1940, Woody Guthrie wrote the lyrics to ‘This Land Is Your Land’ in his room at the Hanover House Hotel in New York City. The song was brought back to life in the 1960s, when several artists of the new folk movement, including Bob Dylan, The Kingston Trio, Trini Lopez, Jay and the Americans, and The New Christy Minstrels all recorded versions, inspired by its political message.
1961, Petula Clark had her first UK No.1 single with ‘Sailor’. During her career the former child actress achieved a total of 20 UK Top 40 hits and 2 US No.1 singles.
1965, Filming began on The Beatles follow up to ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ on location in the Bahamas with the working title of ‘Eight Arms To Hold You.’
1966, During an 11-date tour of Australia and New Zealand The Rolling Stones played the first of four nights at the Palais Theatre, St Kida, Melbourne.
1969, ‘If Paradise Is Half As Nice’ by Amen Corner was at No.1 on the UK singles chart, The Move were at No.2 with ‘Blackberry Way’ and Peter Sarstedt was as No.3 with ‘Where Do You Go To’.
1972, After nearly five years of marriage, Priscilla Presley moved out of Elvis Presley’s California home and into a two bedroom apartment near the Pacific Ocean. Their divorce would be finalized on October 9, 1973, with Priscilla being awarded an outright cash payment of $725,000 as well as spousal support, child support, 5% of Elvis’ new publishing companies and half the income from the sale of their Beverly Hills home.
1974, Suzi Quatro was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Devil Gate Drive’, the singers second UK No.1 and fourth No.1 for the songs writers Chinn & Chapman.
1974, ‘Rebel Rebel’ by David Bowie entered the UK chart, the single reached No.5 the following month. Originally written for an aborted Ziggy Stardust musical in late 1973, ‘Rebel Rebel’ was Bowie’s last single in the glam rock style that had been his trademark. It was also his first hit since 1969 not to feature lead guitarist Mick Ronson; Bowie himself played guitar on this track.
1976, AC/DC shot the video clip for “It’s A Long Way To The Top, (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” for the Australian music television program Countdown. It featured the band’s then-current lineup, along with members of the Rats of Tobruk Pipe Band, on the back of a flat-bed truck travelling on Swanston Street in Melbourne. In May 2001, Australasian Performing Rights Association celebrated its 75th anniversary by naming the Best Australian Songs of all time, as decided by a 100-member industry panel. “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” was ranked as the ninth song on the list.
1978, Winners at this years Grammy Awards included Fleetwood Mac, Album of the year for Rumours. The Eagles, Record of the year for Hotel California and Best pop vocal performance, The Bee Gees for ‘How Deep Is Your Love.’
1978, David Coverdale’s Whitesnake made their debut at the Sky Bird Club, Nottingham, England.
1978, Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols and Nancy Spungen were arrested in New York for possession of drugs.
1980, U2 appeared at The Moonlight Club, at The Railway Hotel in London, tickets cost £2.
1985, Stevie Wonder was arrested during an antiapartheid demonstration outside the South African Embassy in Washington; he was released after being questioned by police.
1985, The Smiths scored their first UK No.1 album with ‘Meat Is Murder.’
1988, Michael Jackson played the first of two nights at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The first shows on the second leg of his Bad World Tour.
1989, Isaac Hayes was jailed by an Atlanta judge for owing $346,300 in child support and alimony.
1991, Whitney Houston achieved her 9th US No.1 single in just over five years with her version of the Sister Sledge song ‘All The Man I Need.’
1995, American singer Melvin Franklin of The Temptations died of a brain seizure aged 52. Had the 1971 US No.1 & UK No.8 single ‘Just My Imagination’ and re-issued ‘My Girl’ UK No.2 in 1992. In 1978 Franklin was shot in the hand and the leg when trying to stop a man from stealing his car.
1998, All members of Oasis were banned for life from flying Cathay Pacific Airlines after “abusive and disgusting behaviour” during a flight from Hong Kong to Perth, Australia.
1999, Oasis guitarist Paul Arthurs was arrested and jailed overnight for being drunk and disorderly. Police found the guitarist outside a Tommy Hilfiger store in London.
2002, The Bee Gees made their last ever concert appearance when they appeared at the Love and Hope Ball, Miami Beach, Florida.
2003, Howie Epstein bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers died of a suspected drug overdose in New Mexico. He had replaced The Heartbreakers original bassist Ron Blair, Epstein also worked with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Linda Ronstadt and Del Shannon.
2003, The News Of The World reported that Michael Jackson had undergone scores of painful operations to strip his body of black skin until he appeared white. And that surgeons at a Santa Monica clinic eventually refused him any more treatment. An insider told the paper that Jackson had been anaesthetised on a weekly basis to have his skin peeled and bleached.
2003, Norah Jones cleaned up at the 45th Grammy Awards, held at Madison Square Garden, New York. The singer, songwriter won, Album of the year and Record of the year, with ‘Don’t Know Why.’ Song of the year, Best new artist and Best female pop vocal for ‘Don’t Know Why’. Other winners included Best male pop vocal, John Mayer, ‘Our Body Is A Wonderland’. Best male rock vocal, Bruce Springsteen, ‘The Rising’, Best female rock vocal, Sheryl Crow, ‘Steve McQueen’, Best rock performance by group, Coldplay ‘In My Place’, Best rap album, Eminem, ‘The Eminem Show’.
2010, London’s Abbey Road studios was made a listed building, protecting it from plans to radically alter it. Culture Minister Margaret Hodge listed the studios on the advice of English Heritage saying it had “produced some of the very best music in the world”. The Beatles used Abbey Road for 90% of their recordings, naming an album after the studios in 1969.
2013, Jermaine Jackson officially changed his last Name to Jacksun. The third-oldest member of the Jackson 5, who unofficially took the name Mohammad Abdul Aziz upon his 1989 conversion to Islam, said he was making the new change for “artistic reasons.”
(This Day in Music)
