1960: While touring in the UK, 21-year-old Eddie Cochran was killed when the taxi he was taking crashed into a lamp post in Chippenham, Wiltshire. Singer Gene Vincent was also seriously injured but survived the crash.
1961: "Blue Moon" was #1 for the second week in a row for the Marcels. Del Shannon's classic "Runaway" was making its move at #2. The rest of the Top Five: "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie K-Doe was #3, Floyd Cramer had #4 with "On the Rebound" and Clarence Henry was at 5 with "But I Do".
1962: Tony Bennett recorded his first song, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams".
1964: Van Morrison and Them made their first public appearance at the Maritime Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
1965: The Beach Boys released "Help Me Rhonda".
Freddie & the Dreamers topped the charts
1965: Freddie & the Dreamers owned #1 with "I'm Telling You Now", followed by the Supremes' former #1 "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders. The rest of the Top Ten: "I Know a Place" from Petula Clark at #4, Jr. Walker & the All Stars at 5 with "Shotgun", Herman's Hermits coming in at #6 with "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", the Kinks had #7 with "Tired of Waiting for You", "Nowhere To Run" by Martha & the Vandellas, "The Clapping Song" from Shirley Ellis at #9 and the Moody Blues' first top ten hit "Go Now" at #10.
1965: Bob Dylan's first album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan topped the UK album charts.
1969: The Band played for the first time by themselves apart from Bob Dylan at the Winterland Auditorium in San Francisco.
1970: Paul McCartney played every instrument on his first solo album McCartney.
1971: All four ex-Beatles had solo singles--Paul McCartney with "Another Day", John Lennon had "Power to the People", George Harrison with the classic "My Sweet Lord" and Ringo Starr had "It Don't Come Easy".
1971: "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night first hit #1 on this date; they would monopolize the top spot for six weeks in a row. Marvin Gaye had #2 with his socially-conscious "What's Going On" and the former #1 "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me" by the Temptations fell to #3. The rest of the Top Ten: "She's a Lady" from Tom Jones, Paul McCartney's double sided hit "Another Day"/"Oh Woman Oh Why" was at #5, the rapid mover (16-6) "Put Your Hand in the Hand" by Ocean, Janis Joplin was at 7 with her former #1 written by Bob Dylan "Me and Bobby McGee", #8 was "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted" by the Partridge Family, the Carpenters had #9 with "For All We Know" and Brewer & Shipley was at 10 with "One Toke Over the Line".
1973: Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was certified gold in the U.S.
1974: Guitarist Vinnie Taylor of Sha Na Na was found dead in his hotel room in Charlottesville, Virginia from drugs.
1975: Elvis Presley bought a jet from Delta Airlines for $250,000, when he named Lisa Marie.
1976: John Denver had another #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Looking for Space".
The Commodores moved to #5 with "Sweet Love"
1976: Johnnie Taylor was at #1 with "Disco Lady', followed by the Bellamy Brothers ("Let Your Love Flow") and Maxine Nightingale ("Right Back Where We Started From"). The remainder of the Top Ten: "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers was song #4, the Commodores had their first big hit with "Sweet Love", "Only Sixteen" from Dr. Hook remained at #6, former Lovin' Spoonful leader John Sebastian moved into the top ten with "Welcome Back", Peter Frampton was at #8 with "Show Me the Way", Queen had song #9 with the classic "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Elvin Bishop climbed into the top ten with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love".
1977: The Police appeared at the Roundhouse in London, England.
1980: Gerry Rafferty performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
1982: Bucks Fizz topped the UK charts with "My Camera Never Lies".
1982: "I Love Rock 'N Roll", Joan Jett's musical declaration, spent a fifth out of seven weeks at #1. The Go-Go's remained at #2 with "We Got the Beat", Vangelis was at 3 with "Chariots of Fire" and the J. Geils Band had another top ten with "Freeze Frame". The rest of the Top Ten: Olivia Newton John had #5 with "Make a Move On Me", Rick Springfield remained at 6 with "Don't Talk to Strangers", Huey Lewis & the News climbed to #7 with their debut hit "Do You Believe In Love", Bertie Higgins moved "Key Largo" to #8, Journey's "Open Arms", one of the top #2 songs in history (6 weeks there) was on its way down at #9 and Stevie Wonder had the 10th spot with "That Girl".
