Birthdays:
George Jones (1931)
Tony Bellamy - Redbone (1940)
Maria Muldaur (1943)
Colin Young - Foundations (1944)
Gerry Beckley - America (1952)
Neil Peart - Rush (1952)
Barry Andrews - XTC (1956)
Brian Robertson - Thin Lizzy, Motorhead (1956)
Pat Dinizio - Smithereens (1957)
Norwood Fisher - Fishbone (1965)
Ben Folds - Ben Folds Five (1966)
Larry LaLonde - Primus (1968)
Jennifer Nettles - Sugarland (1974)
Jennifer Hudson-Academy Award-winning American actress and singer (1981)
They Are Missed:
In 1997, founder of the Polar Music record label, songwriter, producer and Abba's manager Stig Anderson died of a heart attack. Anderson co-wrote some of Abba’s biggest hits, such as ‘Waterloo’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘S.O.S’, ‘Fernando’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ and ‘The Name of the Game.’ His funeral was broadcast live on Swedish television an honour otherwise only reserved for distinguished statesmen or royalty.
Born on this day in 1944, Barry White, soul singer & producer. Died from Kidney failure on July 4, 2003 (age 58).
In 2004, drummer and arranger Kenny Buttrey died in Nashville, Tennessee. Worked with Neil Young, (Harvest, and After the Gold Rush), Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde, Nashville Skyline & John Wesley Harding), and Bob Seger, Elvis Presley, Donovan, George Harrison, Joan Baez, Dan Fogelberg, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Buffett, Chuck Berry and Area Code 615.
In 2003, Johnny Cash died of respiratory failure (age 71). One of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, known as "The Man in Black." He traditionally started his concerts by saying, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." Had the 1969 US No.2 & UK No.4 single "A Boy Named Sue," plus 11 other US Top 40 singles. Cash also had his own US TV show in late 60's early 70's.
History:
Elvis Presley, age 13, moved with his parents to Memphis, TN in 1948.
The first 'teen idol', Frank Sinatra was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1954 with "Three Coins In The Fountain," the singer's first UK #1. The song was The Academy Award winning Best Original Song of 1954.
Larry Williams recorded "Bony Maronie" in 1957.
The Beatles were at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1963 with "She Loves You," the group's second #1. It became the biggest seller of the year and the biggest selling Beatles single in the UK.
In 1964, The Supremes, The Shangri-La’s, Marvin Gaye, Dusty Springfield, The Ronettes, Millie Small, The Temptations, The Miracles and Little Anthony and the Imperials all appeared at The Fox Theatre, Brooklyn, New York.
In 1966, NBC aired the first episode of The Monkees TV show in the US. After passing on Steven Stills and Three Dog Night’s Danny Hutton, the producers settle on Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith and Brit Davy Jones to be the mock-Beatles. It’s 30 minutes of “A Hard Day’s Night” take-offs each week. The show lasts a little over two years and manages to sell millions of records. Also making its debut was The Roger Miller Show
The Beatles received a gold record for "Yellow Submarine" in 1966.
Filming continued for The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour in 1967. The bus headed for Widecombe on the Moor, where a local fair was being held but the bus driver (Alf Manders) took a shortcut to bypass heavy traffic and ended up stuck on a bridge, the coach ended up having to drive in reverse for a half-mile before it could turn around. They then head for Plymouth, followed by a 20-car convoy of journalists and photographers.
During their first ever tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Stora Scenen in Stockholm, Sweden in 1968.
Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their first UK #1 album in 1970 with 'Cosmo's Factory'. It also enjoyed a nine-week run at #1 in the US, where it sold over three million copies.
Bob Dylan joined Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie at the Woody Guthrie Memorial Concert held at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California in 1970.
"Josie and the Pussycats," the cartoon, debuted on CBS in 1970.
"Fire and Rain" by James Taylor was released in 1970. It was his first single.
An in-depth report on the death of Elvis Presley aired on ABC-TV’s "20/20" in 1980. It raised so many unanswered questions that the official case concerning Elvis’ death was reopened.
Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues was hospitalized in 1986 after collapsing from exhaustion in Los Angeles.
In 1986, Public Image Ltd guitarist John McGeoch needed 40 stitches in his face after a two-litre wine bottle was thrown at the stage during a gig in Vienna.
The soundtrack album 'La Bamba' featuring Los Lobos started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1987.
In 1987, Michael Jackson kicked of his Bad World Tour by playing the first of three sold-out nights at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. By the end of the 123-date tour, Jackson had played to over 4million fans across fifteen countries.
Morrissey left The Smiths for a solo career in 1987.
Soundgarden release their “Louder Than Love” LP in 1989.
In 1990, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie from Fleetwood Mac announced they were leaving the band at the end of their current tour. They both returned....
A concert by Shania Twain was televised live on DirecTV in 1998. It was the first time direct broadcast had been used for a country star.
In 2000, Christina Aguilera released her first Spanish album, Mi Reflejo which contained Spanish versions of songs from her English debut as well as new Spanish tracks.
Also in 2000 - The family of Jimi Hendrix released 56 rare tracks in a 4-CD boxed set, "The Jimi Hendrix Experience."
Concerts around the US were cancelled in 2001 in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in D.C. Shows from artists as diverse as Stevie Nicks and Crosby, Stills & Nash to Weezer and the Black Crowes are postponed.
The house that Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) lived in as a child, from 11-15, was sold on eBay for $210,000 in 2002. The house had been valued at $52,660 in 2000.
2002 - John Houston Entertainment LLC filed a $100 million lawsuit against Whitney Houston for breach of contract.
In 2003, Mike Smith of the Dave Clark Five was paralyzed in a fall on his estate.
Tim McGraw went to #1 on the US album chart in 2004 with 'Live Like You Were Dying.'
The iTunes Music Store reached 1.5 billion songs and 45 million videos sold in 2006.
Also in 2006, a 10-disc box set spanning Robert Plant's entire post-Led Zeppelin career is issued by Rhino Records. "Nine Lives" has remastered versions of all nine Plant solo albums to date, each with extra tracks, as well as a bonus DVD featuring interviews, music videos and live performances. Peter Frampton's instrumental album "Fingerprint" is out. Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, ex-Stones bassist Bill Wyman, Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes and members of Pearl Jam are heard on the CD which features an instrumental cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun." The album also marks Frampton’s return to A&M Records, where he had in greatest success (in the ‘70s).
In 2007, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin announced they would reform for a star-studded tribute concert in London. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would play at a show to remember the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The place of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980, would be taken by his son Jason. The one-off concert, the trio's first performance for 19 years, would take place at the O2 arena in London on 26th November with tickets costing around $200. All profits from the show would go towards scholarships in Ertegun's name in UK, the USA and Turkey, the country of his birth.
Metallica unfurled "Death Magnetic" worldwide in 2008. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album's tracks are also available for the Guitar Hero: World Tour video game. "The Day That Never Comes" is the first single with "My Apocalypse" available exclusively on Metallica’s web site.
Colbie Caillat was at #1 on the US album chart in 2009 with ‘Breakthrough’, the American singer, songwriter’s second album.
In 2009, Steve Jobs announced that Apple's iTunes had 88% of the legal US music download market.