December 3rd: On this Day In Music History

 

1955, Elvis Presley's first release on RCA Victor Records was announced. The first two songs 'Mystery Train' and 'I Forgot to Remember to Forget' had been purchased from Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Elvis was described by his new record company as 'The most talked about personality in recorded music in the last 10 years.'

1956, Guy Mitchell was at No.1 on the US singles chart with his version of the Marty Robbins song 'Singing The Blues'.

1961, Brian Epstein invited The Beatles into his office to discuss the possibility of becoming their manager.

1964, The Rolling Stones had their second UK No.1 single with their version of 'Little Red Rooster'.

1965, Rolling Stone Keith Richards was knocked unconscious by an electric shock on stage at the Memorial Hall In Sacramento, California, when his guitar made contact with his microphone.

1965, The Beatles set out on what would be their last ever UK tour at Glasgow's Odeon Cinema. Also on the bill, The Moody Blues The Koobas and Beryl Marsden. The last show was at Cardiff's Capitol Cinema on 12th December.

1966, British act The New Vaudeville Band started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Winchester Cathedral'. A No.4 hit in the UK.

1966, Ray Charles was given a five year suspended prison sentence and a $10,000 fine after being convicted of possessing heroin and marijuana. 1966, The Monkees made their live debut at the International Arena, Honolulu. 1967, Gladys Knight and The Pips with Joe Tex appeared at the Saville Theatre in London. 1969, The Rolling Stones recorded 'Brown Sugar' at Muscle Shoals studios. The single went on to be a UK & US No.1. 1969, Al Green kicked off a ten-date UK tour at Manchester's New Century Hall. 1971, The Montreux Casino in Switzerland burnt to the ground during a gig by Frank Zappa. The incident is immortalized by Deep Purple's 1973 hit, 'Smoke on the Water.' (some stupid with a flare gun, burned the place to the ground...") 1971, Nazareth kicked off a nine-date UK tour at Worcester College, Oxford. 1975, Ronnie Wood's wife Krisse was arrested for alleged possession of cannabis and cocaine after a raid on the couple's house in Richmond. Krissie's friend Audrey Burgon was also arrested, newspapers reported that the two women were found 'sleeping together.' 1976, The Stranglers signed a recording contract with United Artists. 1976, a giant 40ft inflatable pig could be seen floating above London after breaking free from its moorings. The pig had been photographed for Pink Floyd's 'Animals', album cover; the CAA issued a warning to all pilots that a flying pig was on the run. 1976, an attempt was made on Bob Marley's life when seven gunmen burst into his Kingston home injuring Marley his wife Rita and manager Don Taylor, the attack was believed to be politically motivated. 1976, an estimated three and a half million people applied for Abba's forthcoming British Albert Hall concerts, there were just over 11 thousand tickets available. 1977, Wings started a nine-week run at No.1 in the UK with 'Mull Of Kintyre'. The first single to sell over 2 million copies in the UK, (it was co-written by Denny Laine who sold his rights to the song when he became bankrupt). 1977, Linda Ronstadt started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Simple Dreams'. 1978, The Philadelphia Furies, a soccer team co-owned by Peter Frampton, Paul Simon and Mick Jagger, lost their first match in the North American League, 3-0 to the Washington Diplomats. 1979, a concert by The Who at The Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, turned to disaster when 11 members of the audience were trampled to death after a stampede to claim unreserved seats. 1983, Duran Duran scored their first UK No.1 album with their third release, 'Seven And The Ragged Tiger' 1983, Lionel Richie started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Can't Slow Down'. 1985, New Order played two shows in one day at the Hacienda, Manchester, one in the afternoon and one evening show. 1986, Judas Priest were sued by two family's, alleging that the band were responsible for their son's forming a suicide pact and shooting themselves after listening to Judas Priest records. 1987, The Icicle Works supported by the La's appeared at London's Town & Country Club. 1994, Boyz II Men knocked themselves off the No.1 position on the US singles chart when 'On Bended Knee' started a six week run a No.1. The group's 'I'll Make Love To You' had been at No.1 for a record breaking 14 weeks. 1999, It was reported that rapper Jay-Z had been arrested in connection with the stabbing of music executive Lance Rivera. The rapper was charged with first-degree assault. 