Tuesday, June 20, 2017

20 JUNE

In Music History

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2014The BBC screens the documentary Billy Joel: The Bridge To Russia about his1987 tour in the Soviet Union.
2012The film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter sees its theatrical release in the United States, notable in the music world for having "Powerless" by Linkin Park playing over the end credits.
2004Paul McCartney performs his 3,000th live show, in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
2003For his 54th birthday, Lionel Richiereceives a special gift: a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. According to Richie, the star's location on Hollywood Blvd. isn't far from the Holiday Inn where The Commodores stayed on their first trip to LA while recording their debut album.
2001The Cult return with their seventh studio album, and first new recording in seven years, Beyond Good and Evil.
1997Lawrence Payton (tenor vocalist of The Four Tops) dies of liver cancer in Southfield, Michigan, at age 59.
1995Michael Jackson's ninth album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, is released. MTV becomes "MJTV" for a week to celebrate.
1988Saxon release their Destiny album on the EMI label.
1978Foreigner releases Double Vision.
1971Twiggy Ramirez (guitarist, bassist for Marilyn Manson) is born Jeordie White in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, but will be raised in Coral Springs, Florida.
1969David Bowie records "Space Oddity," which he wrote after seeing the 1968 Stanley Kubrick movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
1969Jimi Hendrix is paid $125,000 for a single performance at Newport Jazz Festival.
1967Jerome Earl Fontamillas (keyboards, backing vocals for Switchfoot) is born in Pasay City, Philippines.
1967Murphy Karges (bassist for Sugar Ray) is born in Orange County, California.
1967The Buckinghams record "Susan" and "Hey Baby They're Playing Our Song."
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Former Bandmates Bobby Brown, New Edition Release Hit Albums

1988
MCA Records issues landmark albums by two of their hottest young R&B acts: Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel and New Edition's Heart Break.

It's been three years since Bobby Brown left New Edition to embark on a solo career. Brown had been a member of the Boston-bred boy band since its inception in 1978 until he was allegedly forced out of the group for a bout of bad behavior. A meager solo release, King of Stage, spawned just one hit on the R&B charts, "Girlfriend." He was in danger of becoming old news without New Edition. 

Brown turns his fortunes around when he taps hot R&B producers Babyface and Antonio "L.A." Reid for Don't Be Cruel. The album yields five Top 10 singles, including the title track, "Roni," "Every Little Step," "Rock Wit'cha," and – most notably – the chart-topper "My Prerogative." Written by Brown, "My Prerogative" is an in-your-face new jack swing anthem that embraces his newfound independence. The album spends six weeks atop the Billboard 200 albums chart and becomes the best-selling album of 1989 in the US. 

Meanwhile, New Edition is ready for the next phase of their career without Brown, introducing their newest addition, Johnny Gill. No longer the little boys who crooned the sticky-sweet pop hit "Candy Girl," they need a new image to reflect their maturity as young men and a new sound to match. They hook up with their own star team: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the producers responsible for Janet Jackson's career-making turn as a sex icon with her breakthrough album Control. With Heart Break, Jam and Lewis coax a smoother R&B sound wrapped around adult themes of love and loss. The album peaks at #12 on the Billboard 200 and lands 5 charting singles, the highest being "If It Isn't Love" at #7 on the pop chart. 

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