TODAY IN HISTORY - November 20th
1942 - Born this day, Norman Greenbaum, US singer, 1970 UK No.1 and US No.3 single Spirit in the Sky, The Eggplant That Ate Chicago).
1946 - Born this day, Duane Allman, Allman Brothers Band, guitar, 1973 US No.12 single Ramblin' Man. Died 29 October 1971. Played lead break on Eric Clapton classic, “Layla”
1947 - Born this day, Joe Walsh, musician, guitarist, singer, (James Gang, The Eagles: 1977 US No.1 and UK No.8 single Hotel California, New Kid in Town, In The Fast Lane, Heartache Tonight. Solo - 1978 UK No.14 single Life’s Been Good, A Life of Illusion, All Night Long).
1955 - The song that changed popular music history Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets went to No.1 in the UK singles chart for the first time.
1955 - RCA Records purchased Elvis Presley's recording contract from Sam Phillips at Sun Records for an unprecedented sum of $35,000.
1955 - Bo Diddley appeared on US The Ed Sullivan Show television show. The show had requested that he sang his version of ‘Sixteen Tons’, but, when he appeared on stage, he sang his own song ‘Bo Diddley’ resulting in him being banned from further appearances on the show.
1959 - One of America’s greatest disc jockeys was fired from WABC radio in New York. Alan Freed, was axed in the midst of the payola music scandal.
1966 - Born this day, Kevin Gilbert, multi instrumentalist, songwriter. Member of Giraffe, worked with Sheryl Crow, co-wrote 1994 UK No.4 hit All I Want To Do. Died 17 May 1996.
1968 - Head, co-written by Jack Nicholson, opened in US theatres. Annette Funicello and Teri Garr were in the bizarre cast, which included the Monkees, boxer Sonny Liston, and Nicholson himself. Reviews were harsh and the movie was a box office disaster.
1971 - Isaac Hayes of Memphis, Tennessee got his first number 1 hit as the Theme from Shaft began a two-week stay at the top of the US charts. It made No.4 in the UK. Hayes won a Grammy award for Best Original Film Score.
1973 - Died this day, Alan Sherman, singer, aged 49. He had a 1963 UK No.14 single Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah.
1974 - Who drummer Keith Moon collapsed during a concert after his drink was spiked with horse tranquilliser, 19-year-old Scott Halpin, from the audience, volunteered to replace him on drums for the remaining three numbers.
1975 - The Bay City Rollers' Les McKeown was found not guilty of causing the death of a 76 year old woman that he had hit with his car the previous May. Witnesses said that Euphemia Clunie was walking across the road and had changed directions four times. McKeown was convicted of driving recklessly and fined £150 pounds and banned from driving for a year.
1976 - Paul Simon hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live where he performed live with George Harrison on ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and ‘Homeward Bound’. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were both in New York City watching the show on TV.
1979 - Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer were at No.1 on the US singles chart with No More Tears, Enough Is Enough. It made No.3 in the UK.
1984 - The largest crowd to see the unveiling of a Hollywood Walk-of-Fame star turned out as Michael Jackson got his piece of the sidewalk right in front of Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. ‘The Gloved One’ became star number 1,793 on the famed walk.
1986 - Born on this day, Jared Followill, bassist, Kings Of Leon, (2007 UK No.1 album ‘Because Of The Times’, 2008 UK No.1 single ‘Sex on Fire’, 2008 UK No.1 album ‘Only By The Night’).
1991 - Randy Jackson of The Jacksons was given a 30 day jail sentence by a Los Angeles court for violating a probation order.
1991 - The Rolling Stones announced they had signed a £20 million deal with Virgin Records, to make 3 albums over 6 years.
2001 - Madonna's childhood home in Oakland County Michigan, sold at an auction in just 12 minutes. The house, along with a few items of Rock memorabilia was purchased for $331,000.
2002 - Midge Ure was fined £500 and ordered to pay £35 costs by magistrates in King's Lynn, Norfolk, after he admitted driving without due care and attention. The court heard that Ure was involved in a minor accident in Norfolk while driving his Chrysler people carrier to a concert near Fakenham where he was performing.
2003 - Michael Jackson flew to Santa Barbara to be arrested by police. He was seen in handcuffs being taken into the police station. The singer had his mug shot and fingerprints taken before being freed on $3 million bail.
2004 - Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was fined £40,000 after a fight in a German hotel. Gallagher was arrested along with drummer Alan White and three other members of the band's entourage after the brawl in Munich in December 2002. Gallagher lost two front teeth in the fight, which led to the band abandoning their German tour.
2005 - Robbie Williams smashed a Guinness World Record by selling more than 1.6 million tickets for his 2006 World Tour in one day. The tickets, snapped up on the first day of sale, were valued at an estimated £80 million.
2007 - Velvet Revolver were forced to cancel a four-city Japanese after their requests for visas was rejected. Officials were said to have refused the band entry to Japan due to previous drug convictions.
