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Cher

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Cher Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns
Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns

Cherilyn Sarkisian was born in El Centro, California, on May 20, 1946. Her father, John Sarkisian, was an Armenian-American truck driver with drug and gambling problems; her mother, Georgia Holt, was a former model and retired actress who claimed Irish, English, German, and Cherokee ancestry.

When Cher was in fifth grade, she produced a performance of the musical Oklahoma! for her teacher and class. Fascinated by film stars, Cher’s role model was Audrey Hepburn, particularly due to her role in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

When she was 16, Cher dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles with a friend. She took acting classes and worked to support herself, dancing in small clubs along Hollywood’s Sunset Strip and introducing herself to performers, managers, and agents.

Cher met Sonny Bono in November 1962 when he was working for record producer Phil Spector. Cher became Sonny’s housekeeper. Cher and Sonny became close friends, eventual lovers, and performed their own unofficial wedding ceremony in a hotel room in Tijuana, Mexico, on October 27, 1964.

Sonny introduced Cher to Phil Spector, who used her as a backup singer on many recordings, including the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'”. Spector also produced her first single, “‘Ringo, I Love You’“, which Cher recorded under the name Bonnie Jo Mason. The song was rejected by many radio stations programmers as they thought Cher’s deep contralto vocals were a man’s vocals; therefore, they believed it was a male homosexual singing a love song dedicated to the Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.

In late 1964, the pair emerged as a duo called Caesar & Cleo, releasing the poorly received singles “Do You Wanna Dance?”, “Love Is Strange”, and “Let the Good Times Roll”.

Cher later signed with Liberty Records’ Imperial imprint at the end of 1964, and Sonny became her producer. The single “Dream Baby”, released under the name “Cherilyn”, received some airplay. Her second single a cover version of Bob Dylan‘s “All I Really Want to Do” peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1965.

In early 1965, Caesar and Cleo began calling themselves Sonny & Cher and following the recording of “I Got You Babe”, they travelled to England in July 1965 at the Rolling Stones‘ advice; Cher recalled, “they told us … Americans just didn’t get us and that if we were going to make it big, we were going to have to go to England.” “I Got You Babe” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Sonny and Cher’s first album, Look at Us (1965), spent eight weeks at number two on the Billboard 200, behind the Beatles’ Help!

Sonny and Cher charted ten Billboard top 40 singles between 1965 and 1972, including five top-ten singles.

In 1971 CBS head of programming Fred Silverman offered Sonny and Cher their own television program after he noticed them as guest-hosts on The Merv Griffin Show. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour premiered as a summer replacement series on August 1, 1971, and had six episodes. Because it was a ratings success, the couple returned that December with a full-time show. Watched by more than 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour was praised for the comedic timing, and deadpan Cher mocking of Sonny about his looks and short stature.

Cher and Sonny had had marital problems since late 1972, but appearances were maintained until 1974. “The public still thinks we are married,” Sonny wrote in his diary at the time”. In February 1974, Sonny filed for a separation, citing “irreconcilable differences”.

During the divorce proceedings, Cher had a two-year romantic relationship with record executive David Geffen, who freed her from her business arrangement with Sonny, under which she was required to work exclusively for Cher Enterprises, the company he ran. Geffen secured a $2.5 million deal for Cher with Warner Bros Records.

On February 16, 1975, Cher returned to television with a solo show on CBS called Cher. Some of her special guests included Elton John, David Bowie, Glen Campbell, Ray Charles and Labelle. The show was produced by Geffen and centred on Cher’s songs, monologues, comedy performances, and her variation of clothing. During the show’s run, it received the most fan mail of any CBS program at the time.

On June 30, 1975, four days after finalising her divorce from Sonny, Cher married rock musician Gregg Allman, co-founder of The Allman Brothers Band. She filed for divorce nine days later because of his heroin and liquor problems, but they reconciled within a month. They had one son, Elijah Blue, on July 10, 1976.

Beginning in 1978, she had a two-year relationship with Kiss member Gene Simmons. Also that year, she legally changed her name from Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere Bono Allman to Cher, to eliminate the use of four surnames.

