This day in music history

1960, The Everly Brothers started a seven week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Cathy's Clown', giving Warner Bros a No.1 with their first release.

1966, The Rolling Stones fourth album 'Aftermath' went to No.1 on the UK chart, the group's third UK No.1 album.

1966, The Young Rascals went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Good Lovin'. The song had been a hit for The Olympics the year before.

1968, BBC TV launched The Cilla Black Show making Cilla the first British female performer to have her own TV show. The theme song, ‘Step Inside Love’, was written by Paul McCartney.

1976, The Who's drummer Keith Moon paid nine cab drivers to block-off both ends of a New York street so he could throw the contents of his hotel room out of the window.

1977, Led Zeppelin broke a new world attendance record at a concert when they played to 76,229 people at a gig at the Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan. The Who held the previous record at the same venue with 75,962 people.

1982, American music journalist, author and musician Lester Bangs died of a heart attack aged 33. Bangs worked for Rolling Stone, Creem and The Village Voice.

1983, American Blues legend Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) died in his sleep
at his home in Westmont, Illinois, aged 68. Major influence of many acts, Cream, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones named themselves after Waters' 1950 song 'Rollin' Stone.' Best know songs include 'I Just Want To Make Love To You', 'I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man', 'Got My Mojo Working.'

1983, Michael Jackson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Beat It', his fifth solo US No.1, a No.3 UK hit.

1988, Erasure went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their third album 'The Innocents'.

1988, S'Express were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Theme From S'Express'. One of the landmarks of early acid house and late 1980s sampling culture, the British track sampled Rose Royce, TZ's 'I Got the Hots for You' and the count-in 'Uno, dos, uno, dos, tres, quatro' is from Debbie Harry's 1985 single 'Feel the Spin'.

1999, Nazareth drummer Darrell Sweet died aged 52, after suffering a fatal heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana. Nazareth had the 1973 UK No.9 single 'Broken Down Angel' 1976 US No. 8 single 'Love Hurts'.

1999, The three former members of Spandau Ballet lost a court case against band songwriter Gary Kemp. They had claimed they were owed £1 million in lost royalties. The Judge said he had become a fan of the bands during the case.

2005, American guitarist Norma-Jean Wofford died. Known as 'The Duchess', she worked with Bo Diddley as a Bo-ette from 1962 to 1966. (Diddley was one of the first artists to have female musicians in his group).

2006, Gnarls Barkley went to No.1 on the UK abum chart with 'St Elsewhere' the duo's debut album which was also a US No.4 hit.

2008, Gail Renard, who was given the hand written lyrics to 'Give Peace A Chance' by John Lennon in 1969, announced plans to sell the lyric sheet at a Christie's auction. At the time, Lennon told Renard to hang on to the piece of paper, saying "It will be worth something someday." The piece of music history was expected to fetch around $400,000, but when it was actually sold in July of this year, it went for $790,000 (£400,000).

1933, Born on this day, Willie Nelson, US country singer, actor, (1982 US No.5 single 'Always On My Mind', 1984 UK No.17 single 'To All The Girls I've Loved Before'). Wrote country classic 'Crazy' hit for Patsy Cline.

1943, Born on this day, Bobby Vee, US singer, (1961 US No.1 single & UK No.3 single 'Take Good Care Of My Baby').

1948, Born on this day, Wayne Kramer, MC5, (1969 album 'Kick Out The Jams').

For more musical feats & facts, you can visit thisdayinmusic.com

The Charlatans - The Only One I Know

The Charlatans (known in the United States as The Charlatans UK) are an English alternative rock band. The band's line-up comprises Tim Burgess (vocals), Mark Collins (guitar), Martin Blunt (bass), Tony Rogers (keyboards) and Jon Brookes (drums and percussion).

Former members of the band include guitarist John Baker (1989–1991), vocalist Baz Ketley (1989) and keyboardist Rob Collins (1989–1996), who died in a car accident during recording of their fifth album.

In the UK all of the Bands 11 Studio Albums have Charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart, 3 Being Number One Albums. They have also achieved 17 Top 30 singles and 4 Top 10 hits in the UK Singles Chart.

For many years, the Charlatans UK were perceived as the also-rans of Madchester, the group that didn't capture the zeitgeist like the Stone Roses or the band that failed to match the mad genre-bending of the Happy Mondays. Of course, they were more traditional than either of their peers. Working from a Stonesy foundation, the Charlatans added dance-oriented rhythms and layers of swirling organs straight out of '60s psychedelia.

By the spring of 1990, they signed with Beggars Banquet, releasing "The Only One I Know" a few months later. Borrowing heavily from the Stones, jangle pop, and funk, "The Only One I Know" became a monster hit, climbing into the pop Top Ten and becoming the group's signature single.

In 2010, the band marked the 20th anniversary of the release of Some Friendly by performing the album at Barcelona's Primavera Sound Festival. Their 11th studio album, Who We Touch, was slated for release in September of 2010.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

The House of Love - Shine On

The post-Smiths guitar pop of the House of Love was popular for a short time in the late '80s and early '90s, as many college and alternative rock fans became converts to their mixture of shiny ringing guitars, pseudo-psychedelic melodies, and bursts of noise.

The British group formed in 1986; it featured Guy Chadwick (vocals, guitar), Terry Bickers (guitar), Andrea Heukamp (vocals, guitar), Pete Evans (drums), and Chris Groothuizen (bass).

Their demo tape attracted the attention of Alan McGee, the head of Creation Records. McGee signed the band for a single, "Shine On," which was released in May of 1987 to some critical acclaim; it and its follow-up, "Real Animal," both sold poorly. Following a tour supporting the singles, Heukamp left the group. Instead of replacing her, the House of Love continued as a quartet, releasing their untitled debut album in the spring of 1988. Many U.K. critics called it one of the finest records of the year, and the band built up a cult audience.

The following year the band moved over to Fontana (PolyGram in the U.S.) and released two singles, "Never" and "I Don't Know Why I Love You," that failed to crack the British Top 40. By the end of 1989, Bickers left the group; he was replaced by Simon Walker. The House of Love's second untitled album -- often referred to as "Fontana" or "The Butterfly Album" -- was released in early 1990 to lukewarm sales and reviews; the band's revivalist guitar pop didn't fit in with England's club-conscious pop scene, spearheaded by the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays.

After the group's 1990 tour, Walker left the group and was replaced by Simon Mawby. The House of Love returned in early 1992 with Babe Rainbow, which received favorable reviews yet weak sales. The continuing lack of commercial success began to wear on the band, leading to their 1993 disbandment, which followed a weak swan song, Audience with the Mind. A few years later, Chadwick emerged with a pleasing solo album, Lazy, Soft & Slow, produced by the Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie. In 2005, Chadwick and Bickers made amends, played several gigs, and released Days Run Away.

