Today in Music History for Nov. 16:
In 1908, conductor Arturo Toscanini made his debut with the New York Metropolitan Opera with a performance of Verdi's "Aida."
In 1919, old-time country musician Earl Bolick, who formed "The Blue Sky Boys" duo with his brother Bill in 1935, was born in Hickory, N.C. "The Blue Sky Boys'" blend of religious and old-time country material was popular until the early 1940s, and they recorded dozens of songs for the Bluebird label. But after the Second World War, their music was considered out of style. "The Blue Sky Boys" broke up in 1951, and Earl became a machinist for Lockheed Aircraft. He died on April 19, 1998.
In 1922, Canadian tenor Edward Johnson, a native of Guelph, Ont., made his Metropolitan Opera debut. He was among the Met's most admired artists for 13 seasons. He went on to become the New York company's general manager from 1935-50.
In 1949, Pattie Santos, singer with the San Francisco group "It's a Beautiful Day," was born in San Francisco. The band was formed by singer and violinist David LaFlamme in 1967. The group's most famous song is "White Bird," from their self-titled debut LP in 1969. They broke up in 1974 after half a dozen albums. Santos died in a car accident on Dec. 14, 1989.
In 1960, Patsy Cline recorded the song "I Fall to Pieces" in Nashville. She also recorded the songs "Shoes" and "Lovin' in Vain" during that same session.
In 1964, jazz singer-pianist Diana Krall was born in Nanaimo, B.C. A piano student from the age of five, Krall attended Berklee College in Boston before returning to Nanaimo and being discovered by Oscar Peterson's bassist, Ray Brown. He encouraged her to move to Los Angeles for further study, and she sang in clubs for the next 10 years before releasing her first album, "Stepping Out," in 1993. Her fourth album, 1999's "When I Look in Your Eyes," won a Grammy award and sold close to three million copies worldwide.
In 1974, a musical adaption of the Beatles "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" opened on Broadway to dismal reviews and poor business. The director was Tom O'Horgan, who had previously been successful with "Hair" and "Jesus Christ Superstar."
In 1978, David Bowie's movie "Just a Gigolo" premiered in West Berlin, the city in which the film is set.
In 1980, R&B singer O.V. Wright died in Memphis at age 41. He had many hits for the Back Beat label in the 1960s and '70s, the biggest of which was "Ace of Spades."
In 1983, Barbra Streisand's movie "Yentl" premiered in New York and Los Angeles.
In 1986, Vancouver's "Powder Blues Band" was named Best Foreign Blues Group by the National Blues Foundation at the W.C. Handy Awards ceremony in Memphis.
In 1988, Stan Love, former "Beach Boys" manager and brother of singer Mike Love, was given five years probation in Los Angeles for swindling the group out of nearly $900,000 in proceeds from a real estate deal. He was also ordered to repay about $86,000.
In 1990, fans were so rowdy during Bruce Springsteen's first formal concert in two years that the "Boss" had to ask them to be quiet. The Los Angeles show was a solo effort, with Springsteen accompanying himself with guitar, piano and harmonica. Proceeds from the concert, also featuring Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt, helped fund a lawsuit accusing the U.S. government of sanctioning illegal arms sales and drug trafficking to finance covert operations during the Iran-Contra affair.
In 1991, Garth Brooks's "Ropin' the Wind" became the longest-running No. 1 album by a country artist on the Billboard pop albums chart. It was the album's sixth week at the top of the Billboard 200, and it would stay there for another week before being dethroned by "U2's" "Achtung Baby."
In 1998, Gospel singer J.D. Sumner, who was once listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's lowest bass singer, died of a heart attack in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He was 73. Sumner and "The Stamps Quartet" performed with Elvis Presley from 1970-77 and appeared on his 1972 hit "Burning Love." Sumner joined "The Stamps" in 1965 after 11 years with another famous gospel group, "The Blackwood Brothers."
In 2002, William Marrie, a former National Ballet of Canada dancer, died in a motorcycle accident in New York at age 33. Marrie had performed on Broadway in the lead role of Eddie in "Movin' Out," a ballet-infused musical based on the songs of Billy Joel. He studied at L'Ecole Superieure de Danse du Quebec and joined the National Ballet in 1990, becoming principal dancer in 2001.
In 2008, MTV's "Total Request Live" aired for the last time. Eminem, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock and Diddy made appearances.
In 2009, the U.S. Library of Congress announced it awarded Paul McCartney its third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon previously won the prize.
In 2010, Apple Inc. announced its iTunes service would finally sell music from "The Beatles" after years of litigation with the band's label Apple Records. In the first week, Apple said it sold two million songs and 450,000 albums. The best-selling track was "Here Comes The Sun," and the best-selling album was "Abbey Road."
In 2010, singer Avril Lavigne was officially divorced from "Sum 41" lead singer Deryck Whibley. They wed in 2006 and had no children together.
In 2011, search engine giant Google unveiled its much-anticipated digital music store in the U.S., opening a new front in its battle with Apple to provide services over mobile devices.
In 2014, U2 frontman Bono was involved in a bike accident in New York City's Central Park that left him with a fractured left eye socket, a fractured left shoulder blade and a fractured left elbow. The band had to reschedule their planned weeklong appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."
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(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
