What Happened Today In Music

August 27th

1965 - Elvis Presley

On the last day of a five-day break from their North American tour, The Beatles attended a recording session for The Byrds. Later that afternoon, The Beatles met Elvis Presley at his mansion in Beverly Hills. It was an awkward meeting, leaving The Beatles with the impression that Presley's personality was decidedly "unmagnetic". John Lennon remarked soon after, ‘Where’s Elvis’ It was like meeting Engelbert Humperdinck.’

1966 - The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys 'God Only Knows' peaked at No.2 on the UK singles chart. The song broke new ground in many ways. It was one of the first commercial songs to use the word 'God' in its title and Brian Wilson used many unorthodox instruments, including the French horns that are heard in the song's famous introduction.

1967 - Brian Epstein

British music entrepreneur and the manager of The Beatles, Brian Epstein was found dead, locked in a bedroom at his London home. A coroner's inquest concluded that Epstein died from an overdose of the sleeping pill Carbitrol. He also managed several other artists including Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black and The Remo Four. The first contract between The Beatles and Epstein was auctioned in London in 2008, and was sold for £240,000.

1977 - Floaters

The Floaters were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Float On'. The only UK hit for the Soul/funk act from Detroit, making them One Hit Wonders. 

1988 - George Michael

'Monkey' gave George Michael his eighth US No.1 single of the 1980s, a record only beaten by Michael Jackson.

1990 - Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed when the helicopter he was flying in, hit a man-made ski slope while trying to navigate through dense fog. Vaughan had played a show at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin with Robert Cray & His Memphis Horns, and Eric Clapton. Vaughan was informed by a member of Clapton's crew that three seats were open on a helicopter returning to Chicago with Clapton's crew, it turned out there was only one seat left; Vaughan requested it from his brother, who obliged. Three members of Eric Clapton's entourage were also killed.

1991 - Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam released their debut album Ten. The group’s most commercially successful album, which has sold over 13 million copies, produced three hit singles: Alive, Even Flow, and Jeremy.

1992 - The Beatles

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to The Beatles song 'A Day In The Life' from Sgt. Pepper sold in an auction at Sotheby's London for $100,000 (£56,600). The lyrics were put up for sale again in March 2006 by Bonhams in New York. Sealed bids were opened on 7 March 2006 and offers started at about $2 million. The lyric sheet was auctioned again by Sotheby's in June 2010 when it was purchased by an anonymous American buyer who paid $1,200,000 (£810,000).

1994 - Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men started a 14 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I'll Make Love To You', a No.5 hit in the UK. The record- breaking 14 week stay came to an end when they knocked themselves from the top with 'On Bended Knee'.

1999 - Charlatans

The Charlatans, Blur, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Offspring, Catatonia, Reef, The Chemical Brothers, The Divine Comedy, Pavement, Silverchair, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion all appeared at The Carling Reading three day festival, England, tickets, £78.

2003 - P Diddy

P Diddy was being sued for $5m (£3.20m) by a woman who claimed she was assaulted by a bouncer outside his New York restaurant. Stephanie Grieso, said she was arguing outside Justin's in August 2002 when a bouncer grabbed her by the neck and pushed her down on the pavement, causing leg injuries.

2004 - Darkness

Winners at this years Kerrang! awards included The Darkness for best British band and best live band, best band on the planet award went to Metallica. Green Day were inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame, Lostprophets won the best single for 'Last Train Home' and best album went to Muse for 'Absolution'.

2004 - Morrissey

Green Day, The Darkness, The White Stripes, Morrissey, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, 50 Cent, (50 Cent was booed off stage after being greeted by a rain of bottles thrown at him and his G-Unit crew as they came onstage). The Streets, The Vines, Soulwax, Dogs Die In Hot Cars, The Offspring, Ash, Placebo and Lostprophets all appeared at this years UK Carling Weekend in Reading and Leeds, England.

2007 - Britney Spears

Kevin Federline's lawyers asked Britney Spears to pay some of her former husband's legal expenses in their divorce case. His legal team said Federline had "no net income" after various expenses, and that Ms Spears was "clearly the monied party" in the dispute. According to legal documents filed in Los Angeles, the pop star's average monthly income was $737,868 (£365,966). The couple had married in October 2004 and filed for divorce in November 2006.

2013 - Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus's risque performance at the MTV VMAs drew complaints from a parenting pressure group in the US. The Parents Television Council (PTC) issued a complaint against the channel over the 20-year-old's routine, which saw her dance suggestively in a nude bikini with singer Robin Thicke. It argued the show should not have been rated as suitable for 14 year olds, adding: "Heads should roll at MTV."

2013 - Madonna

Madonna was named the world's top-earning celebrity over the past year. The 55-year-old made an estimated $125m (£80m) thanks to her MDNA tour, clothing and fragrance lines, according to Forbes. The magazine said it was the most money Madonnahad made in a single year since it began tracking earnings in 1999.

Born Today In Music

August 27th

1937 - Phil Shulman

Phil Shulman, Simon Dupree And The Big Sound, (1967 UK No.9 single 'Kites'). Gentle Giant.

1942 - Daryl Dragon

American musician and songwriter Daryl Dragon, from husband-and-wife duo The Captain and Tennille. They scored numerous hits on the US singles charts, the most enduring of which included ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’, ‘Do That to Me One More Time’, and ‘Muskrat Love’. They hosted their own television variety series on ABC in 1976–77. Dragon also worked on The Beach Boys' 1972 release Carl and the Passions – ‘So Tough’. Dragon died on 2 January 2019 from kidney failure aged 76. 

1942 - Chip Douglas

American songwriter, musician Chip Douglas from the American rock The Turtles who had the US 1967 No.1 single 'Happy Together' and the 1967 hit 'She'd Rather Be with Me'. He was the producer of some of the The Monkees biggest hits, including 'Daydream Believer' and 'Pleasant Valley Sunday'.

1945 - Malcolm Allured

Malcolm Allured from English revival group Showaddywaddy who had the 1976 UK No.1 single with their version of 'Under The Moon Of Love'. Showaddywaddy spent 209 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, and had 10 Top Ten singles.

1947 - David Knight

Percussionist David Leon ‘Billy’ Knight, (the brother of Gladys Knight), who played on the 1973 US No.1 single 'Midnight Train To Georgia', and the 1975 UK No.4 single 'The Way We Were' plus 20 other UK Top 40 singles. Knight died on 6th December 2002.

1951 - Kevin Kavanaugh

Kevin Kavanaugh, from the Jersey Shore group Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes who had the 1978 album Hearts Of Stone and have released over ten other albums.

1953 - Alex Lifeson

Alex Lifeson, guitarist, Rush, (1980 UK No.13 single 'Spirit Of Radio' 1982 US No. 21 single 'New World Man'). Lifeson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on May 9, 1996. The trio was the first rock band to be so honored, as a group.

1956 - Glen Matlock

Glen Matlock, bass, The Rich Kids, (1978 UK No.24 single 'Rich Kids'), and early member of the Sex Pistols and the reformed Sex Pistols.

1970 - Tony Kanal

Tony Kanal, bass, No Doubt, (1997 UK No.1 single 'Don't Speak', 1997 No.1 US album 'Tragic Kingdom').

1977 - Mase

Mase, US male rapper (Mason Betha), 1998 UK No. 2 single with Brandy, 'Top Of The World' also worked with Puff Daddy, Blackstreet, Notorious B.I.G.

1979 - Sarah Neufeld

Sarah Neufeld, violinist the Grammy Award-winning indie rock band Arcade Fire, who had the 2005 album Funeral, and 2017 US No.1 album Everything Now.

1982 - Duke Dumont

Adam Dyment, better known by his stage name Duke Dumont, British musician, songwriter, DJ and record producer. He is best known for the singles ‘Need U (100%)’, and ‘I Got U’, which were both UK No.1 hits. 

1986 - Mario

US R&B singer Mario, (born Mario Dewar Barrett), US R&B singer, (2004 US No.1 and 2005 UK No.2 single 'Let Me Love You').