On This Day In Music 9th April
1932 Carl Perkins born in Tiptonville, Tennessee. US Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist (died 19/1/98 aged 65), 1956 US No.2 & UK No.10 single ‘Blue Suede Shoes’).
1944 Gene Parsons born in Los Angeles, California. US Drummer, Guitarist, Bassist & Singer. He joined The Byrds in Nov 1968.
1946 Les Gray born in Surrey, England. UK Lead Singer with Mud. died from throat cancer 21/2/04 aged 57, (1974 UK No.1 single ‘Tiger Feet’ plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles’).
1948 Phillip Wright born in St. Ann’s,Nottingham, England. Lead Singer/Drummer with Paper Lace formed in 1969. (1974 UK No.1 single ‘Billy Don’t Be A Hero’, 1974 US No.1 single ‘The Night Chicago Died’).
1956 Gene Vincent recorded the classic rock ‘n roll song ‘Bebop-A-Lula.
1957 Jamie Redfern born in London, England. Australian Singer who was one of the originals of Young Talent Time in 1971.
1961 Mark Kelly born in Dublin, Ireland. UK Keyboard Player with Marillion, (1985 UK No.2 single ‘Kayleigh’) he moved to England with his parents in 1969
1963 The Beatles appeared live on the ITV show Tuesday Rendezvous, miming ‘From Me to You’ and ‘Please Please Me’ (during the closing credits). In the evening The Beatles played live at the Gaumont State Cinema, Kilburn, London.
1965 The Rolling Stones made their live TV debut on UK TV show ‘Ready Steady Go!
1966 Blue Turns To Grey’, a song written by Jagger and Richards gave Cliff Richard a No.15 UK hit.
1966 Yardbirds Jeff Beck collapsed on stage during a Yardbirds gig in Marseilles, France.
1966 The Righteous Brothers started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘You’re My Soul And Inspiration’, a No.15 hit in the UK.
1966 “Daydream” by The Lovin’ Spoonful peaked at #2 on the US singles chart.
1967 The Doors and The Jefferson Airplane appeared at Cheetah, Santa Monica Pier, Venice, California. This was the largest show The Doors had played to date with a crowd of over 3,000
1973 Newly signed to EMI Records, Queen played a showcase gig for their new record label at the Marquee Club, London.
1974 Terry Jacks was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Seasons In The Sun.’ Jacks became the first Canadian to score a No.1 since Paul Anka in 1957. The song (written in French by Belgian, Jacques Brel), had English lyrics by poet Rod McKuen.
1976 American folk singer songwriter Phil Ochs, hung himself at his sister’s home in Queens, New York. Wrote ‘There But A Fortune’, a hit for Joan Baez.
1977 Gerard Way, vocals, My Chemical Romance, (2006 UK No.1 single ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, 2006 US No.2 album ‘The Black Parade’).
1977 Abba went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Dancing Queen’, the group’s 7th US Top 40 hit and first No.1. The song was also a No.1 in the UK in 1976 and 12 other countries.
1978 Rachel Stevens born in Southgate, London, England. Vocalsist with S Club 7, (1999 UK No.1 single ‘Bring It All Back’), 2000 UK No.1 album ‘7’ spent over a year on the UK chart. Solo (2003 UK No.2 single ‘Sweet Dreams My LA Ex’).
1979 Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” wins a Best Original Song Score Oscar. Giorgio Moroder wins a Best Original Score Oscar for “Midnight Express.”
1980 Albert Hammond Jr born inLos Angeles, California. American guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer. He is most famous for his role as rhythm and lead guitarist, as well as occasional keyboard player and backing vocalist, in the American rock band The Strokes. He is the son of singer-songwriter Albert Hammond. (2001 UK No. 14 single, ‘Last Nite’ 2001 UK No.2 album ‘Is This It’).
1983 David Bowie was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the title track from his latest album ‘Let’s Dance’, his fourth UK No.1 and featuring blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. A US No.1 hit, it was Bowie’s first single to reach number one on both sides of the Atlantic.
1983 “One On One” by Daryl Hall & John Oates peaked at #7 on the US singles chart.
1987 Jesse McCartney born in Ardsley, New York. American singer, actor. Member of the boy band Dream Street, (2005 Australian No.1 & US & UK Top 20 hit single ‘Beautiful Soul’). Co-wrote ‘Bleeding Love’ a hit for Leona Lewis.