"Shine On" was originally released in 1987, but struggled to become a hit, not making it into the UK Top 40. The band continued to receive song placements outside of the Top 40 until, in early 1990, "Shine On" was re-released and made it all the way to number 20.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

The Sundays - Here's Where the Story Ends

The Sundays were an English alternative rock group. The band formed in the late 1980s and released three albums in the 1990s.The band's beginnings came with the meeting of Harriet Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin at university. The duo soon augmented the band with bassist Paul Brindley and drummer Patrick Hannan.

The Sundays secured a recording contract with Rough Trade Records. Their debut single was "Can't Be Sure". Their first album, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic was released in 1990, along with their next single "Here's Where the Story Ends". The album was a UK Top 5 hit.

With Rough Trade's financial troubles and the band's decision to manage themselves, The Sundays' next single, "Goodbye" did not emerge until 1992. Their next album, Blind arrived the same year, reaching the UK Top 15. Their cover of The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" appeared on the US release of Blind and on the soundtrack for the popular television show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". The band toured in support of these recordings.

In 1997 their third album, Static and Silence was followed by the release of their most successful single to date, "Summertime", which made the UK Top 15. The album itself reached the UK Top 10. However, the band has been on a lengthy hiatus since those releases, with Wheeler and Gavurin focusing on raising their two children.

Although «Here's Where the Story Ends» was the Sundays' biggest hit
internationally, topping the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart for one week, the track was never released as a single in the group's native United Kingdom due to the collapse of the Rough Trade Records label. Nonetheless it achieved no. 36 placing in John Peel's Festive Fifty for 1990.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

This day in music history

1963, Publicist Andrew Oldham and agent Eric Easton signed a management deal with The Rolling Stones after buying the rights to the bands first recordings for £90. They also persuade keyboard player Ian Stewart to drop out of the line up and become the bands road manager, (and still play piano at the back of the stage).

1973, John Denver began a weekly live UK BBC 2 TV special, 'The John Denver Show'.

1976, After a gig in Memphis Bruce Springsteen took a cab to Elvis Presley's Graceland home and proceeded to climb over the wall. A guard took him to be another crank fan and apprehended him.

1980, Black Sabbath began their first tour with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who had replaced Ozzy Osbourne.

1993, Guitarist, producer, Mick Ronson died of liver cancer aged 46. Ronson recorded and toured with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973. Released the 1974 solo album 'Slaughter On Tenth Avenue'. Ronson co-produced Lou Reed's album Transformer, also part of Hunter Ronson Band with Ian Hunter. And worked with Morrissey, Slaughter & The Dogs, The Wildhearts, The Rich Kids, Elton John, Johnny Cougar, T-Bone Burnett.

2007, Arctic Monkeys started a three week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with their second album 'Favourite Worst Nightmare.'

2007, Avril Lavigne was at No.1 on the US album chart with her third album 'The Best Damn Thing', also a No.1 on the UK chart.

1899, Born on this day, Duke Ellington, composer, bandleader, pianist, died 24th May 1974. Worked with Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday.

1928, Born on this day, Carl Gardner, The Coasters, (1958 US No.1 single 'Yakety Yak', 1959 US No.2 and UK No.6 single 'Charlie Brown').

1945, Born on this day, Tammi Terrell, singer, who died of a brain tumour on March 16th 1970 after collapsing into Marvin Gaye's arms on stage during a duet of ‘That’s All You Need To Get By’. Terrall had undergone eight brain operations in 18 months. She had had hits with Marvin Gaye, including the 1967 US No.5 ‘Your Precious Love’.

1947, Born on this day, Tommy James, The Shondells, (1966 US No.1 single 'Hanky Panky', 1968 UK No.1 single 'Mony Mony').

1949, Born on this day, Francis Rossi, guitar, vocals, Status Quo, (1977 UK No.3 single 'Rockin' All Over The World', plus 50 other UK Top75 singles since 1968).

1958, Born on this day, Simon Edwards, Fairground Attraction, (1988 UK No.1 single 'Perfect').

1968, Born on this day, Carine Wilson, Wilson Phillips, daughter of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, (1990 US No.1 & UK No.6 single 'Hold On').

1973, Born on this day, Mike Hogan, bass, The Cranberries, (1994 UK No.14 single 'Linger'). The bands 1993 album 'Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can’t We' spent 86 weeks on the UK chart.

1981, Born on this day, Tom Smith, bass guitarist, Editors, (2007 UK No.1 album 'An End Has A Start').

Ultravox - Vienna

Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements.

This band was effectively led by two different individuals in its career, two frontmen who, curiously, never played together in the band at the same time. From 1974 until 1979, the frontman and main driving force behind Ultravox was John Foxx who left the band to embark on a solo career that proved very short-lived. Some time following Foxx's departure, with the three remaining members in a hiatus,

Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist, and frontman. He managed to revitalize the band, and drive it to massive commercial success which lasted until the middle 1980s when the New Romantic and New wave music scenes had waned. Ure then left the band in 1987 after establishing a solo career and the group disbanded for a while. A new line-up, led by sole original bandmember Billy Currie, was formed in 1992, but achieved no success.

Released on Chrysalis Records in mid-1980, the Vienna album produced the band's first UK Top 40 hit with "Sleepwalk", whilst the album itself peaked at #14. A second single, "Passing Strangers", failed to reach the Top 40, but the band achieved a substantial hit with the third single, the album's title track (inspired by Carol Reed's 1949 film The Third Man).

Accompanied by a highly distinctive video, the single became Ultravox's biggest ever hit, peaking at #2 in early 1981. On the strength of the single, the album then re-entered the chart and reached #3 in early 1981. The single was released on Chrysalis Records on 15 January 1981, and is notable for spending 4 consecutive weeks at #2 in the UK singles chart without ever getting to #1. "Vienna" was kept off the UK #1 slot by John Lennon's "Woman" for a week, and then most famously by Joe Dolce's novelty hit, "Shaddap You Face", for a further 3 weeks, although "Vienna" did sell more copies than either of these records and ranked as the 5th best selling UK single for 1981.

It also won "Single of the Year" at the 1981 Brit Awards. To date, it remains Ultravox's signature song, being their most commercially successful release and is often performed live by Ure on solo performances.

Vienna is a synthpop ballad. Unusually for its genre, two of its most distinctive sounds are those of conventional instruments - the dramatic grand piano in the verses and chorus, and the viola solo in the middle of the song.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Spandau Ballet - To Cut a Long Story Short

Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop.

They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles and four Top Ten albums in the UK between 1980 and 1990. The band split acrimoniously in 1990 but announced their reunion in March 2009, complete with a tour that began in October 2009.

The band was formed in 1976 and was originally called 'The Cut', with Gary Kemp and Steve Norman on guitar, later saxophone and percussion. They were joined by John Keeble. John was followed by bass player Michael Ellison. Tony Hadley, who knew Norman, then joined as lead singer.

After a few months, Richard Miller replaced Michael Ellison on bass, before Kemp's brother, Martin Kemp, finally took over the role, joining the band a couple of years later.

