What Happened Today In Music

January 26th

1956 - Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly recorded what would become his first release, 'Love Me' and 'Blue Days, Black Nights'. Both tracks were later featured on That'll Be The Day the third album from Holly, after Decca, Holly’s first major record label packaged these 1956 tunes after he had some success with recordings from the Brunswick and Coral labels.

1961 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'. The singers sixth UK No.1. The song which was written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926 first became a hit in 1950 when the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on Billboard's Pop chart. Elvis recorded the song at the suggestion of his manager Colonel Tom Parker as it was Parker's wife, Marie Mott's, favorite song.

1963 - The Beatles

The Beatles played two gigs, the first was at the El Rio Club/Dance Hall in Macclesfield, Cheshire, supported by Wayne Fontana and the Jets. Then The Beatles drove 20 miles to their next gig at King's Hall, Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. 

1965 - Keith Richards

During a Rolling Stones tour of Australia and New Zealand, guitarist Keith Richards had his shirt torn off after 50 fans invaded the stage during the gig at The Town Hall in Brisbane.

1965 - Petula Clark

'Downtown' by Petula Clark was at No. 1 on the US singles chart. A young Jimmy Page had played as a session guitarist on the track, giving him his first US No.1 hit, (and a No. 2 hit in the UK).

1968 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd played their first gig without Syd Barrett at Southampton University. They were supported by Tyrannosaurus Rex, (later to be renamed T Rex) featuring Marc Bolan and percussionist Steve Peregrine Took.

1973 - Sweet

Sweet were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Blockbuster'. The glam rockers only UK No.1 of 15 Top 40 hits.

1974 - Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr went to No.1 on the US singles chart with his version of the Johnny Burnette 1960 hit 'Your Sixteen', a No.3 hit in the UK.

1975 - David Bowie

The BBC 'Omnibus' documentary 'Cracked Actor' a film about David Bowie was shown on UK TV. Filmed in 1974 when Bowie was was a cocaine addict, the documentary has become notorious for showing Bowie's fragile mental state during this period.

1977 - Peter Green

Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green was committed to a mental hospital following an incident when he threatened his accountant Clifford Adams with an air rifle when he was trying to deliver a £30,000 ($51,000) royalty cheque to him.

1980 - Prince

Prince made his TV debut on the US show American Bandstand. When interviewed after his performance the singer froze and struggled to reply to the questions he was being asked.

1986 - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Allen Collins, guitarist from Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed his car, paralysing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend Debra Jean Watts. Collins had survived a plane crash in 1977 that killed two other band members.

1989 - Donnie Elbert

American soul singer Donnie Elbert died of a stroke aged 52. In 1955 he formed a doo-wop group, the Vibraharps making his recording debut on their single ‘Walk Beside Me’ but it wasn’t until the Seventies when he had major success with the solo hit 1972 US No. 22 & UK No.11 single 'I Can't Help Myself', Sugar Pie Honey Bunch', as well as the hits 'Where Did Our Love Go?' and 'A Little Piece of Leather'.

1991 - Queen

Queen had their second UK No.1 with 'Innuendo'. At 6 minutes 30 seconds, it exceeded their epic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by 35 seconds and became the third longest UK No.1 song of all time, behind The Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ and Simple Minds 'Belfast Child' (subsequently the 9 minutes 38 seconds 'All Around The World' by Oasis took over the top slot and demoted Innuendo to fourth place). For 'Innuendo's' flamenco guitar solo, Brian May was joined by Yes guitarist Steve Howe.

2003 - Billy Joel

Billy Joel was airlifted to hospital after his car smashed into a tree. The singer lost control of his Mercedes S500 and skidded for 100 yards before crashing. The accident happened in The Hamptons, New York.

2004 - John Lydon

John Lydon was one of ten contestants to take part in the latest I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here UK TV show set in the Australian outback. The former Sex Pistols singer was seen by 11 million viewers on the first night covered in bird seed being pecked by giant ostriches. Lydon who was paid £25,000 ($42,500) to appear in the show, but walked off the jungle set after four days.

2007 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones topped the US music rich list for the second year running after making $150.6m (£76.2m) in 2006. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were second in the poll with a combined fortune of $132m (£67.2m) and American country band Rascal Flatts appeared third, having earnt $110.5m (£56.2m) in the past year.

2008 - Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys was at No.1 on the US album chart with her third album 'As I Am'. The album sold over 742,000 copies in its first week the largest ever first week sales for any female R&B artist.

