It's the final chart of 1969 as we wind down this year's Fifty Year Flashback.
Diana Ross and the Supremes wind up the year at #1 with "Someday We'll Be Together," their swan song before Ross launched her solo career.
One need look no further than this week's Top Ten to see that diversity still ruled the charts as the '60's came to an end.
The Sound of Motown with Diana Ross and the Supremes and this brand new upstart group, The Jackson Five (falling to #5 this week with their break-thru hit, "I Want You Back" ... you'd be hearing from this brother act ... and one brother in particular ... for many years to come!) ... the heavy metal sound of Led Zeppelin (#3 with "Whole Lotta Love") ... the bubblegum hit sound of Tommy Roe ("Jam Up And Jelly Tight," #6 after his hit "Dizzy" became one of the biggest hits of the entire year), soundtrack music be Ferrante and Teicher ("Midnight Cowboy," #9) and yet another "comeback hit" for Elvis Presley. (#10 with "Don't Cry Daddy")
Local guys The New Colony Six are about the last of our local heroes still charting as the '60's draw to a close ... their latest, "Barbara, I Love You," climbs to #15 from #21 the week before. (By now The Buckinghams, The Cryan' Shames and The Shadows Of Knight have already enjoyed their last chart hits ... but next year The Ides Of March, absent from the local charts since their 1966 hit "You Wouldn't Listen," will be back in a VERY big way as they ride their huge #1 Hit "Vehicle" all the way to the top of the charts. It would be a whole new sound for the band ... and help to usher in a whole new sound of Chicago Music as a band who took the city's name will begin to make their mark next year as well.)
THIS WEEK IN 1969:
December 23rd – B.J. Thomas earns a gold
record for his #1 Hit “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”
Also on this date, Willie Nelson’s home in Ridgetop,
Tennessee, catches fire while he’s in Nashville. Rushing home, he runs into the house to
rescue his guitar (named “Trigger”) and his guitar case, stuffed with a bag of
marijuana. (Oh Willie!!!)
December 24th – Charles Manson is allowed to
defend himself at the Tate – LaBianca murder trial
Also on this date, The Cowsills perform “Jingle Bell
Rock” on The Kraft Music Hall. And the
album “The Buddy Holly Story” (a greatest hits collection) is certified gold. Six days later he will also posthumously be
awarded a gold record for his hit single “That’ll Be The Day.”
December 30th – Peter, Paul and Mary earn a
gold record for their single “Leaving On A Jet Plane,” written by future
country music superstar, John Denver.
December 31st – Jimi Hendrix uses the
occasion of New Year’s Eve to introduce his new sidemen, bassist Billy Cox and
drummer Buddy Miles at a concert at The Fillmore East in New York City. The concert is recorded and later released as
the live album “Band Of Gypsys.”
1969: Just how big was Elvis Presley’s comeback year?
His accountants reveal that Elvis earned $1,096,000 in
personal income from motion pictures, $794,000 from music and recording and
$150,000 from television, in addition to another $401,000 for personal
appearances.
As such, Elvis owes $1,126,000 in income tax this year! Be sure to stop by tomorrow and we'll flip this survey over to give you The WLS Big 89 of '69 ... and on Tuesday (New Year's Eve) our own ranking of The Top 69 of 1969 as determined by the national charts.
Happy New Year, Everybody!
