bmusic - Newsletter No. 254

In 1742, George Frideric Handel's oratorio, "The Messiah," was first performed, in Dublin. The performance raised 400 pounds in aid of charity.

In 1950, Tony Bennett made his first recording, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Bennett had used the song, revived from the 1934 movie "Moulin Rouge," to audition for Columbia Records.

In 1954, Bill Haley and the Comets recorded "Rock Around the Clock," which became the first rock 'n' roll hit to top the charts. Bill Haley performed sporadically throughout the 1960's and '70s until his death in 1981.

In 1964, the Rolling Stones' first album was released in Britain. It sold more than 200,000 copies and topped the British chart for 12 weeks.

In 1966, the Rolling Stones album "Aftermath" was released in Britain. The first Stones album to contain all original material, it sold well over one-million copies worldwide.

In 1970, Stephen Stills broke his wrist in a car accident, resulting in the cancellation of an American tour by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Stills drove into a parked vehicle while watching a police patrol car in his rear-view mirror.

In 1970, Paul McCartney announced what he called a temporary break with the Beatles. But the split proved to be permanent.
McCartney cited personal differences and a week after McCartney's announcement he released his first solo album, spelling the end of the Beatles.

In 1970, guitarist and vocalist Peter Green, one of the founders of Fleetwood Mac, announced he was leaving the group to follow his religious beliefs.

In 1972, the Electric Light Orchestra played its first live show at the Reading Festival in England. Their debut album, released in 1971, featured guest soloists from the London Symphony Orchestra.

In 1976, following a performance in Sydney, Austrailia, Alice Cooper was placed under house arrest at his hotel until he posted a bond for US$59,632. An Australian promoter claimed he had paid Cooper that amount before a 1975 Austrailia tour that never eventuated. The argument was settled when it is found that the promoter did not fulfil his part of the 1975 agreement either.

In 1979, Van Halen lead singer, David Lee Roth, collapsed from exhaustion in Spokane, Washington.

In 1980, Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" was named the official state song of New Jersey.

In 1980, reggae musician Bob Marley played at Zimbabwe's Independence Day ceremonies, later calling it the greatest honor of his life. A little more than a year later, Marley was dead of brain and lung cancer.

In 1981, Eddie Van Halen married actress Valerie Bertinelli.

In 1981, guitarist Eric Clapton was released from hospital in London following treatment for stomach ulcers.

In 1982, singer Billy Joel was seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident on Long Island, New York. He spent a month in hospital undergoing therapy for an injured hand.

In 1984, Michael Jackson made a six-figure contribution to establish a 19-bed cancer research unit at a New York hospital.

In 1986, .38 Special's "Like No Other Night" became the first compact disc single released in North America.

In 1990, more than 72,000 fans gathered at London's Wembley Stadium for a concert honoring recently freed African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela. Millions more watched on television in more than 40 countries.

In 1991, Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy was sentenced in Mineola, New York to 30 days in jail for punching his girlfriend. Flav, whose real name is William Drayton, pleaded guilty to hitting Karren Ross in the face.

In 1992, authorities in Hobart, Australia allowed killer Richard Dickinson out of prison to see his idol, Bob Dylan, perform. Dickinson had trampled his mother to death in 1987 while Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee for the Road" played in the background. He then sprinkled instant coffee over the body. His mum had complained the music was too loud.

In 1994, drummer Paul Hester abruptly quit Crowded House following a concert in Atlanta. Hester cited the grind of touring and said he felt himself drifting away from fellow band members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour. He also complained that his song "Skin Feeling" was only begrudgingly included on Crowded House's album "Together Alone."

In 1995, members of the British band The Cult decided to call it quits. Tensions between founding members Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury were blamed.

In 1997, the mother of slain rapper Tupac Shakur sued Death Row Records for US$17-million. Afeni Shakur claimed the label failed to pay royalties and cheated her son out of millions of dollars. Earlier in the month, Death Row had filed a US$7.1-million suit against Shakur's estate. The rapper had been gunned down the previous September in Las Vegas.

In 2000, Metallica filed suit against file sharing software creator Napster Inc, Yale University, University of Southern California and Indiana University for copyright infringement. Yale and Indiana Universities were dropped from the suit after they blocked access to Napster on their servers.

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Births In 1898, Bessie Smith, considered to be the greatest woman blues singer, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. Between 1923 and 1933 she recorded more than 100 blues sides, such as "St. Louis Blues," "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" and "Gimme a Pig-Foot and a Bottle of Beer." She influenced every female blues singer to follow, from Billie Holiday to Janis Joplin. Bessie Smith died following a car crash near Clarkedale, Mississippi on September 26th, 1937.

In 1924, pianist, composer and orchestra leader Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland. He was a perennial winner at the Oscar and Grammy award ceremonies during the 1960's and '70s, and in fact has won more of both than any other pop artist. Mancini wrote "Moon River," song of the year in 1961, and "Days of Wine and Roses," which won the same award two years later. Mancini's "Music From Peter Gunn" was album of the year in 1958. And his recording of "Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet," on which he played piano, was a million-seller in 1969. Henry Mancini died of cancer in Beverly Hills, California, on June 14th, 1994.

