Good Tuesday morning, welcome to This Day In The History Of Music. Enjoy the read. 1). On this day in 1713, Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi's first opera "Ottone in villa" opens at Teatro Delle Grazie in Vicenza, the Republic of Venice (now Italy). Born in Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic, Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers. His influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers, and was paramount in the development of Johann Sebastian Bach's instrumental music and the French concerto (Michel Corrette, Jean-Joseph de Mondonville, Louis-Nicholas Clérambault). Vivaldi composed many instrumental concertos, for the violin and a variety of other musical instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than fifty operas. His best-known work is a series of violin concertos known as the Four Seasons. Many of his compositions were written for the all-female music ensemble of the Ospedale Della Pietà, a home for abandoned children. Vivaldi had worked as a Catholic priest for 18 months and was employed from 1703 to 1715 and from 1723 to 1740. Vivaldi also had some success with expensive stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua, and Vienna. After meeting Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna, hoping for royal support. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival, and Vivaldi himself died in poverty less than a year later. 2). On this day in 1963, The Monterey Jazz Festival held its sixth annual September weekend concert series, which included the launch of Dizzy Gillespie’s presidential campaign, a Modern Jazz Quartet dedication to Martin Luther King Jr, the festival debuts of Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, and what would prove to be one of Jack Teagarden’s final appearances. The festival also featured Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Peter Paul, and Mary. The 1967 Monterey Rock festival is remembered for the first major American appearances by Jimi Hendrix and The Who as well as the first major public performances of Janis Joplin. It was also the first major performance by Otis Redding in front of a predominantly white audience. 3). On this day in 1964, Bob Dylan made his first major concert UK appearance when he played at the Royal Festival Hall in London with an afternoon show listed as a ‘Folksong Concert’. Dylan's 18-song set included the live debut of Mr. Tambourine Man and took place on a Sunday afternoon. In the interval, Dylan received a telegram from John Lennon seeking a meeting that never materialized. 4). On this day in 1966, During a UK tour, Bob Dylan appeared at The Free Trade Hall in Manchester. This was the concert where a member of the audience shouted out ‘Judas’ at Dylan unhappy with the singer's move from acoustic to rock. Dylan replied ‘You’re a liar, the entire concert was eventually officially released in The Bootleg Series by Sony Music in 1999. 5). On this day in 1967, Working at Abbey Road studios The Beatles began recording a new John Lennon song ‘You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)’. The song was not finished until November 1969 and was not released until March 1970 (as the B-side of the ‘Let it Be’ single). 6). On this day in 1967, Working at the Capitol Recording Studio in Hollywood, Glen Campbell recorded 'Gentle On My Mind,' a song written by John Hartford and arranged by Leon Russell. The song went on to win won four Grammy Awards the following year and became the theme of the television variety show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour between 1969 and 1972. 7). On this day in 1971, Godspell is a musical composed by Stephen Schwartz with the book by John-Michael Tebelak. The show opened off-Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has since been produced by multiple touring companies and in many revivals. The 2011 revival played on Broadway from October 13, 2011, through June 24, 2012. The musical is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew. The parables are interspersed with music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns, with the passion of Christ appearing briefly near the end of the show. 😎. On this day in 1973, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is 1973 single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number-one on the Easy Listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and was nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. This song was the second single released from the 1972 album entitled Talking Book, which stayed at number one on the R&B albums chart for three weeks. 9). On this day in 1975, Led Zeppelin played the first of five sold-out nights to 17,000 fans at Earls Court Arena, London England. The setlist included: Rock And Roll, The Song Remains The Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Going To California, Dazed And Confused, Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, and Black Dog. Tickets cost £1 ($1.70) - £2.50 ($4.25). 10). On this day in 1985, (Whitney Houston) Eight years after Benson's original recording, the song became even more well known for a version by Whitney Houston, whose 1985 cover (with the slightly amended title "Greatest Love of All") eventually topped the charts, peaking at number one in the United States, Australia, Canada and on the US R&B chart in early 1986. 