In 1937, NBC formed the first full-sized symphony orchestra exclusively for radio broadcasting. The conductor for its first 17 years was Arturo Toscanini.
In 1956, Bill Buchanan and Dickie Goodman appeared in a New York City court to begin dealing with the many lawsuits brought against them because of their "break-in" novelty hit "The Flying Saucer," which utilized snippets from other artists' hit records.
In 1957, in New York City, Lou Monte recorded "Lazy Mary (Luna Mezza Mare)." A hit single in the spring of 1958, it is routinely played immediately after "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch at New York Mets games.
On this day in 1958, "Tom Dooley" by the Kingston Trio was the #1 song.
In 1961, on CBS-TV's "To Tell The Truth," the panel tried to guess, given the choices of Hank Ballard and two impostors, which one of them was the inventor of "The Twist."
In 1962, Cliff Richard appeared on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1963, the Beatles recorded a television interview at Westward Television Studios in Plymouth, Devon, for a local teen program "Move Over, Dad." Due to a large crowd of excited fans outside, the Beatles had to be smuggled from their dressing-room at the ABC Cinema, where they were scheduled to appear that night, into an adjacent building, then through a tunnel, to get to Westward Studios for the interview taping.
In 1964, 'On Our Own,' the first biography of the Rolling Stones, was published.
In 1965, the Castiles, which featured a young singer called Bruce Springsteen appeared at the Fire House, Hazlet, New Jersey. The night was billed as a 'Teenage Go, Go Dance.'
In 1965 James Brown's "I Got You" enters both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts, where it will reach #3 and #1 respectively. The record will become one of the Godfather of Soul's most enduring and readily identifiable songs.
In 1965, ABC-TV's "Shindig!" featured Rick Nelson, the Righteous Brothers, Barbara Lewis, the Turtles, Roy Head, and the Gentrys.
In 1965, as a follow-up to their number one hit "Hang On Sloopy," the McCoys' released "Fever," which climbed to #7 on the US charts.
In 1966, the New Vaudeville Band and Noel Harrison appeared on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1966, it was reported that two of the Beatles have talked to Alan Klein about taking care of the group's affairs.
In 1968, the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones bought the former home of "Winnie the Pooh" author A.A. Milne, Cotchford Farm in Sussex, England, replete with statues of Pooh characters around the grounds. It was there in July 1969 that Jones was found drowned in the swimming pool.
In 1968, Hugo Montenegro was at #1 in the UK singles chart in with "The Good The Bad And The Ugly," the soundtrack from a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western film. The first instrumental #1 since 1963.
In 1969, Crosby Stills Nash & Young played the first of four nights at Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, California.
In 1970, Elvis Presley entertained at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.
In 1971, Santana scored their second US #1 album with 'Santana III' (recorded live at the Fillmore West).
In 1971, Three Dog Night's "Old Fashioned Love Song" was released in the US , where it will climb to #4 on the Billboard Pop chart. It was a tune that songwriter Paul Williams would later say that he wrote in 20 minutes.
In 1971, in Dallas, Elvis Presley performed afternoon and evening concerts at Memorial Auditorium.
In 1973, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jr. was killed in a highway accident near Hernando, Mississippi, just days after he had appeared on TV's "The Midnight Special" as a drummer in his father's band. The elder Lewis had already lost his only other son, Steven Allen Lewis, who drowned in the family swimming pool in 1962.
In 1974, an impostor posing as Deep Purple's guitarist Ritchie Blackmore borrowed a Porsche in Iowa City and wrecked it, having already conned food and shelter out of several Deep Purple fans. He was later arrested and charged. The real Ritchie Blackmore was playing a concert in San Francisco.
In 1976, having led the Billboard Pop chart for one week in October, Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" began a three-week stay at the top of the UK chart.
In 1976, Rod Stewart started an 8 week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Tonight's The Night." It was Rod's second US #1; it made #5 in the UK despite being banned from the play lists of many radio stations because of its sexually suggestive lyrics ("spread your wings and let me come inside") and about the seduction of a virgin.
In 1981, U2 kicked off a 23 date North American 'October' tour at JB Scott's in Albany, New York.
In 1982, Men At Work started a 15-week run at #1 on the US album chart with their debut album 'Business As Usual,' which went on to sell over five million copies in the US.
In 1982, after 42 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" finally fell off of the chart, passing the old longevity record held by Paul Davis'"I Go Crazy" by three weeks.
In 1985, an exhibition celebrating Bob Dylan's 25 years in the music industry opened at New York's Whitney Museum.
