What Happened Today In Music

May 24th

1956 - Lys Assia

The first Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland. The event was the brainchild of Marcel Baisoncon of the European Broadcasting Union. Seven countries participated and they were each allowed two songs. Both Luxembourg and the winner Switzerland used the same singer for both. Switzerland won with 'Refrain' by Lys Assia.

1962 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Good Luck Charm' his 11th UK No.1 single. It completed his second hat-trick of chart topping singles in the UK.

1963 - The Beatles

The Beatles recorded the first of their very own BBC radio program, "Pop Go the Beatles". The theme song for the program was a version of "Pop Goes the Weasel". The Beatles' guests for this first show were the Lorne Gibson Trio.

1963 - Elmore James

US blues guitarist and singer Elmore James died of a heart attack aged 45. James wrote 'Shake Your Money Maker', which was covered by Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Known as "The King of the Slide Guitar", James influenced Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Keith Richards.

1966 - Captain Beefheart

Captain Beefheart appeared at the Whisky a Go Go. West Hollywood, California. Supported by Buffalo Springfield and The Doors. 

1968 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones released the single 'Jumpin Jack Flash' in the UK, the track gave them their seventh UK No.1 hit. Keith Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awoken one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: "Oh, that's Jack – that's jumpin' Jack."

1969 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's album Nashville Skyline peaked at No.3 in the US chart. The singer's ninth album, it also scored Dylan his fourth UK No.1. The album featured 'Lay Lady Lay', which became one of Dylan's biggest pop hits, reaching No.7 in the US, his biggest single in three years.

1969 - Billy Preston

The Beatles with Billy Preston started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Get Back', the group's 17th US No.1. Credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston", it was the Beatles' only single that credited another artist, 'Get Back' was also the Beatles' first single release in true stereo in the US.

1970 - Peter Green

Guitarist and founding member Peter Green played his last gig with Fleetwood Mac when they appeared at the Bath Festival, Somerset, England.

1974 - David Bowie

David Bowie released his eighth studio album Diamond Dogs. The cover art features Bowie as a striking half-man, half-dog grotesque painted by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert. It was controversial as the full painting clearly showed the hybrid's genitalia.

1975 - Earth Wind and Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Shining Star', the group's first and only US No.1.

1980 - Phil Collins

Genesis fans turning up at the Roxy Club box office in Los Angeles to buy tickets for a forthcoming gig were surprised to find the band members Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford selling the tickets themselves.

1991 - Gene Clark

Founder member of The Byrds Gene Clark died of a heart attack aged 49. Wrote The Byrds hits 'I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better', and 'Eight Miles High', member of McGuinn, Clark and Hillman and solo.

1997 - Hanson

Hanson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'MMMBop', the brothers first US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK. 'MMMBop' was phenomenally successful, especially for a debut single, reaching No.1 in 27 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and Mexico.

1997 - Spice Girls

The Spice Girls went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Spice', making them only the third all girl group to do so after The Supremes and The Go-Go's and the first ever UK girl group to do so.

1999 - Queen

Queen singer Freddie Mercury, who died in 1991, was honoured on a new set of millennium stamps issued by the Royal Mail. Mercury, who featured on the 19p stamp, was a keen stamp collector, and his collection was bought by the Post Office in 1993. The stamp marked his contribution to the Live Aid charity concert in 1985, and caused controversy by featuring a small portion of Queen’s drummer, Roger Taylor, in the background - UK stamps by tradition only carry pictures of living persons who are members of the Royal Family.

2000 - Chrissie Hynde

A New York Judge told Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde that if she wanted her March arrest for protesting the sale of leather goods in a Gap store dismissed, she'd better keep her nose clean for the next six months.

2000 - Andrea Corr

Andrea and Sharon Corr from The Corrs both collapsed in the mid-day sun whilst shooting their new video in the Mojave Desert in California. The pair were treated in hospital for heat exhaustion and were back on the set within 24 hours.

2003 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney made his first ever live performance in Russia when he appeared in-front of 20,000 fans in Red Square.

2004 - Madonna

Madonna kicked off the North American leg of her Re-invention World Tour by playing three sold out nights at The Los Angeles Forum. The tour became the top grossing of the year, with ticket sales of nearly $125 million, with over 900,000 fans attending the 60 date tour. As a follower of the Kabbalah, Madonna didn't play any Friday night gigs as the teaching of the religion forbids it.

2007 - Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse, Madonna and Arctic Monkeys were among the winners at this years Ivor Novello Awards. Winehouse won best contemporary song for her hit ‘Rehab’, while Madonna collected the international hit of the year for ‘Sorry.’ Sheffield-based band Arctic Monkeys collected the best album award for ‘Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not.’

2009 - Billy Joel

Billy Joel was being sued by his former drummer for hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties. Liberty Devitto, claimed that Joel hadn't paid him proper royalties for 10 years of his work. Devitto was Joel's drummer from 1975 until 2005, when he said he was abruptly thrown out of the band. He said: "People get fired, they get severance or insurance for a certain period of time. I didn't even get a phone call. It was cold."

