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Today is Jim Yester of The Association‘s birthday. The late 60’s sunshine pop group had a string of hits including “Windy,” “Cherish,” and “Along Comes Mary,” but our favorite has always been their perfectly dreamy version of the Addrisi Brothers song “Never My Love.” Happy Birthday Jim, thanks for the tunes.
It was on this day, November 5th, in 1956 that The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC. It was the first program of it’s kind hosted by an African-American. The show originally aired without a sponsor, but NBC agreed to pay for initial production costs; assuming that once the show aired a national sponsor would emerge. None did. National companies did not want to upset their customers who did not want to see a black man on TV shown in anything other than a subservient position. Although NBC agreed to continue footing the bill for the show until a sponsor could be found, Cole pulled the plug on it himself in its second season. Said Cole of the decision, “Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.”
On this day in 1946 Peter Green was born. Green was a member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, where he replaced some hack named Eric Clapton, before going on to found Fleetwood Mac. Yes, before they achieved global dominance with the more pop oriented song writing of Buckingham/Nicks (and much much before they became TikTok’s hottest band), Fleetwood Mac was a blues rock band, with a heavy emphasis on the blues. Green’s Fleetwood Mac scored the 1969 UK No.1 single “Albatross” before leaving the band in 1970. Green died in his sleep July 26th of this year, but there’s no shortage of his great music on the web for you to check out. A good place to start is this collection of live footage of the original Fleetwood Mac compiled by YouTube user…BadlyDrawnBallbag (sigh).
Today is the birthday of Justin Hayward, songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of The Moody Blues. Best known for the hit “Knights In White Satin” they were one of the first prog rock bands, combining early psychedelic rock with classical influences and orchestral elements. They’re best known for the worldwide hit “Knights In White Satin” but we’ve always been partial to this track which opened their third album In Search of the Lost Chord, “Ride My See Saw.”
Today is the birthday of Rob Davis, guitarist and songwriter for UK glam greats Mud. Davis also co-wrote the 2001 Kylie Minogue smash hit “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” with Cathy Dennis. Happy birthday Rob, thanks for the earworms.
It was on this day in 1949 that Bruce Springsteen was born (to run, presumably in the badlands). You don’t need us to tell you about The Boss. We love him, you love him, he’s great. Instead let us use this as an opportunity to share one of our favorite covers, Crooked Fingers doing a hell of a haunting job on the Springsteen classic “The River.”
One year ago today we lost singer-songwriter and visual artist Daniel Johnston. Johnston’s earnest and almost childlike songs won him a legion of devoted fans, including Kurt Cobain who described him as the “best songwriter on Earth.” The 2005 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston detailed Johnston’s lifelong battle with bi-polar disorder and how it effected his music and art. Here is a great short set from Johnston for the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert series.
Today is the birthday of Gary Duncan guitarist and vocalist of early psych rock pioneers Quicksilver Messenger Service. Duncan’s intricate guitar work and complex interplay with fellow guitarist John Cipollina helped give Quicksilver their signature sound and laid a blueprint for many psych rock bands to come. We lost Duncan last June, but you can see him doing what he did best in this clip from 1975.
Today is both the birthday of 80’s pop icon Debbie Gibson, and the anniversary of CBGB founder Hilly Kristal’s passing in 2007 from complications from lung cancer. What better time to revisit when their world’s collided in the mid-90’s thanks to the Circle Jerks and their cover of The Soft Boys “I Wanna Destroy You.”
The great Walter Williams of The O’Jays was born on this day in 1942. His silky smooth voice helped make songs like “Back Stabbers” and “Love Train” bonafide hits, but the O’Jays also dropped this often overlooked classic of power to the people funk, the title track to their 1975 album Survival. An apt anthem today just as much as it was then.