Today In Rock History Sept 29
 

Rock pianist Jerry Lee Lewis is born. (1935)

Mark Farner, guitarist and vocalist for Grank Funk Railroad, is born. (1948)

So far, RCA Victor has received over 856,327 advance orders for Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender." (1956)

The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" enters the pop chart at #27 and the Moonglows' "Ten Commandments of Love," enters the pop charts at #41. (1958)

New York Times music critic Robert Shelton sees Bob Dylan open at Gerde's Folk City. His review describes Dylan as "a cross between a choir boy and a beatnik" and "bursting at the seams with talent." It's Dylans first press notice. (1961)

The Everly Brothers leave for a tour of the British Isles. On the bill are Bo Diddley, the Rolling Stones and as of October 5, Little Richard. (1963)

The Rolling Stones open their first English tour with The Everly Brothers and Bo Diddley at the New Victoria in London. (1963)

Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is released on Motown's Soul label. The song reaches Number Two on the pop chart and Number One on the R&B. (1967)

Mickey Hart joins the Grateful Dead. (1967)

Cat Stevens opens his new tour before a sold out crowd of 6,500 at the Shrine Auditorium in L-A. He is backed by an eleven piece orchestra for the 31-date tour. (1972)

Grand Funk's "We're An American Band" hits #1 on the singles chart. (1973)

Jackie Wilson falls into a coma from which he will never recover. (1975)

Jerry Lee Lewis, attempting to shoot a soda bottle somewhere in the distance with a .357 magnum, hits his bass player, Norman Owens twice in the chest. Lewis is charged with shooting a firearm within the city limits. (1976)

James Brown's band, complaining that the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business has been underpaying them, walk out on him in Hallendale, Florida. (1977)

Cheap Trick's "Ain't That A Shame" peaks at #35 on the singles chart, while Robert Palmer's "Bad Case Of Loving You" peaks at #14, Nick Lowe's "Cruel To Be Kind" peaks at #12 and Dave Edmunds' "Girls Talk" peaks at #65. (1979)

In an interview with Newsweek magazine, John Lennon gives details about the soon-to-be released album he's making with Yoko Ono, "Double Fantasy." (1980)

The Cars' "Drive" peaks at #3 on the pop singles chart. (1984)

While taking a motorcycle trip from L.A. to the Grand Canyon, Bruce Springsteen stops in a small saloon on Prescott, Arizona and jams with the house band, The Mile High Band. Bruce and the band plays "Don't Be Cruel," "I'm On Fire," "Route 66" and others. One of the barmaids Brenda Techanec was talking about her problems paying her hospital bills -- Springsteen overhears her and a week later she gets a check for $100,000. (1989)



(BOBBYORR)