Music History - December 6

On December 6, 1877, Thomas A. Edison finished his first phonograph design and gave a sketch of the machine to his mechanic, former Swiss clock maker John Kruesi, to build. Thirty hours later the machine was finished, but Kruesi bet the inventor $2 that it would not work. Edison immediately tested the machine by speaking a nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, "Mary had a little lamb." To his amazement, the machine played his words back to him. Kruesi would go on be involved in many of Edison's key inventions, including the quadruplex telegraph, the carbon microphone, the phonograph, and the incandescent light bulb and system of electric lighting. 

In 1948, "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" made its TV debut on CBS.  During its 10-year run, the program introduced Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Connie Francis, Steve Lawrence, Pat Boone, the Chordettes, the McGuire Sisters and Al Martino, among others.

In 1949, blues artist Leadbelly died. Huddie William Ledbetter wrote many songs including "Goodnight Irene,""Cotton Fields,""The Rock Island Line" and "The Midnight Special." Leadbelly was jailed several times for fights and knife related incidents, he was once jailed for shooting a man dead during an argument over a woman. 

In 1957, Mercury Records released the Diamonds' version of "The Stroll." The song will peak at #4 on the Billboard Pop chart and help spark a dance craze where two lines of dancers, men on one side and women on the other, face each other, moving in place to the music.

In 1957, Elvis Presley met two of his music idols, R&B singers Little Junior Parker and Bobby "Blue" Bland, while visiting Memphis radio station WDIA.

In 1957, at the Mercury Sound Studio in New York City, the Platters recorded "Twilight Time."

In 1961, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best met with Brian Epstein for further discussions about his proposal to manage them. Epstein wanted 25% of their gross fees each week. He promised that their bookings will be better organized, more prestigious, and will expand beyond the Liverpool area. He also promised that they will never again play for less than £15, except for Cavern lunchtime sessions, for which he will get their fee doubled to ten pounds. Lennon, as leader of The Beatles, accepts on their behalf.

In 1962, in New York City, Bob Dylan recorded "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" for his second album 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.'

In 1963, the Beatles began a tradition of releasing a spoken-word Christmas recording for fans.One such record was issued each year from 1963–1969 and a compilation of all seven in 1970.

In 1964, the film Ferry Cross the Mercy premiered in London with Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black.

In 1965, the Rolling Stones recorded "19th Nervous Breakdown" and "Mother's Little Helper" at RCA's Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles.

In 1965, the Miracles released the single "Going To A Go-Go."

In 1966, the Beatles recorded Christmas and New Year's greetings for pirate radio stations Radio Caroline and Radio London. Both stations were broadcasting from ships anchored off the British coastline.

In 1966, the Beatles recorded the basic track for "When I'm Sixty-Four" during one of the first sessions for the as-yet-unnamed album that became "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." There were multiple overdub sessions, including the lead vocal by Paul McCartney on December 8 and backing vocals on December 20. The song was completed when the clarinets were recorded on December 21.

In 1968, James Taylor's self-titled first album was released in the UK. It was the first recording by a non-British artist released on the Beatles' Apple Records, and was also Taylor's only release on that label. The album was issued in North America on February 17, 1969.

In 1969, the Rolling Stones play a free "thank you" concert for 300,000 fans at the Altamont Speedway in Livermore, California. Among the performing guests are Jefferson Airplane, Santana and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The hastily organized event rapidly falls into a disaster when four people die, including one who was stabbed by a Hell's Angel who was hired to act as a security guard. The murder is filmed and included in the film "Gimme Shelter" which premiers exactly one year later.

On December 6, 1969, Led Zeppelin made their debut on the US singles chart with "Whole Lotta Love." It went on to make #4 on the chart and was the first of six Top 40 singles for the group in the US. During the bands career, Zeppelin never released any singles in the UK.

In 1969, a fictitious group called Steam was given credit for this week's Billboard chart topping tune, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". The song was actually recorded by Gary De Carlo, who intended it to be the "B" side of his first single. Gary didn't like the song and when record executives wanted to issue it as the "A" side, he insisted it be released under an assumed name. After the song became a hit, De Carlo still wanted nothing to do with it and a group from Bridgeport, Connecticut was recruited to tour in support of the record.

In 1970, 'Gimme Shelter,' the documentary film about the Rolling Stones' 1969 tour of the US, featuring footage of the infamous Altamont concert, debuted in New York City.

In 1970, the Grass Roots performed "I'd Wait A Million Years," and a medley of their hits "Midnight Confessions,""Let's Live For Today," and "Temptation Eyes" on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."

