What Happened Today In Music

July 31st

2021 - Paul Cotton

American guitarist and singer-songwriter Paul Cotton died at the age of 78. He was a member of the band Poco and the writer of their international hit song ‘Heart of the Night’. Cotton left Poco in early 2010 and went on to release several solo albums.

2015 - Morrissey

Morrissey claimed he was sexually assaulted by a security officer at San Francisco International Airport, who he said "groped" him. An official spokesman for the Transport Security Administration (TSA) said security camera footage confirmed that nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

2014 - Meceo McEaddy

Meceo McEaddy was sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison for stealing millions of dollars from concert promoters by posing as a booking agent. McEaddy who pretended to be in charge of Lady Gaga, Rihanna and several other celebrities, pleaded guilty to 21 counts of grand larceny and fraud, according to Manhattan district attorney's office.

2012 - Sheryl Crow

Sheryl Crow was granted a temporary restraining order against a man accused of threatening to shoot her. The order stated that Phillip Gordon Sparks had to stay 90 metres away from Crow and must not contact her, her family or anyone who works with her.

2012 - Bruce Springsteen

Appearing at the Helsinki Olympiastadionin Finland, at the end of a European tour, Bruce Springsteen played his longest show ever - 4 hours and 6 minutes.

2006 - Boy George

Former Culture Club singer Boy George (O'Dowd) was ordered to do community service by picking up trash on New York City streets after pleading guilty last March to false reporting of an incident. He called police with a bogus report of a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment in October and the responding officers found cocaine inside.

2001 - John Walters

BBC producer John Walters died aged 63. Walters produced and worked with Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who teamed up with Walters to broadcast some of the most groundbreaking music of an era. He joined the BBC in 1967, and became producer on John Peel's Top Gear show two years later. Walters played the trumpet with the Alan Price Set in the 1960s.

1999 - Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera scored her first US No.1 single with 'Genie In A Bottle', also No.1 in the UK. The song spent 5 weeks at No.1 on the US chart and won Aguilera the Best New Artist Grammy for the year.

1999 - Ol Dirty Bastard

Wu-Tang Clan member Ol Dirty Bastard, (real name Russell Jones) was arrested for crack and marijuana possession in New York after being stopped by police during a routine traffic offence.

1994 - R Kelly

Aaliyah and R. Kelly secretly married at the Sheraton Gateway Suites, Rosemont, IL. Aaliyah never admitted being married, though Vibe published a copy of the marriage certificate. Unfortunately, she was only 15 at the time, so thus the marriage was later annulled.

1992 - Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson made an unscheduled appearance on his hotel balcony in London after a man had threatened to jump from an apartment building across the street. 28 year-old Eric Herminie told police he would leap to his death if he didn't see Jackson, who was in Britain for a series of concerts. Jackson spent a couple of minutes waving to Herminie, who then climbed back into the building.

1985 - Eurythmics

The Eurythmics had the No.1 position on the UK singles chart with 'There Must Be An Angel, (Playing With My Heart). The song which was the Eurythmics' first (and to date only) No.1 single features a harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder.

1982 - Survivor

Survivor's 'Eye Of The Tiger' was at No.1 on the US chart. The song, which was commissioned by actor Sylvester Stallone for the theme for the movie Rocky III, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and go on to sell over five million copies.

1980 - Eagles

During an Eagles concert at Long Beach, California, tempers boiled over between Glen Frey and Don Felder, who spent the entire show describing to each other the beating each planned to administer backstage. "Only three more songs until I kick your ass, pal," Frey told Felder. The group’s next album was mixed by Frey and Felder on opposite coasts after the two decided they couldn't bear to be in the same state, let alone the same studio.

1980 - Jon Phillips

Jon Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas was apprehended by FBI narcotics agents for possession of cocaine, he was later sentenced to 250 hours Community service giving anti-drug lectures.

1971 - James Taylor

James Taylor went to No.1 on the US singles chart with the Carole King song 'You've Got A Friend', (included in her album Tapestry and James Taylor's album Mud Slide Slim). The song would go on to win the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal male Performance and Song Of The Year.

1971 - The Who

A security guard was stabbed to death during a concert by The Who at New York's Forest Hill Stadium.

1969 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley kicked off a four week run at the Las Vegas International Hotel, (his first live show since 1961). He reportedly netted $1.5m for the shows. On the menu an Elvis special, polk salad with corn muffins & honey.

1968 - Tommy James

Tommy James and The Shondells were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Mony Mony'. Also a hit for Billy Idol in 1987.

1968 - The Beatles

Working at Trident studios in London, England, (with its 8-track equipment, EMI was still using 4-track recorders), The Beatlesrecorded four takes of a new Paul McCartney song '‘Hey Jude’.

1967 - The Rolling Stones

An appeal court in London, England, gave Mick Jagger a conditional discharge and quashed Keith Richard’s conviction for permitting his house to be used for the purpose of smoking cannabis resin.

