This Day in Rock & Roll History for January 27

Nick Mason, drummer for Pink Floyd, is born. (1945)

Elvis Presley releases "Heartbreak Hotel". (1956)

Little Richard enters Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. It's a school for blacks run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Little Richard explains while flying over the Philippines on tour, the wing on his plane caught fire and his prayers that the flames go out were answered. As a result, he says he's giving up rock & roll so he can serve God. (1958)

Elvis Presley receives his 29th gold record for "Can't Help falling in Love," just weeks after getting one for the soundtrack to his seventh movie, "Blue Hawaii." (1962)

The Rolling Stones appear as judges on the British "rate-a-record" TV show "Juke Box Jury." Their somewhat impolite behavior on the set causes a furor in the British press. (1964)

Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is released, 6 weeks after he is killed in a plane crash. (1968)

The Bee Gees make their U.S. debut with two concerts at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. They put $50,000 in their pockets and immediately head back to England without appearing elsewhere in the states. (1968)

The New Seekers receive a gold record for "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing." It's a tune that will be better remembered as the music for the Coca-Cola commercials. (1972)

Mahalia Jackson, who once remarked that she sang "because I was lonely," dies on this date. The gospel singer had been in ill-health ever since her heart attack in 1964. She was 60 years old. (1972)

A $2 million suit is brought against attorney Micahel Lippan by his former client, David Bowie. Bowie charges that Lippman took a 15-percent agent's fee instead of the customary ten percent and that he withheld $475,000 after being dismissed by Bowie. (1976)

Michael Jackson's hair bursts into flames while filming a Pepsi commercial. (1984)

"Tom Petty Day" is declared in the musician's hometown of Gainsville, FL. (1990)

Warner Brothers Records announces that it is releasing rapper Ice-T from his contract due to "creative differences." The previous summer the record company found itself in the middle of the controversy over Ice-T's song, "Cop Killer." (1993)

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