Rock 'n' Roll History for
November 12


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1955 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Chuck Berry was named "Most Promising Rhythm & Blues Artist”" in Billboard's annual DJ poll, while Fats Domino is named the favorite Rhythm & Blues artist. Those accolades turned out to be well deserved, as Berry would place fourteen hit records on the Billboard Pop chart, while Domino would enjoy thirty-seven.

1957 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Jamboree, another film trying to capitalize on the popularity of Rock 'n' Roll among teenagers, previews in Hollywood. The story is about a boy and girl who become overnight sensations as a romantic singing duo who run into trouble when their squabbling managers try to turn them into solo acts. Among those featured are Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, Frankie Avalon, Slim Whitman and Connie Francis.

November 12
Johnny Cash enters Sun Studios in Memphis to record "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen". The song will peak at #1 on the Billboard Country chart in February, 1958 and #16 on the Billboard Top 100 chart in March.

1964 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Shirley Ellis records a song that she co-wrote with Lincoln Chase, "The Name Game", as a follow-up to her #8 hit, "The Nitty Gritty". Her latest effort would reach #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the R&B chart. As most of us figured out as kids, playing the game with names such as Alice, Dallas, Tucker, Chuck, Bart, Art, Marty, Mitch, Rich, Richie, Maggie, Ruby, Danny or Annie, results in plenty of giggles.

1965 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
The Velvet Underground made their live debut when they played at Summit High School in New Jersey. The newly formed band, who took their name from a paperback about a secret sexual subculture of the early 1960s, were paid $75 for the gig. They would go on to place five albums on upper reaches of the Billboard 200 between 1972 and 1985, but none of their singles ever made the Top 40.

1966 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Johnny Rivers went to #1 on the Billboard singles chart with "Poor Side Of Town". In the UK however, the record failed to become a hit. In later years, Johnny would recall: "I don't know what inspired it. It was not from any personal experience, because I was living in Beverly Hills."

November 12
As many as 1,000 teenagers who are protesting a recent 10 PM curfew, clash with police on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip. The scene inspires Stephen Stills to write, "For What It's Worth", which will peak at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1967 for Buffalo Springfield.

November 12
The Monkees' self-titled, debut album started a thirteen week run at the top of the Billboard album chart, selling over three million copies in three months. Featuring the songs "Last Train To Clarksville" and "(Theme From) The Monkees", the LP would go on to be certified 5X Platinum by the RIAA.

1967 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Jerry Lee Lewis records "To Make Love Sweeter For You", a song that will top the Country charts in the US. It would be the third number one on that chart and his first since "Great Balls of Fire" in 1958.

1987 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Just like he did in his prime, Sly Stone shows up over an hour late for his "comeback" concert in Los Angeles. When he finally arrives, he is arrested for non-payment of child support.

1990 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood was involved in a minor car accident fifty miles outside of London. His wife, Jo, was driving the couple's BMW at the time. Ron was unharmed and got out to direct traffic around the scene, but was struck by another vehicle. The impact broke both his legs.

1999 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Gary Glitter, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, was sentenced in a UK court to four months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of possessing child pornography. In a separate trial hours earlier, the British Glam-rocker was acquitted of sexually assaulting an underage fan almost twenty years before.

2003 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Tony Thompson, drummer for Chic, passed away from renal cell cancer at the age of 48. Thompson played on all the bands hits, including "Dance, Dance, Dance" (#6 in 1978), "Le Freak" (#1 in 1978), "I Want Your Love" (#7 in 1979) and "Good Times" (#1 in 1979).

2008 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell was found dead in a Portland, Oregon hotel room. He had just completed the Experience Hendrix Tour and was starting a brief vacation before returning to his native England. The Multnomah County Medical Examiner's office later ruled that the 62-year-old Mitchell had died of natural causes.

2012 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
An Asian collector bought a platinum chronograph Patek Philippe wristwatch owned by Eric Clapton for $3.63 million.

November 12
Commemorating the band's 50th anniversary, The Rolling Stones release a greatest hits collection called "GRRR!" The album reached #3 on the UK Albums Chart and #19 on the Billboard 200. It has since been certified Gold in America for sales of 500,000 and Platinum in Great Britain for selling 300,000 copies.

2017 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
Heritage Auctions in Dallas sold a guitar played by Bob Dylan during his set at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh in New York City in 1971 and his Rolling Thunder Revue tour from October 1975 to May 1976 for $396,500.

2020 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
AC/DC returned to the #1 spot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart with a song called. "Shot in the Dark". It was the first time the Australian band had a chart topping single since 2008, when "Rock N Roll Train" ruled for three weeks that November.

2021 - ClassicBands.com

November 12
A week after it was released, ABBA's first album of new material in forty years, "Voyage" topped the UK album chart. After selling over 2.5 million copies worldwide, it would be nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2023 Grammy Awards, but lost both to "Harry's House" by Harry Stiles.

November 12
Billboard's latest chart release revealed that three Halloween classic singles re-entered the Hot 100 during the season. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" climbed to #19, Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's "Monster Mash" went to #37, and Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" came in at #42.



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