In 1974, George Harrison released the holiday single celebrating New Year's Day, "Ding Dong, Ding Dong." The lyrics were taken mostly from engravings on the walls of George's Friar Park Mansion. The backup musicians on the session were Gary Wright, Alvin Lee, Mick Jones, Ron Wood, Tom Scott, Klaus Voorman, Jim Keltner, and Ringo Starr.

In 1975, Paul Simon went to #1 on the US album chart with 'Still Crazy After All These Years,' his first US #1 solo album. 

In 1975, Rev Charles Boykin of Tallahassee, Florida organised the burning of Elton John and Rolling Stones records, claiming they were sinful. Boykin was reacting to the results from a survey that said, 984 of the 1,000 local unmarried mothers had sex when listening to rock music. For the record, he didn't stamp out rock and roll we are are all still sinning.

In 1980, in a telephone interview with BBC Radio 1, John Lennon said the great thing about living in New York City was that people left him alone.

In 1980, the Police played the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, with R.E.M. as their opening act.

In 1985, the sound system breaks down during a John Mellencamp concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mellencamp waits until the problem is fixed, resumes the show and offers anyone in the audience their money back if they’re not satisfied. That's how a professional acts!

In 1986, Ringo Starr became the first Beatle to use his name in a commercial advertisement (for Sun Country wine coolers).

On December 6, 1988, singer Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at the age of 52. Scored the 1964 US & UK #1 single "Pretty Woman," plus over 20 US & 30 UK Top 40 singles including "Only the Lonely" and "Crying." Formed his first band The Wink Westerners in 1949 and was a member of The Traveling Wilburys (known as Lefty Wilbury) with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty.   

In 1989, composer Sammy Fain died at the age of 87.

In 1991, Mimi Smith, the aunt who raised John Lennon for most of his childhood, passed away at the age of 85 at the Varcoe Nursing Agency in Poole, Dorset, England. According to auxiliary nurse Lynne Varcoe, Mimi's last words were "Hello, John."

In 1993, the Eagles taped a video for Travis Tritt's version of "Take It Easy" which led to the band's reunion.

In 1994, Pearl Jam’s 'Vitalogy' was released on CD (the vinyl version was released on November 22) . Upon its CD release, it became the second-fastest-selling album in the band's history, selling 877,000 copies in its first week. The album has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA in the US.  In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine listed the album at #485 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

In 1994, Tower Records releases the Beatles''Live At The BBC,' a 69 track, double album of tunes recorded for BBC shows such as Top Gear, Easy Beat, Saturday Club and Pop Go The Beatles. The LP will rise straight to the top of the UK chart, selling over 600,000 copies by the end of the year and 2,000,000 in the US four weeks later.

In 1995, Michael Jackson was hospitalized and treated for dehydration after collapsing at the Beacon Theater in New York while rehearsing for an HBO television special.

In 1997, Metallica and Marianne Faithfull performed on NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live."

In 1999, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that their 2000 class would be Eric Clapton, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Moonglows, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and Earth, Wind and Fire.

In 2003, singer/songwriter/TV host Elvis Costello married jazz pianist/singer Diana Krall in a ceremony at Elton John's home in England. About 150 guests, including Sir Paul McCartney, attended the wedding. The couple welcomed twin sons exactly three years later.

In 2004, Motley Crue announced they were reforming for their first tour in five years.

In 2005, the iTunes Music Store reached more than 3 million videos sold.

In 2005, singer Danny Williams died of lung cancer at age 63.

In 2006, the iTunes Music Store was officially launched in New Zealand.

In 2007, Billy Joel released a new pop single called "Christmas in Fallujah," which featured the vocals of 21-year-old Cass Dillon. At age 58, Joel said he felt he was too old to sing the song, which was inspired by letters he received from soldiers in Iraq.

In 2011, record producer/music publisher Barbara Orbison, widow of singer Roy Orbison, died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 60, 23 years to the day after her husband's death.

In 2011, singer/composer/actor Dobie Gray died of cancer at the age of 71.

In 2012, jazz and rock drummer Ed Cassidy, a 25-year member of the band Spirit, died at age 89.

birthdays today include (among others): Len Barry (born Leonard Borisoff) (71), Jonathan King (69), Chris Stamey (dB's) (59), Rick Buckler (Jam) (58), Peter Buck (R.E.M.) (57), David Lovering (Pixies) (52), Ben Watt (Everything But the Girl) (51) and Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips) (44)