bmusic - Newsletter No. 265

bmusic
Newsletter No.265
September 10th - September 23rd 2007

There has been much discussion in South Australia over the last month or so regarding a decision by the State Education Department to radically change the structure of instrumental music in the system here. The crux of the mooted changes (which have seen several backflips and "clarifications" since being announced) is to essentially drop state funded instrumental music tuition at a senior level in public schools and replace it with "intensive" tuition for all students in Year 5 and Year 5 alone. It has been claimed by the powers that be that the model is based on a successful UK system. As I understand it, the part they've left out about the UK system is that it combines the intensive all student primary introduction with continued state funded instrumental tuition throughout the student's schooling should they choose to do so. A very important part of the success of the system no doubt.

This ongoing discussion reminded me of two very good resources thhat deal specifically with the wider benefits of music education. One is a brochure provided by the Australian Music Association through the Music Makers program they're a part of and which can be downloaded in PDF format HERE. The other is a publication put together about five years ago by America's MENC - The National Association for Music Education and called "Music Education Facts and Figures". The MENC publication, whilst a little longer than what our usual newsletter opening might be, makes for some excellent reading and should make us all of us as musicians feel that little bit better about ourselves! The MENC publication is below. The association also published a couple of papers also called "Music Makes the Difference" but are different to the MusicMakers brochure. The two MENC papers under the "Music Makers The Difference" title are subtitled "Music, Brain Development, and Learning" and "Programs and Partnerships" and were published in 2000 and 1999 respectively. Those papers are available from the likes of Amazon or the association's co-publishers HERE by selecting Co-Publishers then MENC and navigating to the page with publications beginning with "M", page 1 and 2 of that selection. A little rich if you've only a passing interest in the subject, but if you're right into it there are those and a great many publications there that may be well worth your digesting. And so to the MENC paper:

“Every student in the nation should have an education in the arts.” This is the opening statement of “The Value and Quality of Arts Education: A Statement of Principles,” a document from the nation’s ten most important educational organizations, including the American Association of School Administrators, the National Education Association, the National Parent Teacher Association, and the National School Boards Association.

The basic statement is unlikely to be challenged by anyone involved in education. In the sometimes harsh reality of limited time and funding for instruction, however, the inclusion of the arts in every student’s education can sometimes be relegated to a distant wish rather than an exciting reality.

It doesn’t have to be that way! All that’s needed is a clear message sent to all those who must make the hard choices involved in running a school or school system. The basic message is that music programs in the schools help our kids and communities in real and substantial ways. You can use the following facts about the benefits of music education, based on a growing body of convincing research, to move decision-makers to make the right choices.

The benefits conveyed by music education can be grouped in four categories:
Success in society
Success in school
Success in developing intelligence
Success in life

When presented with the many and manifest benefits of music education, officials at all levels should universally support a full, balanced, sequential course of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. And every student will have an education in the arts.

Benefit One: Success in Society

Perhaps the basic reason that every child must have an education in music is that music is a part of the fabric of our society. The intrinsic value of music for each individual is widely recognized in the many cultures that make up American life — indeed, every human culture uses music to carry forward its ideas and ideals. The importance of music to our economy is without doubt. And the value of music in shaping individual abilities and character are attested in a number of places:

Secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs). — Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse Report. Reported in Houston Chronicle, January 1998

“Music is a magical gift we must nourish and cultivate in our children, especially now as scientific evidence proves that an education in the arts makes better math and science students, enhances spatial intelligence in newborns, and let's not forget that the arts are a compelling solution to teen violence, certainly not the cause of it!”— Michael Greene, Recording Academy President and CEO at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, February 2000.

The U.S. Department of Education lists the arts as subjects that college-bound middle and junior high school students should take, stating "Many colleges view participation in the arts and music as a valuable experience that broadens students’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them. It is also well known and widely recognized that the arts contribute significantly to children’s intellectual development." In addition, one year of Visual and Performing Arts is recommended for college-bound high school students. — Getting Ready for College Early: A Handbook for Parents of Students in the Middle and Junior High School Years, U.S. Department of Education, 1997

The College Board identifies the arts as one of the six basic academic subject areas students should study in order to succeed in college. — Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do, 1983 [still in use], The College Board, New York

The arts create jobs, increase the local tax base, boost tourism, spur growth in related businesses (hotels, restaurants, printing, etc.) and improve the overall quality of life for our cities and towns. On a national level, nonprofit arts institutions and organizations generate an estimated $37 billion in economic activity and return $3.4 billion in federal income taxes to the U.S. Treasury each year. — American Arts Alliance Fact Sheet, October 1996

