What Happened Today In Music

June 17th

1954 - Danny Cedrone

Guitarist Danny Cedrone died following a freak accident; 10 days after he had recorded the lead guitar break on 'Rock Around the Clock' with Bill Haley and His Comets. Session player Cedrone was paid $21 for his work on the session, as at that time Haley chose not to hire a full-time guitarist for his group. He died of a broken neck after falling down a staircase.

1955 - Elvis Presley

After a month of booking gigs in larger venues in Dallas and Houston, Colonel Tom Parker arranged a meeting with Elvis Presley's manager, Bob Neal, resulting in an agreement that saw the Colonel handle Presley's gigs and career strategy from now on.

1965 - The Beatles

Working at Abbey Road studios in London The Beatles completed work on the new Paul McCartney song 'Yesterday' with the overdubbing of an additional vocal track by McCartney and a string quartet. They also recorded ‘Act Naturally’ for Ringo's vocal contribution on the Help! album and the song ‘Wait’, in four takes. ‘Wait’ will not be included on Help!, it was included on the following LP, Rubber Soul.

1965 - The Kinks and the Moody Blues

The Kinks and the Moody Blues made their US concert debut at the Academy of Music in New York City. 

1971 - Carole King

Carole King went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Tapestry’ for the first of 15 consecutive weeks. The album contained ‘It's Too Late’, ‘I Feel the Earth Move’, ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’’ and ‘You've Got a Friend’. The cover photograph taken at King's Laurel Canyon home shows her sitting in a window frame, holding a tapestry she hand-stitched herself, with her cat Telemachus at her feet.

1972 - Don McLean

Don McLean had his first UK No.1 single with 'Vincent.' The song was written about the 19th century artist Vincent Van Gogh. The song is played daily at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

1972 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones album Exile on Main Street started a four-week run at the top of the US charts. The double album, regularly regarded as one of the band's best, features 'Rocks Off', 'Rip This Joint', 'Happy' and 'Tumbling Dice'.

1973 - Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton recorded 'I Will Always Love You' in RCA's Studio "B" in Nashville. Written for her one-time partner and mentor, Porter Wagoner, (the two were splitting professionally at the time). The song was later a world-wide hit for Whitney Houston. 

1976 - Ian Dury

Ian Dury played his last gig with Kilburn and the High Roads before starting his solo career. The show at The Assembly Hall, Walthamstow also had The Sex Pistols and The Stranglers on the bill.

1976 - Blondie

Blondie released their debut single 'X Offender'. Written by Gary Valentine and Debbie Harry, the title of the song was originally 'Sex Offender', written about an 18-year-old boy being arrested for having sex with his younger girlfriend. Debbie Harry changed the lyrics so that the song was about a prostitute being attracted to the police officer that had arrested her. Private Stock, the band’s label insisted that the single be changed to 'X Offender' because they were nervous about the original title.

1977 - Elton John

After Jimmy Helms pulled out of a gig at Shoreditch College, the members of the social committee decided to call upon famous local, Elton John who lived up the road and ask if he would perform. Elton did the gig for two bottles of wine.

1978 - Andy Gibb

Andy Gibb became the first solo artist in the history of the US charts to have his first three releases reach No.1, when 'Shadow Dancing' hit the top of the chart. Spending seven weeks at No.1 it became the best selling single in the US in 1978.

1978 - Olivia Newton-John

'You're The One That I Want' by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John started a nine week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart. The song was from the film Grease.

1979 - Anita Ward

Anita Ward was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ring My Bell'. The only hit for the gospel singer from Memphis, making her a One Hit Wonder.

1987 - Motley Crue

Florida real estate agent Vittoria Holman sued Motley Crue and their concert promoter for hearing loss allegedly incurred at a concert in December 1985. Holman and her daughter had front row seats less than 10 feet (3 meters) from the speakers. The case was settled out of court with the band's insurance company paying Holman over $30,000. (£18,200).

1997 - Ozzy Osbourne

Fans rioted at an Ozzfest concert in Columbus Ohio, after Ozzy Osbourne couldn't perform due to throat problems. Angry fans broke windows, uprooted trees, and turned over a parked car.

2005 - Pete Doherty

Pete Doherty was thrown of a yacht after being found smoking crack cocaine. The Babyshambles singer had been invited onto the yacht with his girlfriend Kate Moss by Davinia Taylor, they were asked to leave the party and were dropped off in Porto Cervo.

2007 - The Traveling Wilburys

The Traveling Wilburys went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Collection.' The line of the Wilburys was: George Harrison(Nelson Wilbury), Jeff Lynne (Otis Wilbury), Roy Orbison (Lefty Wilbury), Tom Petty (Charlie T. Wilbury Jr.) and Bob Dylan(Lucky Wilbury).

2008 - Duffy

Welsh singer Duffy's single Mercy was named song of the year at the Mojo magazine awards held in London. Best breakthrough act went to The Last Shadow Puppets - the side project of Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner. Other acts honoured at the reader-voted Mojo Honours included Led Zeppelin, Paul Weller, the Sex Pistols and Genesis. Ska band the Specials were welcomed into the Mojo Hall of Fame and former Creedence Clearwater Revivalfrontman John Fogerty, won the inspiration award for his contribution to rock music.

