What Happened Today In Music

December 25th

1954 - Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby's ‘White Christmas’ entered the Billboard Pop chart for the eleventh time. Bing's rendition has sold over 100 million copies around the world, with at least 50 million sales as singles. It was the largest selling single in music history until it was surpassed by Elton John's ‘Candle in the Wind 1997’.

1954 - Johnny Ace

Johnny Ace shot himself dead backstage at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas. The R&B singer was playing with a revolver during a break between sets, someone in the room said "Be careful with that thing’’ and he said ‘It’s OK the gun’s not loaded, see’’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face.

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles recorded six songs for the BBC radio program Saturday Club in London: ‘Rock and Roll Music’, ‘I'm a Loser’, ‘Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby’, ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey’ and ‘She's a Woman.’

1964 - Stevie Wonder

The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder and The Marvelettes all appeared at The Fox Theatre, Brooklyn, New York.

1968 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin arrived in the United States for the very first time in preparation of their debut North American tour. The group were paid an average of $1,500 for each show. 

1976 - Johnny Mathis

American MOR singer Johnny Mathis was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'When A Child Is Born', the singers only UK No.1 and the Christmas hit of 1976.

1978 - John Lydon

John Lydon's new group Public Image Ltd played their first live gig at the Rainbow Theatre, London.

1981 - Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson phoned Paul McCartney and suggested they write and record together, the first result being ‘The Girl Is Mine’. The song was a US No.2 & UK No.8 in 1982.

1982 - David Bowie

David Bowie had a No.3 UK hit with a duet with Bing Crosby, 'Peace On Earth - Little Drummer Boy.' The single became one of Bowie's best selling in his career, with total estimated sales over 400,000 in the UK alone. The Christmas song was written in 1941, while the 'Peace on Earth' tune and lyrics, written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan, were added to the song specially for Bowie and Crosby's recording.

1995 - Dean Martin

American singer, actor and TV host Dean Martin died. Had the 1956 UK & US No.1 single 'Memories Are Made Of This' plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles including ‘That's Amore’, ‘Everybody Loves Somebody’, ‘Mambo Italiano’. In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, The Dean Martin Show.

1998 - Bryan MacLean

Bryan MacLean, guitarist with Love, died of a heart attack aged 62 while having Christmas dinner with a young fan who was researching a book about the band. Love had the 1966 US No.33 single '7 And 7 Is', and the 1968 album Forever Changes.

2003 - Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson recorded his first interview since news of the allegations of sexual abuse with a 12-year old boy. He told the CBS TV network he would 'slit his wrists' before he would hurt a child. He also claimed he suffered a dislocated shoulder after police 'manhandled' him and treated him 'very roughly' during his arrest.

2006 - James Brown

James Brown the ‘Godfather of Soul’, died at the age of 73 after being diagnosed with severe pneumonia. Brown went to his dentist in Atlanta the previous day who told him something was wrong, and sent him to a doctor immediately. His hits included ‘Papa's Got a Brand New Bag’, ‘I Got You (I Feel Good)’, and ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt. 1’. Brown was married four times, at the age of 16, was arrested for theft and served 3 years in prison. In 1988, Brown was arrested following a high-speed car chase along the Georgia-South Carolina state border.

2008 - Eartha Kitt 

American actress, singer, and cabaret star Eartha Kitt died from colon cancer at her Weston, Connecticut home at the age of 81. Best known for her 1953 Christmas song ‘Santa Baby.’

2009 - Tony Bellamy

Tony Bellamy guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the Native American rock band Redbone died of liver failure. Redbone had the 1971 UK No.2 & US No.21 single 'The Witch Queen Of New Orleans' and the 1974 US No. 4 hit single, 'Come and Get Your Love.' Redbone are accredited in the NY Smithsonian as the first Native American rock/Cajun group to have a No.1 single in the United States and internationally. Bellamy had performed with Dobie Gray, and was a member of Peter and the Wolves (a band from San Francisco that evolved into the psychedelic band Moby Grape).

2009 - Vic Chesnutt

American singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt died from an overdose of muscle relaxants that had left him in a coma in an Athens hospital. He released 17 albums during his career, including two produced by Michael Stipe.

2014 - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran was at No.1 on the UK album chart with x, (pronounced "multiply"). In 2015, x won the Brit Award for British Album of the Year, and at the 57th Grammy Awards it was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year. Spotify named x the most-streamed album in the world for 2014, racking up more than 430 million streams for the year.

