ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

1955 - Alma Cogan

Alma Cogan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Dreamboat'. Cogan went on to score over 20 UK Top 40 singles. Nicknamed ‘The Girl With the Laugh In Her Voice’, she was the highest paid British female entertainer of her era said to have never worn the same dress twice she became one of the  most successful and tragic figures in English pop.

In 1966, she was diagnosed with cancer. She received treatments and planned to continue her career, even writing several songs (under the name "Al Western") that were recorded by other singers. She kept working during the year, and an album was intended. Cogan continued touring, and while playing in Sweden, she fainted. She was diagnosed as terminally ill, and died on October 26 of that year in a London hospital. 

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles appeared live on the ABC Television program "Lucky Stars (Summer Spin)", performing ‘A Hard Day's Night’, ‘Long Tall Sally’, ‘Things We Said Today’ and ‘You Can't Do That’. To avoid the crowd of fans waiting for them, The Beatles arrived at the Teddington Studio Centre by boat, traveling down the River Thames.

1970 - Bob Dylan

Self Portrait gave Bob Dylan his fifth UK No.1 album. Released by Columbia Records, his tenth studio album was Dylan's second double album, and featured mostly cover versions of well-known pop and folk songs.

1981 - The Specials

The Specials had their second and final UK No.1 single with 'Ghost Town'. Despite being a song about Coventry, the band chose to film the video of themselves driving a Vauxhall Cresta around some empty London streets.

1996 - Jonathan Melvoin

Jonathan Melvoin keyboard player with the Smashing Pumpkins died from a drug overdose in New York City aged 34. Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin who was with Melvoin tried but failed to revive him after Chamberlin was allegedly advised by 911 operators to put Melvoin's head in the shower. Several songs were inspired by his death, including Sarah McLachlan's hit single 'Angel.' He was the brother of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. Melvoin had also been a member of The Dickies.

1998 - Billie Piper

Billie Paul Piper - English actress, dancer, and singer, from Swindon, Wiltshire went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Because We Want To'. The 15 year old made chart history by becoming the second youngest female to score a No.1; Helen Shapiro was the youngest at 14 with the 1961 No.1 single 'You Don't Know'.
Preempting the star's transfer to acting and appear as Rose in Dr Who! 

2002 - John Entwistle

The funeral of The Who's bass player John 'The Ox' Entwistle took place at a church in The Cotswolds. More than 200 mourners filed into the 12th century church of St Edward in Stow-on-the-Wold. Even though Who bassist John Entwistle died in Las Vegas on the eve of a huge tour, his final resting place was closer to his home.

John 'The Ox' Entwistle

Entwistle's body was repatriated back to England, where he was buried on July 10, 2002, near the village church in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. The bassist had lived there with his partner Lisa Pritchard-Johnson, and suffered from an undiagnosed heart condition that contributed to his death

listen to this bass!

2014 - Tommy Ramone

Producer and drummer Tommy Ramone (Thomas Erdelyi), from the influential punk rock band the Ramones died aged 65 following unsuccessful treatment for bile duct cancer. He was the last surviving original member of the Ramones before his death. 

His real name was Tamas(Thomas) Erdelyi, native of Budapest, Hungary. He emigrated to America in 1957 and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, where he met and played with guitarist John Cummings (Johnny Ramone) in the Tangerine Puppets. The company later added Jeffrey Hyman (Joey Ramone) and DouglasColvin (DeeDee Ramone). At the same time, Tommy studied engineering and worked in Record Plant record company where in 1969 he helped in recording the Jimi Hendrix album 'Band of Gypsys'.

BIRTHDAYS

1959 - Susanne Vega

Suzanne Vega, US singer, songwriter, (1990 UK No.2 single 'Tom's Diner', with DNA).

1966 - Mel Appleby

Mel & Kim

Melanie Appleby, (Mel and Kim, 1987 UK No.1 single 'Respectable'). She died from cancer on 18th January 1990 at the age of 23.


1947 - John Holt

John Holt, reggae singer and songwriter who first found fame as a member of the Paragons, before establishing himself as a solo artist. Holt penned 'The Tide Is High' made famous by Blondie. He died on 20th October 2014.