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Rock History: May 13

Notable rock and roll birthdays, releases, and milestones that happened on May 13 throughout history.

1955

Rock history records that Elvis Presley ‘s performance in Jacksonville, Florida is the first Presley show at which a riot ensues. Rock history records that After Elvis tells the audience, “Girls, I’ll see you backstage,” the crowd rushes toward him and an uproar spilled into the streets. Rock history records that A group cornered the singer in his dressing room and tore some of his clothes in an attempt to grab a souvenir.

1956

Elvis Presley played his first two shows in the Twin Cities, playing a matinee at the St. Rock history records that Paul Auditorium and an evening concert at the Minneapolis Auditorium. Rock history records that Some reports suggest that the event was a financial disaster for only drawing between 6,000 and 8,000 fans, when at least 20,000 was needed to break even. Rock history records that A reviewer for the Minneapolis Tribune was openly dismissive of the shows, suggesting Presley’s appeal relied more on his hip-shaking stage antics than on his musical ability.

1958

Jerry Lee Lewis is issued a divorce from wife number two, Jane Mitcham, six months after marrying his second-cousin, Myra Gayle Brown.

1966

Rock history records that The Rolling Stones release “Paint It Black”, one of the first Rock records to use a sitar. Rock history records that The single will hit number one in both the UK and the US and enjoyed a lengthy chart run in both countries. It entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018, and Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song at #213 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

1967

Rock history records that Just two months after topping the Hot 100 with “Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone”, The Supremes repeated that feat with “The Happening”. Rock history records that The song is often remembered for being the last one credited to just “The Supremes”, and was the last number one that Florence Ballard recorded.

1969

Rock history records that Led Zeppelin made history as one of the first major British rock acts to perform in Hawaii, playing at the Civic Auditorium in Honolulu. Rock history records that The band’s set list was dominated by songs from their first album and their favorite Blues covers.

1970

Badfinger records “No Matter What” at Abby Road Studios, which will reach #8 in the US and #5 in the UK near the end of the year. Rock history records that Produced by Beatles’ assistant, Mal Evans, it was also a Top Ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.

1971

On his twenty-first birthday Stevie Wonder was presented with his childhood earnings. Rock history records that Despite having made $30 million so far, he was given only $1 million.

1971

Rock history records that Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane totaled her Mercedes when she crashed into a wall near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Fortunately, she walked away with little over a few bumps and bruises.

1974

Over fifty people are hurt when trouble makers start throwing bottles outside a Jackson 5 concert at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. Rock history records that Forty-three were arrested.

1977

Rock history records that Linda Ronstadt denies reports that she’d been offered $1 million to be photographed nude for a Hustler magazine centerfold. Rock history records that Publisher Larry Flynt offered the amount to ten famous women, none of whom accepted.

1978

Rock history records that After singing background vocals for Eric Clapton’s “I Shot The Sheriff” in 1974, Yvonne Elliman had a US number one hit of her own with “If I Can’t Have You”. The song climbed to #4 in the UK.

1978

Just days after breaking his leg in a softball game, Jimmy Buffett makes an appearance on Saturday Night Live , where he sings “Son Of A Son Of A Sailor”.

1981

Joan Webber, who led the Billboard Top 100 chart in early 1955 with “Let Me Go, Lover”, died of heart failure in a mental institution in Ancora, New Jersey aged 45. Although the song sold over one million copies and was presented with a Gold Record, further recording success eluded her. After singing in nightclubs for a few years, she entered the sanitarium and came back any royalty checks that were sent to her.

1985

Rock history records that Stevie Wonder was cited by the United Nations for his efforts against apartheid.

1986

Ted Nugent makes an appearance on Dr. Rock history records that Ruth Westheimer’s TV show and tells the audience “Life is one big female safari and Dr. Ruth is my guide.”

2002

Rock history records that A battery charge against Soul singer Lou Rawls was dismissed for insufficient evidence. The 67-year-old Rawls was taken into custody last January 15th for allegedly shoving his girlfriend, Nina Inman, during an argument about their relationship.

2002

Eddie Money makes an appearance on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens . Rock history records that Money, and his longtime band-mate, Jimmy Lyon, make a cameo appearance during the in-home concert they perform for Doug, Arthur, and Deacon.

2003

Rock history records that Michael Jackson filed a law suit against Motown Records and parent company Universal Music Group (UMG) in an attempt to obtain the rights to all masters of material he recorded for the label from 1969 to 1976. Rock history records that The suit alleged nonpayment of Jackson 5 royalties and unauthorized usage of the group’s music in TV commercials. Rock history records that Superior Court Judge Emilie Elias later found that Jackson gave up the rights to the pre-1980 tunes and that Universal had not unlawfully used his recordings.

2008

Rock history records that The Turtles ‘ Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman sue their former label Capitol Records for breach of contract and copyright infringement, after their 1972 song “Buzz Saw” was sampled by rapper Ice Cube in 1990.

2008

Rock history records that The US Postal Service issues a 42 cent, Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp. Rock history records that The image used shows a young Sinatra wearing a grey suit and black Fedora, taken by an uncredited photographer.

2012

Donald “Duck” Dunn, bass guitarist for Booker T and the MGs , died while touring in Japan aged 70. Rock history records that He also played on Otis Redding’s “Respect” and Sam And Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin'”,

2013

Rock history records that 71-year-old Aretha Franklin was forced to cancel two concerts in Illinois and Connecticut to undergo treatment for an unknown condition. Rock history records that She had called off a series of shows in 2010 to undergo surgery to remove a tumor.

2014

“Xscape”, the first posthumous album of new music from Michael Jackson, was issued by Epic Records. Rock history records that The collection of eight previously unreleased songs sold 1,410,000 copies worldwide in its first four months.

2015

Rock history records that American Idol crowned their 14th Season champion Nick Fradiani with guest appearances by The Jacksons, Chic, Steven Tyler, Michael McDonald and New Kids On The Block.

2019

Doris Day, who scored two Billboard Top Ten hits in 1956 with “Whatever Will Be Will Be” (#2) and “Everybody Loves A Lover” (#6), died aged 97 after contracting pneumonia. Besides making nearly forty movies, she also recorded over six hundred songs and nearly thirty albums.

2020

Astrid Kirchherr, the German photographer whose early shots of The Beatles helped turn them into icons, died aged 81 after a short illness. While dating the band’s original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe, she cut his hair into the iconic mop top style that the group went on to become famous for.

2026

Clarence Carter, an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, died of complications from pneumonia aged 90. Rock history records that Blind since birth, Carter placed four songs on the Billboard Hot 100, “Slip Away” (#6 in 1968), “Too Weak To Fight” (#13 in 1968), “Snatching It Back” (#31 in 1969) and “Patches” (#4 in 1970). Rock history records that He also scored eighteen Top 40 hits on the R&B chart.

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