November 27 – Today in Music History

1935 Al Jackson born in Memphis, Tennessee. US Drummer/Songwriter with Booker T and the MG’s. (1962 US No.3 single ‘Green Onions’, 1969 UK No.4 single ‘Time Is Tight’. Shot dead by burglars at his home 1st October 1975.
1941 Eddie Rabbitt (Edward Thomas Rabbitt) born in New York. US Singer/Songwriter, (1981 US No.1 & UK No.53 singles ‘I Love A Rainy Night’. Elvis, Dr Hook and Tom Jones all recorded his songs. He died of cancer on 7th May 1998.
1942 Jimi Hendrix (James Hendrix) born in Seattle, Washington. US Rock Guitarist/Vocalist. (1967 UK No.6 single ‘Hey Joe’, 1970 UK No.1 single ‘Voodoo Chile’, 1968 US No.1 & UK No.6 album ‘Electric Ladyland’). Hendrix who is widely considered to be the greatest guitarist in musical history made appearances at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival. Hendrix died on 18th September 1970 after choking on his own vomit.
1944 Dave Winthrop born in New Jersey. Saxophone player with Supertramp, (1979 US No.6 & UK No.7 single ‘The Logical Song’ 1974 album ‘Crime Of The Century’).
1944 Dozy (Trevor Leonard Davies) born in Enford, Wiltshire. UK Bassist with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, (1968 UK No.1 single ‘Legend Of Xanadu’). He died 13 January 2015.
1945 Randy Brecker born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Trumpet/Fugelhorn with Blood Sweat & Tears, (1969 US No.12 & UK No.35 single ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’).
1956 Simon John Binks born in Mt. Eliza, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Australian rock musician who was a guitarist and singer-songwriter for Australian Crawl from founding in 1978 to disbanding in 1986.
1959 Charles Burchill – UK Guitarist/Vocalist with Simple Minds, (1985 US No.1 single ‘Don’t You, Forget About Me’, 1989 UK No.1 single ‘Belfast Child’, plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles).
1960 Ashley Ingram, Imagination, (1982 UK No.2 single ‘Just An Illusion’).
1961 “Crazy” by Patsy Cline peaked at #9 on the pop singles chart.
1961 “Heartaches” by The Marcels peaked at #7 on the US singles chart.
1962 Charlie Benante, Anthrax, (1991 UK No.16 single ‘Got The Time’).
1962 Mike Bordin – Drummer with Faith No More, (1993 UK No.3 and US No.4 single ‘I’m Easy’).
1965 Fiachna Ó Braonáin born in Dublin, Ireland. Plays the guitar and sings vocals with the Irish band Hothouse Flowers.
1965 Wallis Buchannan, Jamiroquai, (1996 UK No.3 single ‘Virtual Insanity’).
1965 Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Whipped Cream & Other Delights’. Inlcuding ‘A Tatste Of Honey’ & ‘Lemon Tree’.
1965 “Taste Of Honey” by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass peaked at #7 on theUS singles chart; Allan Sherman parodied it into “A Waste Of Money”.
1966 The New Vaudeville Band were at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Winchester Cathedral’, it made No.4 in the UK. Composer Geoff Stephens sings the song through a megaphone, giving it a 1930s vaudeville style.
1967 “Along Comes The Association” album by The Association was certified Gold by the RIAA
1967 In 1967, “Never My Love” single by The Association was certified Gold by the RIAA
1967 US single release: `Hello, Goodbye’/`I Am The Walrus’. US LP release: `Magical Mystery Tour’.
1967 the Beatles’ album, “Magical Mystery Tour,” was released in the U.S. by Capitol Records where it hits number one. It was released in the U.K. eleven days later as an extended play disc, without three singles. One side contains the songs from the movie of the same name, (“I Am the Walrus,” “Fool on the Hill,” “Blue Jay Way,” & “Your Mother Should Know”) The other side features singles previously unavailable on a long player (“Penny Lane,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Hello Goodbye,” “Baby You’re A Rich Man,” & “All You Need Is Love”). On December 8, EMI will release a double-EP containing only the songs from the film. Both the American LP and the British EP are big sellers, the film however, is not.
1968 Steppenwolf’s eponymous first album, which includes its biggest hits, “Born to Be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride,” is certified gold by the RIAA.
1968 “Honey” album by Bobby Goldsboro was certified Gold by the RIAA
1970 The Mike Crub Congregation went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with ‘Burning Bridges’. Staying at No.1 for 2 wks in a row.
1971 Terry Corso, guitarist, Alien Ant Farm, (2001 Australian No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘Smooth Criminal’).
1971 “Baby I’m-A-Want You” by Bread peaked at #3 on the US singles chart.
1971 “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin peaked at #9 on the US singles chart.
1973 Twista, (a.k.a Tung Twista, born Carl Terrell Mitchell), US rapper known for being the fastest in the world at rap delivery at one time. (2004 US No.1 album ‘Kamikaze’ 2004, US No.1 single ‘Slow Jamz’).
1973 Hank Snow’s guitarist Jimmy Widener was shot dead, his body was dumped in an alley.
1973 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Top of the World,” Carpenters. Richard Carpenter writes the song with John Bettis, who also writes the lyrics for such Carpenter hits as “Goodbye to Love” and “Yesterday Once More.”
