What Happened Today In Music

April 16th

1956 - Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry recorded "Roll Over Beethoven" which was released by Chess Records the following month. It is said that Berry wrote the song in response to his sister Lucy always using the family piano to play classical music when Berry wanted to play pop music. The lyric "roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news" refers to how classical composers would roll over in their graves upon hearing that classical music had given way to rock and roll. 

1964 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones first album was released in the UK, it went to No.1 two weeks later and stayed on the chart for 40 weeks, with 11 weeks at No.1. The American edition of the LP, with a slightly different track list, came out on London Records on 30 May 1964, subtitled England's Newest Hit Makers, which later became its official title. 

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles filmed the 'chase scenes' for A Hard Day's Night with actors dressed as policemen in the Notting Hill Gate area of London. In the evening they recorded the title track for the film, 'A Hard Day's Night' at Abbey Road. John and Paul had the title first, and had to write a song to order, completing the track in nine takes.

1969 - MC5

Elektra Records dropped Detroit's MC5 from their label after the band took out an advertisement in a local paper that included the company logo and said; 'Fuck Hudsons.' The band were protesting at the Michigan department store's refusal to stock their albums.

1969 - Desmond Dekker

Desmond Dekker and the Aces were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Israelites', making Dekker the first Jamaican artist to have an UK No.1 single.

1970 - Led Zeppelin

The Led Zeppelin single 'Whole Lotta Love' was certified Gold in the US after selling over a million copies. The single had peaked at No. 4 on the US singles chart. In the UK Atlantic Records had expected to issue the edited version themselves, and pressed initial copies for release on 5th December 1969. However, band manager Peter Grant was adamant that the band maintain a 'no-singles' approach to marketing their recorded music in the UK, and he halted the release.

1972 - Electric Light Orchestra

The Electric Light Orchestra made their debut at The Fox and Greyhound in Croydon, London. ELO were formed to accommodate former Move members Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones. Wood departed following the band's debut record, Lynne wrote and arranged all of the group's original compositions and produced every album.

1972 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd appeared at the Township Auditorium, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. A typical set list on this The Dark Side of The Moon tour was: The Dark Side of the Moon (entire album), One of These Days, Careful with that Axe Eugene, Echoes, Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.

1973 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney's first television special, James Paul McCartney, was aired in America on the ABC network. The show, which includes performances by McCartney and Wings, would be broadcast in the UK on May 10th.

1977 - David Soul

David Soul one half of TV cop show Starsky & Hutch, went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Don't Give Up On Us', his only US hit. Also No.1 in the UK.

1993 - David Lee Roth

David Lee Roth was arrested in New York's Washington Square Park for allegedly buying a $10 bag of marijuana.

1993 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney headlined a concert at the Hollywood Bowl to celebrate 'Earth Day' along with Ringo Starr, Don Henley and Steve Miller. McCartney had last performed there as a member of The Beatles in 1965.

1994 - Prince

Prince had his first UK No.1 with 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World', (his 37th single release). It was his first release since changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol.

1996 - Kiss

Kiss appeared in full make-up at the 38th Grammy Awards, where they announced a reunion tour. It would mark the first time all four members had appeared together in over fifteen years.

1997 - Mark Morrison

Mark Morrison was convicted with threatening a police officer with an illegal 23,000-volt electric stun gun. The singer left Maryebone Magistrates' Court in tears after being warned he was likely to be sent to prison.

1999 - Skip Spence

Skip Spence, an original member of Jefferson Airplane and founding member of Moby Grape, died of lung cancer in a San Francisco hospital aged 52. He had battled schizophrenia and alcoholism.

2003 - Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis filed for divorce from his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver Lewis. The 67-year-old singer married Kerrie in 1984 who was the president of Lewis Enterprises Inc. fan club.

2013 - Edwin Shirley Trucking

Edwin Shirley the co-founded Edwin Shirley Trucking, which became one of the largest music transport companies in Europe died of cancer. Brian May noted Shirley's importance to their touring operation: 'Edwin was at the head of Queen's vehicle convoy for so many years I can't begin to remember how many... He was a great pal of Gerry Stickells, our illustrious Tour Manager and the two of them wrote the book on how to party on tour.'

2015 - Pete Waterman

An auction of part of the model railway collection owned by record producer Pete Waterman raised more than £600,000. Waterman said he was selling the collection, which included 56 Gauge 1 steam models, to fund apprenticeships at the heritage trust he runs.

Born Today In Music

April 16th

1924 - Henry Mancini

American composer, conductor and arranger, Henry Mancini. His best known works include the theme to The Pink Panther film series, 'Moon River' to Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the theme to the Peter Gunn television series. He died 14th June 1994.

1924 - Rudy Pompilli

American musician Rudy Pompilli best known for playing tenor saxophone with Bill Haley and His Comets. They scored the 1955 UK & US No.1 single with 'Rock Around the Clock'. Pompilli died on February 5th 1976.

1929 - Roy Hamilton

American singer Roy Hamilton who had the 1955 US No.6 single 'Unchained Melody.' and recored 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. Hamilton died of a stroke on 29th July 1969.