On November 13, 1987, in an initially awkward but eventually moving moment, David Letterman convinced his guest Cher to sing "I Got You Babe" one more time with her ex-husband Sonny Bono on Letterman's NBC-TV "Late Night" program. The two singers finished the song in tears, but no reunion was forthcoming.
In 1990, Patricia Boughton filed a lawsuit against Rod Stewart claiming that a football he kicked into the crowd during a concert at Pine Knob Music Theatre had ruptured a tendon in her middle finger. And as a result the injury had made sex between her and her husband difficult.
In 1992, Elton John performed in Mexico for the first time, for more than 90,000 people in Mexico City
In 1992, Ronnie Bond drummer with the Troggs died. Scored the 1966 US #1 & UK #2 single "Wild Thing" and 1966 UK #1 "With A Girl Like You."
In 1996, on the last leg of their Ballbreaker World Tour, AC/DC played the first of four sold out nights at Sydney Entertainment Center in Sydney, Australia.
In 1996, R&B keyboardist Bill Doggett, who played with Lionel Hampton, Louis Jordan, and the Ink Spots in the 1940s, died after a heart attack at age 80.
In 1997, Celine Dion released her first single in Japanese. The song, "Be The Man," was released in Japan only and is the theme to the Japanese TV drama "Eve."
In 1997, Ray Charles conducted his first-ever online chat at www.rhino.com.
In 1999, a report showed that the Spice Girls were the highest earners in pop during the 90's with their debut album 'Spice' selling over 20 million copies. Elton John was second with 14 million sales from 'The Lion King.'
In 1999, singer Donald Mills of the Mills Brothers died of pneumonia at the age of 84.
In 2000, Elton John released his live album 'One Night Only.' It was recorded at Madison Square Garden only 22 days before.
In 2001, Jewel released her third album, 'This Way.' The album debuted at #9 on Billboard 200 with first week sales of 140,000 units. As of 2007, the album has sold over 1.5 million copies in the US and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 2001, session drummer David "Panama" Francis, whose jazz career included stints with Cab Calloway, Sy Oliver, Tommy Dorsey, Ray Conniff, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington, died following a stroke at age 82.
In 2002, the three surviving member of Led Zeppelin announced they were re-forming after 22 years for a US stadium tour.
In 2002, singer/guitarist Michael Stewart - brother of the Kingston Trio's John Stewart, founder of the group We Five, and later a producer for Billy Joel, among others – died at age 57.
In 2004, the Federal Communications Commission in the US finished the first phase of an investigation into the current practice of record labels paying radio stations for airplay.
Also in 2004, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea speaks at the second annual We The Planet Festival of Music, Consciousness and Activism in Oakland, CA. The eco-friendly event has environmental workshops and performances and is powered by bio-diesel fuel generators and solar panels.
In 2004, Rap artist Ol' Dirty Bastard, (real name Russell Jones), collapsed and died at a Manhattan recording studio in New York aged 35. A spokesman for his record company, said the rapper, had complained of chest pains, was dead by the time paramedics reached him. ODB was a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1990s.
In 2005, Paul McCartney woke up the space shuttle astronauts by singing "Good Day Sunshine" to them from his concert in Anaheim, California.
In 2007, 47-year-old Boy George was charged by British Police with falsely imprisoning 28-year-old Auden Karlsen, who had gone to the musician's flat as a photo model. The former Culture Club lead singer, whose real name is George O'Dowd, was ordered to appear in court on November 22. Tie me up!
In 2007, 'The McCartney Years' was released. The DVD focuses on Paul’s post-Beatles career with videos, performances from a ’76 Wings concert, his ’91 MTV Unplugged effort and an ’04 concert appearance.
In 2008, 'Kaleidoscope Eyes: A Day in the Life of Sgt. Pepper,' with more than 200 candid never-before-seen photos of the Beatles working on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," was in bookstores. The photos were taken by Henry Grossman at Abbey Road studios in London while the Beatles recorded "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." There are only 1,967 copies (the album was recorded in 1967) of the $495 book.
In 2008, Michigan was the new Ohio. At a concert at Michigan's Auburn Hills Palace, Bruce Springsteen yells out "Hello, Ohio!" He continued to refer to the wrong state several times until E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt finally corrected him. "That's every frontman's nightmare," says Springsteen. Not to worry, the Ohio fans in the audience loved it.
birthdays today include (among others): Nathan Dove (Robert Cray Band) (74), Justine “Baby” Washington (73), Roger Steen (Tubes) (64), Bill Gibson (Huey Lewis & the News) (62), Andrew Ranken (Pogues) (60), Aldo Nova (57), Walter A. Kibby II (Fishbone) (49) and Nikolai Fraiture (Strokes) (35)
