This Date In Music History-February 4

Birthdays:

James Dunn-Stylistics (1950)

Natalie Imbruglia (1975)

Clint Black (1962)

Tim Booth- James (1960)

Phil Ehart- Kansas (1951)

Alice Cooper, (Vincent Furnier) (1948)

Born today in 1947, Margie and Mary Ann Ganser, vocalists for The Shangri-Las (Margie died of breast cancer on July 28, 1996).

Florence Larue- The 5th Dimension (1944)


They Are Missed:

In 1983, Karen Carpenter died of heart irregularities caused by anorexia nervosa.

The great jump-jive bandleader Louis Jordan died in Los Angeles in 1975 (age 62). His hilarious, fast-paced numbers were a precursor to R&B and rock 'n' roll.

Scottish singer Alex Harvey died of a heart attack in 1982.

Doris Kenner-Jackson of the Shirelles, died in 2000 (age 58).

Liberace died in 1987.


History:

Chuck Berry led an all-star band on "American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary Special" on ABC-TV in 1977.

In 1959, Frankie Avalon and Jimmy Clanton took over headlining the Winter Dance Party after the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the “Big Bopper.”

In 1989, a rock and roll oddity occurred when a group that no longer existed had the top tune on the Billboard chart. "When I'm With You" had been recorded in 1983 by a group called Sheriff, but they split up in 1985. The music director at a Las Vegas radio station began playing the song in late 1988 and the record soon surpassed its original #61 chart position.

Norah Jones scored her third UK #1 album in 2007 with “Not Too Late,” (also a #1 in US and over 20 other countries).

Working at Abbey Road studios in 1968, the Beatles recorded “Across the Universe.” John and Paul decided the song needed some falsetto harmonies, so they invited two girl fans into the studio to sing on the song. The two were Lizzie Bravo, a 16-year-old Brazilian living near Abbey Road and 17-year-old Londoner Gayleen Pease. It’s the only time the Beatles used their fans on record.

In 1972, in a memo to Attorney General John Mitchell, South Carolina, Sen. Strom Thurmond suggested that John Lennon be deported.

In 1965, the Righteous Brothers were at #1 on the US singles chart with “You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling.”

James Brown and The Famous Flames recorded "Please, Please, Please" at King Studios in Cincinnati in 1956. The single became a Billboard #5 R&B hit, selling over a million copies, but nine subsequent releases would fail to live up to the success of their debut. It would take over two years for the group to return to the charts with the #1 R&B hit, "Try Me.”

One of the best selling albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" was released in 1977. The LP spent 31 weeks at the top of the US album chart on the strength of the singles, "Go Your Own Way,” "Dreams,” "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun,” all of which hit the top 10.

With movie theater promos showing John Travolta's character, Tony Manero walking down the street to the beat of The Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive,” the tune shot to the top of the Billboard Pop chart in 1978.