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Music History in November
 This
month in 1958, Sam Cooke and Lou Rawls, who was in his backup band, were
injured in a Arkansas car wreck that killed the chauffeur. A year to the
month later in 1959, Hugo and Luigi, RCA's A&R team, pitched a $100,000
guarantee offer to soul singer Cooke to lure him away from his then-current
label, Keen Records.
The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was relased this month
in 1961. The song was appropriated from a tune originally called "Mbube,"
written and recorded in the 1930s by South African Zulu entertainer Solomon
Linda who later died in poverty. A trust fund was established in the 1990s
to aid the deceased Linda's impoverished Soweto-based family.
This month in '63 the Kingsmen's classic "Louie Louie" was released
providing fuel for legions of three-chord garage bands to come. In1967,
Byrds leader Roger McGuinn, in a move described as a battle of conflicting
egos, fired David Crosby. Also in that same month, the debut issue of
Rolling Stone magazine hit the streets replete with a free roach clip.
In 1968, Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones bought Crotchford Farm, the
former home of A.A. Milne, author of Winnie The Pooh. Also in 1968, Jimi
Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland" hit #1 on U.S. album charts. Mike
Curb, president of MGM Records, dropped 18 acts from the label's roster
this month in 1970 claiming they "exploit and promote hard drugs
through music"...among the drug advocates were The Cowsills, Connie
Francis, and the Judy Garland estate.
In1970, Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcyle
accident three blocks from the site of the motorcycle wreck that killed
his bandmate Duane Allman one year and 13 days earlier. In1974, Ted Nugent
won the National Squirrel-Shooting Archery Contest by plugging one of
the critters at 150 yards. Nugent dispatcheed another 27 small mammals
with a handgun over the course of the three-day event. Also in 1974, an
imposter posing as Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple cracked up a borrowed
Porsche in Iowa City. The theme from the TV show "Miami Vice"
composed by Jan Hammer went #1 on the Billboard charts this month in 1985.
A year to the month later, Willie Nelson made a guest appearance on the
popular show playing a corrupt cop. 1987 was a banner year for Dire Straits
when their Brothers in Arms album passed the three- million mark for record
sales in the U.K. - the first release to reach that level.
1987 was less of a banner year for Sly Stone, who, attempting to revive
his career, showing up over an hour late for his comeback concert in L.A.
When Sly finally showed up, he was busted for non-payment of child support.
In 1990 Rod Stewart wass sued by a fan for an injured middle finger suffered
when Stewart booted a soccer ball into the crowd at a concert. The case
was settled for $17,000. In 1991, actor Paul Reubens AKA Pee Wee Herman
pleaded no contest to an indecent exposure charge in Florida and bad boy
Tommy Lee of Motley Crue was arrested in 1994 for trying to conceal a
gun on an airplane. Rick James suffered a stroke in the midst of a 1998
Denver show. According to doctors, the stroke was triggered by a blood
vessel rupture in James' neck brought on by headbanging. In1999, glam
rocker Gary Glitter got four months after pleading guilty to a kiddy porn
charge. This same month in 1980, Glitter, riding high on the resurgence
of his tribal stomp sound, launches a British comeback tour punctuated
by the release of his first record in several years, "What Your Momma
Don't See."
 This
month in1969, Janis Joplin was arrested in her dressing room at a concert
in Tampa for leud language directed to a police officer, ...earlier, in
the auditorium, a cop was screaming through a bullhorn at her fans to
sit down and she told him "Don't fuck with these people. Hey, mister,
what are you so uptight about? Did you buy a five-dollar ticket?"
She was similarly disrespectful addressing police backstage when they
insisted that she tell the audience to sit down. Joplin got out on a $50
bond and the charges of "vulgar and indecent language" were
eventually dropped.
In1973, David Bowie made his first TV special, "1980 Floor Show".
Seventeen years later he opened on Broadway in the title role of "The
Elephant Man". The director of the earlier Broadway hits, "Hair"
and "Jesus Christ Superstar," Tom O'Horgan, went for the gusto
with an adaptation of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
which opened on Broadway this month in 1974.
