TODAY IN HISTORY – JANUARY 24th
1939 - Born this day, Ray Stevens (Harold Ray Ragsdale), singer, entertainer, 1970 US No.1 & UK No.6 single Everything Is Beautiful, Mr. Businessman; number one novelty recording artist: Ahab, the Arab, Gitarzan, 1974 US and UK No.1 single The Streak, Bridget the Midget.
1941 - Born this day, Neil Diamond, singer, songwriter, (Sunday & Me [Jay & The Americans], I’m a Believer, A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You [The Monkees], soundtrack: Jonathan Livingston Seagull; singer: Cherry, Cherry, 1970 US No.1 and UK No.3 single Cracklin' Rose, Song Sung Blue, Beautiful Noise, If You Know What I Mean, Yesterday’s Songs, Longfellow Serenade, Forever in Blue Jeans, I Am, I Said, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers [w/Barbra Streisand]; actor/singer: The Jazz Singer: America, Love on the Rocks, Hello, Again), composer of I'm A Believer, a 1967 UK No.1 for The Monkees. Plus over 30 US and 10 UK top 40 singles.
1941 - Born on this day, Aaron Neville, singer with The Neville Brothers who had the 1966 US No.2 single 'Tell It Like It Is', and the 1989 UK No.2 single with Linda Ronstadt 'Don't Know Much').
1947 - Born this day, Warren Zevon, singer, songwriter, played piano with the Everly Brothers, 1978 US No.21 single Werewolves of London, She Quit Me Man, Hasten Down the Wind, Poor, Poor Pitiful Me, Roland, the Headless Thompson Gunner, The Envoy. Recorded over 15 solo albums. Died 7 September 2003.
1949 - Born this day, (Adam) John Belushi, actor, comedian, (Second City improvisational troupe, original cast: Saturday Night Live; Films: 1941, , Joliet 'Jake' Blues, The Blues Brothers; Singer: 1990 UK No.12 single Everybody Needs Somebody To Love). Died 5 March 1982.
1953 - Eddie Fisher was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Outside Is Heaven'. American singer and entertainer divorced his first wife, Debbie Reynolds to marry his best friend's widow, Elizabeth Taylor, too much unwelcome publicity at the time. Eddie is father of actress Carrie Fisher.
1955 - Born on this day, Jools Holland, English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, who was a founding member of Squeeze who had the 1979 UK No.2 single 'Up The Junction'. Became a TV presenter on the long running UK music show The Tube, and then the BBC music show Later... With Jools Holland. He also tours and releases records with the Jools Holland Big Band
1958 - Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Jailhouse Rock'. It became the first ever single to enter the chart at No.1 and was Presley's second UK No.1. It went on to sell over 4 million copies in the US.
1962 - The Beatles signed their management contract with Brian Epstein. Epstein was to receive 25 per cent of the bands gross earnings, the normal management deal was 10 per cent.
1968 - Georgie Fame was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Ballad Of Bonnie and Clyde', the singers third and last UK No.1.
1969 - New Jersey state prosecutors issue a warning to US record dealers that they would be charged with distributing pornography if they were caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP 'Two Virgins'. The front cover of the album showed the pair frontally nude, while the back cover showed them from behind. The album still managed to reach No.124 on the US, but failed to chart at all in the UK, where only 5,000 copies were ever pressed.
1969 - The Doors appeared at Madison Square Garden, New York City, They were paid over $50,000 for the gig making them one of the highest paid acts this year.
1970 - Robert Moog introduced his 'Mini-Moog' synthesizer, suitable for concert stages, and costing $2,000. The American Federation of Musicians considered banning the Mini-Moog, fearing that its ability to simulate acoustic instruments could put musicians out of work.
1976 - Bob Dylan started a five week run at No.1 on the US chart with his 17th studio album Desire. The album features 'Hurricane', which protests the conviction of former middleweight boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter for triple murder in 1966, arguing his innocence.
1979 - The Clash released their first single in the US, I Fought The Law, which was written by Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and the Crickets fame.
1979 - Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys divorced his wife Marilyn after 15 years together. She was a member of the Honeys and mother of Wendy and Carnie Wilson, who would go on to sing in Wilson-Phillips.
1980 - A billboard was erected on Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, California to promote Pink Floyd's new album The Wall. A blank wall was pasted up and each day a brick was ‘removed’ to slowly reveal the inside spread and title of the album.
1981 - Steve Tyler of Aerosmith was hospitalised after being involved in a crash on his motorbike.
1981 - Adam And The Ants started a 10-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier'.
1995 - David Cole producer, keyboards, C & C Music Factory died of meningitis aged 32. (1991 UK No.4 single 'Things That Make You Go Hmmm...', 1991 US No.1 single 'Gonna Make You Sweat'. Produced Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.
1998 - Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'All Around The World'. The longest running-time for a UK No.1 with a total duration of 9 minutes 38 seconds. It was one of the first songs to be written by Noel Gallagher, with the band rehearsing it as early as 1992.
1999 - The Offspring went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Pretty Fly, For A White Guy'. Taken from their fifth studio album Americana the single was a No.1 hit in ten other countries.
2002 - Freddy Fender received one of his daughter's kidney's in a transplant operation.
2005 - Country singer Lynn Anderson was arrested for shoplifting after being caught stealing a Harry Potter DVD from a New Mexico supermarket and punching a police officer during her arrest. The 57 year-old had the 1970 Top 5 hit 'Rose Garden'.
2008 - Amy Winehouse was admitted into rehab in a battle to kick her addiction to drugs. A statement from her record company, Universal said she entered the facility "after talks with her record label, management, family and doctors to continue her ongoing recovery against drug addiction."
