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Today in rock history: On this date in 1967, the music world lost soul and R&B giant Otis Redding. One of the most dynamic R&B performers ever, Redding was a commanding vocalist, great showman and an accomplished songwriter. He died aboard a plane that crashed and took his life as well as the lives of four members of The Bar-Kays, who were on tour with Redding. The accident occurred three days after Otis recorded "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," a classic single that would become a No. 1 hit and remain the most recognizable song of his catalog.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1966, The Beach Boys overtook the No. 1 spot on Billboard's pop singles chart thanks to their sonic masterpiece, "Good Vibrations," which is still lauded for its complex composition and its groundbreaking production style. The tune — which marked the very first time most record buyers had ever heard a theremin in a pop song — held the top spot for only one week, but its impact and influence is immeasurable.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1976, Queen released its fifth album, A Day At The Races. The band had big shoes to fill after its breakthrough 1975 album, A Night At The Opera, but did just that in grand style. Both albums took their titles from famous Marx Brothers films and both albums were extreme successes for Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Featuring the singles "Tie Your Mother Down," "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" and one of the band's most beloved songs of all time — "Somebody To Love" — the record was a multi-platinum success that reached the top of album sales charts all around the world.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1976, Wings Over America, the 3-LP live album from Paul McCartney and Wings was released. Recorded while the band was on its successful "Wings Over The World" tour, the recording featured plenty of Wings singles and album tracks but also included several Beatles songs that enhanced the appeal for many fans. Packaged in an artistic, lavish fold out sleeve, the set was a multi-platinum selling success that reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard album chart. An astounding version of "Maybe I'm Amazed," a song from McCartney's very first solo album from 1970, was released as a single from Wings Over America and charted well, too.
