TODAY IN HISTORY – December 25th
1940 - Born on this day, Phil Spector, producer, 'The Spector Wall Of Sound’. Spector was a member of Teddy Bears, who had the 1958 US No.1 single 'To Know Him Is To Love Him'. He went on to produce many classic songs including; Ben E King, 'Spanish Harlem', The Crystals, 'Da Doo Ron Ron', The Ronettes, 'Baby I Love You', The Righteous Brothers, 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling', Ike and Tina Turner, 'River Deep, Mountain High'. Also produced albums for The Ramones, John Lennon, George Harrison, The Beatles, Cher and Harry Nilsson. The 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his 2009 conviction of murder in the second degree. He is serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life.
1944 - Born this day, Kenny Everett [Maurice James Cole], British radio and TV personality (Kenny Everett Show), 1983 UK No.9 single Snot Rap. Died 4 April 1995.
1945 - Born on this day, 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.
1946 - Born this day, Jimmy Buffett, in Mobile, Alabama, songwriter, singer, 1977 US No.8 single Margaritaville, Volcano, Come Monday, Changes in Latitudes - Changes in Attitudes.
1948 - Born this day, Barbara Mandrell, in Houston, Texas, singer, (Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year [1979, 1980, 1981], Female Vocalist of the Year [1979]; Standing Room Only, I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool, 1977 US No.1 country single Sleeping Single In A Double Bed, If Loving You Is Wrong, TV host (Mandrell Sisters).
1954 - 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’.
1954 - Born on this day, 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 - Born this day, Annie Lennox, in Aberdeen, Scotland, singer, songwriter, The Tourists, 1979 UK No.4 single I Only Want To Be With You, also with the Eurythmics, 1982 UK No.54 single Love is a stranger, 1983 US No.1 and 1983 UK No.2 single Sweet Dreams (are made of this), 1983 UK No.6 single Who's that girl, 1983 UK No.10 single Right by your side, 1984 UK No.8 single Here Comes The Rain Again, 1984 UK No.4 single Sexcrime (nineteen eighty four), 1985 UK No.17 single Would I lie to you?, 1985 UK No.1 single There must be an angel (playing with my heart), 1985 UK No.9 single Sisters are doin' it for themselves with Aretha Franklin, 1986 UK No.12 single It's Alright (Baby's coming back), 1986 UK No.5 single Thorn in my side.
Solo - 1988 UK No.28 Put a little love in your heart with Al Green, 1992 UK No.5 Why, 1992 UK No.23 Precious, 1992 UK No.8 Walking on broken glass, 1992 UK No.26 Cold, 1993 UK No.3 Little bird, 1995 UK No.2 single No More I Love You's.
1957 - Born this day, Shane MacGowan, songwriter, musician, guitarist, singer, The Pogues, 1987 UK No.8 single The Irish Rover, 1987 UK No.2 single with Kirsty Maccoll, Fairytale Of New York, Transmetropolitan, Streams of Whiskey, Dark Streets of London, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Dirty Old Town, Sally MacIennane, A Pair of Brown Eyes.
1958 - Born on this day, Alannah Myles, Canadian singer, 1990 US No.1 and UK No.2 single 'Black Velvet.'
1964 - Beatles fans attacked George Harrison's girlfriend Patti Boyd as they arrived at London's Hammersmith Odeon for tonight's Beatles concert.
1965 - The Beatles 6th album 'Rubber Soul' started a nine-week run at No.1 on the UK chart. It spent a total of 42 week's on the UK chart and was also a No.1 in the US.
1968 - 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.
1971 - Born this day, Dido (Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong), singer, songwriter, 2001 UK No.1 and US No.4 album No Angel, 2001 UK No.4 single Here With Me.
1976 - 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.
1976 - The Eagles started a eight-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Hotel California.'
1981 - Michael Jackson phoned Paul McCartney and suggested they write and record together, the first result being ‘The Girl Is Mine’. The song was a US No.2 & UK No.8 in 1982.
1982 - David Bowie had a No.3 UK hit with a duet with Bing Crosby, 'Peace On Earth - Little Drummer Boy.'
1995 - Died this day, Dean Martin, singer, actor, at the age of 78, in Beverly Hills, California, of acute respiratory failure. 1956 UK and US No.1 single Memories Are Made Of This, plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. On his tomb at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles are the words 'EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY SOMETIME'.