The band was involved in a major bidding war, but eventually signed to Chrysalis Records and released "To Cut a Long Story Short", produced by the electronic musician Richard James Burgess. Released just ten days after the band emerged from the studio in order to meet the huge demand created by the buzz they had established, "To Cut a Long Story Short" was an instant British top 5 hit in 1980.

This was followed by hits with "The Freeze", "Musclebound" and the well-received and Gold-certified album Journeys to Glory in 1981. The sound of Journeys to Glory was typified by chanted vocals, a splashy snare drum sound, strongly rhythmic guitar parts and a lack of guitar solos; the hallmarks of what would become known as the New Romantic sound and the sound of the early eighties.

They won international fame with their third album True in March 1983. The album topped the charts all around the world, and launched several international hit singles, such as "Gold" and the aforementioned title track which reached number 1 in several countries.

To Cut a Long Story Short is a 1980 song by Spandau Ballet. It was their first single and reached number 5 on the UK singles chart. It appeared on the album Journeys to Glory.

The single is described as minimalist spiky synth pop and compares its style as reminiscent to early Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark with a dirty, overdriven synth sound and a stomping Gary Glitter-like backbeat. Though largely forgotten today due to Spandau Ballet's later change in style towards a slick, soul-pop the reviewer considers that it might fairly be considered a minor lost classic of the early-'80s U.K. synth pop scene.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Fischer-Z - So Long

Fischer-Z were a British rock band formed in 1976 by John Watts and Steve Skolnik at Brunel University. The original line-up consisted of John Watts (vocals, guitar), David Graham (bass), Steve Skolnik (keyboards), and Steve Liddle (drums).

Fischer-Z were more popular in mainland Europe than their native UK, especially in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Portugal (two top 10 hits and a #3 album). Fischer-Z were also very successful in Australia, where they achieved two Top 20 hits with "So Long" from the album Going Deaf for a Living and "The Perfect Day" from the album Reveal.

John Watts is a self-confessed "follower of the troubadour tradition" and his lyrics draw heavily on his experiences of studying clinical psychology and as a mental health care worker.

Several songs on the album Red Skies Over Paradise in 1981, such as Berlin and Red Skies Over Paradise are about the Cold War and the song Cruise Missiles which is about the nuclear arms race and the mutual threat of the superpowers with nuclear war.

Fischer-Z's first hit was The Worker from the album Word Salad which firmly established Watts' ability to convey worldly political issues in narrative songs against a background of quirky pop and reggae-influenced music.

Skolnik departed after their second album Going Deaf for a Living and after the following album Red Skies over Paradise John Watts decided to break the band up in the summer of 1981 as he felt his art could not evolve within the context of the band.

John Watts released his first solo album One More Twist in 1982 followed by The Iceberg Model in 1983. In 1984 he formed the band The Cry with Mike Been, David Graham and Theo Thunder, this album placed an emphasis on crucial groove elements combined with his strong song writing and was produced by Jimmy Douglass. In 1988 John Watts released the Reveal album under the name Fischer-Z, a new band with the same name in which he was the only original member, although Skolnik made a minor contribution to one track.

The second album in this Fischer-Z period, Fish's Head, 1989 included the Say No single with a politically charged black & white Nick Brandt music video which was banned by their record label on the grounds of it potentially "endangering the lives of their employees worldwide".

In this period Watts performed to 167,000 people at a Peace Festival in East Berlin along with James Brown and he was interviewed about Thatcherism on German national news.

Going Deaf for a Living is a 1980 album by Fischer-Z. This was the second album by Fischer-Z featuring the "classic line-up". The guitar on this album was made more prominent, after their rather keyboard prominent debut. This album, as well the following Red Skies Over Paradise, are considered by fans as the best work to be produced by Fischer-Z.

The album featured the singles "Room Service", "Crazy Girl", "Limbo" and the most popular "So Long", which hit #72 in the UK singles chart, #15 in Australia and #26 in the Netherlands.

"So Long" was the first single by Fischer-Z to have a video made for it, and still garners regular airplay on radio stations in Europe.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

This day in music history

1964, The Beatles recorded the TV special ‘Around The Beatles’ at Wembley studios England. As well as performing songs they played Act V Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ with John playing the female role of Thisbe, Paul as Pyramus, George as Moonshine and Ringo as Lion. Paul later named his cat Thisbe.

1968, The Broadway musical 'Hair' opened at the Baltimore Theatre in New York City. The show featured the songs ‘Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In’, ‘Good Morning Starshine’ and the title song. The production ran for 1,729 performances, finally closing on July 1st, 1972.

1973, Pink Floyd's album 'Dark Side Of The Moon' went to No.1 on the US chart, it went on to enjoy a record breaking 741 weeks, selling over 20 million copies world-wide.

1973, The Faces scored their first UK No.1 album with 'Ooh La La.'

1979, Blondie scored their first US No.1 single with 'Heart Of Glass', also No.1 in the UK.

1982, The California State Assembly consumer-protection-committee heard testimony from "experts" who claimed that when ‘Stairway To Heaven’ was played backward, contained the words: "I sing because I live with Satan. The Lord turns me off, there's no escaping it. Here's to my sweet Satan, whose power is Satan. He will give you 666. I live for Satan."

1990, Sinead O'Connor started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.'

2006, Abba star Bjorn Ulvaeus was accused of avoiding paying 87m Swedish kronor (£6.5m) in taxes on the band's hit songs and musicals. The Swedish government was demanding he repaid the money. Abba sold over 370 million records and he also co-wrote the musical Mamma Mia.

1953, Born on this day, Kim Gordon, bass, Sonic Youth, (1993 UK No.26 single 'Sugar Kane').

1955, Born on this day, Eddie Jobson, violin, Curved Air, (1971 UK No.4 single 'Back Street Luv'), Roxy Music, (1975 UK No.2 single 'Love Is The Drug').

1968, Born on this day, Daisy Berkowitz, Marilyn Manson, (1998 US No.1 album, 'Mechanical Animals', UK No. 12 single, 'The Dope Show'1998 UK No. 12 single, 'The Dope Show').

1969, Born on this day, Mica Paris, singer, (1988 UK No. 7 single, 'My One Temptation').

1973, Born on this day, Bigg Gipp (born Cameron Gipp), US rapper, member of Goodie Mob, features on the US No.1 single ‘Grillz’ by Nelly with Ali & Paul Wall.

For more musical feats & facts, you can visit thisdayinmusic.com

James Brown - Make It Funky & The Funky Drummer

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. Eventually referred to as "The Godfather of Soul", Brown started singing in gospel groups and worked his way on up. He has been recognized as one of the most iconic figures in the 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was also called "the hardest-working man in show business".

A prolific singer, songwriter, dancer and bandleader, Brown was a pivotal force in the music industry, leaving his mark on numerous artists. Even as his own career declined during the height of the golden age of hip hop, Brown's work found new life in the form of digital sampling; he would go on to become the most sampled artist in the history of the genre. Brown's music also influenced the rhythms of African popular music, such as afrobeat, jùjú and mbalax, and provided a template for go-go music.

