TODAY IN HISTORY – August 25th
1918 - Born this day, Leonard Bernstein, conductor, composer, pianist. Composed music for 1957 West Side Story, On The Waterfront, conducted the New York Philharmonic aged 25. Died 14 October 1990.
1949 - Born this day, Gene Simmons, in Queens, New York, musician, bass, vocals, Kiss, 1974 US No.5 single On And On, 1976 US No.11 album Rock and Roll Over spent 26 weeks on the chart, 1987 UK No.4 single Crazy Crazy Nights.
1950 - Born on this day, Willy DeVille, Mink DeVille, (1977 UK No.20 single 'Spanish Stroll'). Died of pancreatic cancer on 6th Aug 2009.
1955 - Born this day, Elvis Costello [Declan McManus], musician, songwriter, 1979 UK No.2 single with The Attractions Olivers Army, plus over 15 other UK top 40 hits.
1957 - Canadian singer, songwriter Paul Anka was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Diana' (written about his brother's baby-sitter). His only UK No.1 as an artist, Anka was the first teenage solo act to reach No.1.
1961 - Born this day, Billy Ray Cyrus, singer, 1992 UK No.3 single, Achy Breaky Heart, 17 week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Some Gave All.
1962 - Little Eva went to No.1 on the US singles chart with The Loco-motion. The Carole King and Gerry Goffin song was offered to Dee Dee Sharp, (Mashed Potatoes), who turned it down. The writers had their baby-sitter record it who took it to No.1.
1967 - Bobbie Gentry started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ode To Billy Joe', a No.13 hit in the UK. The song generated eight Grammy nominations, resulting in three wins for Gentry and one win for arranger Jimmie Haskell.
1967 - Brian Wilson returned to performing live with The Beach Boys in Honolulu after a 2 year hiatus. The group had just released 'Heroes and Villains' in the US.
1970 - British singer and pianist Elton John made his first US appearance at the Los Angeles Troubador, kicking off a 17-day tour. (Neil Diamond introduced him).
1970 - A party was held to celebrate the official opening of 'Electric Ladyland' studios in New York City, New York. Artists who went on to record at the studio include: Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, AC/DC, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and Guns N' Roses.
1973 - Bobby Darin performed his final concert, at the Las Vegas Hilton. He died at the age of 37 on December 20th 1973 following open-heart surgery.
1979 - 25 years after his first UK No.1 single, Cliff Richard had his 10th chart topper with We Don't Talk Anymore.
1979 - The Knack started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with My Sharona, the groups only US chart topper, it made No.6 in the UK.
1981 - R.E.M. appeared at The Scorpio, Charlotte, North Carolina. This show was billed as "Charlotte's First Gay New Wave Disco and Costume Party", with the $3 tickets benefitting various gay-lesbian charities.
1984 - Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker, Jr., started week No.3 at the top of the pop music charts. The hit song was from the movie of the same name starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis and Harold Ramis.
1994 - A New York judge signed musician Billy Joel, age 45, and model Christie Brinkley's, age 40, divorce papers. The 9-year marriage for 'the piano man and the uptown girl' was dissolved in New York's Supreme Court; no announcement was made as to the custody arrangements for the couple's 8-year-old daughter, Alexa Ray.
1994 - Jimmy Page and Robert plant recorded their MTV unplugged set at London's television centre.
1994 - Jimmy Buffett crashed his Grumman G-44 Widgeon seaplane on take-off in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Buffett swam away from the wreckage.
1997 - A deranged man who had escaped from a mental institution near Helsinki, Finland had planned to set fire to the stage that Michael Jackson was performing from, was arrested before he was able to light the gasoline he had put on the stage.
1999 - Robert Fisher from New Romantic duo Naked Eyes and Climie Fisher died of cancer aged 39. With Climie Fisher scored the 1988 UK No.2 single 'Love Changes Everything' and wrote songs for Rod Stewart, Milli Vanilli, Fleetwood Mac and Jermaine Jackson. Fisher also worked as a producer, working with various acts including Eric Clapton.
2001 - American singer, actress Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas aged 22. The small Cessna plane crashed a few minutes after take off killing everyone on board with exception to four passengers who were pulled from the wreckage but later died. Aaliyah had been filming a video for her latest release 'Rock The Boat' on the island.
2002 - Eva Cassidy went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Imagine', the singers second UK No.1 album. Blazin Squad went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Crossroads.'
2005 - Two former members of Guns N' Roses were suing singer Axl Rose for allegedly naming himself sole administrator of the US rock band's copyrights. Slash and Duff - otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan, accused Rose of "arrogance and ego". The legal action claimed the singer "was no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners".
2009 – According to Living TV which airs the UK tv show “Four Weddings” on Monday nights the most expensive wedding bands are;
1. Rolling Stones (up to 5 million pound)
2. Sir Elton John & Kylie Minogue (up to 2 million pound)
4. Christina Aguilera (up to 1.5 million pound)
5. George Michael (1.3 million pound)
2009 - Bob Dylan revealed during his weekly radio show broadcast on 6 Music, that he was speaking to a number of car companies about becoming the voice of their satellite navigation systems. The 68 year-old said he thought it be would be good for drivers to hear him saying things such as: "Take a left at the next street. No, a right. You know what, just go straight".
