Today in Oldies Music History: June 16

Today In Oldies Music History: June 16

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Births

1935: Little Caesar (Little Caesar and the Romans)
1939: Billy "Crash" Craddock
1941: Lamont Dozier
1942: Edward Levert (The O'Jays)
1946: Ian Matthews (Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort)
1949: Peppy Castro (Blues Magoos)
1950: James Smith (The Stylistics)
1952: Gino Vannelli

Deaths

1975: Don Robey

Events

1962: Gary "U.S." Bonds makes his US television debut, performing his hit "Quarter To Three" on ABC-TV's American Bandstand.
1962: A young David Bowie makes his stage debut when his band, the Konrads, performs at Bromley Technical in Kent, England.
1967: The first of the major rock festivals, Monterey Pop, is held in California, featuring established acts such as The Mamas and The Papas, Eric Burdon and the Animals, The Association, Booker T. and the MGs, The Who, and the Byrds, and also making superstars of several relatively new acts such as Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Simon and Garfunkel, Canned Heat, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and The Steve Miller Band. 50,000 attendees paid between $3.50 and $6.50 to see more than two dozen acts, all of whom agreed to play for free so all proceeds could go to charity. The event kicked off the famous "Summer of Love," in which thousands of college-age rock fans visited San Francisco, and also inspired John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas to write "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)," later a hit for Scott McKenzie. Filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker's acclaimed 1969 documentary Monterey Pop was filmed during the festival.
1970: The organizers of the Woodstock music festival report that they have lost over $1.2 million on the event (money which they will later make up through movie and soundtrack rights).
1975: John Lennon sues US Attorneys General John Mitchell and Richard Kleindienst for alleged harassment during his recent deportation investigation.
1976: No longer just five, The Jacksons -- all six sons and three daughters -- get their own summer replacement variety show on CBS-TV.
1978: The movie adaptation of the hit off-Broadway play Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, opens in US theaters, becoming the smash hit of the year.
1980: The movie The Blues Brothers, adapted from John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's classic SNL skit, premieres in Chicago. A love letter of sorts to Sixties R&B and soul, it will help re-establish the careers of its musical co-stars, including James Brown, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin.
1987: Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead officially gives permission for Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream to name a new flavor after him.
1989: Cliff Richard performs in front of 72,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate his 30th year in show business. Gerry and the Pacemakers show up to help honor Cliff, as do the Searchers.
1989: Smokey Robinson launches his own perfume for women, entitled simply "Smoke."
1990: The Rolling Stones' "Paint, It Black," re-released in the Netherlands as a single, climbs to the top of the charts 24 years after its initial release.
1993: The USPS issues a series of commemorative stamps honoring early rock heroes Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Ritchie Valens, Clyde McPhatter, and Dinah Washington.
2002: A remixed version of Elvis Presley's 1967 single "A Little Less Conversation" hits #1 in the UK, released as part of a plan by his estate to regain the UK record for Number Ones from the Beatles.
2004: The original members of the New York Dolls reunite on stage after nearly 30 years, in a concert arranged by their #1 fan, Morrissey of the Smiths.
2007: 61-year-old Rod Stewart marries his third wife, 35-year-old model Penny Lancaster, on board the yacht Lady Ann Magee in Portofino, Italy.

Releases

1958: Elvis Presley, "Hard-Headed Woman"
1971: Elvis Presley, Love Letters From Elvis

Recording

1956: Bill Doggett, "Honky Tonk (Parts 1 and 2)"
1965: Bob Dylan, "Like A Rolling Stone"
1966: The Beatles, "Here, There And Everywhere"
1966: Bob Dylan, "Fourth Time Around"

Charts

1956: Patti Page's "Allegheny Moon" enters the charts
1956: Gogi Grant's "The Wayward Wind" hits #1
1979: Donna Summer's LP Bad Girls hits #1

Certifications

1965: Herman's Hermits' "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" is certified gold