On This Day In Music 21st November
1904 Coleman Hawkins, jazz tenor saxophonist, is born in Saint Joseph, Missouri.
1907 Buck Ram born born Samuel Ram in Chicago, Illinois, to Jewish parents. He was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger. He was one of BMI’s top five songwriters/air play in its first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Webb, and Paul McCartney.[citation needed He is best known for his long association with The Platters and also wrote, produced and arranged for the Penguins,[2] the Coasters, the Drifters, Ike and Tina Turner, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others. Ram died, aged 83, in Las Vegas, Nevada – January 1, 1991.
1933 Country singer Jean Shepard is born Ollie Imogene Shepard in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Her biggest hit was 1953’s “A Dear John Letter,” a duet with Ferlin Husky, which topped the country chart and peaked at #4 on the US pop chart.On September 25, 2016, Shepard died of Parkinson’s disease at the age of 82
1940 Dr John (Malcolm John Rebennack), is born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana. US R&B Pianist, Guitarist, Drummer, Singer & Songwriter, wrote ‘I Walk On Guilded Splinters’
1940 Ray Holderbrand born in Texas. US Singer. He was the Paul in the 60’s duo Paul & Paula (Jill Jackson).
1941 David Porter, singer-songwriter and producer, is born in Memphis, Tennessee. A prolific songwriter, he’s known for contributing to hits like Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin,” Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover,” and Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”
1941 Sax player Andrew Love (of The Memphis Horns) is born in Memphis, Tennessee. Contributed to the legendary horn sound on recordings by Stax Records performers like Otis Redding.I n 2002, Love was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease which forced his retirement the following year and his eventual death on the 12th April 2012, aged 70.
1943 Grahame bond born in Sydney, Australia. Australian Comedian & TV Presenter on Better Homes & Gardens. He played Aunty Jack in the ABC comedy program in the Aunty Jack Show.
1944 Ross D.Wylie born in Brisbane, Queensland. Australian Singer & TV Compere. He had two hits in 1969 – ‘Funny Man’ written by Ray Stevens & ‘The Star’ penned by Johnny Young.
1948 Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan born in San Diego, California). American singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion.(1973 US No.2 single ‘The Cisco Kid’, 1976 UK No.12 single ‘Low Rider’).
1948 John “Rabbit” Bundrick is born in Houston, Texas.American rock keyboardist, pianist and organist. He is best known for his work with the Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roger Waters, Free and Crawler. Bundrick is noted as the principal musician for the cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
1949 Randy “Randy Z” Zehringer born in Celina, Ohio. Drummer with the McCoys. Brother of Rick Derringer also from the McCoys.
1950 Singer-songwriter Livingston Taylor is born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a family that includes brother James Taylor. US singer, songwriter, 1978 US No. 30 single ‘I Will Be In Love With You’).
1950 Guitarist Gary Pihl (Boston) is born in Chicago, Illinois, but would later move to San Mateo, California. Gary Phili born in chicag, Iilinois. Lead Guitarist with Boston from 1985 to present.
1953 Tony Bennett’s “Rags To Riches” hits #1 in the USA.
1954 American singer and actress Rosemary Clooney was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘This Ole House.’ This song was also a No.1 for Shakin’ Stevens in 1981. Her nephew, George Clooney was a pallbearer at her funeral in 2002.
1955 Peter Koppes born in Canberra, Australian Capitol Territory. Guitarist, best known as a founding and almost-continuous member of Australian independent rock band The Church. He is a multi-instrumentalist, also playing mandolin, drums, piano, and harmonica. He has also released various solo albums and various recordings with his group The Well (1989-1995.)
1955 RCA Records purchased Elvis Presley’s recording contract from Sam Phillips at Sun Records for an unprecedented sum of $35,000. In September 1931, RCA Victor introduced the first 33⅓ rpm records sold to the public, and later in 1949, RCA Victor introduced the 7-inch 45 rpm fine-grooved vinyl record.
1955 Elvis Presley took his last unaccompanied walk in a city street.
1960 Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Stay’, the shortest ever US No.1 single at one minute 37 seconds. A No.14 hit in the UK in 1961.
1960 Ray Charles has four entries on the Billboard Hot 100: “Georgia On My Mind” (#5), “Ruby” (#51), “Hard Hearted Hannah” (#66), and “Come Rain Or Come Shine” (#95).
1960 The Beatles’ George Harrison, just 17, is deported from Hamburg, Germany, where the group has been performing at the Kaiserkeller club, back to his native England. Historians typically blame the club’s owner, Bruno Koschmider, who may have tipped the authorities to George’s age; The Beatles had broken his exclusive contract by playing in other venues, then returned to their rooms in one of his other venues and set it on fire in protest of being canned.
1962 Steven Curtis Chapman born in Nashville, Tennessee. American Christian music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.
1962 Elvis Presley’s 11th film, Girls! Girls! Girls!, opens in US theaters.
1965 Bjork Gudmundsdottir born in Iceland. Icelandic Singer with The Sugarcubes, (1992 UK No.17 single ‘Hit’), solo, (1995 UK No.4 single ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’, 1993 album ‘Debut’).