2009 - Billy Joel

60-year-old Billy Joel and his third wife, 27-year-old Katie Lee Joel announced that were splitting up after nearly five years of marriage. Joel's nine-year union with model Christie Brinkley ended in 1994. His nine-year marriage to Elizabeth Weber, for whom he wrote 'Just The Way You Are', ended in 1982. It's believed that Billy had a prenuptial agreement to protect the millions his many hits have earned.

2011 - DJ Stolen

A computer hacker who stole songs from Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Leona Lewis, Kesha and Mariah Carey during 2009 and 2010 was sentenced to 18 months detention in Germany. A court heard how the teenager, who called himself DJ Stolen, earned more than 15,000 euros (£13,260) by breaking copyright laws and hacking personal information from a number of singers. The 18-year-old used software to steal unpublished songs and then offer them for sale on the internet. Anti-piracy teams in the UK and Germany noticed a growing number of pre-release tracks being leaked much earlier than normal. The teen was also ordered to have therapy for an addiction to the internet.

2012 - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen played his longest show when he turned in a three-hour-and-48-minute, 32-song, set at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. (This surpassed the previously longest show, Dec. 31, 1980 at the Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, New York, which clocked in at 3:43).

2016 - Prince Be

Prince Be one half of P.M. Dawn died of renal disease at the age of 46 at a New Jersey hospital. Their biggest hit was the early 90s hit 'Set Adrift on Memory Bliss' which reached No.1 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Born Today In Music

June 17th

1930 - Cliff Gallup

Cliff Gallup, guitarist from Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps who had the 1956 US No.7 & UK No.16 single 'Be-Bop-A-Lula'. Gallup died of a heart attack on October 9th 1988.

1942 - Norman Kuhlke

Norman Kuhlke, from British Merseybeat band The Swinging Blue Jeans who had the 1964 UK No.2 single 'Hippy Hippy Shake' and the hit and 'You're No Good'.

1944 - Chris Spedding

Chris Spedding, session guitarist. Worked with Donovan, David Essex, Lulu, Dusty Springfield, Jack Bruce, Eno, Bryan Ferry, The Wombles. Solo, (1975 UK No.14 single 'Motor Biking'). Also a member of The Sharks.

1946 - Barry Manilow

American singer-songwriter, Barry Manilow, (born Barry Alan Pincus) who had the 1975 US No.1 & UK No.11 single 'Mandy', also wrote 'Could It Be Magic', and 'Copacabana.' Manilow has scored over 25 US Top 40 singles selling over 75 million records worldwide. Had the 2006 US No.1 album The Greatest Songs of the Fifties.

1947 - Paul Young

British singer and songwriter Paul Young, from Sad Cafe, who had the 1979 UK No.3 single 'Every Day Hurts'. With Mike and the Mechanics he scored the 1989 UK No.2 single 'The Living Years', (with Paul Carrick on lead vocals). He made his debut during the 60s in the British beat group the Toggery Five. Young died on 15th July 2000 from a sudden heart attack.

1947 - Gregg Rolie

American singer and keyboardist Gregg Rolie who has been a member of Santana and Journey. He joined Carlos Santana and others to form the Santana Blues Band in 1965. As a co-founding member of Santana, Rolie was part of the band's first wave of success, including an appearance at Woodstock in 1969 and central roles in several hit albums.

1952 - Mike Buck

Austin, Texas-based drummer Mike Buck who was a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds who had two hit songs in the 1980s, 'Tuff Enuff' and 'Wrap It Up.'

1957 - Philip Chevron

Philip Chevron, guitarist 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'. Chevron died on October 8, 2013 in Dublin, Ireland from oesophageal cancer at age 56.

1958 - Jello Biafra

Jello Biafra, from Dead Kennedys the American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco. The band was one of the first American hardcore bands to make a significant impact in the United Kingdom.

1962 - Bap Kennedy

Bap Kennedy, singer, songwriter from Belfast, Northern Ireland, noted for his collaborations with Steve Earle, Van Morrison, Shane MacGowan and Mark Knopfler, as well as for writing the song 'Moonlight Kiss' which was on the soundtrack for the film Serendipity. Kennedy who was in the rock band Energy Orchard died on 1 November 2016 in Belfast in hospice care from pancreatic and bowel cancer.

1965 - Richard Hynd

Richard Hynd, drummer from Scottish pop rock band Texas who had the 1997 UK No.3 single 'Say What You Want', and the 1997 UK No.1 album White On Blonde which has been certified six-times platinum in the UK.

1969 - Kevin Thornton

Kevin Thornton, from American R&B group Color Me Badd who had the 1991 UK No.1 single 'I Wanna Sex You Up', and the 1991 US No.1 single 'I Adore Mi Amor'.

1972 - Ricardo Rikrot

Ricardo Rikrot, UK singer, who had the 2000 UK and US No.1 single with Shaggy ‘It Wasn't Me’.

1983 - Lee Ryan

Lee Ryan, singer with English boyband, Blue who had the 2002 UK No.1 single 'If You Come Back'. The group also worked alongside artists such as Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Lil' Kim.

1987 - Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar American hip hop artist. Lamar is also known as a member of the West Coast hip hop supergroup Black Hippy. At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (2015), Lamar won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for his single, "i".