ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'A Hard Day's Night', the group's fifth UK No.1. Loved this from around the time of the film which we have mentioned before as I saw it with my brother and maternal cousins on holiday in Barmouth Wales . . . or was it Port Madoc? . . . . .life changing

1969 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Honky Tonk Women,' the group's eighth and last UK No.1. The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while on holiday in Brazil and the Stones initially recorded the track as Country Honk in London in early March 1969 with Brian Jones present during these sessions.

1977 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was charged with assault after a concert at the Oakland Coliseum in California. Bonham and band manager Peter Grant had the help of their bodyguard in roughing up a security employee at the venue. After pleading guilty to misdemeanours, the accused settle out of court for two million dollars. The tour would eventually be cancelled after Robert Plant's son died a few days later.

1979 - Keith Godchaux

Keyboard player with The Grateful Dead Keith Godchaux died after being involved in a car accident aged 32. He co-wrote songs with Lowell George (of Little Feat) and was a member of The New Riders of the Purple Sage.

1983 - Paul Young

Paul Young had his first UK No.1 single with his version of the Marvin Gaye song 'Wherever I Lay My Hat, (That's My Home.)' The song title was parodied by the UK indie band Super Furry Animals with their 1999 song 'Wherever I Lay My Phone (That's My Home)'.

1989 - Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr kicked off his first tour since the break-up of the Beatles with a show in Dallas. His backup band included guitarist Joe Walsh, organist Billy Preston and Bruce Springsteen's sax man Clarence Clemons.

2001 - Paul McCartney

59-year-old Paul McCartney, who lost his first wife Linda to cancer three years ago, became engaged to 33-year-old Heather Mills, an activist for the disabled. It was the first marriage for the 33-year-old Mills, a former swimwear model whose left leg was amputated below the knee after she was run down by a police motorcyclist in 1993. The pair would split in 2006 and divorce in 2008 with a settlement that cost Macca millions.

2005 - Queen

Queen's 1985 Live Aid performance was voted the best rock concert ever by over 7,000 UK Sony Ericsson music fans. Radiohead were voted the best festival act for their 1997 Glastonbury performance and Bob Dylan's 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall gig won the best ever solo gig.

2006 - George Michael

George Michael was accused of engaging in anonymous public sex, after being photographed in London's Hampstead Heath with a 58-year-old unemployed van driver. Despite stating that he intended to sue both the News of the World tabloid who photographed the incident and van driver Norman Kirtland for slander, Michael stated that he openly cruised for anonymous sex and that this was not an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny Goss.

on the Heath!

2009 - Bob Dylan

On the afternoon of tonight's concert at First Energy Park, Lakewood, New Jersey, Bob Dylan was picked up by a young policewoman who had been alerted of a man who was 'acting suspiciously'. The police officer drove up to Dylan, who was wearing a blue jacket, and asked him his name, but she did not recognise him. When he was unable to produce any identification, Dylan was driven to his hotel where staff were able to vouch for him. The incident happened when Dylan decided to go for a walk in the afternoon while on tour with Willie Nelson who were due to perform at the local baseball stadium with John Mellencamp.

Bob has always enjoyed the unexpected getting around and if it requires a bike then so be it!

Bob in a cemetery 

Bob on a street corner in Rio De Janeiro

of course he's always done it, sometimes it was easier though. . . . 

2011 - Amy Winehouse

A very young Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was found dead at her north London home, she was 27. A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that a 27-year-old woman had died in Camden and that the cause of death was as yet unexplained.London Ambulance Service said it had been called to the flat at 15.54 GMT and sent two vehicles but the woman died.The troubled singer had a long battle with drink and drugs which overshadowed her recent musical career.
I'm not going to post the descent into chaos and drink and drug abuse that we have covered but we choose to remember Amy this way. . . . here she is despite her extreme stage fright and lack of confidence, with one of her all time heroes, Mr Tony Bennett
We miss her . . . . . 

2013 - Beyonce

Beyonce soldiered through a concert in Montreal, Canada after her hair got tangled in the blades of a fan. The singer was performing 'Halo' from an audience pit when the incident happened. She continued to sing her encore while security guards tried to extract her from the fan, which was mounted on the edge of the stage. So it was an extractor fan! [sorry, not sorry]

BIRTHDAYS

1973 - Fran Healy

Fran Healy, vocals, guitar, with Scottish rock band Travis. Their 1999 UK album The Man Who spent nine weeks at No.1 on the UK Charts and one-hundred and thirty-four weeks in the top 100 of the chart. Travis had and 1999 UK No.10 single 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me', plus over 10 other UK Top 40 singles

1971 - Alison Krauss

Alison Krauss, bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She released her first solo album in 1987 and then was invited to join the band with which she still performs, Alison Krauss and Union Station. Winner of 1996 Rolling Stone's critic's choice best country artist. Krauss recorded Raising Sand with Robert Plant in 2007 which was nominated for and won 5 Grammies at the 51st Grammy Awards. I loved the voice of Alison Krauss and like many think I must have first heard her in that brilliant film 'O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)' Then her work with Robert Plant but with Union Station I had her work on the country bluegrass albums and have quite a few too. A compelling bluegrass musician ass well as the most haunting of voices. 

1965 - Slash

Slash, (Saul Hudson), guitarist with Guns N' Roses who had the 1988 US No.1 and 1989 UK No.6 single Sweet Child o' Mine and the 1991 US and UK No.1 album Use Your Illusion II. Their 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction has sold approximately 30 million copies worldwide, including 18 million in the US, making it the best-selling debut album of all time. Slash went on to form the side project Slash's Snakepit and then Velvet Revolver, who had the 2004 US No.1 and UK No.11 album Contraband.

a very young 'Slash' Saul Hudson

Slash's late mother the beautiful model Ola Hudson

1947 - David Essex

David Essex, UK singer, actor, (1974 UK No.1 single 'Gonna Make You A Star', plus 18 other UK Top 40 singles, 1974 US No.5 single, 'Rock On').

and see if you can name the other actors in the band in this clip . . . . . . 

1947 - Tony Joe White

Tony Joe White, US singer, songwriter, best known for his 1969 US No.8 single, 'Polk Salad Annie' (also recorded by Elvis Presley and Tom Jones) and ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ which he wrote but was first made popular by Brook Benton in 1970. He also wrote 'Steamy Windows' a UK No.13 single for Tina Turner. White died of a heart attack on October 24, 2018, at the age of 75.

1946 - Andy Mackay

Bryan Ferry and Andy Mackay

English multi-instrumentalist, Andy Mackay, who with Roxy Music scored the hit singles 'Street Life', 'Love is the Drug', 'Dance Away', 'Angel Eyes', 'Jealous Guy' and 'Avalon'. Mackay has also worked with Duran Duran, Mott the Hoople, John Cale and Paul McCartney.

1942 - Madeline Bell

Madeline Bell, UK singer, Blue Mink, (1970 UK No.3 single 'Melting Pot') jazz singer still and sought after backing singer throughout her career Madeline has one of the most distinguished voices in all contemporary music. She is still working today

Madeline Bell By Martin Greeson 2008

with thanks to On This Day In Music