DJ Fred’s Rock N’ Roll Factoids For January 4th [VIDEOS]

He showed up and paid $10 to record two songs, and the owner of the studio told him to leave his phone number.

It was this date in 1954 that a very young  Elvis Presley entered Sam Phillip's recording studio to cut a couple of songs for his mama, they were Casual Love Affair and I'll Never Stand In Your Way, and the rest is rock n' roll history!

In 1967, The Doors released their debut album, titled The Doors.  It featured Break On Through (To the other side) and Light My Fire.  Even then everyone thought that Jim Morrison was a weirdo, including the other members of the band.  But he made a great rock singer that all others would eventually look up to!

On this day in 1975, Elton John started a three week run at #1 with his version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.  You know the world just can't hear that song enough.  Maybe Miley Cyrus will cut a version soon.  Here's hoping.

Phil Lynott, the fabulous singer and bass player for Thin Lizzy died on this day in 1986.  After years of alcohol and drug abuse, Lynott ended up in a eight day coma before passing.  He had a very distinctive voice, and his bass playing was extraordinary, which made hit songs like The Boys Are Back In Town and Jailbreak really stand out.  Thin Lizzy is one of my very favorite classic rock bands!  In 2005, a life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled in Dublin, Ireland, where the band originated. He was 36 when he died.

On this date in 2004, Britney Spears's marriage to Jason Alexander (not the actor from Seinfield, although that would have been REAL funny), was annulled by her lawyers.  Seems that just two days prior the two had gotten hitched at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, and her lawyers argued that Little Britney "'lacked understanding of her actions to the extent that she was incapable of agreeing to the marriage.'  In other words, she was drunk, footloose and fancy free, for awhile at least.

The house in Nashville where Johnny Cash had lived for thirty five years was sold on this date in 2005 to Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.  Gibb had planned on making the home a historic landmark, but the plans were short lived when the house burnt to the ground less than two years later.  Gibb must have been jamming to "Staying Alive" when the country gods said enough is enough.

Gerry Rafferty died on this day back in 2011.  Rafferty was the voice you heard singing Stuck In The Middle With You by Stealers Wheel.  He would eventually go solo and have big songs like, Baker's Street and Right Down The Line.  A big time drinker, the Scottish singer was only 63.