Monday, August 14, 2017

13 AUGUST

In Music History

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2009Guitarist/inventor Les Paul dies of complications from pneumonia at age 94 in White Plains, New York.
2009Allen Shellenberger (drummer for Lit) dies of cancer at age 39 in Artesia, California.
2005Francine Barker (the original Peaches of Peaches & Herb) dies after a long illness in Hyattsville, Maryland, at age 58.
2003Songwriter/producer Ed Townsend dies of a heart attack at age 74 in San Bernardino, California. He co-wrote Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."
1994Day 2 of Woodstock '94 welcomes Irish rockers The Cranberries, who entertain the crowd with their forthcoming single "Zombie" and a rendition of the Carpenters' "(They Long to Be) Close to You." In a nod to his 1969 performance, original Woodstock veteran Joe Cocker revisits "With A Little Help From My Friends" on the more prestigious North Stage.
1993The fantasy-comedy movie Heart and Souls premieres in US theaters. Star Robert Downey Jr. sings the US national anthemin the film, backed by B.B. King on guitar. King also performs his classic "The Thrill is Gone."
1993Steely Dan, who broke up in 1981, re-form and begin a US tour at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Walter Becker explains: "We spent all the money from the last tour. We made $800 each and it's all gone now."
1982Southern Soul singer Joe Tex dies of a heart attack at age 47 in Navasota, Texas.
1982In response to plummeting record sales (which the industry blames on the sale of blank cassette tapes), major labels CBS, Atlantic, and Warner Brothers announce a series of major staff cuts.
1980At his home in Woodstock, New York, Todd Rundgren and four guests are victims of an invasion when four masked men break in and strip it of anything valuable.
1977Bachman-Turner Overdrive announce that the group is splitting up (though they would reunite within six years).
1973Lynyrd Skynyrd releases (pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), their debut album.
1971Saxophonist King Curtis dies at age 37 after being stabbed outside of his apartment in New York City. Known for his distinctive playing on The Coasters' "Yakety Yak."
1968Soul singer Joe Hinton dies of skin cancer at age 38 in Boston, Massachusetts. Known for the popular cover "Funny How Time Flies Slips Away," written by Willie Nelson.
1968The Beatles record "Yer Blues."
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Björk Dresses To Impress In Athens

2004
At the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Björkwears a dress that unfurls about 10,000 feet of fabric, which is stretched to cover the viewing area where a world map is then projected. All of this takes place while she sings "Oceania."

The song is the first single from her fifth album, Medúlla (2004), and was written in collaboration with Icelandic poet Sjón Sigurdsson, who took a course in Greek Mythology in order to write the lyrics. Björk says she is incredibly honored to be have been chosen to perform at the ceremony, explaining, "The song is written from the point of view of the ocean that surrounds all the land and watches over the humans to see how they are doing after millions of years of evolution. It sees no borders, different races or religion which has always been at the core of these games."

The dress she wears is designed by Greek designer Sophia Kokosalaki and is the latest in a long line of flamboyant outfits from the Icelandic songstress, who famously attended the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001 dressed in an oufit comprising of a ballerina's tutu with a swan's head attached. This is the most extravagant yet, with the fabric gradually spread over the heads of the 20,000 assembled athletes throughout the performance before the map of the world is projected onto it at the end of the song.

The ceremony has its intended effect and is one of the talking points of the 2004 Olympics. Not to be outdone, the Chinese hosts of the 2008 games spend over $100 million in an attempt to beat the Greeks at their own game.

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