What Happened Today In Music

August 20th

1965 - Andrew Loog Oldham

The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham and his partner Tony Calder launched Immediate records. Their first release was The McCoy's 'Hang On Sloopy', Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Nico (later to join Velvet Underground), all attended the launch party. The label became the home of the Small Faces, Nice, Amen Corner and Chris Farlowe and a young producer - guitarist Jimmy Page. 

1965 - David Bowie

Davy Jones & The Lower Third released the single 'You've Got a Habit of Leaving' the last song that David Bowie (born David Jones), released before changing his name to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, and the first of two singles that he recorded with The Lower Third after leaving his previous band, The Manish Boys.

1966 - The Beatles

The Beatles touring America for the last time, were forced to cancel and reschedule their performance in Cincinnati's open-air stadium, Crosley Field. Heavy rain (and no cover provided) made electrocution a virtual certainty if The Beatles had attempted to perform.

1968 - The Scene

The director of the University of Tennessee's audio lab, Dr. David M. Lipscomb, reported that a guinea pig subjected over a three month period to 88 hours of Rock music recorded at a Knoxville disco at 120 decibels suffered acute damage to the inner ears. Steve Paul, the owner of a New York disco replied "Should a major increase in guinea pig attendance occur at The Scene, we'll certainly bear their comfort in mind."

1969 - The Beatles

After finishing ‘I Want You, (She’s So Heavy)', The Beatles worked on the running order for the Abbey Road album. A preliminary master tape was compiled, the medley was originally slated for side one of the album, and the placement of ‘Octopus's Garden’ and ‘Oh! Darling’ were reversed from the final version. The album was to end with the slashed guitar chord that finishes ‘I Want You (She's So Heavy)’. This was the last time all four Beatles were together in Abbey Road studios.

1973 - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen played the first of a seven night run at Oliver's in Boston, Massachusetts playing two 60-minute sets each night.

1979 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan released 'Slow Train Coming', an album of religious songs, including the Grammy Award winning single, 'Gotta Serve Somebody'. The album alienated many of his long time fans.

1983 - Joan Jett

Madness, Joan Jett, The Police and R.E.M. all appeared at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

1988 - Steve Winwood

Steve Winwood went to No.1 on the US album chart with his fifth solo album 'Roll With It'. The title cut also topped the US singles charts.

1988 - Guns N' Roses

Iron Maiden, Kiss, David Lee Roth, Megadeth, Guns N' Roses and Helloween all appeared at this year's 'Monsters Of Rock' Festival, Castle Donington, England. Two rock fans died while 'slam dancing' as Guns N' Roses played.

1990 - Jimmy Page

Aerosmith appeared at The Marquee Club London. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page joined the band on stage for a blues jam.

1992 - Garth Brooks

A US Doctor filed a $35m lawsuit against the Southwest Bell phone company. He alleged that his wife died because he could not reach 911 due to all lines being jammed by demand of Garth Brooks concert tickets.

1997 - Oasis

BBC TV aired the documentary 'Oasis Right Here Right Now', with the group talking about their troublesome last year, plus performances of three new songs from the Manchester band.

2000 - Spiller

Spiller went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Groovejet'. The Italian DJ and producer mixed the track based on an old 1970s hit 'Love Is You' by Carol Williams, with new vocals by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

2000 - Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Doesn't Really Matter'. Nelly started a five week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Country Grammar'.

2003 - Simon Cowell

Madame Tussauds in London opened an interactive Pop Idol display with a speaking waxwork of judge Simon Cowell. The waxwork made comments such as: 'That was extraordinary. Unfortunately extraordinarily bad.' 'Do you really think that you could become a Pop Idol' Well then you're deaf.' 'Thank you. Goodbye and That was the worst performance I've ever seen.'

2004 - Bryan Adams

A man from Stoke-on-Trent, England, named Bryan Adams as the 'other man' in his divorce papers after years spent trying to cope with his wife's obsession with the singer. Rob Tinsley said he had to live with a 6ft cut-out of Adams which stood at the foot of the bed and posters on the bedroom walls.

2006 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at Twickenham Stadium on their 'A Bigger Bang' world tour. Feeder and The Charlatans also appeared.

2007 - Tony Wilson

The funeral of Manchester music mogul and broadcaster, Tony Wilson was held at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Manchester. Peter Hook and Stephen Morris - two members of first Factory signing Joy Division and later incarnation, New Order attended along with Happy Mondays front man, Shaun Ryder.

2008 - Johnny Cash

The daughter of late country star Johnny Cash called the use of her father's name to endorse a US presidential candidate ‘appalling’. Country star John Rich implied Mr Cash would have backed Republican hopeful John McCain while appearing at a rally in Florida, according to media reports. Writing on her website, Roseanne Cash called the remarks ‘presumptuous’. ‘Even I would not presume to say publicly what I 'know' he thought or felt,’ she added.

2009 - Larry Knechtel

American keyboard player and bassist Larry Knechtel died at the age of 69 of an apparent heart attack. He is best known as a member of the Wrecking Crew who worked with such artists as Simon And Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, (The Doors, Jerry Garcia, Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s band Bread.