In 1981, Cher released a duet with musician Meat Loaf “Dead Ringer for Love”. There is no footage of Cher and Meat Loaf ever performing this song live together, with Cher only appearing in the music video.

Director Mike Nichols, who had seen Cher onstage in Jimmy Dean, offered her the part of Dolly Pelliker, a plant co-worker and Meryl Streep’s lesbian roommate in the film Silkwood, (1983). Her next film, Mask (1985), reached number two at the box office and for her role as a drug addict biker with a teenage son who has a severe physical deformity, she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress.

By the end of the 1980s, Cher was receiving attention for her controversial lifestyle, including her tattoos, plastic surgeries, exhibitionist fashion sense, and affairs with younger men. She had romantic relationships with actors Val Kilmer, Eric Stoltz, and Tom Cruise, hockey player Ron Duguay, film producer Josh Donen, Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, and Rob Camilletti, a bagel baker 18 years her junior whom she dated from 1986 to 1989.

Cher’s 19th studio album Heart of Stone (1989) was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The music video for its second single, “If I Could Turn Back Time”, caused controversy due to Cher’s performance on the battleship USS Missouri, straddling a cannon, and wearing a leather thong that revealed her tattooed buttocks.

Her first film in three years, Mermaids (1990), paid tribute to her own mother in this story about a woman who moves her two daughters from town to town at the end of a love affair. Mermaids was a box office success and one of the two songs Cher recorded for the film’s soundtrack, a cover version of Betty Everett’s “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)”, topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks.

Cher turned down leading roles in such films as The War of the Roses and Thelma & Louise.

Alongside Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry, and Eric Clapton, she topped the UK Singles Chart in 1995 with the charity single “Love Can Build a Bridge”.

Cher’s 22nd studio album Believe (1998) marked a musical departure for her, as it comprises dance-pop songs. Believe was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA and went on to be certified gold or platinum in 39 countries, selling 10 million copies worldwide. The album’s title track reached number one in 23 countries and sold over 10 million copies worldwide. It also topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks, selling over 1.8 million units in the US and the song earned Cher the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording and the 1999 Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year.

In 1999 she sang on the television special VH1 Divas Live 2, which attracted 19.4 million viewers. According to VH1, it was the most popular, and most-watched program in the television network’s history.

In June 2002, Cher embarked on the Living Proof: The Farewell Tour, announced as the final live concert tour of her career, although she vowed to continue making records and films. Initially scheduled for 49 shows, the worldwide tour was extended several times. By October 2003, it had become the most successful tour ever by a woman, grossing $145 million from 200 shows and playing to 2.2 million fans. Forbes named Cher the highest-paid female musician of 2003, earning $33.1 million.

On December 2, 2018, Cher received a Kennedy Center Honors prize, the annual Washington distinction for artists who have made extraordinary contributions to culture.

As a solo artist, Cher has sold 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her 1971 single “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” was called “one of the 20th century’s greatest songs” by Billboard magazine. Her 1998 song “Believe” is the biggest-selling single of all time by a female artist in the UK. Cher is the only solo artist to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in seven consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2020s.

Important Dates In The Life Of Cher:

On this day in music
25 Aug 2024
Amy Winehouse's Radio 1 Live Lounge performance was voted the best from the past 25 years with her 2007 cover of The Zutons' 'Valerie' topping the list. Arctic Monkeys took second and third place with their covers of Girls Aloud’s 'Love Machine' and Drake’s 'Hold On We’re Going Home'. Adele’s cover of Cheryl’s 'Promise This' came in fourth place while Ben Howard’s rendition of 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen was fifth.
16 Jun 2023
Kylie Minogue scored her biggest solo hit in more than a decade with the dance anthem 'Padam Padam'. This means Kylie is one of only four women to reach the UK's top 10 in five separate decades, alongside Cher, Lulu and Diana Ross. Said to be inspired by the Edith Piaf song of the same name, its title mimics the sound of a racing heart. "It's onomatopoeic," Kylie explained. "D-dum, d-dum, like a heartbeat".
17 Jun 2022
Kate Bush went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Running Up That Hill.' Originally released in 1985, the song had enjoyed a new lease of life after featuring in the Netflix sci-fi show Stranger Things. With 44 years between her 1978 No.1 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Running Up That Hill' the singer claimed the record of the longest time taken for a single to reach the top of the charts, the longest-ever gap between No.1 singles in UK chart history and she became the oldest female artist to ever score a No.1 on the Official Singles Chart, beating fellow icon Cher who was 52 when her hit 'Believe' topped the charts in 1998.
26 May 2022
Depeche Mode keyboardist Andy Fletcher died age 60. Fletcher was a founding member of the band which found success with their dark electronic sound with hits including 'Personal Jesus'. Depeche Mode had chart success in the 1980s and 1990s with singles including 'New Life', 'Enjoy the Silence' and 'Just Can't Get Enough.'
29 Mar 2022
A televised concert fundraising money for the humanitarian appeal in Ukraine raised more than £15 million. Held at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham the show featured Ukrainian Eurovision winner Jamala, Manic Street Preachers, Ed Sheeran, Cabello and Nile Rodgers and Chic.
4 Jul 2021
Irish musician, photographer, teacher, and author Rick Laird died of lung cancer age 80. He is best known as the bassist and founding member of the jazz fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra, led by English guitarist John McLaughlin with which he performed from 1971 to 1973.
2 Jan 2021
Record producer Steve Brown died age 65. He produced many acts including U2, The Pogues, Big Country, Elton John, The Cult, Manic Street Preachers and Simple Minds as well as producing Wham!’s debut album Fantastic.
8 Sep 2020
American composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, saxophonist and co-founding member of Kool & the Gang, Ronald Bell died age 68. He wrote and produced many of the Kool & the Gang’s songs, including ‘Celebration’, ‘Cherish’, ‘Jungle Boogie’ and ‘Summer Madness’. He said his favorite song was ‘Celebration’, which he wrote after picking up a Bible in a hotel room.
26 Jun 2020
American soul singer Tami Lynn died. She scored a Top Ten hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1971 with "I'm Gonna Run Away From You". She sang on all Dr. John's albums as well performing backing vocals on the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main St, and worked with Wilson Pickett, Sonny & Cher and Miles Davis.
19 Jul 2019
Crowds dancing at a festival triggered minor earthquakes. The biggest tremors were recorded during a headline set by indie band Two Door Cinema Club at Tramlines Festival in Sheffield, England. Manic Street Preachers, Lewis Capaldi and Nile Rogers and Chic were also on the bill.
23 Apr 2019
Ed Sheeran was forced to knock down an outdoor sauna and ditch a huge pub sign at his £1.5 million Suffolk mansion after he failed to get planning permission. He had named his home pub after his wife Cherry Lancaster Seaborn, calling it The Lancaster Lock - but council officers weren't happy. They demanded he take down the 16ft sign after finding he'd broken planning rules during a site visit.
26 Mar 2019
A school book Sir Paul McCartney used as a teenager sold for £46,800 – nearly 10 times its estimate. The exercise book which features a doodle of a man smoking and a teacher’s critical comments sold at an auction of Beatles memorabilia in Merseyside. McCartney had used the book at Liverpool Institute High School for Boys, where he was taught English literature by Alan "Dusty" Durband.
26 Jun 2017
Former N-Dubz rapper Dappy was given a suspended jail sentence for arming himself with a butcher's knife during a row with his partner. The star, whose real name is Costas Contostavlos, admitted having the knife outside the home he shared with Imani Campbell. He was given nine months in jail suspended for two years.