Brown began his professional music career in 1956 and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was also a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s.

Brown was recognized by numerous titles, including Soul Brother Number One, Sex Machine, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, The King of Funk, Minister of The New New Super Heavy Funk, Mr. Please Please Please Please Himself, I Feel Good, and foremost The Godfather of Soul. In the song "Sweet Soul Music" by Arthur Conley, he is also described as the King of Soul.

"Funky Drummer" (also known as "The Funky Drummer") is a funk song recorded by James Brown and his band. The recording's drum break, performed by drummer Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled rhythmic breaks in hip hop and popular music; indeed, it lays a strong claim to being the most sampled recording ever, along with the Amen Break.

Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 1969 in Cincinnati, Ohio and originally released by King Records as a two-part 45 rpm single in March 1970. Despite rising to #20 on the R&B chart and #51 on the pop chart, it did not receive an album release until the 1986 compilation In the Jungle Groove.

The piece takes the form of an extended vamp, with individual instruments (mostly the tenor saxophones and organ) improvising brief licks on top. Brown's ad-libbed vocals on "Funky Drummer" are sporadic and declamatory, and are mostly concerned with encouraging the other band members.

"Make It Funky" is a song recorded by James Brown with The J.B.'s. It was released as a two-part single in 1971, which reached #1 on the U.S. R&B chart and #22 on the U.S. Pop chart.

The song features the band members chanting the song's title and a prominent organ part played by Brown himself. A full-length version of the song was included on the 1972 album There It Is. Brown recorded a continuation of "Make It Funky" (listed as "Parts 3 & 4") in a medley with "My Part" for his album Get on the Good Foot, also from 1972.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Freda Payne - Band Of Gold

Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1945) is an American singer and actress best known for her million selling, 1970 hit single, "Band of Gold". She was also an actress in musicals and film, as well as the host of a TV talk show. Freda is the older sister of former Supremes member, Scherrie Payne.

Payne was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up listening to different jazz singers, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. As a teenager, she attended the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts; she soon began singing radio commercial jingles, and took part in (and won many of) local TV and radio talent shows.
In 1963, she moved to New York and worked with many different entertainers, including Quincy Jones, Pearl Bailey, and Bill Cosby. The next year, her debut album, a jazz recording entitled After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!!, was released . Three years later, she released her second album (another jazz effort) How Do You Say I Don't Love You Anymore, for MGM Records.

She even added theatrical credits to her repertoire; she understudied Leslie Uggams for the Broadway show Hallelujah Baby in 1967, and appeared with the Equity Theatre in a production of Lost in the Stars. Although she was doing well at supporting herself in the business, none of these things helped her break into stardom.

In 1969, her old friends back home in Detroit, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland, Jr., persuaded her to sign with their newly-formed record label Invictus. During that same year, her first Invictus single, "Unhooked Generation" (a minor R&B hit), was released. Shortly thereafter, Eddie Holland offered her a song entitled "Band of Gold", which he along with Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier co-wrote (under the pen name Edythe Wayne) with Ronald Dunbar.

In early 1970, the song became an instant pop smash reaching #3 in the US and #1 in the UK; it also gave Payne her first gold record. Global sales were estimated at two million. An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful as well. Other Invictus singles included "Deeper and Deeper", "You Brought the Joy", and the Vietnam War protest song "Bring the Boys Home" (U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #12, 1971; her second gold record.

Her other Invictus albums were Contact (1971), The Best of Freda Payne (1972, a compilation which included four new, unissued songs), and her last Invictus album Reaching Out (1973).

In 1973 she left Invictus and recorded albums for ABC/Dunhill and Capitol, but she never found the commercial success that she had enjoyed with Invictus.

She released albums up to 2001 while she also continued her acting career appearing in the films, Private Obsession (1995), Ragdoll (1999), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), and Fire & Ice (made-for-TV, 2001).

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Express Yourself

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band is a pioneering American soul and funk band. Formed in the early 1960s, they had the most visibility from 1967 to 1973 when the band had 9 singles reach Billboard's pop and/or rhythm and blues Hot 100 lists, such as "Do Your Thing" (#11 Pop, #12 R&B), "Till You Get Enough" (#12 R&B, #67 Pop), and "Love Land" (R&B #23, Pop #16). They are best known for their biggest hit on Warner Bros. Records, 1970's "Express Yourself" (#3 R&B, #12 Pop), a song that has been sampled by rap group N.W.A. amongst others.

Charles Wright was born in 1940 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, before moving to Los Angeles in the early 1950s, playing guitar and singing in several doo-wop groups including the Turks, the Twilighters, the Shields and the Gallahads. He also briefly worked as an A&R for Del-Fi Records. In 1962, he formed his own band Charles Wright & the Wright Sounds which included future Watts.

The name, Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band was originally coined by Los Angeles producer and Keymen Records owner Fred Smith in 1967. However, between 1967 and 1968, the Watts 103rd name applied to three, arguably four different personnel configurations before settling into the final band who played on every Watts 103rd album from 1968 forward.

Express Yourself displays the purposefully sloppy rhythms and shout vocals that would make this band a legend in soul circles.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

This day in music history

1963, Little Peggy March started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Will Follow Him'. At 15 years, 1 month and 13 days old, Little Peggy March became the youngest female singer to have a US No.1 record.

1967, Sandie Shaw was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Puppet On A String', her third UK No.1 and the Eurovision Song Contest winner of 1967.

1976, Customs officers on a train at the Russian/Polish Border detained David Bowie, after Nazi books and mementoes were found in his luggage. Bowie claimed that the material was being used for research on a movie project about Nazi propaganda leader Joseph Paul Goebbels.

1985, USA For Africa started a three-week run at No.1 on the US chart with 'We Are The World'. The US artists' answer to Band Aid had an all-star cast including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon plus the composer's of the track, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

1993, Prince issued a statement saying he was retiring from studio recordings to concentrate on film and other ventures.

1997, Depeche Mode went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their album 'Ultra'.

1999, UK band The Verve announced that they had split. They scored the 1997 UK No.1 single 'The Drugs Don't Work' and their 1997 UK No.1 album 'Urban Hymns' spent over 100 weeks on the UK chart. Leader of the group Richard Ashcroft went solo scoring the 2000 UK No.3 single 'A Song For The Lovers' and the 2000 UK No.1 album 'Alone With Everybody.'

2003, Madonna went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘American Life’, the singers eighth No.1 album.

2003, US TV’s Pop Idol winner Kelly Clarkson was at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Thankful.’

2008, The Last Shadow Puppets went to No.1 on the UK album charts with ‘The Age of the Understatement’, a side project of Alex Turner of Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of Liverpool band The Rascals.

1947, Born on this day, Gordon Haskell, UK singer, songwriter, King Crimson, solo, (2001 UK No.2 single 'How Wonderful You Are', 2001 UK No.2 album, 'Harry's Bar').