The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians. — Grant Venerable, "The Paradox of the Silicon Savior," as reported in "The Case for Sequential Music Education in the Core Curriculum of the Public Schools," The Center for the Arts in the Basic Curriculum, New York, 1989

Benefit Two: Success in School

Success in society, of course, is predicated on success in school. Any music teacher or parent of a music student can call to mind anecdotes about effectiveness of music study in helping children become better students. Skills learned through the discipline of music, these stories commonly point out, transfer to study skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills useful in every part of the curriculum. Another common variety of story emphasizes the way that the discipline of music study — particularly through participation in ensembles — helps students learn to work effectively in the school environment without resorting to violent or inappropriate behavior. And there are a number of hard facts that we can report about the ways that music study is correlated with success in school:

“The term ‘core academic subjects’ means English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography.” — No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, Title IX, Part A, Sec. 9101 (11)

A study of 237 second grade children used piano keyboard training and newly designed math software to demonstrate improvement in math skills. The group scored 27% higher on proportional math and fractions tests than children that used only the math software. — Graziano, Amy, Matthew Peterson, and Gordon Shaw, "Enhanced learning of proportional math through music training and spatial-temporal training." Neurological Research 21 (March 1999).

In an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data on more than 25,000 secondary school students (NELS:88, National Education Longitudinal Survey), researchers found that students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.” This observation holds regardless of students’ socio-economic status, and differences in those who are involved with instrumental music vs. those who are not is more significant over time. — Catterall, James S., Richard Chapleau, and John Iwanaga. “Involvement in the Arts and Human Development: General Involvement and Intensive Involvement in Music and Theater Arts.” Los Angeles, CA: The Imagination Project at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, 1999.

Students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT: students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation. — College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers. Princeton, NJ: The College Entrance Examination Board, 2001.

According to statistics compiled by the National Data Resource Center, students who can be classified as “disruptive” (based on factors such as frequent skipping of classes, times in trouble, in-school suspensions, disciplinary reasons given, arrests, and drop-outs) total 12.14 percent of the total school population. In contrast, only 8.08 percent of students involved in music classes meet the same criteria as “disruptive.” — Based on data from the NELS:88 (National Education Longitudinal Study), second follow-up, 1992.

Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 showed that music participants received more academic honors and awards than non-music students, and that the percentage of music participants receiving As, As/Bs, and Bs was higher than the percentage of non- participants receiving those grades. — NELS:88 First Follow-up, 1990, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington DC

Physician and biologist Lewis Thomas studied the undergraduate majors of medical school applicants. He found that 66% of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group. 44% of biochemistry majors were admitted. — As reported in "The Case for Music in the Schools," Phi Delta Kappan, February 1994

A study of 811 high school students indicated that the proportion of minority students with a music teacher role-model was significantly larger than for any other discipline. 36% of these students identified music teachers as their role models, as opposed to 28% English teachers, 11% elementary teachers, 7% physical education/sports teachers, 1% principals. — D.L. Hamann and L.M. Walker, "Music teachers as role models for African-American students," Journal of Research in Music Education, 41, 1993

Students who participated in arts programs in selected elementary and middle schools in New York City showed significant increases in self-esteem and thinking skills. — National Arts Education Research Center, New York University, 1990

Benefit three: Success in Developing Intelligence

Success in school and in society depends on an array of abilities. Without joining the intense ongoing debate about the nature of intelligence as a basic ability, we can demonstrate that some measures of a child’s intelligence are indeed increased with music instruction. Once again, this burgeoning range of data supports a long-established base of anecdotal knowledge to the effect that music education makes kids smarter. What is new and especially compelling, however, is a combination of tightly-controlled behavioral studies and groundbreaking neurological research that show how music study can actively contribute to brain development:

In a study conducted by Dr. Timo Krings, pianists and non-musicians of the same age and sex were required to perform complex sequences of finger movements. Their brains were scanned using a technique called “functional magnetic resource imaging” (fMRI) which detects the activity levels of brain cells. The non-musicians were able to make the movements as correctly as the pianists, but less activity was detected in the pianists’ brains. Thus, compared to non-musicians, the brains of pianists are more efficient at making skilled movements. These findings show that musical training can enhance brain function. — Weinberger, Norm. “The Impact of Arts on Learning.” MuSICa Research Notes 7, no. 2 (Spring 2000). Reporting on Krings, Timo et al. “Cortical Activation Patterns during Complex Motor Tasks in Piano Players and Control Subjects. A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.” Neuroscience Letters 278, no. 3 (2000): 189-93.