18 Mar 2017
Chuck Berry died aged 90. The American guitarist, singer and songwriter was one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as 'Maybellene' (1955), 'Roll Over Beethoven' (1956), 'Rock and Roll Music' (1957) and 'Johnny B. Goode' (1958), Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive. Berry's funeral was held on April 9, 2017, with his cherry-red Gibson ES-335 guitar bolted to the inside lid of the coffin and with flower arrangements that included one sent by the Rolling Stones in the shape of a guitar.
30 Sep 2016
A schoolboy from Philadelphia who skipped class to meet his musical hero handed his teacher an absence note with a difference. The typewritten note was signed by Bruce Springsteen. Fifth-grader Michael Fenerty met the star at a "meet-and-greet" in the Free Library of Philadelphia when Springsteen was in town signing copies of his new autobiography, Born to Run.
9 Mar 2016
A study by The Journal of Advanced Nursing reported that pop records set a bad example by portraying ageing and old people in a negative light, focusing on dying and physical decline. Researchers trawled the musical archives from the 1930s to the present day for any tracks mentioning old age. The majority, 55 out of 76 songs, focused on 'bad' aspects of ageing. The Beatles and Elton John featured on the 'negative list', along with Pulp and The Who.
22 Jul 2015
New research found that a person's taste in music may offer insight into the way in which they think. A study found empathetic people preferred more mellow, low-energy music, while those who were "systemisers" - people who seeked to analyse patterns in the world enjoyed punk, heavy metal and more complex music overall. Researchers at Cambridge University, England had recruited 4,000 participants and put them through a series of different tests.
9 Nov 2014
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini become the first British female solo artist to have five No.1 singles in the UK after her latest song, 'I Don't Care', entered the Official Charts in pole position. The 31-year-old overtook Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and Rita Ora, who both had four chart-toppers.
19 Sep 2014
A dance choreographer sued Cher for racial discrimination claiming the singer stopped him hiring any more black dancers. Kevin Wilson alleged Cher told him the tour had "too much colour" already. Mr Wilson and two other dancers had also alleged they were fired for reporting a sexual assault on a female fan by another dancer. Cher's long-running North American D2K (Dressed to Kill) was ranked one of the top 10-grossing tours of 2014 by Pollstar.
20 Jun 2014
Songs by Elvis Presley, ABBA and the Spice Girls were among those being used in research that hoped to unlock the secret of how our memory works. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam had created an online game in an attempt to shed light on why some tunes get stuck in your head. Fans were asked to identify song clips and compare them by their catchiness.
24 Feb 2014
Franny Beecher the lead guitarist for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962 died in his sleep from natural causes. He was 92 years old. He continued to perform with surviving members of the Comets into 2006.
21 Dec 2012
Paul Simon performed his classic track 'The Sound of Silence' at the funeral of a teacher who died in the school shooting in Connecticut on 14 December of this year. The 1966 song was understood to be a favourite of 27-year-old Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The singer, a family friend, performed the song in front of some 400 mourners, at Soto's local church on Wednesday. Twenty six people were killed in the mass shooting the previous week.
23 May 2012
Erasmus MC University Medical Center in the Netherlands announced they had drawn clear links between listening to loud music, smoking marijuana and having "risky" sex. The study, published in the Official Journal of the American Academy Of Pediatrics, revealed that young people who listened to loud music on their MP3 players were more likely to have sparked up a joint in the last month. The researchers, surveyed 944 students from inner-city vocational schools aged 15 to 25.
10 Oct 2010
American preacher and singer Solomon Burke died at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport while on a plane from Washington Dulles Airport that had just landed. Known as the king of rock & soul, he had a string of hits including 1961 US No.24 single 'Just Out Of Reach Of My Open Arms', and the 1963 US No.1 R&B hit, 'Got To Get You Off My Mind'.
31 Mar 2010
Cher's first child, Chaz Bono, asked a judge to formally change his name and gender following the sex change surgery he had last year. The 41-year-old, who was born Chastity Sun Bono, now wanted to be known as Chaz Salvatore according to a petition filed in Los Angeles. Salvatore was his father Sonny Bono's real first name.
