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Today in Music History - Oct. 23

Today in Music History for Oct. 23: In 1851, pioneer Canadian conductor and composer Guillaume Couture was born in Montreal.

Today in Music History for Oct. 23:

 

In 1851, pioneer Canadian conductor and composer Guillaume Couture was born in Montreal. During his lifetime, Couture was more respected in France than in his native country but is now considered to be Canada's first great musician. He was conductor of the Montreal Philharmonic Society for 19 years and then founded the first Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1894. He died in 1915.

In 1935, Canadian arranger-composer Jimmy Dale was born in London, England. After working for the CBC in the 1960s, he moved to Hollywood in 1969 where he was music director for such TV programs as "The Smothers Brothers Show," "The Andy Williams Show" and "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour." Dale returned to Toronto in the mid-1970s, where he was music director for the TV shows "Juliette and Friends," "The Bobby Vinton Show" and "The Bob McLean Show."

In 1939, '60s R&B performer Charlie Foxx was born in Greensboro, N.C. With his sister, Inez, he had a million-seller in 1963 with the novelty song, "Mockingbird," which was revived by James Taylor and Carly Simon in 1974. Foxx died of leukemia in Mobile, Ala., on Sept. 18, 1998.

In 1940, pop songwriter Ellie Greenwich was born in Long Island, N.Y. Together with Jeff Barry, she wrote many of the hits turned out by producer Phil Spector in the 1960s. Among them were "Then He Kissed Me" and "Da Doo Ron Ron" by "The Crystals" and "Be My Baby" by "The Ronettes." Other Greenwich-Barry collaborations included "Leader of the Pack" by "The Shangri-Las" and "Chapel of Love" by "The Dixie Cups." She died Aug. 26, 2009.

In 1950, popular American singer Al Jolson died after suffering a heart attack. He was 66. After working the vaudeville circuit with his black-face routine, Jolson rose to fame in 1911 on Broadway with the show "La Belle Paree." He later starred in "The Jazz Singer," the first full-length movie with sound, in 1927.

In 1961, the CBC Symphony Orchestra performed in Washington, D.C., at the Inter-American Music Festival. The festival was in honour of the 16th anniversary of the United Nations.

In 1962, 12-year-old Little Stevie Wonder recorded his first single for Motown Records, "Thank You For Loving Me All the Way." He was billed as "The 12-Year-Old Genius," an attempt to identify him with Ray Charles. His first single was not successful, but shortly he would have his first chart record - "Fingertips, Part 1."

In 1970, Anne Murray starred in the first of several annual specials she made for CBC television.

In 1976, Leonard Lee of the R&B duo "Shirley and Lee" died at age 40. His partner was Shirley Goodman, and their big hit was "Let the Good Times Roll" in 1956.

In 1978, Maybelle Carter, of "The Carter Family," died at the age of 69. "The Carter Family" was one of the most influential groups in country music, and their 1928 recording of the traditional "Wildwood Flower" sold a million copies. In the 1960s, Maybelle Carter was discovered by a whole new audience at folk festivals. June Carter Cash, who would later marry Johnny Cash, was Maybelle's daughter.

In 1981, "George Thorogood and the Destroyers" opened a tour in which they played all 50 U.S. states in 50 days. Their mode of transport was a Checker Cab.

In 1984, musician Bob Geldof watched a documentary on the BBC about Ethiopia's famine. He was so moved he called his friend, Midge Ure, and together they wrote the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas."  

In 1991, country singers Roseanne Cash and Rodney Crowell announced they were divorcing. They had been married since 1979 and had four daughters.

In 1992, country singer George Strait made his movie debut in "Pure Country," in which he starred as a country western singer.

In 1995, "Def Leppard" performed three concerts -- on three different continents -- in one day. The tour began at midnight local time in Tangiers, Morocco. Then there was a noon engagement in London and finally a 9 p.m. show at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. It was a promotional effort for the group's greatest hits collection, "Vault."

In 1995, a Houston jury found Yolanda Saldivar guilty of murdering Tejano singing star Selena. She was sentenced to spend at least 30 years in prison.

In 1997, country singer Barbara Mandrell, who had announced she was giving up music for an acting career, gave what was billed as her final performance -- a concert at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. The show was taped for later airing on The Nashville Network.

In 1998, Ian Brown, former lead singer of the British rock band "The Stone Roses," was sentenced to four months in jail for threatening to cut off the hands of a stewardess on a British Airways flight. Brown denied using threatening and abusive behaviour towards the stewardess and a pilot on a Paris-Manchester flight eight months earlier.

In 2001, Louisiana guitarist Russell "Rusty" Kershaw died in New Orleans of a heart attack at age 63. His 40-plus-year career included stints with Neil Young, Chet Atkins, JJ Cale and Charlie Daniels. He was the younger brother of Cajun recording star Doug Kershaw.

In 2004, acclaimed singer Robert Merrill, the opera baritone who felt equally comfortable on opening night at the Metropolitan Opera House or opening day at Yankee Stadium, died. Reference books gave conflicting ages for Merrill, 87 or 85. He spent 31 consecutive seasons with the Metropolitan Opera. Merrill also sang with popular stars ranging from Frank Sinatra to Louis Armstrong, appeared worldwide at music festivals and made numerous recordings.

In 2004, Ashlee Simpson walked off stage after the wrong vocal track was played during her performance on "Saturday Night Live," which revealed she was lip-synching.

In 2008, Billy Paul, Tammi Terrell and Dee Dee Sharp were inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame. They received bronze plaques along the Avenue of the Arts.

In 2010, singer Celine Dion delivered premature, yet healthy twin boys Nelson and Eddy, at a hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. She was due to deliver in November but was hospitalized earlier in October per doctor's orders as a precaution.

In 2010, country singer Blake Shelton was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

In 2010, Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay reunited as "Buffalo Springfield" for their first concert in 42 years at a benefit for the Bridge School in Mountain View, Calif., a school that serves students with severe handicaps.

In 2010, pop singer Katy Perry and comedian Russell Brand were married in a Hindu ceremony in northwestern India at the Aman-e-Khas luxury resort in a tiger reserve in Ranthambhore National Park. They have since divorced.

In 2010, Yoko Ono unveiled a commemorative plaque at the Georgian row house in London where she and John Lennon lived in 1968 and was the setting for the nude photo of themselves for the "Two Virgins" cover.

In 2015, "Hello," Adele's lead single from "25," her long-awaited followup to her multi-platinum sophmore album "21," was released and it topped the iTunes singles chart in 85 countries. The music video broke the Vevo record, at the time, for most views in a day with 27.7 million. It went on to set a first-week record of 1.112 million downloads in the U.S. and debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100.

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(The Canadian Press)

The Canadian Press

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