What Happened Today In Music

July 26th

1962 - Frank Ifield

Frank Ifield was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I Remember You'. The singers first of four UK No.1's.

1968 - Jackson Five

The Jackson Five signed a one-year contract with MotownRecords. They made history in 1970 as the first recording act to have their first four singles to reach No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with the songs being 'I Want You Back', 'ABC', 'The Love You Save' and 'I'll Be There'.

1969 - Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash released the single, 'A Boy Named Sue', a song written by Shel Silverstein. Cash was at the height of his popularity when he recorded the song live at California's San Quentin State Prison at a concert on February 24, 1969. The song tells the tale of a young man's quest for revenge on a father who abandoned him at 3 years of age and whose only contribution to his entire life was naming him Sue. 

1970 - Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix played in his home town of Seattle for the last time when he appeared at Sicks Stadium.

1975 - Van McCoy

Van McCoy and the Soul City went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Hustle', his only US chart hit, it made No.3 in the UK. McCoy died on 6th July 1979.

1977 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin cut short their 11th North American tour after Robert Plant's five-year-old-son Karac died unexpectedly of a virus at their home in England, UK.

1980 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Emotional Rescue', the group's eighth US No.1. Emotional Rescue was the first Rolling Stones album recorded following Keith Richards' exoneration from a Toronto drugs charge that could have landed him in jail for years.

1986 - Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Sledgehammer', a No.4 hit in the UK. The song's music video has won a number of awards, including a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards, and Best British Video at the 1987 Brit Awards. Gabriel was also nominated for three Grammy Awards. As of 2011, 'Sledgehammer' is the most played music video in the history of MTV.

1990 - Brent Mydland

American keyboardist and vocalist Brent Mydland from the Grateful Dead was found dead on the floor of his home aged 38 from a drug overdose. His eleven-year tenure was longer than that of any other keyboardist in the band.

1992 - Mary Wells

American singer and Motown artist, Mary Wells, referred to as The First Lady of Motown and who had a 1964 US No. 1 and UK No. 5 single ‘My Guy’, died aged 49 of laryngeal cancer. Wells was forced to give up her career and with no health insurance, was forced to sell her home. Wells’ old Motown friends including Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, The Temptations and Martha Reeves, along with Dionne Warwick, Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt, personally pledged donations in support.

2000 - Liam Gallagher

Oasis were booed of stage during a show at the Paleo Festival in Switzerland after singer Liam Gallagher had insulted the 35,000 strong audience.

2006 - Michael Jackson

Jeffrey Borer and Arvel Jett Reeves pleaded guilty to secretly videotaping Michael Jackson as he flew to Santa Barbara, California, to surrender in a child-molestation investigation. The two men admitted they installed two digital video recorders to record Jackson and his lawyer as the pair was traveling on a private jet from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara in November 2003.

2006 - Top Of The Pops

The final edition of Top Of The Pops was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London. Just under 200 members of the public were in the audience for the show which was co-hosted by veteran disc jockey Sir Jimmy Savile, its very first presenter. Classic performances from the Spice Girls, Wham, Madonna, Beyonce Knowles and Robbie Williams featured in the show alongside The Rolling Stones who were the very first band to appear on Top of the Pops on New Year's Day in 1964.

2006 - Paul McCartney

The guitar on which Sir Paul McCartney learned his first chords sold for £330,000 at an auction at London's Abbey Road Studios. The Rex acoustic guitar helped McCartney persuade John Lennonto let him join his band, The Quarrymen, in 1957.

2008 - Klaxons

Klaxons singer Jamie Reynolds postponed the group's Australian tour dates after he broke his leg at a gig in France. The bands singer said he "drastically misjudged" the distance when he jumped from the stage during their final song in the set.

2009 - AC/DC

AC/DC singer Brian Johnson appeared as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car on the BBC television programme Top Gear. His time of 1:45.9 tied him with Simon Cowell for the second fastest time. He was introduced by host Jeremy Clarkson as "a man who has sold more albums than The Beatles and I bet almost none of [the audience] have ever heard of him."