In 1924, blues singer, guitarist and violinist Clarence (Gatemouth) Brown.

In 1939, Dusty Springfield, Britain's leading female vocalist in the mid-1960's, was born in London. Her real name is Mary Isobel Catherine O'Brien. She took her stage name from a folk group called the Springfields, which she formed with her brother Tom.

In 1940, Lester Chambers, percussionist with the '60s psychedelic soul group the Chambers Brothers.

In 1941, Mike Vickers, saxophone player and guitarist with the British group Manfred Mann, was born in Southhampton, England.

In 1941, British rocker Billy Fury.

In 1942, movie and TV composer Bill Conti.

In 1942, Allan Clarke, lead singer of the Hollies.

In 1943, Eve Graham of the New Seekers.

In 1944, John Kay, leader of Steppenwolf, was born in Germany. His real name is Joachim Krauledat.

In 1944, Jack Cassidy, bass player for Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, was born in Washington, DC.

In 1945, Ritchie Blackmore, lead guitarist with Deep Purple.

In 1946, singer Al Green was born in Forest City, Arkansas.

In 1946, Jim Pons, bass player for the Turtles and the Mothers of Invention.

In 1947, '70s pop singer and songwriter Gerry Rafferty, co-leader of Stealers Wheel.

In 1948, jazz-rock keyboards player Jan Hammer.

In 1950, David Cassidy was born.

In 1951, singer Peabo Bryson.

In 1954, Pat Tarveres came into the world.

In 1954, rock singer, guitarist and producer Michael Sembello.

In 1954, record producer Bob Rock, formerly of the duo Rock and Hyde.

In 1959, Stephen Singleton of the group ABC.

In 1962, Everclear guitarist/singer/songwriter Art Alexis.

In 1966, former Page 3 girl and pop singer Samantha Fox.

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Deaths In 1759, the German composer George Frideric Handel died.
He worked mainly in England and Italy, and his most famous work is "The Messiah." Totally blind for the last six years of his life, he still occasionally conducted performances of his works.

In 1960, rock 'n' roll singer Eddie Cochran died in a car crash while on his way to the airport in London. He had just completed a tour of Britain. Cochran died in hospital of severe head injuries. The other passengers, rocker Gene Vincent and Shari Sheeley, Cochran's fiance, were seriously injured.
Cochran was only 21 when he died, and had just begun to realize his potential. "Sittin' in the Balcony" in 1957 and "Summertime Blues" from 1958 were his two biggest hits.

In 1970, pioneer record company owner George Goldner died in New York City at the age of 52. Goldner was one of the first to recognize that black groups could score on the pop charts if their records were produced with the white audience in mind. Starting with "Crying in the Chapel" by the Orioles in 1953, Goldner had great success with New York street corner groups.

In 1974, Vinnie Taylor of the rock 'n' roll revival group Sha-Na-Na died, apparently of a heroin overdose.

In 1983, Pete Farndon of the rock group, the Pretenders, died.

In 1983, rock producer and musician Felix Pappalardi was shot and killed by his wife, Gail Collins, in New York City. He was 44. Pappalardi first claim to fame was as a producer for the Youngbloods, Joan Baez and Cream. He later became bass guitarist for the hard rock group Mountain, which had a hit in 1970 with "Mississippi Queen."

In 1983, Sam & Dave's Dave Prater was killed in an auto accident.

In 1985, Burl Ives died at his home in Anacortes, Washington. He was 85.

In 1987, Carlton Barrett, drummer for the reggae group, the Wailers, was shot and killed outside his home in Kingston, Jamaica. Barrett's widow and a Kingston taxi cab owner were charged with murder two weeks later. The Wailers were the late Bob Marley's backing group.

In 1991, singer and guitarist Steve Marriott, former leader of the Small Faces and Humble Pie, died in a fire at his home northeast of London. He was 44. A coroner said Marriott took a large quantity of Valium and alcohol on the night he died but death was due to smoke inhalation.
Marriott left the Small Faces in 1969 to form the hard-rocking Humble Pie. Rod Stewart was his replacement and the Small Faces became simply the Faces.

In 1992, crooner Andy Russell died in Phoenix, Arizona of complications from a stroke. He was 72. Russell reached stardom about the same time as Frank Sinatra and Perry Como. His hits in the 1940's included "Besame Mucho," "Laughing on the Outside" and the "Anniversary Song."

In 1998, Linda McCartney, activist, photographer, former member of Wings, and wife of Paul McCartney, died of breast cancer.

In 1999, Skip Spence (Alexander Lee Spence, Jr.), a former member of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape, died from pneumonia, brought about by the cancer he had long been suffering.

In 2001, Joey Ramone, "The King Of Punk" died in the New York City community of Forest Hills, N.Y. from Lymphoma. He was 49 years old. Joey was the lead singer and a founding member of pioneer punk rock group The Ramones who had hits such as "I Wanna Be Sedated", "Pinhead" and "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker". He also co-produced "She Talks To Rainbows" for Ronnie Spector.

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