1973 “Behind Closed Doors” album by Charlie Rich was certified Gold by the RIAA
1974 “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” album by Helen Reddy was certified Gold by the RIAA
1974 “Miles Of Aisles” album by Joni Mitchell was certified Gold by the RIAA
1974 Carl Douglas’ “Kung Fu Fighting” hit gold status on this date
1976 20 Golden Greats’ by Glen Campbell started a six- week run at No.1 on the UK album chart.
1976 Rod Stewart played the first night of a UK tour at Manchester’s Belle Vue Kings Hall.
1976 “Just To Be Close To You” by Commodores peaked at #7 on the pop singles chart.
1976 “The Best Disco In Town” by The Ritchie Family peaked at #17 on the pop singles chart.
1977 the film “Saturday Night Fever” opened in U.S. theaters and made a superstar of John Travolta, the former star of TV’s “Welcome Back, Kotter.” The film’s soundtrack album, by the Bee Gees and others, sold more than 11 million copies.
1978 Mike Skinner, singer, songwriter, aka The Streets, (2004 UK No.1 album ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’).
1981 The British Phonographic industry placed advertisements in the press claiming that ‘home taping was wiping out music’. The Boomtown Rats, 10CC, Elton John and Cliff Richard all backed the campaign.
1982 “Gloria” by Laura Branigan peaked at #2 on the US singles chart.
1982 “I’m So Excited” by Pointer Sisters peaked at #30 on the US singles chart.
1982 Lionel Richie was No.1 in the US with ‘Truly’. Richie achieved a No.1 each year from 78-86 as a writer, ‘Three Times A Lady’, ‘Still’, ‘Lady (Kenny Rodgers), ‘Endless Love’, (Diana Ross), ‘All Night Long’, ‘Hello’ ‘Say ‘You Say Me and as co-writer of ‘We
1982 Abba ‘The Singles The First Ten Years’ went to No.1 on the UK album chart giving Abba their 8th UK No.1 album.
1985 Midnight Oil went to No.1 on the Australian singles chart with ‘Species Deceases (EP) Staying at No.1 for 8 wks in a row.
1986 Bon Jovi Bon Jovi were at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’, it made No.14 in the UK.
1989 “Still Cruisin'” album by The Beach Boys was certified Gold by the RIAA
1997 A disturbed rock fan brought the funeral of Michael Hutchence to a standstill when he tried to launch himself from a 20 ft high balcony with a cord around his neck. He was removed by police and taken away to a psychiatric unit.
1997 Reba McEntire joins the Dallas Cowboys at the team’s Thanksgiving Day Game to benefit the Salvation Army. McEntire debuts her single “What If” for the annual fund-raising drive. Proceeds from the song’s release go to the Salvation Army.
2001 Elvis Presley was inducted into The Gospel Association Hall Of Fame.
2003 Figures released by The Rolling Stones showed that the band had grossed £175m from their 2002 ’40 Licks World Tour.’ The report also showed they had made over $1billion from 1989-2002 from royalties, album sales and tour revenue.
2004 UK music weekly the NME featured a ‘Cool List’, the top ten was: 10, Ana Matronic from Scissor Sisters, 9, Martin Tomlinson from Selfish Cunt, 8, Brandon Flowers from The Killers, 7, Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke, 6, Morrissey, 5, Nick McCarthy from Franz Ferdinand, 4, Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell, 3, Eminem, 2, Mike Skinner, The Streets and two people were at No.1, Pete Doherty from Babyshambles and Carl Barat from The Libertines.
2005 Multimillionaire defence contractor David H. Brooks booked New York’s Rainbow Rooms and his daughter Elizabeth’s favourite acts for her ‘bat mitzvah’ coming-of-age celebration. The stars who appeared included 50 Cent, Tom Petty, Aerosmith, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Stevie Nicks. 50 Cent who was paid $500,000 to appear performed only four songs but he did manage to work in the lyric, “Go shorty, it’s your bat miztvah, we gonna party like it’s your bat mitzvah”. The party cost an estimated $10 million, including the price of corporate jets to ferry the performers to and from the venue.
2005 Tony Meehan drummer with The Shadows died aged 62 from head injuries sustained in a fall at his London flat in Maida Vale. Had the 1963 UK No.1 single ‘Foot Tapper’ plus 28 other UK Top 40 singles. Left The Shadows in 1961 to work as a session drummer with Joe Meek. Also had the UK No.1 hit ‘Diamonds’ with Jet Harris.
2005 Joe Jones died from complications from quadruple bypass surgery aged 79. He was an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger, who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jones is also generally credited with discovering the Dixie Cups. He also worked with B.B. King. As a singer, Jones had his greatest hit in the form of the Top Five 1960 R&B hit “You Talk Too Much”, which also reached #3 on the pop chart.
2006 Tony Silvester – vocalist with Main Ingredient died after a six-year struggle with Mutiple Myeloma, at the age of 65.
2006 Sir Cliff Richard lost a battle to extend the number of years that musicians could receive royalties for their records. Richard wanted copyright to last 95 years, rather than the present 50 years, but an independent review recommend the terms would not change. Sir Cliff’s earliest big hit ‘Move It’, recorded in 1958 would start to come out of copyright in 2008.
2014 Taylor Swift was at No.1 on the US album chart with her fifth studio album 1989. The total US sales figure from the debut week of 1989 was the highest of any album since 2002 and 1989 became the best-selling album of 2014 in the US. The album has now sold over 9 million copies worldwide.