What Happened Today In Music

November 4th

1957 - Jackie Wilson

Jackie Wilson made his US chart debut with 'Reet Petite', (it made No.1 in the UK in 1986, 29 years after its first release).

1961 - Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard scored his first UK No.1 album with his 5th release '21 Today'. The album was released on October 14, 1961, the exact date of Cliff Richard's 21st birthday. Side 1 of the album contained rock tunes while side 2 consisted of ballads.

1963 - The Rolling Stones

The night after The Rolling Stones had just come off a 30-date UK tour with The Everly Brothers, they kicked off another 50-date UK club tour at the Top Rank Ballroom in Preston.

1963 - John Lennon

The Beatles topped the bill at The Royal Variety Show at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, London. With the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in the audience, this was the night when John Lennon made his famous remark ‘In the cheaper seats you clap your hands. The rest of you, just rattle your jewellery’. The show was broadcast on UK television on the Nov 10th 1963.

1966 - Beach Boys

The Beach Boys 'Good Vibrations', entered the UK chart and went on to be a UK & US No.1 hit single. As a child, Brian Wilson's mother told him that dogs could pick up "vibrations" from people, so that the dog would bark at "bad vibrations". Wilson turned this into the general idea for the song.

1967 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd made their US live debut when they appeared at the Winterland Auditorium, San Francisco, California. Floyd shared the bill with local group Big Brother & The Holding Company, featuring singer Janis Joplin and singer / songwriter Richie Havens.

1969 - Ivory Watson

Founder member of The Ink Spots, Ivory Watson died aged 60. The group who formed in the early 1930s in Indianapolis, had the 1939 US hit ‘If I Didn't Care’, and ‘The Gypsy’ was their biggest chart success, staying at the No.1 position for 13 weeks.

1970 - David Bowie

David Bowie released his third studio album, The Man Who Sold the World in the US - the first with the nucleus of what would become the "Spiders from Mars", backing band. The album was released in the UK in April the following year. 

1971 - The Who

The Who opened up The Rainbow Finsbury Park, London, England appearing on the first of three nights. 

1972 - Johnny Nash

Johnny Nash started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Can See Clearly Now', his only US chart topper, it made No.5 in the UK.

1977 - Joni Mitchell

The Last Waltz, the movie of The Bands final concert premiered in New York. The Martin Scorsese movie also featured Joni Mitchell, Dr John, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton.

1978 - Crosby Stills Nash & Young

Crosby Stills Nash & Young were sued by former bass player Greg Reeves for over a $1 million claiming he was owed from sales of their album 'Deja Vu'.

1979 - The Police 

The Police released 'Walking on the Moon' as the second single from their second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc which became the band's second No.1 hit in the UK. Sting has said that he wrote the song when he was drunk one night after a concert in Munich. The following morning, he remembered the song and wrote it down.

1980 - Bob Marley

Bob Marley was baptised at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Kingston, converting to a Christian Rastafarian and taking on the new name Berhane Selassie.

1984 - Prince

Prince played the first of seven nights at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan at the start of his 87-date North American Purple Rain tour. The outing marked the live debut of his new band The Revolution.

1987 - U2

U2 were on the front cover of UK pop magazine 'Smash Hits', which also had features on the Pet Shop Boys, Wet Wet Wet, T'Pau, Sting and Black. Reviewed in the new singles page The Smiths 'I Started Something I Couldn't Finish'.

1989 - Elton John

Elton John scored his 50th UK chart hit when 'Sacrifice', entered the charts. Only Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley had also achieved this feat. Sacrifice was initially released as a single in 1989, but stalled at No.55 in the UK and at No.18 in the US. English DJ, Steve Wright, began playing the song on BBC Radio 1 and the song was then re-released as a double A-side single, along with 'Healing Hands'.

1989 - Roxette

Roxette scored their second US No.1 single with 'Listen To Your Heart', a No.6 hit in the UK the following year.

