What Happened Today In Music
December 15th
1943 - Fats Waller
American jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer Fats Waller died of pneumonia on a train trip near Kansas City, Missouri. Waller wrote many songs including 'Ain't Misbehavin', 'Your Feet's Too Big' and 'The Reefer Song'. In 1926 Waller was kidnapped at gunpoint in Chicago and driven to a club owned by gangster Al Capone. Inside the club he was ordered to perform at what turned out to be a surprise birthday party for the gangster. He enjoyed success touring the United Kingdom and Ireland in the 1930s, appearing on one of the first BBC television broadcasts on September 30, 1938.
1944 - Hank Williams
Hank Williams married Audrey Sheppard, with the ceremony taking place at a filling station. Their son, Randall Hank Williams, would achieve fame in his own right as Hank Williams, Jr., who was born on May 26, 1949. The marriage ended in divorce on May 29, 1952.
1944 - Glenn Miller
American big-band musician, arranger, composer, and bandleader Glenn Miller was killed when his aircraft disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel while traveling to entertain US troops in France during World War II. Miller was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best-known big bands. In just four years Glenn Miller scored 23 No.1 hits. Miller's recordings include 'In the Mood', 'Moonlight Serenade', 'Pennsylvania 6-5000', and 'Chattanooga Choo Choo'.
1956 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley gave his final performance on Louisiana Hayride, a live radio program that was broadcast on KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. Presley made 50 appearances on the show. At the end of the show, Horace Logan first made the now legendary phrase ‘Elvis has left the building’.
1962 - The Beatles
The Beatles played two separate shows at the same venue, the Majestic Ballroom in Birkenhead, Merseyside. First they played a standard Majestic booking then at midnight, the first-ever "Mersey Beat" poll awards show took place. As poll winners, The Beatles closed the show (at 4:00 am).
1969 - John Lennon
John Lennon played what would be his final ever gig in the UK when he appeared at The Lyceum Ballroom, London, with the Plastic Ono Band in a UNICEF 'Peace For Christmas' benefit. George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie, Billy Preston and The Who's drummer, Keith Moon also took part.
1973 - Charlie Rich
Charlie Rich started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the country & western ballad 'The Most Beautiful Girl', the singers only No.1 single, was also a No.2 hit in the UK.
1977 - Johnny Rotten
The Sex Pistols were refused entry into the USA two days before a scheduled NBC TV appearance. Johnny Rotten because of a drugs conviction, Paul Cook & Sid Vicious because of 'moral turpitude' and Steve Jones because of his criminal record.
1979 - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd started a five week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)' their only UK chart topper. The song, which was also the final No.1 single of the 1970s, received a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group, but Floyd lost to Bob Seger's Against the Wind.
1984 - Bob Geldof
Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid entered the UK chart at No.1 and stayed at the top for five weeks. It became the biggest selling UK single of all time with sales over 3 and a half million. Band Aid was masterminded by former Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof, who had been moved by a TV news story of famine in Ethiopia. Geldof had the idea of raising funds with a one-off charity single featuring the cream of the current pop world. Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Paul Young, Culture Club, George Michael, Sting, Bono, Phil Collins, Paul Weller, Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo and Bananarama all appeared on the recording.
1988 - James Brown
Soul singer James Brown was sentenced to six years in prison for various offences including possession of weapons and resisting arrest.
1990 - Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart married New Zealand model Rachel Hunter in Beverly Hills. Stewart was quoted as saying 'I Found the Girl that I Want, I won't be putting my banana in anybody's fruit bowl from now on'. They split in 1999.
1997 - Spice Girls
'Spice World The Movie', featuring The Spice Girls premiered at The Empire, Leicester Sq, London. The following year it was nominated for the 'worst film' at the Golden Raspberry Awards.
1998 - Michael Barrett
Backstreet Boys roadie Michael Barrett filed a $3 million lawsuit against the group claiming damages after a 50-pound cannon fell on his head during a show.
1999 - Boy George
Boy George was knocked unconscious when a mirror ball fell on his head during a show in Dorset, England.
1999 - Malcolm McLaren
Former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren announced that he was running for the Mayor of London. He said he would be campaigning for brothels, pot shops and boozing in libraries. "I changed London with the Sex Pistols, I can change London as Mayor."
2001 - Eagles
Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh was given an honorary Doctorate of Music from Kent State University in Ohio.
