This Date In Music History- August 9

Birthdays:

Barbara Mason ("Yes, I'm Ready") is 62

Vic Prince - Pretty Things (1944)

John Parry, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (1946)

Marinus Gerritsen - Golden Earring (1946)

Bruce Thomas - Elvis Costello and The Attractions (1954)

Rapper Kurtis Blow (1959)

Aimee Mann (1960)

John Farriss – INXS (1961)

Whitney Houston (1963)

Baroque singer/songwriter J.C. Hopkins, whose work has been likened to Brian Wilson and Charles Ives, was born in 1967.

Arion Salazar - Third Eye Blind (1972)


They Are Missed:

Born today in 1939, Billy Henderson, singer with the Detroit Spinners (died from complications from diabetes on Feb 2, 2007 (age 67).

Bill Chase and three members of his band were killed in a plane crash in 1974. Chase had the 1971 US Top 30 hit “Get It On.”

Born on this day in 1955, Benjamin Orr of the Cars (Orr died of cancer on October 3, 2000).

Jerry Garcia guitarist and singer from The Grateful Dead died from a drugs-related heart attack at the Serenity Knolls rehabilitation clinic in San Francisco in 1995 (age 53). Garcia co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage and also released several solo albums. He was well known for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarist's of All Time."



History:

In 1952, Kitty Wells became the first woman to top the country charts with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."

Mantovani and his Orchestra were at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1953 with “Song From The Moulin Rouge,” the first ever instrumental #1 on the UK chart.

Britain’s answer to Elvis, 17 year old Cliff Richard, signed a record deal with EMI records in 1958. Also on this day Cliff Richard started a four-week residency at Butlins Holiday Camp in Clacton-On-Sea, Essex as Cliff Richard and the Drifters.

The Coasters hit #1 in 1958 with the Atlantic single "Yakety Yak."
Johnny Horton cuts "North To Alaska" at his last recording session in 1960.

The first ever edition of 'Ready Steady Go! was shown on UK TV in 1963. Introduced by Keith Fordyce and 19 year-old Cathy McGowan. The first show featured The Searchers, Jet Harris, Pat Boone, Billy Fury and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. The final show was in Dec 1966 after 175 episodes. Originally 30 minutes long, it expanded to 50 minutes the following year, and soon attracted the most popular artists, including The Beatles, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Rolling Stones, The Four Tops, The Kinks and many others.



The Rolling Stones appeared at the New Elizabeth Ballroom in Belle Vue, Manchester in 1964. Two policemen fainted and another was taken to hospital with broken ribs after trying to control over 3,000 screaming teenagers.

The Silkie recorded a cover of the Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" in 1965. But they had a little help. Paul McCartney played guitar, George Harrison played tambourine and John Lennon produced the whole ensemble.

While performing at the Sunberry Jazz and Blues Festival in England in 1967, Jerry Lee Lewis got the crowd going in such a frenzy that festival officials halted his show and asked him to leave the stage.

In 1968, after the other Beatles had gone home for the evening (2.00 am), Paul McCartney stayed behind and recorded “Mother Nature's Son,” taping 25 takes at Abbey Road studios. The song was included on the White Album.

Actress Sharon Tate and four others were killed by followers of Charles Manson in the first of two nights of bizarre slayings in the Los Angeles area in 1969. Manson, who was later convicted of murder, claimed that the Beatles spoke to him through secret messages in the lyrics of five songs on their "White Album." Nutjob, thankfully he’s still in prison….

"Hot Fun in The Summertime," by Sly and the Family Stone, and "Easy to Be Hard" (from the Broadway production "Hair") were released in 1969.

The Bee Gees started a two week run at #1 on the singles chart in 1975 with “Jive Talkin,” the group's second #1 (#5 in the UK).

Bachman-Turner Overdrive disbanded in 1977. The group, who had gold singles "Takin' Care of Business" & "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," called it quits just as their popularity is beginning to decrease. Nice coincidence.



Blues legend Muddy Waters performed at a White House picnic for President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," which was the theme song for the hit movie "Rocky III," went gold in 1982.

Queen gave what would be their last ever live performance when they appeared at Knebworth Park in England in 1986. The last two songs the band played were “We Are The Champions” and “God Save The Queen.”