22 Feb 2010
Johnny Marr was said to be "ecstatic" after getting back one of his guitars which had been stolen in 2000 after a gig at the Scala nightclub in Kings Cross, London. Smiths fan Stephen White told a London court he was "disgusted" with himself for taking the £30,000 cherry red 1964 Gibson SG when he went backstage after the gig at The Scala.
7 Oct 2009
Barbra Streisand surprised many music industry watchers when she topped the Billboard Hot 200 for the ninth time with her latest release, 'Love Is the Answer'. The CD extended Streisand's lead as the female act with the most chart toppers in the history of the Billboard Hot 200.
26 Nov 2008
The parents of missing Manic Street Preachers guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards were granted a court order for him to be declared presumed dead, after he disappeared nearly 14 years ago. Despite alleged sightings all over the world many believed to be Edwards, whose car was found near the Severn Bridge, where he was thought to have taken his own life at the age of 27.
11 Aug 2008
Karl Wiosna from Graig, near Pontypridd in Wales had his stereo equipment and music collection destroyed after being served with a noise abatement notice, which he later admitted breaching. Environmental health officers were alerted by neighbours who complained about the unacceptable volume Wiosna was playing his Cher and U2 records. Two tape and record decks, a radio and CDs were seized and destroyed by the council, he was also fined £265.
2 Jun 2008
American guitarist and singer Bo Diddley, (Ellas Otha Bates) died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida aged 79. The legendary singer and performer, was known for his homemade square guitar and his 'shave and a haircut, two bits' rhythm, which influenced artists from Buddy Holly to Bruce Springsteen The Rolling Stones and U2.
28 Feb 2008
Arctic Monkeys won three prizes, including best British band at this year's NME Awards held at the O2 in London. The band's single 'Fluorescent Adolescent' won them best track and they won best video for 'Teddy Picker'. Best album went to Klaxons for Myths of the Near Future while Kate Nash won best solo artist. Muse were presented with the best live band award and US group The Killers took best international act. The Manic Street Preachers, who performed at the ceremony, were awarded the NME's Godlike Genius honour and Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty was voted hero of the year. Britney Spears's Blackout was voted worst album and The Hoosiers were named worst band.
4 Jan 2008
Britney Spears was carried out of her home on a stretcher and taken into custody after police were called in a dispute involving her children. Police were called to Spears' home over a family custodial dispute that they tried to resolve, after nearly three hours, Spears handed over her children, two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James, to her ex-husband Kevin Federline.
7 Sep 2007
A new study revealed that rock stars were twice as likely to die early as the rest of us. Researchers said that the problem was so bad the industry should be labeled a 'high risk' profession.
29 Oct 2006
McFly scored their 6th UK No.1 single with 'Star Girl'. The song was played in space to wake up the astronauts on the space station, after a successful twitter campaign asking NASA to play the song started by band member Tom Fletcher.
11 Sep 2006
A study from the University of Leicester found that more than a quarter of classical music fans had tried cannabis. Researchers were trying to find out what people's taste in music revealed about their lifestyles. The UK study also revealed that blues buffs are the most likely to have received a driving penalty. Hip hop and dance music fans were more likely to have multiple sex partners and were among the biggest drug-takers surveyed. More than 2,500 people were interviewed for the study, which was published in the scientific journal Psychology of Music.
1 May 2005
Tony Christie made chart history by hanging on to the UK number one spot for the seventh week in a row with '(Is This The Way To) Amarillo.' The last single to spend that long at number one was 'Believe' by Cher from October to December 1998.
28 Feb 2005
Chris Curtis, drummer with The Searchers died aged 63 after a long illness. The searchers scored the 1964 UK No.1 single 'Needles And Pins', and the 1964 US No.3 single 'Love Potion Number Nine'.
14 Feb 2005
Kerrang! magazine announced the results of its readers’ poll for the best British rock albums ever. The Top 10 were: No.1, Black Sabbath’s Black Sabbath, No.2, Iron Maiden’s Number Of The Beast. Sex Pistols’ Never Mind The Bollock's, Here's The Sex Pistols; No. 4, Led Zeppelin IV; No.5, Black Sabbath’s Paranoid; No.6, Muse’s Absolution; No.7, The Clash's London Calling; No.8, Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack; No.9, Iron Maiden’s Iron Maiden and No.10, Manic Street Preachers’ The Holy Bible.