1988 Dave Prater of soul duo Sam & Dave was killed when his car left the road and hit a tree in Syracuse, Georgia, on his way to his mother’s house in Ocilla. He was 50. Recorded for Stax Records from 1965 – 1968, hits included ‘Soul Man’ and ‘Hold On, I’m Coming.’
1988 American singer and songwriter Brook Benton died aged 56. He scored over 20 US top 40 singles, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, he scored hits such as ‘It’s Just A Matter Of Time’ and ‘Endlessly’, and made a comeback in 1974 when he had the No.4 hit ‘Rainy Night In Georgia.’
1988 Billy Ocean started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car’, a No.3 hit in the UK.
1989 Rolling Stone Bill Wyman announced his forthcoming marriage to 19-year old Mandy Smith. He revealed the couple had been dating for six years.
1991 Record producer Martin Hannett died. He worked with many Manchester acts including The Smiths, New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Magazine as well as U2 and The Psychedelic Furs.
1993 Take That released ‘It Only Takes A Minute’, in the US, along with a Take That breakfast cereal box.
1994 Take That scored their fourth UK No.1 single with the Gary Barlow penned single ‘Everything Changes’ the fifth single from the band’s second album Everything Changes.
1994 R. Kelly started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Bump N’ Grind’, his first US No.1, a No.8 hit in the UK.
1997 Songwriter Mae Boren Axton died aged 82 after drowning in her bath at her home in Hendersonville, Tennessee after an apparent heart attack. Known as the ‘Queen Mother of Nashville’ she wrote over 200 songs including a co-writing credit on the Elvis Presley hit ‘Heartbreak Hotel’. She was the mother of country singer, songwriter Hoyt Axton.
2000 Craig David went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Fill Me In’. At 18 years 11 months he became the youngest UK male solo artist to write and sing a UK No.1.
2000 Moby started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Play’. The album went on to spend 81 weeks on the chart.
2000 NSYNC started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘No Strings Attached’ the Boybands first US No.1.
2003 Paul McCartney played his first Manchester show in 24 years when he appeared at the MEN Arena as part of the UK leg on the ‘Back In The World Tour 2003.’
2004 A man was arrested for allegedly stalking Avril Lavigne. James Speedy, 30, from Seattle, Washington, was arrested after police searched his home, he was later released on $5,000 bail. Mr Speedy had been under investigation since last summer for allegedly sending harassing letters and e-mails to the 19-year-old singer. He was later charged with stalking the singer.
2006 Former Smiths singer Morrissey went to No.1 on the UK album chart with his 8th solo album ‘Ringleader Of The Tormentors.’
2007 Country and western singer Tanya Tucker was sued by her manicurist for $300,000 (£150,000) over claims the star’s dog attacked and injured her. Danielle Hobbs stated in court papers that she was bitten by Bella at the singer’s Nashville home and also claimed that the alleged attack, had left her with painful and disfiguring scars on her leg. She stated that Tucker’s assistant told her the dogs were “just babies” and said “they will not hurt you”.
2009 Randy Cain, a founding member of US soul group The Delfonics died at his home in Maple Shade, New Jersey at the age of 63. The Philadelphia group, whose hits include ‘La-La (Means I Love You)’, won an R&B Grammy in 1970 for their song ‘Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time’. The chorus of ‘Ready or Not’ by The Fugees sampled The Delfonics’ 1969 hit ‘Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love)’.
2009 Bay City Rollers manager Tam Paton died in the bath at his Edinburgh home of a suspected heart attack. The 70-year-old, who had suffered two previous heart attacks and a stroke in recent years, was found dead in his luxury mansion. Paton had made millions through the success of the band in the 1970s, but was a far more controversial figure in recent years. He was convicted of sex offences against two boys aged 16 and 17 in 1982, and was convicted of drug dealing in 2004 after £26,000 worth of cannabis was found at his home, but was cleared on appeal.
2013 According to the Official Charts Company one billion songs had now been downloaded in the UK. Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ was the most downloaded single of all time in the UK, followed by tracks by Maroon 5 and Gotye. The Official Charts Company said on average more than three million tracks were now sold every week.