Birthdays:
Bill Fries (CW McCall) (1928)
Petula Clark (1932) Her 1965 US #1 "Downtown," was the first UK female singer to score a #1 single in the US.
Rick Kemp - Steeleye Span (1941)
Frida Lyngstad - Abba (1945)
Steve Fossen - Heart (1949)
Joe Leeway - Thompson Twins (1957)
Kevin Eubanks (1957)
Christian "Flake" Lorenz - Rammstein (1966)
Jesse Sandoval - Shins (1974)
Chad Kroeger - Nickelback (1974)
They Are Missed:
William Edward John (November 15, 1937 - May 26, 1968) was better known by his stage name 'Little Willie John.' He was an R&B singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s and is best known for his popular music chart successes with songs such as, "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad" (1956) and "Fever" (1956).
Born on this day in 1933, Clyde McPhatter, the Drifters. Died on June 13, 1972.
Born today in 1905, Mantovani, Orchestra leader. He died on March 30, 1980.
French music producer and songwriter Jacques Morali, died of complications from aids in 1991. Formed The Village People and co-produced their film, Can't Stop the Music. Between 1974 and 1982 Morali produced over 65 albums.
In 2000, Eddie Snyder, pianist for The Cascades on their 1963, Billboard #3 hit, "Rhythm Of The Rain," died of cancer at the age of 63.
Born on this day in 1954, Tony Thompson, Chic. Thompson died on November 12, 2003.
Born today in 1968, Ol' Dirty Bastard (also known as ODB, Dirty, Dirt McGirt, Dirt Dog, Big Baby Jesus, Osirus, Joe Bannanas), born Russell Tyrone Jones. (1997 US & UK #1 album ‘Wu-Tang Forever’). Collapsed and died at a Manhattan recording studio in New York on November 13, 2004 (age 35).
History:
In 1956, Elvis Presley made his acting debut as the movie 'Love Me Tender' premiered. Despite critical reaction, it takes in nearly $4 million in just two months.
In 1959, Johnny and the Moondogs, played in the final heat of the 'TV Star Search' competition at The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester, England. Judging was done by the volume of applause each group received when it is called back onto stage at the end of the night. Since the Moondogs had no money to stay overnight in Manchester, they were forced to head back to Liverpool before they were called back onto stage.
The Rolling Stones made their US TV debut on Hullabaloo in 1965, performing "Get Off Of My Cloud."
The Doors officially signed with Elektra Records in 1966 in a deal for the band to produce seven albums. The band also reluctantly agreed to release "Break On Through" as their first single. The lyric "She gets high/she gets high/she gets high" was changed to “She gets/she gets/she gets" in order to secure radio play.
In 1966, the Jefferson Aiplane recorded their hit "Somebody To Love."
Janis Joplin was arrested at her concert in Tampa, Florida in 1969 and charged with using "vulgar and indecent language." The incident began when a policeman with a bullhorn ordered people in the audience to sit down and Joplin responded, "Don't fuck with those people! Hey, Mister, what're you so uptight about? Did you buy a five dollar ticket?" When police backstage instructed Joplin to tell the audience to take their seats, she replied, "I'm not telling them shit." After being arrested in her dressing room, Joplin was released on $504 bond and all charges were eventually dropped.
The first album by Karen and Richard Carpenter, "Offering" was released by A&M Records in 1969. It would not be a big seller, but a single from the LP, a remake of the Beatles "Ticket to Ride", would gain national attention. Their next album, 'Close to You' would establish them as major international stars.
Grand Funk Railroad released their sixth album, "E Pluribus Funk" in 1971. Music critics bashed it, but fans think otherwise and bought enough copies to push it to number five on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart.
ABBA were guests on "American Bandstand" in 1975. They performed "S.O.S." and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do."
Chic was awarded their second Gold record of the year in 1978 for "Le Freak," which will hit #1 in the US next January. The group had earlier received a Gold record for "Dance, Dance, Dance."
Echo & the Bunnymen made their performance debut in Liverpool, England in 1978.
