Friday, November 5, 2010

This Date In Music History - November 5

Birthdays:

Art Garfunkel - Simon and Garfunkel, solo (1941)

Pablo Gomez - Los Bravos (1943)

Peter Noone - Herman's Hermits (1947)

Peter Hammill - Van Der Graff Generator (1948)

Don McDougall - Guess Who (1948)

Helen O'Hara - Dexy's Midnight Runners (1956)

David Moyse - Air Supply (1957)

Mike Score - A Flock Of Seagulls (1957)

Bryan Adams (1959)

Ken Coomer - Wilco, Uncle Tupelo (1959)

David Bryson - Counting Crows (1961)

Angelo Moore - Fishbone (1965)

Mark Hunter - James (1968)

Jonny Greenwood - Radiohead (1971)

Ryan Adams - Whiskeytown (1974)

Australian singer Kate Jenna DeAraugo (1985)

Kevin Jonas - Jonas Brothers (1987)


They Are Missed:

Thirty-three year-old Johnny Horton, who had a number one hit with "Battle of New Orleans," died in 1960 when his Cadillac was hit by a drunken truck driver in Milano, Texas. Ironically, Johnny had just played his last show at the Skyline in Austin, where Hank Williams had played his last show as well. Horton's widow, Billy Joe, was also Hanks Williams' widow.

Born on this day in 1946, Gram Parsons, singer, songwriter. Member of The International Submarine Band, The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers. Released the 1973 solo album 'Grievous Angel.' Died on September 19, 1973 from a heroin overdose (age 26).

Bobby Nunn of The Coasters died of heart failure in Los Angeles in 1986. Scored the 1958 US No.1 single "Yakety Yak" and 1959 US #2 single "Charlie Brown."

In 1989, former US Army Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler died at a Veterans Administration hospital in Nashville from complications brought on by an un-explained gun shot wound to the head, suffered 14 months earlier in Guatemala City. Sadler is best remembered for his hit "The Ballad of the Green Berets," which stayed on top of Billboard's Pop chart for five weeks in 1966. He was 49 years old at time of his death.

Fred “Sonic” Smith, MC5 guitarist and husband of Rocker Patti, died of a heart attack in 1994. He was 45.

In 2003, Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Brothers was found dead in hotel room in Michigan, 30 minutes before he was due on stage (age 63). The autopsy report from the Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner gave the opinion that Hatfield suffered a sudden, unexpected death due to acute cocaine toxicity. The Righteous Brothers had the 1965 UK & US #1 single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" and the 1990 UK #1 ( #4 US) single "Unchained Melody." It became one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages.

Surf guitarist Link Wray died in 2005 (age 76). Wray was credited with inventing 'fuzz' guitar after punching a hole in a speaker giving him a distorted guitar sound. Famous for his 1958 US #16 single "Rumble" which was banned on several radio stations, on the grounds that it glorified juvenile delinquency. A rare feat for a song with no lyrics.

Isaac Wister (Ike) Turner (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer. Considered to be one of the fathers of rock and roll, his first recording, "Rocket 88" by "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats," in 1951, is considered by some to be the "first rock and roll song" ever. 1971 US #4 single with then Tina Turner with the John Fogerty cut and wedding bar band staple "Proud Mary."


History:

Elvis Presley made his only commercial, for Southern-Made Doughnuts, on the Louisiana Hayride radio program in 1954.

"The Nat King Cole Show" debuted on NBC-TV in 1956. The Cole program was the first of its kind hosted by an African-American.

The Who released a song called "My Generation" in 1965 which will become a sort of anthem for British teens, rising to number two on the UK chart. In the US however, despite performing the tune on 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,' the song will be mostly ignored and would get no higher than number 74 on the Billboard chart.

The Monkees were on top of the Billboard singles chart in 1966 with "Last Train To Clarksville," the group’s first #1 hit. It was later revealed that due to filming commitments on their TV series, none of the group had played on this or most of the group’s early recordings. Eight weeks after their TV series debuted, the Monkees had the number one record in the US with the Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart written song.

In 1967, Bee Gee Robin Gibb was a passenger on a train which crashed in South East London in England killing 49 people and injuring 78. Robin was treated for shock after the accident.