1948, Born on this day, Kate Pierson, vocals, The B-52's, (1990 UK No.2 & US No.3 single 'Love Shack').

1949, Born on this day, Herb Murrell, vocals, The Stylistics, (1974 US No.2 single 'You Make Me Feel Brand New', 1975 UK No.1 single 'Can't Give You Anything But My Love' plus 15 other UK Top 40 singles).

1951, Born on this day, Paul Frehley, guitar, vocals, Kiss, (1974 US No.5 single 'On And On' 1976 US No 11 album 'Rock and Roll Over' spent 26 weeks on the chart. 1987 UK No.4 single 'Crazy Crazy Nights').

1959, Born on this day, Sheena Easton, UK singer, (1980 UK No.3 & 1981 US No.1 single 'Morning Train, Nine To Five').

For more musical feats & facts, you can visit thisdayinmusic.com

The Turtles - Happy Together

Though many remember only their 1967 hit, "Happy Together," the Turtles were one of the more enjoyable American pop groups of the '60s, moving from folk-rock inspired by the Byrds to a sparkling fusion of Zombies-inspired chamber pop and straight-ahead, good-time pop reminiscent of the Lovin' Spoonful, the whole infused with beautiful vocal harmonies courtesy of dual frontmen Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman.

Though they hit number one in 1967 with the infectious "Happy Together," the Turtles scored only three more Top Ten hits and broke up by the end of the '60s.

Kaylan and Volman later joined Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention during the early '70s and also recorded themselves as Flo & Eddie, but were on the oldies circuit with a revamped Turtles by the mid-'80s.

" The above text is a mashup from AllMusic.com "

Johnny Kidd and The Pirates - Shakin' All Over

Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were an English rock 'n' roll group led by singer/songwriter Johnny Kidd. They scored numerous hit songs from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, including the rock & roll classics 'Shakin' All Over' and 'Please Don't Touch', but their influence far outshines their chart performance.
Their stage act was theatrical and included full pirate costumes, complete with eye-patches and cutlasses.

More importantly, and unusually for bands of the time, they had only one guitarist (not two), alongside a bassist and a drummer. Kidd did not play any instruments on stage. This was very influential on the rock bands of the 1970s - Led Zeppelin had such a line-up and tapes exist of them covering many Johnny Kidd songs in rehearsal, and it was after seeing Johnny Kidd & the Pirates that The Who decided that their singer Roger Daltrey should abandon playing guitar on stage.

The original group was signed to HMV in 1959 . Their first single was the raw "Please Don't Touch". This became a minor hit reaching number 25 on the UK singles charts in 1959. The song has since been covered many times, most successfully by the team of Motörhead and Girlschool known as Headgirl.

After this initial success the band was reorganised to streamline the sound and visual appeal. Kidd would naturally take centre-stage at the front, but with Clem Cattini (drums) directly behind. Flanking Kidd on either side would be Alan Caddy (guitar) and Brian Gregg (born 31 January 1939, in London) (bass); and Kidd would high-kick in time to the beat.

In an attempt to re-create the feel of his recordings Kidd employed the use of an echo unit on his vocals, one of the first UK rock acts to attempt this on stage.

Kidd and the Pirates' finest moment might have been the powerful song "Shakin' All Over", which features memorable opening guitars and solo from Joe Moretti , and reached number one in the UK singles charts in 1960. The song and the group's proto-power trio line-up both made a strong impression on The Who, who would cover it in their 1970 album Live at Leeds, whose CD liner notes proclaim the original to be the UK's best pre-Beatles rock single.

The distinctive 'Shakin' effect on the track, was created by Joe Moretti sliding Brian Gregg's cigarette lighter very fast up and down the guitar strings.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Los Bravos - Black is Black

Los Bravos were a Spanish beat group, formed in 1965, and based in Madrid.
The band members were Michael Volker 'Mike' Kogel (born 25 April 1945, Berlin) – vocals, Antonio Martinez (born 3 October 1945, Madrid) - guitar. Manuel Fernandez (29 September 1943, Seville – 20 May 1967) - electric organ, Miguel Vicens Danus (born 21 June 1944, Ferrol, Galicia) - bass guitar and Pablo Gomez (born 5 November 1943, Barcelona) - drums.


The band were an amalgamation of two pop groups, Los Sonor and The Runaways. Los Bravos' lead singer, Mike Kogel, was from Germany. His vocal styling was sometimes likened to Gene Pitney's.

Their single "Black Is Black" reached #2 in the United Kingdom in July 1966, and #4 in the United States (the first Spanish group to do so) selling over a million records. The track was written by Tony Hayes and Steve Wadey.

The band broke up after the death of One Manuel Fernandez who committed suicide on 20 May 1967, at the age of 23,after the death of his bride Lottie Rey in an auto accident.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

This day in music history

1964, The Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Dave Clark Five headlined the NME poll winner's concert at Wembley Empire Pool, London.

1966, Dusty Springfield was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me', the singers only UK No.1.

1969, The Original Cast of 'Hair' started a 13-week run at No.1 on the US album chart.

1969, During the band's second North American tour Led Zeppelin played the second of two nights at The Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco in California. It was during this show that 'Whole Lotta Love' was played live for the first time.

1980, Blondie were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Call Me', the group's fourth UK No.1, featured in the Richard Gere movie 'American Gigolo', the track was also a No.1 in the US where it became the band's biggest selling single. Producer Giorgio Moroder originally asked Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac to help compose and perform a song for the soundtrack, but she declined.

1986, Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Street Life-20 Greatest Hits.'

1986, Van Halen started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with '5150'.

2008, Leona Lewis was at No.1 on the US album chart with her debut album ‘Spirit.’

1938, Born on this day, Duane Eddy, guitarist, (1960 UK No.2 and US No.4 single 'Because They're Young', plus over 15 other UK & US Top 40 singles).

1938, Born on this day, Maurice Williams, (1960 US No.1 & 1961 UK No.14 single with The Zodiacs, 'Stay'). Also a hit for Jackson Browne and The Hollies.

1940, Born on this day, Giorgio Moroder, producer, (1979 US No.33 & UK No. 48 single, 'Chase' from the film Midnight Express. Produced Donna Summer's world- wide
1976 hit 'Love To Love You Baby', 1984 UK No.3 single with Phil Oakey, 'Together In Electric Dreams.')

1945, Born on this day, Tony Murray, The Troggs, (1966 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Wild Thing').

1960, Born on this day, Roger Taylor, drums, Duran Duran, (1983 UK No.1 single 'Is There Something I Should Know' plus 25 other UK Top 40 singles, 1984 US No.1 single 'The Reflex'), Arcadia, (1985 UK No.7 single 'Election Day').

For more musical feats & facts, you can visit thisdayinmusic.com

Elmore James - Dust My Broom

Elmore James (January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, song writer and band leader. He was known as The King of the Slide Guitar and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.

James played a wide variety of "blues" (which often crossed over into other styles of music) similar to that of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and some of B. B. King's work, but distinguished by his guitar's vastly more powerful sound (arguably only equaled in technical ability by King, although in a different style) unbelievably coming from a modified, hollow body traditional acoustic guitar, which sounded like the more modern solid body guitars.

