July 4th, 1974 – The Steely Dan break-up is finalized as they play their last show in Santa Monica, California. They would not tour again for the next 18 years as a full band. All this despite the fact that they have the current No. 4 song ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’ and a Platinum album with ‘Pretzel Logic’.

July 5th, 1999The Eurythmics announce a world tour after a 10 year lull. The duo made the announcement from the Greenpeace boat ‘Rainbow Warrior’ on the River Thames in London highlighting that all the profits would be given away to charity.

July 6th, 1985Phil Collins goes to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Sussudio’, his third US No.1. The song is about a boy's crush on a girl at school, but the main lyric ‘sussudio’ is actually meaningless. Collins admits he was improvising lyrics to a drum machine track when he programmed ‘suss-sussudio,’ a wording that scanned well. After trying to find an alternative word to fit the rhythm, the singer decided to keep “Sussudio” as the song title and lyric. No wonder it never made any sense.

July 7th, 1973 Billy Preston starts a two week run at No.1 on the singles chart with ‘Will It Go Round In Circles’, his first of two chart toppers. Billy Preston got his start as a session musician and was the only other musician to be credited on a Beatles recording. The artists on the number-one hit “Get Back” are given as “The Beatles with Billy Preston”

July 8th, 1974 - David Bowie plays the Tower Theater in Philly. It was a week-long series of concerts which was recorded and later released as David Live. It was Bowie’s first official live album and it has been cited as one of the best live albums of it’s time.

July 9th, 1999 - Following multiple reports of ill health and the cancellation of tour dates, Elton John undergoes an operation at a hospital in London and is fitted with a pacemaker.

July 10th, 1987 - Producer and record exec John Hammond passes away today. He was responsible for jump-starting the careers of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen, plus he is credited with producing for Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman and Count Basie.

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