“The musician is constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, tone, style, rhythm, phrasing, and feeling--training the brain to become incredibly good at organizing and conducting numerous activities at once. Dedicated practice of this orchestration can have a great payoff for lifelong attentional skills, intelligence, and an ability for self-knowledge and expression.” — Ratey John J., MD. A User’s Guide to the Brain. New York: Pantheon Books, 2001.

A research team exploring the link between music and intelligence reported that music training is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for learning math and science. — Shaw, Rauscher, Levine, Wright, Dennis and Newcomb, "Music training causes long-term enhancement of preschool children's spatial-temporal reasoning," Neurological Research, Vol. 19, February 1997

Students in two Rhode Island elementary schools who were given an enriched, sequential, skill-building music program showed marked improvement in reading and math skills. Students in the enriched program who had started out behind the control group caught up to statistical equality in reading, and pulled ahead in math. — Gardiner, Fox, Jeffrey and Knowles, as reported in Nature, May 23, 1996

Researchers at the University of Montreal used various brain imaging techniques to investigate brain activity during musical tasks and found that sight-reading musical scores and playing music both activate regions in all four of the cortex's lobes; and that parts of the cerebellum are also activated during those tasks. — Sergent, J., Zuck, E., Tenial, S., and MacDonall, B. (1992). Distributed neural network underlying musical sight reading and keyboard performance. Science, 257, 106-109.

Researchers in Leipzig found that brain scans of musicians showed larger planum temporale (a brain region related to some reading skills) than those of non-musicians. They also found that the musicians had a thicker corpus callosum (the bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two halves of the brain) than those of non-musicians, especially for those who had begun their training before the age of seven. — Schlaug, G., Jancke, L., Huang, Y., and Steinmetz, H. (1994). In vivo morphometry of interhem ispheric assymetry and connectivity in musicians. In I. Deliege (Ed.), Proceedings of the 3d international conference for music perception and cognition (pp. 417-418). Liege, Belgium.

A University of California (Irvine) study showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers showed a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning IQ. — Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Ky and Wright, "Music and Spatial Task Performance: A Causal Relationship," University of California, Irvine, 1994

Researchers found that children given piano lessons significantly improved in their spatial- temporal IQ scores (important for some types of mathematical reasoning) compared to children who received computer lessons, casual singing, or no lessons. — Rauscher, F.H., Shaw, G.L., Levine, L.J., Wright, E.L., Dennis, W.R., and Newcomb, R. (1997) Music training causes long-term enhancement of preschool children's spatial temporal reasoning. Neurological Research, 19, 1-8.

A McGill University study found that pattern recognition and mental representation scores improved significantly for students given piano instruction over a three-year period. They also found that self-esteem and musical skills measures improved for the students given piano instruction. — Costa-Giomi, E. (1998, April). The McGill Piano Project: Effects of three years of piano instruction on children's cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and self-esteem. Paper presented at the meeting of the Music Educators National Conference, Phoenix, AZ.

Researchers found that lessons on songbells (a standard classroom instrument) led to significant improvement of spatial-temporal scores for three- and four-year-olds. — Gromko, J.E., and Poorman, A.S. (1998) The effect of music training on preschooler's spatial-temporal task performance. Journal of Research in Music Education, 46, 173-181.

In the Kindergarten classes of the school district of Kettle Moraine, Wisconsin, children who were given music instruction scored 48 percent higher on spatial-temporal skill tests than those who did not receive music training. — Rauscher, F.H., and Zupan, M.A. (1999). Classroom keyboard instruction improves kindergarten children's spatial-temporal performance: A field study. Manuscript in press, Early Childhood Research Quarterly.

An Auburn University study found significant increases in overall self-concept of at-risk children participating in an arts program that included music, movement, dramatics and art, as measured by the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale. — N.H. Barry, Project ARISE: Meeting the needs of disadvantaged students through the arts, Auburn University, 1992

Benefit four: Success in Life

Each of us wants our children — and the children of all those around us — to achieve success in school, success in employment, and success in the social structures through which we move. But we also want our children to experience “success” on a broader scale. Participation in music, often as not based on a grounding in music education during the formative school years, brings countless benefits to each individual throughout life. The benefits may be psychological or spiritual, and they may be physical as well:

“Studying music encourages self-discipline and diligence, traits that carry over into intellectual pursuits and that lead to effective study and work habits. An association of music and math has, in fact, long been noted. Creating and performing music promotes self-expression and provides self-gratification while giving pleasure to others. In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients. For all these reasons, it deserves strong support in our educational system, along with the other arts, the sciences, and athletics.” — Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., Leading Heart Surgeon, Baylor College of Music.

