December 13 Today in Music History

1940 Tony Gomez born in Sri Lanka. Organist/Keyboards with The Foundations, (1967 UK No.1 single ‘Baby Now That I’ve Found You’. 1969 US No.3 single ‘Build Me Up A Buttercup’.)
1944 Marti Webb – English Singer. She had a hit in 1980 with ‘Take That Look Off Your Face’.
1945 Robert Martinez, ? & The Mysterians, (1966 US No. 1 & UK No.37 single 96 Tears). UK No.17 hit for The Stranglers in 1990.
1948 Andy Peebles, UK radio DJ. The last person to interview John Lennon.
1948 Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter born in Washington D.C. US Musician Guitarist with The Doobie Brothers & Steely Dan, (1973 US No.11 single ‘Reeling In The Years’).
1948 Ted Nugent born in Detroit, Michigan. US Rock Guitarist/Vocalist with The Amboy Dukes, (1968 single, ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Mind’), solo, (1977 single ‘Cat Scratch Fever’), Damn Yankees, (1990 album ‘Damn Yankies’).
1949 Tom Verlaine, guitar, vocals, Television, (1977 single and album ‘Marquee Moon’).
1950 Ross Ryan born in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Australian Singer/Songwriter. The family moved to Mount Manypeaks near Albany in 1959 where they settled on a sheep farm of 3,000 acres (1,200 ha).[1] By the age of 13 years he was writing songs and learning guitar.
1950 Davy O’List, guitar, The Nice, (1968 UK No.21 single ‘America’), Roxy Music, (1972 UK No.4 single ‘Virginia Plain’ plus 15 other UK Top 40 singles).
1952 Berton Averre, The Knack, (1979 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘My Sharona’).
1954 John Anderson born in Orlando, Florida. US Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter. He had a hit single with ‘Swingin’ in 1983.
1954 Berton Averre born in Van Nuys, California. US Guitarist & Keyboard Player with the Knack.(1979 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘My Sharona’).
1955 Dickie Valentine was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Christmas Alphabet’, the first Christmas song to reach the No.1 position. It was the first Christmas No.1 that was actually about Christmas, a trend that would continue off and on over the next several decades.
1961 The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club, Liverpool playing two shows at lunchtime and then again at night. Decca Records’ Mike Smith attended the night performance with a view to offering The Beatles a recording contract.
1962 Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Return To Sender’, his 13th UK No.1. Elvis performed ‘Return To Sender’ in the film Girls! Girls! Girls!. The opening bars and backing on baritone saxophone was performed by Bobby Keys who later went on to work with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Harry Nilsson, George Harrison and Eric Clapton.
1963 Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs went to No.1 on the Australian Singles chart with ‘Sugar Shack & stayed there for 2 wks.
1966 Jimi Hendrix made his TV debut on ITV’s ‘Ready Steady Go!’ (Marc Bolan was also on the show). The Jimi Hendrix Experience also recorded ‘Foxy Lady’ on this day. The United States version of Are You Experienced listed the song with a spelling mistake as ‘Foxey Lady’ and this is how it is still known among many North American fans.
1967 Jamie Foxx, (born Eric Marlon Bishop). US actor, R&B singer and pianist, (2005 US No.1 and UK No.2 single ‘Gold Digger’ with Kanye West, 2006 US No.1 & UK No.9 album ‘Unpredictable’). Academy Award winner in 2005 for his performance of musician Ray Charles in Ray.
1969 “Backfield In Motion” by Mel & Tim peaked at #10 on the US singles chart.
1969 “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” by Stevie Wonder peaked at #7 on the US singles chart.
1969 Diana Ross took the Latino Casino in Philadelphia to court for $27,500 after her two pet dogs died after eating cyanide tablets left by an exterminator in her dressing room.