He most often played using a slide, but on several recordings he plays without. His voice and style was as instantly recognisable as King's, Muddy's and Wolf's and he and his 'Broomdusters' were as popular in the Chicago clubs as any of these musician's bands.

James could be reportedly 'difficult' (drinking on the job, not paying out cash, abandoning musicians, double booking etc.) Due to his early death, just before the 1960s "blues boom", and the silence of other famous blues performers, the then current music writers only being interested in 'the stars' not caring to interview his ex-band members, immediate family, children, friends etc. little is known about him.

His best known song is the blues standard "Dust My Broom" (also known as "Dust My Blues"). The song gave its name to James's band, The Broomdusters. The song's opening slide guitar riff is one of the best-known sounds in all of blues. It is essentially the same riff that appeared in the recording of the same song by Robert Johnson, but James played the riff with electric slide guitar. It was even transformed into a doo-wop chorus on Jesse Stone's "Down in the Alley", recorded by The Clovers and Elvis Presley.

There is an ongoing dispute as to whether the song was originally written by Robert Johnson or Elmore James.Elmore James made his first recording of "Dust My Broom" in 1951, for the Trumpet Records label.

Most electric slide guitar players will admit to the massive, if not, total influence of James' style. He was also a major influence on such successful 'Blues' guitarists as 'Homesick James' John Littlejohn, Hound Dog Taylor, J. B. Hutto and many others. He also influenced many rock guitarists such as The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones and Fleetwood Mac's Jeremy Spencer. John Mayall included the song, "Mr. James," on his 1969 "Looking Back" album as a dedication to James.

The most famous guitarist who admired Elmore James was Jimi Hendrix. Early in his career Jimi styled himself variously as 'Maurice James' and subsequently as 'Jimmy James.' This, according to former bandmate and recording partner Lonnie Youngblood, was a tribute to Elmore James.

James is mentioned in The Beatles' song "For You Blue": while John Lennon plays the slide guitar (James' trademark), George Harrison says, "Elmore James got nothin' on this, baby." Other artists influenced by Elmore James include Frank Zappa and Jeffrey Evans of the band 68 Comeback. Eric Clapton recorded a song called "Tribute to Elmore" that appeared on a 1990 "The Best of British Rock" compilation CD.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Les Paul & Mary Ford - How High the Moon

Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul,was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which "made the sound of rock and roll possible".He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.

His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.

Paul met country-western singer Colleen Summers in 1945. They began working together in 1948, at which time she adopted the stage name Mary Ford. They were married in 1949. The couple's hits included "How High the Moon", "Bye Bye Blues", "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise", and "Vaya con Dios". These songs featured Ford harmonizing with herself.

Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed.

"How High the Moon" is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue Two for the Show, where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock. In "Two for the Show", this was a rare serious moment in an otherwise humorous revue. The song was sung, in a slow fox trot tempo, by a group of evening-dressed people walking along a London street. At the end, they all looked at the sky, and cowered, obviously terrified: quick curtain. It was 1940, and the time of the London blitz: a clear night meant "bomber's moon".

There are numerous covers of the song with the best-known recording by Les Paul and Mary Ford, made on January 4, 1951. The record was released with the flip side "Walkin' and Whistlin' Blues", and spent 25 weeks (beginning on March 23, 1951) on the Billboard chart, 9 weeks at #1.

The song was sung in various recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, becoming (with the Gershwin's "Oh, Lady Be Good!") Ella's signature tune. Her most celebrated recording of "How High the Moon" is on her 1960 album Ella in Berlin, and her version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance."

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88

Jackie Brenston (August 15, 1930 – December 15, 1979) was an American R&B singer and saxophonist who recorded, with Ike Turner's band, the first version of the proto-rock and roll song "Rocket 88".

Brenston was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Returning to Clarksdale from army service in 1947, Brenston learned to play the tenor saxophone, linking up with Ike Turner in 1950 as sax player and occasional singer in his band. The local success of Turner’s Kings of Rhythm prompted B. B. King to recommend them to studio owner Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee, where the band made several recordings in early March 1951, including "Rocket 88", on which Brenston sang lead and which he was credited with writing.

Phillips passed the recordings on to Chess Records in Chicago, who released "Rocket 88" as by "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", rather than under Turner's name. The record soon reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and stayed at that position for over a month. Phillips' later claim, undoubtedly biased by his own interest in self-promotion, that this was the first rock and roll record, has often been repeated by others, although there are numerous other candidates. Phillips used the success of the record to start Sun Records the following year.

After one further recording session, Brenston and Turner parted company, and Brenston went on to perform in Lowell Fulson's band for two years. He returned to play in Turner's band from 1955 to 1962. Although he occasionally sang with the band, Turner apparently debarred him from singing "Rocket 88".

By now an alcoholic, Brenston continued playing in local bands. After a final recording session with Earl Hooker in 1963, he worked occasionally as a truck driver before a fatal heart attack in Memphis at the age of 49.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

This day in music history

1954, Johnnie Ray was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Such A Night.' The singers first of three UK No.1's.

1960, Elvis Presley started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Stuck On You' it made No.3 in the UK.

1970, The Jackson Five started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'ABC'. It was the group's second US No. 1, a No.8 hit in the UK.

1974, Pamela Courson the long-term companion of the late Jim Morrison died of a drugs overdose. It was Courson who found the Doors singer dead on July 3, 1971 in the bathtub of their apartment in Paris, France.

1977, Elvis Presley made the last recordings of his life during a concert at the Saginaw, Michigan Civic Centre. Three songs from the show appeared on the posthumously released Presley album, 'Moody Blue'.

1978, New singles reviewed in this weeks NME included Elvis Costello, 'Pump It Up', XTC, 'This Is Pop', Blondie, 'I'm Always Touched By Your Presence Dear' and Single Of The Week, The Tom Robinson Band, 'Up Against The Wall'.

1979, The Police made their debut on BBC TV's 'Top Of The Pops' performing
'Roxanne'.

1982, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ebony And Ivory.' This was McCartney's 24th No.1 hit single as a songwriter. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say "black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!". It was later named as the tenth worst song of all time by Blender magazine and in 2007 was named the worst duet in history by BBC 6 Music listeners.

1987, Madonna went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'La Isla Bonita.' The fifth and final single from her third studio album, True Blue, made her the only female artist to score four UK No.1 singles. The song had been offered to Michael Jackson for his Bad album.

1987, U2 started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Joshua Tree.'

2003, In this years Sunday Times Rich List, Paul McCartney was confirmed as the world's richest musician with a fortune worth over £760m. Madonna was 4th in the list with £227m, Mick Jagger 6th with £175m and Elton John 7th with £170m. Ozzy Osbourne became the 24th richest musician after earning an estimated £42m from his MTV show 'The Osbournes.' And Simon Fuller was said to have earned over £50m from sales of the 'Pop Idol' TV show.

