On This Day

September 8th

1952 - Ray Charles

After Atlantic Records bought Ray Charles' contract from Swingtime, Charles recorded his first session for Atlantic, cutting four songs. Over the next seven years, he would record such classics as ‘Mess Around,’ ‘I Got a Woman,’ ‘Hallelujah, I Love Her So’ and ‘What'd I Say.’

1956 - Eddie Cochran

Eddie Cochran signed a one year contract with Liberty Records, Cochran went on to give Liberty three top 40 hits over the next several years including ‘Summertime Blues,’ ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ and ‘C’mon Everybody’.

1957 - Jackie Wilson

Reet Petite' by Jackie Wilson was released for the first time, it became a UK No. 1, 29 years later. During a 1975 benefit concert, Wilson collapsed on-stage from a heart attack and subsequently fell into a coma that persisted for nearly nine years until his death in 1984.

1968 - The Beatles

The Beatles performed 'Hey Jude' on the UK television show 'Frost On Sunday' in front of an invited audience. The song was the first single from The Beatles' record label Apple Records and at over seven minutes in length, 'Hey Jude' was, at the time, the longest single ever to top the British charts. It also spent nine weeks as No.1 in the United States—the longest run at the top of the American charts for a Beatles' single. Beatles Quiz

1968 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin appeared at Raventlow Parken, Nykobing, Falster, Denmark supported by The Beatnicks and The Ladybirds, (who were a all girl topless go-go dancing outfit). This was the group's third ever live gig.

1971 - Tams

The Tams were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Hey Girl Don't Bother Me', a reissue of a 1964 US hit.

1973 - Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye Gaye started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Let's Get It On', his second US No.1, only reached No.31 in the UK. 

1974 - Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Beach Boys all appeared at the New York 'Summersault '74' at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury.

1977 - Wings

Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch left Wings to help re-form the Small Faces. McCulloch had played with Paul McCartney band on the Venus and Mars and Wings At the Speed of Sound albums, as well as on the Wings Over America tour. He died two years later at the age of 26. Drummer Joe English also left Wings at this time, joining Sea Level.

1979 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin scored their eighth UK No.1 album when 'In Through The Out Door' went to the top of the charts for two weeks. The eighth studio album by Zeppelin, was their final album of entirely new material.

1984 - Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder had his first UK No.1 with 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. Taken from the film 'The Woman In Red', it was 18 years after Wonder's chart debut in 1966. The song stayed at No.1 for six weeks.

1990 - Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Blaze Of Glory', a No.2 in the UK. The track appeared in the motion picture Young Guns II, for which it was originally recorded.

1993 - Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love appeared on stage together at a show in Hollywood. They performed a song they wrote together 'Penny Royal Tea'.

1997 - Led Zeppelin

29 years after the band first formed, Led Zeppelin released 'Whole Lotta Love', their first ever single in the UK. The track recorded in 1969 and featured on the bands second album was issued to promote their re-issued back catalogue.

1997 - Derek Taylor

Derek Taylor the publicist for The Beatles died aged 67. Taylor had been responsible for many of the legends surrounding their career and had also worked with The Beach Boys and The Byrds. In 1967 he helped organise the Monterey Pop Festival together with Lou Adler and John Philips. He helped launch the Beatles Anthology trilogy in the 90s.

1999 - Sean Puffy Combes

Sean Puffy Combes and his bodyguard Paul Offered both pleaded guilty to harassment in a New York Court. The pair faced charges of assaulting record company executive Steve Stoute with a champagne bottle a chair and a telephone.

2002 - Bruce Dickinson

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson started his new job as an airline pilot. The heavy metal singer qualified as a £35,000 - a year first officer with Gatwick based airline Astraeus who took holidaymakers to Portugal and Egypt.

2003 - David Bowie

David Bowie performed the first interactive concert when his performance was beamed live into 21 cinemas from Warsaw to Edinburgh. Members of the audience talked to Bowie via microphones linked to ISDN lines and took requests for songs from fans.

2004 - Robert Plant

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant was guest of honour at the unveiling of a statue of 15th century rebel leader Owain Glyndwr at Pennal church, near Machynlleth in Wales. Plant, who owns a farmhouse in the area had donated money towards a bronze sculpture of the Welsh prince.

2005 - Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart was ordered to pay a Las Vegas casino $2m (£1.1m) for missing a New Year concert in 2000. Stewart had said he was unable to play at the Rio hotel and casino because his voice disappeared after an operation to remove a cancerous thyroid tumour. The singer said his voice only recovered in time to begin a world tour in June 2001 and he had since performed 150 shows.

2005 - Kaiser Chiefs

A charity album featuring some of the biggest bands in the UK was thought to be the fastest ever produced. Coldplay, Radiohead, Kaiser Chiefs, Antony and the Johnsons, The Magic Numbers, The Coral, Bloc Party and Gorillaz were among those who recorded tracks for ‘Help: A Day in the Life.’ The whole 22-track album was made available for download from the War Child website the following day.

2007 - Foxy Brown

Foxy Brown was sent to jail for a year in New York for violating her probation terms after she travelled outside New York without the court's permission and had missed anger management classes. The rapper (real name Inga Marchand), was arrested for allegedly assaulting a neighbour and in October 2006 she was put on probation for allegedly assaulting two nail salon workers in August 2004.

