This Day In Music History

1960, Roy Orbison reached No.2 on the US singles chart with ‘Only the Lonely,’ his first hit. The song was turned down by The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley, so Orbison decided to record the song himself.

1963, Cilla Black made a recording test for EMI Records after George Martin had spotted her while at a Gerry And The Pacemakers gig in Liverpool.

1964, The Beatles third album 'A Hard Days Night' started a twenty-one week run at the top of the UK charts.

1969, Neil Young appeared with Crosby, Stills and Nash for the first time when played at The Fillmore East in New York. Young was initially asked to help out with live material only, but ended up joining the group on and off for the next 30 years.

1970, The Carpenters started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with '(They Long To Be) Close To You'. The first of three US No.1's and 17 other Top 40 hits. The song was written in 1963 by Hal David and Burt Bacharach and was first offered to Herb Alpert, who said he didn't feel comfortable singing the line 'so they sprinkled moon dust in your hair'.

1971, T Rex were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Get It On', the group's second UK No.1 which spent four weeks at the top of the charts. In the US it was retitled Bang A Gong, (Get It On). Power Station had a UK & US hit with their version of the song in 1985.

1981, Air Supply went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The One That I Love', the group's only US No.1 and the first Australian band to top the US singles chart.

1984, Willie Mae ‘Big Mama’ Thornton died at the age of 58 died in Los Angeles of heart and liver complications. She had a No.1 R&B hit in 1953 with ‘Hound Dog’ (later covered by Elvis Presley). She also wrote and recorded ‘Ball 'n' Chain,’ which Janis Joplin recorded.

1987, Madonna had her fifth UK No.1 single with the title track from her 1987 film 'Who's That Girl'. Also a US No.1 hit.

1987, Terence Trent D'arby went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Introducing The Hardline According to Terence Trent D'arby'.

1995, Grammy Award winning country singer, songwriter Charlie Rich died in his sleep aged 62 years old. Rich began as a Rockabilly artist for Sun Records in Memphis in 1958. He scored the 1974 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'The Most Beautiful Girl' and 'Behind Closed Doors', was a No.1 country hit.

1998, Jamiroquai went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Deeper Under Ground', their thirteenth hit and first UK No.1.

1998, Jane McDonald went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her debut album. The singer had been featured in a BBC documentary 'Cruise', and became the first singer to debut at No.1 without having a hit single.

2003, Erik Braunn from American psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly, died of cardiac failure at the age of 52. Braunn was just 16 years old when he joined Iron Butterfly who had the 1968 US No.14 single 'In-A- Gadda-Da-Vida’.

1925, Born on this day, Bennie Benjamin session drummer, one of ‘The Funk Brothers’ played on many Tamla Motown hits including, The Four Tops, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and Stevie Wonder. Film ‘Standing In The Shadows Of Motown’ released in 2003. Died 20th April 1969.

1941, Born on this day, Manuel Charlton, Nazareth, (1973 UK No.9 single 'Broken Down Angel', 1976 US No.8 single, 'Love Hurts').

1942, Born on this day, Bruce Woodley, vocals, The Seekers, (1965 UK No.1 & US No.5 single 'I'll Never Find Another You').

1943, Born on this day, Jim McCarty, drums, The Yardbirds, (1965 UK No.3 &
US No.6 single 'For Your Love').

1946, Born on this day, Jose Chepito Areas, percussionist, Santana, (1970 US No.4 single 'Black Magic Woman', 1977 UK No.11 single 'She's Not There').

1951, Born on this day, Verdine White, bass, vocals, Earth Wind and Fire, (1975 US No.1 single 'Shining Star', 1981 UK No.3 single 'Let's Groove').

1958, Born on this day, Thurston Moore, guitar, vocals, Sonic Youth, (1993 UK No.26 single 'Sugar Kane').