January 19 – Today in Music History

1935 Johnny O’Keefe born in Sydney, NSW. Australia’s ‘King of rock & roll’, died 6/10/78. Co- wrote and had the 1958 Australian hit with, ‘Real Wild Child’, covered by Iggy Pop in 1986. 
1939 Phil Everly born in Chicago, IIIinois. US Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter with The Everly Brothers. Died on January 3, 2014, complications attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1958 UK & US No.1 single ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’ plus over 25 other Top 40 hits). 
1942 Michael Crawford born in Salisbury, Wiltshire. UK actor, singer, (1987 UK No.7 single ‘The Music Of The Night’). 
1943 Janis Joplin born in Port Arthur, Texas. US Singer. She Died 4/10/70 after an accidental heroin overdose. (1971 US No.1 single ‘Me And Bobby McGee’ 1971 US No.1 album ‘Pearl’). 
1944 Shelly Fabares (Michelle Fabares) born in Santa Monica, California. US Actress/Singer. 
1944 Laurie London Bethnal Green, East London. Child star, who at the age of 13 had the 1958 US No.1 & UK No. 12 single ‘He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands’. 
1945 Rod Evans born in Slough, England. UK Singer/Songwriter and founder member of Deep Purple. He left in 1970. 
1946 Dolly Parton born in Sevierville, Tennessee. US singer, songwriter, actress, (1976 UK No.7 single ‘Jolene’, 1981 US No.1 single ‘9 to 5’, wrote ‘I Will Always Love You’ UK & US No.1 for Whitney Houston). 
1948 Harvey Hinsley born in Mitchum, England. Guitarist with Hot Chocolate, (1977 UK NO.1 & US No.3 single ‘So You Win Again’, plus over 25 other Top 40 hits). 
1949 Robert Palmer born in Yorkshire, England. UK Singer/Songwriter, died 25/9/2003 aged 54. Vinegar Joe and solo, (1986 US No.1 & UK No.5 single ‘Addicted To Love’). Also a member of Power Station. 
1950 Francis Buchholz born in Hannover, Germany. German Bass Player with The Scorpions, (1991 UK No.2 single ‘Wind Of Change’). 
1951 Dewey Bunell born in Yorkshire,England. US Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter with America. (1972 US No.1 & UK No.3 ‘Horse With No Name’). 
1951 Martha Davis born in Kerkeley, California. Vocalist for The Motels. 
1952 Eric Leeds, American jazz and funk musician, saxophone and other woodwind and brass instruments. Best known for his work with Prince. Played on The Black Album, Lovesexy and Batman albums. 
1953 Michael Boddicker American film composer and session musician. Played synthesizer on Michael Jackson’s albums, Thriller, Bad and Dangerous. 
1957 Michael “Mickey” Virtue – UK Keyboard Player with UB40, (1983 UK No.1 & 1988 US No.1 single ‘Red Red Wine’ and over 30 other UK Top 40 hits). 
1959 The Platters ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’, started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart. 
1963 Caron Wheeler born in London, England. US Singer with Soul II Soul, (1989 UK No.1 single ‘Back To Life’). 
1963 The Beatles made their first national TV appearance in the UK on ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars’ performing ‘Please Please Me’. 
1967 Pink Floyd and Marmalade played at The Marquee Club, London, England. Marmalade went on to score a #1 UK hit with their version of The Beatles’ Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da in 1968. 
1967 The Monkees were at No.1 on the UK singles with ‘I’m A Believer’, the group’s only UK No.1. 
1967 The Beatles began recording ‘A Day In The Life’ at Abbey Road studios London, recording four takes of the new song. 
1969 Trey Lorenz, US singer, sang on Mariah Carey’s 1992 UK No.2 & US No 1 version of the Jackson Five hit ‘I’ll Be There’. 
1971 Tracks from The Beatles White Album (including ‘Helter Skelter), were played in the courtroom at the Sharon Tate murder trial to find out if any songs could have influenced Charles Manson and his followers to commit murder. Actress Sharon Tate who was married to film director Roman Polanski, was eight and a half months pregnant when she was murdered in her home, along with four others, by followers of Charles Manson. 
1974 Al Wilson went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Show And Tell’. 
1974 Black Oak Arkansas appeared at Kent State University, Kent Ohio. Support act was Bruce Springsteen. Tickets cost $4.00 
1978 Johnny Rotten was fired from The Sex Pistols for ‘not being weird enough anymore.’ 
1978 John Parker, double bass, human beatbox, vocals, Nizlopi, (2005 UK No.1 single ‘JCB Song’). 
1980 Brass In Pocket’ gave The Pretenders their first UK No.1 single. The bands self-titled debut album started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK chart also on this day. 
