Saturday, December 11, 2010

This Date In Music History - December 11

Birthdays:

David Gates - Bread (1940)

Brenda Lee (1944)

Booker T. Jones - Booker T. & the MG's (1944)

Philip 'Spike' Edney - known as the fifth member of Queen. Also worked with Duran Duran, Boomtown Rats, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Haircut 100, the Rolling Stones and others (1951)

Jermaine Jackson - Jackson Five (1954)

Mike Mesaros - Smithereens (1957)

Nikki Sixx - Motley Crue (1958)

Darryl Jones - Rolling Stones since Bill Wyman's departure in 1993. Also worked with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading (1961)

Curtis Williams - Kool & The Gang (1962)

David Schools - Widespread Panic (1964)

DJ Yella - NWA (1967)

Mo'Nique (1968)


They Are Missed:

Born today in 1926, Big Mama Thornton, singer, songwriter. Janis Joplin covered her song "Ball And Chain," and she had the 1953 version of "Hound Dog" before Elvis Presley. She died in 1984.



Born on this day in 1916, Perez Prado, (1955 US & UK No.1 single "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White"). He died on September 14, 1989.

J. Frank Wilson (December 11, 1941 – October 4, 1991) was the lead vocalist for the approprietly named group J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers' first chart hit was "Last Kiss," a song written by Wayne Cochran, who had based the song on a car accident in Barnesville, Georgia, near where he lived. The song, while only garnering minor success for Wayne Cochran & The C.C. Riders, found major success for the Cavaliers. "Last Kiss" became a hit in June of 1964, it reached the Top 10 in October of that year, eventually reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. "Last Kiss" was subsequently covered successfully by Wednesday and Pearl Jam.


History:

In 1957, 22 year old Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13 year-old second cousin, Myra Gale Brown, while still married to Jane Mitcham. The Killer had first married when he was 16 to Dorothy Barton, the daughter of a local preacher. Mitcham became his second wife in a shotgun ceremony and before he had divorced the previous Mrs. Lewis. The marriage to Myra would last until 1970 and at last count, Jerry Lee has been married six times.

The Coasters record "Charlie Brown" in 1958, which would go on to reach number 2 in the US early in 1959.

Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard in 1960.

Motown Records achieved their first number one song in 1961 when The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" reached the top. The session musicians on the track included 22 year old Marvin Gaye on drums. The song also gave the Carpenters a US #1 and UK #2 single in 1975.

In 1961, Elvis Presley started a 20 week run at the top of the Billboard album chart with "Blue Hawaii," his seventh US #1 album.

In 1964, soul singer Sam Cooke was shot and killed in a Los Angeles motel. According to court testimony, Cooke picked up a 22 year old woman named Elisa Boyer at a party. He promised her a ride home but they ended up at a motel. Boyer claims Cooke forced her into the motel room and began ripping her clothes off. She managed to escape while he was in the bathroom. While she called police from a phone booth, Cooke began pounding on the office door of the motel's manager, Bertha Franklin. He demanded to know where Campbell was and allegedly broke the door open. Cooke reportedly attacked Franklin, who then shot him three times. By the time the police arrived, Sam Cooke was dead. A jury would later return a verdict of justifiable homicide. Cooke was 33 years old.

In 1965, the Beatles, on their last tour of Britain, played two shows at the Astoria Cinema in Finsbury Park, London.

In 1967, a London Appeals Court commuted Brian Jones' nine-month prison stay for possession of cannabis after hearing testimony from three psychiatrists that Jones is "an extremely frightened young man" and could not stand nine months behind bars. He was given 3 years probation and a $1,500 fine.

Filming began for the Rolling Stones flick 'Rock & Roll Circus, in 1968. As well as clowns and acrobats, John & Yoko, The Who, Eric Clapton and Jethro Tull all took part. The film was eventually released in 1996.

Ringo Starr's movie "The Magic Christian" premiered in London in 1970.

James Brown 32nd album, "Revolution of the Mind," was released in 1971.

Carly Simon's "Anticipation" was released in 1971.



James Brown was arrested after a show in Knoxville, TN in 1972, and charged with "disorderly conduct" after being accused of trying to incite a riot. The charges were dropped when Brown threatened to sue for $1 million.

Also in 1972, Genesis played their first show in the US at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.

Bob Seger released his album "Night Moves" in 1976.

KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida in 1976. He had touched a short-circuited light. He was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to continue and finish the show.

Singer, TV actress and dancer Toni Basil went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "Mickey," making her a US one hit wonder.

The Jam played their last ever gig as a band in 1982 when they appeared in Brighton, England.

The single "Superbowl Shuffle" by Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew was released in 1985.