1918, Born on this day, Ella Fitzgerald, US jazz singer, died 15th June 1996, (1960 US No.27 & UK No.19 single 'Mack The Knife').

1933, Born on this day, Jerry Leiber, (& Stoller), songwriter and producer for Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly. The Monkees, Cliff Richard. Among their hit songs: Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Don't, There Goes My Baby, Searchin', Yakety Yak and Kansas City.

1945, Born on this day, Bjorn Ulvaeus, guitar, vocals, Abba, (first UK hit was 1974 No.1 single 'Waterloo', followed by eight other UK No.1 singles and nine No.1 albums, 1977 US No.1 single 'Dancing Queen').

1958, Born on this day, Fish, (Derek Dick), Marillion and solo, vocals, (1985 UK No.2 single 'Kayleigh'). Radio presenter.

1964, Born on this day, Andy Bell, Erasure, (1992 UK No.1 single 'Abba- esque' plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles).

Pilgrimage to Music Part 4: 1910s Music Facts & Events

1912 William Spiller's band, the Musical Spillers, export ragtime to Britain
The first blues is published, Hart Wand's Dallas Blues



1914 Jerome Kern invents the "musical" by integrating music, drama and ballet and setting it into the present

The American Society for Composers (ASCAP) is founded to protect songwriters



1915 The 'Chicago Automatic Machine & Tool Company' invents the jukebox.





 1916 The first record to be advertised as "samba" is Ernesto Joaquim Maria dos Santos, better known as "Donga", Pelo Telefone



Piano makers Brunswick start a record label


1917 The first jazz record is cut in New York

1918 James Europe's Hellfighters export jazz to France

1919 General Electric absorbs the American branch of Marconi Wireless Telegraph and renames it Radio Corporation of America (RCA)

 Will Marion Cook's syncopated orchestra plays jazz for King George V  in Britain



For a most detailed music timeline, you can visit www.scaruffi.com/music

Pilgrimage in Music Part 5: 1920 -1925 Music Facts & Events

1920 Mamie Smith's Crazy Blues is the first blues by a black singer to become a nation-wide hit



Westinghouse Electric starts the first commercial radio station, "KDKA"

1921 106 million records are sold in the USA, mostly published on "Tin Pan Alley", but control of the market is shifting to the record companies


Okeh introduces a "Colored Catalog" targeting the black community, the first series of "race records"





1922 The words "rock" and "roll", which were black slang for sexual intercourse, appear on record for the first time, Trixie Smith's "My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll".



James Sterling buys out the British division of Columbia

1923 Bessie Smith cuts her first blues record
John Carson records two "hillbilly" songs and thus founds country music

1924 The Music Corporation of America (MCA) is founded in Chicago as a talent agency
German record company Deutsche Grammophon (DG) founds the Polydor company to distribute records abroad

Riley Puckett introduces the "yodeling" style of singing into country music

1925 The Mills Brothers popularize the "barbershop harmonies"

Carl Sprague is the first musician to record cowboy songs
(the first "singing cowboy" of country music)

the electrical recording process is commercially introduced, quickly replacing the mechanical one

78.26 RPM is chosen as a standard for phonographic records because
phonographs at that speed could use a standard 3600-rpm motor and 46-tooth
gear (78.26 = 3600/46).


Nashville's first radio station is founded (WSM) and begins broadcasting a
program that will change name to "Grand Ole Opry"


For a most detailed music timeline, you can visit www.scaruffi.com/music

Pilgrimage in Music Part 6: 1926-1929 Music Facts & Events

1926 Bing Crosby cuts his first record
and invents the "crooning" style of singing
thanks to a new kind of microphone.

Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice
made him one of the best-selling recording
artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion
records in circulation.
 



Blind Lemon Jefferson is the first bluesman to enter e major recording studio



Will Shade founds the first "jug band" in Memphis, inspired by Louisville's first jug bands

The British magazine "Melody Maker" is founded

General Electric founds the "National Broadcasting Company" (NBC)

1927 Meade Lux Lewis cuts Honky Tonk Train, the most famous boogie woogie



Jimmie Rodgers, the first star of country music, adopts "yodeling" style of singing, the blues style of black music, and the Hawaian slide guitar

Classical composer Kurt Weill begins a collaboration with playwright Bertold Brecht, incorportating jazz, folk and pop elements in his soundtracks

Sales of "race records" reach $100 million

1928 The United Independent Broadcasters (later renamed Columbia Broadcasting System, or CBS) of 47 affiliate stations is founded

Clarence "Pinetop" Smith cuts Pinetop's Boogie Woogie

1929 Decca is founded in Britain by Edward Lewis as a classical music company

RCA buys Victor Talking Machines

The "Great Depression" destroys the record industry

Blind Lemon Jefferson dies




For a most detailed music timeline, you can visit www.scaruffi.com/music

This day in music history

1955, Perez Prado was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White'. Known as the ‘King of the Mambo’ the instrumental was the theme from the film 'Underwater' where Jane Russell can be seen dancing to ‘Cherry Pink’.

1959, Buddy Holly was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Paul Anka song 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore.' A No.1 hit six weeks after Holly's death.

1961, Bob Dylan appeared on Harry Belafonte's album 'The Midnight Special' playing harmonica on the track 'Calypso King'; Dylan was paid a $50 session fee for this his first ever recording.

1961, Del Shannon started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Runaway', also a No.1 in the UK. Del was the first person to have a hit with a Beatles song in the US with his version of 'From Me To You.'

1968, The Beatles new company Apple Records turned down the offer to sign new artist David Bowie.

1968, Enjoying a wild birthday party Keith Moon drummer with The Who drove his Lincoln car into a Holiday Inn swimming pool.

1968, Louis Armstrong was at No.1 in the UK with the single 'What A Wonderful World / Cabaret.' At 69 years of age, it made Armstrong the oldest act ever to score a UK No.1.

1971, Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to No.1 on the US album chart with '4 Way Street.'

1972, John Lennon's controversial single, ‘Woman Is the Nigger of the World’ was released in the US. The song peaked at No.57, despite virtually every radio station in the country refusing to play it. Yoko Ono said the phrase during a magazine interview in 1967 and Lennon later explained that he was making a point that women deserved higher status in society.

1976, Led Zeppelin scored their sixth UK No.1 album with 'Presence', also No.1 in the US.

1976, 'Wings At The Speed Of Sound' went to No.1 on the US album chart. Paul McCartney's fifth No.1 after The Beatles.

1979, Ray Charles’ ‘Georgia On My Mind’ was proclaimed the state song of Georgia.

1982, Status Quo scored their fourth UK No.1 album with '1982'.

1984, Jerry Lee Lewis married wife number six, 22- year old Kerrie McCarver.

1995, Oasis released 'Some Might Say' which went on to give the band their first UK No.1 single.

