CHRISTMAS DAY!

On this day in music

December 25th

1954 - Bing Crosby

Richard Hamilton 'I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas' Tate Gallery

Bing Crosby's ‘White Christmas’ entered the Billboard Pop chart for the eleventh time. Bing's rendition has sold over 100 million copies around the world, with at least 50 million sales as singles. It was the largest selling single in music history until it was surpassed by Elton John's ‘Candle in the Wind 1997’.

Richard Hamilton - "Im Dreaming of A White Christmas' print

1954 - Johnny Ace

Johnny Ace shot himself dead backstage at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas. The R&B singer was playing with a revolver during a break between sets, someone in the room said "Be careful with that thing’’ and he said ‘It’s OK the gun’s not loaded, see’’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face.

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles recorded six songs for the BBC radio program Saturday Club in London: ‘Rock and Roll Music’, ‘I'm a Loser’, ‘Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby’, ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey’ and ‘She's a Woman.’

1964 - Stevie Wonder

The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder and The Marvelettes all appeared at The Fox Theatre, Brooklyn, New York.

1968 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin arrived in the United States for the very first time in preparation of their debut North American tour. The group were paid an average of $1,500 for each show. 

1976 - Johnny Mathis

American MOR singer Johnny Mathis was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'When A Child Is Born', the singers only UK No.1 and the Christmas hit of 1976.

1978 - John Lydon

John Lydon's new group Public Image Ltd played their first live gig at the Rainbow Theatre, London.

1982 - David Bowie

David Bowie had a No.3 UK hit with a duet with Bing Crosby, 'Peace On Earth - Little Drummer Boy.' The single became one of Bowie's best selling in his career, with total estimated sales over 400,000 in the UK alone. The Christmas song was written in 1941, while the 'Peace on Earth' tune and lyrics, written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan, were added to the song specially for Bowie and Crosby's recording.

1995 - Dean Martin

American singer, actor and TV host Dean Martin died. Had the 1956 UK & US No.1 single 'Memories Are Made Of This' plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles including ‘That's Amore’, ‘Everybody Loves Somebody’, ‘Mambo Italiano’. In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, The Dean Martin Show.

1998 - Bryan MacLean

Bryan MacLean, guitarist with Love, died of a heart attack aged 62 while having Christmas dinner with a young fan who was researching a book about the band. Love had the 1966 US No.33 single '7 And 7 Is', and the 1968 album 'Forever Changes' for which MacLean wrote 'Alone Again Or', 'Orange Skies' (earlier) and the classic 'Old Man'
.

2003 - Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson recorded his first interview since news of the allegations of sexual abuse with a 12-year old boy. He told the CBS TV network he would 'slit his wrists' before he would hurt a child. He also claimed he suffered a dislocated shoulder after police 'manhandled' him and treated him 'very roughly' during his arrest.

2006 - James Brown

James Brown the ‘Godfather of Soul’, died at the age of 73 after being diagnosed with severe pneumonia. Brown went to his dentist in Atlanta the previous day who told him something was wrong, and sent him to a doctor immediately. His hits included ‘Papa's Got a Brand New Bag’, ‘I Got You (I Feel Good)’, and ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt. 1’. Brown was married four times, at the age of 16, was arrested for theft and served 3 years in prison. In 1988, Brown was arrested following a high-speed car chase along the Georgia-South Carolina state border.

2008 - Eartha Kitt 

American actress, singer, and cabaret star Eartha Kitt died from colon cancer at her Weston, Connecticut home at the age of 81. Best known for her 1953 Christmas song ‘Santa Baby.’

2009 - Vic Chesnutt

American singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt died from an overdose of muscle relaxants that had left him in a coma in an Athens hospital. He released 17 albums during his career, including two produced by Michael Stipe.

2014 - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran was at No.1 on the UK album chart with x, (pronounced "multiply"). In 2015, x won the Brit Award for British Album of the Year, and at the 57th Grammy Awards it was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year. Spotify named x the most-streamed album in the world for 2014, racking up more than 430 million streams for the year.

