On This Day In Music 1st July

1915 Willie Dixon, blues singer, guitarist, ‘the poet laureate of the blues’. Credited with writing more than 500 songs by the end of his life. Wrote classic songs: ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’, ‘I’m Ready’, ‘You Shook Me’, ‘I Can’t Quit You Baby’, ‘Little Red Rooster.’ Major influence on The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Dixon died on 29th January 1992. 
1932 Bobby Day (Robert Byrd) born in Forth Worth, Texas. US Singer & Songwriter. (Died 15th July 1990).
1939 Delaney Bramlett born in Pontotoc, MISSISSIPPI. US guitarist/Singer/Songwriter with Delaney & Bonnie, (1971 US No.13 single ‘Never Ending Song Of Love’, worked with Eric Clapton during the early 70’s). He died from complications of gall bladder surgery on December 27, 2008, in Los Angeles, California.
1945 Deborah Harry born in Miami, Florida. Vocalist with Blondie. (five UK No.1 singles including 1979 UK & US No.1 single ‘Heart Of Glass’ and 1978 world-wide No.1 album ‘Parallel Lines’). 
1946 June Montiero born in New York City, New York. US Singer with The Toys, 1965 US No. 2 & UK No.5 single ‘A Lover’s Concerto’). 
1948 John Ford born in Fulham, London. UK Bassist/Singer/Songwriter with The Strawbs, (1973 UK No.2 single ‘Part Of The Union’) Hudson Ford, (1973 UK No.8 single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’). 
1949 John Farnham born in Dagenham, England. Australian singer, songwriter, (1987 UK No.6 single ‘You’re The Voice’). 
1951 Fred Schneider born in Newark, Georgia. Lead Vocals with The B-52’s, (1990 UK No.2 & US No.3 single ‘Love Shack’). 
1952 Dan Aykroyd born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. actor, ‘Elwood Blues, The Blues Brothers, (1990 UK No.12 single ‘Everybody Needs Somebody To Love’). 
1952 Leon Chancler born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Drummer, Percussionist. Worked with Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson’s (Billie Jean), Donna Summer, Carlos Santana, The Crusaders, Frank Sinatra, Weather Report, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock and John Lee Hooker. 
1952 David Pack born in Huntington Park, California. US Lead Guitarist, Pianist & Singer with Ambrosia. 
1956 Phil Solem born in Duluth, Minnesota. Singer/Songwriter with Great Buildings and The Rembrandts, (1990 US Top 20 hit ‘Just the Way It Is, Baby’, 1995, UK No. 3 single ‘I’ll Be There For You’, Theme from Friends). 
1956 Elvis Presley appeared on NBC- TV’s ‘The Steve Allen Show’ and performed ‘Hound Dog’, to a live Hound Dog. US TV critic John Crosby panned Elvis’ performance, calling him an ‘unspeakable, untalented and vulgar young entertainer.’ 
1959 Edem Ephraim, singer, The London Boys, (UK No.2 single ‘London Nights). He was killed in a car crash with London Boy partner Dennis Fuller on 21st January 1989. 
1960 Evelyn Champagne King born in The Bronx, New York. US soul singer, (1982 UK No.7 single ‘Love Come Down’). 
1960 Ted Key born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England Bassist with the British group The Housemartins, he was replaced in 1985 by Norman Cook. (1986 UK No.1 single ‘Caravan Of Love’). 
1962 Appearing live at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, Gene Vincent plus up and coming local group The Beatles. 
1962 Gene Vincent plus up and coming local group The Beatles appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool. 
1963 Roddy Bottum born in Los Angeles, California. Keyboards with Faith No More, (1993 UK No.3 and US No.4 single ‘I’m Easy’). 
1963 The Beatles recorded their next single ‘She Loves You’ / ‘I’ll Get You’, at EMI Studios, London, completing the two songs in less than four hours. Released in August this year, ‘She Loves You’ went on to become The Beatles’ first million-selling single. 
