This Date In Music History - December 7

Birthdays:

Tom Waits (1949)

Mike Nolan - Bucks Fizz (1954)

Tim Butler - Psychedelic Furs (1958)

Barbara Weathers - Atlantic Starr (1963)

Huw Chadbourne - Babybird (1963)

Brian Futter - Catherine Wheel (1965)

Nicole Appleton - All Saints (1974)

Aaron Carter (1987)


They Are Missed:

The late Louis Prima was born in 1911.

Inventor Dr Peter Carl Goldmark was killed in a car crash in 1977. Goldmark invented the long-playing microgroove record in 1945 that went on to revolutionize the way people listened to music.

The late Harry Chapin was born in 1942. Killed on July 16, 1981, when a tractor-trailer crashed into the car he was driving.

Richard Taylor of the R&B vocal group, The Manhattans, died at the age of 47 in 1987.

52 year old Dee Clark, most often remembered for his 1961 million-seller, "Raindrops", passed away following a heart attack in 1990. The singer, born Delectus Clark, could never match the success of "Raindrops" and as The British Invasion arrived, his career took a downward spiral. By the 1980s he was performing on the oldies circuit and spent some time living a welfare hotel in Toccoa, Georgia. Although he had suffering a stroke in 1987 that left him partially paralyzed and with a mild speech impediment, he continued to perform until his death.

Manic Street Preachers co-manager Phillip Hall died from cancer in 1993. Hall was a former Record Mirror journalist and had also worked in PR for Stiff Records. Represented many acts including The Stone Roses, The Pogues, James, The Waterboys, The Beautiful South and Radiohead.

In 2008, Dennis Yost, lead singer of the 1960s soft rock group, The Classics IV, died of respiratory failure at the age of 65. He had been in a nursing home since suffering a brain injury in a 2005 fall. The Classics IV's hits included "Spooky", "Stormy" and "Traces of Love."





History:

In 1954, Marty Robbins became the first major artist to cover an Elvis Presley tune when he recorded the Arthur Crudup composition "That's All Right" for Columbia Records. Robbins' effort will pay off in a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Country chart.

The Rolling Stones auditioned bass players at the World's End pub in Chelsea, London in 1962. One candidate was Bill Wyman. He got the job partly because he had tons of cool equipment the band could use.

The Beatles second album 'With The Beatles' started a 21-week run at #1 on the UK album chart in 1963. Also today, all four Beatles appeared on BBC TV's 'Juke Box Dury'. Some of the songs The Beatles judged were “Kiss Me Quick” by Elvis Presley, “The Hippy Hippy Shake,” by the Swinging Blue Jeans and “Where Have You Been All My Life” by Gene Vincent, among others. The group voted Bobby Vinton's "There! I Said It Again" a miss. Ironically, in two months' time they would knock the record out of the #1 spot in the U.S.

"Dominique" by The Singing Nun was the #1 record in North America in 1963, edging out The Kingsmen's "Louie, Louie." The song would eventually sell over 1.5 million copies and win a Grammy Award for the year's best gospel song. Her given name was Jeanine Deckers and she would leave the convent in 1967 before taking her final vows, partly to pursue a recording career, but never repeated her earlier success. In 1985, the center for autistic children in Belgium that she helped to found had closed due to lack of funds. In despair over this failure, the 51 year old Deckers and her friend Annie Pescher committed suicide.

Also in 1963, the Murmaids, an L.A. trio consisting of sisters Carol and Terry Fischer along with Sally Gordon, enter the Billboard chart with "Popsicles and Icicles," which will rise to #3.

Brian Wilson has a nervous breakdown while on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston in 1964. He decides to stop touring with the Beach Boys.

In 1967, Otis Redding went into the studio to record “(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay.” The song went on to be his biggest hit. Redding didn't see its release; he was killed three days later in a plane crash.



The Beatles Apple boutique opened its doors in 1967. The store closed seven months later when all the goods were given away free to passers by.

1968, The Beatles 'White Album' started a seven-week run at #1 on the UK chart in 1968. The double set was the first on the Apple label and featured "Back In The USSR," "Dear Prudence" and the Harrison song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

Eric Burdon disbanded the Animals for good in 1968. Eric Burdon announced that the Animals would split up after a December 22 concert at Newcastle City Hall. He moved to California to embark on a largely unsuccessful acting career, while bass guitarist Chas Chandler would go on to manage Jimi Hendrix.

In 1971, Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, release their first album, 'Wild Life' in the UK. The LP would not be issued in the US until 1980.

Unable to get Fleetwood Mac together for touring in 1973, the group’s manager creates a bogus version and sends them out on the road. Legal proceedings ensue but the tour is cancelled because nobody cares. The whole business is a low point for the group but they see their fortunes drastically improve in just two years.

1974 Barry Manilow's first hit, "Mandy" enters the US chart in 1974 on its way to number one. The song was originally written by Scott English and Richard Kerr as "Brandy," but was changed by Manilow when a group called Looking Glass had a hit with that title six months before. Manilow's version reached #11 in the UK.

Carl Douglas started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1974 with “Kung Fu Fighting.” The song was recorded in 10 minutes, started out as a B- side and sold 10 million. His follow-up, "Dance the Kung Fu", would be a total flop. Possibly the worst song in pop music history (or at least a tie with Rick Dees “Disco Duck”). Any more nominations for the worst #1 song in music history?

