Rock 'n' Roll History for
May 25


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1938 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Vernon Presley is sentenced to a three year term at Parchman penal plantation in Mississippi for forging a check. His wife Gladys and son Elvis are forced to live on welfare.

1965 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Kinks guitar player Dave Davies is knocked unconscious when he falls into drummer Mick Avory's cymbal during a London concert. The group cancels the remainder of their UK tour. At the time, they had reached the UK Top 40 five times and the Billboard Top 40 four times.

1968 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Simon And Garfunkel's "Bookends" replaces their own "The Graduate" at the top of the US album chart. The LP would later be included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and was ranked at #234 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.

1969 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
The Hollies recorded their version of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" at EMI Studios in London, with Elton John on piano. It will reach #3 in the UK, #7 on the Hot 100 and #8 on the Cashbox Best Sellers chart.

1973 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Carole King gives a free concert for 100,000 fans in New York's Central Park.

1978 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
The Who perform a concert in London to be filmed for their documentary movie on the band's history, The Kids Are Alright. This will prove to be Keith Moon's last performance with the band before his death on September 7th.

1990 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Gary Usher, who led the studio group The Hondells into the Billboard Top Ten in 1964 with "Little Honda", died of cancer. He was 51. Although twelve more songs credited to the group were released, none would crack the Top 40.

May 25
The movie Back to the Future Part III is released in theatres across America. The film includes an appearance by ZZ Top, who play an Old West band performing at a small town dance. The movie grossed $245 million worldwide, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1990.

1991 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Mariah Carey becomes the first artist since The Jackson 5 to have her first four chart singles top the Billboard Hot 100 when "I Don't Wanna Cry" went to number one.

May 25
Michael Bolton led the Billboard 200 with his seventh album, "Time, Love And Tenderness". It would go on to sell more than 16 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling LP of his career. The title track would rise to #7 in the US and #28 in the UK, and Bolton's rendition of "When A Man Loves A Woman" would top the Hot 100 and reach #4 on England's Official Chart.

2005 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Domenic Troiano, guitarist for The Guess Who and The James Gang, died of prostate cancer at the age of 59. He played lead guitar on one of The Guess Who's biggest hits, "Clap For The Wolfman" (US #6 in 1974).

2007 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Wayne Fontana, who lead The Mindbenders to the top of the Billboard chart with "Game Of Love" in 1965, was remanded in custody by a British court under the Mental Health Act after admitting he poured gasoline over a bailiff's car and set fire to it. In November, he would be convicted and sentenced to time served.

2013 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Marshall Lytle, bassist for Bill Haley And His Comets on their hits "Crazy Man, Crazy" and "Rock Around The Clock", died of lung cancer at the age of 79.

2018 - ClassicBands.com

May 25
Julien's Auctions sold Prince's custom-made, yellow cloud guitar for $225,000 at New York City's Hard Rock Cafe during a giant sale of the singer's belongs. A purple, stage-worn jumpsuit went for $27,500, a raspberry beret with a love-symbol pin sold for $1,750, and a "Sign 'O' the Times" platinum record brought in $1,750.



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