1982: Paul McCartney became the first songwriter to have simultaneous hits on the black and country music charts.
1982: Vangelis topped the album charts with Chariots of Fire; he also took home an Oscar for Best Original Score from the movie of the same name and had the #1 Adult Contemporary song for the third week in a row with the title song from his album and the movie.
1983: Felix Pappalardi bass player and producer of Mountain was shot dead by his wife during a fight. He had also produced the Cream albums Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire and albums by Hot Tuna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Pappalardi was 43.
1987: Carlton Barrett, drummer and percussionist for Bob Marley and the Wailers, was shot dead outside his house in Kingston, Jamaica. Barrett invented the one-drop rhythm, a style of percussive drumming.
1992: The Bodyguard Soundtrack was the #1 album on this date, one of 20 weeks it ruled the album charts.
1993: Former Bangles lead singer Susanna Hoffs married M. Jay Roach in Los Angeles.
1993: David Bowie hit #1 in the UK with his album Black Tie White Noise.
1993: Informer spent a sixth week at #1 with "Informer", followed by Silk's "Freak Me". Dr. Dre had the third most popular song with "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang", Whitney Houston was at #4 with "I Have Nothing" and Jade came in at 5 with "Don't Walk Away".
1994: Pink Floyd began four weeks at the top of the UK album chart with The Division Bell.
1995: Following the successful operation of Bill Berry for a brain aneurysm, R.E.M. announced they would resume their worldwide tour.
1998: Linda McCartney died from cancer at the age of 57. She had married Paul in 1969 and was a member of Wings.
2001: The late Joey Ramone was buried in New Jersey following a private service in Forest Hills, Queens.
2004: Usher spent the second of nine weeks at #1 on the album chart with Confessions.
2008: Danny Federici, keyboardist for Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band, died from cancer at age 58.
Born This Day:
1934: Rock Promoter Don Kirshner, who helped break Carole King, Neil Diamond, the Monkees, Neil Sedaka and Bobby Darin; Kirshner died in Boca Raton, Florida on January 17, 2011
1943: Roy Estrada, bassist for the Frank Zappa band.
1948: Jan Hammer, keyboardist for Jeff Beck and Santana and solo performer on the "Miami Vice Theme"
1954: Michael Sembello, singer and guitarist ("Maniac")
1964: James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle
1967: Liz Phair, songwriter
1967: Matt Chamberlain, one of the most prolific session drummers; Chamberlain has played for Elton John, Pearl Jam, Christina Aguilera, David Bowie, John Mayer, Kanye West, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Williams and many others
1970: Redman
1974: Victoria Adams, formerly of the Spice Girls and a solo performer
Source URL: http://acsblogrock.blogspot.com/2011/04/this-day-in-rock-music-history-april-17.htmlBorn This Day:
1934: Rock Promoter Don Kirshner, who helped break Carole King, Neil Diamond, the Monkees, Neil Sedaka and Bobby Darin; Kirshner died in Boca Raton, Florida on January 17, 2011
1943: Roy Estrada, bassist for the Frank Zappa band.
1948: Jan Hammer, keyboardist for Jeff Beck and Santana and solo performer on the "Miami Vice Theme"
1954: Michael Sembello, singer and guitarist ("Maniac")
1964: James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle
1967: Liz Phair, songwriter
1967: Matt Chamberlain, one of the most prolific session drummers; Chamberlain has played for Elton John, Pearl Jam, Christina Aguilera, David Bowie, John Mayer, Kanye West, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Williams and many others
1970: Redman
1974: Victoria Adams, formerly of the Spice Girls and a solo performer
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