Kenny Rogers and The First Edition made their TV debut in 1967 on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Groovey, man.....



Also in 1967 more than 2,000 people attended an auction of Elvis Presley's personal belongings at his Circle G Ranch in Horn Lake, Mississippi, ten miles from Graceland.

Jerry Reed recorded the immortal cut "Amos Moses" in 1969.



In 1970, while making one of his rare stage appearances, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson lost his balance several times and had to be helped backstage. His right ear, the better of the two, sustained severe damage because of the volume level on-stage.

In 1971, Elvis Presley kicked off a 15-date North American tour at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Minneapolis. Announcer Al Dvorin uttered the well known phrase: "Elvis has left the building" at the end of the show. He was asked to make the announcement in an effort to quiet the fans who continued to call for an encore.

The manager of a Virgin Records store in Nottingham England is arrested in 1977 and charged under the UK's 1898 Indecent Advertising Act for displaying a poster that read "Never Mind The Bollocks: Here's The Sex Pistols". At his trial two weeks later, defense lawyers called Professor James Kingsley, who testified that the word "bollocks" had several different meanings, both slang and proper. After a twenty minute deliberation, the court returned a verdict of not guilty.

In 1977, Ozzy Osbourne quits Black Sabbath, only to rejoin a few weeks later. He eventually leaves again to pursue a solo career.

Brian Wilson was officially fired from The Beach Boys by his former colleagues in 1982.

Billy Joel was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1983 with "Uptown Girl" his only UK #1 stayed at the top of the chars for five weeks. A #3 hit in the US, the song was written about his relationship with his girlfriend then-wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley.

In 1983, Topper Headon of The Clash was arrested for walking his dog while drunk on London's Fulham Road. No word on the dog's condition, however, Headon was led home by his furry friend.

The Beach Boys went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1988 with "Kokomo." The track had been featured in the film Cocktail. It had been 22 years since the group had their last US chart topper with "Good Vibrations." Their only other Top Ten hit in that time had been "Rock and Roll Music" in 1976.

"The Locomotion," became the first song to reach the US Top 5 in three different versions, when Kylie Minogue's 1988 effort reached #3 on the US chart. The song had also been a hit for Little Eva and Grand Funk Railroad.



Sheryl Crow scored her first UK Top 10 single in 1994 when "All I Wanna Do" entered the charts at #.4. The US singer songwriter went on to become the first US female to score six UK hits off her debut album 'Tuesday Night Music Club.'

Producer Butch Vig's new band Garbage made their US live debut in 1995 when they played at The 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis. Vig produced Nirvana's album 'Nevermind.'

In 1995, 'The Wizard of Oz in Concert' took place for a Children's Defense Fund. The show featured Jackson Browne as the Scarecrow, Roger Daltrey as the Tin Man, Nathan Lane as the Cowardly Lion and Jewel as Dorothy.

Also in 1995, Queen released their first studio album since the death of Freddie Mercury. Mercury died November 24, 1991 of AIDS.

Creed were at #1 on the US singles chart in 2000 with 'With Arms Wide Open.'

In 2002, the funeral took place of Jam Master Jay, (Jason Mizell) from Run-DMC who was murdered by an assassin's single bullet on 30th October 2002. A $30,000 reward was offered in connection with the murder, to this day nobody has ever been convicted of the killing.

In 2007 there was the London premiere of Amazing Journey: The Story Of The Who and Amazing Journey: Six Quick Ones. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend host the event. Also, a two-CD compilation, "The Very Best Of The Who Live In Concert 1969-1976" is available exclusively on the band's website.

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page received the Living Legend Award at the 2007 Classic Rock Roll of Honour ceremony in London.

In 2008, artwork created Queen's Brian May, Deep Purple's Roger Glover, Alice Cooper, Paul Rodgers and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason goes on the block at a benefit auction hosted by veteran British band Status Quo. The musicians redesigned "classic Quo single/album covers" for the event in honor of the 40th anniversary of the group's hit "Pictures Of Matchstick Men." The sale aids the Prince's Trust, a U.K. youth charity.

Ozzy Osbourne was presented with the Legend of Live honor at the 2009 Billboard Touring Awards in New York.

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