“Music has a great power for bringing people together. With so many forces in this world acting to drive wedges between people, it’s important to preserve those things that help us experience our common humanity.” — Ted Turner, Turner Broadcasting System.

“Music is one way for young people to connect with themselves, but it is also a bridge for connecting with others. Through music, we can introduce children to the richness and diversity of the human family and to the myriad rhythms of life.” — Daniel A. Carp, Eastman Kodak Company Chairman and CEO.

“Casals says music fills him with the wonder of life and the ‘incredible marvel’ of being a human. Ives says it expands his mind and challenges him to be a true individual. Bernstein says it is enriching and ennobling. To me, that sounds like a good cause for making music and the arts an integral part of every child’s education. Studying music and the arts elevates children’s education, expands students’ horizons, and teaches them to appreciate the wonder of life.” — U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, July 1999.

“The nation’s top business executives agree that arts education programs can help repair weaknesses in American education and better prepare workers for the 21st century.”— “The Changing Workplace is Changing Our View of Education.” Business Week, October 1996.

“Music making makes the elderly healthier.... There were significant decreases in anxiety, depression, and loneliness following keyboard lessons. These are factors that are critical in coping with stress, stimulating the immune system, and in improved health. Results also show significant increases in human growth hormones following the same group keyboard lessons. (Human growth hormone is implicated in aches and pains.)” — Dr. Frederick Tims, reported in AMC Music News, June 2, 1999

“Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them — a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.” — Gerald Ford, former President, United States of America

“During the Gulf War, the few opportunities I had for relaxation I always listened to music, and it brought to me great peace of mind. I have shared my love of music with people throughout this world, while listening to the drums and special instruments of the Far East, Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Far North — and all of this started with the music appreciation course that I was taught in a third-grade elementary class in Princeton, New Jersey. What a tragedy it would be if we lived in a world where music was not taught to children.” — H. Norman Schwarzkopf, General, U.S. Army, retired

“Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and, by studying music in school, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world from a new perspective.” — Bill Clinton, former President, United States of America

Source: MENC-The National Association for Music Education "Music Education Facts and Figures 2002". For further questions, contact info@menc.org.

This issue's Where Are They Now? is a repeat with new information which has come to light. We get an amazing amount of e-mail regarding this performer or where to get a hold of his back catalogue, as a result of the original feature from a couple of years ago. We have also noted very little information online regarding this artist's later career and, as I've noticed is the case with quite a number of our features from over the years, we're the source of info for the Wikipedia entry for this artist!

Regulars including Feature Article, The Weeks Ahead in Music History, Featured Artist and more are all inside Issue 265 of the bmusic Newsletter.
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Thanks to everyone for reading, we'll see you next issue!

TABLE OF CONTENTS (You will need to be online to use the Table of Contents to jump through sections)

Where Are They Now? - Billy Field (Updated)

This week's Music Quote

Featured Product - Red Witch Analog Effects Pedals

This week's Specials

This week's Feature Article - 18 Ways To Finance Your Next Musical Project

This week's Feature Artist - Hometime

Musicians Wanted

Gear Wanted

Band Links

The Weeks Ahead In Music History
           Events
           Births
           Deaths

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In 1946, banjoist Earl Scruggs first recorded with Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. His three-fingered picking style became one of the trademarks of bluegrass music.

In 1952, Frank Sinatra left Columbia Records after nine years and more than 400 recordings. Continued disputes with Columbia's head of A & R led to Sinatra's departure and subsequent signing to Capitol, for who he recorder the label's first LP in 1953.

In 1955, Capitol Records released what it claimed was the world's shortest record, Les Paul's "Magic Melody, Part Two." It consisted of exactly two notes.

In 1964, Beatles manager Brian Epstein turned down a 3 1/2 million pound offer to buy out the Beatles management contract. The offer came from a group of U.S. businessmen.

In 1966, the Beatles were awarded a gold record in the US for their "Yellow Submarine" album.

In 1966, the Rolling Stones began what was to be their last British tour for more than four years. Joining them on the bill were the Ike and Tina Turner Revue and the Yardbirds.

