What Happened Today In Music

October 16th

1951 - Little Richard

18 year old Richard Penniman, who was already using the stage name Little Richard made his first recordings for RCA Camden at the studios of Atlanta radio station WGST.

1956 - Frankie Laine

Frankie Laine was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'A Woman In Love', the singers fourth and final UK No.1. Laine had the nicknames Mr. Rhythm and Old Leather Lungs.

1961 - Patsy Cline

Decca records released 'Crazy' by Patsy Cline. The ballad, composed by Willie Nelson gave Cline a No.2 country hit in 1962. Nelson originally wrote the song for country singer Billy Walker, but Walker turned it down. The song's eventual success helped launch Nelson as a performer as well as a songwriter. It spent 21 weeks on the chart for Cline, and eventually became one of her signature tunes.

1962 - Marvin Gaye

The first night of a two month Motown Records package tour started in Washington DC, featuring Marvin Gaye The Supremes, Mary Wells, The Miracles and 12 year old Stevie Wonder.

1965 - The Beatles

The Beatles recorded 'Day Tripper' at Abbey Road studio's London in three takes, they then added vocals and other overdubs, completing the song before the end of the day.

1967 - Joan Baez

Folk singer Joan Baez was arrested, along with 123 others, for blocking the entrance to an Armed Forces Induction Center in Oakland, California.

1969 - Bobbie Gentry

Bobbie Gentry was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again,' the singers only UK No.1.

1969 - Leonard Chess

Record company executive and founder of the Chess record label Leonard Chess died of a heart attack aged 52. Home to John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley Little Walter, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, Jimmy Reed and Sonny Boy Williamson.

1972 - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater Revival split up following the failure of their most recent album, 'Mardi Gras'. After limited success as a solo act and some legal hassles with Fantasy Records, John Fogarty would have two big hits in 1985, 'Center Field' and 'Rock and Roll Girls'. John's brother Tom Fogarty died in September, 1990 and the surviving members have been touring as Creedence Clearwater Revisited.

1976 - Rick Dees

One Hit Wonders Rick Dees and his Cast Of Idiots went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Disco Duck, (part one)'. Dees was a US TV and radio presenter, the song became a No.6 hit in the UK.

1976 - Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder's 'Songs In The Key Of Life', went to No.1 on the US album chart, (the working title was Let's See Life the Way It Is). Featuring the tracks 'Sir Duke', 'I Wish', 'Pastime Paradise' and 'Isn't She Lovely', it was Wonder's third US No.1 and became the best-selling and most critically acclaimed album of Wonder's career.

1982 - Culture Club

Culture Club appeared on UK TV's Top Of The Pops performing 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me'. They were booked on the show thanks to Shakin' Stevens being ill and not able to appear. The song became a major hit after their memorable performance on the music TV show.

1986 - Chuck Berry

Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Robert Cray joined other artists on stage in St Louis, for Chuck Berry's 60th birthday concert, as featured in the film 'Hail Hail! Rock & Roll'.

1988 - Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston had her third UK No.1 single with 'One Moment In Time.' The song was recorded to celebrate the Seoul Olympic Games of 1988.

1992 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary (of his recording debut) tribute concert took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Guest performers include Neil Young, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Ronnie Wood and Dylan himself.

2001 - Bob Dylan

Two security guards were sacked after refusing to allow Bob Dylan into his own concert. Dylan who had demanded that security on his 'Love and Theft' tour should be tighter than ever didn't have a pass when he arrived backstage.

2006 - Patti Smith

CBGB, the legendary New York punk club credited with discovering Patti Smith and Ramones, closed after a final gig by Smith herself. Blondie and Talking Heads also found fame after performing at the club, which helped launch US punk music. The venue first opened in December 1973, its full name CBGB OMFUG standing for "country, bluegrass, blues and other music for uplifting gormandizers".

2007 - Bertrand Cantat

French rock star Bertrand Cantat was freed from jail after serving half of an eight-year sentence for killing his actress girlfriend. Cantat, singer with Noir Desir, was jailed for the manslaughter of Marie Trintignant after a violent row in a Lithuanian hotel in July 2003. She died after spending days in a coma.

2007 - Madonna

Madonna signed a ground-breaking recording and touring contract with concert promoter Live Nation becoming the first major star to choose an all-in-one agreement with a tour company over a traditional record contract. The deal reported to be worth $120m (£59m) over 10 years, would give Live Nation rights to all her music-related projects - including new albums, tours, merchandise, websites, DVDs, sponsorship, TV shows and films.