22 Jan 2005
One of the biggest charity concerts since Live Aid raised £1.25 million ($2 million) for victims of the tsunami disaster in Asia. The concert held at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff featured Eric Clapton, Manic Street Preachers, Keane, Charlotte Church, Snow Patrol, Embrace, Feeder, Craig David and Liberty X, who appeared before 60,000 fans at the sold-out concert.
19 Nov 2004
Record producer Terry Melcher, who was behind hits by the Byrds, Ry Cooder and The Beach Boys, died aged 62 after a long battle with skin cancer. The son of actress Doris Day, he co-wrote ‘Kokomo’ for The Beach Boys, produced 'Mr Tambourine Man' for the Byrds, as well as hits for The Mamas & the Papas.
20 Oct 2003
A jury found Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy guilty of assaulting a nightclub worker. The singer was sentenced to complete 120 hours of unpaid community service and was ordered to pay her victim £500 compensation, plus £3,000 of prosecution costs. The singer had denied attacking toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa, saying she only punched her in self-defence. The charges stemmed from an incident at the Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, on 11 January.
18 Aug 2003
Tony Jackson bass player with The Searchers died of cirrhosis of the liver. The Searchers had the 1964 UK No.1 & US No.13 single 'Needles And Pins'.
29 Jul 2003
The chairman of the Professional Association of Teachers Jim O'Neill warned that children were being put under pressure to grow up too soon by pop stars who use a sexy image. "Kylie Minogue might be a great singer but in many of these things you can see more of her bottom than you hear of her voice," said Mr O'Neill.
5 Jul 2003
The Daily Star ran a front-page story claiming that the body of Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards had been found. Fishermen in an angling contest discovered bones half buried in mud on the riverbank near Avonmouth. Edwards disappeared in Feb 1995, his car was found at a service station at the Seven Bridge a well-known suicide spot.
14 May 2003
Lawyers for Britney Spears and the Skechers footwear company settled a dispute over a deal for the pop star to market a line of roller skates and accessories. Spears had filed a $1.5 million breach of agreement lawsuit against Skechers in December, claiming the company failed to pay her adequately. Skechers had responded with a $10 million lawsuit, accusing Spears of fraud and breach of the three-year licensing agreement she signed in January 2002.
22 Apr 2003
Songwriter Felice Bryant died of cancer. Wrote many hits with her husband Boudleaux including; The Everly Brothers, 'Bye Bye Love', 'All I Have To Do Is Dream', 'Wake Up Little Susie' and 'Raining In My Heart' a hit for Buddy Holly. Other acts to record their song include Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Tony Bennett, Simon And Garfunkel, Sarah Vaughan, Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, Count Basie, Dean Martin, Ruth Brown, Cher, R.E.M. and Ray Charles.
2 Dec 2002
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested and charged with assault after he Kung-Fu kicked a police officer. The incident happened at the Bayerischer hotel in Munich, the singer lost his two front teeth in the brawl and an Oasis minder was knocked out cold.
27 Oct 2002
American record producer Tom Dowd died of emphysema. He recorded albums by many artists including: Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Derek and the Dominos, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Cream, Lulu, Chicago, The Allman Brothers Band, The J. Geils Band, Meat Loaf, Sonny & Cher, The Rascals, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Dusty Springfield, The Drifters and Otis Redding.
1 Aug 2002
A new book 'Show the Girl the Door' written by a former tour manager disclosed some strange demands by female acts. It revealed that Shania Twain would travel with a sniffer dog in case of bombs. Jennifer Lopez liked her dressing room to be all white, including carpets flowers and furniture. Cher would have high-security rooms for her wigs. Janet Jackson would have a full medical team on standby including a doctor nurse and throat specialist and Britney Spears would demand her favourite Gummie Bear soft sweets.
20 Apr 2002
American singer Alan Dale died. During the 50s he had his own US TV & radio show, had the 1955 US No.7 single 'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.'
8 Apr 2002
Marilyn Manson denied claims that he was responsible for the death of a woman after a party at his mansion in 2001. Jennifer Syme, a former girlfriend of actor Keanu Reeves, died when her Jeep Cherokee hit three parked cars. Her mother, Maria St John, was suing the singer for wrongful death, claiming Manson was negligent in "instructing the woman to operate a motor vehicle in her incapacitated condition".
