This Day in Music
January 4th
A legendary debut album is released, a country legend crosses over, and Elvis gets a physical, all on this day in music.
Releases
1967: Classic American rock band The Doors release their debut studio album, simply titled "The Doors." Rightly considered one of the greatest debut albums of all time by critics and fans, the record made a huge impact on the Rock and Roll scene, and has continued to be influential to this day.
With its poetic lyrics and psychedelic mix of blues and rock, The Doors was an instant hit. Songs like "Light My Fire" and "Soul Kitchen" were accessible to the mainstream, whereas the Oedipal "The End" turned psychedelia in a dark direction. The very first song on the album, "Break on Through," became a prelude to the censorship that would dog The Doors, and Jim Morrison in particular, throughout their entire run, with the word 'high' being cut out of the mix.
The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 4x Platinum in the US, and multi-Platinum in Canada and the UK.
1971: Legendary country singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn releases her 16th studio album, "Coal Miner's Daughter." Highly-rated by critics, and a crossover success, it was certified Gold, a rare feat for female pure country artists at the time. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Country chart.
1965: Johnny Cash releases his version of the Ervin T. Rouse song, "Orange Blossom Special." Originally written to showcase fiddle, it was often referred to as the "fiddler's national anthem." Cash made it into a pop-country single with great success, replacing the fiddle parts with harmonica and saxophone.
People
1973: Following the November, 1972 death of bassist Berry Oakley in a motorcycle accident, Lamar Williams is named as the new bass player for The Allman Brothers Band. Oakley was the second band member to die in a motorcycle accident, succumbing to injuries he sustained only one year following the tragic death of Duane Allman. Both accidents occurred in Macon, Georgia. Lamar Williams himself would die young, at only 34 years old, from lung cancer believed to be caused by his exposure to 'agent orange' during his tour of duty in the Vietnam war.
2004: Ray Davies of The Kinks is shot in the leg following the robbery of his companion's purse in the French Quarter of New Orleans during an after-dinner stroll. The muggers had jumped from a nearby car and accosted the pair. Ever the 60's punk even at 59 years old, Davies gave chase. One of the muggers fired his weapon and caught Davies in the thigh. In a rare act of doing their jobs, New Orleans police caught the shooter, a 25-year old man, and charged him with armed robbery and aggravated battery. The police then admonished Davies for daring to stand up for his girlfriend.
The Daily Elvis
1957: Elvis reports to the Kennedy Veterans Hospital in Memphis, TN, to undergo his pre-induction physical ahead of his tour of duty in the U.S. Army.
Pictured: The Doors on Santa Monica Bay, c. 1967