2011 - Gladys Horton

American singer Gladys Horton died aged 66. She was the founder and lead singer of the Motown all-female vocal group The Marvelettes who had the hits 'Please Mr. Postman', (when Horton was reportedly just fifteen years old). Horton would later sing lead on Marvelettes' classics such as 'Playboy', 'Beechwood 4-5789' and 'Too Many Fish in the Sea'.

2016 - Colin Vearncombe

English singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe, who with Black had the 1987 UK No.8 single 'Wonderful Life', died at the age of 53. Vearncombe was involved in a road traffic accident, on Jan 10th 2016 near Cork Airport in Ireland, and placed in a medically-induced coma after sustaining serious head injuries. He died from his injuries at the intensive care unit of Cork University Hospital at the age of 53. Black sold over two million records worldwide with Comedy (1988) and Black (1991).

2020 - Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish swept the board at the 2020 Grammys, winning five awards, including best new artist and song of the year becoming the first person to achieve the feat since Christopher Cross in 1981. The 18-year-old also won album of the year for her debut, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go. She replaced Taylor Swift as the youngest person ever to win the award. Her elder brother, Finneas O'Connell, also picked up producer of the year for his work on Eilish's album.

2020 - Bob Shane

American singer and guitarist Bob Shane died age 85. He was a founding member of The Kingston Trio a folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s. 

Born Today In Music

January 26th

1934 - Huey Smith

Huey 'Piano' Smith, US R&B pianist who had the 1958 US No.9 single 'Don't You Just Know It'. Smith also played played on Frankie Ford's hit 'Sea Cruise'.

1945 - Ashley Hutchings

Ashley Hutchings, bassist with UK folk group Fairport Convention who had the 1969 UK No.21 single 'Si Tu Dois Partir'.

1948 - Corky Laing

Corky Laing, drummer with heavy rock group Mountain who had the 1971 album 'Nantucket Sleighride'. Also worked with Jack Bruce.

1949 - Derek Holt

Derek Holt, from British blues rock group Climax Blues Band, who had the 1977 US No.3 & 1976 UK No.10 single 'Couldn't Get It Right'.

1951 - David Briggs

David Briggs, from Australian group, Little River Band who scored the 1978 US No.3 single 'Reminiscing' plus 12 other US Top 40 singles selling more than 30 million records.

1951 - Andy Hummel 

American bassist and singer-songwriter Andy Hummel best known as the bass player of Big Star. He died from cancer on July 19, 2010. 

1952 - Billy Greer

American musician, singer and songwriter Billy Greer bass guitarist for Kansas.

1953 - Lucinda Williams

Lucinda Williams, rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter who wrote 'Passionate Kisses' the Grammy winning song made famous by the 1993 single version by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

1955 - Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen, Dutch guitarist with Van Halen who had the 1984 US No.1 & UK No. 7 single 'Jump'. His guitar solo in the track 'Eruption' was voted No.2 on Guitar World magazine's readers poll of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. Halen also played the guitar solo on Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. Van Halen died on 6 October 2020 at the age of 65, the Dutch-American musician had been receiving treatment for throat cancer. Van Halen have sold more than 80 million worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups of all time.

1957 - Norman Hassan

Norman Hassan, percussion with UB40 who had the 1983 UK No.1 & 1988 US No.1 single 'Red Red Wine' and over 30 other Top 40 hit singles.

1958 - Anita Baker

Anita Baker, US soul singer who had the 1986 UK No.13 single 'Sweet Love' and the 1998 US No.1 album 'Giving You The Best That I Got'.

1961 - Tom Keifer

American vocalist and guitarist Tom Keifer from the band Cinderella. 

1963 - Andrew Ridgeley

Andrew Ridgeley, singer and one half of Wham! with George Michael, who had the 1984 UK & US No.1 single 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' plus 10 other UK Top 20 hit singles. Ridgeley became a prominent environmentalist in the cause of British surfing beaches and riverways, working with the UK charity, Surfers Against Sewage. He lives with his girlfriend Keren Woodward of the pop group Bananarama.

1963 - Jazzie B

Jazzie B, British DJ, music producer, and entrepreneur and founding member of British group Soul II Soul who had the 1989 UK No.1 single 'Back To Life'.

1964 - Susannah Melvoin

Susannah Melvoin, American vocalist, songwriter. Worked with Prince, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton and Mike Oldfield. As a songwriter, has co-written songs performed by Madonna, Eric Clapton and Prince.