In 1966, Jimi Hendrix and his manager Chas Chandler arrived in London from New York, where Chandler discovered Hendrix working in Greenwich go-go clubs. Chandler convinced Hendrix that Britain would be more receptive to his style. During the trans-atlantic flight, Hendrix changed the spelling of his first name from Jimmy to Jimi.

In 1967, the Doors performed "Light My Fire" on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Sullivan had requested that lead singer Jim Morrison delete the line, "Girl, we couldn't get much higher," but Morrison refused.

In 1969, Deep Purple recorded "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The work was composed by Deep Purple' keyboards player, Jon Lord. The album failed to sell.

In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band made a surprise live debut at the Rock n' Roll Revival Concert in Toronto, Canada. The band, which included Eric Clapton on guitar, recorded the concert for the live album, "Live Peace in Toronto."

In 1969, John Lennon recorded "Cold Turkey" with a backing band that included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, Yoko Ono and Ringo Starr.

In 1970, James Taylor's 'Fire and Rain' was released.

In 1970, Jim Morrison of the Doors was acquitted in Miami on charges of "lewd and lascivious" behavior but was found guilty of indecent exposure and profanity.

In 1971, Peter Frampton quit Humble Pie to pursue his solo career.

In 1971, Pink Floyd became the first rock group to play at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. They performed "Atom Heart Mother," which had been released as an album the previous year.

In 1972, police discovered marijuana growing on Paul and Linda McCartney's English farm.

In 1974, Gary Thain, then bass guitarist for Uriah Heep, suffered a near-fatal electric shock during a concert in Dallas, Texas. Thain later complained that the other band members didn't care what happened to him, and early in 1975 was invited to leave the group. Thain died of a drug overdose six months later - on March 19th, 1976.

In 1974, Bachman Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" was released.

In 1975, Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" single was released in the US.

In 1975, soul singer Jackie Wilson suffered a heart attack while performing at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Due to the heart attack, Wilson suffered brain damage and lapsed into a coma. Ironically, he was in the middle of singing one of his biggest hits, "Lonely Teardrops," and was two words into the line, "....my heart is crying" when he collapsed. He was 41 years old.

In 1976, The Beatles appeared on the cover of TIME magazine.

In 1977, the first Elvis Presley convention was held in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1979, what is generally considered to be the first rap record, "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang, was released. The release sold two-million copies and record companies labeled the style a fad.

In 1979, a fire in California's Hollywood Hills destroyed 24 homes, including those of singer-actress Mackenzie Phillips and British bluesman John Mayall.

In 1980, David Bowie replaced Philip Anglim in the title role of the hit Broadway play, "The Elephant Man," in New York City.

In 1980, John Lennon signed with Geffen Records.

In 1983, the members of KISS appeared on MTV for the first time without their trademark makeup.

In 1984, the first annual MTV Video Music Awards took place at New York's Radio City Music Hall with hosts Dan Ackroyd and Bette Midler. Herbie Hancock took top honours at the inaugral ceremony.

In 1985, the first "Farm-Aid" concert, organised by Willie Nelosn, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, was staged. This first concert raised US$10 million for the nation's farmers.

In 1987, Morrisey parted ways with The Smiths to pursue his solo career.

In 1988, soul singer James Brown was arrested in Georgia after leading police on an hour long chase through two states.

In 1989, all-girl pop/rock group The Bangles officially broke up.

In 1990, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks both announced they were leaving Fleetwood Mac. Two years later the pair reunited with Fleetwood Mac to perform at the inauguration of Bill Clinton. Another four years later they again reunited for an MTV Unplugged special which culminated in a Number One album and extremely successful supporting tour.

In 1991, Alice Cooper sold copies of his then new record, "Hey Stoopid" for ninety-nine cents in New York's Times Square.

In 1991, Michael Jackson performed an uncredited voice-over on an episode of "The Simpsons". He provided the voice for a white mental patient who thinks he's Michael Jackson.

In 1991, co-founding Guns 'N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit the band. He was later replaced by Gilby Clarke.

In 1991, fans lined up at record stores across the globe as two simultaneously-released albums by Guns N' Roses - "Use Your Illusion One" and "Use Your Illusion Two" - went on sale at midnight.

In 1992, Eric Clapton's "MTV Unplugged" album was released, going on to earn him a Grammy award and worldwide sales of close to 10 million units.

In 1992, Bruce Springsteen and his band played "MTV Unplugged" but made one slight change. They played all electric instruments, prompting MTV to rename the show "MTV Plugged".