2003 - 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, 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 - 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.’
1940 - Born on this day, Phil Spector, producer, 'The Spector Wall Of Sound’. Spector was a member of Teddy Bears, who had the 1958 US No.1 single 'To Know Him Is To Love Him'. He went on to produce many classic songs including; Ben E King, 'Spanish Harlem', The Crystals, 'Da Doo Ron Ron', The Ronettes, 'Baby I Love You', The Righteous Brothers, 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling', Ike and Tina Turner, 'River Deep, Mountain High'. Also produced albums for The Ramones, John Lennon, George Harrison, The Beatles, Cher and Harry Nilsson. The 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his 2009 conviction of murder in the second degree. He is serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life.
1944 - Born this day, Kenny Everett [Maurice James Cole], British radio and TV personality (Kenny Everett Show), 1983 UK No.9 single Snot Rap. Died 4 April 1995.
1945 - Born on this day, 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.
1946 - Born this day, Jimmy Buffett, in Mobile, Alabama, songwriter, singer, 1977 US No.8 single Margaritaville, Volcano, Come Monday, Changes in Latitudes - Changes in Attitudes.
1948 - Born this day, Barbara Mandrell, in Houston, Texas, singer, (Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year [1979, 1980, 1981], Female Vocalist of the Year [1979]; Standing Room Only, I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool, 1977 US No.1 country single Sleeping Single In A Double Bed, If Loving You Is Wrong, TV host (Mandrell Sisters).
1954 - 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’.
1954 - Born on this day, 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 - Born this day, Annie Lennox, in Aberdeen, Scotland, singer, songwriter, The Tourists, 1979 UK No.4 single I Only Want To Be With You, also with the Eurythmics, 1982 UK No.54 single Love is a stranger, 1983 US No.1 and 1983 UK No.2 single Sweet Dreams (are made of this), 1983 UK No.6 single Who's that girl, 1983 UK No.10 single Right by your side, 1984 UK No.8 single Here Comes The Rain Again, 1984 UK No.4 single Sexcrime (nineteen eighty four), 1985 UK No.17 single Would I lie to you?, 1985 UK No.1 single There must be an angel (playing with my heart), 1985 UK No.9 single Sisters are doin' it for themselves with Aretha Franklin, 1986 UK No.12 single It's Alright (Baby's coming back), 1986 UK No.5 single Thorn in my side.
Solo - 1988 UK No.28 Put a little love in your heart with Al Green, 1992 UK No.5 Why, 1992 UK No.23 Precious, 1992 UK No.8 Walking on broken glass, 1992 UK No.26 Cold, 1993 UK No.3 Little bird, 1995 UK No.2 single No More I Love You's.
1957 - Born this day, Shane MacGowan, songwriter, musician, guitarist, singer, The Pogues, 1987 UK No.8 single The Irish Rover, 1987 UK No.2 single with Kirsty Maccoll, Fairytale Of New York, Transmetropolitan, Streams of Whiskey, Dark Streets of London, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Dirty Old Town, Sally MacIennane, A Pair of Brown Eyes.
1958 - Born on this day, Alannah Myles, Canadian singer, 1990 US No.1 and UK No.2 single 'Black Velvet.'
1964 - Beatles fans attacked George Harrison's girlfriend Patti Boyd as they arrived at London's Hammersmith Odeon for tonight's Beatles concert.
1965 - The Beatles 6th album 'Rubber Soul' started a nine-week run at No.1 on the UK chart. It spent a total of 42 week's on the UK chart and was also a No.1 in the US.
1968 - 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.
1971 - Born this day, Dido (Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong), singer, songwriter, 2001 UK No.1 and US No.4 album No Angel, 2001 UK No.4 single Here With Me.
1976 - 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.
1976 - The Eagles started a eight-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Hotel California.'
1981 - Michael Jackson phoned Paul McCartney and suggested they write and record together, the first result being ‘The Girl Is Mine’. The song was a US No.2 & UK No.8 in 1982.
1982 - David Bowie had a No.3 UK hit with a duet with Bing Crosby, 'Peace On Earth - Little Drummer Boy.'
1995 - Died this day, Dean Martin, singer, actor, at the age of 78, in Beverly Hills, California, of acute respiratory failure. 1956 UK and US No.1 single Memories Are Made Of This, plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. On his tomb at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles are the words 'EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY SOMETIME'.
2003 - 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, 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 - 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.’