This Date In Music History - May 18

Birthdays:

Albert Hammond (1942)

Bruce Gilbert - Wire (1946)

George Alexander - Flamin Groovies (1946)

Joe Bonsall - Oak Ridge Boys (1948)

Rick Wakeman - Strawbs, Yes (1949)

William Wallace - Guess Who (1949)

George Strait - He has the second most number one country hits among any artist in any musical genre in history, totaling 53 number one hit songs (only Conway Twitty has more, with 55). (1952)

Butch Tavares - Tavares (1953)

Michael Cretu - Enigma (1957)

Page Hamilton - Helmet (1960)

Hugh Whittaker - Housemartins (1961)

Martika (1969)


They Are Missed:

In 1980, Joy Division singer and guitarist Ian Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album 'The Idiot', playing on his stereo and left a note that said, 'At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I Just can't cope anymore.'

Born on this day in 1911, Joe Turner, blues songwriter. Wrote "Shake Rattle and Roll," "Sweet Sixteen." He died on November 23, 1985.

Born today on 1912, Perry Como, singer and TV presenter. Como died on 12th May 2001.

Clint Warwick, the original bass player with The Moody Blues, died in 2004 from liver disease at the age of 63. Clint left the band in 1966 after playing on their only number one hit, "Go Now."


History:

Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City,” written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, topped the pop chart in 1959. The song was later covered by The Beatles (“Beatles VI”).

Jimmy Soul was a #1 on the US singles chart in 1963 with "If You Want To Be Happy."



In 1964, a riot broke out in Hamilton, Scotland during a Rolling Stones UK tour when over 4,000 fans with forged tickets gatecrashed the bands gig at the Chantingall Hotel.

The Animals recorded "House Of The Rising Sun" in 1964.



The Hollies recorded "Bus Stop" in 1966.

In 1966, the Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals), made their first recordings at Mr Music Inc in Brick Town, New Jersey. They cut two Springsteen songs, "Baby I" and "That’s What You Get." The songs were cut directly to disc, of which seven or eight test pressings of the studio takes were made.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney sang backing vocals on The Rolling Stones track "We Love You" during a session at Olympic Studios, London in 1967.

Also in 1967, the Beatles were selected to represent the UK for the first-ever global-wide satellite broadcast. The group agreed to be shown in the studio recording a song written especially for the occasion, scheduled for June 25. John Lennon wrote "All You Need is Love" which was thought to sum up the 1967 'summer of love' and The Beatles' sympathies. With the satellite broadcast being broadcast to many non-English-speaking countries, the BBC asked The Beatles to 'keep it simple'.



Archie Bell and The Drells started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1968 with "Tighten Up."

In 1968, Grateful Dead, The Doors, The Steve Miller Band and Jefferson Airplane all appeared at The Northern California Rock Festival in Santa Clara. What a show....

Tiny Tim's "Tiptoe through the Tulips" was released in 1968. It was originally a number one hit for Nick Lucas in 1929.

Ray Stevens started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart in 1974 with the novelty song "The Streak," which capitalized on the then popular craze of streaking.

"The Buddy Holly Story" movie premiered in Dallas, Texas in 1978.

Diana Ross left Motown Records in 1981 and signed a $20 million contract with RCA (the most lucrative ever at the time).

Simple Minds were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1984 with "Don't You Forget About Me," taken from the film 'The Breakfast Club.'

R.E.M. went to #1 on the US album chart in 1991 with 'Out Of Time.'

Hi-Five went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1991 with "I Like The Way, (The Kissing Game)."

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony started a 8 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1996 with "Tha Crossroads."

George Strait was at #1 on the US album chart in 1997 with ‘Carrying Your Love With Me.’

The Backstreet Boys released their third album "Millennium" in 1999.

The Isley Brothers were at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with ‘Body Kiss’ the group's first US #1 in over 30 years.

Alice In Chains officially kicked off their reunion tour at Los Angeles' Roxy Theater in 2006. They get support Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, former Screaming Trees leader Mark Lanegan and Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan who accompanies Alice In Chains on guitar for five songs.

In 2010, the Rolling Stones reissued their ‘72 double album “Exile On Main Street” with previously unreleased songs (“Plundered My Soul," "Dancing In The Light” and "Pass The Wine”) and alternate takes ("Soul Survivor" and "Loving Cup"). The deluxe edition also has the documentary, Stones In Exile, with rare archival film footage and photos.

Also in 2010, the DVD collection John Lennon: Rare and Unseen is in stores. The post-Beatles set contains rare television appearances, behind-the-scenes film footage and photographs.