1999, U2 singer Bono had his missing laptop computer returned after loosing it. A young man had bought it for £300 discovered he had the missing laptop, which contained tracks from the forthcoming U2 album. 1999, Prosecutors in California charged Gabriel Gomez with the kidnapping and murder of Sandra Ann Rosas, wife of Los Lobos singer and guitarist Cesar Rosas. No body had yet been found.   2000, Backstreet Boys started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Black & Blue'. 2000, Mick Jagger and U2 formed a £100 million offshore investment trust to buy commercial property. Based in the Channel Islands the fund planed to invest in small offices and shops in London, England. 2003, A Los Angeles court ruled that the privacy of singer Barbra Streisand was not violated when a picture of her Malibu estate was posted on a website. Streisand had filed a $10m action against software entrepreneur Kenneth Adelman after he posted a photo of her home on his conservation site. 2006, The reformed Take That topped the UK singles and album charts simultaneously for the first time ever in their career. The single 'Patience' remained at number for the second week, and Beautiful World the group's new album entered the chart at No.1. 2007, Diana Ross and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson both collected awards for contributions to US culture a ceremony in Washington, attended by President Bush. Hootie and the Blowfish paid tribute to Brian Wilson with a medley of some of the Beach Boys' best-known songs. 2009, Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood was arrested in Esher, Surrey on suspicion of assault, after a passer-by dialled 999 as a violent argument took place between Wood and his 21-year-old on-off girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova. He was later cautioned by police. December 3rd: Born on this day 1928, Born on this day, Andy Williams, US singer, (1957 US & UK No.1 single 'Butterfly', 1963 US & UK No.2 single ''Can't Get Used To Losing You'', plus over 25 other US Top 40 singles. Presented the long running Andy Williams TV show). 1940, Born on this day, John Cale, Velvet Underground, (1968 'White Light, White Heat', 1967 Velvet Underground And Nico 'peeled banana' album). 1942, Born on this day, Ken Lewis, Ivy League, (1965 UK No.3 single 'Tossing and Turning'). 1944, Born on this day, Ralph McTell, UK folk singer songwriter & children's TV presenter, (1975 UK No.2 single 'Streets of London'). 1946, Born on this day, Vic Malcolm, Geordie, (1973 UK No.6 single 'All Because Of You'). 1948, Born on this day, John Osbourne, drums, Taste, (1970 UK No.18 album 'On The Boards'). 1948, Born on this day, Ozzy Osbourne, (John Michael Osbourne), vocals, Black Sabbath, (1970 UK No.4 single 'Paranoid', the bands self-titled 1970 album was voted as the best British rock albums ever by Kerrang! in 2005.). Solo (1986 UK No.20 single 'Shot In The Dark'). Star of The Osbournes MTV show. 1949, Born on this day, Mickey Thomas, Jefferson Starship, (1987 UK & US No.1 single 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us'). 1951, Born on this day, Mike Stock, (part of the Stock, Aitken, Waterman production team, produced over 10 UK No.1 singles. 1951, Born on this day, Nicky Stevens, Brotherhood Of Man, (1976 UK No.1 single 'Save Your Kisses For Me'). 1952, Born on this day, Duane Roland, guitar, Molly Hatchet, (1980 album 'Beatin' The Odds). 1967, Born on this day, Adamski, (Adam Tinley, 1990 UK No.1 single 'Killer'). 1968, Born on this day, Montell Jordan, singer, (1995 US No.1 & UK No.11 single 'This Is How We Do It'). 1979, Born on this day, Daniel Bedingfield, singer, songwriter, (2001 UK No.1 single 'Gotta Get Thru This').   Died on this day 2000, American composer Hoyt Curtin died of heart failure aged 78. He was the composer of many of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons' theme songs, including The Flintstones, Top Cat, Jonny Quest, Superfriends, The Jetsons, Josie and the Pussycats, and The New Scooby-Doo Movies.   2001, American session guitarist Grady Martin died aged 72. Member of the legendary Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits ranging from Roy Orbison's 'Oh, Pretty Woman', Marty Robbins' 'El Paso' and Loretta Lynn's 'Coal Miner's Daughter'. During a 50-year career, Martin backed such names as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Joan Baez and J. J. Cale.   2008, Composer, keyboardist and arranger Derek Wadsworth died in Oxfordshire, England. As a musician he worked with Georgie Fame, Alan Price, George Harrison, Mike Oldfield, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Simply Red. Arranger for David Essex, Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone, Judy Garland, Kate Bush, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, The Small Faces, The Rolling Stones and Manfred Mann.