ANNIVERSARIES
2006-U-2 singer Bono is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the second time.
2004-Ronnie Wood joins his former Faces bandmate Rod Stewart at New York’s Madison Square Garden, playing on “Stay With Me.”
2002-Johnny Cash marks his 70th birthday with a quiet celebration at his home in Jamaica.
2001-U2 perform four songs at the 2001 Brit Awards and win trophies for Best International Group and Outstanding Contribution to Music. Coldplay also picks up a pair of statues.
1999-Bruce Springsteen performs on Max Weinberg’s last appearance on the Conan O’Brien Show before they begin the Boss’s reunion tour with the E Street Band.
1997-The Grammy Awards are held at New York’s Madison Square Garden for the first time. Eric Clapton and The Beatles each get three awards. Clapton wins Record and Song of the Year for “Change the World.”
1995-Frank O’Keefe, original bassist with Southern rockers The Outlaws, dies of a prescription drug overdose at his home in St. Petersburg, Florida. The death comes just 19 days after that of another of the band’s early members, guitarist Billy Jones.
1991-Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All album is certified platinum.
1987-Capitol Records releases the first four Beatles albums on CD.
1979-As The Sex Pistols battle over money in court with former manager Malcolm McLaren, it is revealed that only 30-thousand pounds sterling (roughly 50-thousand dollars) is left of the band’s 800-thousand-pound gross.
1977-The Kinks sing “Sleepwalker” and their ’60s classic “You Really Got Me” on Saturday Night Live.
1970-The Beatles’ album Hey Jude, consisting of previous singles not included on earlier Capitol L-Ps, is released. The collection was quickly thrown together after the Let It Be album was delayed.
1967-The Buffalo Springfield appear on The Smothers Brothers Show, performing “For What It’s Worth” and “Go and Say Goodbye.”
1965-Session guitarist Jimmy Page releases his first solo single, “She Just Satisfies.” Page will go on to join the Yardbirds, then found Led Zeppelin.
BIRTHDAYS
Jonathan Cain-65 years old
Journey/solo/ex-Babys singer-keyboardist. Born in 1950.
Bob Hite-Died in 1981
Canned Heat’s big, bearded singer — nicknamed “The Bear” — died of a heart attack on April 5th, 1981 at 36. Ironically, he did not sing the group’s two biggest hits (“Going Up the Country” and “On the Road Again”): guitarist Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson did. Born in 1945.
Mitch Ryder (William Levise Junior)-70 years old
Backed by The Detroit Wheels, he specialized in rousing cover medleys of ’50s rockers, such as “Devil With a Blue Dress” / “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Jenny Take a Ride” (combining “Jenny Jenny” and “CC Rider”). The Motor City native was discovered and produced by Four Seasons mentor Bob Crewe. Born in 1945.
Johnny Cash-Died in 2003
“The Man in Black,” who began his career at Sun Records in Memphis, is best known for “I Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire” and “A Boy Named Sue.” He’s the only artist in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. From 1969 to ’71, Cash hosted a prime-time music-variety series on ABC. He died at 71 of pneumonia on September 12th, 2003.
