What Happened Today In Music

June 23rd

1957 - Lonnie Donegan

Lonnie Donegan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Gamblin' Man / Putting On The Style', the singers second UK No.1. It was the last UK No.1 to be released as a 78rpm as well as a 7' vinyl record.

1960 - Eddie Cochran

Eddie Cochran was at No.1 in the UK with the single 'Three Steps To Heaven'. The American singer had been killed three months earlier in a car crash while touring the UK.

1962 - West Side Story

The film soundtrack to 'West Side Story' went to No.1 on the UK charts for the first time. It spent a total of 13 weeks at No.1 on seven different occasions.

1965 - The Miracles

The Miracles released 'The Tracks of My Tears' on Motown's Tamla label. Written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin, on initial release in the UK in 1965 it did not chart, but like several other Motown singles reissued there in 1969, it became a Top Ten hit in the summer, reaching No. 9, credited to "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles". 

1966 - The Beatles

The Beatles had their tenth consecutive UK No.1 single with 'Paperback Writer' / 'Rain.' The track is marked by the boosted bass guitar sound throughout, partly in response to John Lennondemanding to know why the bass on a certain Wilson Pickett record far exceeded the bass on any Beatles records. It was also cut louder than any other Beatles record, due to a new piece of equipment used in the mastering process.

1973 - 10CC

10cc were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Rubber Bullets', the first of three UK No.1's for the band, (who also had a No.1 as Hotlegs). 

1973 - George Harrison

George Harrison started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Living In The Material World', his second US No.1. His third studio solo album was the follow-up to 1970s acclaimed All Things Must Pass and his massive charity project, The Concert For Bangladesh

1975 - Alice Cooper

During his 'Welcome To My Nightmare' tour in Vancouver, Canada, Alice Cooper fell from the stage and broke six ribs.

1976 - Paul McCartney and Wings

Paul McCartney and Wings played the last date on their Wings Over America tour at the Forum in Los Angeles.

1984 - Duran Duran

Duran Duran started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Reflex', the group's first US No.1, was taken from their third album, Seven and the Ragged Tiger.

1989 - George Michael

George Michael received the Silver Clef Award for outstanding achievements to British Music.

1990 - Madonna

13-year-old Keith Sorrentino filed a $500,000 (£294,118) lawsuit against Madonna, claiming he suffered nightmares and bed-wetting problems after an incident outside Madonna's home when she allegedly flung him to the ground.

1990 - Elton John

Elton John had his first UK solo No.1 single with 'Sacrifice / Healing Hands' after achieving over 50 previous UK hits and 6 chart toppers in the US.

1990 - Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly's Gibson acoustic guitar sold for £139,658 ($237,419) in a Sotheby's auction. The guitar was in a tooled leather case made by Holly himself.

1995 - Alan White

Drummer Alan White made his live debut with Oasis at Glastonbury Festival. Also former Take That member Robbie Williams appeared on stage with the band during the show.

1996 - Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams went to No.1 on the UK album chart with '18-Till I Die'. Metallica went to No.1 on the US album chart with their sixth studio album 'Load'. The album has now sold over five million copies in America alone.

2003 - Diana Ross

Diana Ross appeared in court and testified that she was coerced and felt intimidated into taking a breath test that showed her blood alcohol level was 0.2 (well over the 0.08 limit). The singer said, "If I didn’t take the breath tests, I was either going to go to the hospital or to jail". After the hearing, Ross asked the judge if it would be possible to have court paperwork processed using her married name of Diana Naess. The City Magistrate said he thought it was "a little late" for that now.

2004 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan was awarded an honorary degree by the University of St. Andrews Scotland's oldest University and made a "Doctor of Music."

2009 - Chris Brown

Chris Brown pleaded guilty to one count of assault on his former girlfriend, Rihanna. The 19 year-old R&B singer was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to do six months community service. Brown had faced charges of assaulting Rihanna, 21, during a row in February. The last-minute plea deal came before a hearing at a Los Angeles court at which Rihanna was due to give evidence. The Los Angeles County Superior Court judge also ordered Brown and Rihanna to stay at least 50 yards from each other, except at entertainment industry events when the distance is reduced to 10 yards.

2010 - Gregg Allman

62-year-old Gregg Allman underwent a successful liver transplant operation at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Allman had begun a series of treatments for Hepatitis C, but chronic damage of his liver led doctors to recommend a transplant. In a statement to the press, Allman said "I changed my ways years ago, but we can't turn back time. Every day is a gift."

2016 - Ralph Stanley

American bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley who was known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing, died aged 89. With his brother Carter, he helped popularise the bluegrass genre. Stanley won new fans when his work featured in the Coen brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

2019 - Dave Bartholomew

American musician Dave Bartholomew died of heart failure age 100. Many musicians recorded Bartholomew's songs, but his partnership with Fats Domino produced some of his greatest successes. In the mid-1950s they wrote more than forty hits for Imperial Records, including the Billboard No.1 pop chart hit "Ain't That a Shame". Bartholomew's other hit songs as a composer include 'I Hear You Knocking', 'Blue Monday', 'I'm Walkin'', 'My Ding-A-Ling', and 'One Night.'

