Born on this day in 1904, Bing Crosby, who recorded an estimated 2,600 songs in his lifetime including "White Christmas," which was written by Irving Berlin. Crosby had 317 other hits in the USA. Died of a heart attack on a golf course in Madrid, Spain, on October 14, 1977.
In 1938, Ella Fitzgerald recorded "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" with Chick Webb’s band. The recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1986.
In 1956, for the first time in the history of Billboard's record charts, the same five songs appear in both the Pop and R&B Top Ten. They are: Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" (#1 Pop, #6 R&B), Carl Perkins'"Blue Suede Shoes" (#4 Pop, #3 R&B), Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" (#9 Pop, #1 R&B), The Platters'"Magic Touch" (#10 Pop, #7 R&B) and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers'"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (#7 Pop, #4 R&B).
In 1958, at Chess Studios in Chicago, Chuck Berry recorded "Carol."
In 1960, Ben E. King leaves the Drifters and signs a solo contract with Atco Records. King was the lead singer on such Drifters' hits as "There Goes My Baby", "Save the Last Dance For Me" and "This Magic Moment."
Also in 1960, in the aftermath of the payola scandal, Billboard magazine reports that many radio stations are adopting what they called a "better music" format and banning rock and roll.
In 1960, at RCA Victor Studio A in New York City, Ray Peterson recorded "Tell Laura I Love Her."
In 1963, The Beatles were at #1 on the UK singles chart with "From Me To You," the group's first #1 and the first of eleven consecutive #1's. The title of the song was inspired from a letters column called From You To Us that ran in the British music newspaper, The New Musical Express.
Also in 1964, for the first time in 51 weeks, the Beatles were not at the top of the UK album chart as they were finally unseated by the Rolling Stones debut LP.
In 1965, the Rolling Stones made their second appearance on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show" performing four songs: "The Last Time,""Little Red Rooster,""Everybody Needs Somebody To Love," and the instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue." On the same show, Dusty Springfield sang "All Cried Out," Tom Jones performed "It's Not Unusual," and Roy Orbison was introduced and took a bow from the audience.
In 1967, the Beach Boys announced they were scrapping the album 'Smile,' their highly anticipated followup to their "Pet Sounds" album. Brian Wilson took more than a year to compose and produce the material, but after hearing the Beatles'"Sgt. Pepper" album, he became convinced that "Smile" would be seen as second best. After decades of imagined "Smile" albums assembled from bootlegs and released recordings, Wilson finally released a finished version of the project in 2005.
In 1967, the Beach Boys, Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree And The Big Sound and Terry Reid with Peter Jay's Jaywalkers all appeared at The Adelphi Theatre, Dublin.
In 1969, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, the Beatles laid down 36 takes of the main parts of their recording of the song "Something," George Harrison's composition about Patti Boyd. Work had begun on the track February 25, it continued on April 16 and, after several more days of overdubs, was finished on August 15.
In 1969, the Who gave a press preview of their new rock opera 'Tommy' at Ronnie Scott's in London, England. The double album about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, was the first musical work to be billed overtly as a rock opera. In 1998 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant value" and has now sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
In 1969, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at The Pasadena Rose Palace, California. Many other acts appeared here including The Byrds, Cream, Santana, The Grateful Dead, and Joe Cocker.
In 1969, Pink Floyd appeared at Manchester Chamber Of Commerce, England. The show was recorded for the forthcoming album 'Ummagumma.'
In 1970, Norman Greenbaum's gospel-rock hit "Spirit In The Sky" topped both the UK record chart and the Cash Box Best Sellers list. Greenbaum would later tell Rolling Stone magazine, "I'm just some Jewish musician who really dug Gospel music. I decided there was a larger Jesus Gospel market out there than a Jehovah one."
In 1975, Apple Records ceased operations.
In 1977, Eric Clapton recorded "Wonderful Tonight." He had written the song the previous September for Patti Boyd while waiting for her to get ready to attend Paul and Linda McCartney's annual Buddy Holly party.
In 1978, the Bee Gees were awarded their second Platinum single in less than two months for "Night Fever." It was preceded by "Stayin' Alive," both from the soundtrack of 'Saturday Night Fever.'
In 1981, Scottish singer Sheena Easton started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Morning Train (9 to 5)." The title of the song was changed to avoid any confusion with the Dolly Parton hit "9 to 5," in the same year.