1942 - Born this day, Norman Greenbaum, US singer, 1970 UK No.1 and US No.3 single Spirit in the Sky, The Eggplant That Ate Chicago).
1946 - Born this day, Duane Allman, Allman Brothers Band, guitar, 1973 US No.12 single Ramblin' Man. Died 29 October 1971. Played lead break on Eric Clapton classic, “Layla”
1947 - Born this day, Joe Walsh, musician, guitarist, singer, (James Gang, The Eagles: 1977 US No.1 and UK No.8 single Hotel California, New Kid in Town, In The Fast Lane, Heartache Tonight. Solo - 1978 UK No.14 single Life’s Been Good, A Life of Illusion, All Night Long).
1955 - The song that changed popular music history Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets went to No.1 in the UK singles chart for the first time.
1955 - RCA Records purchased Elvis Presley's recording contract from Sam Phillips at Sun Records for an unprecedented sum of $35,000.
1955 - Bo Diddley appeared on US The Ed Sullivan Show television show. The show had requested that he sang his version of ‘Sixteen Tons’, but, when he appeared on stage, he sang his own song ‘Bo Diddley’ resulting in him being banned from further appearances on the show.
1959 - One of America’s greatest disc jockeys was fired from WABC radio in New York. Alan Freed, was axed in the midst of the payola music scandal.
1966 - Born this day, Kevin Gilbert, multi instrumentalist, songwriter. Member of Giraffe, worked with Sheryl Crow, co-wrote 1994 UK No.4 hit All I Want To Do. Died 17 May 1996.
1968 - Head, co-written by Jack Nicholson, opened in US theatres. Annette Funicello and Teri Garr were in the bizarre cast, which included the Monkees, boxer Sonny Liston, and Nicholson himself. Reviews were harsh and the movie was a box office disaster.
1971 - Isaac Hayes of Memphis, Tennessee got his first number 1 hit as the Theme from Shaft began a two-week stay at the top of the US charts. It made No.4 in the UK. Hayes won a Grammy award for Best Original Film Score.
1973 - Died this day, Alan Sherman, singer, aged 49. He had a 1963 UK No.14 single Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah.
1974 - Who drummer Keith Moon collapsed during a concert after his drink was spiked with horse tranquilliser, 19-year-old Scott Halpin, from the audience, volunteered to replace him on drums for the remaining three numbers.
1975 - The Bay City Rollers' Les McKeown was found not guilty of causing the death of a 76 year old woman that he had hit with his car the previous May. Witnesses said that Euphemia Clunie was walking across the road and had changed directions four times. McKeown was convicted of driving recklessly and fined £150 pounds and banned from driving for a year.
1976 - Paul Simon hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live where he performed live with George Harrison on ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and ‘Homeward Bound’. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were both in New York City watching the show on TV.
1979 - Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer were at No.1 on the US singles chart with No More Tears, Enough Is Enough. It made No.3 in the UK.
1984 - The largest crowd to see the unveiling of a Hollywood Walk-of-Fame star turned out as Michael Jackson got his piece of the sidewalk right in front of Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. ‘The Gloved One’ became star number 1,793 on the famed walk.
1986 - Born on this day, Jared Followill, bassist, Kings Of Leon, (2007 UK No.1 album ‘Because Of The Times’, 2008 UK No.1 single ‘Sex on Fire’, 2008 UK No.1 album ‘Only By The Night’).
1991 - Randy Jackson of The Jacksons was given a 30 day jail sentence by a Los Angeles court for violating a probation order.
1991 - The Rolling Stones announced they had signed a £20 million deal with Virgin Records, to make 3 albums over 6 years.
2001 - Madonna's childhood home in Oakland County Michigan, sold at an auction in just 12 minutes. The house, along with a few items of Rock memorabilia was purchased for $331,000.
2002 - Midge Ure was fined £500 and ordered to pay £35 costs by magistrates in King's Lynn, Norfolk, after he admitted driving without due care and attention. The court heard that Ure was involved in a minor accident in Norfolk while driving his Chrysler people carrier to a concert near Fakenham where he was performing.
2003 - Michael Jackson flew to Santa Barbara to be arrested by police. He was seen in handcuffs being taken into the police station. The singer had his mug shot and fingerprints taken before being freed on $3 million bail.
2004 - Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was fined £40,000 after a fight in a German hotel. Gallagher was arrested along with drummer Alan White and three other members of the band's entourage after the brawl in Munich in December 2002. Gallagher lost two front teeth in the fight, which led to the band abandoning their German tour.
2005 - Robbie Williams smashed a Guinness World Record by selling more than 1.6 million tickets for his 2006 World Tour in one day. The tickets, snapped up on the first day of sale, were valued at an estimated £80 million.
2007 - Velvet Revolver were forced to cancel a four-city Japanese after their requests for visas was rejected. Officials were said to have refused the band entry to Japan due to previous drug convictions.