What Happened Today In Music

December 12th

1957 - Jerry Lee Lewis

Still married to his first wife Jane Mitcham, Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13-year old second cousin Myra Gale Brown. Lewis's personal life was hidden from the public until a May 1958 British tour where Ray Berry, a news agency reporter at London's Heathrow Airport learned about Lewis's third wife. The publicity caused an uproar and the tour was canceled after only three concerts.

1963 - The Beatles

The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', the group's third No.1 (and first Amercan No.1) and this year's UK Christmas No.1.

1965 - The Beatles

The Beatles sixth album Rubber Soul started a 42-week run on the UK albums chart. It was the second Beatles LP to contain only original material. For the first time in their career, the band were able to record the album over a continuous period, uninterrupted by touring commitments.

1967 - Brian Jones

Rolling Stone Brian Jones was given 3 years probation and a £1,000 fine for drug offences. Three psychiatrists agreed that Jones was an extremely frightened young man with suicidal tendencies.

1970 - Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Tears Of A Clown'. It was the group's 26th Top 40 hit and first No.1, and also a No.1 hit in the UK. The song was written by Stevie Wonder in 1966, and his producer Hank Cosby, Smokey Robinson wrote the lyrics.

1970 - Jim Morrison

The Doors played what would be their last ever live show with Jim Morrison when they played at the Warehouse in New Orleans.

1981 - Human League

The Human League had their only UK No.1 single with 'Don't You Want Me.' The Christmas hit of 81, the biggest seller of 1981 and Virgin Records first No.1 UK single. The group's singer Phil Oakey disliked the song so much that it was relegated to the last track on their latest album Dare.

1985 - Ian Stewart

Scottish keyboard player Ian Stewart died of a heart attack in his doctor's Harley Street waiting room. Co-founder of The Rolling Stones (Stewart was the first to respond to Brian Jones's advertisement in Jazz News seeking musicians to form a rhythm & blues group). Stewart was dismissed from the line-up by the band's manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, in May 1963 but remained as road manager and piano player. He played on all The Rolling Stones albums between 1964 and 1983. Also played piano on Led Zeppelin's ‘Rock and Roll’ and ‘Boogie With Stu’ from Physical Graffiti.

1987 - George Michael

George Michael started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Faith'. Taken from the album of the same name, it became the top-selling single of the year in the US in 1988.

1992 - Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston started a twenty-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Bodyguard'. It has sold over 44 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling soundtrack album of all time, as well as one of the best selling albums of all time.

1998 - John Lennon

A seven inch single by the Quarry Men featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison was named as the rarest record of all time, only 50 copies were made with each copy being valued at £10,000, ($20,500).

2001 - Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee guitarist and singer from Love, was released from prison after serving almost six years of an eleven-year sentence. Lee had been convicted of possession of a firearm and for allegedly shooting a gun in the air during a dispute with a neighbour.

2003 - Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger became a Sir after being knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Jagger's 92-year-old father was at the Palace to see his son receive the award.

2007 - Ike Turner

Ike Turner, the former husband of Tina Turner died at the age of 76 at his home near San Diego, California. Turner who was a prolific session guitarist and piano player is credited by many music historians with making the first rock 'n' roll record in 1951. After marrying Tina Turner in 1959, the pair released a string of hits including the Phil Spector produced ‘River Deep Mountain High.’

2007 - John Lennon

A copy of John Lennon's book, A Spaniard in the Works, which contained a lock of Lennon's hair, sold at Gorringes Auction House for £24,000, ($48,000). Lennon gave the book and the hair to Betty Glasgow, the Fab Four's hairdresser during their heyday. He wrote in the book, "To Betty, Lots of Love and Hair, John Lennon xx." The strands of hair and book had been expected to sell for between £2,000 and £4,000.

2008 - The Rolling Stones

The town where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards grew up announced it was to name streets in a new estate after Rolling Stones hits. The 13 streets in Dartford, Kent, were to be given names such as Angie Mews, Babylon Close, Sympathy Street, Little Red Walk and Satisfaction Street. Leader of the council, Jeremy Kite, said he thought Ruby Tuesday Drive sounded a "fantastic" place to live, but police were concerned the street signs might be stolen by fans.

2012 - Superstorm Sandy Concert

The Rolling Stones, The Who, Michael Stipe, Chris Martin, Bruce Springsteen and Roger Waters played at Madison Square Garden and raised over $30m (£18.6m) at a benefit gig in New York for those affected by superstorm Sandy which had caused the deaths of 120 people when it hit the Caribbean and US in October of this year. The surviving members of Nirvana, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, also joined Sir Paul McCartney on stage to perform.

Born Today In Music

December 12th

1915 - Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra American singer, actor and producer, who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He was the first singer to encounter 'pop hysteria', and his single 'My Way' holds the UK longevity record of 136 weeks on the charts. Sinatra died on 14th May 1998 after a heart attack.

