What Happened Today In Music

June 8th

1963 - Phil Spector

The Crystals' 'Da Doo Ron Ron' peaked at No.3 on the US singles chart. Produced by Phil Spector, who used a multi-track recording system to build the song layer upon layer to achieve a result that become known as a "wall of sound". Backing musicians include Glen Campbell on guitar, Leon Russell on piano, Hal Blain on drums and Nino Tempo on sax.

1967 - Procol Harum

Procol Harum were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' the group's only UK No.1. In 2004 the song was named the most played record of the past 70 years. More than 900 recorded versions by other artists are known.

1967 - The Beatles

The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band went to No.1 in the UK. Costing £25,000 ($42,500) to produce the album was recorded over 700 hours of studio time. It was also the first album to print the lyrics on the sleeve. The album spent 27 weeks at No.1 on the UK chart.

1969 - Brian Jones

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts visited Brian Jones at his home in Cotchford Farm to discuss his future in the group. The Stones later issued a press statement saying that Brian was leaving The Rolling Stones.

1970 - Deep Purple

Deep Purple had their van and equipment impounded by East German police while on an European tour, after mistakenly driving too close to the border.

1974 - Bill Wyman

Bill Wyman became the first Rolling Stone to release a solo album with Monkey Grip, (it peaked at No.39 in the UK and No.99 in the US). The album featured guest appearances by, Dr John, Leon Russell and Lowell George.

1974 - David Bowie

David Bowie started a four-week run at the top of the UK charts with his third No.1 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. Very few copies of this original cover made their way into circulation at the time of the album's release.

1974 - Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton was at No.1 on the US country chart with 'I Will Always Love You'. Elvis Presley indicated that he wanted to cover the song. Parton was interested until Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song Elvis recorded. Parton refused. 'I Will Always Love You' later became a worldwide No.1 hit for Whitney Houston in 1992 when featured in The Bodyguard.

1974 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney and Wings went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Band On The Run'. 'George Harrison unwittingly contributed the first line of one part of the song: "If we ever get out of here" when he said it during one of the many Beatles' business meetings.

1985 - Tears For Fears

Tears For Fears started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World', the group's first US No.1. In 1986, the song won Best Single at the Brit Awards. Band member and co-writer Roland Orzabal argued that the song deserved to win the Ivor Novello International Hit of the Year award, claiming that the winner, '19' by Paul Hardcastle - was not an actual song, but only a "dialogue collage."

1987 - Luther Vandross

Yogi Horton a session drummer with Luther Vandross, jumped to his death from a 17th floor hotel window, having told his wife he was tired of Living in the shadow of Vandross Also worked with The B-52's, Diana Ross and Debbie Harry.

1989 - Chrissie Hynde

At a Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior's press conference, vegetarian Chrissie Hynde claimed that she once firebombed a McDonalds restaurant. The following day a McDonalds in Milton Keynes, England was firebombed and Hynde was threatened with legal action.

1991 - Color Me Bad

Color Me Bad had their only UK No.1 single with 'I Wanna Sex You Up'. The song was a No.2 hit in the US where some radio stations edited out the word "sex" with disc jockeys announcing the song 'I Wanna Love You Up'.

1996 - Fugees

The Fugees scored their first UK No.1 single with their version of the Roberta Flack 1973 hit 'Killing Me Softly'. The song composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel in 1971 was inspired by Lori Lieberman's poem 'Killing Me Softly with His Blues', written having seen a performance by US singer, songwriter Don McLean.

1998 - Paul Weller

Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller and Martin Carr from The Boo Radleys were all involved in a fight at Dingwalls, Camden in London.

2002 - Paul McCartney

Months of secrecy surrounding Paul McCartney's wedding plans were blown when John Leslie the owner of the 17th century Castle Leslie in Co Monaghan, let slip to reporters that Sir Paul had booked the Castle for the wedding.

2003 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were at No.1 on the US album chart with their triple live album How The West Was Won, the band's seventh US No.1 album. The performances were from the band's 1972 tour of the United States, recorded at the LA Forum on 25 June 1972 and Long Beach Arena on 27 June 1972.

2007 - George Michael

George Michael was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and banned from driving for two years at Brent Magistrates court, north London. The 43-year-old who was arrested last October after being found slumped at the steering wheel of his car pleaded guilty to driving while unfit, blaming "tiredness and prescribed drugs" for the offence.

2008 - Chuck Berry

Rolling Stone magazine published a list of the Top 50 guitar songs of all time. No.5 was 'Brown Sugar' by The Rolling Stones, No.4 , ‘You Really Got Me’ by The Kinks, No.3, ‘Crossroads’, by Cream, No.2 ‘Purple Haze’, by Jimi Hendrix and No.1 ‘Johnny B Goode’, Chuck Berry.

2012 - Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill was charged with willfully failing to file income tax returns in the US. Authorities said the singer earned more than $1.6m (£1.03m) during the three years that she failed to file returns. US prosecutors said her main source of income during the period 2005 - 2007 was royalties from her music and films. According to court papers, the 37-year-old owned four corporations - Creations Music, Boogie Tours, LH Productions 2001 and Studio 22.