2016 - George Michael

George Michael died at his home aged 53. Thames Valley Police said South Central Ambulance Service attended a property in Goring in Oxfordshire at 13:42 GMT. The singer who launched his career with Wham in the 1980s and later continued his success as a solo performer, was said to have "passed away peacefully at home". Up to the time of his death, Michael sold more than 115 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

2019 - George Michael

George Michael's sister Melanie Panayiotou died suddenly age 59 on the third anniversary of the singer's death. George had left the bulk of his estate to her and her sister Yioda when he died aged 53 from heart and fatty liver disease.

Born Today In Music

December 25th

1929 - Bill Horton

American singer Bill Horton from The Silhouettes. The doo wop/R&B groups single 'Get A Job' was a No.1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart and pop singles chart in 1958. The doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na derived their name from the song's lyrics. 'Get A Job' is included in the soundtracks of the film American Graffiti, Trading Places and Stand By Me. Horton died on January 23, 1995.

1929 - Chris Kenner

Chris Kenner, US singer, (1961 US No.2 single 'I Like It Like That'). Also a hit for Dave Clarke Five.

1937 - O'Kelly Isley

O'Kelly Isley from American group The Isley Brothers who first came to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, 'Shout', and then the 1962 hit 'Twist and Shout. The Isley Brothers also scored the hits 'This Old Heart Of Mine', 'Summer Breeze' and 'Harvest for the World'. Sixteen of their albums charted in the Top 40. O'Kelly Isley died on 31st March 1986.

1940 - Pete Brown

Pete Brown, lyricist, poet, singer, producer, Cream, (1967 UK No.11 single 'I Feel Free'). Also worked with Jack Bruce, Graham Bond, Mick Jagger and Peter Green.

1943 - Trevor Lucas

Trevor Lucas, Fairport Convention, UK folk group, (1969 UK No.21 single 'Si Tu Dois Partie'). Also worked with Al Stewart and The Strawbs. Lucas died 4th February 1989.

1944 - Henry Vestine

Henry Vestine, guitarist with American rock band Canned Heat. Two of their songs 'Going Up the Country' and 'On the Road Again' became international hits. He died on 20th October 1997.

1944 - Kenny Everett

Kenny Everett, UK radio and TV presenter, (1983 UK No.9 single 'Snot Rap'). Died 4th April 1995.

1945 - Noel Redding

Noel Redding, bassist with The Jimi Hendrix Experience who had the 1967 UK No.3 single 'Purple Haze', and the 1970 UK No.1 single 'Voodoo Chile'. Redding was the first person to join the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and the first to leave, his final concert with them was in June 1969. Redding died on 11th May 2003 aged 57.

1946 - Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett, American singer songwriter, (1977 US No.8 single 'Margaritaville', 2004 US No.1 album 'License to Chill').

1948 - Barbara Mandrell

Country singer Barbara Mandrell, named Country Music Association entertainer of the year in 1979, 1980 & 1981, (1977 US No.1 Country single 'Sleeping Single In A Double Bed').

1954 - Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox, singer, The Tourists, (1979 UK No.4 single 'I Only Want To Be With You'). Eurythmics, (1983 US No.1 single 'Sweet Dreams', 1985 UK No.1 single 'There Must Be An Angel'). Solo, (1995 UK No.2 single 'No More I Love You's').

1954 - Robin Campbell

Robin Campbell, guitar, vocals, with UB40, who had the 1983 UK No.1 & 1988 US No.1 single 'Red Red Wine' and over 30 other top 40 hits.

1957 - Shane MacGowan

Shane MacGowan, singer from Irish-British Celtic punk band The Pogues who scored the 1987 UK No.8 single 'The Irish Rover' and the 1987 UK No.2 single with Kirsty MaCcoll, 'Fairytale Of New York'.

1958 - Alannah Myles

Alannah Myles, Canadian singer, 1990 US No.1 and UK No.2 single 'Black Velvet.'

1964 - Bob Stanley

Bob Stanley from English band Saint Etienne who had the 1993 UK No.12 single 'You're In A Bad Way'.

1971 - Dido

Dido, singer, songwriter, (2001 UK No.1 & US No.4 album 'No Angel', 2001 UK No.4 single 'Here With Me').

1971 - Noel Hogan

Noel Hogan, guitarist with Irish rock band The Cranberries who had the 1994 UK No.14 single 'Linger'. The bands 1993 album Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can’t We spent 86 weeks on the UK chart.

1972 - Josh Freese

American session drummer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter Josh Freese. He played drums for Guns N' Roses from 1997 to 2000, A Perfect Circle from 1999 to 2012, Nine Inch Nails from 2005 to 2008, Weezer from 2009 to 2010, and Sublime with Rome from 2011 to 2017. He has appeared on nearly 400 records.