TODAY IN HISTORY – APRIL 20TH
1951 - Born this day, Luther Vandross, US soul singer, 1989 UK No.13 single Never Too Much, first released 1983, US No.10 and UK No.2 single with Janet Jackson The Best Things In Life Are Free, plus worked with David Bowie and Mariah Carey.
1959 - Thirteen year old Dolly Parton released her first single in America, Puppy Love, (later to be a hit for Donny Osmond).
1976 - George Harrison sang the lumberjack song with Monty Python.
1979 - Died this day, Billy Duffy, lighting director, was killed in a accident during a Kate Bush concert, in Southampton, England. 21 year old Duffy fell twenty feet through an open trap door on the stage. Kate Bush held a benefit concert on 12 May, with Peter Gabriel and Steve Harley at London’s Hammersmith Odeon for his family.
1981 - John Phillips of The Mamas And The Papas was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to drug possession charges, the sentence was suspended after 30 days. Phillips started touring the US lecturing against the dangers of taking drugs.
1990 - Janet Jackson was bestowed with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at the start of Janet Jackson week in Los Angeles.
1991 - Died this day, Steve Marriott, leader of Small Faces And Humble Pie, in a fire at his home in Essex. His work became a major influence for many 1990s bands. As a child actor he played parts in Dixon of Dock Green and The Artful Dodger in Oliver. With the Small Faces, 1967 UK No.3 and US No.16 single Itchycoo Park, plus 1968 No.1 UK album Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, with Humble Pie, 1969 UK No.4 single Natural Born Bugie.
1992 - A Concert For Life took place at Wembley Stadium as a tribute to Freddie Mercury and for aids awareness. Extreme, Bob Geldof, U2, Def Leppard, Guns 'n' Roses, George Michael with Queen, Elton John, Annie Lennox and David Bowie took part.
1992 - Died this day, Benny Hill, comedian, actor, writer, from a heart attack. Born Alfred [Alfie] Hawthorne Hill in 1924. He was 67. Played Bottom in a 1964 ITV production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and was in the films Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (played the toy maker), The Italian Job, and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines. The pop-eyed, irreverent Hill was one of the top comics in Britain, and was also syndicated on American television.
2000 - Robert Plant appeared at Disney's Theatre of the Stars in Orlando, Florida to leave his handprints outside the theatre.
2002 - In the dispute over who owned the rights to Nirvana's recordings Dave Grohl and Kirst Novoselic asked a Seattle Court to prove that Courtney Love was mentally stable, claiming a contract was invalid because Love was 'stoned' at the time.
2013 – Black Sabbath feat Ozzy Osbourne played Vector Arena (Auckland).
1951 - Born this day, Luther Vandross, US soul singer, 1989 UK No.13 single Never Too Much, first released 1983, US No.10 and UK No.2 single with Janet Jackson The Best Things In Life Are Free, plus worked with David Bowie and Mariah Carey.
1959 - Thirteen year old Dolly Parton released her first single in America, Puppy Love, (later to be a hit for Donny Osmond).
1976 - George Harrison sang the lumberjack song with Monty Python.
1979 - Died this day, Billy Duffy, lighting director, was killed in a accident during a Kate Bush concert, in Southampton, England. 21 year old Duffy fell twenty feet through an open trap door on the stage. Kate Bush held a benefit concert on 12 May, with Peter Gabriel and Steve Harley at London’s Hammersmith Odeon for his family.
1981 - John Phillips of The Mamas And The Papas was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to drug possession charges, the sentence was suspended after 30 days. Phillips started touring the US lecturing against the dangers of taking drugs.
1990 - Janet Jackson was bestowed with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at the start of Janet Jackson week in Los Angeles.
1991 - Died this day, Steve Marriott, leader of Small Faces And Humble Pie, in a fire at his home in Essex. His work became a major influence for many 1990s bands. As a child actor he played parts in Dixon of Dock Green and The Artful Dodger in Oliver. With the Small Faces, 1967 UK No.3 and US No.16 single Itchycoo Park, plus 1968 No.1 UK album Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, with Humble Pie, 1969 UK No.4 single Natural Born Bugie.
1992 - A Concert For Life took place at Wembley Stadium as a tribute to Freddie Mercury and for aids awareness. Extreme, Bob Geldof, U2, Def Leppard, Guns 'n' Roses, George Michael with Queen, Elton John, Annie Lennox and David Bowie took part.
1992 - Died this day, Benny Hill, comedian, actor, writer, from a heart attack. Born Alfred [Alfie] Hawthorne Hill in 1924. He was 67. Played Bottom in a 1964 ITV production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and was in the films Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (played the toy maker), The Italian Job, and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines. The pop-eyed, irreverent Hill was one of the top comics in Britain, and was also syndicated on American television.
2000 - Robert Plant appeared at Disney's Theatre of the Stars in Orlando, Florida to leave his handprints outside the theatre.
2002 - In the dispute over who owned the rights to Nirvana's recordings Dave Grohl and Kirst Novoselic asked a Seattle Court to prove that Courtney Love was mentally stable, claiming a contract was invalid because Love was 'stoned' at the time.
2013 – Black Sabbath feat Ozzy Osbourne played Vector Arena (Auckland).