All posts by mandevm

Ray Charles: What’d I Say

What'd I say

On February 18, 1959, Ray Charles recorded the song “What’d I Say”. The recording was made in the late evening improvisation when Charles, his orchestra and backup singers had played their entire set list at a show. “Atlantic” label released the 7” single in July 1959 and it divided the song in two parts (A side and B side) with total length of 6:30 minutes. The song was produced by Jerry Wax. This was Ray Charles first gold record and it is one of the most influential songs in the history of modern music.  In 2002 “What’d I say” was added to the “National Recording Registry” and ranked at number 10 in Rolling Stone ’​s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of all Time”.

Six-Five Special

six Five Special

On February 16, 1957, the first episode of “The Six-Five Special” show was broadcasted on BBC. This was the first British television programme dealing with Rock ’n’ Roll music. The name “Six-Five Special” came from the time it was broadcast – it went out live at five past six on Saturday evening. The show producer was Jack Good , Josephine Douglas and disc jockey Pete Murray were its presenters and Don Lang and his Frantic Five were the resident band. The show was 55 minutes long and total  number of 96 episodes was broadcasted.

Mike Bloomfield

On February 15, 1981, Michael Bernard “Mike” Bloomfield died aged 38. He was musician (guitar) and songwriter, member of the “Paul Butterfield Band” and “Electric Flag” and played on Dylan’s album “Highway 61 revisited: In 2003 he was ranked at number 22 on “Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”

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Nat King Cole

On February 15, 1965, Nathaniel Adams Coles alias Nat King Cole died aged 46. He was musician (piano), singer and songwriter, became widely popular for his soft, baritone voice and had more then 20 US and UK Top 40 singles. In 1956, he became the first black American to host a television variety show “The Nat King Cole Show”. Father of singer Natalie Cole.

Reprise Label

RR

On February 13, 1961, Frank Sinatra launched his own record label “Reprise Records”. Sinatra’s main management principle was to allow each artist full creative freedom and bigger ownership of their work; including publishing rights. Some of the artists that recorded for “Reprise Records” were Jimi Hendrix Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys and Randy Newman.

Kim Gordon: Girl In A Band

Kim Gordon

On February 24, 2015, “Harper Collins Publishers” released “Girl in a Band”, the Kim Gordon autobiography. She was founding member of “Sonic Youth” and one of the most important women in the Rock’n’Roll history. Written after the breakdown of her marriage with Thurston Moore and “Sonic Youth” split, Gordon’s autobiography is story of  extraordinary person and a great artist.