January 17 – Today in Music History

1927 Eartha Kitt born in North, South Carolina. US female singer,(1955 UK No.7 single ‘Under The Bridges Of Paris,’ 1989 UK No.32 single with Bronski Beat, ‘Cha Cha Heels’). Kitt died from colon cancer on December 25 2008 at her Weston, Connecticut home at the age of 81.
1943 Chris Montez born (Ezekiel Christopher Montanez) in Los Angeles, California. US Singer, (1962 UK No.2 & US No.4 single ‘Let’s Dance’). 
1944 Francoise Hardy born inParis, France. French Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter.
1945 William Hart – US Singer with the The Delfonics, (1968 US No.4 & 1971 UK No.19 single ‘La-La Means I Love You’). 
1948 Mick Taylor born in Hetfordshire, england. English Guitaris/Musician with John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, joined The Rolling Stones, in 1969 left 12/12/74. (1971 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘Brown Sugar’). Also worked with Bob Dylan, Mike Oldfield, Jack Bruce and Ron Wood. 
1953 Sheila Hutchinson born in Chicago, IIIinois. Vocalist with The Emotions, (1977 US No.1 & UK No.4 single ‘Best Of My Love’). 
1953 American jazz singer Kay Starr (Katherine Starks) was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Comes A Long A Love’. Starr was born on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma; her father was a full-blooded American Indian and her mother Irish. 
1954 Cheryl Bentyne born in Mount Vernon, Washing. Vocalist with Manhattan Transfer, She joined in 1979. (1977 UK No.1 ‘Chanson D’amour’, 1981 US No.7 single ‘Boy From New York City’). 
1955 Steve Earle born in Fort Monroe, Virginia. US Singer/Songwriter/Poet/Author. (1988 UK No. 45 single ‘Copperhead Road’, Country and indepdent No.1 album ‘Trancendental Blues.’ Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Gretchen Peters, Shawn Colvin and Eddi Reader have all coverd hi
1956 Paul Young born in Bedshire, England. English Singer. (1983 UK No.1 single ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat, That’s My Home’, 1985 US No.1 single ‘Everytime You Go Away’. The Streetband, (1978 UK No.18 single ‘Toast.’ Singer with Q- Tips, soul covers band. 
1958 Jez Strode, bass, Kajagoogoo, (1983 UK No.1 single ‘Too Shy’). 
1959 Susanna Hoffs born in California. Vocalist/Guitarist with the all group The Bangles. (1986 UK No.2 single with Prince song ‘Manic Monday’, 1986 US No.1 single ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’). 
1960 John Crawford – US Bass Player/Songwriter with Berlin, (1986 UK & US No.1 single ‘Take My Breath Away’). 
1961 Dave Collard, keyboards, Jo Boxers, (1983 UK No.3 single ‘Boxer Beat’). 
1963 Andy Rourke, bass, The Smiths, (1984 UK No.10 single ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’, plus 15 other UK Top 40 singles). 
1963 The Beatles played at the Cavern Club at lunchtime and in the evening played at the Majestic Ballroom, Birkenhead. At the Majestic, every ticket had been sold in advance, leaving 500 disappointed fans waiting outside. 
1963 The Velvets appeared at The Marquee Club, London with the Cyril Davies All Stars. Bottom of the bill, The Rolling Stones. Tickets cost 4 shillings, ($0.56). 
1964 The Rolling Stones released their first EP, which included, ‘You Better Move On’, ‘Poison Ivy’, ‘Bye Bye Johnny’ and ‘Money’. It peaked at No.15 on the UK chart. 
1965 Rolling Stones recorded The Last time. It was the first Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition to become a single. The Song on the flipside featured record producer Phil Spector playing acoustic guitar. 
1965 Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts’ book, “Ode to a High Flying Bird,” a tribute to jazz great Charlie Parker, is published. Also, the same day the Stones record “The Last Time” and “Play with Fire.”
1965 Margaret Urlich born in NZ. NZ born Singer. 
1966 Shabba Ranks, singer, (1993 UK No.3 single ‘Mr Loverman’). 
1966 NBC-TV in the US bought The Monkees series, placing it on their 1966 autumn schedule. 
1967 The Daily Mail ran the story about a local council survey finding 4,000 holes in the road in Lancashire inspiring John Lennon’s contribution to The Beatles song ‘A Day In The Life’. 
1967 The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded a session for Radio Luxembourg’s Ready Steady Radio. The band ran up a bar bill of £2.5 shillings, ($6.21), which they were unable to pay. 
1969 “Lady Samantha”, one of the very first recordings by Reginald Kenneth Dwight (aka Elton John) was released in England on Philips Records. The song floundered, then bombed. The rock group, Three Dog Night, however, thought Elton’s tune was nifty and recorded it for an album. That happened two years before Elton became a major star in his own right.
1969 The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine LP was released in the U.S. and the U.K.
1969 Led Zeppelin I, the band’s debut album, was released in the US, coinciding with the band’s first headlining US concert tour. It was to peak at No. 10 in the US chart, and at No. 6 in the UK. The RIAA in the US has now certified it as having sold over 10 million copies in the US alone. 
1970 R&B singer Billy Stewart and three of his band were killed when the car they’re traveling in crashed off a bridge. Had the 1966 US No.10 single ‘Summertime’. 
1970 The Doors played the first of four shows at the Felt Forum in New York City. The shows were recorded for the bands forthcoming ‘Absolutely Live’ album. 
1970 “Jam Up Jelly Tight” by Tommy Roe peaked at #8 on the US singles chart.
