Rock 'n' Roll History for
July 24


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1957 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Trying to duplicate Elvis Presley's movie success, Pat Boone makes his acting debut in the musical comedy Bernardine. His role in the film is minor, but he does get to sing his hit songs, "Love Letters In The Sand" (US #1, UK #2) and "Bernardine" (US #14).

1964 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
A riot broke out during a The Rolling Stones' gig at The Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire. Keith Richards noticed a man with his hands on the stage exhorting the crowd to spit, and warned him, but the spitting continued. Richards is then reported to have stood on his hands and kicked him in the face, whereupon some of the 7,000 fans in attendance started fighting, causing over £4,000 in damage. Blackpool City Council later voted to ban The Stones from playing in the city. Forty-four years later, the 2008 council voted to lift the suspension, but a spokesman for the group said they had no plans to return.

July 24
Marvin Gaye records "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" at Hitsville U.S.A. studios in Detroit, Michigan. When it is released on the Tamla label next November, the single will rise to #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #39 in the UK.

1965 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
The trio of Dino, Desi and Billy achieve their first US chart entry with "I'm A Fool", which will rise to #17. Dino, the son of Dean Martin, Desi, the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, along with Billy Hinsche, would also crack the Top 40 with "Not The Lovin' Kind" later in the year.

1967 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Jefferson Airplane's second album "Surrealistic Pillow" is certified Gold in America on the strength of the Top Ten hits, "Somebody to Love" (#5) and "White Rabbit" (#8). The LP would go on to achieve Platinum status and in 2024, was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” to American recorded music.

1968 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
James Drake, who billed himself as Nervous Norvus for his 1956, #8 US hit "Transfusion", a novelty tune about bloody accidents, died of liver failure at the age of 56.

1971 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
A cover version of "Indian Reservation", a number three hit in the UK by Don Fardon, went to number one in the US for The Raiders. The song was actually recorded by Mark Lindsay alone, but he chose to put the group's name on the label as a sign of friendship for his old buddy, Paul Revere. Studio musicians on the track included Hal Blaine – drums, Al Casey – guitar, Carol Kaye – bass guitar and Artie Butler – piano, organ.

1972 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
23-year-old Bobby Ramirez, drummer with Edger Winter's White Trash, was killed in a bar fight in Chicago after some redneck made a comment about the length of his hair. He died of head injuries after being kicked with steel-tipped shoes.

1976 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Elton John, who had already achieved stardom in the United States, had his first hit in the UK with "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", a duet with Kiki Dee. Like many of Elton's singles from his early career, the song was never included on an original album.

July 24
Two years after it peaked at #60 in the US, Hall And Oates' "She's Gone" is re-issued by Atlantic Records. This highly edited, remixed version would climb to number 7.

July 24
The Beach Boys' "20 Golden Greats" LP started a ten week stay at #1 on the UK album chart during its eighty-six week run. The compilation became the second biggest selling album of the year in Great Britain.

1977 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Led Zeppelin play their last concert in America, performing at the Day On The Green at Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. Their tour was set to continue into August, but was canceled two days later after the band received news that Robert Plant's six-year-old son, Karac had suddenly died.

1978 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
The movie Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring Peter Frampton and The Bee Gees, opens in New York City. Although promotional posters claim it is "A Fantastical Movie Adventure", it bombs at the box-office and the critics were vicious in their reviews.

1980 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Larry Graham, the former bass guitarist of Sly And The Family Stone, began his first solo tour by opening for the Isley Brothers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Graham's "One in a Million You" was on its way up the charts at the time and would peak at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

1982 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
A Chicago quintet called Survivor started a six week run at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Eye Of The Tiger". The song also topped the UK chart. Over the next four years, the band would place six more songs on the Billboard Top 40 and become an icon of '80s Rock.

July 24
John Cougar (Mellencamp) topped the Cashbox Best Sellers chart with "Hurts So Good". Two weeks later the record would climb to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stay in the Top 10 for sixteen weeks, longer than any other song in the 1980s.

1987 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
The movie biography of Richie Valens called La Bamba opens in US theatres. The film starred Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens and Esai Morales as Ritchie's older brother, Bob. The production had the full support of the Valenzuela family and Bob and Connie Valenzuela even came to the set to help the actors portray their characters correctly. The music was performed by the Los Angeles quintet, Los Lobos.

1999 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Actor Will Smith tops the Billboard Hot 100 with "Wild Wild West", on which he simply rapped over Stevie Wonder's "I Wish". Despite its chart success, the song won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song of 1999, and Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio later ranked it at #27 on his list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever.

2011 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Dan Peek, a founding member of the Soft Rock trio America died in his sleep at the age of 60. The group notched eight Top 40 hits in the US between 1971 and 1975, including "A Horse With No Name" (US #1, UK #3), "Sister Golden Hair" (US #1), "Ventura Highway" (US #8, UK #43), "Tin Man" (US #4), and Peek's own composition "Lonely People" (US #5).

2012 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Larry Hoppen, who co-founded the 1970s Pop / Rock group Orleans and sang lead on their hits "Still the One", "Dance With Me" and "Love Takes Time", died of undisclosed causes at the age of 61.

2013 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Whitney Houston's grave in New Jersey was marked with a teardrop-shaped headstone that bears the inscription: "I will always love you", from the Dolly Parton song she made famous.

July 24
Bob Jones, guitarist for We Five on their 1965, Billboard #3 hit, "You Were On My Mind", died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 66.

2022 - ClassicBands.com

July 24
Joni Mitchell performed her first full-length concert since late 2002 when she appeared at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. She had contended with health complications since suffering an aneurysm in 2015. Her set included some of her most recognizable songs like "Both Sides Now", "Circle Game" and "Big Yellow Taxi".



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