1969 Bob Dylan was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, on sale for 35 Cents (2/6).
1970 Dave Edmunds was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the 1955 Smiley Lewis hit ‘I Hear You Knocking.’ The Welsh singer, songwriter and producers only No.1 hit.
1970 Daniel Patrick, bass guitar, guitar and keyboards. Worked Nine Inch Nails, Tapeworm, Killing Joke, Methods of Mayhem.
1971 “Candles In The Rain” album by Melanie was certified Gold by the RIAA. Including ‘Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)’, ‘ What Have They Done To My Song Ma’, & ‘Alexander Beetle’.
1972 “I’m Stone In Love With You” single by Stylistics was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1973 Perry Como went to No.1 in the Australian Singles Chart with “For The Good Times’. It was at No.1 for 1 wk.
1974 Nick McCarthy, guitar, Franz Ferdinand, (winners of the 2004 Mercury Music Prize for their self-titled debut album).
1974 You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” single by Bachman-Turner Overdrive was certified Gold by the RIAA
1974 George Harrison became the first rock and roll artist to be invited to the White House. He had lunch with President Ford and was given a “WIN” button, which stood for “Whip Inflation Now!”, and Harrison gave the President an OM (Hindu mantra word expressing creation) button. The president’s son Jack had seen the Harison tour in Salt Lake City, went backstage and invited George to Washington (get it?).
1975 Tom Delonge, Blink 182, (2000 UK No.2 single ‘All The Small Things’ 2001 US No.1 album ‘Take Off Your…’).
1975 Chicago started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Chicago IX-Chicago’s Greatest Hits’, the group’s fifth No.1 album.
1975 “My Little Town” by Simon & Garfunkel peaked at #9 on the US singles chart.
1975 “Nights On Broadway” by Bee Gees peaked at #7 on the US singles chart.
1975 “Venus And Mars Rock Show” by Wings peaked at #12 on the US singles chart.
1976 “Hotel California” album by Eagles was certified Gold by the RIAA
1976 “Disco Duck” single by Rick Dees and His Cast Of Idiots was certified Platinum by the RIAA
1977 “Born Late” album by Shaun Cassidy was certified Platinum by the RIAA
1977 “I’m Glad You’re Here With Me Tonight” album by Neil Diamond was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Including ‘Desiree’.
1978 “Blondes Have More Fun” album by Rod Stewart was certified Gold by the RIAA. Including ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy’ & ‘Ain’t Love A Bitch’.
1978 The Village People went to No.1 in the Australian Singles Chart with ‘YMCA’. It was at No.1 for 6 wks.
1979 Simple Minds played the first of two nights at The Marquee in London, tickets £1.25. And down the road at the Hope & Anchor, Islington, Tenpole Tudor, tickets 75p.
1980 Kenny Roger’s Greatest Hits started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart.
1980 “Theme From The Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys)” by Waylon Jennings peaked at #21 on the US singles chart. Don’t laugh. This show was really big in those days.
1981 Amy Lynn Lee, vocals, Evanescence, (2003 UK No.1 & US No.5 single ‘Bring Me To Life’, 2003 UK No.1 & US No.3 album ‘Fallen’).
1981 “Raise!” album by Earth, Wind & Fire was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
1982 Anthoney Callea born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Australian singer-songwriter and stage actor of Italian descent (parents Santina and Cosmo) who rose to prominence after being the runner-up in the 2004 season of Australian Idol. Callea’s debut single “The Prayer” is the fastest-selling single by an Australian artist,[1] held the No.1 spot on the ARIA Singles Chart for five weeks, a record for the debut single of an Australian Idol contestant, and was the second-highest selling Australian single of the last decade.
1986 Bruce Hornsby & The Range went to No.1 on the US singles chart, with ‘The Way It Is’, a No.15 hit in the UK. Written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother John Hornsby, it made explicit reference to the American Civil Rights Movement. The song was heavily sampled by Tupac Shakur in his song, ‘Changes’ from 1998.