In 1994, a recording made by John Lennon on the day he met Paul McCartney sold at a London auction for the equivalent of about $160,000 Australian. EMI Records bought the five-minute recording that had sat in a bank vault for more than 30 years. Lennon's group, the Quarrymen, recorded "Baby Let's Play House" and "Puttin' on the Style" on July 6th, 1957, at a church social in Liverpool. Lennon was 16 years old at the time.

In 1995, Jarett Cordes of the rap duo PM Dawn was arrested in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, on charges he had sex with a 14 year-old female cousin.

In 1995, Paul McCartney's hand written lyrics for "Getting Better" sold for US$249,000 at a Sotheby's auction.

In 1996, Oasis abruptly canceled its U.S. tour two-thirds of the way through it. The band said the cancellation was due to "internal differences".

In 1996, Tupac Shakur's video "I Ain't Mad," which depicts the rapper being shot as he leaves a nightclub, premiered on MTV five days after he died of gunshot wounds in a Las Vegas hospital.

In 2002, The Australian promoter who was to bring former Beach Boy Brian Wilson to Australia for his first ever solo tour was arrested on fraud charges. Ben Beath was alleged to have been behind a $19m fraud and had paid Wilson $250,000 as a deposit on the tour. The promoter was charged with "obtaining financial advantage by deception". Reports stated Beath had already spent $3m of the money raised. There was also suggestion Wilson may be legally responsible for handing back the stolen money.

In 2002, a cornoer's toxicology report found that Drowning Pool singer Dave Williams' death was due to natural causes. It was concluded that the 30-year-old singer died from cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. Williams' condition, concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, prevented blood flow from the left ventricle to the right. Williams was never diagnosed with the disease, the cause of which is unknown. Nasal swabs indicated no traces of cocaine and none was present in his system.

In 2004, Yusaf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, was disallowed entry into the United States after flying there with his daughter. The U.S. government has Yusaf on a "no fly" list, claiming links with terrorists. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made the statement, "Yusuf Islam has been placed on the watch lists because of activities that could potentially be related to terrorism. It's a serious matter." Yusaf was not impressed but didn't say a lot, returning to the UK after his refusal of entry order was given.
Read more about Yusaf Islam and his post-Cat Stevens work in our Where Are They Now? feature HERE.

In 2004 the former manager of Australia's inaugural Popstars product, Bardot, successfully sued the Popstars show's producers for breach of contract. A counter-claim was made against the manager, Grant Thomas, but he still walked out with around 40 grand after paying out the counter-claim was also successful. Sadly, I'd be surprised if the girls themselves ever saw anything like that amount of money whilst working as Bardot.

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Births In 1903, Roy Acuff, the King of Country Music, was born in Maynardsville, Tennessee. He died on November 23rd, 1992 in Nashville.

In 1923, Hank Williams, country music's most influential performer, was born in Mount Olive, Alabama. Williams couldn't read or write music, but among his compositions are many classics of popular song - "Cold, Cold Heart," "Jambalaya," "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Hey, Good Lookin'." Williams's "Lovesick Blues" was the top country record of 1949. That year, he joined the Grand Ole Opry, receiving an unprecedented six encores in his debut performance. But Williams's perpetual drunkenness led to his being fired from the Opry in August 1952. Four months later, on January 1st, 1953, Williams died of heart failure in the back seat of his Cadillac while being driven to a concert in Canton, Ohio. He was 29.

In 1925, B.B. King was born Riley B. King in Indianola, Mississippi.

In 1925, jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd.

In 1928, jazz alto saxophonist Julian (Cannonball) Adderley, was born in Florida. Adderley suffered a stroke and died on August 8th, 1975.

In 1939, former teen idol Frankie Avalon.

In 1940, former Righteous Brother, Bill Medley.

In 1940, singer/songwriter Paul Williams.

In 1941, Blood, Sweat & Tears vocalist David Clayton-Thomas.

In 1941, Les Braid, bass guitarist '60s British group the Swinging Blue Jeans.

In 1942, Linda McCartney was born. She died after a long battle with cancer in 1998.

In 1943, Les Emmerson, lead singer of the Canadian rock group Five Man Electrical Band, was born in Ottawa.

In 1944, former Chicago (the band, not the city) singer Peter Cetera.

In 1946, original Status Quo drummer, John Coglan.

In 1947, singer and guitarist Lol Creme, formerly of 10 CC.

In 1947, Eagles guitarist Don Felder.

