Today in Oldies Music History: October 23

Today In Oldies Music History: October 23

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Births

1927: Sonny Criss
1939: Charlie Foxx
1940: Ellie Greenwich
1940: Fred Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers)
1943: Barbara Ann Hawkins (The Dixie Cups)
1947: Greg Ridley (Humble Pie)

Deaths

1950: Al Jolson
1969: Tommy Edwards
1978: Mother Maybelle Carter
1986: Esquerita

Events

1954: Elvis Presley's second Sun single, "Blue Moon Of Kentucky," breaks out in Nashville and New Orleans, becoming his first chart hit outside of his native Memphis.
1964: J. Frank Wilson of the Cavaliers, who scored a huge teen-tragedy hit three years earlier with "Last Kiss," is badly injured in his own car crash near Lima, OH, one that unfortunately also takes the life of the song's producer, Sonley Roush.
1966: The Yardbirds, in their first concert featuring Jimmy Page on lead guitar, open at San Francisco's Fillmore West.
1969: Columbia Records announces its intention to prosecute the purveyors of Great White Way, an unauthorized collection of unreleased Bob Dylan demos that is often considered the first "bootleg" record.
1972: The Fifties-revival drama That'll Be The Day, starring Ringo Starr, David Essex, Keith Moon, Billy Fury and the Nashville Teens' John Hawken, begins filming in England.
1976: Led Zeppelin make their belated US television debut on an episode of the syndicated Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.
1978: CBS Records becomes the first record label to raise the price of albums to an unheard-of $8.98.
1980: On the same day that John Lennon's "comeback" single, "Starting Over," is released, his future killer signs out of his detail as a security guard for the last time. Instead of signing "Chappy," as he usually does, the killer tellingly signs out as "John Lennon."
1998: A St. Louis federal judge rules that the local Fort Zumwalt High School Marching Band is not allowed, as per the ruling of the superintendent of schools, to include Jefferson Airplane's pro-drug hit "White Rabbit" in its repertoire as part of a "Sixties medley."
2002: A St. Louis federal judge dismisses the lawsuit brought against Chuck Berry by his longtime pianist, Johnnie Johnson, claiming co-songwriting credit -- and, therefore, a share of the royalties -- for over 30 songs made famous by Berry from 1955-1966, including "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Roll Over Beethoven," and "No Particular Place To Go."
2007: The first trial of legendary producer Phil Spector -- accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 -- ends in a mistrial, with ten jurors voting him guilty and two not guilty.

Releases

1965: The Byrds, "Turn! Turn! Turn!"

Recording

1941: Benny Goodman, "Clarinet A La King"
1962: Stevie Wonder, "Thank You For Loving Me All The Way"
1963: The Beatles, "I Wanna Be Your Man"
1963: Bob Dylan: "The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll," "When The Ship Comes In"
1966: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Hey Joe"

Charts

1961: Dion's "Runaround Sue" hits #1
1965: The Temptations' "My Baby" enters the charts
1976: Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" hits #1

Certifications

1970: Aretha Franklin's "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" is certified gold