2016 - George Michael

George Michael died at his home aged 53. Thames Valley Police said South Central Ambulance Service attended a property in Goring in Oxfordshire at 13:42 GMT. The singer who launched his career with Wham in the 1980s and later continued his success as a solo performer, was said to have "passed away peacefully at home". Up to the time of his death, Michael sold more than 115 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

George's lovely home in Goring

George's front door

George hid away towards the end

BIRTHDAYS

1957 - Shane MacGowan

Shane MacGowan, singer songwriter from Irish-British Celtic punk band The Pogues who scored the 1987 UK No.8 single 'The Irish Rover' and the 1987 UK No.2 single with Kirsty MaCcoll, 'Fairytale Of New York'. Shane has written some of the finest poetic songs of his generation (check out Rainy Night In Soho and Pair of Brown Eyes')

1954 - Robin Campbell

Robin Campbell, guitar, vocals, with UB40, who had the 1983 UK No.1 & 1988 US No.1 single 'Red Red Wine' and over 30 other top 40 hits.

1954 - Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox, singer, The Tourists, (1979 UK No.4 single 'I Only Want To Be With You'). Eurythmics, (1983 US No.1 single 'Sweet Dreams', 1985 UK No.1 single 'There Must Be An Angel'). Solo, (1995 UK No.2 single 'No More I Love You's').

1945 - Noel Redding

Noel Redding, bassist with The Jimi Hendrix Experience who had the 1967 UK No.3 single 'Purple Haze', and the 1970 UK No.1 single 'Voodoo Chile'. Redding was the first person to join the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and the first to leave, his final concert with them was in June 1969. Redding died on 11th May 2003 aged 57. I always sensed Noel was difficult, he wasn't the greatest singer, he wasn't the greatest guitarist but Chas Chandler realised he would make a great bassist behind Jimi and alongside Mitch on drums. His one concession was to have his song 'Little Miss Strange' featured on their album 'Electric Ladyland' it is a low point and IMHO truly dreadful and sticks out like a sore thumb. A shame and the falling out when he left the 'Experience' says it all. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, especially if you ain't that good! Check out the later appearances on Youtube it is unfortunately nothing but sadness . . . . . . . . regurgitating Jimi's classics with pick up bands, pub rockers and unheard ofs. Sad . . . . .

1944 - Kenny Everett

Kenny Everett, UK radio and TV presenter, (1983 UK No.9 single 'Snot Rap'). Died 4th April 1995.

1944 - Henry Vestine

Henry Vestine, guitarist with American rock band Canned Heat. Two of their songs 'Going Up the Country' and 'On the Road Again' became international hits. He died on 20th October 1997.I LOVED Canned Heat for a while and saw them live a few times mostly at festivals. Levine was an early hero


1943 - Trevor Lucas

Trevor Lucas, Fairport Convention, UK folk group, (1969 UK No.21 single 'Si Tu Dois Partie'). Also worked with Al Stewart and The Strawbs. Lucas died 4th February 1989.

1940 - Pete Brown

Pete Brown, lyricist, poet, singer, producer, Cream, (1967 UK No.11 single 'I Feel Free'). Also worked with Jack Bruce, Graham Bond, Mick Jagger and Peter Green. I loved Pete's writing and guess I first heard it through Cream but I always loved it right on through Piblokto and such




1929 - Chris Kenner

Chris Kenner, was a New Orleans R&B singer and songwriter, best known for two hit singles in the early 1960s, which became staples in the repertoires of many other musicians, produced and played on by Allen Toussaint (1961 US No.2 single 'I Like It Like That'). A New Orleans classic

1929 - Bill Horton

American singer Bill Horton from The Silhouettes. The doo wop/R&B groups single 'Get A Job' was a No.1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart and pop singles chart in 1958. The doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na derived their name from the song's lyrics. 'Get A Job' is included in the soundtracks of the film American Graffiti, Trading Places and Stand By Me. Horton died on January 23, 1995. . . . . speaking of classic . . . . .