1918 - Born this day, Leonard Bernstein, conductor, composer, pianist. Composed music for 1957 West Side Story, On The Waterfront, conducted the New York Philharmonic aged 25. Died 14 October 1990.
1949 - Born this day, Gene Simmons, in Queens, New York, musician, bass, vocals, Kiss, 1974 US No.5 single On And On, 1976 US No.11 album Rock and Roll Over spent 26 weeks on the chart, 1987 UK No.4 single Crazy Crazy Nights.
1950 - Born on this day, Willy DeVille, Mink DeVille, (1977 UK No.20 single 'Spanish Stroll'). Died of pancreatic cancer on 6th Aug 2009.
1955 - Born this day, Elvis Costello [Declan McManus], musician, songwriter, 1979 UK No.2 single with The Attractions Olivers Army, plus over 15 other UK top 40 hits.
1957 - Canadian singer, songwriter Paul Anka was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Diana' (written about his brother's baby-sitter). His only UK No.1 as an artist, Anka was the first teenage solo act to reach No.1.
1961 - Born this day, Billy Ray Cyrus, singer, 1992 UK No.3 single, Achy Breaky Heart, 17 week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Some Gave All.
1962 - Little Eva went to No.1 on the US singles chart with The Loco-motion. The Carole King and Gerry Goffin song was offered to Dee Dee Sharp, (Mashed Potatoes), who turned it down. The writers had their baby-sitter record it who took it to No.1.
1967 - Bobbie Gentry started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ode To Billy Joe', a No.13 hit in the UK. The song generated eight Grammy nominations, resulting in three wins for Gentry and one win for arranger Jimmie Haskell.
1967 - Brian Wilson returned to performing live with The Beach Boys in Honolulu after a 2 year hiatus. The group had just released 'Heroes and Villains' in the US.
1970 - British singer and pianist Elton John made his first US appearance at the Los Angeles Troubador, kicking off a 17-day tour. (Neil Diamond introduced him).
1970 - A party was held to celebrate the official opening of 'Electric Ladyland' studios in New York City, New York. Artists who went on to record at the studio include: Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, AC/DC, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and Guns N' Roses.
1973 - Bobby Darin performed his final concert, at the Las Vegas Hilton. He died at the age of 37 on December 20th 1973 following open-heart surgery.
1979 - 25 years after his first UK No.1 single, Cliff Richard had his 10th chart topper with We Don't Talk Anymore.
1979 - The Knack started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with My Sharona, the groups only US chart topper, it made No.6 in the UK.
1981 - R.E.M. appeared at The Scorpio, Charlotte, North Carolina. This show was billed as "Charlotte's First Gay New Wave Disco and Costume Party", with the $3 tickets benefitting various gay-lesbian charities.
1984 - Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker, Jr., started week No.3 at the top of the pop music charts. The hit song was from the movie of the same name starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis and Harold Ramis.
1994 - A New York judge signed musician Billy Joel, age 45, and model Christie Brinkley's, age 40, divorce papers. The 9-year marriage for 'the piano man and the uptown girl' was dissolved in New York's Supreme Court; no announcement was made as to the custody arrangements for the couple's 8-year-old daughter, Alexa Ray.
1994 - Jimmy Page and Robert plant recorded their MTV unplugged set at London's television centre.
1994 - Jimmy Buffett crashed his Grumman G-44 Widgeon seaplane on take-off in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Buffett swam away from the wreckage.
1997 - A deranged man who had escaped from a mental institution near Helsinki, Finland had planned to set fire to the stage that Michael Jackson was performing from, was arrested before he was able to light the gasoline he had put on the stage.
1999 - Robert Fisher from New Romantic duo Naked Eyes and Climie Fisher died of cancer aged 39. With Climie Fisher scored the 1988 UK No.2 single 'Love Changes Everything' and wrote songs for Rod Stewart, Milli Vanilli, Fleetwood Mac and Jermaine Jackson. Fisher also worked as a producer, working with various acts including Eric Clapton.
2001 - American singer, actress Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas aged 22. The small Cessna plane crashed a few minutes after take off killing everyone on board with exception to four passengers who were pulled from the wreckage but later died. Aaliyah had been filming a video for her latest release 'Rock The Boat' on the island.
2002 - Eva Cassidy went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Imagine', the singers second UK No.1 album. Blazin Squad went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Crossroads.'
2005 - Two former members of Guns N' Roses were suing singer Axl Rose for allegedly naming himself sole administrator of the US rock band's copyrights. Slash and Duff - otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan, accused Rose of "arrogance and ego". The legal action claimed the singer "was no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners".
2009 – According to Living TV which airs the UK tv show “Four Weddings” on Monday nights the most expensive wedding bands are;
1. Rolling Stones (up to 5 million pound)
2. Sir Elton John & Kylie Minogue (up to 2 million pound)
4. Christina Aguilera (up to 1.5 million pound)
5. George Michael (1.3 million pound)
2009 - Bob Dylan revealed during his weekly radio show broadcast on 6 Music, that he was speaking to a number of car companies about becoming the voice of their satellite navigation systems. The 68 year-old said he thought it be would be good for drivers to hear him saying things such as: "Take a left at the next street. No, a right. You know what, just go straight".