2003, The first official UK download chart was compiled after the big five record companies- EMI, Warners, Sony, BMG and Universal combined for a Digital Download day. Over 150,000 computer users had downloaded 1.1m tracks. The Net Parade Top 3: No.3, Tatu, 'All The Things She Said', No, 2, Coldplay, 'Clocks' and No.1 Christina Aguilera, 'Beautiful.'

2007, The Arctic Monkeys sold 85,000 copies of their new album ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ on its first day in UK shops, putting it on course to be the year's fastest-selling new release.

1942, Born on this day, Barbra Streisand, singer, actress, (1974 US No.1 & UK No.31 single 'The Way We Were', 1980 UK & US No.1 single 'Woman In Love' plus over 10 other UK Top 40 singles and 4 other US No.1's).

1945, Born on this day, Doug Clifford, drums, Creedence Clearwater Revival, (1969 UK No.1 and US No.2 single 'Bad Moon Rising' plus 11 other US Top 40 singles, 1970 US & UK No.1 album 'Cosmo's Factory').

1947, Born on this day, Glenn Cornick, bass guitar, Jethro Tull, (1969 UK No.3 and US No.11 single 'Living In The Past').

1957, Born on this day, David Jay, Bauhaus, (1982 UK No.15 single 'Ziggy Stardust') also a member of Love & Rockets.

1958, Born on this day, Boris Williams, drums, The Cure, (1992 UK No.6 single 'Friday I'm In Love' plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles).

1963, Born on this day, Billy Gould, Faith No More, (1993 UK No.3 and US No.4 single 'I'm Easy').

1964, Born on this day, Paul Ryder, bass, Happy Mondays, (1990 UK No.5 single 'Step On').

1982, Born on this day, Kelly Clarkson, singer, winner of the US TV show Pop Idol, (2002 US No.1 single 'A Moment Like This').

For more musical feats & facts, you can visit thisdayinmusic.com

The Roots - The Seed (2.0)

The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals.Malik B., Leonard "Hub" Hubbard, and Josh Abrams were added to the band, originally called The Square Roots.

The Roots released an independently produced debut album, Organix, in 1993. In 1995, with the label DGC Records, the band released Do You Want More?!!!??!. Two guest performers on Do You Want More?!!!??!, Rahzel and Scott Storch joined the group. Soon after, however, Storch left the band and was replaced by Kamal Gray. Their next album, Illadelph Halflife, was released in 1996.

With Illadelph Halflife the band again gained members in Scratch and Dice Raw. The band's next album, Things Fall Apart, was a breakthrough album in that it was their first album to break the top 10 of the Billboard 200 (peaking at 4).

Also in 1999, the band released an EP, The Legendary, and a live album titled The Roots Come Alive. Rahzel, Dice Raw, and Malik B. all parted from the band for differing reasons. In 2000, guitarist Ben Kenney joined The Roots and would stay with the band through their next album, Phrenology, before leaving to join rock band Incubus. After Phrenology, guest performer F. Knuckles became a permanent member and Captain Kirk Douglas replaced Kenney, while Scratch also decided to leave the group.

The next album was 2004's The Tipping Point followed by Game Theory in 2006. During 2007, longtime member Leonard Hubbard decided to retire. He was replaced by Owen Biddle. Rising Down, the eighth studio album from The Roots, was released in 2008. Their next album, How I Got Over, was released on June 21, 2010.

They have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres, including John Legend, Roy Ayers and Cody Chesnutt. The Roots have generated a great deal of critical acclaim and influenced numerous rap and R&B acts. On March 2, 2009, The Roots became the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

The Seed (2.0)" is the second single by The Roots from their fifth album Phrenology (2002). The track, which features Cody Chesnutt on the guitar and vocals, is an "uptempo retooling" of his song "The Seed" from the album The Headphone Masterpiece. The song's music video was nominated for the MTV2 Award at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.Jeff Vrabel of Billboard described the track as "a genre-bending mix of rock guitars and Prince-styled keyboards and drums".

"The Seed (2.0)" is a hybrid mix of "distorted rock, hip-hop and psychedelic soul". Brett Berliner of Stylus Magazine wrote that although the track features black singers and rappers, "it is a rock song, featuring a little bit of funk and just a very little bit of hip-hop." The song was favorably received from music critics. Robert Christgau called it the album's "centerpiece" and "jammingest avant rap track". Pitchfork Media editor Sam Chennault described the song as an "orgiastic garage funk number" and called it the album's "most immediately satisfying track". In 2009, Pitchfork Media listed it at number 330 in "The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s".

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith. Smith's friend Hope Sandoval became the group's vocalist when Smith left the band.

Mazzy Star is probably best known for the song "Fade into You" which brought the band some success in the early to mid 1990s and was the group's biggest mainstream hit, earning extensive exposure on MTV, VH1, and radio airplay.


Roback and Sandoval were the creative center of the band, with Sandoval as lyricist and Roback as composer of the majority of the band's material. After the release of Among My Swan, their third album, the band toured until early 1997, after which they would not be heard from for three years. During this time, Sandoval, who had appeared on The Jesus and Mary Chain's 1994 release Stoned & Dethroned, made another guest appearance on their final record Munki, and also collaborated with The Chemical Brothers.

In 2000, the band reunited for a mini-tour in Europe, which featured new songs that Sandoval later revealed in interviews would be on the new Mazzy Star record, which was also recorded during this time. However, these sessions were not released.

Although the band never officially broke up, Sandoval would go on to found the band Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions, and appear on recordings by Bert Jansch, Air and Death in Vegas.

Sandoval made her solo debut in 2001 with Bavarian Fruit Bread ostensibly backed by the Warm Inventions, though really this is a pairing with Colm Ó Cíosóig (of My Bloody Valentine), and with folk legend Bert Jansch on "Butterfly Mornings" and "Charlotte". Largely written by Sandoval, the album is more free-flowing and abstract than what was attempted with Mazzy Star.

In November 2003, Mazzy Star made their last appearance (to date) at Jansch's 60th Birthday party, when Sandoval and Roback joined Jansch, his son Adam, and O'Ciosoig to play three songs featuring Sandoval on vocals including her solo track "Suzanne".
Roback wrote songs that were later performed by actress Maggie Cheung in the 2004 film Clean, about a former drug addict who wants to become a singer.

In a July 2009 interview with Rolling Stone magazine about her new album, Sandoval confirmed that the band was still in existence and continued to work on its fourth album, stating "It's true we're still together."

"Fade Into You" was their highest charting song and was written by lyricist Hope Sandoval and composer David Roback, who also served as producer. The song made the Top 5 of Billboard's Modern Rock chart in 1994, peaking at number three, and is Mazzy Star's only single to make the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #44. The song also charted at #48 on the UK Singles Chart.

It appeared on Mazzy Star's album So Tonight That I Might See, which reached #36 on the Billboard 200. The group had two other songs make the Modern Rock Top 40, ("Halah" and "Blue Flower") but they did not approach the success of "Fade Into You". Pitchfork Media included the song at number 19 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s.

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