1989 American singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift. Her third single, ‘Our Song’, made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a No.1 song on the US country chart. She has sold over 26 million albums and 75 million digital single downloads worldwide.
1989 “Storm Front” album by Billy Joel was certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA. Including ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’, ‘I Go To Extremes’, ‘And So It Goes’ & ‘Shameless’.
1994 The Beautiful South kicked off a 5-date UK tour at London’s Brixton Academy.
1997 Children’s TV characters The Teletubbies went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Teletubbies Say-eh-oh’. The single spent a total of 32 weeks on the chart.
1999 Winners in the Smash Hits readers poll included, Backstreet Boys who wonBest band, best album & best single, Britney Spears won best female singer, Robbie Williams best male singer, S Club 7 won best new band and worst group went to the Spice Girls.
1999 Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder was ordered to pay £160,000 to his ex management team over a dispute in his contract. Ryder said he was so high after a ‘joint’ he didn’t bother to read the small print; the court was told the contract had ‘done his nut in’.
2000 It was announced that after 74 years the UK rock weekly Melody Maker was to close down. The Christmas edition would be the last one then it would merge with the NME creating a more sizeable broad-based magazine.
2000 Sir Paul McCartney held his first-ever London book signing at Waterstone’s in Piccadilly. Sir Paul was in the store to sign copies of his new book, Paul McCartney Paintings.
2002 Canadian guitarist and singer Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin Spoonful died of a heart attack. Was a member of The Mugwumps with Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot. Formed Lovin Spoonful with John Sebastian in 1964, they scored the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.8 single ‘Summer In The City’.
2002 UK music channel Music Choice analysed all the Christmas No.1 singles from the past 30 years and identified criteria for their success. These included the use of sleigh bells, children singing, church bells harmony and references to love. They concluded that Sir Cliff Richards 1988 hit ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ was the perfect Christmas hit.
2002 Zal Yanovsky died in Kingston, Ontario, Canada from a heart attack aged 57. He played lead guitar and sang for the Lovin’ Spoonful, a rock band which he founded with John Sebastian in 1964.
2002 David Sneddon an unemployed busker and former children’s TV presenter won a £1 million pound record deal after winning the BBC TV Fame Academy final. The singer songwriter from Glasgow went on to score a UK Number 1 with his debut single ‘Stop Living The
2003 Lauryn Hill launched a blistering attack on the Catholic church, urging religious figures to “repent” whilst speaking on a stage regularly used by the Pope. The former Fugees singer was playing at a Christmas show in Vatican City and took the opportunity to speak her mind about allegations of sexual abuse in America, before an audience that included top Vatican cardinals, bishops and the cream of Italian society.
2005 A cheque signed by John Lennon made out to the Inland Revenue sold for £2,000 at a UK auction. It was sold by former madam Lindi St Clair, (formerly known as Miss Whiplash), after she decided she had no use for it. Clair who now runs a duck farm in Herefordshire had bought the cheque for £4,000 in 1988. It was signed by Lennon on 23rd January 1968 on a District Bank Limited form and made out for £6,946.
2008 Dizzee Rascal was arrested in south-east London following an incident involving a baseball bat. The rapper allegedly approached another motorist with a baseball bat after a road rage incident. Rascal whose real name is Dylan Mills, was held on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon in Sevenoaks Way, Orpington.
2008 Alexandra Burke was voted the winner of The X Factor, beating four-piece group JLS into second place. The 20-year-old from Islington, London who made an unsuccessful bid to be in the contest three years ago sang with Beyonce, and performed her version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’.
2008 Kanye West went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘808s & Heartbreak’, his fourth studio album.
2012 A collection of love letters written by Mick Jagger to American singer Marsha Hunt sold at auction for £187,250. The letters were penned in the summer of 1969 while the Rolling Stones frontman was in Australia. They are believed to be the inspiration for the band’s hit single ‘Brown Sugar’.