What Happened Today In Music

April 27th

1957 - Elvis Presley

In a rare appearance outside the United States, Elvis Presleyperformed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada where he wore his full gold lame suit for the last time.

1963 - Little Peggy March

Little Peggy March started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Will Follow Him'. At 15 years, 1 month and 13 days old, Little Peggy March became the youngest female singer to have a US No.1 record.

1965 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan was interviewed by BBC journalist and radio presenter Jack DeManio in the Savoy Hotel, London, for the BBC’s Home Service, which was broadcast on the Today programme the following day. Later on the 27th, Dylan and Joan Baez were filmed singing the traditional song Wild Mountain Thyme in the Savoy. Parts of the interview and the song were used in the film Dont Look Back.

1966 - The Beatles

The Beatles started recording the new John Lennon song 'I'm Only Sleeping' at Abbey Road studios London, England. The song features the then-unique sound of a reversed guitar duet played by George Harrison. It was released two months earlier in the United States on the album Yesterday And Today and did not feature on the original US version of  Revolver .

1967 - Sandie Shaw

Sandie Shaw was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Puppet On A String', her third UK No.1 and the Eurovision Song Contest winner of 1967.

1969 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd appeared at Mothers Club in Erdington, Birmingham, England. Radio 1 DJ John Peel reviewed the gig as '...sounding like dying galaxies lost in sheer corridors of time and space'. Recordings from this show were included in the group’s 1969 album Ummagumma.

1971 - The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead appeared at the Fillmore East in New York City. The Beach Boys also appeared on stage with the Dead, who together performed a short set of Beach Boys songs.

1974 - Bruce Springsteen

A free afternoon event was held in the parking lot of the University of Connecticut, Ice Hockey Arena in Storrs. The four acts that appeared, Aerosmith Bruce Springsteen, Fairport Convention and Fat Back. Springsteen then went on to play another gig that evening at the University of Hartford in Connecticut.

1976 - David Bowie

Customs officers on a train at the Russian/Polish Border detained David Bowie, after Nazi books and mementoes were found in his luggage. Bowie claimed that the material was being used for research on a movie project about Nazi propaganda leader Joseph Paul Goebbels.

1981 - Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr married actress and one time 'Bond girl' Barbara Bach. The pair met while filming the movie, Caveman, with Dennis Quaid and Shelley Long. In attendance at the wedding were George Harrison and Paul McCartney.

1985 - USA For Africa

USA For Africa started a three-week run at No.1 on the US chart with 'We Are The World'. The US artists' answer to Band Aid had an all-star cast including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon plus the composer's of the track, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

1990 - Spandau Ballet

The British film drama The Krays opened. Based on the lives and crimes of the English gangster twins Ronald and Reginald Kray, the film starred Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp as Ronnie Kray Martin Kemp as Reggie Kray. 

1996 - Oasis

Oasis played the first of two nights at Manchester's Maine Road football ground as a 'thank you' to their fans, the 80,000 tickets sold out in hours.

1999 - Verve

UK band The Verve announced that they had split. They scored the 1997 UK No.1 single 'The Drugs Don't Work' and their 1997 UK No.1 album 'Urban Hymns' spent over 100 weeks on the UK chart. Leader of the group Richard Ashcroft went solo scoring the 2000 UK No.3 single 'A Song For The Lovers' and the 2000 UK No.1 album 'Alone With Everybody.'

2003 - Madonna

Madonna went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'American Life', the singers eighth No.1 album. Also a US No.1 album.

2008 - The Last Shadow Puppets

The Last Shadow Puppets went to No.1 on the UK album charts with 'The Age of the Understatement', a side project of Alex Turner of Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of Liverpool band The Rascals.

2009 - Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament was the victim of a robbery outside Southern Tracks Recording studios in Atlanta, where the band were recording. Ament and a band employee had arrived at the rear of the studio when three assailants brandishing knives emerged from the woods wearing black masks and smashed the windows of a rented Jeep. The robbers grabbed a BlackBerry and Ament's passport and stole $3,000 in cash and $4,320 worth of goods.

2009 - Aerosmith

Aerosmith were to hold a free concert in Hawaii to placate angry fans who brought a legal case against them. Fans filed a class action case, which claimed the band had cancelled a sold-out show in Maui two years ago, leaving hundreds of fans out of pocket in favour of a bigger gig in Chicago. Lawyers for the would-be concert-goers said Aerosmith had now agreed to put on a new show, and would pay all expenses. Everyone who bought a ticket to the original concert would receive a free ticket.

2010 - Music Sales

Music sales in the UK had grown for the first time in six years, according to music industry body the British Phonographic Institute (BPI). Revenue increased by 1.4%, bringing the total income for 2009 to £928.8m. Download sales provided the shot in the arm, rising by more than 50% to earn £154m, compared with £101.5m in 2008.

2013 - Peter Ham

A blue plaque was unveiled at Swansea railway station, Wales, honouring Peter Ham who co-wrote 'Without You', a hit for both Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey. Ham who was a member of Badfinger were signed to The Beatles Apple Records label, (and enjoyed their biggest hit in 1970 with a Paul McCartney penned, 'Come And Get It'. Ham took his own life in 1975 at the age of 27.