Linda Ronstadt recorded "You're No Good" in 1974. The song became one of her signature hits, peaking at #1 the following year.

Bob Seger's fortunes were about to change when he released the LP 'Night Moves' in 1976. The record would turn out to be his breakthrough album and took him from being a local Detroit favorite, to an internationally known Rock star. 'Night Moves' reached #8 on the US album chart and sold over 5 million copies.

“We’ll do everything we can to restrain their public behavior,” says EMI Records’ chairman Sir John Read of the Sex Pistols. He makes the statement at the company’s annual general meeting in 1976.

In 1984, Michael Jackson testifies in a Chicago courtroom that he, not an Illinois man, wrote "The Girl Is Mine". The jury rules in favor of Jackson.

Mr Mister started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1985 with "Broken Wings."

In 1987, the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a Kentucky schoolteacher who had been fired for showing the film Pink Floyd - The Wall to a group of grade 9 to 11 students on the final day of school.

Originally billed as Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie’s final performance with Fleetwood Mac, it wasn’t. However, it is still an emotional show at L.A.’s Great Western Forum in 1990.

George Michael and Elton John were at #1 in the UK in 1991 with a live version of "Don't Let The Sun Go down On Me," (a hit for Elton in 1974). All proceeds from the hit went to aids charities.

Michael Jackson started a 7 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1991 with "Black Or White," his 12th solo #1, also a #1 in the UK. "Black or White" becomes Michael Jackson's 12th US number one hit, tying him with The Supremes for the third most, behind The Beatles (20) and Elvis Presley (17).

Two weeks after Freddie Mercury's death 'Queen's Greatest Hits II' started a four week run at #1 on the UK album chart in 1991.

U2 went to #1 on the US album charts in 1991 with 'Achtung Baby.'

In 1993, Guns N' Roses announced they would keep the tune written by Charles Manson "Look At Your Game, Girl" on their album, 'The Spaghetti Incident?' The decision to keep the song came when the band learned that the royalties would go to the son of one of Manson's victims.

Bush went to #1 on the US album chart in 1996 with 'Razorblade Suitcase.'

Toni Braxton started a 11 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1996 with "Un- Break My Heart." Written by Dianne Warren it gave Braxton her second US solo #1 hit.

In 1999, the Recording Industry Association of America launched a lawsuit against the on-line, file sharing company Napster, seeking $100,000 in damages for each song copied. Yeah, that worked...

The Eagles held a press conference in 1999 to announce that their first 'Greatest Hits' package had become America's best-selling album. Glenn Frey stated, "I hated popularity contests when I was in high school, and I hate them now." No word on if he hated the money he made from being in the band….

Britney Spears was at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with ‘In The Zone’ the singer's fourth US #1 album. The singer broke her own record from being the first female artist to have three albums enter the US chart at #1 to being the first female artist to have 4 albums enter at #1 consecutively.

Outkast went to #1 on the US singles chart in 2003 with "Hey Ya."

In 2005, the MBE medal that John Lennon returned to the Queen was found in a royal vault at St James' Palace. Lennon returned his medal in November, 1969 with a letter accompanying saying, "Your Majesty, I am returning my MBE as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against Cold Turky slipping down the charts. With Love, John Lennon." Historians were calling for the medal to be put on public display.

In 2006, a couple who witnessed the Damageplan show on 12/08/04 in Columbus, OH, where five people were shot and killed, including guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, file a lawsuit against the club's owners. The plaintiffs claim club security was inadequate and that they suffered severe and permanent emotional injuries from witnessing the shooting.

In 2006, former Sublime bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Floyd "Bud" Gaugh file a trademark-infringement lawsuit against Southern California tribute band Sublime Remembered for allegedly claiming to include original Sublime members. "I've got two of their fliers and both of them actually said 'featuring' former members of the band," says the attorney for Wilson and Gaugh, who also requested that the cover band remove any references to Sublime from its promotional campaigns.

Also in 2006, guitars autographed by Slash, Scott Weiland, Dave Navarro and the Edge are among the items up for bid in the online Grammy Charity Holiday Auction. VIP tickets to see Aerosmith in concert, signed memorabilia by Rod Stewart and Fleetwood Mac's Mick Fleetwood and a signed, life-size KISS banner, are also on the block. Proceeds go toward MusiCares and the Grammy Foundation.

Paul McCartney and U2 are among more than 4,000 artists who sign a full-page ad in the Financial Times in 2006 demanding "fair play for musicians" in the United Kingdom. Record companies and performers lobby the U.K. government for an extension of copyrights on sound recordings from 50 years to 95 years. 95 years is the copyright protection length offered in the United States. 2006

In 2007, Yoko Ono issues a statement encouraging world peace on the eve of the 27th anniversary of husband John Lennon's murder. "Let's not waste the lives of those we have lost," writes Ono. "Let's, together, make the world a place of love and joy."

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler deliverd an anti-drugs statement at the ninth annual Fort Lauderdale Harley-Davidson Bikers Bash in 2007. "I want to pass the message to kids that it is so easy to smoke a joint, quit school and get into trouble, but that leads to nowhere," says Tyler, whose acoustic set at the charity event includes a duet with Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil on "Chip Away The Stone."