1965 Fiachna O’Braonain – UK Guitarist & Singer with Hothouse Flowers.
1967 Margret Ornolfsdottir, keyboards, The Sugarcubes from (1989–1992, 2006) (1992 UK No.17 single ‘Hit’).
1968 Alex James, bassist with Blur who scored the 1995 UK No.1 single ‘Country House’, plus over 12 other UK Top 40 singles. Their 1994 UK No.1 album ‘Parklife’ spent over 2 years on the UK chart. Also a member of Me Me Me, (with Stephen Duffy), who scored the 1996 UK No.19 single ‘Hanging Around’. James has become notable for his production of award-winning cheeses including ‘Alex James Presents’ – a range of British artisan cheeses – ‘Good Queen Maude’, ‘Blue Monday’, ‘Little Wallop’, ‘Farleigh Wallop’, and most recently ‘Goddess.’
1968 The Beatles released the two-record set known as The White Album in the UK, US and Australia.
1969 Marc Bolan & Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England.
1970 Francis Macdonald, drummer, Teenage Fanclub, (1992 UK No.31 single ‘What You Do To Me’) The Pastels.
1970 The Partridge Family started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Think I Love You’. The song was featured in the first episode of the Partridge Family TV series, made by the same company that made The Monkees.
1970 Two months after his death Jimi Hendrix was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’ the closing track on Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. This was the guitarist’s only UK No.1 single. Hendrix’s solo on the track was named the 11th greatest solo of all-time in Guitar World’s 100 Greatest Guitar Solos.
1971 Elton John kicked off a 13-date UK tour at The Coventry Theatre, promoting his new album Madman Across The Water. The album cover for Madman Across the Water was embroidered over two weeks by Janis Larkham, wife of the album art director David Larkham. She used the back of an old Levi’s jacket, and the original was gifted to John.
1974 Kelsi Osborn (of SheDaisy) is born in Magna, Utah.
1974 Wilson Pickett was arrested in New York City for possession of a dangerous weapon after he pulled a gun during an argument.
1974 Marty Balin, who has vowed to never return to the band, reunites with Jefferson Airplane, now known as Jefferson Starship, at a show at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. He would join the band for their next album, Red Octopus.
1975 At the start of Elton John week in Los Angeles, the singer received a Star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame.
1975 Appearing at Barbarella’s, Birmingham, England, George McCrae.
1975 Elton John is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in conjunction with an “Elton John Week” being declared in Los Angeles.
1975 In the UK, Queen release their fourth album, A Night At The Opera, containing the hits “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “You’re My Best Friend.” The album is issued in America on December 2.
1976 Appearing at The Nashville, London, The Stranglers supported by Chelsea, (this was Billy Idol’s last gig with Chelsea).
1977 Myles Heskett – Australian Drummer with Wolfmother.
1979 Dr Hook were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman.’
1980 Don Henley was arrested after a naked 16-year old girl was found at his home in Los Angeles suffering from a drug over-dose, he received a $2,000 fine with two years probation.
1980 Steely Dan releases Gaucho. The album is meticulously produced and features contributions from Rick Derringer and Mark Knopfler.
1981 Olivia Newton John started a ten week run at No.1 in the US singles chart with ‘Physical’, the singers fourth US No.1 went on to sell over 2 million copies, a No.7 hit in the UK.
1981 Queen and David Bowie were at No.1 in the UK with ‘Under Pressure, (they recorded the song together after a chance meeting in a German recording studio).
1982 Joni Mitchell married her bassist and producer Larry Klein in Malibu.
1983 Michael Jackson’s 14-minute video for Thriller was premiered in Los Angeles. Directed by John Landis and co-starring former Playboy centerfold Ola Ray. The video (like the song) contains a spoken word performance by horror film veteran Vincent Price. The video was filmed at the Palace Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, the zombie dance sequence at the junction of Union Pacific Avenue and South Calzona Street in East Los Angeles and the final house scene in the Angeleno Heights neighborhood at 1345 Carroll Avenue.
1985 Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress, Carly Rae Jepsen. Her 2012 single ‘Call Me Maybe’ reached No.1 in 18 countries and culminating as the year’s best-selling single globally.
1986 Switched-On Bach, an album of Moog synthesizer interpretations of classical compositions, becomes just the second classical album certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album was released in 1969 by Walter Carlos, who in the late ’70s switched gender, becoming Wendy Carlos.
1987 Billy Idol knocked Tiffany from the No.1 single position on the US singles chart with his version of Tommy James ‘ Mony Mony’. Tiffany had been at No.1 with another Tommy James song ‘ I Think We’re Alone Now.’
1987 T’Pau went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their debut LP ‘Bridge Of Spies’
1987 George Harrison has the #2 UK hit with “Got My Mind Set On You,” while Paul McCartney’s All The Best is #2 on the Albums chart. Keeping these Beatles at bay is T’Pau, whose album Bridge of Spies and single “China In Your Hand” hold the top spots.