1938 - Connie Francis

Connie Francis, singer, (1958 UK No.1 single 'Who's Sorry Now', 1960 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'Everybody's Fool', plus over & 20 UK Top 40 hits.

1940 - Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick, US singer, (1964 UK No.9 single 'Walk On By', 1974 US No.1 & UK No.29 single 'Then Came You', plus over 25 US Top 40 hits).

1941 - Terry Kirkman

Terry Kirkman, vocals, The Association, who scored the 1966 hit 'Cherish' (also covered by David Cassidy), and the 1967 US No.1 single 'Windy'.

1942 - Declan Clusky

Declan Clusky, The Bachelors, (1964 UK No.1 single 'Diane', plus 16 other UK Top 40 singles).

1942 - Tim Hauser

Tim Hauser, singer, Manhattan Transfer, (1977 UK No.1 'Chanson D'amour', 1981 US No.7 single 'Boy From New York City').

1943 - Dave Munden

Dave Munden, who with Brian Poole and the Tremeloes had the the UK 1963 No.1 hit 'Do You Love Me' and with The Tremeloes the 1967 UK No.1 & US No.11 single 'Silence Is Golden'.

1943 - Dicky Betts

Dicky Betts, American guitarist, singer, songwriter, The Allman Brothers Band, who had the 1973 US No.12 single 'Ramblin Man'. Betts is recognized as one of the greatest rock guitar players of all time, with one of rock’s finest guitar partnerships with Duane Allman, introducing melodic twin guitar harmony which "rewrote the rules for how two rock guitarists can work together".

1943 - Grover Washington

Grover Washington Jr, singer, (1981 UK No.34 single 'Just The Two Of Us'). Died on 17th December 1999.

1943 - Mike Smith

Mike Smith, from English pop rock band, Dave Clark Five, who scored the 1964 UK No.1 single 'Glad All Over', and the 1965 US No.1 single 'Over And Over' , plus over 15 other UK top 40 singles. Smith died on 29th Feb 2008 from pneumonia at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England at the age of 64.

1944 - Rob Tyner

Rob Tyner, singer from American rock band MC5 who formed in 1964. Best known for their energetic live performances, one of which was recorded as their 1969 debut album Kick Out the Jams. Tyner died on 18 September 1991 when he suffered a heart attack in the seat of his parked car close to his home town of Berkley, Michigan.

1945 - Alan Ward

Alan Ward, The Honeycombs, (1964 UK No.1 single 'Have I The Right').

1946 - Denny Dias

Denny Dias, American guitarist, best known for being a founding member of Steely Dan. Dias placed an ad in The Village Voice in the summer of 1970 that read: "Looking for keyboardist and bassist. Must have jazz chops! Assholes need not apply". Donald Fagen and Walter Becker responded to the advertisement.

1947 - Ralph Scala

Ralph Scala, from American rock group The Blue Magoos, who scored the 1967 US No.5 single, 'We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet'. They were at the forefront of the psychedelic music trend, beginning in 1966.

1948 - Ray Jackson

Ray Jackson from English group Lindisfarne who had the 1970s hit singles 'Meet Me on the Corner', 'Lady Eleanor and 'Run For Home'. Their album Fog on the Tyne became the biggest selling UK album in 1972.

1953 - Bruce Kulick

Bruce Kulick, American guitarist, worked with Meat Loaf, Michael Bolton, Grand Funk Railroad and Kiss.

1958 - Leslie Carter

Leslie Carter, (Fruitbat), from English duo Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine who had the 1992 UK No.7 single 'The Only Living Boy In New Cross'.

1959 - Belouis Some

Belouis Some, (Neville Keighley) 1986 UK No.17 single 'Imagination').

1959 - Sheila E

Sheila E. singer and percussionist discovered by Prince, she had the 1985 US & UK Top 20 single ‘The Belle Of St Mark’. Also worked with Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion.

1961 - Daniel O'Donnell

Daniel O'Donnell, Irish singer, top UK Country 'n' Irish artist, (1998 UK No.7 single 'Give A Little Love', scored over 15 Top 40 albums). Received an MBE in 2002.

1963 - Claudia Brucken

Claudia Brucken, Propaganda, (1985 UK No.21 single 'Duel').

1963 - Eric Schenkman

Eric Schenkman, guitarist with American rock band The Spin Doctors who had the 1993 UK No.3 & US No.7 single 'Two Princess' and the hit 'Little Miss Can't Be Wrong'.

1968 - Danny Boy

Danny Boy, US rap group, House Of Pain, (1993 UK No.8 single, 'Jump Around').

1976 - Dan Hawkins

Dan Hawkins, guitarist with The Darkness who had the 2003 UK No.2 single ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’, and the 2003 UK No.1 album ‘Permission To Land’. The album was certified quadruple platinum in the United Kingdom, with sales of over 1,300,000 and in 2004 the band won three Brit Awards.

1980 - Carl Dalemo

Carl Dalemo, bassist with English indie rock band Razorlight who had the 2006, UK No.1 single ‘America’ and their 2006 UK No.1 self titled album.