ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

1956 - Frankie Lymon

The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love'. A No.6 hit in the US. At 13, Lymon was the youngest performer to make No.1. He had a troubled life. When he died at 26 of a heroin overdose he had been married three times and despite 'Why Do Fools. . ' being covered by Diana Ross and Joni Mitchell it caused posthumous problems for the estate Zola Taylor, Elizabeth Waters (who to add to the confusion was already married when she married Lymon!) and Emira Eagle his three wives each approached Morris Levy, the music impresario who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties, claiming to be Lymon's rightful widow; Lymon had neglected to divorce any of them! The complex issue resulted in lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, and in 1986 the first of several court cases concerning the ownership of Lymon's estate began with court antics and claims and counter claims hurling around for the royalties.

1958 - John Lennon

John Lennon's mother Julia was killed by a car driven by an off-duty drunken police officer close to her sister's house at 251 Menlove Avenue where John grew up, his Aunt Mimi having complained repeatedly of her sister living in sin with the man who she hooked up with after Lennon's father, Alf, was at sea. The policeman Eric Clague was later acquitted of the offence. Lennon was 17 years old at the time and the teenage Lennon was distraught as you would be. Julia could be said in many ways to be John's muse but Aunt Mimi was a more Victorian straight laced women who refused to have music in the house and the boy would frequently kick against the traces with and it was Julia who taught him how to play the banjo and bought the youngster his first guitar. 

"I lost her twice," he asserted just before his own death. "Once as a five-year-old when I was moved in with my auntie. And once again ... when she actually, physically died. ... And that was really a hard time for me. It just absolutely made me very, very bitter." John Lennon

1967 - The Doors and The Jefferson Airplane

The Doors and The Jefferson Airplane both played an afternoon and evening show to over 8,000 fans at Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California.

1973 - Ray Davies

The Edgar Winter Group, Sly & The Family Stone, Canned Heat, Lindisfarne and The Kinks all appeared at The Great Western Express festival at White City, west London. With his wife having recently walked out of their marriage, taking their young children with her, Ray Davies of The Kinks announces from the stage that he is sick of the whole thing and is retiring. He then walks into a local hospital and collapses from an overdose of tranquillizers.

1978 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan with special guest Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading and Graham Parker all appeared at Blackbushe Aerodrome, Surrey, England. Reputedly this was the biggest ever UK audience for Bob Dylan, with over 200,000 fans attending.

2000 - Shaun Ryder

A Manchester judge reprimanded Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder after he turned up a day late in court to give evidence. Ryder told the court he had been on 'a bender'. A man was cleared of dangerous driving and assaulting Ryder.

2000 - Paul Young

Sad Cafe singer Paul Young died of a heart attack at his Manchester home aged 53. ‘Run Home Girl’ was a hit for Sad Cafe in the US, ‘Everyday Hurts’ was a UK No.3 hit in 1979. Joined Mike Rutherford and Paul Carrack in Mike and the Mechanics and had the hits ‘The Living Years’ and ‘Silent Running’.

not to be confused with white soul singer Paul Young of 'Wherever I lay My Hat' fame

2016 - Chris Martin

In what they famously describe as a 'conscious uncoupling,' Chris Martin of Coldplay and actress Gwyneth Paltrow officially divorce after more than ten years of marriage.

BIRTHDAYS

1956 - Ian Curtis

Ian Curtis, guitar, vocals, Warsaw, Joy Division, (1980 UK No.13 single 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'). Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England on 18th May 1980 at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album 'The Idiot', playing on his stereo and left a note that said, 'At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I Just can't cope anymore.'

1947 - Roky Erickson

American singer, songwriter, harmonica player, and guitarist Roky Erickson who was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre. Erickson died on 31 May 2019 age 71.

1946 - Linda Ronstadt

American singer Linda Ronstadt who had the 1975 US No.1 single 'You're No Good', and the 1989 UK No.2 single with Aaron Neville, 'Don't Know Much' plus over 15 other US Top 40 hits. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, and an ALMA Award. Here she is at her very best but the second video contains the heartbreaking account of her struggles with Parkinson's disease which robed her (and us) of that wonderful voice

1944 - Millie Jackson

Millie Jackson, US soul singer, Jackson's vocal performances are often distinguished by long, humorous, and explicit spoken sections in her music, which she started doing on stage to get the attention of the audience  (1973 US No. 24 single, 'Hurts So Good', 1985 UK No.32 single with Elton John 'Act Of War').