Four years later a movie version premiered featuring the Bee Gees, Peter
Frampton, and Billy Preston. The film was a true nadir in the career of
all those unfortunate enough to become involved with it, making "Showgirls"
look like Fellini. Phil Collins made his starring debut on the silver
screen as "Buster," which opened this month in 1988. It wasn't
technically his first exposure in the movies, though, because of a youthful
part as an extra in "A Hard Day's Night". In 1968, Glen Campbell,
accomplished session player for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Nat "King"
Cole, and The Beach Boys, got two gold records for "By the Time I
Get to Phoenix" and "Gentle On My Mind".
In 1972, Danny Whitten, singer and songwriter for Crazy Horse overdosed
on smack. His long-time friend and bandmate Neil Young was heartbroken
and felt responsible. Whitten had been slated to play in Young's tour,
which was just starting ...but he wa too drugged out to keep it together
on stage and Young sent him home. That night he died. Young commemorated
his friend with "The Needle and the Damage Done".
In 1973, apparently fried by a generous dose of angel dust, Keith Moon
was unable to finish the opening show of the Who's "Quadrophenia"
tour in front of 13,500 people at the Cow Palace in San Francisco ...all
warmed up and ready to play, and wanting to make a good impression the
first night of the tour, Townshend called out to the audience, "Hey,
can anybody out there play drums? I mean good. Any takers come up here
on stage". 19-year-old Thomas Scot Halpin from Muscatine, Iowa, currently
living in Santa Cruz, was in the audience at stageside with his hometown
buddy, Mike Danese, started yelling to the security guard that his friend
was a great drummer...actually Halpin hadn't played in a year, but after
promoter Bill Graham asked him if he could do it, he found himself on
the throne of his idol manning the sticks. He held his own for the final
three songs, got to party down with the band afterward, and eventually
was named "Pickup Player of the Year" by Rolling Stone.
 On
November 24, 1961, Howlin' Wolf arrived in London for his first European
tour...the massive American bluesman returned several more times during
the 1960s, jamming with many British rockers and blues legends, ultimately
influencing a whole generation of players.
In 1997 the original Zombies lineup reunited and played together for the
first time in 30 years. Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" occupied the Billboard
top slot for 10 months making it the biggest hit of 1981. On November
25, 1976, The Band mounted its farewell concert at San Francisco's Winterland
- the proceedings were filmed by director Martin Scorcese and became the
great rock film "The Last Waltz".
In 1994 Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You" logged it's 14th and final
month as the number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, matching Whitney
Houston's "I Will Always Love You" for longevity in the top slot. On November
25, 1969, John Lennon returned his M.B.E. to Buckingham Palace in protest
over Britain's foreign policy. On November 26, 1968, Cream played its
farewell concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. Bon Jovi's "You Give Love
a Bad Name" was the #1 hit in 1986. This month in 1965 Ken Kesey hosted
the first Acid Test. On November 28, 1964, Willie Nelson made his debut
at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. In 1971 "It's a Family Affair" by Sly and
The Family Stone rose to the #1 position - it proved to be the group's
final top ten hit as Sly Dunbar, the group's leader became further immersed
in personal problems.
 This
month on November 9th, 1967, Rolling Stone magazine hit the streets for
the first time with John Lennon gracing the cover. The premiere issue
included a roach clip. This month in 1993 more than 300,000 people attended
a memorial tribute to rock promoter Bill Graham who had died in a helicopter
crash. The Dead, CSN&Y, Joan Baez, Santana, and Journey headlined.
On November 3, 1969, songwriter Laura Nyro's "Wedding Bell Blues" as performed
by The Fifth Dimension went to number one.
This month in 1998 shock rocker Marilyn Manson's video
"The Dope Show" ruled the roost at the Billboard Music Video Awards. In
1992, Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" entered its 13th and final month
at the top of the popcharts. In 1976 Rod Stewart's "Tonight's The Night"
with its breathily salacious spoken French intro held down the number
one spot. This month in 1998 Rick James suffered a stroke while performing
in Denver, a doctor attributed a blood vessel rupture to head banging.