In 1988, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie put on a benefit show at The Wiltern Theatre to pay tribute to Roy Orbison.

In 1989, the Recording Industry Association of America certified four Led Zeppelin albums as multi-platinum: ‘Presence’ (2 million), ‘Led Zeppelin’ (4 million), ‘Physical Graffiti’ (4 million) and ‘In Through The Out Door’ (5 million).

Manic Street Preacher Nicky Wire was quoted in 1992 as saying "I hope Michael Stipe goes the same way as Freddie Mercury," If you can't say something nice...

Janet Jackson started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1993 with "Again," her 7th US #1 hit.

Snoop Doggy Dogg went to #1 on the US album chart in 1993 with 'Doggy Style.'

Jewel, Sinead O'Connor and Emmylou Harris performed the Beatles' "In My Life" together at the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo in 1997.

During a gig in Tuscon, Arizona in 1998, a bottle thrown from the audience hit Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson. A security guard was then stabbed trying to eject a man from the crowd.

Paul McCartney performed “Let It Be” as part of the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize celebrations in Oslo, Norway in 2001.



In 2001, Gene Simmons (KISS) did an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" to promote his book "Kiss and Make-Up." The book was released for sale on December 4, 2001.

Also in 2001, David Soul wins a $70,000 judgment in a lawsuit against Matthew Wright, a London theatre critic who criticized Soul's stage performance without even seeing it. Wright's column made reference to the Monday performance, when in fact, the play did not run on Mondays. Soul hit the music charts in the 70s with the single "Don't Give Up on Us".

What was left of the original Napster's computers, laptops and servers were auctioned off in San Francisco in 2002, as the online file sharing company cleaned out its remaining physical assets. A federal judge ordered Napster offline until it could comply with an order to halt the unauthorized trade of copyright music.

December 11, 2002. Musicologist and author Rob Durkee compiled a list of The Top Ten Christmas Songs Of All Time (according to sales and radio air play)

1. White Christmas - Bing Crosby - 1942
2. Silent Night - Bing Crosby - 1936
3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry - 1949
4. The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale - 1958
5. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms - 1957
6. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole - 1946
7. The Chipmunk Song - David Seville and the Chipmunks - 1958
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee - 1958
9. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley - 1957
10. Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby / The Andrews Sisters - 1943

The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey battled through throat problems brought on by bronchitis at the final show of the band's North American tour in 2006. "It doesn't (expletive) matter," the singer tells the Columbus, OH, crowd. "It's Rock & Roll, right?" That's the spirit!

A keyboard signed by Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, U2's Bono, David Bowie and ex-Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones was auctioned in New York in 2006 to benefit the Witness human-rights organization co-founded by Gabriel.

Radiohead's “Limited Deluxe Edition” box set lands in 2007 with all six of the band's U.K. studio albums and the live '01 release, 'I Might Be Wrong.'

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards issued a digital single (via iTunes) in 2007 featuring two rare cover songs – his ‘76 rendition of Chuck Berry’s, "Run Rudolph Run" and an ‘03 version of "Pressure Drop," which was originally recorded by Toots and the Maytals.

Bon Jovi’s Lost Highway tour tops Billboard's Boxscore in 2008 (an annual list of the highest-grossing tours). The trek earned $210.6 million. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band land at #2 ($205 million).

In 2008, Roman Catholic Cardinal Jorge Medina criticized Madonna's first concert in Santiago, Chile, saying "This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts." About 60,000 fans were expected to attend each of the two scheduled performances. Get over it....

Time magazine ranks Mastodon's "Crack The Skye" as the third best album of 2009. The Progressive Metal set is the last of four in a cycle that focuses on the concept of Earth's elements. "Nods to European Folk, Free Jazz and Prog Rock . . . the ambition and tenacity of Mastodon's music makes "Crack The Skye" sonically unforgettable," writes Time. Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night" and Dirty Projectors' "Bitte Orca," are #1 and #2, respectively.

Trudy Green, former manager of Def Leppard, sued the band in 2009 over unpaid commissions. Green seeks at least $700,000 in damages. While that legal matter is just beginning, another reaches a conclusion... Marilyn Manson settles a $20 million lawsuit filed against him by former bandmate Stephen Bier. The keyboardist, also known as Pogo/Madonna Wayne Gacy, sued Manson for breach of contract, claiming he was deprived of his share of the band's earnings due to Manson’s questionable acquisitions. The suit is settled for $175,000. "After being dismissed from the band, Bier could have focused on resurrecting or attempting to pursue a music career," says Manson's lawyer. "Instead, he devoted the last several years to complaining about Manson's alleged spending habits and extravagant behavior to anyone who would listen."

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