2021 - Peter Zinovieff 

British engineer and composer Peter Zinovieff died age 88. In the late 1960s, his company, Electronic Music Studios (EMS), made the VCS3, a synthesizer used by many early progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd and Krautrock groups as well as more pop-orientated artists, including Todd Rundgren and David Bowie.

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Born Today In Music

June 23rd

1929 - June Carter

American singer, songwriter, actress June Carter Cash, wife of Johnny Cash. Had hits with Johnny Cash, 'Ring Of Fire', 'Jackson', 'If I Were A Carpenter' and won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2009. She died 15th May 2003 aged 73.

1937 - Niki Sullivan

Niki Sullivan, guitarist, singer, one of the three original members of Buddy Holly's backing group, The Crickets. He co-wrote a number of his hit songs and sang back-up vocals on 27 of the 32 songs Buddy recorded over his brief career. Sullivan died suddenly of a heart attack on April 6th 2004, at his home in Independence, Missouri aged 66.

1938 - Alan Vega

Alan Vega, American vocalist and visual artist, primarily known for his work with the electronic protopunk duo Suicide. Vega died on 16th July 2016.

1940 - Adam Faith

British teen idol, singer, actor and financial journalist Adam Faith, who had the 1959 UK No.1 single 'What Do You Want', plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles. Acting roles include the TV series Love Hurts. Faith died of a heart attack on March 8th 2003.

1940 - Stuart Sutcliffe

Stuart Sutcliffe, original bassist of The Beatles for eighteen months (January 1960 - June 1961). Sutcliffe was living in Hamburg, Germany at the time of his death, he died of a brain haemorrhage in an ambulance on the way to hospital on April 10th 1962, aged 22.

1941 - Robert Hunter

Robert Hunter, American lyricist, singer-songwriter and poet, best known for his work with the Grateful Dead and for collaborating with singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. An early friend of Jerry Garcia, they played together in bluegrass bands (such as the Tub Thumpers). He died on 23 September 2019 age 78. 

1951 - Larry Cunningham

American singer Larry Cunningham best known as a member of the R&B/soul group The Floaters who scored the 1977 US No.2 and UK No.1 hit ‘Float On.’ The song was adapted in the early 1990s to advertise Cadbury's Crème Eggs. Cunningham died of a heart attack on 10 January 2019 age 67. 

1952 - Anthony Jackson

American bassist Anthony Jackson, who has performed as a session musician and live artist. He is also credited with the development of the modern six-string bass. As a member of the Billy Paul band, Jackson played on the 1972 hit 'Me and Mrs. Jones'. He has worked with many artists includung Madonna, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Donald Fagen and Simon & Garfunkel. 

1956 - Randall Jackson

Randall Darius Jackson, American musician and record producer, now best known for being a judge on the US television show American Idol.

1957 - Lee John

Lee John, from English three piece band Imagination, who had the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Just An Illusion'.

1960 - Brendan O'Brien

American record producer, mixer, engineer, and musician Brendan O'Brien, who has produced, to date, 14 US No.1 albums for acts such as Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, The Black Crowes, Red Hot Chili Peppers and  Aerosmith.

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1962 - Richard Coles

Richard Coles from British pop duo The Communards who had the 1986 UK No.1 single with a cover version of the Thelma Houston hit 'Don't Leave Me This Way'. Coles is now a Church of England priest.

1962 - Steve Shelley

Steve Shelley, drummer with American alternative rock band Sonic Youth, who had the 1993 UK hit single 'Sugar Kane'. The band is considered to be a pivotal influence on the alternative and indie rock movements.

1965 - Paul Arthurs

English musician Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, one of the founder members of Oasis. Thier first single 'Supersonic' was released in 1994 and their 1994 UK No.1 album Definitely Maybe became the fastest selling UK debut album ever'. Arthurs, quit the band in Aug 1999.

1966 - Mark Chadwick

Mark Chadwick, guitarist, singer with English folk rock band The Levellers who had the 1995 UK No.12 single 'Just The One'.

1973 - Carter Albrecht

Carter Albrecht, American musician best known for his keyboard and guitar work in Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. He was shot and killed by his girlfriend's neighbour early in the morning on 3 September 2007. 

1975 - KT Tunstall

Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, who had the 2005, UK No.3 album, Eye To The Telescope. Her hit 'Suddenly I See' won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song in 2006 and was used as a campaign song of the US presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton in 2008.

1980 - Jessica Simm

Jessica Taylor, singer, from British-Irish group Liberty X, who had the 2002 UK No.1 single 'Just A Little'. The group was formed by the five finalists of the British talent show Popstars who failed to make it into the group Hear'Say. Liberty X went on to achieve ten consecutive UK Top 20 singles.

1981 - Anthony Costa

Anthony Costa, 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.

1984 - Duffy

Aimee Anne Duffy, (Duffy) Welsh singer-songwriter who had the 2008 UK No.1 single ‘Mercy’. Her debut studio album Rockferry released in 2008 won a number of awards including the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album.

1989 - Lauren Bennett

Lauren Bennett, English singer, best known as a member of the girl group G.R.L.. She is also known for her work with the Paradiso Girls, CeeLo Green, Robin Antin of the Pussycat Dolls, and most notably with LMFAO, where she was featured on the 2011 summer hit 'Party Rock Anthem'.