2013 - Beyonce

It was reported that Beyonce had spent almost £1,500 at an Essex branch of chicken chain Nando's following her performance at the V Festival in the UK. The headliner's receipt was posted on Twitter and Nando's Chelmsford manager confirmed a member of Beyonce's entourage called in with the order. The order included 48 whole chickens, 24 tubs of coleslaw, 58 chicken wing platters and 48 portions of chips. The receipt showed the meal was apparently paid for in cash.

2016 - Gord Downie

The Tragically Hip drew a sell-out crowd to the show in Kingston, Ontario, as their dying singer Gord Downie bid Canada farewell. The show was broadcast live across Canada and was shown at hundreds of public screenings across the country in bars and outdoor venues.

2016 - 3 Doors Down

Former 3 Doors Down guitarist Matt Roberts died at the age of 38 from a prescription drug overdose. The American rock band rose to international fame with their first single, 'Kryptonite', which charted in the top three on the Billboard chart. The released their debut album, The Better Life, in 2000 which became the 11th-best-selling album of the year and was certified 6x platinum in the United States.

2018 - Eddie Willis

American soul musician Eddie Willis died from complications of polio at the age of 82. Willis played electric guitar and occasional electric sitar for Motown's in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers, during the 1960s and early 1970s. He performed many hits including ‘Please Mr. Postman’ by The Marvelettes, ‘The Way You Do the Things You Do’ by The Temptations, ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’ by The Supremes, and ‘I Was Made to Love Her’ by Stevie Wonder.

Born Today In Music

August 20th

1924 - Jim Reeves

Jim Reeves US country singer. The first country singer to crossover into the pop market. (1960 US No.2 single 'He'll Have To Go', 1966 UK No.1 single 'Distant Drums'). Reeves was killed in a plane crash on 31st July 1964 when the single engine aircraft flying from Arkansas to Nashville crashed in thick fog.

1931 - Paul Robi

Paul Robi, from American vocal group The Platters who had the 1959 UK & US No.1 single 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'. The Platters were one of the first African-American groups to be accepted as a major chart group and were, for a period of time, the most successful vocal group in the world. He died of cancer on 1st February 1989.

1934 - Sneaky Pete Kleinow

Born on this day 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow, American country-rock steel guitar player. He was one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. Also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell. He died 6th Jan 2007 aged 72.

1940 - John Lantree

John Lantree, The Honeycombs, (1964 UK No.1 single 'Have I The Right').

1941 - Dave Brock

English singer-songwriter and musician Dave Brock best known as being one of the founders of space rock group Hawkwind who had the 1972 UK No.3 single 'Silver Machine'.

1942 - Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes, singer, (1971 US No.1 & UK No.4 single, 'Theme From Shaft', 1998 UK No.2 single as Chef 'Chocolate Salty Balls'). Hayes was found dead at his home on 10th Aug 2008, aged 65.

1946 - Ralf Hutter

Ralf Hutter, German musician best known as the lead singer, keyboardist, founding member and leader of the electronic music and pop band Kraftwerk who had the 1982 UK No.1 single 'Computer Love / The Model'.

1947 - James Pankow

American trombone player, songwriter, James Pankow, with Chicago who had the 1976 UK & US No.1 single 'If You Leave Me Now'. The band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois as The Chicago Transit Authority before shortening the name in 1970. Chicago have had five consecutive No.1 albums on the Billboard chart and 20 top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

1948 - Robert Plant

Robert Plant, singer with Led Zeppelin who had the 1969 US No.4 single Whole Lotta Love. The bands fourth album released in 1971 featuring the rock classic Stairway To Heaven has sold over 37 million copies. Plant had the 1983 solo hit single Big Log. Also a member of The Honeydrippers, (with Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck & Nile Rodgers), who had the 1984 US No.3 single Sea Of Love. Plant scored the Grammy award winning 2007 album Raising Sand with bluegrass star Alison Krauss.

1949 - Phil Lynott

Phil Lynott, Irish singer, songwriter, bass player, Thin Lizzy. (1973 UK No.6 single 'Whisky In The Jar'). Lynott died on 4th Jan 1986 of heart failure and pneumonia after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose. A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin in 2005.

1952 - Doug Fieger

American singer-songwriter-musician Doug Fieger, with The Knack. Their first single, 'My Sharona' was an international No.1 hit in 1979. Fieger wrote 'My Sharona' for Sharona Alperin, who later became his girlfriend. He died of cancer on 14th Feb 2010 aged 57.

1952 - John Hiatt

John Hiatt, American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. His songs have been covered by a variety of artists including Bob Dylan, The Searchers, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Joan Baez, and Iggy Pop.

1966 - Dimebag Darrell

Dimebag Darrell, guitarist, Pantera, (1994 UK No.19 single 'I'm Broken'). Darrell was killed on 8th December 2004 after a man stormed the stage during a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa Club in Columbus, Ohio and began firing shots at the band and crowd.

1971 - Fred Durst

Fred Durst, vocals, Limp Bizkit, (2001 UK No.1 single 'Rollin' & 2000 US & UK No.1 album 'Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavoured Water').

1979 - Jamie Cullum

Jamie Cullum, UK Jazz, singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, (2003 UK No.5 album 'Twentysomething').

1985 - Michael Shuman

Michael Shuman, American rock musician best known for playing bass with Queens of the Stone Age who he joined in 2007.

1992 - Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato, American actress and singer-songwriter. (Mitchie Torres in the Disney Channel Movie Camp Rock). 2009 US No.1 album ‘Here We Go Again’.