In 1948, Kenny Jones, drummer for the Who, was born in London. Jones joined the Who after the original drummer, Keith Moon, died of a sedative overdose on September 7th, 1978. Jones had previously played with the Faces.

In 1949, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines was born. He died in the 1977 plane crash that also claimed the lives of two of his bandmates. Those killed were Steve's sister and backing singer Cassie Gaines, fellow guitarist Ronnie Van Zant, and road manager Dean Kilpatrick.

In 1949, Bruce Springsteen was born in Freehold, New Jersey.

In 1952, Gerry Beckley, vocalist for America.

In 1952, one of the world's premier drummers, Neil Peart of Rush.

In 1952, Dee Dee Ramone of the punk rock group the Ramones.

In 1953, jazz guitarist Earl Klugh.

In 1960, singer/guitarist Joan Jett.

In 1963, singer Richard Marx.

In 1963, Joey Tempest of Swedish glam-metal act Europe.

In 1964, country singer Trisha Yearwood.

In 1965, Ringo and Maureen Starr welcomed their son Zak into the world.

In 1969, Candy Dulfer, the saxophonist who played alongside the Eurythmics David A. Stewart on the hit instrumental "Lily Was Here".

In 1972, wildman and Oasis singer Liam Gallagher.

In 1972, Oasis' Liam Gallagher.

In 1973, singer Jeremy Jordan.

In 1976, singer/songwriter Fiona Apple.

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Deaths In 1948, Vernon Dalhart, whose 1924 recording of "The Prisoner's Song" was the biggest-selling non-Christmas record of the pre-rock 'n' roll era, died at the age of 65. Dalhart recorded "The Prisoner's Song" for no less than 28 labels under numerous pseudonyms. Total sales of all versions were estimated at 25-million copies.

In 1968, country singer Red Foley died in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 58.

In 1970, Jimi Hendrix, rock music's most innovative guitarist in the late 1960's, was found dead in a London apartment at the age of 27. He had left the message "I need help bad, man" on his manager Chas Chandler's answering machine.
The coroner said Hendrix choked on his own vomit after barbituate intoxication.

In 1973, arranger and conductor Hugo Winterhalter died of cancer in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was 64.

In 1973, 30-year old singer/songwriter Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash. He was on his way to a concert in Sherman, Texas when the twin-engine plane he was on hit a tree on takeoff. All on board were killed.

In 1973, singer, songwriter and guitarist Gram Parsons, a pioneer in the country-rock movement of the late 1960's, died at a motel in the California desert of a heart attack brought on by drug abuse. He was 26 years old.
In a bizarre twist to the story - Before his body could be transported to New Orleans for the funeral, it was stolen by Parsons's manager, Phil Kaufman, and another man. The two took the body back to the desert and burned it. It turned out that Parsons had asked to be cremated. Nonetheless, the two men were charged with theft and fined $300 each.

In 1974, the Average White Band drummer Robbie McIntosh was found dead in his North Hollywood hotel room. He died of a heroin overdose. Earlier that night he had inhaled a white powder he'd thought to be cocaine but which was actually pure heroin. McIntosh was 24.

In 1977, South African anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko died at age 30. Peter Gabriel later wrote his classic song, "Biko" about the tireless activist.

In 1977, Marc Bolan, leader of the British band T. Rex, died in a car crash in London at the age of 28. The car was driven by Gloria Jones, an American singer with whom Bolan was living.

In 1980, Led Zeppelin drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham died at the age of 32 of asphyxiation on his own vomit after drinking forty shots of vodka on the eve of the band's U.S. tour. Led Zeppelin then disbanded, deciding Bonham was irreplaceable.

In 1981, composer Harry Warren (Salvatore Anthony Guaragna) died at age 88. Warren composed "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" and "I Only Have Eyes for You" as well as over 400 songs for about 90 different movies.

In 1983, jazz and salsa percussionist Willie Bobo died of cancer at the age of 49. Bobo was also a regular on the first Bill Cosby television show.

In 1986, founding Metallica bassist Cliff Burton died in a tour bus accident in Sweden while the band was on tour there. Burton, who played on the classic Metallica albums "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning" and "Master of Puppets", was crushed underneath the bus when it skidded on black ice and rolled. At the time of the accident, in the middle of the night, Burton was asleep in a bunk he had earlier beaten guitarist Kirk Hammett to.

In 1987, Jaco Pastorius, bassist/singer for Word of Mouth and Weather Report, was beaten to death by a nightclub bouncer while trying to enter a club in a 'disheveled' condition. Patorius had also played for Blood, Sweat and Tears, and Joni Mitchell.

