What Happened Today In Music

January 3rd

1955 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley appeared in Boonesville, Virginia. The 20 year-old singer was still a regional star, but by the end of 1956 he had become a national sensation, recording two albums, (which included 'Heartbreak Hotel' and 'Blue Suede Shoes'), appeared on national television 11 times, played over 100 concerts and signed a seven year contract with Paramount Pictures.

1957 - Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchell was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Singing The Blues.' (Tommy Steele and Marty Robbins had also released versions and Steele would replace this version at No.1). Also a US No.1.

1963 - Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his sixth UK No.1 'The Next Time / Bachelor Boy.' Both songs were taken from the film Summer Holiday.

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles were seen for the second time on US TV when a clip from the BBC's 'The Mersey Sound' showing the group playing 'She Loves You' was shown on The Jack Paar Show. The first US airing showing The Beatles was on Nov 18, 1963, on the NBC news program "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" (albeit pre-recorded) of The Beatles in concert.

1967 - Carl Wilson

Having received a US army draft notice, Beach Boy Carl Wilson refused to be sworn in, saying he was a conscientious objector.

1969 - Jimi Hendrix

Appearing live on The Lulu show on UK TV, The Jimi Hendrix Experience were booked to perform two songs, 'Voodoo Child', (which was performed in full), then Hendrix stopped performing his new single 'Hey Joe' after a verse and chorus and instead launched into a version of the Cream song 'Sunshine Of Your Love' as a tribute to the band who had split a few days earlier. Hendrix then proceeded to continuing jamming, running over their allocated time slot on the live show, preventing the show's host Lulu from closing the show properly.

1970 - B J Thomas

B J Thomas started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.' The song was featured in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

1970 - George Harrison

Working on the Get Back sessions at Studio Two of EMI Studios, London, three Beatles (Paul, George, and Ringo) record 16 takes of the George Harrison song 'I Me Mine'. John Lennon was away in Denmark at the time. A decade later it became the title of George Harrison's auto-biography.

1972 - Pink Floyd

Two weeks of rehearsals for Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon tour began at the Bermondsey in London, England, (the venue was owned by The Rolling Stones).

1976 - Bay City Rollers

The Bay City Rollers went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Saturday Night.' At the height of their US success, the Scottish group signed a deal to promote breakfast cereal. 

1976 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's song, 'Hurricane', peaked at No.33 on the Billboard singles chart, helping to cause enough publicity to eventually get former boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter released from jail. The song promoted Carter's innocence and a movie about Carter's life, starring Denzel Washington, was released in 2000.

1980 - Amos Milburn

American rhythm and blues singer Amos Milburn died aged 52. Famous for his drinking songs including, 'Let Me Go Home, Whiskey' and 'One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer.'

1981 - David Bowie

David Bowie made his final appearance as the Elephant Man at The Booth Theatre, Broadway in New York City.

1987 - Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2000 - Luciano Pavarotti

Luciano Pavarotti agreed to pay the Italian authorities £1.6 million ($2.72 million) after losing an appeal against tax evasion charges. It was reported that the singer was worth £300 million ($510 million) at the time.

2002 - Zak Foley

Zak Foley bassist with British group EMF died aged 31 of a drug overdose. EMF had the 1990 world wide hit single 'Unbelievable' which reached No.3 on the UK singles chart, and was a No.1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The name EMF is believed to be an abbreviation of Epsom Mad Funkers.

2002 - Noel Gallagher

Liam and Noel Gallagher topped a poll of celebrities you would least like to live next to, getting 40% of the vote. Readers of Your Home magazine voted the brothers from Oasis as 'Neighbours From Hell'.

2012 - Bob Weston

British musician Bob Weston died age 64. He 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.

2014 - Phil Everly

Phil Everly, one half of the Everly Brothers, died of complications from lung disease aged 74, in California. In their heyday between 1957 and 1962, the Everly Brothers had 19 Top 40 hits, including 'Bye Bye Love', 'Wake Up Little Susie' and 'All I Have to Do Is Dream' and influenced acts such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The Everly Brothers had 35 Billboard Top-100 singles, 26 in the top 40. They hold the record for the most Top-100 singles by any duo. In the UK, they had 30 chart singles, 29 in the top 40, 13 top 10, and 4 at No. 1 between 1957 and 1984

2017 - Vinyl Sales

Vinyl sales topped three million last year, the highest UK total in 25 years. More than 3.2 million records were sold in 2016, a rise of 53% on the previous year, according to the BPI, which represents the music industry. David Bowie's Blackstar was the most popular album on vinyl, selling more than double the number of copies of 2015's biggest-seller, Adele's 25.

2020 - Bo Winberg 

Swedish singer and guitarist Bo Winberg died. He was a member of The Spotnicks, who together with the Shadows and the Ventures are counted as one of the most famous instrumental bands during the 1960s. The Spotnicks were famous for wearing 'space suit' costumes on stage, and for their innovative electronic guitar sound.

2020 - Rod Stewart

Sir Rod Stewart was charged by police following an alleged altercation at a hotel in Florida on New Year’s Eve. A police document released in the US accused Stewart of punching a security guard after he and his companions, including his son Sean, attempted to get into a private party in a children’s area at the Breakers Palm Beach Hotel.

Born Today In Music

January 3rd

1916 - Maxene Angelyn

Maxene Andrews from The Andrew Sisters who were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. Throughout their long career, the sister's sold over 75 million records. Their 1941 hit ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ can be considered an early example of rhythm and blues. She died on 21 October 1995.

1926 - George Martin

Sir George Martin, English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer and musician. He worked as EMI records in-house record producer and became the so-called fifth Beatle. Martin produced all but one of The Beatles albums giving him 30 No.1 hit singles in the UK and 23 No.1 hits in the US. He also worked with comedy acts The Goons and Beyond The Fringe. Martin received a Knighthood in 1996. He died on March 8 2016 aged 90.

1943 - Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke Parks, US songwriter, producer. Worked with Brian Wilson on the 'Smile' album, played keyboards on The Byrds 'Eight Miles High', produced Ry Cooder, Randy Newman, Judy Collins.

1945 - Stephen Stills

American singer, songwriter Stephen Stills who was a member of Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Manassas. With CS&N he had the 1969 UK No.17 single 'Marrakesh Express' and the 1970 US No.1 album Deja Vu plus the 1971 solo UK No.37 single 'Love The One Your With.' Stills's first solo album, Stephen Stills, (1970) went gold and is the only album to feature both Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

1946 - John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones, bass, keyboards, producer with Led Zeppelinwho had the 1969 US No.4 single Whole Lotta Love. The bands fourth album released in 1971 featuring the rock classic Stairway To Heaven, has sold over 37 million copies. As a session player in the 1960s he worked with The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Donovan, Jeff Beck, Hermans Hermits, Lulu, Tom Jones. In recent years Jones has worked with R.E.M. on 1992 Automatic For The People album and is a member of Them Crooked Vultures.

1964 - Raymond McGinley

Raymond McGinley, guitar & vocals, Teenage Fanclub, 1992 UK No.31 single 'What You Do To Me.'

1975 - Thomas Bangaltier

Thomas Bangalter, French electronic musician with Daft Punk, 1997 UK No.5 single 'Around The World', remixed Gabrielle, Chemical Brothers. Scored the 2013 UK No.1 hit 'Get Lucky' featuring Pharrell Williams.