This Date In Music History- May 25

Birthdays:

Jessi Colter, the only female country star of the "outlaw" movement inspired by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, was born in Phoenix in 1947.

Lyricist Hal David (wrote most of Dionne Warwick's hits with partner Burt Bacharach) turns 87.

Mitch Margo of the Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight") is 61.

Tom T. Hall ("I Love") is 72.

Kitty Kallen ("My Coloring Book") turns 86.

Jam genius and Style Council head Paul Weller was born in Woking, England in 1958.

Reggae singer, producer, and entrepreneur Sugar Minott was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1956.

Happy birthday to Scorpions lead singer Klaus Meine.

Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis is born in Alton, Ill in 1926. He began his career with Billy Eckstine's orchestra in a lineup that includes Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. He went on to record more than two dozen albums and is considered the originator of more jazz styles than any other artist. He earns the first of six Grammys in 1960 and receives a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990.

A native of Ottawa, Glen Drover, Megadeth guitarist, entered the world in 1969.


History:

Desmond Dekker ("Israelites") died of a heart attack in 2006.

In 1978, Keith Moon performed for the last time with the Who at the Shepperton Film Studio in England for the movie, "The Kid's Are Alright.”

Deborah Gibson's "Foolish Beat" becomes her first No. 1 hit in 1988. At 17, she becomes the youngest artist ever to write, sing, and produce a No. 1 record.

Roy Brown died in San Fernando, Calif in 1981. His original 1947 rendition of "Good Rockin' Tonight" inspired countless cover versions, while his vocal holler influenced performers like Little Richard.

The Hollies recorded "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" in 1969, with a young Elton John providing piano.

Also in 1969- This was a night to remember in Columbia, Md., as Led Zeppelin and the Who appeared together at a concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. What a great bill!

Gary Usher, who led the studio group The Hondells into the US Top 10 in 1964 with "Little Honda", died of cancer on May 25th 1990. He was 51.

The late Norman Petty (produced Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox and the Fireballs, among others) was born in 1927.

In 1973, Carole King performed in New York's Central Park, attracting a then-record-breaking audience of 100,000.

"Bye Bye Love," the first of many songs by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant that will be made famous by the Everly Brothers, entered the Top Forty in 1957. A million seller, it holds at #2 for four weeks.

Billie Holiday gave her final performance in New York City in 1959.

In 1996, Bradley Nowell (Sublime) was found dead in his San Francisco motel room of a drug overdose at the age of 26. What a talent and what a waste.

The Isley Brothers released "Twist and Shout" in 1962.

In 2005, Country singer Carrie Underwood wins the fourth season of American Idol in a surprise victory over rocker Bo Bice.

Dave Davies (Kinks) was knocked unconscious when he careened into drummer Mick Avory's cymbal during a London concert in 1965.

Jim Morrison's widow, Pam, died of a drug overdose in 1974.

Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends goes to No. 1 on the American albums chart in 1969, knocking their own Graduate soundtrack out of the top spot.

Legendary blues harpist Sonny Boy Williamson died in Helena, Ark in 1965.