ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

September 19th

1960 - Chubby Checker

Former chicken plucker Chubby Checker went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Twist'. It made No.14 in the UK in 1962, version with The Fat Boys made No.2 in the UK in 1988.

1960 - Hank Ballard and The Midnighters

Hank Ballard and The Midnighters had the honour of being the first group to have three songs in the US Top 100 at the same time. ‘Finger Poppin’ Time,’ ‘Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go’ and ‘The Twist’ all made the Top 30. Ballard refused to perform ‘The Twist’ on a highly rated US TV show, so Chubby Checker picked it up at the insistence of Dick Clark, and Checker’s version of the song was number 1 this week in 1960.



1964 - John Lennon

Oxfam printed half a million Christmas cards in the UK of a drawing by John Lennon called the Fat Budgie, which was taken from his book A Spaniard in the Works. All profits from the cards went to help raise money for charity. Oxfam re-printed the cards in 2007 as a limited edition card which again sold thousands.

1969 - Creedance Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their only UK No.1 single with 'Bad Moon Rising' a US No.2 hit. Also on this day the group started a four-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Green River.'

1970 - Glastonbury (the first festival)

The first UK Glastonbury Festival took place featuring Marc Bolan  as newly considering renaming as T. Rex, Ian Anderson, Keith Christmas, Quintessence, Duster Bennett, Worthing-based rockers Steamhammer and Walthamstow’s Sam Apple Pie. Whilst The Kinks were advertised they did not play having pulled out at the last minute. Neither did Wayne Fontana see below (ex of Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders of 'Groovy kind of love' fame but now curiously gone forgettably solo) 

1970 - Diana Ross

Diana Ross started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'. The singers first solo No.1 since leaving The Supremes a No.6 in the UK.

1973 - Gram Parsons

Country rock singer, songwriter 26-year-old Gram Parsons formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death was attributed to heart failure but later was officially announced as a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin, a former roadie for The Byrds, and was taken to Cap Rock in the California desert, where it was set alight, in accordance to Parson's wishes. The two were later arrested by police.

1979 - The No Nukes Concert

The No Nukes concert was held at New York's Madison Square Garden. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.

1981 - Simon and Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park. Over 400,000 fans attend the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.

1981 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones album 'Tattoo You' started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US chart, the band's ninth US No.1.

1992 - The Shamen

The Shamen started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ebeneezer Goode'. One of the most controversial UK chart toppers due to its perceived subliminal endorsement of recreational drug use. The song was initially banned by the BBC.

1992 - Radiohead

Radiohead filmed the video for their new single 'Creep' during a show at the Venue, in Oxford, England. During its initial release, 'Creep' was not a chart success. However, upon re-release in 1993, it became a worldwide hit.

2002 - James Brown

James Brown was being sued by his own daughters for more than £650,000 of song royalties they said they were owed claiming that they helped him write hit songs when aged three and six. Deanna Brown Thomas and Dr Yamma Brown Lumar, a Texas physician, said Brown had withheld royalties on 25 co-written songs because of a family grudge. The lawsuit claimed that Brown had held a grudge against his daughters since 1998, when Ms Thomas had her father committed to a psychiatric hospital to be treated for addiction to painkillers.

Deanna Brown Thomas and Yamma Brown Lumar

2003 - Paul McCartney

Police were investigating reports that Paul McCartney scuffled with a photographer when the singer went to see magician David Blaine, who was in a plastic box dangling over the River Thames. The London Evening Standard said one of its photographers had clashed with McCartney resulting in a scuffle.

2005 - Status Quo

Research published by Guinness World Records showed that Status Quo have had more hit singles than any other band in UK chart history. The band had scored 61 chart successes, dating from ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’ in 1968 to ‘You'll Come Around’ in 2004. Queen came second with 52 hits, with The Rolling Stones and UB40 with 51 hits each.

2008 - Earl Palmer

New Orleans drummer Earl Palmer died. Worked with The Beach Boys, Little Richard (‘Tutti Frutti’), Frank Sinatra, Ike And Tina Turner (‘River Deep, Mountain High’), The Monkees, Fats Domino (‘I'm Walkin’), Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, The Righteous Brothers (‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin’), and Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, and Little Feat.He started drumming with the Dave Bartholomew Band in the late 1940s. Palmer was known for playing on New Orleans recording sessions, including Fats Domino's "The Fat Man" and "I'm Walkin" (and several more of Domino's hits), "Tipitina" by Professor Longhair, "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard (and most of Richard's hits), to "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" by Lloyd Price

2008 - George Michael

George Michael was arrested in a public toilet in the Hampstead Heath area of London a notorious 'cottaging' area for possession of Class A and C drugs. He was taken to a local police station and cautioned for possession of a controlled substance.

