TODAY IN HISTORY - October 23rd
1959 - Born this day, Weird Al [Alfred Matthew] Yankovic, singer, comedian, US spoof performer, minor US hits parodying songs such as Eat It, Michael Jackson's Beat It and Like A Surgeon, Madonna's Like A Virgin. (Another source suggests 24 October).
1961 - Dion started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Runaround Sue. It reached No.11 in the UK.
1962 - 12 year-old 'Little' Stevie Wonder made his first recordings for Motown Records. He recorded Thank You For Loving Me All The Way.
1964 - All four members of US band Buddy and the Kings were killed when they hired a Cesna Skyhawk to take them to a gig in Harris County. Piloted by the bands drummer Bill Daniles, the plane crashed nose first killing all on board. Singer with the group Harold Box had replaced Buddy Holly in The Crickets after his death in a plane crash. He sang lead vocals on 'Peggy Sue Got Married.'
1966 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their first single 'Hey Joe', at De Lane Lea studios in London. The earliest known commercial recording of the song is the late-1965 single by the Los Angeles garage band the The Leaves; the band then re-recorded the track and released it in 1966 as a follow-up single which became a hit
1975 - Elton John's Los Angeles concert was sold out at Dodger Stadium. It was the finale to his concert tour of the western US.
1976 - Chicago started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'If You Leave Me Now'. It was the group's 18th Top 40 and first US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK. It went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance.
1980 - Mark David Chapman quit his security job and signed out for the last time. Instead of the usual "Chappy" he wrote "John Lennon". Chapman would murder Lennon on December 8th of this year outside his New York City home.
1982 - Culture Club had their first UK No.1 with Do You Really Want To Hurt Me. This was the first of 12 UK Top 40 hits for them.
1993 - Meat Loaf had his first UK No.1 with I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), which stayed at No.1 for seven weeks.
1995 - A Houston jury found Yolanda Saldivar guilty of murdering 23-year-old Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla Perez. It was believed that Saldivar shot Selena because she was to be fired as the singer's manager. Selena suspected her of embezzlement.
1995 - Def Leppard put themselves in the Guinness book Of World Records, by playing three gigs in three continents in 24 hours, Tangier, London and Vancouver.
1959 - Born this day, Weird Al [Alfred Matthew] Yankovic, singer, comedian, US spoof performer, minor US hits parodying songs such as Eat It, Michael Jackson's Beat It and Like A Surgeon, Madonna's Like A Virgin. (Another source suggests 24 October).
1961 - Dion started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Runaround Sue. It reached No.11 in the UK.
1962 - 12 year-old 'Little' Stevie Wonder made his first recordings for Motown Records. He recorded Thank You For Loving Me All The Way.
1964 - All four members of US band Buddy and the Kings were killed when they hired a Cesna Skyhawk to take them to a gig in Harris County. Piloted by the bands drummer Bill Daniles, the plane crashed nose first killing all on board. Singer with the group Harold Box had replaced Buddy Holly in The Crickets after his death in a plane crash. He sang lead vocals on 'Peggy Sue Got Married.'
1966 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their first single 'Hey Joe', at De Lane Lea studios in London. The earliest known commercial recording of the song is the late-1965 single by the Los Angeles garage band the The Leaves; the band then re-recorded the track and released it in 1966 as a follow-up single which became a hit
1975 - Elton John's Los Angeles concert was sold out at Dodger Stadium. It was the finale to his concert tour of the western US.
1976 - Chicago started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'If You Leave Me Now'. It was the group's 18th Top 40 and first US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK. It went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance.
1980 - Mark David Chapman quit his security job and signed out for the last time. Instead of the usual "Chappy" he wrote "John Lennon". Chapman would murder Lennon on December 8th of this year outside his New York City home.
1982 - Culture Club had their first UK No.1 with Do You Really Want To Hurt Me. This was the first of 12 UK Top 40 hits for them.
1993 - Meat Loaf had his first UK No.1 with I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), which stayed at No.1 for seven weeks.
1995 - A Houston jury found Yolanda Saldivar guilty of murdering 23-year-old Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla Perez. It was believed that Saldivar shot Selena because she was to be fired as the singer's manager. Selena suspected her of embezzlement.
1995 - Def Leppard put themselves in the Guinness book Of World Records, by playing three gigs in three continents in 24 hours, Tangier, London and Vancouver.