2020 - Scott Taylor

Guitarist Scott Taylor died at the age of 58 from a brain tumour. He was a member of the English rock band Then Jerico. 'Big Area' achieved their greatest chart success, peaking at number 13 in the UK Singles Chart in 1988.

2020 - Young Jessie

American R&B, rock and roll and jazz singer and songwriter Young Jessie died age 83. He recorded as Young Jessie in the 1950s and 1960s, and was known for his solo career, work with The Flairs and a brief stint in The Coasters. He later performed and recorded jazz as Obie Jessie.

2021 - Anita Lane

Australian singer-songwriter Anita Lane died age 61. She was briefly a member of the Bad Seeds with Nick Cave and Mick Harvey. Lane released two solo albums, Dirty Pearl (1993) and Sex O'Clock (2001).

Born Today In Music

April 27th

1944 - Cuba Gooding

Cuba Gooding, singer with American soul and R&B group Main Ingredient, best known for their 1972 hit song 'Everybody Plays the Fool'.

1947 - Ann Peebles

American singer and songwriter Ann Peebles, who had the 1973 hit single 'I Can't Stand The Rain'. She also recorded a version of 'I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down' which was later a hit for British singer Paul Young.

1947 - Gordon Haskell

English musician and songwriter Gordon Haskell who first gained recognition as bass player for the British band The Fleur de Lys, and subsequently spent a short period in King Crimson. As a solo artist he scored the 2001 UK No.2 single 'How Wonderful You Are', and the 2001 UK No.2 album, Harry's Bar. He died on 16 Oct 2020 from cancer age 74. 

1947 - Peter Ham

Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist, Peter Ham who was a member of The Iveys and then Badfinger, who had the 1970 UK No.4 single 'Come And Get It'. He also co-wrote the ballad 'Without You', a worldwide No.1 hit for Harry Nilsson that has become a standard song covered by hundreds of artists. Ham was granted two Ivor Novello Awards related to the song in 1973. Ham committed suicide on 24th April 1975.

1948 - Kate Pierson

Kate Pierson, vocals with the American new wave band The B-52's. Best known for their 1978 debut single 'Rock Lobster and the 1990 UK No.2 & US No.3 single 'Love Shack'.

1949 - Clive Taylor

Clive Taylor, from Welsh rock group Amen Corner who had the 1969 UK No.1 single 'If Paradise Is Half As Nice' plus five other UK Top 40 hits.

1949 - Herb Murrell

Herb Murrell, singer with the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics who had the 1974 US No.2 single 'You Make Me Feel Brand New', and the 1975 UK No.1 single 'Can't Give You Anything But My Love' and twelve consecutive US R&B top ten hits.

1951 - Paul Frehley

Paul 'Ace' Frehley, from American hard rock band Kiss. Their 1976 US No 11 album Rock and Roll Over spent 26 weeks on the chart and they had the 1987 UK No.4 single 'Crazy Crazy Nights'.

1959 - Marco Pirroni

Marco Pirroni, guitarist from English rock band Adam and the Ants who scored the 1981 UK No.1 single 'Stand And Deliver' and 15 other UK Top 40 singles.

1959 - Sheena Easton

Scottish singer, recording artist and actress Sheena Easton, who had the 1980 UK No.3 & 1981 US No.1 single 'Morning Train, Nine To Five'. Easton's other hits include the James Bond theme 'For Your Eyes Only', 'U Got the Look' with Prince and 'We've Got Tonight' with Kenny Rogers.

1962 - Brian MacLeod

American recording drummer and songwriter Brian MacLeod. He was part of the "Tuesday Music Club" collective along with Sheryl Crow and has performed with many artists, including Madonna, Leonard Cohen, Tears For Fears, Seal, Chris Isaak, Pink, Christina Aguilera, Jewel, Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner and Roger Waters. 

1972 - Bob Coombes

Bob Coombes, keyboards, from English rock band Supergrass who had the 1995 UK No.2 single 'Alright'. Their 1995 UK No.1 album I Should Coco spent 35 weeks on the UK chart.

1979 - Will Boyd

Will Boyd, bass, with American rock band Evanescence who had the 2003 UK No.1 & US No.5 single ‘Bring Me To Life’, and the 2003 UK No.1 & US No.3 album Fallen.

1984 - Patrick Stump

Patrick Stump, lead singer, rhythm guitarist, with American rock band Fall Out Boy, who had the 2007 US No.1 album Infinity on High. The group's sixth studio album, American Beauty/American Psycho (2015) peaked at No.1, making it the band's third No.1 album and the group's fifth consecutive top 10 album.

1984 - Yonah Higgins

Yonah Higgins, singer from R&B/pop girl group Cleopatra who had the 1998 UK No.3 single 'Cleopatra's Theme'.

1988 - Lizzo

American singer, rapper and songwriter Lizzo, (born Melissa Vivianne Jefferson). Her 2017 single 'Truth Hurts', became a viral sleeper hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2019 two years after its initial release.