TODAY IN HISTORY – May 14th
1936 – Born this day, Bobby Darin, Grammy Award winning singer who had the number 1 hit single in both the UK and USA in 1959 with the single “Mack the Knife”.
1943 – Born this day, Jack Bruce, bassist for supergroup Cream with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker.
1952 – Born this day, David Byrne, rock musician, singer, Talking Heads followed by solo career.
1953 – Born this day, Tom Cochran. Canadian singer whose biggest hit was “Life is a Highway” 1990
1955 – On this day in 1955, “Rock Around the Clock” was re-released after the debut of the movie “Blackboard Jungle”. By the end of the year it would sell an estimated 6 million copies and top the singles chart in both the US and UK. The song is seen universally as the first Rockin roll song to be popularized on radio.
1956 – Buddy Holly’s optometrist gave him contact lenses for 20/800 eyesight, but he couldn’t get used to them so the trademark glasses stay put.
1957 - Elvis Presley was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after swallowing a porcelain cap from one of his front teeth, which then lodged its-self in one of his lungs.
1960 - The Silver Beats (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe, and Tommy Moore) performed at Lathom Hall, Seaforth, Liverpool. They played a few songs during the "interval" to audition for promoter Brian Kelly. Also appearing are Cliff Roberts & the Rockers, The Deltones, and Kingsize Taylor & the Dominoes. This is the only occasion on which the group uses the name "Silver Beats", quickly changing it back to "Silver Beetles".
1962 - Born on this day was Ian Astbury, English singer with Southern Death Cult, who became The Cult. In 2002 he became lead singer of The Doors of the 21st Century, featuring original Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek
1963 – Born this day, C.C. DeVille, rock musician, Poison, 1988 US No. 1 song with “Every Rose has it’s Thorn”.
1969 – Died this day, Jeanne “Genie The Taylor” Franklin, clothes designer, after the band, Fairport Convention’s van crashed on the way home from a gig in Birmingham, England. She designed clothes for rock stars including, Jimi Hendrix, Donavon, The Animals and many more.
1973 – Born this day, Natalie Appleton, singer, All Saints.
1976 - 33 year-old Keith Relf, former lead singer for The Yardbirds, was electrocuted while tuning a guitar which was not properly earthed. The accident happened in his West London home where he was found by his eight year old son, still holding the plugged-in electric guitar. The Yardbirds had the hits 'For Your Love', 'Heart Full of Soul', and 'Shapes of Things'.
1976 – Born this day, Martine McCutcheon, singer, actress. Played Hugh Grants love interest in “Love Actually” and was also barmaid, Tiffany in Eastenders.
1977 – Leo Sayer was number one in the US with “When I Need You”. The song was written by Albert Hammond (It Never Rains in California).
1984 - Born on this day, English singer-songwriter, musician, Olly Murs who was the runner-up in the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009. Scored the 2010 UK No.1 hit single 'Please Don't Let Me Go',
1985 – Michael Jackson received a humanitarian award from US President Ronald Reagan at the White House. Michael wasn’t able to collect the award so he sent his chimp, Bubbles. Apparently Bubbles and Ronnie had an awesome time together even though Ronnie was quoted as saying it was a “forgettable day”.
1988 – Fairground Attraction were at No.1 with the single, “Perfect”.
1988 - Led Zeppelin reunited for the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party at Madison Square Garden, New York, appearing with Jason Bonham the son of John Bonham on drums. Other acts performing included Foreigner, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Wilson Pickett and Ben E. King.
1998 - American singer and actor Frank Sinatra died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles aged 82, after suffering a heart attack. Sinatra had his first hit in 1940, working in the Swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1953 film 'From Here to Eternity'. He went on to score over 25 Top 40 singles including the 1966 No.1 'Strangers In The Night'. His 1969 single 'My Way', re-entered the UK charts eight times and spent a total of 165 weeks on the UK chart.
1998 – George Michael was fined $810 US after being convicted of a “lewd” act in a Los Angeles lavatory. The “Lewd” act also reinvigorated his career which until that point had been going down the toilet.
2002 - The musical We Will Rock You opened in the West End of London, England at the Dominion Theatre. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor. The musical tells the story of a group of Bohemians who struggle to restore the free exchange of thought, fashion, and live music in a distant future where everyone dresses, thinks and does the same. Musical instruments and composers are forbidden, and rock music is all but unknown. WWRY has since become the longest-running musical at the Dominion Theatre.
2003 - Lawyers for Britney Spears and the Skechers footwear company settled a dispute over a deal for the pop star to market a line of roller skates and accessories. Spears had filed a $1.5 million breach of agreement lawsuit against Skechers in December, claiming the company failed to pay her adequately. Skechers had responded with a $10 million lawsuit, accusing Spears of fraud and breach of the three-year licensing agreement she signed in January 2002.
2013 - It was reported that Kiss planned to open over 100 restaurants in North America. The band who had just opened the third branch of Rock & Brews in the greater Los Angeles area said that they wished to open 100 more in the next five years. The band planned to open new branches at LAX airport in Los Angeles, Maui in Hawaii and Kansas City in Missouri over the coming year.
2015 - Blues Legend, BB King passed away this day in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 89. He was considered to be one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time and in their 2011 list of the "greatest guitarists of all time" Rolling Stone magazine placed King at number 6. He was inducted into the Rockin Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
1936 – Born this day, Bobby Darin, Grammy Award winning singer who had the number 1 hit single in both the UK and USA in 1959 with the single “Mack the Knife”.