1980 Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ started a 15-week run at No.1 on the US album chart. The group’s third US No.1, it went on to sell over 23 million copies in the US alone. ‘The Wall’ is still the third largest grossing album in the US, behind Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ and Eagles’ ‘Greatest Hits’.
1981 The Swingers hit ‘Counting The Beat’ was released. 
1983 Don Costa – US Songwriter & orchestra leader died on this day. Born 10th June, 1925.
1984 Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton went to No.1 in the Australian Singles Chart with ‘Islands In The Stream’. Staying at the top spot for 3wks. 
1985 Alison Moyet went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her debut solo album Alf. Including ‘Love Resurrection’, ‘Honey For The Bees’, ‘Invisible’ & ‘All Cried Out’. 
1988 Bon Jovi’s and Mötley Crüe manager Doc McGheep pleaded guilty to importing more than 40,000lb of marijuana into the US from Colombia via a shrimp boat. McGhee received a five-year suspended prison sentence, a fine of $15,000, and was ordered to set up an anti-drugs foundation. 
1990 Singer Mel Appleby died of Pneumonia aged 23 following treatment for spinal cancer. Had been one half of the duo Mel and Kim. Appleby initially worked as a glamour model, (in 1987 she did a photo shoot for Mayfair). Mel & Kim had the 1997 UK No.1 ‘Respectable’. 
1998 Bon Jovi’s and Motley Crue’s manager Doc McGheep pleaded guilty to importing more than 40,000lb of marijuana into the US. 
1991 Enigma went to No.1 for one week on the UK singles chart with ‘Sadness Part One’. 
1991 Janet Jackson went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Love Will Never Do’, her 5th US No.1, a No.31 hit in the UK. 
1993 Fleetwood Mac re-formed to perform at Bill Clinton’s inauguration. The band’s “Don’t Stop” was used as the theme for his campaign. 
1997 Madonna won the Best Actress award for her role in Evita at the Golden Globe Awards. 
1998 Joey Ramone from The Ramones was admitted to hospital in New York suffering from a blood related illness. 
1998 American Rockabilly singer, songwriter Carl Perkins died aged 65 from throat cancer. He wrote the classic rock & roll song ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, the first record by a Sun label to sell a million copies. 
2000 Tourism chiefs in Liverpool were banned from putting up motorway signs saying ‘Liverpool, the Birthplace Of The Beatles’, because the Highways Agency thought the signs would distract motorists. 
2001 It was reported that Paul McCartney was set to become the world’s first pop star billionaire. McCartney was said to be worth £725 million ($1,233) and was expected to become a billionaire after huge sales from The Beatles compilation hits album. 
2003 UK TV’s Fame Academy winner David Sneddon started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Stop Living The Lie’. Sneddon was a busker before he got on the show as a late replacement.
2003 Norah Jones started a three week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Come Away With Me’, also a UK No.1. 
2006 American soul singer, Wilson Pickett died in hospital near his Ashburn, Virginia home of a heart attack aged 64. Pickett recorded the soul classics ‘Mustang Sally’, ‘Everybody Needs Somebody to Love’ and ‘In The Midnight Hour’ plus Pickett scored 15 other US Top 40 singles. 
2007 Canadian singer songwriter and former Mamas and the Papas singer Denny Doherty died at the age of 66. He died at his home near Toronto, Canada after a short illness. The group scored the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘Monday Monday.’ 
2008 Singer songwriter John Stewart, who wrote the Monkees hit Daydream Believer died aged 68 after he suffered a massive stroke or brain aneurysm in San Diego. Stewart was a member of folk group The Kingston Trio and went on to record more than 45 solo albums with his biggest solo success being a US top five single, ‘Gold’, in 1979. 
2014 Bruce Springsteen scored his 10th UK No.1 album with High Hopes, putting him ahead of the likes of Abba, David Bowie and Michael Jackson. The achievement puts him on level pegging with The Rolling Stones and U2, who also have 10 UK No.1’s. The Beatles lead the way, with 15, followed by Madonna on 12, while Elvis Presley and Robbie Williams both had 11 each. 
2017 The former business manager of Alanis Morissette has admitted stealing over $7m (£5.7m) from the singer and other celebrities. Jonathan Schwartz was charged with fraud over claims he transferred the singer’s money into his own accounts. When initially confronted about the theft, Mr Schwartz lied and said he had invested the money in an illegal marijuana growing business.