11). On this day in 1993, "Chattahoochee" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released in May 1993 as the third single from his album A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'bout Love). The album is named for a line in the song itself. Jackson wrote the song with Jim McBride. "Chattahoochee" also received CMA awards for Single of the Year and Song of the year. 12). On this day in 1996, US blues guitarist Johnny Guitar Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a **ahem**." His ferocious 'Space Guitar' single of 1954 pioneered guitar feedback and reverb. 13). On this day in 2002, U.S. songwriter Sharon Sheeley dies from a cerebral hemorrhage, Sheeley wrote her first song, "Poor Little Fool", which Ricky Nelson recorded. In 1958, it became Nelson's first US No. 1 and the Billboard Hot 100's first No. 1. At age 18, Sheeley was the youngest woman to write an American number-one hit. Jerry Capehart, the manager and songwriting partner of Eddie Cochran, then agreed to look after Sheeley's interests, and she and Cochran began a relationship. She wrote "Love Again" and "Cherished Memories" for Cochran and the 1959 hit "Somethin' Else" with Eddie's brother Bob Cochran. Her other songwriting credits included "Hurry Up", recorded by Ritchie Valens. In April 1960, she traveled to the United Kingdom to join Cochran and Gene Vincent, who was touring there. She and Cochran were reported as being "unofficially engaged". She recorded a song, "Homework", with producer Jack Good. On the night of April 16, 1960, Sheeley, Vincent and Cochran were traveling in a private hire taxi from a concert in Bristol to London Heathrow Airport when it slammed into a lamp post near Chippenham. All three were rushed to a hospital. Cochran, who had been thrown from the vehicle, suffered fatal brain injuries and died the next day, at the age of 21. Sheeley suffered a broken pelvis, and Vincent broke his ribs and collarbone and added further damage to his already weak leg. Following the accident she returned to the US, where she collaborated with musician-songwriter Jackie DeShannon on a string of hits, including Brenda Lee's "Dum Dum" and "Heart in Hand", The Fleetwoods' "He's the Great Imposter" and Irma Thomas's "Breakaway". She also co-wrote songs with Chris Curtis of The Searchers, including "Night Time" recorded by Paul and Barry Ryan. 14). On this day in 2012, Donna Summer, the 1970s pop singer known as the Queen of Disco, died of lung cancer, an illness she believed she contracted from inhaling toxic particles released after the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York. She won five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and had three multi-platinum albums, including the hits 'Hot Stuff', 'Love to Love You, and 'Baby', and 'I Feel Love'. 15). On this day in 2015, The 24th Billboard Music Awards Taylor Swift wins the top music artist award along with 7 other awards. 16). On this day in 2015, Rapper Chinx was shot and killed in Queens, New York. The 31-year-old, who was part of French Montana's Coke Boys group, was riding in a car in the early hours of the morning when another vehicle pulled up and opened fire. He was hit in the torso and chest and died later at a Queens hospital. 17). Born on this day in 1921, Bob Merrill was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He was the most successful songwriter of the 1950s on the US and UK Singles Chart. He wrote musicals for the Broadway stage, including Carnival! and Funny Girl. 18). Born on this day in 1931, Walter Dewey Redman was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played alto, the Chinese suona, and clarinet. His son is saxophonist Joshua Redman. 19). Born on this day in 1942, Henry St. Claire Fredericks, Jr. better known by his stage name Taj Mahal, is an American blues musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, and film, composer. He plays the guitar, piano, banjo, harmonica, and many other instruments, often incorporating elements of world music into his work. 20). Born on this day in 1944, Jesse Winchester, was a Canadian folk singer, and songwriter. His songs have been covered by many artists including Patti Page, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Anne Murray, Reba McEntire, The Everly Brothers, and Emmylou Harris. He died on April 11, 2014. 21). Born on this day in 1961, Enya Ni Bhraonain, from the Irish family band Clannad had the 1982 UK No.5 single 'Harry's Game'. Enya had the solo, 1988 UK No.1 single 'Orinoco Flow', and the 2001 US No.2 album 'A Day Without Rain'. Enya is Ireland's biggest selling solo artist and second overall behind U2 with an estimated 75 million records sold worldwide. 22). Born on this day in 1974, Andrea Corr, singer, tin whistle, piano with Irish group The Corrs. Had the 1998 UK No.3 single 'What Can I Do' and their 'Talk On Corners' was the best-selling UK album of 1998, spending 142 weeks on the UK chart. Andrea released her debut album, Ten Feet High, in 2007. Along with her siblings, she was appointed an honorary M.B.E. in 2005. Have a great Tuesday, take care, and stay safe.
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