In 1955, Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons" first appears
on the charts, soon to become the biggest hit of its era . This month
in 1957, Sun Records released Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire,"
which became his biggest hit. In 1960, Johnny Horton, of "Battle
of New Orleans" fame, was killed in an auto accident in Texas; coincidentally
his last appearance had been at the Skyline in Austin, the same venue
where Hank Williams had played his last show. Horton was married at the
time to "Billy Joe," who was Williams' widow.
The Dave Clark Five appeared on the "Ed Sullivan Show," making
a more positive impression on Ed than the Rolling Stones ... Ed refered
to them as "nice, neat boys." In 1972, James Taylor and Carly
Simon got married this month. In 1973, Phil Kaufman, Gram Parson's manager,
was fined $300 for stealing Parson's body from the Los Angeles Airport.
He and friends took the body into the California desert near Joshua Tree
and attempt to cremate it in accordance, he says, with Parson's wishes.
Another purpose was to foil a stepfather's plan to inherit Parson's estate
by having him buried in Louisiana, thus bolstering a claim that Parsons
was a resident of that state which would legally make the stepfather the
heir. In 1993, rapper Tupac Shakur was arrested for allegedly shooting
two off-duty Atlanta policemen during an argument. He shot and killed
himself two years later in Las Vegas.
BIRTHDAYS:
November 1:
Blind Faith's Rik Grech (1946)
Ronald Bell of Kool and The Gang (1951)
Lyle Lovett (1957)
Eddie MacDonald of The Alarm (1959)
Magne Foruholmen of A-Ha (1962)
Rick Allen of Def Leppard (1963)
Alex James of Blur (1968)
November 2:
Keith Emerson of ELP (1944)
Bernard Edwards of Chic (1952)
U2 Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. (1961)
Adam Horovitz a.k.a. King Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys (1966)
Rick Grech, bass player for Blind Faith and Traffic (1946)
Dan Peek of America (1950)
Lyle Lovett (1956)
Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (1962)
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen (1963)
Keith Emerson (1944)
Marie McDonald Lawrie a.k.a. Lulu (1948)
Delbert McClinton (1940)
Squeeze singer/guitarist Chris Difford (1954)
pianist Yanni (1954)
James Honeyman-Scott, guitarist for the Pretenders (1957)
Art Garfunkel (1941)
Peter Noone (1947), Bryan Adams (1959)
November 6: Glenn Frey (1948)
Corey Glover of Living Colour (1964)
Lulu AKA Marie McDonald Lawrie ("To Sir With Love")
(1948)
Brian Poole of The Tremeloes (1941)
Bert Jansch (1943)
Adam Ant AKA Stuart Goddard (1954)
Ike Turner of Ike and Tina (1931)
The Flying Burrito Brother's'Gram Parsons, born Cecil Connor (1946)
Bryan Adams (1938)
Doug Sahm of The Sir Douglas Quintet (1941)
Glen Frey of The Eagles (1948)
Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary (1937)
Johnny Rivers (1942)
Joni Mitchell, born Roberta Joan Anderson (1943)
Big Easy trumpeter Al Hirt (1922)
Bonnie Bramlett of Delaney and Bonnie (1944)
Roy Wood (1946)
Bonnie Raitt (1950)
Rickie Lee Jones (1954)
Terry Lee Miall of Adam and The Ants (1958)
Screaming Lord Sutch born David Sutch (1940)
Lyricist Tim Rice (1944)
Greg Lake (1948)
Mario Cipollina of Huey Lewis and The News (1954)
Mose Allison (1927)
LaVern Baker (1929)
The Youngbloods' Jesse Colin Young born Perry Young (1944)
Chris Dreja of The Yardbirds (1945)
