What Happened Today In Music

December 21st

1967 - The Beatles

The Beatles held a party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London to preview their new movie ‘Magical Mystery Tour’.

1967 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd appeared at the Speakeasy Club, London, England. Situated at 48 Margaret Street in the centre of London, the Speakeasy was a late-night haunt for the music industry from 1966 right up to to the late 1970s. It was managed by Laurie O'Leary (a lifelong friend of the Kray twins) from 1968 to 1977 and Roy Flynn, who was also the first manager of Yes

1968 - Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell topped the US album chart with 'Wichita Lineman'. Although the LP would stay on the chart for 46 weeks, it would be Campbell's only No.1 album. The title track which was written by American songwriter Jimmy Webb reached No 3 on the US singles chart.

1969 - Diana Ross

The Supremes made their last TV appearance together with Diana Ross on 'The Ed Sullivan show', singing their last No.1 'Someday We'll Be Together'. 

1970 - Elvis Presley

A stretch limousine carrying Elvis Presley pulled up outside the White House in Washington, D.C. The driver handed over a letter from Elvis addressed to President Nixon requesting a meeting to discuss how the King of Rock and Roll could help Nixon fight drugs. The President agreed to give Presley a Narcotics Bureau badge - but only after learning that the chief of the narcotics bureau had turned down the same request earlier that day and told Presley the only person who could overrule his decision was the President. At Elvis' request, the meeting remained secret for more than a year, until the Washington Post broke the story on January 27th, 1972.

1974 - Mud

Mud were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Chinn & Chapman song 'Lonely This Christmas'. The group's second No.1 and third chart topper for Chinn & Chapman in 1974.

1985 - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's album, ‘Born in the USA’ passed Michael Jackson's Thriller to become the second longest-lasting LP on the Billboard US Top 10. It stayed there for 79 weeks. Only ‘The Sound of Music’ with Julie Andrews lasted longer at 109 weeks.

1988 - Paul Jeffreys

Former Cockney Rebel bass player Paul Jeffreys was one of the passengers killed by a terrorist bomb on Pan Am flight 103. The plane crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland.

1991 - Freddie Mercury

'Bohemian Rhapsody - These Are The Days Of Our Lives' by Queen started a five week run at No.1 in the UK, the 1975 word-wide hit had been re-released following the death of Freddie Mercury. 

1992 - Albert King

American blues singer and guitarist, Albert King died from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded dozens of influential songs, such as 'Crosscut Saw' and 'As The Years Go Passing By', and the 1967 album, 'Born Under a Bad Sign.'

1996 - Knockin' on Heaven's Door

The charity record 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' went to No.1 on the UK singles chart. With the consent of Bob Dylan musician Ted Christopher of Dunblane, Scotland wrote a new verse for the song in memory of the schoolchildren and teacher killed in the Dunblane massacre. The cover version of the song included brothers and sisters of the victims singing the chorus and Mark Knopfler on guitar.

1998 - Karl Denver

Scottish singer Karl Denver died from a brain tumour aged 67. Had the 1962 UK No.4 single 'Wimoweh' and 1990 UK hit 'Lazyitis- One Armed Boxer' with Happy Mondays.

2003 - Eminem

Eminem's ex-wife Kimberley Mathers pleaded guilty to a drug and driving offences. Mathers had been pulled by traffic police in June and was charged with possession of cocaine, two other charges driving with a suspended license and maintaining a drug house in which police discovered marijuana and Ecstasy were dropped. The 28 year-old mother appeared in a Michigan court after turning herself in, having previously failed to attend a November 1 hearing and removed an electronic tagging device used to monitor her movements.

2003 - Gary Jules

Michael Andrews feat Gary Jules went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Tears For Fears song 'Mad World.' The song took just 90 minutes to record in 2001 and was featured in the film 'Donnie Darko.'

2003 - The Riffathon

Tommy Hubbard from Whitby, aged 14, won the 2003 Riffathon, a nationwide guitar competition in aid of Action For Brazil's Children Trust. The final was held at the University of Surrey and was judged by Jimmy Page and Brian May. The ten Riffathon finalists each performed a Led Zeppelin classic track with a full live band. Tommy's performance of 'Ramble On' won him the star prize of a 1958 re-issue Gibson Les Paul standard guitar, donated by Gibson Guitars.

2005 - Elton John

Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish became the first gay celebrities to register their relationship as a civil partnership. The 20 minute ceremony took place at The Guild Hall, Windsor, England, guest’s included Ringo Starr, Victoria Beckham, Joss Stone, Sting, Elvis Costello, Jamie Cullum, George Michael and The Osbournes - Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly.