1935 - Bobby Vinton

American singer and songwriter Bobby Vinton who had the 1963 US No.1 single & 1990 UK No.2 single 'Blue Velvet', (a cover of Tony Bennett's 1951 hit) plus 29 other US Top 40 hits.

1939 - Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield, UK singer who had her first UK hit single in 1963 with ‘I Only Want To Be With You’, which reached No.4, a 1966 UK No.1 & US No.4 single with 'You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’ plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. She died on March 3rd 1999.

1947 - Lee Kerslake

Drummer, Lee Kerslake, best known for his performances on Ozzy Osbourne’s critically-acclaimed debut album, Blizzard of Ozz, and was also the drummer in Uriah Heep appearing on their 1972 album Demons and Wizards and nine studio records before departing in 1978. He died from prostate cancer on 19 September 2020 aged 73. 

1947 - Gerry Rafferty

Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty who with Stealers Wheel had the 1973 US No.3 & UK No.8 single 'Stuck In The Middle With You'. The song was used in Quentin Tarantino's 1992 movie Reservoir Dogs, during the famous 'ear' scene. He is best known for his 1978 solo hit the UK No.3 and US No.2 single 'Baker Street.' He was also a member of late 1960s group The Humblebums with Billy Connolly. Rafferty died on 4th Jan 2011 at the age of 63 after suffering a long illness.

1949 - Boll Spooner

Boll 'Sputnick' Spooner, guitar, with American band The Tubes known for their 1977 hit single 'White Punks On Dope' and the 1983 US No.10 single 'She's A Beauty'.

1950 - Dave Pevertt

Dave Peverett, (also known as Lonesome Dave) was an English singer and guitarist with Savoy Brown and a founder member of Foghat, who had the 1976 US No. 20 single 'Slow Ride'. He died of cancer on 7th February 2000.

1951 - John Bentley

John Bentley who is best known as the bassist for the band Squeeze from 1980 to 1982 appearing on the albums Argybargy, East Side Story and Sweets from a Stranger.

1953 - Peter Garrett

Peter Garrett Australian musician, environmentalist, activist. He became the singer with the Australian rock band Midnight Oil in 1973. In 2010, their album Diesel and Dust ranked No.1 in the book The 100 Best Australian Albums.

1956 - Paul Buchanan

Scottish musician Paul Buchanan from The Blue Nile who released the 1989 UK No.12 album, Hats. Buchanan's songs have been covered by Annie Lennox, Julian Lennon, Michael McDonald, Robbie Robertson and Rod Stewart.

1959 - Stephen Singleton

Stephen Singleton, saxophonist with English pop band ABC who as part of the New Romantic movement had the 1982 UK No.4 & 1983 US No.18 'The Look Of Love'. Their 1982 debut album, The Lexicon of Love, was a UK No.1 and they achieved ten UK and five US Top 40 hit singles between 1981 and 1990.

1962 - Jason Scheff

American bassist, singer, and songwriter Jason Scheff who from 1985 to 2016 was the bassist and singer with Chicago. His lead vocals were debuted on the 1986 single '25 or 6 to 4,' a remake of their 1970 hit, then followed up with 'Will You Still Love Me?'

1963 - Little Jimmy Osmond

American singer, actor, and businessman Little Jimmy Osmond, who is the youngest member of the sibling musical group the Osmonds. He scored the 1972 UK No.1 single 'Long Haired Lover From Liverpool'.

1963 - Nick Berry

Nick Berry, English singer, actor who had the 1986 UK No.1 single 'Every Loser Wins'.

1964 - Dave Pirner

American songwriter, singer Dave Pirner with American alternative rock band Soul Asylum, who had the 1993 US No.5 and UK No.7 single 'Runaway Train' from their album Grave Dancers Union.

1969 - Sean Cook

Sean Cook, bassist from English space rock band Spiritualized. They released the critically acclaimed 1997 Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, which NME magazine named as their Album of the Year.

1970 - Gabrielle

Gabrielle, English singer who had the 1993 UK No.1 single 'Dreams' and the 2000 UK No.1 album Rise. Gabrielle has won two BRIT Awards, the first in 1994 for British Breakthrough Act, and the second in 1997 for Best British Female.

1971 - Selena

Selena Quintanilla-P’rez, best known as Selena, Mexican American singer "the queen of Tejano music.’ Her album Selena Live! won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards. Yolanda Sald’var the president of her fan club, murdered her on March 31, 1995. Warner Brothers made a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez in 1997.

1973 - Akon

Akon, (Aliaune Thiam), US singer, (2005 UK No.1 album ‘Trouble’, 2005 UK No.1 and US No.4 single ‘Lonely’, (which samples Bobby Vinton's ‘Mr. Lonely’). Akon is the first solo artist to hold both the No.1 and No.2 spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. He was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the No.1 selling artist for master ringtones in the world.

1993 - Chance the Rapper

American recording artist Chance the Rapper. His third mixtape Coloring Book earned him three Grammy awards, including Best Rap Album. He featured on the 2017 US No.1 hit single 'I'm The One' by DJ Khaled with Justin Bieber.