2010 - Slipknot

Paul Gray, the bassist with US metal band Slipknot, was found dead in a hotel in Des Moines, Iowa. The body of the 38-year-old musician was found by an employee at the hotel in a suburb of the city. Police said foul play was not suspected, but an autopsy would be carried out. The nine members of Slipknot wore masks in public and referred to other bandmates by numbers; Gray was number two.

2017 - Elvis Presley

Sonny West, one of the original members of Elvis Presley's Memphis Mafia, died of lung cancer at the age of 79. Joining Elvis in 1960, he was abruptly fired, along with his cousin Red and bodyguard Dave Hebler, in 1976 without explanation. The following year he co-authored the book Elvis, What Happened?.

2020 - Al Rex 

American bassist Al Rex died age 91. He started playing for Bill Haley & His Comets and its predecessor Bill Haley and the Saddlemen in 1949 and became noted for 'wild antics' on stage. 

Born Today In Music

May 24th

1938 - Prince Buster

Jamaican singer, songwriter and producer, Prince Buster. The records he released in the 1960s influenced and shaped the course of Jamaican contemporary music and created a legacy of work that later reggae and ska artists would draw upon. Buster died on 8 September 2016, in a hospital in Miami, Florida, after suffering heart problems.

1941 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman), American singer-songwriter, author, and painter. Dylan has released over 40 albums since 1964, and was a major influence on The Beatles. His biggest hits are the 1965 US No.2 single 'Like A Rolling Stone', the 1969 UK No.5 single 'Lay Lady Lay', and his 1964 UK No.1 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. He has won many awards throughout his career including the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, and twelve Grammy Awards. Dylan was also a member of The Traveling Wilburys.

1942 - Derek Quinn

Derek Quinn, from the 1960s pop band Freddie and the Dreamers. They scored the 1963 UK No.3 single 'You Were made For Me', and the 1965 US No.1 single 'I'm Telling You Now'.

1944 - Patti Labelle

American singer, songwriter, Patti Labelle who scored the 1975 US No.1 & UK No.17 single 'Lady Marmalade', (with Labelle), and the 1986 US No.1 & UK No.2 single with Michael McDonald, 'On My Own'. Labelle became the the first African-American vocal group to land the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

1945 - Dave Peacock

English musician and bass guitarist Dave Peacock, who with Chas & Dave had the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Ain't No Pleasing You'. Earlier in his career, Peacock played guitar as part of Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.

1946 - Steve Upton

Steve Upton from British rock band Wishbone Ash who scored the 1972 UK No.3 album Argus and eight other Top 40 albums. Wishbone Ash are noted for their extensive use of the harmony twin lead guitar.

1947 - Albert Bouchard

Albert Bouchard, drummer, guitarist, songwriter, from American hard rock band Blue Oyster Cult who scored the 1976 US No.12 & 1978 UK No.16 single '(Don't Fear) The Reaper'. Blue Oyster Cult have sold over 24 million records worldwide.

1947 - Cynthia Plaster Caster

Cynthia ‘Plaster’ Caster, a groupie who became famous for making plaster cast’s of rock star’s penises and breasts. Clients included Jimi Hendrix and members from MC5, Television, The Kinks and various road managers.

1955 - Rosanne Cash

American singer-songwriter and author, Rosanne Cash, the eldest daughter of country music icon Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin. She won a Grammy in 1985 for 'I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me', and has received twelve other Grammy nominations. She has had 11 No.1 country hit singles, 21 Top 40 country singles and two gold records.

1956 - Larry Blackmon

Larry Blackmon, lead singer with American soul-influenced funk group Cameo who scored the 1986 UK No.3 single 'Word Up'.

1960 - Guy Fletcher

Guy Fletcher, multi-instrumentalist, who has worked with Roxy Music, (joined in 1981 for their Avalon world tour) and is best known for his position as the keyboard player in Dire Straits from 1984 until the group's dissolution.

1962 - Gene Ray

American singer, dancer Gene Anthony Ray, ‘Leroy’ in TV’s ‘Fame’. Axed from the show in 1984, after his mother was jailed for running a drug ring. He danced with The Weather Girls in their video of ‘It's Raining Men.’ Leroy died on November 19th 2003.

1967 - Heavy D

Jamaican-born American rapper Heavy D, who scored the 1991 UK No.2 single 'Now That We Found Love' and the former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz. He died on November 8, 2011, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 44.

1969 - Rich Robinson

Rich Robinson, guitarist with The Black Crowes (along with older brother Chris Robinson), who had the 1991 hit single 'Hard To Handle' and the 1992 US No.1 & UK No.2 album The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion. The band have sold more than 30 million albums.

1976 - Alessandro Cortini

Italian musician Alessandro Cortini best known for touring and recording with the American band Nine Inch Nails from 2004 to 2008.