Rock 'n' Roll History for
October 8


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1955 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
The Four Aces led the Cashbox Best Sellers chart with "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing", the first US number one record that was specifically written for a motion picture. The song reached #2 in the UK.

1957 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
As a follow-up to his six million seller, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", Jerry Lee Lewis records his biggest hit, "Great Balls of Fire" at Sam Phillips' Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. When released a month later it will sell over a million copies in the first ten days, eventually adding five million more. The record will peak at #2 in January, 1958, being kept out of the top spot by Danny And The Juniors' "At The Hop".

1962 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
After a five year absence, Little Richard makes his return to Rock 'n' Roll as he kicks off his first ever tour of the UK, sharing the bill with Sam Cooke.

1966 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Cream drummer Ginger Baker collapsed on a Sussex University stage after playing a twenty minute drum solo. He recovered in a local hospital.

1968 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Mama Cass Elliot appears as a solo act at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The fourteen day, $40,000 a week engagement was abruptly canceled when opening night proved to be a disaster. Cass has tonsillitis and her band is poorly rehearsed. Newsweek magazine had this to say about her performance, "Like some great ocean liner embarking on an ill-fated maiden voyage, Mama Cass slid down the ways and sank to the bottom."

1974 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
After a long period of inactivity, Dionne Warwicke returned to the US top ten with "Then Came You", recorded with The Spinners. Due to some superstitious feelings having to do with astrology, the former Ms. Warwick added an "e" to the end of her name for good luck. She would later return to the old spelling, which is actually a mis-spelled version of her real name: Warrick.

1976 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Stevie Wonder's "Song in the Key of Life" debuts at #1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, becoming only the third LP in history to achieve that feat. It's Wonder's first release since his $13 million signing with Motown. The three record set would go Platinum, yielding the hits "Sir Duke", "Isn't She Lovely" and "I Wish".

1977 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Billy Joel's breakthrough album, "The Stranger" enters the Billboard album chart, where it would crack the Top 10. The LP contained four US Top 30 singles ("Just The Way You Are" (#3), "Movin' Out" (#17), "Only The Good Die Young" (#24) and "She's Always A Woman" (#17). It would be his first effort to reach the UK album chart, rising to #24.

October 8
David Soul, star of the hit American TV show Starsky and Hutch, reaches the top of the UK charts for the second time this year with "Silver Lady". The previous April, "Don't Give Up On Us" went to #1.

October 8
Debbie Boone's "You Light Up My Life" begins an eight week stay at the top of the Cash Box Best Sellers chart. The record also led the Billboard Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks, becoming one of the most successful singles of the 1970s. In the UK, it peaked at #48.

1979 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Warner Brothers Records rush releases Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" album weeks ahead of schedule when tracks begin mysteriously popping up on US radio stations.

1984 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Although her Pop career was on the decline, Anne Murray won the Country Music Association's Album of the Year Award for "A Little Good News". She was the first woman to ever be given that distinction.

1985 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Little Richard had to be cut out of a rented Nissan 300ZX after crashing into a telephone pole in West Hollywood, California. The 52-year-old Rock 'n' Roll pioneer, whose real name is Richard Penniman, suffered a broken right leg, bruised ribs and head and facial injuries.

1986 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Elton John, David Lee Roth and Cher appear on the opening night of The Late Show starring Joan Rivers. At the end of the program, the hostess stood next to Elton and joined him in singing "The Bitch Is Back". Joan's decision to host her own show without telling Johnny Carson, for whom she filled in for on The Tonight Show, would permanently sour the friendship between the two.

1987 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Chuck Berry is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His film biography, Hail, Hail Rock & Roll premiered the same night.

1988 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" finally falls off of Billboard's Hot 200 Album Chart after a record 741 weeks. It has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide.

1989 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Responding to Rolling Stone guitarist Ron Wood's suggestion that The Who were only staging a 25th Anniversary Tour for the money, Pete Townshend fires back with: "Mick needs a lot more than I do. His last album was a flop."

1990 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Procol Harum's drummer Barrie Wilson died after several months in a coma following a car accident. He was 43. Wilson joined the group just after they recorded "A Whiter Shade Of Pale", which featured session drummer Bill Eyden.

1994 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Elvis Aaron Presley: The Tribute is broadcast live on pay-per-view TV in the US. In attendance at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis are Lisa Marie Presley and her husband, Michael Jackson.

2012 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Record label bosses at EMI recalled a vinyl, anniversary edition of The Beatles' hit single "Love Me Do" after discovering they had accidentally pressed a version that included session musician Andy White playing drums instead of band member Ringo Starr. Copies of the disc featuring the wrong version were reportedly selling for big money on the internet auction website eBay.com.

2013 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Michael Jackson's estate launched a lawsuit against three companies in Japan, alleging they were using the name and likeness of the late Pop star on key chains, mugs, towels, post cards and other products without permission.

October 8
Larry Verne, the novelty song artist who reached #1 on the Hot 100 in 1960 with "Mr. Custer", died of heart failure at the age of 77. After leaving the music business, he spent thirty-five years as a successful builder of Hollywood film sets.

2016 - ClassicBands.com

October 8
Don Ciccone, guitarist for The Critters on their 1966 Billboard #17 hit "Mr. Dieingly Sad", passed away at the age of 70. After leaving the band, Ciccone joined the U.S. Air Force and served in Vietnam. From 1973 to 1981 he was a member of The Four Seasons, singing the falsetto parts on their 1975 hit, "December 1963 (Oh What A Night)".



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