December 20th: On this Day In Music History‏

 

1958, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison appeared as The Quarry Men at the wedding reception of George's older brother, Harry. The event was held at the Harrison family home at 25 Upton Green, Speke, Liverpool.

1959, Emile Ford and the Checkmates were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For.'

1962, The Osmonds appeared for the first time on the NBS-TV Andy Williams show. The brothers performed 'I'm A Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas'.

1967, Folk singer Joan Baez was sentenced to 45 days in prison after being arrested during an anti-war demonstration.

1968, The Beatles sixth Christmas record 'The Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record', was sent to fan club members in the UK and the US. It included the song 'Nowhere Man' sung by Tiny Tim.

1969, Peter Paul and Mary went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Leavin' On A Jet Plane'.

1969, Rolf Harris was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Two Little Boys', (the song was written in 1902). The Christmas No.1 of 1969 and the last No.1 of the 60s. The song stayed at No.1 for six weeks.

1969, The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their 10th release 'Let It Bleed', featuring 'Midnight Rambler', and 'You Can't Always Get What You Want.'

1973, American singer Bobby Darin died aged 37. One of the first teen idols, he had the 1959 No.1 with 'Dream Lover' plus 20 other US Top 40 hits during the 60's including 'Mack the Knife', (Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1960). Darin traveled with Robert Kennedy and worked on the latter's 1968 presidential campaign. He was with Kennedy the day he traveled to Los Angeles on June 4, 1968 for the California Primary. Darin was at the Ambassador Hotel later that night when Kennedy was assassinated.

1974, Former James Gang guitarist Joe Walsh officially replaced Bernie Leadon in The Eagles.

1979, The UK Christmas album chart at Our Price Records, Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall', £3.74. The Police, 'Regatta De Blanc', £3.49, and the No.1 album Pink Floyd's 'The Wall', £6.45.

1980, Twelve days after John Lennon was shot dead in New York City, (Just Like) Starting Over gave the former Beatle his first ever UK solo No.1 single. Taken from his Double Fantasy album.

1980, Motorhead's Phil Taylor accidentally broke a bone in his neck when partying after a gig in Belfast.

1986, The Bangles started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Walk Like An Egyptian'.

1986, The Housemartins were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of The Isley Brothers 'Caravan Of Love.' It was only the second a cappella song to be a No.1 hit after 'Only You' by the Flying Pickets.

1992, American blues singer and guitarist, Albert King died from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded dozens of influential songs, such as 'Crosscut Saw' and 'As The Years Go Passing By', and the 1967 album, 'Born Under a Bad Sign.'

1999, Readers of UK Guitar magazine voted Noel Gallagher the most overrated guitarist of the millennium. Jimi Hendrix was voted guitarist of the millennium with Nirvana's 'Nevermind' winning best album.

1999, Canadian Country singer Hank Snow died. 'The Singing Ranger' released over 100 albums and scored more than seventy singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980. A regular at the Grand Ole Opry, in 1954 Snow persuaded the directors to allow a new singer by the name of Elvis Presley to appear at the Grand Ole Opry.

2000, Ritchie and J from Five were remanded on bail following a court appearance in connection with a fight in a Dublin pub. They were charged with public order offences.

2000, Figures from the RIA of America showed that Teen Pop was alive and doing very well. Pop accounted for most of the record sales in America with Jive records, home to Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC selling 31m records

2001, Tommy Lee branded his ex-wife Pam Anderson an unfit mother. The drummer filed papers with the Los Angeles Superior Court alleging his son's tell him 'We hate Mommy' and his son Brandon had been using the F-word he learned from his mommy.

2006, Eminem and his high school sweetheart divorced for a second time, less than a year after they remarried. The couple agreed to share custody of their 10-year-old daughter, Hailie. The pair told a judge in Michigan they understood this time the divorce was final. The couple remarried in January. But the rapper filed for divorce less than three months later, saying there had been "a breakdown in the marriage relationship".

2006, Matthew Fisher, a founding member of Procol Harum, won a High Court battle over who wrote their song A Whiter Shade of Pale. He played organ on the 1967 hit and argued he wrote the distinctive organ melody. Mr Justice Blackburne ruled he was entitled to 40% of the copyright. Fisher had wanted half but the court decided lead singer Gary Brooker's input was more substantial. Fisher's claim for back royalties - of up to £1m - was also rejected. For almost 40 years, the song has been credited to lead singer Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid.

2006, Ian Halperin claimed that Michael Jackson was close to death. The Rolling Stone magazine writer said Jackson was suffering from a rare lung condition and needed a lung transplant. He also claimed that the singer had lost 95% vision in one eye and was so ill he could barley speak.

2008, Britney Spears went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Circus', the singer's sixth studio album.

December 20th: Born on this day

1944, Born on this day, Bobby Colomby, drums, Blood Sweat & Tears, (1969 US No.12 & UK No.35 single 'You've Made Me So Very Happy').

1947, Born on this day, Peter Criss, drums, vocals, Kiss, (1974 US No.5 single 'On And On' 1976 US No 11 album 'Rock and Roll Over' spent 26 weeks on the chart. 1987 UK No.4 single 'Crazy Crazy Nights').

1948, Born on this day, Stevie Wright, The Easybeats, (1966 UK No.6 & 1967 US No. 16 single 'Friday On My Mind').

1948, Born on this day Alan Parsons, British studio audio engineer, musician, and record producer. He was involved with the production of The Beatles' Abbey Road and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon for which Pink Floyd credit him as an important contributor. Parsons' own group, The Alan Parsons Project released several albums.

1956, Born on this day, Guy Babylon, keyboards, Elton John Band. Died on Sept 2nd 2009 of a heart attack while swimming in his pool at his home in Los Angeles, California.

1957, Born on this day, Anita Ward, singer, (1979 US & UK No.1 single 'Ring My Bell').

1957, Born on this day, Billy Bragg, UK singer, songwriter, wrote 'New England' 1985 hit for Kirsty MacColl, (1988 UK No.1 charity single with Wet Wet Wet, 'She's Leaving Home').

1957, Born on this day, Michael Watt, bassist, fIREHOSE, Stooges, Porno For Pyros.

1966, Born on this day, Chris Robinson, The Black Crowes, (1991 UK No.39 single 'Hard To Handle', 1992 US No.1 & UK No.2 album 'The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion').

1975, Born on this day, Graham Hopkins, drums, Therapy? (1993 UK No.9 single 'Screamager').