2016 - Ed Sheeran

Two US musicians were suing Ed Sheeran for $20m (£13.8m) over his single 'Photograph'. Martin Harrington and American Thomas Leonard claimed it had a similar structure to their song, 'Amazing'. Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard said they penned Amazing in 2009 and in documents, that include musical note comparison and chord breakdowns of the two songs, the pair claimed the chorus of 'Photograph' shares 39 identical notes with their track.

2020 - Bonnie Pointer

Former Pointer Sisters singer Bonnie Pointer died from a cardiac arrest aged 69. She and her sisters rose to fame as the Grammy award-winning Pointer Sisters, who were best known for the 1984 hits 'Jump (For My Love)' and 'I’m So Excited'.

2021 - Dean Parrish 

American singer Dean Parrish died at the age of 78. Best known for the song, ‘I'm on My Way’, which became noted for being the penultimate record that was played at the last Northern soul all-nighter at the Wigan Casino, he also worked as a session musician with Jimi Hendrix and Santana in 1970, and played guitar with Bob Marley in 1972. 

Born Today In Music

June 8th

1940 - Nancy Sinatra

American singer and actress Nancy Sinatra who scored the 1966 UK & US No.1 single 'These Boots Are Made For Walking'. With her father Frank she became the first father and daughter team ever to score a UK No.1 single with the 1967 hit 'Somethin' Stupid'. She also had several collaborations with Lee Hazlewood such as 'Jackson', and her cover of Cher's 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)'.

1940 - Sherman Garnes

Sherman Garnes, singer with American-Puerto Rican doo wop group Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers, who had the 1956 UK No.1 & US No.6 single 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love'. They are also noted for being rock's first all-teenaged act. Garnes died on February 26th 1977.

1941 - Clarence Haskins

American musician Fuzzy Haskins, former singer with 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, The Parliaments. He is a founding member of the groundbreaking and influential 1970s funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic.

1942 - Chuck Negron

Chuck Negron, American singer-songwriter with Three Dog Night, who had the 1970 UK No.3 & US No.1 single with a cover of the Randy Newman song 'Mama Told Me Not To Come'. The band scored 21 Billboard Top 40 hits (with three hitting No.1) between 1969 and 1975.

1944 - Boz Scaggs

American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Boz Scaggs, who was a member of The Marksmen with Steve Miller, The Wigs, and as a solo artist had the 1976 US No.3 single 'Lowdown', and the 1977 US No.11 and UK No.13 single 'Lido Shuffle'.

1953 - Bonnie Tyler

Bonnie Tyler, Welsh singer, who scored the 1983 UK & US No.1 single 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart', as well as hits with 'Lost in France' and 'It's a Heartache'.

1960 - Mick Hucknall

Mick Hucknall, English singer, songwriter with punk rock band the Frantic Elevators and then with Simply Red, who had the 1986 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Holding Back The Years'. They have had five No.1 albums in the UK, with their 1991 album, Stars, one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history.

1962 - Nick Rhodes

Nick Rhodes, keyboards, Duran Duran who had the 1983 UK No.1 single 'Is There Something I Should Know', plus 25 other UK Top 40 singles, and the 1984 US No.1 single 'The Reflex'. Also a member of Arcadia who had the 1985 UK No.7 single 'Election Day'. In March 2013, he released the TV Mania side project with ex-Duran Duran guitarist Warren Cuccurullo.

1965 - Rob Pilatus

Rob Pilatus, singer from German R&B duo Milli Vanilli, who had the 1989 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Girl I'm Gonna Miss You'. Their success quickly turned to infamy when they confessed that they did not sing any of the vocals heard on their hits. Consequently, the duo was stripped of their Grammy Award for Best New Artist. He died of a drug and alcohol overdose on April 2nd 1998.

1966 - Doris Pearson

Doris Pearson, English singer and ex member of the pop group, Five Star who had the 1986 UK No.3 single 'System Addict' plus 15 other UK Top 40 singles.

1967 - Neil Mitchell

Neil Mitchell, keyboards, with Scottish band Wet Wet Wet who formed in 1982. They are best known for their 1994 cover of The Troggs' 1960s hit 'Love Is All Around', which spent 15 weeks at No.1 on the UK charts.

1977 - Kanye West

American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur Kayne West. He worked with Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, and Ludacris. Solo hits include the 2005 US No.1 single 'Gold Digger', the 2005 US No.1 album Late Registration, and the 2007 World-wide No.1 album Graduation. West is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide and has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards.

1979 - Rob Holliday

English guitarist Rob Holliday who has worked with Marilyn Manson, Gary Numan, The Prodigy, The Mission and Curve.

1981 - Alex Band

Alex Band, American musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his hit with The Calling 'Wherever You Will Go'.

1985 - Jamie Shaw

Jamie Shaw, from British boy band One True Voice, created on the ITV television series Popstars: The Rivals who had the 2002 UK No.2 single 'Sacred Trust / After You're Gone'.

1989 - Richard Fleeshman

Richard Fleeshman, English actor and singer-songwriter. His television appearances have included a role in Coronation Street.