Today In Rock History Nov 20
 

Norman Greenbaum is born. (1942)

Duane Allman, guitarist with the Allman Brothers, is born. (1946)

Joe Walsh, guitarist and vocalist for the James Gang and the Eagles, is born. (1947)

Alan Freed, refusing to say he never accepted payola, is fired from WABC television in New York. Eight days later he will be canned from WNEW-TV New York. (1959)

Billboard reports on the global Twist Craze: WOR-TV, New York, has shot a series of one and five minute "Twist Lessons" with Chubby Checker to be shown hourly every day. Checker has also been inked for a British-American film production; Joey Dee & the Starlighters, whose album, "Doin' the Twist at the Peppermint Lounge" is released this week, have signed for the Paramount film, "Hey, Let's Twist"; Dion has signed to star in Columbia's "Twist Around the Clock"; and in France there are 45 different "Twist" records on the the market. (1961)

The Four Seasons' "Big Girls Don't Cry" is released on Vee Jay Records. It goes up to Number One, as does their first (and current) hit, "Sherry." Both songs feature lead singer Frankie Valli's falsetto. (1962)

Beastie Boy Mike D (Michael Diamond) is born. (1965)

Time Magazine, reviewing the Doors second albums, "Strange Days," reports the groups music "takes its listeners not only past such familiar landmarks of the youth odyssey as alienation and sex but, into symbolic realms of the unconscious--eerie night worlds filled with throbbling rhythms, shivery metallic tones, unsettling images." The albums will soon hit #3 on the national chart. (1967)

The Beach Boys "Smiley Smile" album featuring the song "Vegetables," produced by Paul McCartney and the Beach Boys is released in the U.K. on Capitol and in the U.S. on the band's own Brothers label. Unfortunately, the albums doesn't make it to the Top Forty in either country and the single will not chart at all, demonstrating the Beach Boys dwindling popularity and sending leader Brian Wilson further into reclusiveness. (1967)

For the second time this year, Kinks singer Ray Davies flies to London to re-record one word in a new Kinks single. Back in June it was to change "Coca-Cola" to "Cherry Cola" in the song "Lola." This time, Ray has to change a line from "Apeman," "The air pollution is a-foggin' up" which sounds too much like "a-censoredin." (1970)

"Inner City Blues" becomes the third R&B Number One single from Marvin Gaye's, "What's Goin' On" album. The others are the title track and "Mercy, Mercy Me." The LP represents the first time a major Motown artist has taken a public stand on controversial social issues. (1971)

Allan Sherman, the great comedian/songwriter whose album "My Son, the Folksinger,"sold well over a million copies in the early sixties, dies of respiratory ailments. He was 48. (1973)

Keith Moon collapses twice during the first date of the Who's U.S. tour, in San Francisco. First, he falls over his set during "Won't Get Fooled Again." Then after being tended to backstage, Moon plays for another ten minutes before he's carried off again, allegedly due to jet lag. So, Pete Townsend asks for a volunteer from the crowd to replace him and a 19 year old came up and finished the show. The kid was Scot Halpin, then 19, who took a shot of brandy and sat down at his idol Moon's drum kit. Townsend counted off and Halpin began drumming----he lasted for 3 songs, "Smokestack Lightning", "Naked Eye" and the anthem "My Generation". (1973)

The Who kick off a month-long American tour in Houston at the Summit. At a party afterwards, band member John Entwistle is arrested for disorderly conduct and spends a few hours in jail. (1975)

Prince's third movie, "Sign 'O' The Times" opens. (1987)

The Rolling Stones sign a $45 million deal with Virgin, making them rock's highest paid group (the record has since been eclipsed!!) (1991)

David Crosby gets a liver transplant. (1994)


(BOBBYORR)



Chart Toppers On This Day:

1961
BIG BAD JOHN ~ Jimmy Dean 1961 - YouTube

1970
I'll Be There by The Jackson 5 - YouTube

1979
Commodores - Still - YouTube