... and more October 8 birthdays –
Pete Drake (aka Roddis Drake, 1932) – pedal steel guitarist ("Stand By
Your Man").
Fred Cash (1940) – Soul singer, The Impressions.
Dave Arbus (1941) – flautist/saxophonist/trumpeter for East Of Eden,
violin on “Baba O’Reilly.”
Reese “Buzz” Clifford (1941) – singer, one hit wonder (“Baby Sittin’
Boogie.”)
Susan Raye (1944) – Country singer (“L.A. International Airport”).
Butch Rillera (1945) – drummer for Redbone.
Ray Royer (1945) – guitarist for Procol Harum.
Tony Wilson (1947) – bassist for Hot Chocolate.
Hamish Stuart (1949) – bassist/guitarist for Average White Band and
Paul McCartney.
Harry Bowens (1949) – vocalist for Was Not Was.
Robert “Kool” Bell (1950) – Kool and The Gang.
Cliff Adams (1952) – trombonist for Kool and The Gang.
Steve Perry (1963) – vocalist for The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies.
Priscilla “CeCe” Winans (1964) – Gospel singer.
C.J. Ramone (aka Christopher Ward, 1965) – bassist for The Ramones.
Bruno Mars (aka Peter Hernandez, 1985) – singer/songwriter.October 8 R.I.P. – B. J. Wilson (1990) – Age 43. Drummer for Procol Harum. Jimmy Ferguson (1997) – Age 57. The Irish Rovers. Shirley Ellis (2005) – Age 76. Novelty song singer (“The Name Game”). Gidget Gein (aka Bradley Stewart, 2008) – heroin overdose. Age 39. Bassist for Marilyn Manson. Mikey Welsh (2011) – heart attack. Age 40. Weezer. Roger Williams (2011) – pancreatic cancer. Age 86. Pianist (“Born Free”). October 8 album releases – John Lennon – Imagine (1971) UK Hawkwind – In Search Of Space (1971) Billy Preston – Music Is My Life (1972) Prince – Dirty Mind (1980) Talking Heads – Remain In Light (1980) Mike Love – Looking Back With Love (1981) Ringo Starr – Ringo Starr And His All-Star Band (1990) Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger (1991) Eric Clapton – 24 Nights (1991) Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – The Last DJ (2002) Gov’t Mule – The Deep End, Volume 2 (2002) October 8 events – 1935 – Band leader Ozzie Nelson marries his vocalist, Harriet Hilliard. 1941 – The Benny Goodman Orchestra records "Buckle Down Winsocki" with Tom Dix on vocals. 1956 – ABC-TV debuts Lawrence Welk’s Top Tunes And New Talent. The show lasts two years. 1957 – Jerry Lee Lewis records “Great Balls Of Fire” at the Sun Studio in Memphis. 1957 – Frank Sinatra completes his recording of “Come Fly With Me” at Capitol. 1958 – Tommy Edwards records "Please, Mr. Sun." at Metropolitan Studios in New York City. 1962 – While on tour in the UK, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and Otis Redding appear at the Gaumont Theatre in Doncaster, England. Little Richard was duped into being part of the tour by being told it would be a gospel tour. 1964 – The Beatles record “She’s A Woman.” 1965 – The Rolling Stones appear at The ABC in Stockton on Tees. Opening acts include The Spencer Davis Group, Unit Four + 2, The Checkmates, The End, and Charles Dickens and The Habits. 1966 – Cream drummer Ginger Baker collapses on stage at Sussex University after completing his epic 20-minute solo on "Toad." 1967 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and John’s Children all appear at the Saville Theatre in London. 1968 – Mama Cass Elliot's solo engagement at Caesar’s Palace never materializes, with Elliot collapsing from exhaustion the first night. While hospitalized, she contracts tonsillitis, forcing the cancellation of the entire two-week engagement. 1977 – NBC airs The Paul Simon Special, which again reunites the singer with old friend Art Garfunkel. 1985 – Little Richard passes out behind the wheel of his sports car and is seriously injured when he runs into a telephone pole in West Hollywood. 1987 – The acclaimed Chuck Berry documentary, Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll premieres in U.S. theaters on the same day that Berry is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 1987 – The three members from ZZ Top make advance bookings for seats on the first passenger flight to the Moon. They’re still waiting to go. 1988 – Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon finally falls off Billboard's Hot 200 Album Chart after a record 741 weeks. 1988 – Keith Richards is the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. 1992 – The U.S. Postal Service issues a booklet of commemorative rock and roll stamps featuring Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Otis Redding, Bill Haley, Ritchie Valens, Clyde McPhatter, and Dinah Washington. 1999 – Shedaisy makes their Grand Ole Opry debut. 1999 – Debbie Rowe divorces Michael Jackson, giving him full custody of their two children. 2001 – Liza Minnelli performs at the White House at a Columbus Day celebration. 2003 – Coldplay’s Chris Martin has his attorney, Megan Cusack, ask the court in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, to drop a charge of malicious damage for allegedly attacking a photographer's car in July. The charge carries a maximum five-year prison sentence. 2003 – Tommy Chong begins serving a nine-month federal prison sentence for selling drug paraphernalia over the Internet. 2004 – Britney Spears splits with her manager of nine years, Larry Randolph, when they mutually agree not to re-new her contract. 2007 – The Arctic Monkeys are voted the best band in the world at the Q Awards in London. 2010 – Singer/songwriter Ben Harper files for divorce from his wife, actress Laura Dern.