Vince Martell of Vanilla Fudge (1945)
Ian Craig Marsh of Heaven 17 (1956)
Bukka White born Booker T. Washington White (1906)
Ruby Nash Curtis of Ruby and The Romantics (1939)
Brian Hyland (1943)
Booker T. Jones of Booker T and The MGs (1944)
Neil Young (1945)
Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate (1948)
November 13: R&B singer Justine "Baby" Washington (1940)
Timmy Thomas (1944)
Bill Gibson of Huey Lewis and The News (1951)
Cornell Gunter of the Coasters (1938)
Freddie Garrity of Freddie and the Dreamers (1940)
James Young of Styx (1948)
Stephen Bishop (1951)
Alec John Such of Bon Jovi (1956)
Rapper Run of Run D.M.C. (1964)
November 15:
Clyde McPhatter (1932)
Petula Clark (1932)
Little Willie John born William J. Woods (1937)
Barry McGuire (some sources say October 15) (1937)
Gordon Lightfoot (1938)
Gene Clark of the Byrds (1941)
Bob Gaudio of the Four Seasons (1942)
Martin Barre of Jethro Tull (1946)
Isaac Hanson of Hanson (1980):
Ray Collins of The Mothers of Invention (1937)
Matt Sorum of Guns and Roses (1960)
November 20:
Duane Allman (1946)
Joe Walsh (1947)
George Grantham of Poco (1947)
Mike "D" Diamond of the Beastie Boys (1965)
Scott Joplin (1868)
Donald "Duck" Dunn, the bassist for Booker T. and The MGs (1941)
The Incredible String Band's Robin Williamson (1943)
Lee Michaels (1945)
Chris Hayes of Huey Lewis & The News (1957)
Tina Turner, born Annie Bullock (1938)
Alan Henderson of Them (1944)
John McVie (1945)
Al Jackson Jr., drummer for Booker T. and the MGs (1934)
Jimi Hendrix, born Johnny Allen Hendrix (1942)
Charlie Burchill of Simple Minds (1959)
Motown founder Berry Gordy (1929)
Randy Newman (1943)
Matt Cameron of Soundgarden (1962)
Chuck Mangione (1940)
Dennis "Denny" Doherty of The Mamas And The Papas (1941)
Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals (1943)
John Mayall (1943)
Barry Goudreau of Boston (1951)
Bleach's Steve Scott (1963)
Bernard Edwards of Chic (1952)
Bluesman Brownie McGhee (1915)
Dick "America's Oldest Teenager" Clark (1929)
Johnny Horton (1929)
Leo Lyons of Ten Years After (1943)
Deep Purple's Roger Glover (1945)
Shuggie Otis (1953)
George McArdale of The Little River Band (1954)
Billy Idol, born William Michael Albert Broad (1955)
OBITUARIES:
November 2:
Mississippi John Hurt (1966)
Session guitarist Tommy Tedesco (1997)
Carmen McRae (1994)
Ronnie Dyson (1990)
Berry Oakley (1972)
Donald Mills, last surviving Mills Brother (1999)
R.J. Vealey of The Atlanta Rhythm Section (1999)
pianist Kenny Kirkland (1998)
Bill Doggett (1996)
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. (1973)
John Cascella, keyboardist with John Mellencamp (1992)
Music journalist/publisher Mike Leadbitter (1974)
John Glascock of Jethro Tull (1979)
Doug Sahm "The Texas Tornado" (1999)
Cab Calloway (1994)
Tom Evans of Badfinger (1983)
Danny Whitten of Crazy Horse (1972)
Little Junior Parker (1971)
Ronald Alphonso of the Skatalites (1998)
Kiss drummer Eric Carr (1991)
Queen's Freddie Mercury (1991)
Big Joe Turner (1985)
Avant-garde trumpeter Albert Ayler was found in New York's East River;
his date and cause of death are unknown (1970)
Fenton Robinson (1997)
Hank Snow's guitarist, Jimmy Widener (1973)
David H. "Butch" McDade of The Amazing Rhythm Aces (1998)
Jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd (1999)
Tiny Tim AKA Herbert Khaury (1996)
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