January 17 Born – Vido Musso (1913) – clarinetist/saxophonist with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. George Handy (aka George Hendleman, 1920) – Jazz composer and arranger. Eartha Kitt (1927) – singer/actress. Grady Martin (1929) – Nashville session guitarist. Chris Montez (1943) – singer. William “Poogie” Hart (1945) – The Delfonics. Domenic Troiano (1946) – The James Gang and The Guess Who. Mick Taylor (1948) – guitarist for John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones. Sheila Hutchinson (1953) – The Emotions. Cheryl Bentyne (1954) – The Manhattan Transfer. Steve Earle (1955) – guitarist/singer/songwriter. Paul Young (1956) – British singer (“Everytime You Go Away”). Jeremy “Jez” Strode (1958) – drummer for Kajagoogoo. Susanna Hoffs (1959) – singer/guitarist for The Bangles. John Crawford (1960) – bassist for Berlin. Dave Collard (1961) – keyboardist for Jo Boxers. Andy Rourke (1964) – bassist for The Smiths. Jon Wysocki (1971) – drummer for Staind. Kid Rock (aka Bob Ritchie, 1971) – rapper/singer.
January 17 R.I.P. – Billy Stewart (1970) – car crash. Age 32. Pianist, Chess Records recording artist. Charlie Ventura (1992) – lung cancer. Age 75. Saxophonist, bandleader. Cliffie Stone (1998) – heart attack. Age 80. Country singer/songwriter/ producer/publisher. Charlie Webber (2003) – cancer. Age 58. Trumpeter for The Swingin’ Medallions. Don Kirshner (2011) – heart failure. Age 76. Record executive, publisher/producer. Johnny Otis (2012) – Age 90. Singer/songwriter/producer/drummer. January 17 album releases – Simon and Garfunkel – Sounds Of Silence (1966) Aretha Franklin – Soul ’69 (1969) The Beatles – Yellow Submarine (1969) UK Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin (1969) U.S. Bob Dylan – Planet Waves (1974) Joni Mitchell – Court And Spark (1974) Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks (1975) Smokey Robinson – Yes It’s You Lady (1983) The Pretenders – Learning To Crawl (1984) U.S. Green Day – Kerplunk (1992) Siouxsie and The Banshees – The Rapture (1995) Pearl Jam – Live On Ten Legs (2011) January 17 events – 1941 – Gene Krupa and His Orchestra, with Irene Daye on vocals, records “Drum Boogie.” 1952 – Kay Starr records “Wheel Of Fortune” at Capitol Studios in Hollywood. 1956 – Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra record “Well, Did You Evah?” for the film High Society. 1963 – The Cyril Davies All-Stars and The Velvets appear at the Marquee Club in London, with opening act The Rolling Stones. 1963 – The Beatles perform a lunch time show at the Cavern Club. In the evening, the group plays to a sold out audience at the Majestic Ballroom. 1964 – The Rolling Stones release their debut EP on Decca Records, “Bye Bye Johnny,” “Money” b/w “You Better Move On,” “Poison Ivy.” 1965 – The Rolling Stones finish recording the songs for their next single, "The Last Time" and “Play With Fire,” at RCA Studios in Hollywood. 1966 – NBC signs The Monkees series on for its fall television line- up. 1967 – The Daily Mail runs a story about a survey that found 4,000 pot holes in the road in Blackburn, Lancashire. 1967 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience records a session for Radio Luxembourg's Ready Steady Radio. 1967 – The Beatles complete the recording of their song “Penny Lane” with the addition of a piccolo trumpet played by David Mason from the English Chamber Orchestra. 1968 – Elvis Presley records “U.S. Male” at RCA in Nashville. 1969 – Elton John releases his single “Lady Samantha” b/w “All Across The Havens” 1970 – The Doors play the first two shows of their two-day, four concert stay at Madison Square Garden’s Felt Forum. The group records all four shows for a live album release. 1971 – Marvin Gaye performs The National Anthem at Super Bowl V in Miami, Florida. 1972 – A section of Bellevue Street running through Memphis - also known as Highway 51 South - is re-named Elvis Presley Boulevard. The remaining length of road keeps its original name because of protests from the Bellevue Baptist Church. 1973 – Charlie Rich releases his single, “Behind Closed Doors” b/w “A Sunday Kind Of Woman.” 1973 – Perry Como records “And I Love You So” at RCA Studios in Nashville. 1974 – Dino Martin (Dean's son) is arrested after attempting to sell two AK-47s to an undercover agent. 1975 – Blondie makes their debut appearance CBGB’s in New York City, opening for Television. 1979 – Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton announce they are recording an album together. It will be eight years until the record is made. 1981 – Mötley Crüe is formed in L.A. by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee. 1986 – Olivia Newton-John gives birth to her only child, Chloe Lattanzi. 1992 – The prime time special, Michael Jackson…The Legend Continues, airs on CBS. 1993 – President Clinton's Inauguration ceremony features a free outdoor concert, with Aretha Franklin, Michael Bolton, Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, and others performing. 1994 – Former Partridge Family “bassist” Danny Bonaduce beats Donny Osmond 2 out of 3 rounds in a charity boxing match in Chicago. 1999 – Cyndi Lauper “appears” as herself in the “Wild Barts Can’t Be Broken” episode of The Simpsons. 1999 – Garth Brooks' first television special, This Is Garth Brooks, airs on NBC. 2008 – The Police play the first of nine dates on the Australian leg of their Reunion tour at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. 2009 – After more than five years as a widower, 67-year old Bobby Rydell marries his second wife, Linda Hoffman.
