DJ Fred’s Rock N’ Roll Factoids For December 17th [VIDEOS]

It was this day in 1963 that disc jockey James Carroll at WWDC in Washington, DC, played a Beatles record on this continent for the very first time.  Do you know what that song was?

Carroll played I Want To Hold Your Hand, which his girlfriend who happened to be an airline stewardess had brought back from England. Weeks later Carroll broke up with the stewardess because the record wasn't the only thing that she had brought back.  Ouch.

Tragedy hit music on this date in 1999 as soul-jazz saxophonist Grover Washington JR passed away of a heart attack at the age of 56.  Washington   He died that morning in the "Green Room" after taping four songs for The Early Show, at CBS Studios in New York City.  His biggest song was Just The Two Of Us, a song that I've always loved.

On this date in 2005 it was announced that U2 had the highest grossing tour of the year!  The 90-date Vertigo tour brought in $260 million!  U2 were followed up by The Eagles, Neil Diamond, Kenny Chesney and Paul McCartney.

Five years later in 2010, Paul McCartney played a noon time gig at the 100 Club on London's Oxford Street for a small crowd of very lucky people!  Thew historic venue was about to close, and Sir Paul didn't want any of that.  His efforts kept the place open.

Paul Rodgers, the fabulous lead singer for the English band Bad Company was born on this day in 1949.  the now 66 year-old started out with Free before forming Bad Company in 1974, and has also pulled stints with The Firm and Queen.  Rodgers and Bad Company performed with Lynyrd Skynyrd on the Bangor Waterfront in July of 2014.