25 Mar 2002
The seven-year mystery of missing Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards took a grisly twist when human feet were found near where he vanished in 1995.
18 Dec 2001
English singer songwriter Clifford T. Ward died aged 57 after suffering from multiple sclerosis since 1984. His first album, Singer Songwriter, was released in 1972 on Dandelion Records (a label formed by the late disc jockey John Peel). He had the 1973 UK No.8 single 'Gaye'. Working as an English teacher in the late 60’s, one of his pupils was the future wife of Sting, Trudie Styler.
29 Oct 2001
Winners at this years 'Q' awards included, Ash, best single for 'Burn Baby Burn', Starsailor won best new act, Travis won best album for 'The Invisible Band', Manic Street Preachers won best live act and John Lydon won the Inspiration award.
19 Aug 2001
American soul singer Betty Everett died aged 61. She had the 1964 US No.6 single 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss'), later covered by Cher.
16 Jul 2000
The Corrs presented a petition to the European Commission demanding legislation to end piracy on the Internet. The Manic Street Preachers and The Spice Girls also added their names to the petition.
5 Mar 2000
Former rap artist MC Hammer became a preacher at the Jubilee Christian Centre in San Jose. Hammer had been declared bankrupt in 1996 after squandering his $50 million (£29.4 million) fortune.
31 Dec 1999
The Manic Street Preachers performed to 57,000 fans at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. The Guinness Book of Records confirmed that the concert set a new record as the biggest indoor show ever staged in Europe, tickets £30.
29 Sep 1999
The Manic Street Preachers were given a bill for £28.000 after smashing up equipment during their show at Scotland's T In The Park festival.
13 Mar 1999
Cher started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Believe', making the singer the oldest woman to top the Hot 100 at the age of 53. The song reached No.1 in almost every country it charted, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, Spain, France, Germany and Italy. It also became the highest-selling single by a solo female artist in the United Kingdom. 'Believe' remains one of the best-selling singles of all time with sales of over 11 million copies worldwide.
16 Feb 1999
Robbie Williams won three awards at this year's Brit's. The singer won Best British solo artist, Best Single for 'Angels' and Best Video for 'Millennium.' Manic Street Preachers won Best British Group, Natalie Imbruglia won Best International Female artist and Best Newcomer, Best International Group went to The Corrs.
1 Feb 1999
American musician and composer Julius Wechter died. He composed the song 'Spanish Flea' for Herb Alpert and was leader of The Baja Marimba Band. As a session musician he worked for the likes of The Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher and various Phil Spector productions. His vibraphone solo work is featured on the Beach Boys' acclaimed album, Pet Sounds ('Let's Go Away for Awhile'). He died of lung cancer a day after his song 'Spanish Flea' was used in the Simpsons episode Sunday, Cruddy Sunday.
20 Nov 1998
A study comparing noise levels of rock music, found that older people rated rock music much higher on a loudness scale than younger people. The researchers carried out by Ohio University tested people age 18 to 21 and people ranging in age from 51 to 58. The study asked participants to rate the loudness of rock music played at nine intensities, ranging from 10 decibels to 90 decibels. Participants listened to ‘Heartbreaker’ by Led Zeppelin for 10 seconds at different intensities. At each intensity, the older subjects gave the music higher numerical ratings based on loudness than the younger subjects.
31 Oct 1998
Chart history was made when the UK Top 5 singles chart was made up entirely of new entries. Alanis Morissette went in at No.5, Culture Club at No.4, U2 at No.3, George Michael at No.2 and Cher with 'Believe' at No.1. It made Cher (who was 52) the first female artist to have a No.1 single over the age of 50. The song was a No.1 in 23 countries.
27 Sep 1998
The Manic Street Preachers scored their first UK No.1 album with their fifth album 'This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours'.
5 Sep 1998
Manic Street Preachers scored their first UK No.1 single with 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next'. The group's 19th hit and the first Welsh act to have a No.1 single since Shakin' Stevens in 1985. The song is in the Guinness World Records as the longest title for a No.1 single without brackets.
5 Jan 1998
