Today in Music History for Oct. 25:
In 1918, Canadian trumpeter and songwriter Bobby Gimby was born in Cabri, Sask. Known as "The Pied Piper of Canada," he composed "Canada," the most popular song of the country's centennial celebration in 1967. He died on June 20, 1998 in North Bay, Ont., at the age of 79.
In 1944, Jon Anderson, lead vocalist of the 1970s progressive rock band "Yes," was born in Lancashire, England. "Yes" was formed in 1968 after Anderson met bass guitarist Chris Squire at a London bar. One of the band's first engagements was as an opening act at "Cream's" farewell concert in November of that year. But their commercial breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with the release of "The Yes Album," which was actually their third LP. Further best-selling LPs, such "Close to the Edge," "Yessongs" and "Tales From Topographic Oceans" made them one of the top groups of the 1970s. Jon Anderson left in 1980, and the band broke up later that year. They regrouped for a tour 20 years later.
In 1964, "The Rolling Stones" made their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1964, "The Beatles" dominated the British music industry awards, winning five overall.
In 1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones played their first live concert as "Led Zeppelin," at Surrey University in England.
In 1973, John Lennon filed suit in New York, charging that the U.S. government used wiretaps and surveillance against him and his lawyer in connection with his battle against deportation.
In 1975, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Canadian Brass appeared at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C.
In 1980, Paul Kantner, guitarist and vocalist with "Jefferson Airplane" and "Jefferson Starship," suffered a stroke at age 39. The stroke left no permanent damage.
In 1984, western swing bandleader Johnnie Lee Wills died at the age of 72. He was overshadowed by his elder brother, Bob Wills, who was known as the "King of Western Swing." But Johnnie Lee still managed two major hits in the late 1940s -- "Rag Mop" and "Peter Cottontail."
In 1988, Johnnie Louise Richardson of the 1950s R&B duo "Johnnie and Joe," died of a stroke. "Over the Mountain, Across the Sea" was the duo's only hit reaching the top-10 in 1957.
In 1991, promoter Bill Graham, one of the most powerful people in the music business, died when the helicopter he was riding in crashed into a utility tower northeast of San Francisco. He was 60. Graham helped launch psychedelic music in 1965 by opening the Fillmore Auditorium as a showcase for such groups as the "Jefferson Airplane," the "Grateful Dead" and "Quicksilver Messenger Service." Graham also had a part in planning the 1985 Live Aid concert.
In 1991, Margo Sylvia, lead singer of the Boston R&B group "The Tune Weavers," died of a heart attack. The group's 1957 recording of "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" was a top-five hit, and remains a favorite oldie of the doo-wop era.
In 1992, Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Roger Miller died in Los Angeles of cancer. He was 56. His folksy, mostly humorous songs, like "Dang Me" in 1964 and "King of the Road" the following year, were hits on both the country and pop charts. He won 11 Grammys in 1964 and '65. He also wrote the music for the Broadway show "Big River," based on "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." It won seven Tony awards in 1985, including one for best musical score.
In 1993, Billy Joel settled a $90 million lawsuit that accused his former law firm of fraud and breach of contract. Joel had charged that lawyer Allen Grubman and his firm paid kickbacks to Frank Weber, Joel's former manager and brother-in-law.
In 1995, singer Cliff Richard was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his charity work. Ten per cent of his earnings are channelled through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust to organizations such as the United Nations Children's Fund.
In 1996, singer Paula Abdul married sportswear designer Brad Beckerman in Los Angeles. She filed for divorce 17 months later.
In 1997, "The Rolling Stones" performed in a small theatre in Port Chester, N.Y., in a concert that was broadcast on MTV's "Live at the 10 Spot." It was an invitation-only show attended by radio station contest winners and celebrities such as Bette Midler and John McEnroe.
In 2009, "U2" performed what was billed as the first full-length global concert on YouTube. The band's concert from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., was streamed for free. YouTube grabbed its largest viewing audience ever, when nearly 10 million people watched the two-and-half hour concert.
In 2009, Dee Anthony, who began a 40-year music-managing career representing neighbourhood friend Jerry Vale in the 1950s and later worked for Tony Bennett, died at age 83. He was Peter Frampton's manager when the singer-guitarist released the wildly successful "Frampton Comes Alive" album in 1976. He also represented British acts including "Traffic," Jethro Tull and Joe Cocker when they first came to the U.S. in the mid-1960s.
In 2010, Sony announced that it ceased production on the classic cassette tape Walkman in Japan, effectively sounding the death knell for the once iconic, now obsolete device. Sony sold over 220 million units globally since the portable music player was launched in 1979.
In 2010, country music crossover sweetheart Taylor Swift released her third CD, "Speak Now." (It easily debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart selling 1,047,000 copies in its first week. Her next two releases, "Red" and "1989," each sold 1.2 million copies in their first weeks, making her the only artist with three first-week million-sellers.)
In 2011, the Canadian Women's Foundation, which assists women in poverty and females facing violence, announced that music composer Ann Southam had willed the agency $14 million, making it the largest ever donation to a Canadian's women's organization. Southam passed away in November, 2010.
In 2014, musician Jack Bruce, bassist and lead vocalist of 1960s power trio Cream, died of liver disease. He was 71. He wrote many of the band's hits, including "Sunshine of Your Love," ’’White Room" and "I Feel Free." Cream, which included guitar wizard Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker, sold 35 million albums in just over two years. Bruce enjoyed a long career after the group's acrimonious breakup. Cream was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and in 2005 they reunited for critically acclaimed concerts in London and New York City.
In 2015, vocal harmony groups The Oak Ridge Boys and sibling trio The Browns, along with the late guitarist Grady Martin, were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 2015, Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber dominated the MTV EMAs with five European music awards, including for Best Male Performer, Best Collaboration and Best Look.
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(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
