); Alan Wilson, guitar, harmonica, vocals, Canned Heat (1943); Jeremy Spencer, guitar, Fleetwood Mac (1948); Ralph Johnson, drummer, Earth, Wind & Fire (1951); John Waite, vocals, guitar, bass, The Babys (1952); Kirk Pengilly, guitarist, INXS (1958); Matt Malley, bass, Counting Crows (1963); Andy Creeggan, piano, Barenaked Ladies (1971); Post Malone, rapper, singer, songwriter, producer (1995)
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Bobby Darin, Beach Boys, Beatles, Grand Funk Railroad, The Clash, Elton John, Steely Dan, Ozzy Osbourne, Ringo Starr, Diana Ross.
