1960, The Everly Brothers started their first UK concert tour at London’s New Victoria Theatre, supported by The Crickets.
1966, The first session of what would become The Beatles album Revolver started in the evening at Abbey Road studios London, with the recording of the basic track of a new John Lennon song ‘Tomorrow Never Knows.’
1967, The first master tape of The Beatles new album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was made. The song order on side one is different from the final product at this point, the last five songs on that side being initially ordered as follows: ‘Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite’, ‘Fixing a Hole’, ‘Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds’, ‘Getting Better’, and ‘She’s Leaving Home’. The Beatles had specified that there were to be no gaps between songs – a unique idea at the time.
1968, Cliff Richard sang ‘Congratulations’ the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest held at the Royal Albert Hall London, winning second place behind the entry from Spain.
1968, Pink Floyd announced founder Syd Barrett had officially left the group. Barrett was suffering from psychiatric disorders compounded by drug use.
1968, Simon and Garfunkel went to No.1 on the US album chart with the soundtrack of Mike Nichols’ movie The Graduate. The film boosted the profile of the folk-rock duo and on the strength of the hit single ‘Mrs. Robinson’, the soundtrack album rose to the top of the charts.
1968, The Beatles Apple Corps Ltd. record company, management and publishing firm, opened their offices in London.
1971, Carly Simon was introduced to James Taylor after her show at the Troubadour, Los Angeles. The couple married on 3rd November 1972.
1971, The Rolling Stones launched their own record label, ‘Rolling Stones Records’, with Atlantic Records, (after their recording contract with Decca Records expired). The first album to be released was Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka in 1971, and is widely credited with being the first world music LP.
1973, David Bowie released ‘Drive-In Saturday’ which became a Top 3 UK hit. The lyrics name-checked Mick Jagger (“When people stared in Jagger’s eyes and scored”), the model Twiggy (“She’d sigh like Twig the wonder kid”), and Carl Jung (“Jung the foreman prayed at work”).
1974, Swedish act Blue Swede went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Hooked On A Feeling’. The single didn’t chart in the UK.
1974, The California Jam 1 festival took place in Ontario, California, featuring The Eagles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Earth Wind and Fire, ELP, Black Oak Arkansas and Seals & Croft. Over 200,000 fans attended.
1979, Rod Stewart married actor George Hamilton’s ex-wife Alana Hamilton in Beverly Hills, California.
1985, UK singer, songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan won a lawsuit against his manager Gordon Mills for unpaid royalties and was awarded $2 million.
1985, Paul Young scored his second UK No.1 album with ‘The Secret Of Association.’
1987, Roger Waters’ lawyers issued a statement that Roger believed himself to be the creative driving force behind Pink Floyd and therefore he would contest the use of the name by anyone else and any former members of Pink Floyd.
1998, Wendy O. Williams former singer of The Plasmatics died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Williams was known for her wild stage theatrics which included blowing up equipment, near nudity and chain-sawing guitars. In January 1981 police in Milwaukee arrested her for simulating sex on stage, later that same year in Cleveland, Ohio Williams was acquitted of an obscenity charge for simulating sex on stage wearing only shaving cream.
1998, American country singer Tammy Wynette died aged 55. She scored 12 hit singles including ‘Stand By Your Man’, and sold over 30 million records world-wide, married five times and once filed for bankruptcy. Known as the first lady of country music. Wynette had the 1991 hit with The KLF ‘Justified and Ancient’ which became a No. 1 hit in eighteen countries.
1999, An all star tribute to singer, songwriter Johnny Cash took place in New York City with Sheryl Crow, Chris Isaak and U2 all performing for the TV special.
2000, An all-star tribute to Joni Mitchell was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City featuring performances by Elton John, Bryan Adams, Shawn Colvin, James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Richard Thompson, k.d. Lang, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
2000, Eighties pop star Steve Strange lead singer of Visage – was arrested after stealing a £10.99 Teletubbies doll in Bridgend, south Wales. He was given a suspended jail sentence after being caught on a shoplifting spree stealing cosmetics and clothes from High Street stores. Strange was already on bail for stealing a £15 ladies’ jacket from Marks and Spencer in Cardiff when he was arrested.
2003, White Stripes went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Elephant’, the duo’s second album.
2003, Linkin Park started a two week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Meteroa’ the bands first US and UK No.1 album.
2004, Guitarist and singer Niki Sullivan, died suddenly of a heart attack, at his home in Independence, Missouri aged 66. Sullivan was one of the three original members of Buddy Holly’s backing group, The Crickets. He co-wrote a number of his hit songs and sang back-up vocals on 27 of the 32 songs Buddy recorded over his brief career.
2006, Eminem filed for divorce from his wife Kim less than three months after the couple re-married. Eminem first married his high school sweetheart Kimberly Scott in 1999. He fantasised about her death in his 2000 hit ‘Kim’ and their first marriage ended the following year. The couple remarried on 14 January 2006. Eminem was seeking joint custody of their 10-year-old daughter Hailie Jade Scott.
2008, R.E.M. went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Accelerate’ the bands fourteenth studio album.
2009, PRS for Music announced that the money made by UK artists overseas increased by £20m ($29.45) in 2008, with British talent earning almost £140m ($206.23) in 2008. It said international tours by UK acts including The Police, Coldplay, Elton John and Iron Maiden had boosted income. Four of the top 10 bestselling albums globally were by British artists, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends was the bestselling album, with 6.8 million copies sold, while Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy was fourth with her debut album Rockferry, Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse were sixth and seventh respectively.
2016, American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler, Merle Haggard died of complications from pneumonia at his home in Palo Cedro, California. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band the Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the twang of Fender Telecaster and the unique mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound. Haggard scored over 10 US Country No.1 albums during his career.
(This Day in Music)