2007 - Don Arden

A commemorative plaque dedicated to Don Arden and the Small Faces was unveiled at 52–55 Carnaby Street, London, Arden's former offices. Arden achieved notoriety in Britain for his aggressive, sometimes illegal business tactics and looked after the career's of Small Faces, the Move, the Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath. He was the father of Sharon Osbourne (and father-in-law of Ozzy Osbourne).

2011 - Michael Jackson

Jury selection began for the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. Prospective jurors were asked to fill out a 30-page questionnaire to determining their level of knowledge of the case and any strong views about Jackson or Murray.

2016 - Prince Buster

Jamaican singer, songwriter and producer, Prince Buster died in a hospital in Miami, Florida, after suffering heart problems. The first Jamaican to have a top 20 hit in the UK, Prince Buster defined the sound of ska in the 1960s before going on to inspire the Two Tone movement of the late '70s.

Born On This Day

September 8th

1897 - Jimmie Rodgers

Jimmie Rodgers singer, songwriter, the first country music star. Sold over 12 million records and was the first person to be elected into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Rodgers died on 26th May 1933.

1925 - Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers actor, The Goons, (1956 UK No.9 single 'Ying Tong Song' with The Goons, 1960 UK No.4 single 'Goodness Gracious Me', with Sophia Loren, 1965 UK No.14 single 'A Hard Day's Night'). Sellers died of a heart attack on 24th July 1980.

1932 - Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline country music singer. Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht's and Alan Block's 'Walkin' After Midnight', Hank Cochran's and Harlan Howard's 'I Fall to Pieces', Willie Nelson's 'Crazy' and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's 'Sweet Dreams'. She died aged 30 on 5 March 1963 at the height of her career in a plane crash. She was one of the most influential, successful and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century. Ten years after her death, in 1973, she became the first female solo artist inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

1942 - Brian Cole

Brian Cole, bass, vocals, The Association, (1967 US No.1 single 'Windy'). Cole died on 2nd August 1972.

1942 - Sal Spampinato

Sal Spampinato, The Beau Brummels, (1965 US No.8 single, 'Just A Little.')

1945 - Kelly Groucutt

English musician Kelly Groucutt, bassist, with Electric Light Orchestra, who had the 1979 UK No.3 & US No.4 single 'Don't Bring Me Down' plus 26 other Top 40 hits. Groucutt began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki Storm and the Falcons. He died from a heart attack on 19 February 2009 aged 63.

1945 - Ron Mckernan

Ron McKernan, organ, and one of the founding members of Grateful Dead who played in the group from 1965 to 1972. Unlike the other members of the Grateful Dead, McKernan avoided psychedelic drugs, preferring to drink alcohol (namely whiskey and flavored fortified wine). By 1971, his health had been affected by alcoholism and liver damage and doctors advised him to stop touring. He died on 8th March 1973 from cirrhosis of the liver aged 27.

1947 - Benjamin Orr

Benjamin Orr bass, vocals, The Cars, who had the 1978 UK No.3 single 'My Best Friend's Girl.' Their 1984 US No.3 & 1985 UK No.4 'Drive' was used as part of the soundtrack for the Live Aid concert. Orr died of cancer in Atlanta on 3 October 2000, aged 53.

1958 - David Lewis

David Lewis, from American band Atlantic Starr who had the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Always'.

1960 - Aimee Mann

Aimee Mann, US singer songwriter, member of Til Tuesday, solo, (1993 album 'Whatever').

1960 - David Steele

David Steele, from British band Fine Young Cannibals, who had the 1989 UK No.5 single 'She Drives Me Crazy', and as a member of The Beat had the 1983 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Can't Get Used To Losing You'.

1975 - Richard Hughes

Richard Hughes, drums, Keane, their 2004 UK No.1 album 'Hopes And Fears' was the second best-selling British album of the year.

1979 - Pink

Pink, (Alicia Moore), 2001 UK No.2 single 'Get The Party Started', 2001 US & UK No.1 single with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Mya 'Lady Marmalade'. Pink has become one of the most successful artists of her generation, having sold over 110 million records worldwide.

1980 - Slim Thug

Slim Thug, US rapper (born Stayve Jerome Thomas). 2005 US No.2 album ‘Already Platinum’, 2006 US No.1 single with Beyonce ‘ Check On It’, also worked with Gwen Stefani and LeToya Luckett.

1987 - Wiz Khalifa

Wiz Khalifa (Cameron Jibril Thomaz), American rapper and singer-songwriter. He scored the 2014 US No.1 album Blacc Hollywood and his 2015 single ‘See You Again’ (from the soundtrack of the 2015 film Furious 7 as a tribute to actor Paul Walker) spent 12 non-consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and was a No.1 in seven other countries. 

1989 - Tim Bergling

Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer, Tim Bergling, (Avicii). He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance Recording with 'Levels' at the 2013 Grammy Awards. His biggest single was 2013’s 'Wake Me Up'. He recorded with Wyclef Jean, Robbie Williams, ABBA members Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, Rita Ora and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. Avicii died on 20 April 2018 aged 28. It was reported that the cause of death was a suicide due to self-inflicted injuries with a broken wine bottle.

1990 - Jay Weinberg

American musician and drummer Jay Weinberg, from heavy metal band Slipknot. He is the son of American drummer Max Weinberg from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.