On the Charts 50 Years Ago, The Rolling Stones Hit No. 1 in the US With Their First Album Without Mick Taylor in Years

On this day in 1976, The Rolling Stones’ 13th studio album, Black And Blue, skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard 200. After dropping in late April of that year, the blues rock album entered the chart on May 8 before peaking at No. 1 on May 15. The album would remain at the top of the chart for four weeks and linger on the chart for 24 weeks total. The album was, naturally, also a big hit in the band’s native UK, where it peaked at No. 2.

Fans were certainly surprised when it became clear that the band’s longtime guitarist, Mick Taylor, was absent from the album. And they didn’t get to hear just one new shredder. Black And Blue actually features the talents of quite a few guitarists who auditioned to be on the record, including one who would stay with the legendary rock band for decades. And he’s still with them today.

How Mick Taylor’s Departure From The Rolling Stones During ‘Black And Blue’ Sessions Led to the Addition of Ronnie Wood

While in the early stages of recording Black And Blue, longtime guitarist Mick Taylor dropped a bombshell. He was quitting The Rolling Stones, effective immediately. At that point, the band was preparing to record tracks for the songs “Fool To Cry” and “Cherry Oh Baby”. Keith Richards said that his sudden departure from the band put the rest of The Stones in a tough position, as they had to audition a number of guitarists. Couple that with Richards’ growing h*roin dependency and the general legal and business issues the now self-producing Stones were dealing with, and Black And Blue could have easily been a terrible record, or not have happened at all.

Thankfully, The Rolling Stones’ Black And Blue made it to shelves in April 1976. And the album features a handful of talented temporary (and soon-to-be permanent) Stones guitarists. 

Wayne Perkins (known for his work with Bob Marley and Joni Mitchell) can be heard in songs like “Hand Of Fate” and “Fool To Cry”. He also plays the acoustic guitar in “Memory Motel”. Harvey Mandel (of Canned Heat) can be heard in songs like “Hot Stuff” and “Memory Motel”. And, of course, much of the album features the guitar stylings of one Ronnie Wood. Wood would start as a “temporary” member of The Stones for a bit before becoming the band’s full-time guitarist. And he has remained with the band for decades to this very day.

Photo by John Minihan/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images