Saturday, December 27, 2008

This Date In Music History-December 27

Birthdays:

Born on this day in 1931, Scotty Moore, guitarist. He played on the first Sun Studios session with Elvis Presley and went on to a lengthy career with Presley, playing on many of his most famous recordings including "Baby Let's Play House,” "Heartbreak Hotel," "Mystery Train,” "That's All Right,” "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock.”

Mike Pinder, The Moody Blues (1941)

Mike Jones, guitar, Foreigner (1944)

Larry Byrom, guitar, Steppenwolf (1948)

Singer Karla Bonoff (1951)

Leslie Maguire -Gerry & the Pacemakers (1941)


They Are Missed:

Blues guitarist Freddie King died of heart trouble in 1976.

US singer songwriter and bandleader Hoagy Carmichael died in 1981 (age 82). Composer of “Georgia On My Mind,” “Star Dust” and “Lazy River.”

Hank Garland, a guitarist who played with Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and Patsy Cline among others, died from a staph infection in 2004.

Dick St. John of Dick & Dee Dee died in 2003.


History:

In 1957, 20,000 fans began lining up at 5:30 in the morning for Alan Freed's Christmas show at Brooklyn's Paramount Theatre, set to kick off at 9:00 AM. The average ticket price was $1.85.

In 1903, in New York City, the barbershop quartet favorite, "Sweet Adeline," was sung for the first time.

Jackie Wilson had his biggest hit in Great Britain in 1986 when the re-release of "Reet Petite" hit #1, almost three years after he died. The song, which first made the UK Top Ten 29 years earlier, would go on to sell over 700,000 copies.

The Supremes made the first of 20 appearances on CBS-TV's "Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964.

In 1958, Buddy Holly made his first appearance in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas since become a major star. Along with broadcasting 'live' over KLLL radio from a fruit and vegetable store, he would return to the station's studios to record "You're The One", a song that station management challenged him to write in half an hour.

The Beatles were a last minute addition to a show at the Litherland Town Hall Ballroom in Liverpool in 1960. Advertising posters were altered to read "Direct From Hamburg, The Beatles!,” causing some to believe they were a German group.

Led Zeppelin II was at #1 on the US album charts in 1969, it went on to sell over six million copies in the US.

Queen started a two-week run at #1 on the UK chart in 1975 with “A Night At The Opera” the group’s first #1 album.

"Hello, Dolly!" closed on Broadway in 1970 after a run of 2,844 performances.

John and Yoko's 'Double Fantasy' album started an eight-week run at #1 on the US chart in 1980. The single, “Just Like Starting Over” started a five-week stay at #1 on the singles chart.

In 1962, the Beatles first single "Love Me Do" reached its peak of #17 in the chart. Cynics suggest that manager Brian Epstein personally bought 10,000 copies to boost its position.

In 1963, the London Times declared that Lennon and McCartney are "The Outstanding Composers of 1963," with music critic Richard Buckle raving that they are "the greatest composers since Beethoven."

In 1989, a former chef at the Chuck Berry owned restaurant Southern Air started court proceedings against Berry alleging that the singer had installed secret video cameras in the ladies toilets. A further 200 other women also took action claiming that the recordings were used for improper sexual fetishes.

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