1964 Pol Burton – drums, Transvision Vamp from 1986-1989 (1989 UK No.3 single ‘Baby I Don’t Care’). 
1967 The Association scored their second and last US No.1 single with ‘Windy’. Not a hit in the UK. 
1967 The Beatles started a 15 week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, the group’s 10th US No.1 album. Recorded over a 129-day period beginning in December 1966, the album widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, includs songs such as ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ and ‘A Day in the Life’. 
1968 The Band released their debut album Music From Big Pink. The album, which features their first hit single The Weight, was recorded in studios in New York and Los Angeles in 1968, and followed the group’s backing of Bob Dylan on his 1966 tour (as The Hawks). 
1969 John Lennon, Yoko Ono and family were involved in a car accident in Golspie, Scotland. Both John and Yoko needed hospital treatment. Lennon later had the car crushed into a cube and exhibited it on his lawn at Tittenhurst Park. 
1971 Missy Elliot born (Melissa Arnette Elliott) in Portsmouth, Virginia. American musician, hip hop recording artist, dancer and record producer. (1998 UK No.1 single with Melanie B, ‘I Want You Back’). 
1971 Adam MacDougall born in New York City, New York. Keyboard player with The Black Crowes. 2007 album Warpaint. 
1972 Neil Diamond went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Song Sung Blue’, his second US No.1. A No.14 hit in the UK. 
1972 Slade were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Take Me Bak ‘Ome’, the group’s second No.1. The song was produced by the bands manager Chas Chandler. 
1973 Slade and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band appeared at Earl’s Court London, tickets cost £1.00-£2.00. Special ‘Slade’ trains were running form Brighton, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester to take fans to the show. 
1975 10cc were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I’m Not In Love’. The instrumental break featured the repeated spoken phrase: “Be quiet, big boys don’t cry…”, which was spoken by Kathy Warren, the receptionist at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, Cheshire where the band recorded the track. 
1981 Rushton Moreve, bass player with Steppenwolf was killed in motorcycle accident Santa Barbara, California, aged 32. Had the 1968 US No.2 single ‘Born To Be Wild’ and he co-wrote their hit ‘Magic Carpet Ride.’ 
1983 A New Jersey based quintet calling themselves Bon Jovi signed to Phonogram’s Mercury records. The group have since sold over 130 million records worldwide, and performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans. 
1989 Milli Vanilli scored their first US No.1 single with ‘Baby Don’t Forget My Number’, a No.16 hit in the UK. 
1989 Prince scored his second UK No.1 album with ‘Batman’. 
1989 Lou Reed, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, The Robert Cray Band, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Tanita Tikaram, Pixies, R.E.M. and Texas all appeared at the Rock Torhout Festival, Torhout, Belgium. 
1990 Dire Straits Over a lunch meeting Mark Knopfler, John Illsley and Dire Straits manager, Ed Bicknell decide to reform the group, record an album and plan a world tour. 
1995 DJ Wolfman Jack died of a heart attack. Was the master of ceremonies for the rock ‘n’ roll generation of the ’60s on radio, and later on television during the ’70s. 
1995 R.E.M. The Cure, Therapy, Offspring, PJ Harvey, dEUS, Senser, Bodycount, Channel Zero, Jeff Buckley, Spearhead, Belly, Morphine and The Cranberries all appeared at this years Rock Torhout Festival, Torhout, Belgium. 
1997 Robert Mitchum, died aged 79. 
1999 American singer Guy Mitchell, (born Albert George Cernik) died aged 72 at Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas. He had the 1957 UK & US No.1 single ‘Singing The Blues’ plus over 10 other UK Top 40 singles. Mitchell also appeared as George Romack in the 1961 NBC western detective series Whispering Smith. 
1999 Jamaican reggae singer Dennis Brown died aged 42, the official cause of his death was a collapsed lung. During his career, he recorded more than 75 albums and had the 1979 UK No.14 single ‘Money In My Pocket.’ Bob Marley cited Brown as his favourite singer, naming him ‘The Crown Prince of Reggae.” 
