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Featured Events
2012Rap star LL Cool J hears his alarm go off in his Los Angeles home and rushes downstairs to confront an alleged burglar named Jonathan Kirby. One broken nose, jaw, and rib later, Cool J has subdued the intruder and police are on their way to take the suspect into custody. No word on whether LL quoted one of his own songs, "Mama Said Knock You Out," during the altercation.
1998With Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley in the audience, Jim Carrey joins Elton John on stage at a show in Anaheim, California, where the pair duet on "Rocket Man." After a reasonably straight rendition, Carrey sits at the piano and smashes his head into the keys.
1987Madonna hits #1 in the US with her Spanglish ("Quien es esta nina?") hit "Who's That Girl." It's the title song to a movie starring Madonna that doesn't fare nearly as well.
1986The movie Stand By Me is released in theaters. It's based on a novella by Stephen King called The Body, but director Rob Reiner decides to name it after the famous song to play up the friendship storyline and keep it from sounding like a slasher film.More
1970Derek and the Dominoes begin recording their famous album, Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs. The band features Eric Clapton, who in an attempt to lay low, downplays his involvement.
1969The Beatles participate in their final photo shoot, which is held on the lawn of John Lennon's home at Tittenhurst Park in Sunninghill, England. Photos from the session are used on the front and back covers of their Hey Jude compilation album.More22
In Music History
2018Vampire Weekend lead singer Ezra Koenig and his girlfriend, Rashida Jones, have a son, Isaiah. His grandfather is Quincy Jones, Rashida's dad.
2016Legendary jazz harmonicist Toots Thielemans dies in Brussels, Belgium, at age 94.
2014The BBC screens The Kate Bush Story: Running up That Hill.
2012Presidential candidate Mitt Romney becomes yet another Republican candidate admonished for misappropriating music at his events, after Dee Snider of Twisted Sister protests his use of the band's songs. There is a long history of bands squaring off against Republican campaigns appropriating their music.
2011Jerry Leiber, half of the Leiber & Stoller songwriting team, dies of cardio-pulmonary failure in Los Angeles, California, at age 78. The pair wrote hits for Elvis Presley, The Coasters and The Drifters.
2011Nick Ashford, half of the husband-and-wife songwriting/production team Ashford & Simpson, dies of complications from throat cancer at age 70.
2011Lindsay Lohan sues Pitbull, along with Ne-Yo and DJ Afrojack, for referencing her in the song "Give Me Everything (Tonight)" ("Hustlers move aside, so I'm tiptoeing, keep flowin', I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan"). The judge rules in Pitbull's favor, citing the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech and creative expression.
2006Bruce Gary (drummer for The Knack) dies of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Tarzana, California, at age 55.
2004Bandleader Al Dvorin, who coined the phrase "Elvis has left he building," dies in a car accident near Ivanpah, California, at age 82. He organized the King's concerts for 22 years, starting in 1955.
2003An Elvis impersonator in Norway named Kjell Bjornestad sets a new world record by doing 26 hours of Elvis songs.
2002Jimmy Buffett's first Cheeseburger In Paradise restaurant, named for his 1978 song, opens in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1997Twelve-year-old Georgia Lee Moses is found dead in South Petaluma, California. Tom Waits hears her story and is inspired to write "Georgia Lee," the thirteenth track on Mule Variations.
1992Madonna begins filming her "Erotica" video at The Kitchen in New York City.
1985Rick Nelson and Fats Domino begin filming the PBS special Rockin' With Rick And Fats, which will turn out to be Nelson's last television appearance before his untimely death in a plane crash.
1981"Girls On Film" hits #5 in the UK, giving Duran Duran their breakthrough hit in Britain. It does not chart on its US release, but surges in popularity after its music video goes into heavy rotation on MTV. The clip, directed by Godley and Creme, has to be heavily edited for TV as it was only intended to be played in nightclubs and features adult themes and nudity.
The Supremes Finally Hit #1
1964
After three years without a big hit, The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" hits #1 in the US, the first of five consecutive chart-toppers.
The group, originally four members, signed to Motown Records in 1961. Over the next few years, they released several singles that barely charted or didn't chart at all. Outrivaled by labelmates The Marvelettes and Martha & The Vandellas, they earned the derisive nickname "No-hit Supremes" around the offices. But label boss Berry Gordy refused to give up on the group, which by 1962 was the trio of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. He put them on the Motown Revue package tour and gave them access to the best songwriters and producers he had to offer. This included the team of Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland, who wrote "Where Did Our Love Go." They were hoping The Marvelettes would record it, but lead singer Gladys Horton turned it down, so they had to settle for The Supremes, who weren't keen on the song either, but in no position to turn it down.
With Ross on lead (as usual), Wilson and Ballard were relegated to the repetitive "baby, baby" backing vocals. It's not a lightweight love song - the singer has a burning love that hurts so bad and stings like a bee - so the lead vocal was crucial. Ross wasn't happy about recording the song and made that clear at the session, threatening to call her Berry Gordy to voice her displeasure. The producers responded by telling her to go ahead and call him, but if she did, they'd never work with her again. An angry Ross put down the track, giving them exactly what they were looking for - a soft, coy, but biting take in her unique style.
Released in June, the song took off just as The Supremes headed out on Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars tour, billed at the bottom below The Rip Chords, The Crystals, and several other acts. When the tour ended in July, "Where Did Our Love Go" was climbing the chart, giving them their breakthrough hit and establishing a signature sound with lots of "baby"s. A month later, it's at #1, where it stays for two weeks.
Their next four singles all reach the top spot:
"Baby Love"
"Come See About Me"
"Stop! In the Name of Love"
"Back in My Arms Again"
The Supremes land seven more #1 hits, for a total of 12; Diana Ross launches a successful solo career, becoming one of the top artists of the '80s. In 1988, they become the first girl group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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