2010 - Led Zeppelin

Auburn University graduate student Justin Havird named a new species of fish, Lepidocephalichthys zeppelini, because the fish's pectoral fin reminded him of the double-neck guitar used by Jimmy Page. 'I'm a big Led Zeppelin fan, and I was listening to them while I was working on the fish,' Havird said. 'The structure that makes this species unique just reminded me of the guitar that Jimmy Page played'.

2015 - Patti Smith

Patti Smith was said to be moved to tears after a fan returned a bag of stolen goods to the singer, 36 years after they went missing. They included a shirt worn for a 1978 Rolling Stone cover shot and a bandana given to her by her late brother. The items went missing in June 1979 when a truck, which was carrying $40,000 in amplifiers, guitars and other musical equipment, was stolen from outside a hotel after Smith and her band played a show at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

2017 - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran broke his wrist and elbow in a biking accident, forcing him to cancel dates on his tour of Asia. He called his time off "the most depressing six weeks of my life."

Born Today In Music

October 16th

1923 - Bert Kaempfert

Bert Kaempfert, songwriter, producer, (1961 US No.1 single 'Wonderland By Night'), Presley and Sinatra covered his songs, produced the first recorded Beatles session. He died on 21st June 1980.

1937 - Emile Ford

Emile Ford, US singer, who had the 1959 UK No.1 single with The Checkmates, 'What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For?' He was also a pioneering sound engineer. Ford died age 78 on 11 April 2016. 

1938 - Nico

German singer, songwriter, musician, model, and actress Nico (Christa Paffgen), with The Velvet Underground, whose first album, the only one to feature her, was one of the most influential of all time on aspiring musicians. She had roles in several films, including Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1960) and Andy Warhol's Chelsea Girls (1966). Nico died on 18 July 1988 from a brain haemorrhage, while on holiday in Ibiza. She had hit her head after falling off her bicycle as a result of a minor heart attack.

1942 - Dave Loveday

Dave Loveday, from English Merseybeat band The Fourmost who had the 1964 UK No.6 single 'A Little Loving'.

1943 - Fred Turner

Fred Turner, bass, vocals, Bachman Turner Overdrive, (1974 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet').

1945 - Roger Hawkins

Roger Hawkins, American drummer best known as part of the studio backing band known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama. He played on many hits including, Percy Sledge (When a Man Loves a Woman), Aretha Franklin (Respect,, Wilson Pickett (Mustang Sally, The Staple Singers, Johnnie Taylor, Cat Stevens, Duane Allman, Joe Cocker, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, Bobby Bland, Traffic and Willie Nelson.

1947 - Bob Weir

American musician and songwriter Bob Weir, best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. The group released more than 140 albums during their career, the majority of them recorded live in concert.

1952 - Cordell Mosson

Cordell Mosson, American bassist who was a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. Mosson died of liver failure on April 18, 2013.

1953 - Tony Carey

Tony Carey, keyboardist with Rainbow. Carey recorded one studio album with Rainbow, 'Rising' (1976).

1959 - Gary Kemp

British musician, songwriter and actor Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet. They became one of the most successful groups to emerge during the New Romantic era and produced a number of international hits during the 80s including 'True', 'Gold' and 'Through the Barricades.' He starred with his brother Martin in the 1990 British drama film The Krays. Kemp also plays as part of Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, who perform a selection of early Pink Floyd material.

1960 - Bob Mould

American musician Bob Mould, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Husker Du in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.

1962 - Michael Balzary

Michael Balzary, (Flea), bass, vocals, Red Hot Chili Peppers (1994 UK No.9 single 'Give It Away' and 1992 UK No.26 single 'Under The Bridge', 2002 UK No.1 album By The Way).

1965 - Simon Bartholomew

Simon Bartholomew from English group The Brand New Heavies, who had the 1994 UK No.13 single with their version of 'Midnight At The Oasis'.

1969 - Wendy Wilson

Wendy Wilson, vocals, Wilson Phillips, daughter of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, (1990 US No.1 & UK No.6 single 'Hold On').

1977 - John Mayer

John Mayer, US singer, songwriter 2003 Grammy award winner for 'Our Body Is A Wonderland', and the 2004 US No.1 single 'Daughters'.