February 10, 1959: Link Wray performs his controversial instrumental hit "Rumble" on American Bandstand. Because of its title, many radio stations refused to play the record, but it still managed to sell over a million copies and reach #16 on the Billboard Pop chart.

Fred Lincoln
"Link" Wray Jr

(May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005)

Footage of the American Bandstand gig’s unavailable, but here’s a good audio:

RAWHIDE (On American Bandstand)

                       “Jack The Ripper”
—Self-produced and sold out of the trunk of Link’s car (well, the band's hearse) until it was picked up by Swan label and sold a million copies!

Link Wray, bassist Ellwood Brown and the band hearse

Wray was noted for pioneering a new sound for electric guitars, as exemplified in his hit 1958 instrumental "Rumble", by Link Wray and his Ray Men, which pioneered an overdriven, distorted electric guitar sound. He also "invented the power chord, the major modus operandi of modern rock guitarist, and in doing so fathering, or making possible, "punk and heavy rock".

Link Wray Talks! Rock 101, Pay attention and respect Kids...

Rolling Stone included Link at number 67 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

THANKS LINK, R.I.P.

February 10, 1956: Little Richard records "Long Tall Sally", which will go on be his highest charting record in the US, climbing to number 6 on Billboard's Pop chart and number 1 on the R&B chart by next April.

"Long Tall Sally", topping the R&B chart, was the first of his three U.S. Top 10 hits.

Richard's string of chart success continued with the double-sider "Rip It Up"/"Ready Teddy", the former being his first UK release and chart entry in late 1956.

Richard triumphantly returned in 1957 with "Keep a Knockin'" and "Good Golly Miss Molly" and he quickly became renowned for his energetic live shows, his signature greasy pompadour and cake makeup look, and his manic, flamboyant personality, becoming one of the most successful African-American artists of rock's early period.

“Good Golly Miss Molly” is a rock 'n' roll standard, this has been covered by hundreds and is ranked #94 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Rolling Stone magazine has listed "Long Tall Sally" as #56 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.

              ROCK ON LITTLE RICHARD!!!

KING CURTIS (February 7, 1934–August 13, 1971)

KING CURTIS
 (February 7, 1934–August 13, 1971)

      Curtis Ousley, better known as "King Curtis," saxophonist and guitarist, was born in Fort Worth, Texas on February 7, 1934.  Curtis's parents gave him a saxophone when he was twelve. He honed his skills playing with his high school band and with a pop band he formed.

As soon as he turned 18 years old he moved to New York City...

That was in 1952. In New York he got gigs playing sax with Chuck Willis, Clyde McPhatter, The Coasters, the Alan Freed Band, and other groups.

   Throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s he toured the United States and Europe with Lionel Hampton's band. It was also during that time that he He played backup for numerous singers, including Bobby Darin, Andy Williams, Sam Cooke, Connie Francis, Nat King Cole, the Coasters, and Buddy Holly; mastered the guitar and learned to arrange music.

 He stopped touring in the early 1960s, moved back to New York, and soon became one of the best-known saxophone players of the 1960s.

Curtis formed his own group, the Noble Knights, in the early 1960s. He later changed their name to the King Pins. The group signed with Enjoy Records and recorded a Number 1 R&B single, "Soul Twist," in 1962.

In the 1960s, fifteen of Curtis's recordings made the pop charts. He recorded for Prestige and Capitol Records and signed with the Atco label in 1965. He stayed with that label for the remainder of his career, making numerous records, including King Curtis Plays the Great Memphis Hits, That Lovin' Feeling, and King Size Soul.
 A couple of his songs, "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Ode to Billie Joe," recorded in 1967, were huge hits.

As soul music became even more popular in the late 60s, Curtis had even more success.. His record sales soared, and he became highly sought after for concerts and music festivals around the country and in Europe.

     He was at the top of his game and career  when tragedy struck King Curtis in 1971. During a scuffle with man on the stoop of a brownstone that he owned in New York City, Curtis was stabbed and soon succumbed to his wounds.

King Curtis, 37 Years Old

At the time of his death Curtis was working on a John Lennon album and was also producing Freddie King for Atlantic. He left behind a well-recorded legacy of his varied musical talents as a composer, performer, and arranger. 

 "King Curtis was surely one of the instrument’s [tenor saxophone] most distinctive voices…He kept his ears and his heart open to all kinds of music, and played them all back with a bright, edgy sound that was his own—a sound that no one has ever quite replicated."

King Curtis was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000

R.I.P. KING CURTIS

Read more about King Curtis:

 

Jesse Lorenzo Belvin (December 15, 1932 – February 6, 1960) A Member of the "27 Club" in the EVOLUTION OF ROCK 'n ROLL...

Jesse Lorenzo Belvin

(December 15, 1932 – February 6, 1960)

Belvin was born in San Antonio Texas, but had moved with his family to Los Angeles by 1937. When he was 18 years old he joined saxophonist Big Jay McNeely's backing vocal quartet, Three Dots and a Dash, and was featured prominently on their record releases.









Specialty Records signed Jesse in 1952 where his fourth record, "Dream Girl", credited to Jesse & Marvin and featuring Marvin Phillips on saxophone, reached #2 on the R&B charts in 1953.





Even after he was drafted into the army Jesse continued writing songs—HIT SONGS!  His composition "Earth Angel" was recorded by The Penguins, and became one of the first R&B singles to cross over onto the pop charts, selling a million copies in through 1954 and 1955.



Although he was on contract to Modern Records by this time, he continued to sing for other labels under different names. His biggest hit for Modern was "Goodnight My Love", which he co-wrote.  The song reached #7 on the R&B chart.





The piano on the “Goodnight My Love” session was reportedly played by the 11 year old Barry White. The song became the closing theme to Alan Freed's rock and roll radio shows.

Belvin’s other recordings for Modern were less successful, and in 1958 he recorded on Dot Records with a group, The Shields, who included lead singer Frankie Ervin and guitarist Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Their record, "You Cheated", reached #15 on the US pop chart and #11 on the R&B chart. (Wikipedia)

Inspired by his wife and manager Jo Ann to develop his style, he signed to RCA Records in 1959, and immediately had a Top 40 hit with "Guess Who" a song written by Jo Ann…



He also recorded an album, Just Jesse Belvin, developing a more mature and sophisticated sound on ballads.



His style was influenced by Nat "King" Cole and Billy Eckstine, and became a model for Sam Cooke and others. He acquired the nickname "Mr. Easy", and the record company began moulding him as a potential crossover star for white audiences. (Wikipedia)

On the evening of February 6, 1960, shortly after finishing a performance in Little Rock on a bill with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and Marv Johnson, 27 year old Jesse Belvin and his wife Jo Ann were killed in a head-on collision at Hope, Arkansas.


The concert had been the first ever played before an integrated audience in the history of Little Rock, and had been stopped twice by interruptions with racial epithets from whites in the audience, and their urging the white teenagers in attendance to leave...

Due to the fact that there had been several death threats on Belvin prior to the concert, there was speculation the car had been tampered with prior to the accident—Nothing was ever proven one way or the other…


R.I.P. JESSE AND JO ANN BELVIN

FEBRUARY 5: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLAN GOODE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLAN GOODE!

OURSELVES BAND: Al Goode on keyboards

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AL!!!

NOTE: Sharing a birthday with Al are:

Motown Great, Barrett Strong...

As well as that Super Sessions (etc.) guy, 

Al Kooper!!!

Yet, I reiterate,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AL GOODE!!!

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