1939 - Born this day, Ray Stevens (Harold Ray Ragsdale), singer, entertainer, 1970 US No.1 & UK No.6 single Everything Is Beautiful, Mr. Businessman; number one novelty recording artist: Ahab, the Arab, Gitarzan, 1974 US and UK No.1 single The Streak, Bridget the Midget.
1941 - Born this day, Neil Diamond, singer, songwriter, (Sunday & Me [Jay & The Americans], I’m a Believer, A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You [The Monkees], soundtrack: Jonathan Livingston Seagull; singer: Cherry, Cherry, 1970 US No.1 and UK No.3 single Cracklin' Rose, Song Sung Blue, Beautiful Noise, If You Know What I Mean, Yesterday’s Songs, Longfellow Serenade, Forever in Blue Jeans, I Am, I Said, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers [w/Barbra Streisand]; actor/singer: The Jazz Singer: America, Love on the Rocks, Hello, Again), composer of I'm A Believer, a 1967 UK No.1 for The Monkees. Plus over 30 US and 10 UK top 40 singles.
1941 - Born on this day, Aaron Neville, singer with The Neville Brothers who had the 1966 US No.2 single 'Tell It Like It Is', and the 1989 UK No.2 single with Linda Ronstadt 'Don't Know Much').
1947 - Born this day, Warren Zevon, singer, songwriter, played piano with the Everly Brothers, 1978 US No.21 single Werewolves of London, She Quit Me Man, Hasten Down the Wind, Poor, Poor Pitiful Me, Roland, the Headless Thompson Gunner, The Envoy. Recorded over 15 solo albums. Died 7 September 2003.
1949 - Born this day, (Adam) John Belushi, actor, comedian, (Second City improvisational troupe, original cast: Saturday Night Live; Films: 1941, , Joliet 'Jake' Blues, The Blues Brothers; Singer: 1990 UK No.12 single Everybody Needs Somebody To Love). Died 5 March 1982.
1953 - Eddie Fisher was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Outside Is Heaven'. American singer and entertainer divorced his first wife, Debbie Reynolds to marry his best friend's widow, Elizabeth Taylor, too much unwelcome publicity at the time. Eddie is father of actress Carrie Fisher.
1955 - Born on this day, Jools Holland, English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, who was a founding member of Squeeze who had the 1979 UK No.2 single 'Up The Junction'. Became a TV presenter on the long running UK music show The Tube, and then the BBC music show Later... With Jools Holland. He also tours and releases records with the Jools Holland Big Band
1958 - Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Jailhouse Rock'. It became the first ever single to enter the chart at No.1 and was Presley's second UK No.1. It went on to sell over 4 million copies in the US.
1962 - The Beatles signed their management contract with Brian Epstein. Epstein was to receive 25 per cent of the bands gross earnings, the normal management deal was 10 per cent.
1968 - Georgie Fame was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Ballad Of Bonnie and Clyde', the singers third and last UK No.1.
1969 - New Jersey state prosecutors issue a warning to US record dealers that they would be charged with distributing pornography if they were caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP 'Two Virgins'. The front cover of the album showed the pair frontally nude, while the back cover showed them from behind. The album still managed to reach No.124 on the US, but failed to chart at all in the UK, where only 5,000 copies were ever pressed.
1969 - The Doors appeared at Madison Square Garden, New York City, They were paid over $50,000 for the gig making them one of the highest paid acts this year.
1970 - Robert Moog introduced his 'Mini-Moog' synthesizer, suitable for concert stages, and costing $2,000. The American Federation of Musicians considered banning the Mini-Moog, fearing that its ability to simulate acoustic instruments could put musicians out of work.
1976 - Bob Dylan started a five week run at No.1 on the US chart with his 17th studio album Desire. The album features 'Hurricane', which protests the conviction of former middleweight boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter for triple murder in 1966, arguing his innocence.
1979 - The Clash released their first single in the US, I Fought The Law, which was written by Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and the Crickets fame.
1979 - Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys divorced his wife Marilyn after 15 years together. She was a member of the Honeys and mother of Wendy and Carnie Wilson, who would go on to sing in Wilson-Phillips.
1980 - A billboard was erected on Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, California to promote Pink Floyd's new album The Wall. A blank wall was pasted up and each day a brick was ‘removed’ to slowly reveal the inside spread and title of the album.
1981 - Steve Tyler of Aerosmith was hospitalised after being involved in a crash on his motorbike.
1981 - Adam And The Ants started a 10-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier'.
1995 - David Cole producer, keyboards, C & C Music Factory died of meningitis aged 32. (1991 UK No.4 single 'Things That Make You Go Hmmm...', 1991 US No.1 single 'Gonna Make You Sweat'. Produced Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.
1998 - Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'All Around The World'. The longest running-time for a UK No.1 with a total duration of 9 minutes 38 seconds. It was one of the first songs to be written by Noel Gallagher, with the band rehearsing it as early as 1992.
1999 - The Offspring went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Pretty Fly, For A White Guy'. Taken from their fifth studio album Americana the single was a No.1 hit in ten other countries.
2002 - Freddy Fender received one of his daughter's kidney's in a transplant operation.
2005 - Country singer Lynn Anderson was arrested for shoplifting after being caught stealing a Harry Potter DVD from a New Mexico supermarket and punching a police officer during her arrest. The 57 year-old had the 1970 Top 5 hit 'Rose Garden'.
2008 - Amy Winehouse was admitted into rehab in a battle to kick her addiction to drugs. A statement from her record company, Universal said she entered the facility "after talks with her record label, management, family and doctors to continue her ongoing recovery against drug addiction."