1987 Nina Simone, who hasn’t charted in the UK since 1969, hits #5 with the re-release of her 1958 song “My Baby Just Cares For Me” thanks to its use in TV commercials for Chanel No. 5 perfume.
1988 Former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page set out on his first ever-solo tour at The Hummingbird, Birmingham, appearing with John Miles and Jason Bonham.
1990 Madonna was sued by her next for having a hedge, which blocked his view.
1991 After a decade-long relationship, Mick Jagger marries model/actress Jerry Hall in a six-hour ceremony on the island of Bali. Eight years later, almost to the day, their marriage would be annulled after a judge rules the couple were never registered with authorities (and after Hall learns that Jagger is the father of someone else’s child)
1991 An animated Aerosmith perform “Walk This Way” on the “Flaming Moe’s” episode of The Simpsons. The band is one of the first musical guests on the show.
1992 Charles and Eddie Charles and Eddie were at No.1 in the UK singles chart with ‘Would I Lie To You’.
1992 Cher went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her ‘Greatest Hits 1965
1992 Michael Bolton went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Timeless, (The Classics).
1995 Matthew Ashman, former Adam And The Ants and Bow Wow Wow guitarist died from complications caused by diabetes.
1995 Leggendary manager of Led Zeppelin Peter Grant, died from a heart attack. Also worked with Chuck Berry,The Animals and Jeff Beck.
1995 The Beatles first new song in 25 years, Free As A Bird, was released.
1995 The Beatles Anthology 1 was released in the US, featuring 60 tracks including the single ‘Free As A Bird’.
1995 Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day is arrested for mooning the audience during a show in Milwaukee. He pays a $141.50 fine for indecent exposure.
1999 Celine Dion went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘All The Way…A Decade Of Songs’, her fourth UK No.1 album.
1999 Wamdue Project The Wamdue Project went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘King Of The Castle’. First released in 1998 when it made No.121 on the chart selling just 350 copies in the first week of release.
2000 Jonathan Shalit the former manager of singing prodigy Charlotte Church went to court claiming he was owed £5m of the singers £10m estate. Shalit who discovered the teenage soprano had been sacked as her manager.
2000 Backstreet Boysrelease their fourth album, Black & Blue. Catering to the screaming teenage girl demographic, they promote it with an appearance on MTV’s Total Request Live. The album is one of biggest debuts in history, with initial shipments of about 6 million.
2001 UK pop mogul Jonathan King was jailed for seven years for sex attacks on five boys. King was found guilty of six offences of indecent assault, buggery and attempted buggery against five youth’s aged 14 and 16 between 1983 and 1989.
2002 Hadda Brooks, known for the ’40s R&B hit “Out of the Blue,” dies following open-heart surgery at age 86.
2003 An acoustic guitar on which the late Beatle George Harrison learned to play fetched £276,000 at a London auction. His father originally bought the Egmond guitar for Harrison for £3.50. Another item auctioned was a signed invitation to the post-premiere celebrations for The Beatles Hard Days Night film, which went for £17,250.
2003 Record producer Phil Spector appeared before a California court and was formally charged with murder. B- B-movie actress Lana Clarkson had been found at his mansion in February of this year with a fatal gunshot wound to her face. Spector pleaded not guilt
2003 Pop singer-songwriter Teddy Randazzo, who penned hits for Little Anthony & the Imperials, dies at age 68
2004 Girls Aloud started a two week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Pretenders ‘I’ll Stand By You.’
2004 Eminem was at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Encore’, his third US No.1 album. Girls Aloud started a two week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Pretenders ‘I’ll Stand By You.’ This was 2004’s single for the Children In Need appeal with its proceeds going towards the charity.
2006 Black Eyed Peas take home three awards at the 2006 American Music Awards, held at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium and broadcast live on ABC. The Peas, which accept the awards via satellite from Costa Rica, are named favorite group in the soul/R&B and rap/hip-hop categories, and pick up honors for favorite album (Monkey Business) in the rap/hip-hop genre.
2007 The Red Hot Chili Peppers were suing a US network over the name of its TV show, Californication saying the title was “immediately associated in the mind of the consumer” with its 1999 album and single release. The band filed a lawsuit against Showtime Network – the makers of the TV show, which featured David Duchovny as a writer going through a mid-life crisis. “For some TV show to come along and steal our identity is not right,” said the band’s singer, Anthony Kiedis. He described Californication as “the signature CD, video and song of the band’s career”.
2008 Bruce Springsteen’s title track from his forthcoming Working On A Dreamalbum hits radio.
2009 Pete Doherty was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug, moments after escaping a prison sentence at a court-hearing. The Babyshambles singer allegedly dropped a wrap of ‘little blue crystals’ when he was being frisked by security as he entered the court.
2012 Stone Roses guitarist John Squire’s art studio burnt down at his home in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, after it caught fire. Two paintings from Squire’s recent Celebrity series were lost but no other works were in the studio at the time.
2014 David Guetta releases Listen, his sixth studio album.
2017 American actor, singer, songwriter, and guitarist David Cassidy died of liver failure aged 67.