1943 – Born this day, Jack Bruce, bassist for supergroup Cream with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker.
1952 – Born this day, David Byrne, rock musician, singer, Talking Heads followed by solo career.
1953 – Born this day, Tom Cochran. Canadian singer whose biggest hit was “Life is a Highway” 1990
1955 – On this day in 1955, “Rock Around the Clock” was re-released after the debut of the movie “Blackboard Jungle”. By the end of the year it would sell an estimated 6 million copies and top the singles chart in both the US and UK. The song is seen universally as the first Rockin roll song to be popularized on radio.
1956 – Buddy Holly’s optometrist gave him contact lenses for 20/800 eyesight, but he couldn’t get used to them so the trademark glasses stay put.
1957 - Elvis Presley was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after swallowing a porcelain cap from one of his front teeth, which then lodged its-self in one of his lungs.
1960 - The Silver Beats (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe, and Tommy Moore) performed at Lathom Hall, Seaforth, Liverpool. They played a few songs during the "interval" to audition for promoter Brian Kelly. Also appearing are Cliff Roberts & the Rockers, The Deltones, and Kingsize Taylor & the Dominoes. This is the only occasion on which the group uses the name "Silver Beats", quickly changing it back to "Silver Beetles".
1962 - Born on this day was Ian Astbury, English singer with Southern Death Cult, who became The Cult. In 2002 he became lead singer of The Doors of the 21st Century, featuring original Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek
1963 – Born this day, C.C. DeVille, rock musician, Poison, 1988 US No. 1 song with “Every Rose has it’s Thorn”.
1969 – Died this day, Jeanne “Genie The Taylor” Franklin, clothes designer, after the band, Fairport Convention’s van crashed on the way home from a gig in Birmingham, England. She designed clothes for rock stars including, Jimi Hendrix, Donavon, The Animals and many more.
1973 – Born this day, Natalie Appleton, singer, All Saints.
1976 - 33 year-old Keith Relf, former lead singer for The Yardbirds, was electrocuted while tuning a guitar which was not properly earthed. The accident happened in his West London home where he was found by his eight year old son, still holding the plugged-in electric guitar. The Yardbirds had the hits 'For Your Love', 'Heart Full of Soul', and 'Shapes of Things'.
1976 – Born this day, Martine McCutcheon, singer, actress. Played Hugh Grants love interest in “Love Actually” and was also barmaid, Tiffany in Eastenders.
1977 – Leo Sayer was number one in the US with “When I Need You”. The song was written by Albert Hammond (It Never Rains in California).
1984 - Born on this day, English singer-songwriter, musician, Olly Murs who was the runner-up in the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009. Scored the 2010 UK No.1 hit single 'Please Don't Let Me Go',
1985 – Michael Jackson received a humanitarian award from US President Ronald Reagan at the White House. Michael wasn’t able to collect the award so he sent his chimp, Bubbles. Apparently Bubbles and Ronnie had an awesome time together even though Ronnie was quoted as saying it was a “forgettable day”.
1988 – Fairground Attraction were at No.1 with the single, “Perfect”.
1988 - Led Zeppelin reunited for the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party at Madison Square Garden, New York, appearing with Jason Bonham the son of John Bonham on drums. Other acts performing included Foreigner, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Wilson Pickett and Ben E. King.
1998 - American singer and actor Frank Sinatra died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles aged 82, after suffering a heart attack. Sinatra had his first hit in 1940, working in the Swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1953 film 'From Here to Eternity'. He went on to score over 25 Top 40 singles including the 1966 No.1 'Strangers In The Night'. His 1969 single 'My Way', re-entered the UK charts eight times and spent a total of 165 weeks on the UK chart.
1998 – George Michael was fined $810 US after being convicted of a “lewd” act in a Los Angeles lavatory. The “Lewd” act also reinvigorated his career which until that point had been going down the toilet.
2002 - The musical We Will Rock You opened in the West End of London, England at the Dominion Theatre. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor. The musical tells the story of a group of Bohemians who struggle to restore the free exchange of thought, fashion, and live music in a distant future where everyone dresses, thinks and does the same. Musical instruments and composers are forbidden, and rock music is all but unknown. WWRY has since become the longest-running musical at the Dominion Theatre.
2003 - Lawyers for Britney Spears and the Skechers footwear company settled a dispute over a deal for the pop star to market a line of roller skates and accessories. Spears had filed a $1.5 million breach of agreement lawsuit against Skechers in December, claiming the company failed to pay her adequately. Skechers had responded with a $10 million lawsuit, accusing Spears of fraud and breach of the three-year licensing agreement she signed in January 2002.
2013 - It was reported that Kiss planned to open over 100 restaurants in North America. The band who had just opened the third branch of Rock & Brews in the greater Los Angeles area said that they wished to open 100 more in the next five years. The band planned to open new branches at LAX airport in Los Angeles, Maui in Hawaii and Kansas City in Missouri over the coming year.
2015 - Blues Legend, BB King passed away this day in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 89. He was considered to be one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time and in their 2011 list of the "greatest guitarists of all time" Rolling Stone magazine placed King at number 6. He was inducted into the Rockin Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.