DJ Fred’s Rock N’ Roll Factoids For January 19th [VIDEOS]

On this day in 1967 The Monkees struck gold with a song penned by Neil Diamond.  Know what it is?  Guess correctly and win our station van!  Well, no, not really, because we don't want to pay the towing charge to get it out of our parking lot, and neither do you.

Th record company took over one million advance orders for I'm A Believer, a song featuring Micky Dolenz on lead vocals.

The Beatles continued to record songs for the Sgt. Peppers album, and began work on A Day In The Life on this date in 1967.  John Lennon said that he got the idea for the song form the death of Tara Browne, a then 21-year-old heir to the Guinness fortune who had crashed his car and died in December 1966 in London.

On this day in 1971 in a Los Angeles courtroom, songs from the Beatles' White Album were played because it was suggested that they may have influenced Charles Manson in the deaths of actress Sharon Tate and others.  What came first, the chicken or the egg?  Helter Skelter came first, and the murders followed, but the court found no connection.

On this night in 1974, Bruce Springsteen opened for Black Oak Arkansas at Kent State University.  Man, how times have changed. By the way, tickets were only $4.  Try buying a beer at a show for that now.

On this date in 1980, The Wall, an album by Pink Floyd hit #1 for the first time.  College kids living in dorms everywhere shut their windows, fired up and listened to one of the last "concept albums" ever recorded. The album would go on to sell 23 million copies, and kill millions of brain cells along the way.

Doc McGhee, the then manager for both Motley Crue and Bon Jovi plead guilty to importing thousands of pounds of marijuana into the country using a shrimp boat.  Lucky McGhee received a suspended sentence, a fine of $15,000 and was ordered to start an anti-drug foundation.  Cops should have seen what was in McGhee's tuna boat.

On this date in 1993, Fleetwood Mac got back together to perform Don't Stop at Bill Clinton's inauguration.  "Don't stop" is exactly what he told Monica Lewinsky.

Carl Perkins died on this date in 1998 at the age of 65. Carl wrote Blue Suede Shoes, one of rock's early songs and the first million seller for Sun Records.  Ol' Carl was there when it happened, he was there for the birth of rock n' roll.

One of the greatest soul singers of all time died at the age of 64 on this day in 2006.  Wilson Pickett was responsible for such classics as In The Midnight Hour and Mustang Sally.  Yup, he was a great one.

Janis Joplin was born on this day in 1943.  She never got to see Me And Bobby McGee hit #1 in 1971, as she died of a heroin overdose in October of 1970.