1970 “Midnight Cowboy” by Ferrante & Teicher peaked at #10 on the US singles chart 
1971 Kid Rock, (Robert James Ritchie) born in Romeo, Michigan. American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper who had the 2000 US No.2 album ‘History Of Rock’ and the 2007 US No.1 album ‘Rock N Roll Jesus’ which featured the hit ‘All Summer Long’ charting at #1 in eight countries. 
1971 Jon Wysocki, drummer, Staind, (2001 US No.1 album, ‘Break The Cycle’, 2001 US No. 7 & UK No. 15 single ‘It’s Been A While’, 2005 US No.1 album’ Chapter V’). 
1972 “Stones” album by Neil Diamond was certified Gold by the RIAA. Including ‘I am I Said’, ‘Crunch Ganola Suite’ & ‘The Last Thing On My Mind’. 
1972 “Sunshine” single by Jonathan Edwards was certified Gold by the RIAA
1972 “Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy” album by The Who was certified Gold by the RIAA. It was a compilation album of singles.
1972 A section of Bellevue Boulevard in Memphis was renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. The remaining length of road kept its original name after protests from the Bellevue Baptist Church. 
1974 Dean Martin’s son Dino Martin was arrested after attempting to sell two AK-47 machine guns to an undercover agent. 
1975 Television and Blondie appeared at GBGB’s, New York City. 
1976 Barry Manilow scored his second US No.1 single with ‘I Write The Songs’, written by Beach Boy Bruce Johnson. 
1976 “Fox On The Run” by Sweet peaked at #5 on the US singles chart.
1976 “Over My Head” by Fleetwood Mac peaked at #20 on the US singles chart.
1976 Earth Wind and Fire started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Gratitude’. 
1976 “Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.)” by Glen Campbell peaked at #11 on the US singles chart.
1978 Ricky Wilson, vocals, Kaiser Chiefs, (2005 UK No.3 album ‘Employment’, 2005 UK No.6 single ‘Oh My God’, 2007 UK No.1 single ‘Ruby’). 
1978 “Hey Deanie” single by Shaun Cassidy was certified Gold by the RIAA
1981 Motley Crue formed when bass guitarist Nikki Sixx left the band London and began rehearsing with drummer Tommy Lee and vocalist, guitarist Greg Leon, (who later left). Sixx and Lee then added guitarist Bob “Mick Mars” Deal. Vince Neil accepted an offer to join (after turning them down) in April of this year. 
1981 “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” by The Police peaked at #10 on the US singles chart.
1982 Tommy Tucker died, aged 48, after being overcome by poisonous fumes while he was renovating the floors of his New York City home. Tucker wrote the 1964 US No.11 hit ‘Hi Heel Sneakers’. 
1984 Calvin Harris, singer-songwriter and producer. Has written and produced records for Kylie Minogue and Dizzee Rascal. Had the 2009 UK No.1 single ‘I’m Not Alone.’ 
1985 Meat Loaf kicked off a 16-date UK tour at The De Montfort Hall, Leicester. 
1987 Gregory Abbott went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Shake You Down’ a No.6 hit in the UK. 
1987 Kate Bush started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘The Whole Story’. 
1987 “C’est La Vie” by Robbie Nevil peaked at #2 on the US singles chart.
1987 “Is This Love” by Survivor peaked at #9 on the US singles chart.
1994 Donny Osmond took part in a charity boxing match held in Chicago against former Partridge Family member Danny Bonaduce, Donny lost 2-1. 
1998 All Saints scored their first UK No.1 single with ‘Never Ever’. The track spent a total of twenty-four weeks on the UK chart and was the first of five No.1 singles for the London based girl group. 
1998 Savage Garden started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Truly Madly Deeply’. 
1999 911 went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Dr Hook song ‘A Little Bit More’. 
1999 Fatboy Slim started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘You’ve Come A Long Way Baby’. 
2001 Appearing at Glasgow SECC, Scotland, The Offspring. Tickets £15.
2003 A long-lost recording featuring John Lennon and Mick Jagger was set to spark a biding war at a London auction. The acetate record was recorded in 1974 with Jagger singing the blues song ‘Too Many Cooks’ and Lennon playing guitar. The track had never been released because the two artists were both signed to different record companies. 
2003 Singer Lou Rawls was arrested at Albuquerque Airport, New Mexico after an incident with his companion, Nina Inman. Officers reported that she and Rawls had been talking about their relationship when the conversation escalated into a shoving match resulting in Rawls being booked on one count of battery on a household member. 
2008 The Police played the first nine dates in Australian and New Zealand at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, on their 152-date Reunion tour. 
2011 American music publisher, talent manager, and songwriter Don Kirshner who helped launch the careers of Neil Diamond, Bobby Darin, Carole King, Neil Sedaka, The Monkees, The Archies and Kansas, died of heart failure at the age of 76. Kirshner was hired by the producers of the Monkees to provide hit-worthy songs to accompany the television program and also served as a music consultant for almost two dozen TV series between 1966 and 1977. 
2014 Madonna apologised for using a racial slur to refer to her son on an Instagram post, after she uploaded a snapshot of 13-year-old Rocco Ritchie boxing with the offensive epithet used in a hashtag accompanying the photo. Madonna’s comment was swiftly deleted from her Instagram account after some of her 1.1 million followers berated her for using the hashtag “#disnigga” 
2016 English drummer Dale Griffin died aged 67. He was a founder member of Mott the Hoople best known for classic tracks ‘Roll Away The Stone’ and ‘All The Young Dudes’. The band who made eight albums during their five-and-a-half year existence, reformed to mark their 40th anniversary in 2009 – but Griffin was too ill to take part. Griffin also produced numerous BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions from 1981 to 1994 including the first professional recording session for Pulp in 1981. 
2016 American brass player Mic Gillette died of a heart attack. A child prodigy, Gillette picked up the trumpet and was reading music by age four. He was a member of soul band Tower of Power