2001 - Rufus Thomas
American funk and soul singer Rufus Thomas died of heart failure aged 84. He began his career as a tap dancer, vaudeville performer, and master of ceremonies in the 1930s. He later worked as a disc jockey on radio station WDIA in Memphis. He recorded on Sun Records in the 1950s and on Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. Thomas scored the 1963 US No.10 single 'Walking The Dog' and the 1970 UK No.18 & US No.28 single 'Do The Funky Chicken' and the 1970 hit ‘(Do the) Push and Pull (1970). A street is named in his honour, just off Beale Street in Memphis.
2002 - Elton John
Blue featuring Elton John went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.' Previously a No.11 hit for Elton in 1976. It gave Elton only his 5th No 1 after over 30 years of hits.
2003 - Courtney Love
Courtney Love was sentenced to 18 months in drug rehabilitation after she admitted being under the influence of cocaine and opiates. She was banned from taking non-prescription drugs, drinking alcohol or being in places that serve alcohol.
2008 - Madonna
Madonna paid former husband Guy Ritchie around £50m as part of their divorce settlement. The singers US spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told The Associated Press the figure included the value of the couple's Ashcombe home in England, and the financial part of the settlement had been worked out but custody of the couple's children had yet to be finalised.
2010 - Pink Floyd
Various Pink Floyd items were sold at an Entertainment Memorabilia auction by Bonhams in Knightsbridge London. A demo pressing of the single 'Point Me To The Sky/Careful With That Axe Eugene' sold for £720. Pink Floyd signatures, in various blue marker pens on four separate pieces of paper mounted and framed together with a copy of 'Dark Side Of The Moon' sold for £624.00 and a demo pressing of the single by Syd Barrett'Octopus' / 'Golden Hair' from 1969, misspelt 'Barratt' corrected in ink on A-side, sold for £300.
2014 - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift was at No.1 on the US album chart with her fifth studio album 1989. The album eventually became the best-selling album of 2014 in the US market and had sold over 5.7 million copies by the end of 2015, while selling 9.5 million worldwide. Seven singles have been released from the set.
December 15th
1919 - Max Yasgur
Max Yasgur, owner of the Woodstock farm where the 1969 festival was held. Yasgur died of a heart attack on 8th February 1973 aged 53.
1921 - Alan Freed
Alan Freed, American DJ. The man who gave 'Rock 'n' Roll' its name. Died 20th January 1965.
1938 - Jerry Wallace
Jerry Wallace, US singer, (1959 US No.8 single 'Primrose Lane').
1939 - Cindy Birdsong
Cindy Birdsong, American singer The Supremes joined in 1968, when she replaced co-founding member Florence Ballard. Birdsong had previouly been a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles.
1942 - Dave Clark
English musician, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur Dave Clark, 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.
1946 - Harry Ray
Harry Ray, Moments, (1970 US No.3 single 'Love On A Two-Way Street', 1975 UK No.3 single 'Girls').
1946 - Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice, drummer, Vanilla Fudge, (1968 US No.6 single 'You Keep Me Hangin' On'). Also a member of Beck, Bogart and Appice and the Rod Stewart band.
1947 - Bob Berryhill
American guitarist Bob Berryhill from The Surfaris who had the 1963 US No.2 & UK No.3 single 'Wipe Out.'
1949 - Don Johnson
Don Johnson, actor, singer, (Miami Vice), (1986 US No.5 & UK No.46 single, 'Heartbeat').
1954 - Royce Jones
Grammy-winning American musician Royce Jones best known for his work as a touring vocalist with the bands Steely Dan (in 1973 and 1974) and Ambrosia (joined 1978).
1955 - Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon, bassist with The Clash, who had the 1979 UK No. 11 single 'London Calling' and the 1982 US No. 8 single 'Rock The Casbah. Their 1991 UK No.1 single 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go', was first released 1982.
1956 - Kit Hain
Kit Hain, English musician and songwriter. She formed the British pop-rock duo Marshall Hain well known for their 1978 hit 'Dancing In The City'.
1957 - Tim Reynolds
Tim Reynolds, American multi-instrumentalist with the Dave Matthews Band. Dave Matthews Band are the first group to have six consecutive studio albums debut at the top of the US charts.
1961 - Nick Beggs
Nick Beggs, bass, Kajagoogoo, (1983 UK No.1 single 'Too Shy'), also a member of the Howard Jones band.
1979 - Edele Lynch
Edele Lynch and Keavy Lynch, singers, B*Witched, (1998 UK No.1 single 'C'est La Vie').
1980 - Sergio Pizzorno
Sergio Pizzorno, guitar, vocals, Kasabian, (2005 UK No.8 single 'Cutt Off', 2006 UK No.1 album ‘Empire’). Kasabian won a Brit Award in 2010 for Best British Group.
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