Remembering the late, great rock pioneer Bo Diddley today who passed away on this date in 2008 at the age of 79. Diddley was one of the architects of rock and roll. His sound and beat were major influences on so many artists who followed in his footsteps. A Florida resident in his later years, Diddley's left an indelible mark and impact on rock music that will never be forgotten.
Today in rock history, on this date in 1978. Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy released their double LP live set, Live and Dangerous. Recorded throughout the previous year in both Toronto and Philadelphia, the album captures this magnificent band in their prime and shows off what a fantastic band they were onstage. The album is often referred to as one of the greatest live albums of all time and is still loved and treasured by many of their still devoted fans.
Today in rock history, on this date in 1962. Ray Charles went to no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart with his version of the country classic "I Can't Stop Loving You" and stayed there for five weeks. The song is from Ray's groundbreaking and barrier-breaking album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music which was also a no.1 album. The single also reached the top spot on the R&B singles chart as well as on the adult contemporary singles chart.
Today in rock history, on this date in 1978. After a long three-year gap after the success of his previous album, Bruce Springsteen released his fourth studio album, Darkness On The Edge Of Town. Embroiled in a long drawn out lawsuit against a former manager, Springsteen had to put his follow-up to 1975's breakthrough album Born To Run on hold until the legal proceedings were complete. What followed was a mature, gritty, rock and roll album that many of Springsteen's fans rank as their all-time favorite from his canon. The album kicks off with a song that Bruce has kept in his live set since the release of the album, "Badlands," and really never lets up. Heartfelt, poignant, passionate and direct, the album is Bruce at his toughest and at his best. While the album didn't yield any hit singles, it's chock full of Springsteen essentials like "Prove It All Night", "Racing In The Streets", "Candy's Room" and the fantastic title track. Critical response was overwhelmingly good for the record upon its release as were sales numbers. It's an album that still sounds bold and powerful and captures the great Bruce Springsteen handling the fame he'd recently received at the time and in turn releasing what's arguably the strongest album of his career.
This article appears in Jun 1-8, 2017.