Today in Music History for Aug. 14:
In 1810, Samuel S. Wesley, grandson of Methodist hymnwriter Charles Wesley, was born. Samuel Wesley penned over 130 original hymn tunes. The best remembered is "The Church’s One Foundation."
In 1922, a group called "The Jenkins Family" broadcast what is believed to be the first program of old-time or hillbilly music ever heard on radio. The program was aired on WSB in Atlanta.
In 1923, Canadian trombonist-bandleader Dave Robbins was born in Greenburg, Ind. Robbins had several stints with "The Harry James Orchestra," the first from 1948-54. During the 1950s and '60s, Robbins led a big band in Vancouver. The band was heard nationally on the CBC from 1960-66. He died in September of 2005.
In 1940, singer and drummer Dash Crofts of the 1970s soft-rock duo of "Seals and Crofts," was born in Cisco, Texas. Crofts and Jim Seals both played in "The Champs," but only Seals was with the group for their 1958 instrumental million-seller, "Tequila." Both remained with "The Champs" until the group broke up in the mid-'60s. "Seals and Crofts" reunited in 1970, and most of their albums in the following decade were awarded gold records. Among their hit singles were "Summer Breeze" in 1972, "Diamond Girl" in '73 and "Get Closer" in 1976.
In 1958, Elvis Presley's mother, Gladys Love Smith Presley, died of a heart attack at age 46. Elvis was to call her death the greatest tragedy of his life.
In 1958, blues singer and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy died in Chicago at age 60. Although he recorded with blues bands in his native Chicago in the 1930s and '40s, Broonzy is remembered for his North American and European concert performances of country blues during the last 10 years of his life.
In 1971, Rod Stewart released "Maggie May." It climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for five weeks.
In 1974, "(You're) Having My Baby," Paul Anka's controversial duet with Odia Coates, was awarded a gold record. It was Anka's first No. 1 record since 1959. Feminists objected to the word "my," saying it should have been "our" baby.
In 1979, Chicago disc jockey Steve Dahl, who a month before had burned a pile of disco records between games of a baseball doubleheader, appeared on the "Tomorrow" TV show. During the program, host Tom Snyder mistakenly referred to singer "Meat Loaf" as "Meat Balls."
In 1985, singer Tommy Common, one of the stars of CBC TV's "Country Hoedown" in the 1950s and '60s, shot himself in the head outside his girlfriend's home in Calgary. He was 51. Common was scheduled to appear in court the next day on charges relating to a break-in at the girlfriend's house the previous June. Four months before that incident, he'd been appointed Calgary's vandalism prevention co-ordinator. Common joined "Country Hoedown" in 1956, and until the program went off the air in 1965, he was one of the show's most popular stars.
In 1985, Michael Jackson paid US$47.5-million for ATV Music, which owned 251 compositions by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Jackson outbid McCartney, Yoko Ono, Virgin Music head Richard Branson, the performing rights society, BMI and Lawrence Welk.
In 1987, British independent television broadcast "Love Me Tender," an all-star tribute to Elvis Presley, two days before the 10th anniversary of the singer's death. The program, taped before an invited audience of 400 in Nottingham, featured such artists as Boy George, Roger Daltrey, Robert Plant, Kim Wilde, Carl Perkins and Duane Eddy performing Elvis songs.
In 1988, guitarist Roy Buchanan died at age 48 after hanging himself with his shirt in a jail cell in Fairfax, Va. He had been arrested for public drunkenness following a complaint from his wife. He was discovered in 1971 by "Rolling Stone" magazine after spending years backing such singers as Dale Hawkins, Ronnie Hawkins, Freddie Cannon and Merle Kilgore. Buchanan also joined a Toronto group in 1960 that included Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, and was the forerunner to "The Band." Between 1971 and his death, he recorded a dozen albums, all of which were critically praised.
In 1989, Bon Jovi's "New Jersey" was the first American album to be released legally in what was then the Soviet Union.
In 1992, Tony Williams, the original lead singer of "The Platters," died at his New York City home at age 64. From 1955 until Williams left the group in 1960, "The Platters" had four No. 1 hits - "The Great Pretender," "My Prayer," "Twilight Time" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."
In 1992, Wayne Newton, the singer who began as a child star and rose to fame as a headliner in Las Vegas, filed for bankruptcy protection over an estimated $20 million in debts.
In 1994, about 25,000 people gathered at the site of the original Woodstock concert in Bethel, N.Y., for a free concert by Richie Havens, Melanie, Country Joe McDonald and other Woodstock veterans.
In 1998, Stevie Nicks headlined the first night of a three-day 29th anniversary festival on the original Woodstock site. Performers during the festival included Richie Havens, Joni Mitchell, "Third Eye Blind" and the "Goo Goo Dolls."
In 1998, a three-day Fish Aid festival to raise funds for fisheries research opened in Chebogue, N.S. Fish Aid ended up $500,000 in the hole. Organizers needed 20,000 people to break even but only 9,000 tickets were sold despite the presence of headliners such as Jann Arden, Bruce Cockburn and The Rankins. Many people complained the $100 ticket price was too steep.
In 1999, "The Backstreet Boys" sold all 765,000 tickets for their North American tour in just one day, generating an estimated $30 million.
In 2002, "Drowning Pool" vocalist Dave Williams was found dead in the band's tour bus. A toxicology report stated the 30-year-old singer died of a heart problem.
In 2009, New Zealand-born soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, whose career has spanned more than four decades, announced her retirement.
In 2010, singer-actress Hilary Duff and NHL player Mike Comrie tied the knot in an intimate sunset ceremony in Santa Barbara, Calif. (Their divorce was finalized in early 2016).
In 2010, Abbey Lincoln, a jazz singer and songwriter known for her phrasing, emotion and uncompromising style, died in New York at age 80. She made records and acted in films in the 1950s and '60s, then saw her career surge again in the 1990s when she found new voice as a songwriter.
In 2012, the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Hall in Hendersonville, Tenn. She was joined by bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs, family group "The Hoppers," contemporary Christian singer Dallas Holm and Christian rock band "Love Song."
In 2012, 64-year-old shock rocker Alice Cooper was a surprise performer at the "Rock of Ages" musical in London. He sang his classic hit "School's Out" - marking the anniversary of the track hitting No. 1 in the U.K. charts 40 years ago that week.
In 2013, Blue Oyster Cult guitarist and keyboardist Allen Lanier died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 67. He was a founding member of the band, whose hits included "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," "Burnin' For You" and "Godzilla."
In 2017, a jury found former Denver radio host David Mueller guilty of groping pop star Taylor Swift during a backstage photo-op in 2013. He had sued Swift, claiming the allegation cost him his career and his reputation and she countersued for assault and battery and a request for a symbolic $1 judgment and the chance to stand up for other women.
In 2018, Vancouver punk pioneer Randy Rampage a.k.a. Randall Desmond Archibald died in his home at the age of 58 of an apparent heart attack.
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The Canadian Press
