1956, While driving to New York for appearances on ‘The Perry Como Show’, and ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’, the car that Carl Perkins was traveling in was involved in an accident putting Perkins in hospital for several months. The singer received four broken ribs and a broken shoulder, his brother Jay was killed in the accident.
1965, ‘Bringing It All Back Home’, Bob Dylan’s 5th studio album was released. The album was the first of Dylan’s LPs to break into the US top 10, and it also topped the UK charts later that Spring. The lead-off track, Subterranean Homesick Blues became Dylan’s first single to chart in the US, peaking at No.39. The album’s iconic cover, photographed by Daniel Kramer, features Sally Grossman, wife of Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman, lounging in the background. The artefacts scattered around the room include vinyl LPs by The Impressions and Robert Johnson.
1975, Led Zeppelin started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Physical Graffiti the group’s fourth US No.1 album. On its first day of release in the US, the album shipped a million copies – no other album in the history of Atlantic records had generated so many sales. Physical Graffiti has now been certified 16 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales in excess of 16 million copies.
1975, The tartan teen sensations Bay City Rollers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Bye Bye Baby’, the group’s first of two UK No.1’s.
1978, The Police signed to A&M Records. The band scored over 15 UK Top 40 hits with the label including the worldwide No.1 ‘Every Breath You Take.’
1980, Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)’ started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart. The track, which was the group’s only US chart topper, was also a No.1 in the UK, Germany, Australia, Italy and in many other countries around the world. Pink Floyd received a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group for the song, but lost to Bob Seger’s Against The Wind.
1980, The Jam had their first UK No.1 with their tenth release, ‘Going Underground / Dreams Of Children’ the first single of the 80s to debut at No.1.
1984, Queen filmed the video for ‘I Want To Break Free’ at Limehouse Studio in London, England. Directed by David Mallet, it was a parody of the northern British soap opera Coronation Street with the band members dressed in drag. Guitarist Brian May later said the video ruined the band in America, and was initially banned by MTV in the US.
1992, Polygram Records officially announced that Tears For Fears had split up, Roland Orzabal continued using the name Tears For Fears. During their career they scored 15 UK Top 40 singles and two US No.1’s. Re-formed in 2004.
1994, Singer, songwriter, producer Dan Hartman died of a brain tumor in Westport, Connecticut. Was a member of the Edgar Winter Group and wrote the band’s hit ‘Free Ride.’ Had the 1978 No.1 dance hit ‘Instant Replay,’ wrote ‘Relight My Fire’ a UK No.1 for Take That and Lulu, collaborated with Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler, Paul Young, James Brown, Holly Johnson and Steve Winwood.
1997, Puff Daddy featuring Mase started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down’, his first US No.1, a No.19 hit in the UK.
2000, Yusuf Islam the former singer Cat Stevens joined the campaign to save the Section 28 ban on the promotion of homosexuality in UK schools. He praised peers for fighting the government’s plans to scrap Section 28.
2004, A new book claimed that Elvis Presley’s ancestors came from a small village called Lonmay in the North East of Scotland. Author Allan Morrison said he’d found evidence that Elvis’s great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was married in the village 300 years ago.
2005, Rod Price, former member of Black Cat Bones and a founding member of Foghat died after falling down a stairway at his home after suffering a heart attack. The 57 year old English guitarist played on Foghat’s highest charting US single ‘Slow Ride’ a hit in 1976.
2009, Lady Gaga started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Poker Face’, her second UK chart topper and a No.1 hit in over 20 countries.
2016, Rapper Phife Dawg died in Contra Costa County, California, due to complications relating to diabetes at the age of 45. He was a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest and was also known as the “Five Foot Assassin” and “The Five Footer”, because he stood at 5 feet 3 inches.
(This Day in Music)
