Today in Music History for Dec. 9:
In 1934, bluesman Junior Wells was born in West Memphis, Ark. He replaced harmonica player Little Walter in Muddy Waters’ band in the early 1950s. His most famous recording is "Hoodoo Man." Wells died in Chicago of cancer on Jan. 15, 1998.
In 1947, the Horseshoe Tavern opened in Toronto. In the 1950s and ’60s, it was one of the country’s premier country nightclubs, showcasing such stars-in-the-making as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, George Hamilton IV, Bill Anderson, Charley Pride and Loretta Lynn. The club was immortalized by Stompin’ Tom Connors in "Horseshoe Hotel Song." The Horseshoe continued to feature country music until the late 1970s, then became a rock music showcase.
In 1967, "The Doors" lead singer Jim Morrison mouthed off to a policeman backstage before a show in New Haven, Conn. The cop responded by spraying him with Mace. When Morrison complained about the incident during the concert, police removed him from the stage and charged him with breach of peace and resisting arrest.
In 1972, an all-star orchestral stage version of "The Who’s" rock opera "Tommy" was performed at the Rainbow Theatre in London. The performance was recorded and the resulting album made the top-five, despite unanimously negative reviews. Among the cast were Peter Sellers, Steve Winwood and Richie Havens.
In 1972, Australian singer Helen Reddy held down the No. 1 spot on the U.S. charts with "I Am Woman." The song became the anthem for the women’s liberation movement.
In 1978, actors John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd recorded a version of "Soul Man" and released it under the name "The Blues Brothers."
In 1980, admirers of former "Beatle" John Lennon mourned his slaying in New York City the night before. Fans crowded record stores for copies of his albums and tuned in to radio stations that were playing his albums non-stop.
In 1981, Sonny Til, lead singer of the pioneer R&B group "The Orioles," died in Washington, D.C., of a heart attack at the age of 56.
In 1984, "The Jacksons" "Victory Tour" ended at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Michael told the crowd: “It’s been a long 20 years and we love you all.” It was the last time Michael toured with his brothers.
In 1984, country star Larry Gatlin checked into a California hospital to kick his cocaine habit.
In 1985, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams received a diamond award for selling one million copies in Canada of his album "Reckless." He joined only 12 other artists, all non-Canadians, who had sold one million copies of an album in Canada since the Canadian Recording Industry Association began certifying records in the mid-1970s. (Other Canadian artists to later receive diamond records: Alannah Myles, Corey Hart, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Our Lady Peace, Barenaked Ladies, Tom Cochrane, The Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan, and Amanda Marshall.)
In 1988, jazz guitarist Larry Carlton, whose left arm was paralyzed and voice nearly lost in a shooting by an intruder eight months earlier, returned to performing with a benefit concert for crime victims in Los Angeles.
In 1989, Stefan Doroschuk of the Montreal rock trio "Men Without Hats" suffered two broken legs when he was struck by a car in Montreal. The accident prevented the group from touring to promote their LP, "In the 21st Century."
In 1991, a judge in Kingston, Jamaica, awarded the right to buy the music-related assets of reggae pioneer Bob Marley’s estate to Chris Blackwell’s Island Logic company, widow Rita Marley and Marley’s six adult offspring. The price -- $11.5 million.
In 1993, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical "Sunset Boulevard" had its North American premiere in Los Angeles.
In 1993, the British Cremation Society reported that Whitney Houston’s "I Will Always Love You" was the most requested song at funerals.
In 1995, "The Beatles" were back at the top of the charts as their "Anthology 1" collection reached No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. Sales were spurred by a six-hour television documentary and "Free as a Bird," "The Beatles" first new tune in 25 years.
In 1996, a version of Bob Dylan’s "Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door," with additional lyrics by amateur Scottish musician Ted Christopher, was released in Britain. The new verse argued for gun control in the wake of the slaying of 16 children and their teacher by a gunman in Dunblane, Scotland.
In 2010, "Hold My Hand," a new Michael Jackson music video hit the Internet at the stroke of midnight. The song, featuring Senaglese rapper Akon, was recorded before the superstar's 2009 death. It was the first single released from the 10-song CD, "Michael," that was released on Dec. 14.
In 2010, outgoing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist posthumously pardoned frontman Jim Morrison of "The Doors" for a 1970 indecent exposure conviction in Florida. Morrison, a Florida native, was appealing the conviction when he was found dead in a Paris bathtub in 1971 at age 27.
In 2010, rapper Eminem topped iTunes in Canada's best-selling 2010 single and album charts, with "Love the Way You Lie" and Recovery" respectively. On the iTunes U.S. singles chart, "Train" rode "Hey, Soul Sister" to the top while Eminem's "Recovery" was the top-selling album.
In 2011, Billboard declared British singer Adele female artist and overall artist of 2011, as well as having the most popular song with "Rolling in the Deep." Her "21" album sold 4.8 million copies in the U.S. and over 12 million worldwide. Rapper Lil Wayne took male artist of the year honours.
In 2012, Jenni Rivera, the California-born singer who rose through personal adversity to become a superstar adored by millions in a male-dominated genre of Mexican-American music, was killed in a plane crash in northern Mexico. She was 43.
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(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
