Today in Music History for Oct. 28:
In 1820, John H. Hopkins, the author and composer of the Christmas hymn "We Three Kings of Orient Are," was born.
In 1936, country-rock musician and bandleader Charlie Daniels was born in Wilmington, N.C. He played guitar and fiddle on many Nashville sessions in the late 1960s, including appearances on Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline" and Ringo Starr's "Beaucoup of Blues." In 1971, he formed the Charlie Daniels Band, patterned after the southern boogie of The Allman Brothers. Daniels' commercial breakthrough came in 1979 with the multi-million-selling LP "Million Mile Reflections.” From it came the top-10 pop and country hit, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which won the best country vocal Grammy Award.
In 1939, Bill Monroe and his "Bluegrass Boys" joined the Grand Ole Opry. Monroe, the father of bluegrass music, was auditioned personally by Opry founder George D. Hay. The first number Monroe played on the Opry the following Saturday was "Mule Skinner Blues."
In 1956, Elvis Presley made his second appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." He performed three songs -- "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel" and "Love Me Tender."
In 1961, a customer walked into Brian Epstein's record store in Liverpool, England, and asked for a copy of "My Bonnie" by "Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers." "The Beat Brothers" were actually "The Beatles," and had recorded the song with Sheridan in Hamburg, West Germany. The request prompted Epstein to check out the group for himself, and he was surprised to discover that "The Beatles" were not German but one of the most popular bands in Liverpool. Within a month, he became their manager.
In 1961, Canadian baritone Norman Mittelmann, a native of Winnipeg, made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Herald in Wagner's Lohengain.
In 1964, "The TAMI Show," which some consider to be the best rock documentary of the 1960s, was filmed in Los Angeles. Among the performers were Chuck Berry, James Brown, "The Rolling Stones" and "The Supremes." TAMI was supposed to stand for Teenage Awards Music International but there's no record of any awards being presented.
In 1965, R&B saxophonist Earl Bostic died of a heart attack in Rochester, N.Y. He was 52. His strident tone and rhythmic style influenced many rock and soul saxophonists, among them King Curtis and Junior Walker. Bostic had a No. 1 hit in 1951 with "Flamingo."
In 1972, the United States Council for World Affairs adopted "The Who's" hit song, "Join Together," as its theme.
In 1977, Steve Perry joined "Journey" for their first public concert together, in San Francisco.
In 1977, the "Sex Pistols" released their album "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols" in the U.S. It was released in the U.K. four days later.
In 1986, Marie Osmond was married for a second time in a private Mormon Church ceremony in West Jordan, Utah. The 27-year-old singer was wed to Brian Blosil, a 33-year-old record producer. They announced their divorce in 2007. Osmond's first marriage, in 1982, was to former Brigham Young University basketball star Stephen Craig. The couple separated in 1984 and were later divorced. But 26 years later, they remarried in May 2011, with Osmond wearing the same wedding dress she wore the first time around.
In 1991, R&B singer Billy Wright, whose pompadour hairstyle and elaborate wardrobe were copied by Little Richard, died in Atlanta at age 73. Wright was known as the "Prince of the Blues" in the late 1940s. His biggest hit was "Blues for My Baby." Little Richard acknowledged his debt to Wright in a 1984 biography.
In 1991, three members of "Pink Floyd" were injured in the Pan-American auto rally in Mexico. Guitarist Steve O'Rourke broke a leg, while guitarist Dave Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason suffered minor injuries. O'Rourke and Gilmour were taken to hospital but Mason continued in the race.
In 1992, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor announced she was quitting pop music to study opera. Her statement followed a clash with her record company, Chrysalis, over whether her recording of "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" should be accompanied by a video. O'Connor did not want to do a video -- the record company said the song would not be a hit without one.
In 1994, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy told ABC interviewer Barbara Walters that he loved his major star, Diana Ross, but never married her because of the singer's desire for stardom. Gordy also said that he did not know for years that he was the father of a child by Ross.
In 1995, former "Beatle" Paul McCartney said in a London Daily Mail interview that he was bitter about living in the shadow of John Lennon. McCartney said he was more avant-garde and innovative than Lennon, who was shot to death in 1980. Lennon has been regarded as the most creative "Beatle" but McCartney said he was the driving force of the group.
In 2007, Porter Wagoner, the rhinestone-clad Grand Ole Opry star who helped launch the career of Dolly Parton by hiring her as his duet partner, died in a Nashville hospice. He was 80. His showmanship, rhinestone suits and pompadoured hair made him famous, with his own syndicated TV show, "The Porter Wagoner Show," for 21 years beginning in 1960. It was one of the first syndicated shows to come out of Nashville and it set a pattern for many others. In 2002, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 2008, "Barenaked Ladies" frontman Steven Page avoided jail time on drug possession charges provided he seek substance abuse treatment and stay clean for the next six months. Page was charged with drug possession in July after police found cocaine at a Fayetteville, N.Y. apartment. Page eventually left the band in February 2009 to pursue solo projects, including theatrical opportunities. He complied with his probation conditions and the charges were eventually dropped.
In 2008, "Booker T. and the MG's," Duane Eddy, the "Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section" and Buddy Holly's band, "The Crickets," were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old Toronto folk singer-songwriter, died in a Halifax hospital from injuries she sustained the previous day after a rare attack by coyotes. She was hiking alone on the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park when the attack occurred. She had recently launched her debut album, "For Your Consideration," and was on tour in the Maritimes.
In 2009, Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, who created the Foundation for the National Network of Youth and Child Orchestras of Venezuela ("El Sistema"), received the $50,000 Glenn Gould prize, an international lifetime achievement award that is handed out every three years in memory of the famed Canadian pianist.
In 2009, Michael Jackson's documentary chronicling his final days opened in Canada. "This Is It" was originally scheduled for a two week run, but after raking in $100 million worldwide in its first five days, Sony extended its run to at least four weeks. The film was built around footage of the King of Pop rehearsing for a planned series of 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena. He died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on June 25, just weeks before his first concert was to take place. His personal physcian Conrad Murray was found guilty on involuntary manslaughter.
In 2010, country singer Randy Travis and his wife-manager Elizabeth Travis filed for divorce after 19 years of marriage. They had a business and personal relationship that began when a teenage Travis won a talent contest at the Charlotte, N.C., nightclub she owned in the mid-1970s with her first husband.
In 2011, country music duo "Sugarland" staged a free concert in Indianapolis, weeks after a strong gust of wind caused a stage to collapse on fans, killing seven people, just before they were to perform at the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 13.
In 2011, British-born big band singer Beryl Davis, who made her U.S. debut on Bob Hope's radio show and later performed with Frank Sinatra and Benny Goodman, died of complications from Alzheimer's disease. She was 87.
In 2013, former cardiologist Conrad Murray, convicted of causing Michael Jackson's death in 2009, was released from jail. He served less than two years in jail after being convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter.
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(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