2008 - Alexandra Burke

The 2008 X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Hallelujah'. The song was written by Leonard Cohen, and his version charted at the same time, and Jeff Buckley's cover reached No 2, just being held off by Alexandra. Three versions of the same song were in the chart at once, something not seen since the 1950s.

2010 - Kings of Leon

A concert by Kings of Leon was postponed after a fire broke out on two of their tour buses which were parked at The O2 arena in London. The blaze began on one coach before spreading to another tour bus in the loading bay of the venue in Greenwich. About 60 firefighters were at the scene and ambulance crews treated six people for smoke inhalation. An O2 spokesman said the fire meant there was not enough time to rig the arena for the sell-out concert.

2012 - Ronnie Wood

Rolling Stones guitarist, 65-year-old Ronnie Wood married his fiancee Sally Humphreys during a private ceremony in London. Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney all attended the wedding.

2012 - Psy

'Gangnam Style' by South Korean musician Psy became the first YouTube video to reach a billion views. By the end of 2012, the song had topped the music charts of more than 30 countries.

2012 - Paul Simon

Paul Simon performed his classic track The Sound of Silence at the funeral of a teacher who died in the school shooting in Connecticut on 14 December of this year. The 1966 song was understood to be a favourite of 27-year-old Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The singer, a family friend, performed the song in front of some 400 mourners, at Soto's local church on Wednesday. Twenty six people were killed in the mass shooting the previous week.

2014 - Elton John

Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish formally converted their civil partnership to a marriage hosting a ceremony at their Windsor estate in Berkshire. David and Victoria Beckham, Ed Sheeran, Lulu and actor David Walliams were among the guests.

2016 - Richard Marx

American singer Richard Marx told of how he had to restrain a fellow passenger on a Korean Air flight after the man, who was drunk allegedly attacked others onboard. The incident happened as Marx and his wife were travelling from Hanoi to Seoul. The man was arrested upon landing and South Korean.

Born Today In Music

December 21st

1926 - Freddie Hart

Freddie Hart, country musician and songwriter best-known for his No.1 hit 'Easy Loving,' which won the Country Music Association Song of the Year award in 1971 and 1972.

1940 - Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa multi instrumentalist, producer and composer. Recorded with The Mothers Of Invention and solo, 1969 album 'Hot Rats', 1974 album 'Apostrophe', featuring 'Don't Eat The Yellow Snow'. First band was The Blackouts, recorded one of the first concept albums 'Freak Out'. Zappa died of prostate cancer on 4th December 1993.

1940 - Ray Hilderbrand

Ray Hilderbrand, from American pop singing duo Paul and Paula, who had the 1963 US No.1 & UK No.8 single, 'Hey Paula'.

1943 - Albert Lee

Albert Lee, UK country guitarist. Worked with Emmylou Harris Hot Band, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, Joe Cocker. One time member of Heads Hands And Feet.

1946 - Carl Wilson

Carl Wilson, American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. He performed lead vocals on several of their hits, including 'God Only Knows' (1966) and 'Good Vibrations' (1966). Wilson died on 6th February 1998 after a long battle with lung cancer.

1947 - Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía, Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer and producer. His collaborations with guitarists John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Larry Coryell in the late 1970s saw him gain wider popularity outside his native Spain and collaborated with jazz pianist Chick Corea on their 1990 album, Zyryab. Lucía died on 25th Feb 2014.

1951 - Nick Gilder

Nick Gilder, singer, Sweeney Todd, solo, (1978 US No.1 single 'Hot Child In The City').

1953 - Betty Wright

Betty Wright, US singer, (1971 US No. 6 single 'Clean Up Woman', 1975 UK No. 27 single 'Shoorah! Shoorah!).

1964 - Emmett Murphy

Emmett Murphy, Dinosaur Jr, (1993 UK No.20 single 'Start Choppin').

1964 - Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy, from American alternative rock band The Lemonheads. A cover of Simon And Garfunkel's 'Mrs. Robinson', became one of the band's most successful single in the early 90s.

1966 - Gabrielle Glaser

Gabrielle Glaser, US singer, Luscious Jackson, (1997 UK No.25 single 'Naked Eye').

1974 - Erika Ender

Erika María Ender Simoes, more commonly known by her stage name Erika Ender, a Panamanian singer, songwriter and actress. Along with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, she is the co-author of the 2017 worldwide hit ‘Despacito’.