2013 - JJ Cale

US singer-songwriter JJ Cale died of a heart attack at the age of 74. He became famous in 1970, when Eric Clapton covered his song 'After Midnight'. In 1977 Clapton also popularised Cale's 'Cocaine'. The two worked together on an album which won a Grammy award in 2008.

2017 - Quincy Jones

A jury awarded Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties for the use of Michael Jackson songs he produced in two Cirque du Soleil shows and the This Is It documentary. Jones filed suit in 2013, asking for $30 million.

2019 - Drake

A number of lawsuits over royalties on Drake's first six albums were officially settled included lawsuits and counterclaims spanning back to 2017 filed between Aspire Music Group and Cash Money Records. Aspire had claimed that in 2008 it signed an exclusive recording agreement with Drake before making a deal with Cash Money in June 2009 allowing Drake to record for the label in exchange for one-third of the net profits. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. 

Born Today In Music

July 26th

1941 - Bobby Hebb

Bobby Hebb, US singer, (1966 US No.2 and UK No.12 single 'Sunny'). The song was written about Bobby's brother, who had been killed by a mugger in 1963, and started out as an album filler until it was picked for a single release.

1941 - Neil Landon

Neil Landon, from English pop group The Flowerpot Men who had the 1967 UK No.4 single 'Let's Go To San Francisco'. Also a member of The Ivy League who had the 1965 UK No.3 single 'Tossing and Turning'.

1941 - Darlene Love

Darlene Love, The Crystals, (1962 US No.1 single 'He's A Rebel', 1963 UK No.2 single 'Then He Kissed Me').

1942 - Dobie Gray

Dobie Gray, US singer, (1965 US No.13 and UK No.25 single 'The In Crowd', 1973 US No.5 single 'Drift Away'). Gray died on December 6, 2011, from complications of cancer surgery in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 71.

1943 - Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger, singer, songwriter with The Rolling Stones, (1969 UK & US No.1 single 'Honky Tonk Women', and over 35 UK & US Top 40 singles and albums). Solo (1985 UK No.1 single with David Bowie 'Dancing In The Street'). 1985 UK No. 6 solo album 'She's The Boss.' In 2003 he was knighted for his services to popular music and in early 2009 he joined the electric supergroup SuperHeavy.

1949 - Roger Taylor

Roger Taylor, drums, vocals, Queen, (1975 UK No.1 single 'Bohemian Rhapsody' also UK No.1 in 1991, plus over 40 other UK Top 40 singles, 1980 US No.1 single 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'). Also a member of The Cross.

1961 - Gary Cherone

Gary Cherone, singer with Extreme who had the 1991 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'More Than Words'. Also toured and recorded with Van Halen.

1961 - Andy Connell

Andy Connell, Swing Out Sister, (1986 UK No.4 single 'Breakout').

1962 - Miranda Joyce

Miranda Joyce, vocals, The Belle Stars, (1983 UK No.3 single 'Sign Of The Times').

1963 - Scott Francis Crago

Scott Francis Crago, American session drummer, worked with the Eagles since 1994 as well as Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Bryan Adams, Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger and Chris Isaak.

1967 - Tim Barnwell

Tim Barnwell, DJ Headliner, from American alternative hip hop group who scored the 1992 UK No.2 and US No. 8 single 'People Everyday'. The group won two Grammy Awards in 1993 for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance and were also named Band of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine.

1980 - Dave Baksh

Dave 'Brown Sound' Baksh, guitarist with Sum 41, who had the 2001 UK No 13 single 'In Too Deep'. He quit Sum 41 in 2006 to pursue his career with his second band Brown Brigade and The Organ Thieves.

1993 - Taylor Momsen

Taylor Momsen, American singer, songwriter with The Pretty Reckless who released their debut album Light Me Up in 2010.