In 1991, Rob Tyner, lead vocalist for the influential 1960's hard rock band MC5, died in Detroit of a heart attack at age 46.

In 1991, jazz legend Miles Davis, suffering from pneumonia, died from a stroke and respiratory failure. Davis worked with Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and many, many others and is regarding as one of the father's of modern jazz. He was 65 years old.

In 1994, Urmas Elander, singer for the Euro group Ruja, died along with 852 other passengers and crew when the ferry Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur died in a Las Vegas hospital, five days after he was wounded in a drive-by shooting on the city's casino strip. He was 25.
Shakur was hit by four bullets as he rode in a car driven by the head of Death Row Records, Marion (Suge) Knight, who suffered a minor wound. Neither he nor anyone in Shakur's entourage of at least 10 cars provided any leads to investigators.
Police say another car carrying four people pulled up beside Knight's vehicle, and one person opened fire, riddling the car with more than a dozen bullets. The suspects' car then took off - as did several vehicles in Shakur's convoy. No one was ever charged.
Shakur was one of rap music's most notorious and successful artists, selling millions of copies of such albums as 'All Eyez on Me' and 'If I Die 2Nite'. He also had numerous troubles with the law, serving time for assault, weapons violations and sex abuse.
Two months after Shakur's death, a witness to the Las Vegas shooting was gunned down in a housing project in Orange, New Jersey. Yafeu Fula was a member of Shakur's backup group, the 'Outlaws Immortalz'. He was in the car behind Shakur when the rapper was shot.

In 1997, blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon died in Los Angeles at age 74.

In 1997, contemporary Christian singer Rich Mullins died in a traffic accident near Lostant, Illinois, southwest of Chicago. Mullins was run over by a truck after being ejected from an out-of-control ute.

In 1997, the son of romance author Danielle Steel, Nickolas John Steel Traina, died of an apparent suicidal drug overdose. Nickolas was the singer for Link 80 and Knowledge.

In 1999, be-bop guitarist Sal Salvador, the author of many jazz instruction books and leader of The Colors in Sound Orchestra, died from cancer at age 73.

In 2000, Bob Geldof's ex-wife and then Michael Hutchence's partner Paula Yates died of an accidental heroin overdose.

In 2000, Benny Goodman Sextet drummer Nick Fatool died at the age of 85.

In 2001, Billy Hilfiger, brother of fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger, died of cancer. He had worked with former members of Blue Oyster Cult and his other brother, Andy Hilfiger.

In 2001, prolific Australian promoter Darryl Sambell died of lung cancer. He had managed Bev Harrell, John Farnham, Zoot, The Masters Apprentices, Daryl Somers and many more as well as working as a concert promoter. Born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1945, Sambell passed away while living on the Gold Coast. He'd returned to Australia from New Zealand where he had spent many years working as a promoter and manager.

In 2001, big band drummer Rudy Razo died after a long illness complicated by heart and diabetes problems. Razo worked with Stan Kenton, Kenny Rogers, Vicki Carr, Buddy Ruiz, Renee Sandoval and many others.

In 2002, folk/rock singer/songwriter Tim Rose died after surgery for bowel cancer. His death occurred one day after his 62nd birthday. Rose was a member of The Smoothies (with John Phillips and Scott McKenzie), half of the duo Michael And Timothy and also was a member of The Big Three (with James Hendricks and Cass Elliot). He did "Hey Joe" and "Morning Dew".

In 2003, Australian country music legend Slim Dusty passed away at the age of 76 after a long battle with cancer. 105 albums and 36 Golden Guitars, an extraordinary career, well documented at the Official Slim Dusty Website. Slim sold over six million records, was the first Australian to earn a Gold record, the first Australian to have an International hit, and the first singer in the world to have his music beamed to Earth from space. Whether you are a fan of country music or not you have got to respect the mans work rate and the effect his music has had on this country's music industry.

In 2003, Australia's most awarded and prolific country artist, Slim Dusty, passed away aged 76. Slim's real name was David Gordon Kirkpatrick and his daughter, Anne Kirkpatrick, has followed in her father's footsteps.

In 2004, punk Legend Johnny Ramone passed away after a five year battle with prostate cancer. Johnny, aged 55, passed away in his sleep in his L.A. home, surrounded by friends and family. He founded The Ramones in 1974 with Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone and Tommy Ramone. After Johnny's death Tommy was the only surviving founding member of The Ramones.

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