1964 - Jim Reeves

Country singer Jim Reeves was killed in a plane crash when the single engine aircraft flying from Arkansas to Nashville crashed in thick fog. 40 year- old Reeves was one of the first country singers to cross-over into the pop market. with his 1960 US No.2 single 'He'll Have To Go', and 1966 UK No.1 single 'Distant Drums'.

1963 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones performed at Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, Middlesex. The island was the site of the Eel Pie Hotel on the River Thames, where many up and coming acts appeared including: The Who, The Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and David Bowie .

1959 - Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Living Doll.' The singers first of 14 UK No.1's. The song was one of three from the film, Serious Charge.

1957 - Ringo Starr

Richard Starkey (later known as Ringo Starr) is thought to have made his debut at the The Cavern playing drums with the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group. John Lennon made his first appearance at the club a week later with The Quarry Men Skiffle Group. Paul McCartney made his first appearance in January 1958 with The Quarry Men.

1955 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley performed 3 shows at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida, (2 matinee and 1 evening). A full scale riot broke out after the show when Elvis announced to the 14,000 strong crowd, "Girls, I'll see you backstage." Fans chased Elvis into the dressing room, tearing off his clothes and shoes.

Born Today In Music

July 31st

1994 - Lil Uzi Vert

American hip hop recording artist Lil Uzi Vert who had the 2017 US No.1 album Luv Is Rage 2 which includes guest appearances from The Weeknd and Pharrell Williams.

1981 - Avenged Sevenfold

M. Shadows American vocalist, songwriter and founding member of Avenged Sevenfold who had the 2010 US No.1 album Nightmare and the 2013 US No.1 album Hail to the King.

1978 - Will Champion

English musician, Will Champion, drummer with Coldplay who had the 2000 UK No.4 single 'Yellow', the 2000 UK No.1 album Parachutes and the 2005 worldwide No.1 album X&Y. In December 2009, Rolling Stone readers voted the group the fourth-best artist of the 2000s.

1978 - Zac Brown

Zac Brown American singer and guitarist with the Grammy Award winning country music group, Zac Brown Band. Their 2015 album Jekyll + Hyde which debuted at No.1 on the US chart featured the single 'Heavy Is the Head' with vocals from Chris Cornell.

1971 - John Lowery

John Lowery, guitarist with American rock band Marilyn Manson who had the 1998 US No.1 album, Mechanical Animals.

1964 - Jim Corr

Jim Corr, guitar, keyboards, vocals, with Irish band The Corrs, who had the 1998 UK No.3 single 'What Can I Do'. Talk On Corners was the best selling UK album of 1998 spending 142 weeks on the UK chart. The Corrs have sold 40 million albums worldwide.

1964 - Robert Townsend

Robert Townsend, from English alternative rock band, Pop Will Eat Itself who scored the 1991 UK No.15 single 'X Y & Zee' and the 1993 top ten hit, 'Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!'

1963 - Norman Cook

Norman Cook also known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, English DJ, musician, multi-instrumentalist and record producer/mixer who with The Housemartins had the a cappella cover version of 'Caravan of Love' (originally by Isley-Jasper-Isley) which was a UK No.1 single. He was a member of Beats International who had the 1990 UK No.1 'Dub Be Good To Me'). Freak Power, who scored the hit 'Turn On Tune In Cop Out' and as as Fatboy Slim, had the 1999 UK No.1 single 'Praise You'.

1960 - Malcolm Ross

Malcolm Ross, Aztec Camera, (1988 UK No.3 single 'Somewhere In My Heart').

1958 - Bill Berry

Bill Berry, drums, R.E.M. (1991 UK No.6 & US No.10 single 'Shiny Happy People', plus over 20 Top 40 UK singles, 1992 UK No.1 & US No.2 album 'Automatic For The People'). Berry quit the band in 1997.

1957 - Daniel Ash

Daniel Ash, singer songwriter from English post-punk band Bauhaus, who had the 1982 UK No.15 single with their version of the David Bowie song 'Ziggy Stardust'.

1953 - Hugh McDowell

Hugh McDowell, English cellist with Wizzard and Electric Light Orchestra who had the 1979 UK No.3 & US No.4 single 'Don't Bring Me Down' plus 26 other Top 40 hits. ELO have sold over 50 million records worldwide. McDowell died of cancer on 6 November 2018 aged 65. 

1951 - Carlo Karges

Carlo Karges, from German group Nena who had the 1984 UK No.1 & US No.2 single '99 Red Balloons'. The track made them UK One Hit Wonder. 

1947 - Karl Green

Karl Green, guitarist with English beat rock band, Herman's Hermits who scored the 1964 UK No.1 single 'I'm Into Something Good' (cover of Earl-Jean's) and the 1965 US No.1 single 'Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter'.

1946 - Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis singer, (1965 US No.1 single with The Playboys, 'This Diamond Ring' plus 11 other US Top 40 hits).

1939 - John West

John West, organ and accordion from The Playboys that had the 1965 US No.1 single 'This Diamond Ring' plus 11 other US Top 40 hits.