Good Wednesday afternoon and welcome to This Day In The History Of Music 🎶. Enjoy the read. 1). On this day in 1881, an early patent for a piano player was issued to John McTammany, Jr., of Cambridge, Mass. John McTammany described his invention as a "mechanical musical instrument." It worked using narrow sheets of perforated flexible paper which triggered the notes. 2). On this day in 1946 Nat King Cole records "The Christmas Song". 3). On this day in 1961 Country singing star Patsy Cline was seriously injured in a car accident. During her two month hospital stay, her song "I Fall to Pieces" gave the singer her first Country No.1 and also became a huge country-pop crossover hit. 4). On this day in 1964 Touring Australia The Beatles arrived in Melbourne and were greeted at the airport by over 5,000 fans. Another 20,000 fans lined the route from the airport to the hotel, army and navy units were brought in to help control the crowds, cars were crushed, hundreds of girls fainted and over 50 people were admitted to hospital with broken bones. 5). On this day in 1974 Ray Stevens was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Streak' a song about the latest British craze of streaking, (running naked in a public place). 6). On this day in 1977 Led Zeppelin played the last of six sold out nights in New York City during their 11th and final North American tour. The 3-hour set included: The Song Remains The Same, Since I’ve Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, 'Stairway ToHeaven', Whole Lotta Love, Rock And Roll and When the Levee Breaks. 7). On this day in 1980 Billy Joel started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Glass Houses', his second US No.1 album. The album features Joel's first song to peak at No.1 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart, 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me.' 8). On this day in 1987 Madonna played the first date on her "Who's That Girl World Tour" in Osaka, Japan. The tour became the highest-grossing tour ever, grossing over $20 million dollars. 9). On this day in 1994 Composer Henry Mancini died aged 70. Wrote the music to 'Moon River, which was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn, was also the theme song for the Andy Williams television show. Had the 1969 US No.1 single 'Love Theme from Romeo And Juliet.' Recorded over 90 albums, contributed music to over 100 movies, including 'Theme From The Pink Panther.' 10). On this day in 1997 Puff Daddy and Faith Evans started a 11 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I'll Be Missing You', a tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G. Also a No.1 in the UK. 11). On this day in 2000 American pianist and session musician Paul Griffin died aged 62. He recorded with hundreds of musicians from the 1950s to the 1990s. Griffin worked with Bob Dylan, Steely Dan, Don McLean, the Isley Brothers, Van Morrison, The Shirelles, and Dionne Warwick. He is best known for playing on the albums Bob Dylan albums Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, and Steely Dan's Aja. 12). On this day in 2016 Irish rock guitarist, Henry McCullough died after never fully recovering from a severe heart attack he had suffered four years earlier. He recorded with Paul McCartney and Wings, featuring on the hit James Bond theme, 'Live and Let Die' and 'My Love', the solo which he made up on the spot in front of a live orchestra. He was also a member of Spooky Tooth and The Grease Band. Born On This Day In The Music World. 1). Born on this day in 1895 Clifton Avon "Cliff" Edwards, nicknamed "Ukulele Ike", was an American musician and actor. He enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standards and novelty tunes. He had a number one hit with "Singin' in the Rain" in 1929. Clifton was also the voice of Jiminy the Cricket in Walt Disney's Pinocchio, Fun and Fancy Free, Dandy (Jim) Crow in Walt Disney's Dumbo. 2). Born on this day in 1909 Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American musician and actor with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s. 3). Born on this day in 1931 American soul singer and multi-instrumentalist Junior Walker. He had the 1966 US & UK Top 20 single 'How Sweet It Is', and the 1969 US No.4 single 'What Does It Take, To Win Your Love'. Walker also played sax on Foreigner's 1981 hit ‘Urgent.’ He died of cancer on 23 November 1995 aged 64. 4). Born on this day in1943 Spooner Oldham, American songwriter and session musician, organist, best known as part of the studio backing band known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama. He played on many hits including, Percy Sledge (When a Man Loves a Woman), Aretha Franklin (Respect,, Wilson Pickett (Mustang Sally) and worked with Bob Dylan , Delaney Bramlett, Willy DeVille, Joe Cocker, the Hacienda Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, the Everly Brothers, Dickey Betts, Cat Power, J. J. Cale and many others. 5). Born on this day in 1958 Nick Van Ede, singer, with English rock band Cutting Crew, who scored the 1987 US No.1 & 1986 UK No.4 single 'I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight. 6). Born on this day in 1961 George O'Dowd, (Boy George), English singer, songwriter, DJ, fashion designer and photographer. As lead singer of the Grammy and Brit Award winning Culture Club, he scored the 1983 UK No.1 & 1984 US No.1 single 'Karma Chameleon' and global hits 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me', and 'Time' (Clock of the Heart). As a solo artists George had the 1987 UK No.1 single 'Everything I Own'. He became a coach on The Voice UK in 2016. 7). Born on this day in 1974 Joshua Radin, American singer-songwriter. His songs have been used in numerous films and TV series including Bones, Scrubs, House, Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill. 8). Born on this day in 1980 Mark ‘Pelli’ Pellizzer, musician, singer from Canadian reggae fusion band Magic! that had the 2014 US and UK No.1 hit single ‘Rude’, from their 2014 US Top 10 album Don't Kill the Magic. 9). Born on this day in 1983 English singer-songwriter Siobhan Donaghy, with British girl group Sugababes who had the 2002 UK No.1 single, 'Round Round'. In 2006, British Hit Singles & Albums named the Sugababes as the most successful female act of the 21st century with six UK No.1 singles and eighteen UK top ten hits. 10). Born on this day in 1993 American rapper, singer, and songwriter Gunna. He featured on the 2020, hip-hop collective Internet Money single, ‘Lemonade’, featuring American singer Don Toliver and Nav. Have a great day, take care and GOD bless.
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