1991 - Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Bobby "Blue" Bland, Booker T. & The M.G.s, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, The Isley Brothers, Sam & Dave and The Yardbirds were all elected to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

1993 - Martin Gore

Depeche Mode's Martin Gore was arrested at the Denver Westin Hotel after refusing to turn down the volume of his music in his room.

1997 - Shania Twain

Shania Twain released her third studio album Come On Over which became the best-selling country music album, by a female act. To date, the album has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, shipped over 20 million copies in the United States, and in the UK it has sold over 3.3 million. Out of the album's 16 tracks, 12 were released as singles. 

1998 - Mark E Smith

Fall singer Mark E. Smith appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court on assault charges accused of kicking, punching and choking his girlfriend and band keyboard player Julia Nagle at a New York Hotel.

1998 - Liam Gallagher

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested after an alleged drunken brawl with photographer Mel Bouzac at a London pub. Bouzac had been tipped off that Liam was in the pub wearing a Russian hat and attempted to take photos.

2002 - Elton John

Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin received the Music Industry Trusts Award for one of the greatest songwriting partnerships of all time.

2007 - Eagles

The Eagles went to No.1 on the UK album chart with Long Road Out of Eden. It was the group's first full studio album since The Long Run in 1979 and became the highest selling album of the year.

2012 - Elton John

A copyright infringement lawsuit filed by songwriter Guy Hobbs against Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin over their hit song 'Nikita' was thrown out of court. The Judge ruled that both songs shared similar themes and phrases, but that these were prevalent in modern music.

2013 - Rihanna

Rihanna joined The Beatles and Elvis Presley as one of just three acts to top the UK singles chart seven times over seven years. The singer made the No.1 spot, as the featured artist on Eminem's new track 'The Monster'.

Born Today In Music

November 4th

1938 - Harry Elson

Harry Elson, The Friends Of Distinction, (1969 US No.3 single 'Grazing In The Grass').

1940 - Delbert McClinton

Delbert McClinton, US singer, songwriter, (1980 US No.8 single 'Giving It Up For Your Love'), worked with Bruce Channel, wrote 'Two More Bottles Of Wine' country No.1 for Emmylou Harris.

1944 - Sherri Payne

American singer Sherri Payne best known as the final lead singer of The Supremes from 1973 until 1977. Payne is the younger sister of singer Freda Payne. 

1947 - Mike Smith

Mike Smith from Welsh rock group Amen Corner who had the 1969 UK No.1 single 'If Paradise Is Half As Nice' plus five other UK Top 40 hits.

1954 - Chris Difford

English singer, musician, songwriter Chris Difford, who was a founding member of Squeeze. Some of their best-known songs are 'Tempted', 'Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)', 'Cool for Cats' and 'Up the Junction'. Difford now works as a solo artist.

1957 - James Honeyman-Scott

James Honeyman-Scott, with English-American rock band The Pretenders, who had the 1980 UK No.1 single with ‘Brass In Pocket’. He died on 16th June 1982 of heart failure caused by cocaine intolerance.

1966 - Kool Rock

Kool Rock, (Damon Wimbley), rapper, The Fat Boys. (1988 UK No.2 single 'Wipe-out').

1969 - Diddy

Sean John Combs, (aka, Puff Daddy & P Diddy), American record producer, clothing designer and rapper. (1997 US & UK No.1 single with Faith Evans, 'I'll Be Missing You' is the most successful rap single of all time). Producer of MTV's Making the Band. Richest hip-hop entertainer as of 2007, having a net worth estimate of US $346 Million.

1971 - Gregory Porter

Born on this day American singer, songwriter and actor Gregory Porter. He won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Liquid Spirit.

1974 - Louise Redknapp

Louise Redknapp, from British R&B girl group Eternal who had the 1997 UK No.1 single 'I Wanna Be The Only One', and the 1993 UK No.2 album Always & Forever. They achieved 15 UK Top 20 hits between 1993 and 1999. She had the 1996 solo UK No.5 single 'Naked'.

1977 - Kavana

Kavana, singer, (1997 UK No.8 single 'I Can Make You Feel Good').