April 22nd, 2017

1957, Elvis Presley had his custom built ‘Music Gates’ installed at Gracelands. The gates were designed by Abe Saucer and custom built by John Dillars Jr, of Memphis Doors inc.

1964, The President of The National Federation Of Hairdressers offered a free haircut to the next No.1 group in the UK pop charts. He said The Rolling Stones are the worst, one of them looks as if he’s got a feather duster on his head.’

1965, The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Ticket To Ride.’ Taken from the film Help! it was the group’s seventh UK No.1.

1966, ‘Wild Thing’ by The Troggs (who were originally called The Troglodytes) was released in the U.S. on both the Atco and Fontana labels. The song went on to reach No.1. Fronted by Reg Presley, ‘Wild Thing’ became a major influence on garage rock and punk rock.

1966, Two dozen local group’s appeared at a ‘battle of the bands’ gig in Matawan Keyport Roller Drome in New Jersey. All acts performed three songs each. The Rogues won first place, second was Sonny & The Starfires, and third place went to The Castiles, (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals). The three winners were given an opportunity to perform at the Roller Drome the following week as part of a major concert headlined by The Crystals.

1967, In the most popular Monkee poll conducted in the music paper Disc & Music Echo, Davy Jones received 63% of the votes, Mickey Dolenz 22%, Peter Tork 8% and Mike Nesmith 7%.

1972, Deep Purple scored their second UK No.1 album with Machine Head. The album which features ‘Smoke on the Water’ and ‘Highway Star’, is often cited as a major influence in the early development of the heavy metal music genre and commercially, it was Deep Purple’s most successful album.

1977, The Jam released their first single ‘In The City’, which peaked at No. 40 in the UK charts. The English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival formed in Woking, Surrey, fronted by Paul Weller, achieved 17 other Top 40 hits including four UK No.1’s.

1978, Bob Marley and the Wailers performed at the ‘One Love Peace Concert’ in Jamaica. It was Marley’s first public appearance in Jamaica since being wounded in an assassination attempt a year and a half earlier.

1989, Madonna started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Like A Prayer’, the singers seventh US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.

1991, The Dave Matthews Band played their first ever-live show when they appeared at The Earth Day festival in Charlottesville, Virginia.

2001, Destiny’s Child went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Survivor.’ Their second chart topper, they were the first US female band to have more than one UK No.1. The song won the trio a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Group.

2003, Songwriter Felice Bryant died of cancer. Wrote many hits with her husband Boudleaux including; The Everly Brothers, ‘Bye Bye Love’, ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’, ‘Wake Up Little Susie’ and ‘Raining In My Heart’ a hit for Buddy Holly. Other acts to record their song include Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Tony Bennett, Simon and Garfunkel, Sarah Vaughan, Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, Count Basie, Dean Martin, Ruth Brown, Cher, R.E.M. and Ray Charles.

2007, Beyonce & Shakira were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Beautiful Liar’. The track won the Most Earth-Shattering Collaboration award at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards and the song won an Ivor Novello Award for Best-Selling British Song.

2008, It was revealed that 60’s singer Tommy Steele took Elvis Presley on a secret tour of London in 1958 after Presley struck up a friendship with Steele. When the rock legend flew into London for a day, Steele apparently took him round the city, showing him famous landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament. For more than 50 years, Presley fans had believed the only time Elvis ever set foot in the UK was during a stop-over at Prestwick Airport in Scotland in March 1960.

2013, Richie Havens, the folk singer who opened the legendary 1969 Woodstock rock festival, died of a heart attack at 72. He died at his home in Jersey City, New Jersey.
(This Day in Music)