Oct 24th in Pop History

On this day, October 24th, in:  

• 2016 - Bobby Vee dies at age 73 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. In 1961, he had a # 1 hit Take Good Care Of My Baby. 

Interestingly Bobby Vee’s career began in Feb. 1959 when he and a few friends filled in for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, They had just died that morning in that tragic plane crash enroute to their next concert venue, following their final concert in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Here is Bobby Vee on Spotify: 

Also, on this day, October 24th, in…

• 1969 - Regarding the recently emerging “Paul is Dead” rumor, reporters attempted to contact The Beatles for their responses. Paul McCartney traveled to his Scottish farm on October 22nd and Peter Brown called him to ask for a statement that could be given to the press. McCartney gave a line borrowed from Mark Twain: “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated”

• 1970 - Santana’s LP Abraxas hits # 1

• 1971 - Don McLean’s second album American Pie, is released. Thanks to the title track, it goes to # 1 and sends him from obscurity to pop stardom

Also, on this day in… 

• 1980 - Paul McCartney (still alive) is the recipient of a rhodium disc from the Guinness Book of World Records. The award celebrates his status as the world’s best-selling songwriter 

• 1988 - The title track of Michael Jackson’s Bad album hits # 1 for the first of two weeks

1995:  The Smashing Pumpkins released the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness