What Happened Today In Music

November 1st

1955 - The Famous Flames

R&B group The Famous Flames, lead by singer James Brown, cut their first demo of ‘Please, Please, Please’ at a radio station in Macon Georgia. It would lead to their signing with King Records. 

1956 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley bought a new Harley Davidson motorbike and spent the day riding round Memphis on his new bike with actress Natalie Wood.

1963 - Peter Jay

The Beatles kicked off a UK tour performing two shows at the Odeon Cinema in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Their repertoire for the tour was ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘From Me to You’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘You Really Got a Hold On Me’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Boys’, ‘Till There Was You’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘Money’, and ‘Twist and Shout’. Supporting The Beatles were The Rhythm & Blues Quartet, The Vernons Girls, Frank Berry, The Brook Brothers, Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers, and The Kestrels.

1966 - The Doors

The Doors played the first night of a month long residency at the Ondine Discotheque, Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

1968 - George Harrison

George Harrison released his first solo album, 'Wonderwall Music' on the Apple label. The songs which were mostly Harrison instrumentals, featured Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and an unaccredited banjo contribution by Peter Tork of The Monkees.

1969 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Suspicious Minds', his 18th US No.1 single. A No.2 hit in the UK.

1969 - The Beatles

The Beatles scored their 13th US No.1 album with Abbey Road. The final studio recordings from the group featured two Harrison songs; 'Something' & 'Here Comes The Sun'. The cover supposedly contained clues adding to the ‘Paul Is Dead’ phenomenon: Paul is barefoot and the car number plate ‘LMW 281F’ supposedly referred to the fact that McCartney would be 28 if he was still alive. ‘LMW’ was said to stand for ‘Linda McCartney Weeps.’ And the four Beatles, represent; the priest (John, dressed in white), the Undertaker (Ringo, black suit), the Corpse (Paul, barefoot), and the Gravedigger (George, in jeans and a denim shirt).

1970 - Joni Mitchell

Matthews Southern Comfort were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Joni Mitchell song 'Woodstock'. The group's only UK No.1 hit.

1975 - Elton John

Elton John started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Island Girl', his 5th US No.1, a No.14 hit in the UK. The lyrics are about a prostitute in New York City and a Jamaican man who wants to take her back to Jamaica.

1980 - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen scored his first No.1 US album with 'The River', featuring the US No.5 & UK No.44 single 'Hungry Heart.'

1990 - Ray Pohlman

American session musician and arranger Ray Pohlman died of heart failure at the age of 60. He is credited with being the first electric bass player in Los Angeles studios in the 1950s. He was a member of The Wrecking Crew, who recorded with Phil Spector and The Beach Boys. He was the musical director of the house band, The Shindogs, on the 1960s television show Shindig!

1997 - Aqua

Scandinavian dance-pop act Aqua started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Barbie Girl.' A massive world-wide hit, the single sold more than 8 million copies.

2000 - All Saints

All Saints came top of a poll to find the sexiest female act. 12,000 UK television viewers voted for the group, The Spice Girls came second and Atomic Kitten third. The 50s group The Beverley Sisters were voted into 11th place beating TLC.

2000 - Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams offered to donate his bone marrow to save a fan's life after meeting leukaemia suffer Johanna MacVicar. Williams asked his fans to sign up as potential donors after being told of the desperate shortage of male donors.

2003 - MTV Europe Awards

Organisers of the MTV Europe Awards 2003 recruited 500 'screamers' to attend this year's event. The music lovers were selected at an audition held in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens. About 1,500 pop-mad teenagers and adults screamed themselves hoarse in a bid to get their hands on a ticket to the exclusive event.

2004 - Natalie Imbruglia

A man who allegedly stalked Australian pop star Natalie Imbruglia, was deemed too mentally ill to be interviewed by police. The 44-year-old fan was arrested after turning up on the doorstep of the singer's £2m home in Berkshire after flying to London from Australia.

2004 - Terry Knight

61-year old Terry Knight, the former manager of Grand Funk Railroad, was murdered at his home in Killeen, Texas. Knight was defending his daughter during a domestic disturbance, when he was stabbed by her boyfriend, 26 year old Donald Alan Fair. Knight began his music career by leading a Michigan band called Terry Knight and the Pack, who scored a Billboard top 50 hit with ‘I, Who Have Nothing’.

2007 - MTV Europe Music Awards

Winners at this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards held in Munich, Germany included Avril Lavigne who was named best solo artist, and her song Girlfriend was voted most addictive track. Muse won two awards for best UK and Ireland act and best headline act, Linkin Park won the award for best band of 2007, and German band Tokio Hotel took the prize for best international act. Amy Winehouse won the Artist Choice prize, an award chosen by her fellow musicians and The ultimate urban prize went to R&B star Rihanna.

2008 - The Keys

US drummer and singer Jimmy Carl Black died. He was a member of The Keys, The Soul Giants, The Mothers Of Invention and Jimmy Carl Black And The Mannish Boys. Also worked with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Joe Cocker, Grateful Dead and The Turtles.

2008 - Shakir Stewart

Shakir Stewart shot himself dead in the bathroom of his home in Atlanta. He worked as a music promoter and was a vice-president of Def Jam Music Group, he signed Rick Ross, Karina Pasian, Ciara and Young Jeezy and worked with LL Cool J and Nas.

2012 - Metal Moustaches

Metal Hammer magazine published a list of the "Top ten rock and heavy metal moustaches…Ever". The list which included moustaches worn by the likes of Frank Zappa, all the members of Black Sabbath, (except Ozzy Osbourne). James Hetfield, and Lemmy placed Freddie Mercury at the top of the list.

2015 - Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift was being sued for $42m (£27m) for allegedly stealing the lyrics to her hit 2014 song 'Shake It Off', which topped music charts around the world. R&B singer Jesse Braham claimed in legal papers Swift stole the words from a song he wrote in 2013 called 'Haters Gone Hate'.

2016 - Bap Kennedy

Bap Kennedy, singer, songwriter from Belfast, Northern Ireland, died in Belfast in hospice care from pancreatic and bowel cancer. He is noted for his collaborations with Steve Earle, Van Morrison, Shane MacGowan and Mark Knopfler, as well as for writing the song 'Moonlight Kiss' which was on the soundtrack for the film Serendipity. Kennedy was also in the rock band Energy Orchard.

Born Today In Music

November 1st

1936 - Andre Williams

Andre Williams, American R&B musician. His most famous songs include the hits ‘Jail Bait,’ ‘Greasy Chicken,’ and ‘Cadillac Jack'. He co-wrote Stevie Wonder's first song, 'Thank You for Loving Me' and was also the co-author of the R&B hit 'Shake a Tail Feather' a hit for The Five Du-Tones and James & Bobby Purify. He died on 17 March 2019 at the age of 82.

1940 - Barry Sadler

Sgt Barry Sadler, (1966 US No.1 single 'The Ballad Of The Green Berets'). He died on 5th November 1989.

1944 - Mike Burney

Mike Burney, Wizzard, (1973 UK No.1 single 'See My Baby Jive').

1946 - Rick Grech

Born on this day British multi-instrumentalist Rick Grech who worked with Family, Blind Faith, Traffic, and Ginger Baker's Air Force. As a session musician Grech also worked with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Lane, Vivian Stanshall, Muddy Waters, The Crickets, Bee Gees and Gram Parsons. Grech died of renal failure on 17 March 1990 at the age of 43, as a result of alcoholism.

1947 - Bob Weston

British musician Bob Weston who had a brief role as guitarist and songwriter with Fleetwood Mac in the early 1970s. He also recorded and performed with a number of other musicians, including Graham Bond, Long John Baldry, Murray Head, Sandy Denny and Danny Kirwan. He died on 3 January 2012 age 64.

1949 - David Foster

David Foster, Canadian musician, producer, composer and arranger who has worked with: The Bee Gees, John Lennon, Michael Buble, Clay Aiken, C’line Dion, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill, The Corrs, George Harrison, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Richard Marx, Mariah Carey, Destiny's Child, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton, Julio Iglesias and Madonna.

1950 - Dan Peek

Dan Peek, America, (1972 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Horse With No Name'). Peek died on 24th July 2011.

1951 - Ronald Bell

American composer, singer, songwriter Ronald Bell, who with Kool & The Gang had the 1981 US No.1 & UK No.7 single 'Celebration', the 1984 UK No.2 single 'Joanna', and over 15 other Top 40 hits. He died on 9 September 2020 age 68. 

1954 - Chris Morris

Chris Morris, guitar, from Paper Lace who scored the 1974 UK No.1 single 'Billy Don't Be A Hero', and the 1974 US No.1 single 'The Night Chicago Died'.

1957 - Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett, Country singer, married actress Julia Roberts, supported Dire Straits on their 1990 world tour.

1959 - Eddie Macdonald

Eddie Macdonald, bass, The Alarm, (1983 UK No.17 single '68 Guns')

1962 - Anthony Kiedis

Anthony Kiedis, singer and co-founder of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Had the 1992 UK No.26 single 'Under The Bridge', 2002 UK No.1 album By The Way and 2006 No.1 album Stadium Arcadium. In 2004, he published his autobiography, titled Scar Tissue, which became a New York Times Best Seller.

1962 - Mags Furuholmen

Mags Furuholmen, guitar, keyboards, A-Ha, (1985 US No.1 single 'Take On Me', 1986 UK No.1 single 'The Sun Always Shines On TV'). The first Norwegian group to score a UK and US No.1.

1963 - Rick Allen

Rick Allen, drums, Def Leppard, (1987 UK No.6 single 'Animal', and 1987 world wide No.1 album Hysteria 1988 US No.1 single 'Love Bites'). Allen lost his left arm in an accident after crashing his Corvette Stingray on the A57 outside Sheffield in England in 1984.

1966 - Mary Hanson

Mary Hanson, singer, Stereolab. Hanson died in a cycling accident in England on 9th December 2002.

1969 - Darren Partington

Darren Partington, 808 State, (1989 UK No.10 single 'Pacific State').

1981 - LaTavia Roberson

LaTavia Roberson, Destiny's Child, (2000 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Say My Name'). Quit the group in 2000.

1992 - Sigala

English DJ, record producer and remixer Sigala, (Bruce Fielder). Best known for his 2015 debut and UK No.1 single 'Easy Love', which samples 'ABC' by the Jackson 5.

1992 - Joe Donovan

Joe Donovan, English drummer of the indie pop band Blossoms. Their the self-titled debut studio album peaked at No.1 on the UK chart in Aug 2016.