2000 Michael “Cub” Koda (Died aged 51). Guitarist/Vocalist with Brownsville Station. (Born 1st Oct 1948 in Detroit Michigan. 
2000 Kylie Minogue was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Spinning Around’, the singers 5th No 1 which was co-written by Paula Abdul, (it was originally intended for Abdul’s “comeback” album). ‘Spinning Around’ gave Minogue the honor of being one of three artists (the others being Madonna and U2) to have a No.1 in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. 
2001 Hear’Say scored their second UK No.1 single with ‘The Way To Your Love.’ 
2001 Winners of TV talent contest “Popstars” Hear’Say scored their second UK No.1 single with ‘The Way To Your Love.’ Usher started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘U Remind Me’. D-12 went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Devil’s Night’. 
2001 Rolling Stone Ron Wood was commissioned to paint a group portrait of diners who are regulars at the West End London restaurant The Ivy. Elton John and Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant were two pop stars to be included in the portrait. 
2002 Six postage stamps designed by Sir Paul McCartney went on sale in The Isle Of Man. With proceeds from their sale going to the Adopt-A- Minefield charity. 
2004 Glen Campbell began serving 10 nights in jail along with two years of probation for a November 2003 drink-driving, hit-and-run collision. The 68 year old entertainer was also sentenced to 75 hours of community service and fined $900.

2005 Four Tops singer Renaldo “Obie” Benson died aged 69 in a Detroit hospital from lung cancer. He was diagnosed after having a leg amputated due to circulation problems. The Four Tops sold over 50 million records and had hits including ‘Reach Out (I’ll be There)’ and ‘I Can’t Help Myself.’ Benson also co-wrote ‘What’s Going On’ which became a No.2 hit for Marvin Gaye.
2005 2005, American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer Luther Vandross died at the age of 54 at the JFK Medical Centre in New Jersey, two years after suffering a major stroke. His ‘Never Too Much’, was a No.1 R&B hit, worked with Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand, Mariah Carey and David Bowie. Vandross had won four Grammys for his final album ‘Dance With My Father.’
2006 Roger Waters, Texas, Starsailor, The Who, Razorlight and Primal Scream all appeared at the two day Hyde Park Calling festival in London.

2008 Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley, died at the age of 60 from cancer of the oesophagus. Galley also played with Trapeze, Glenn Hughes, Cozy Powell and the Blue Jays.
2009 Sir Cliff Richard was ordered to demolish a £30,000 conservatory at his home in Surrey after the local council ruled that the conservatory should never have been built. The planning committee said the building contravened policy on green belt areas because it added more than 30% extra floor space.
2009 The week after Michael Jackson’s death, The King Of Pop dominated the Top Ten of Billboard’s album chart. Leading the pack was Number Ones, followed by The Essential Michael Jackson at No.2, Thriller was No.3 and Off The Wall was No.4. The Jackson 5’s Ultimate Collection held the No.5 spot, Bad was No.6, Dangerous was No.7, Greatest Hits – HIStory – Vol. 1 came in at No.8 and Michael’s Ultimate Collection occupied the No.9 position. Collectively, Jackson’s solo albums sold 415,000 copies for the week, 58% of which were digital downloads. The week before his death, his titles sold a combined 10,000 units
2013 Gary Shearston died, aged 74 years, at Armidale Hospital in New South Wales after earlier in the day suffering a stroke at his home, “Aydrie”, near Tenterfield. He was an Australian singer and songwriter who was a leading figure of the folk music revival of the 1960s. He was notable as a performer of Australian traditional folk songs in an authentic style. He scored a Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom in 1974 with his cover version of the Cole Porter song “I Get a Kick out of You”.
2013 Boston guitarist Tom Scholz was ordered to pay $132,000 in court fees to the Boston Herald after he unsuccessfully sued the newspaper. The Herald had suggested that Scholz was responsible for the 2007 suicide of Boston lead singer Brad Delp, but a Superior Court judge ruled that the paper could not be held liable for defaming Scholz because it’s impossible to know what caused Delp to kill himself.