2010 - Julian Lennon

John Lennon's son Julian told the press that he has ended his long-running feud with his half-brother Sean and his step-mother Yoko Ono, which started after the former Beatle was murdered in December, 1980. The trio battled in court for a share of the singer's estate, but Julian now said "Things are good between us. Whenever I'm in New York, we all get together."

2014 - Cher

A dance choreographer sued Cher for racial discrimination claiming the singer stopped him hiring any more black dancers. Kevin Wilson alleged Cher told him the tour had "too much colour" already. Mr Wilson and two other dancers had also alleged they were fired for reporting a sexual assault on a female fan by another dancer. Cher's long-running North American D2K (Dressed to Kill) was ranked one of the top 10-grossing tours of 2014 by Pollstar

BIRTHDAYS

1963 - Jarvis Cocker

Jarvis Cocker, singer, from English rock band Pulp, who had the 1995 UK No.2 single 'Common People'. He quit the band in January 1997. Pulp were regarded among the Britpop "big four", along with Oasis, Blur and Suede. He later presented a BBC Radio 6 Music show called Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service.

1958 - Lita Ford

Lita Ford, The Runaways, solo, (1989 UK No.47 single with Ozzy Osbourne 'Close My Eyes Forever').

1952 - Nile Rodgers

American musician, producer Nile Rodgers the lead guitarist and co-founding member with Bernard Edwards of the band Chic who had the 1978 US No.1 & UK No.7 single 'Le Freak'. Produced Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, David Bowie (Let's Dance album), with several hit singles including 'China Girl', 'Modern Love' and the title track, 'Let’s Dance'.

1951 - Daniel Lanois

Daniel Lanois, producer, singer. Produced Peter Gabriel album, 'So', along with albums by Brian Eno, U2, Bob Dylan. Lanois released the 1990 solo album 'Acadie'.

1947 - Ray Cooper

English virtuoso percussionist Ray Cooper who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Rick Wakeman, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Blue Mink, America, Carly Simon and David Essex. Cooper has always fascinated me and I think I would have most liked to have been him and admire his position in that he crops up everywhere on certain bands and artists of the era. 
here with John McLaughlin:

and here with Elton John


1947 - Lol Creme

Lol Creme, vocals. guitar, 10cc, (1975 UK No.1 & US No.2 single 'I'm Not In Love', plus 10 other UK Top 30 hits including 2 No.1's). Godley And Creme (1981 UK No.3 single 'Under Your Thumb'). Now a video producer.

1945 - David Bromberg

David Bromberg, US guitarist, fiddle, mandolin player who has played with many famous musicians, including Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Garcia, Rusty Evans (The Deep) and Bob Dylan.

1945 - Freda Payne

Freda Payne, US soul singer, who had the 1970 US No.3 & UK No.1 single 'Band Of Gold'. Payne is the older sister of Scherrie Payne, a former singer with The Supremes.

1943 - Cass Elliot

Cass Elliott, singer, Mamas and the Papas, who scored the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Monday Monday'. After the breakup of The Mamas & the Papas, Elliot embarked on a solo career and had the 1968 hit 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' from her solo album of the same name. Elliott died from a heart attack on 29th July 1974 while staying at Harry Nilsson's Mayfair flat in London in the UK. Four years later, Keith Moon died in the same flat, also aged 32.

1941 - Lee Dorman

Lee Dorman, Iron Butterfly (1968 US No.14 single 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida'). Dorman was found dead aged 70 in a vehicle in Orange County on 21st Dec 2012. Dorman may have been on his way to a doctor’s appointment when he passed away. He had a history of heart trouble, and the authorities did not believe there was anything suspicious about his death.

1934 - Brian Epstein

Brian Epstein, Beatles manager and manager of other Liverpool acts. Died of an accidental overdose of brandy and barbiturates on 27th August 1967. Epstein always struggled coming to terms with his sexuality being of a generation where it had been illegal although the Beatles are on record defending their friend and manager's sexual proclivities and yet his drug use was not connected to this it would seem. He became addicted to barbiturates (carbromal) to combat the speed (Preludin) they all had used in Hamburg to stay awake for long periods of time to play multiple sets throughout the night in the clubs there. Rather Epstein's conflicted sexual tastes led him to gamble excessively and he was frequently seen to lose thousands at a sitting in gambling dens and casinos in particular playing chemin-de-fer an early form of Baccarat. 

1931 - Brook Benton

Brook Benton, US singer, (1959 UK No.28 single 'Endlessly', 1979 US No.4 single 'Rainy Night In Georgia'). He died on 9th April 1998.



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