In 1983, Spandau Ballet were at #1 on the UK singles chart with "True," the group's only #1. The song spent four weeks at the top of the UK chart and was a hit in 20 other countries. Parts of the original version have been sampled and used in a number of songs - most notably PM Dawn's 1991 #1 hit "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss," which contains a sample of the song's famous guitar hook.
In 1986, Dolly Parton opened her theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
In 1987, Cutting Crew started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "(I Just), Died In Your Arms," a #4 hit in the UK.
In 1991, the Rolling Stones are cited for Outstanding Contribution to British Music at the 36th Ivor Novello Awards in London. The honor is named after the Cardiff, Wales born entertainer Ivor Novello and has been presented annually by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors since 1955.
In 1991, R.E.M.'s video for "Losing My Religion" was banned in Ireland for its religious imagery.
In 1992, the Cure scored their first UK #1 album with 'Wish,' their 15th album release, featuring the top 10 single "Friday I'm In Love."
In 1998, Japanese rock star Hideto Matsumoto was found hanged in the bathroom at his Tokyo apartment and died in hospital a short time later at the age of 33. His funeral, held on May 7th, was attended by over 70,000 people and required 100 police officers, 170 security guards, police boats and helicopters. 21 people were hospitalised for injuries caused by the massive crowd at his funeral.
On this day in 2003, "In Da Club" by 50 Cent was the #1 song.
In 2004, Total Guitar magazine's readers voted Guns N' Roses' anthem "Sweet Child O' Mine" as the greatest guitar riff ever, ahead of Nirvana's grunge anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" came in third, followed by Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water."
In 2005, Eric Clapton joined former Cream members, drummer Ginger Baker and bass player Jack Bruce, for the first of four nights at London's Royal Albert Hall, 36 years after the band split up. Tickets sold for more than £500 each ($825 US) on eBay and some fans flew all the way from North America to witness the reunion, which Clapton was said to have agreed to because of the failing health of his former bandmates.
In 2006, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was released from hospital in New Zealand after the 62 year-old suffered "mild concussion" when he fell out of a coconut tree while on holiday in Fiji. He was airlifted to Auckland's Ascot Hospital for observation, where he underwent a brain scan
In 2007, in Wroclaw, Poland, 1,876 guitarists gathered to set a new Guinness World Record by simultaneously performing the Jimi Hendrix song "Hey Joe."
In 2009, Motown's rarest 45rpm record, Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)," set a world record by selling for nearly $40,000 at a London auction. The unreleased single is one of only two known copies. Motown boss Berry Gordy had all other copies destroyed after Wilson moved into songwriting and producing. Wilson went on to write "All I Need" for the Temptations and the Supremes hits "Love Child" and "Stoned Love" before becoming a Christian minister.
Also in 2009, Bob Dylan took a day off from his European tour and paid £16 to join 13 other tourists on a bus trip to Liverpool to visit the newly opened, National Trust-owned childhood home of John Lennon. Dylan went unrecognized.
In 2010, Aretha Franklin agreed to settle a debt with Michigan tax officials after they filed a lien against her home last March. Authorities demanded $11,076 in income taxes and a further $33,729 in property taxes on her $1.8 million estate. In a statement to the press, Aretha said it "becomes a little difficult" to keep up with her finances while she's touring.
In 2010, the Rolling Stones debuted their so-called "lost song" from 1970, "So Divine (Aladdin Story)," on the seventh season finale of the CBS-TV crime series "Cold Case." The recording was included as one of ten never-before-heard bonus tracks in the deluxe version of their "Exile On Main Street" album released two weeks later.
In 2012, Stevie Wonder's nephew was arrested and charged with extortion. 38-year-old Alpha Lorenzo Walker and another conspirator were arrested after the pair had allegedly threatened to reveal information they claimed would be embarrassing to the "Superstition" singer unless he met their demands. The two pleaded not guilty
In 2013, it was announced that the Spice Girls musical Viva Forever! was to close at the end of June 2013. The production, which was written by Jennifer Saunders, suffered poor ticket sales after damning reviews.
In 2013, Jeff Hanneman, founding member of rock band Slayer, died at the age of 49. The guitarist had been suffering from necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease that he is believed to have contracted from a spider bite in 2011. Hanneman was being treated in a local hospital when he "suffered liver failure."