In 1980, Blondie had their fifth UK #1 single and third #1 of this year with "The Tide Is High," a song written by reggae star John Holt (also a #1 in the US).
Kenny Rogers started a six week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1980 with "Lady," a song written and produced by Lionel Richie.
Kiss played the first North American date on their 119 date Animalize Tour at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1984.
Pop history was made in 1986 when the Top 5 UK singles were all by female vocalists; Corinne Drewery from Swing Out Sister, Mel and Kim, Susannah Hoffs from The Bangles, Kim Wilde and Terri Nunn from Berlin who were at #1 with "Take My Breath Away."
In 1988, Metallica's US tour for 'And Justice For All' opened in Toledo, OH, with Queensryche opening.
Milli Vanilli producer Frank Farian held a press conference in 1990 to confirm the rumours that the two members of the group Rob and Fab had not sung on any of their hit records.
In 1990, David Bowie opened on Broadway in the title role of The Elephant Man.
Ozzy Osbourne announced his retirement from touring after a gig in California in 1992, saying "Who wants to be touring at 46."
In 2000, Michael Abram, the Liverpool man who stabbed George Harrison after breaking into his home, was awarded a not guilty verdict at Oxford's Crown Court. But the verdict was returned in view of Abrams mental history, and he was taken into care. Idiot....
Winners at The MTV Europe Awards in 2000 included All Saints for best pop act, Ricky Martin won best male artist, Madonna won best female artist, Red Hot Chili Peppers won best rock band, Blink 182 won best new act & Jennifer Lopez won best R&B act.
In 2002, the UK music industry made the decision to include computer downloads as part of the pop singles chart in an attempt to restore credibility to the Top 40. OD2 the online music distributor would compile the new chart with the official chart company.
Robbie Williams snubbed a Take That reunion in 2005 when he decided to stay at his Los Angeles home. A behind the scenes TV documentary had arranged for all five members to reunite to coincided with the release of a greatest hits CD and DVD.
Sony Records celebrates the 30th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's classic "Born To Run" album by releasing a CD/DVD set. T he package contains remastered tracks and a DVD on making the album. "There's no other record (of mine) quite like it," says Springsteen. 2005
"Sublime: Gold," a 42 track retrospective dropped in 2005. The tracks were from the band's three studio albums, plus previously unreleased material.
In 2006, U2 won a court battle over allegedly stolen Bono memororabilia. The items, an iconic Stetson hat, a pair of metal earrings, a green sweat shirt and a pair of black trousers, were in the possession of a former stylist. An 'iconic' Stetson hat???
Kenneth Donnell, from Glasgow, paid £83,000 (over $133,000) in 2007 for two tickets to see Led Zeppelin rehearse and perform at the O2 arena in London on the 10th December. Donnell bid for the tickets as part of an auction for the BBC's Children in Need.
Jay-Z went to #1 on the US album chart in 2007 with ‘American Gangster’ his 10th #1 album. This made the rapper joint second with Elvis Presley for the most #1 albums on the chart; only the Beatles have had more, with 19. Since 1998, all eight of Jay-Z's solo studio albums hade hit #1, in addition to his ‘Collision Course’ project with Linkin Park and his ‘Unfinished Business’ collaboration with R. Kelly.
Slash, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons were among the performers at a 2008 Cleveland tribute concert honoring electric-guitar pioneer Les Paul. "The legion of guitar players I grew up listening to would have been completely different had Les not been around," says Slash. The event is part of the American Music Masters series, supported by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
In 2009, 61-year-old Yusuf Islam, known as Cat Stevens in the 1970s, took the stage in Dublin for the inaugural performance of his first full tour since 1976. After converting to Islam at the height of his popularity, he had rejected Pop music until 2006 when he released "An Other Cup", following it with "Roadsinger" this year.
The Library of Congress announced in 2009 that Paul McCartney is the winner of the Gershwin Prize of Popular Song. "It's hard to think of another performer and composer who has had a more indelible and transformative effect on popular song and music of several different genres than Paul McCartney," says Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.
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