American singer, producer, and politician Sonny Bono was killed in a skiing accident at a resort near Lake Tahoe, aged 62. Bono who was one half of Sonny & Cher scored the 1965 UK & US No.1 single 'I Got You Babe' and had become a US Congressman. The United States Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, which extended the term of copyright by 20 years, was named in honour of Bono when it was passed by Congress nine months after his death.
10 Nov 1997
American session guitarist Tommy Tedesco died of lung cancer aged 67. Described by "Guitar Player" magazine as the most recorded guitarist in history recording with The Beach Boys, Everly Brothers, Supremes, The Monkees, The Association, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Sam Cooke, Cher and Nancy and Frank Sinatra. And played on many TV themes including Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, M*A*S*H and Batman.
24 Sep 1997
Barry Loukaitis was convicted of shooting and killing two pupils and a teacher at a school in Washington. His defence team claimed he had copied scenes from Pearl Jam's video 'Jeremy'.
29 May 1997
The Manic Street Preachers won the best song award for 'A Design For Life' at the 42nd Ivor Novello awards. Other winners included The Spice Girls for Hit of the year with 'Wannabe', Elvis Costello for Outstanding contribution to music, George Michael won Songwriter Of The Year and Most Performed work for 'Fastlove.'
24 Feb 1997
The Spice Girls won best single with 'Wannabe' at this year's Brit Awards held in London. Other winners included, Best Group for Manic Street Preachers, Best Dance Act went to The Prodigy, George Michael won Best Male, Best Female went to Gabrielle, Best Newcomer was won by Kula Shaker, International Male was Beck, International Female Sheryl Crow and Best International Group was The Fugees.
21 Dec 1996
The charity record 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' went to No.1 on the UK singles chart. With the consent of Bob Dylan musician Ted Christopher of Dunblane, Scotland wrote a new verse for the song in memory of the schoolchildren and teacher killed in the Dunblane massacre. The cover version of the song included brothers and sisters of the victims singing the chorus and Mark Knopfler on guitar.
19 Oct 1995
African-American jazz trumpeter Don Cherry died of liver failure aged 58. Developed the genre of world fusion music, incorporating influences of Middle Eastern, traditional African, and Indian music into his playing. Is the stepfather to singer’s musicians Neneh Cherry and Eagle-Eye Cherry.
4 Sep 1995
Blur, Oasis, Radiohead, Paul Weller, Manic St Preachers and The Stone Roses all recorded tracks for the War Child charity album, which was released five days later. All profits went to children caught up in the current war in former Yugoslavia.
1 Feb 1995
Richey Edwards guitarist with the Manic Street Preachers vanished leaving no clues to his whereabouts. He left The Embassy Hotel in London at 7am, leaving behind his packed suitcase. His car was found on the Severn Bridge outside Bristol, England sixteen days later. Edwards has never been found, despite constant searching, and in November 2008 he was declared officially dead.
19 Dec 1994
The Manic Street Preachers played the first of three nights at The Astoria, London, the last shows Richey Edwards made with the band before disappearing. Edwards vanished on February 1st 1995 leaving no clues to his whereabouts and has never been seen since.
6 Aug 1994
Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards booked into a private clinic to be treated for nervous exhaustion.
7 Dec 1993
Manic Street Preachers co-manager Phillip Hall died from cancer. Hall was a former Record Mirror journalist and had also worked in PR for Stiff Records. Represented many acts including The Stone Roses, The Pogues, James, The Waterboys, The Beautiful South and Radiohead.
16 Jul 1993
The first of the three day Phoenix festival in England started, featuring Sonic Youth, Faith No More, The Black Crowes, Julian Cope, Pop Will Eat Itself, Radiohead, Living Colour, Manic Street Preachers, Pulp, tickets £49.
17 Oct 1992
Tasmin Archers debut single 'Sleeping Satellite' was at No.1 in the UK, the English singer, songwriters only No.1. Archer wrote the song in the late 1980s about the moon landings in 1969, but it was only when Archer got a record deal that the song saw the light of day.
30 Aug 1992
Appearing at this year's Reading Festival, England, Suede, Ride, Pavement, Public Enemy, Manic Street Preachers (bassist Nicky Wire smashed his guitar in two and hurled it into the crowd, hitting a security guard who needed 16 stitches). This was one of the most famous in the festival's history. Nirvana played what was to become their last UK concert, and one of their most famous. Kurt Cobain took to the stage in a wheelchair pushed by music journalist Everett True, parodying speculations about his mental health.
5 Aug 1992
Jeff Porcaro drummer from Toto died age 38 from a heart attack. His death has been the subject of controversy: some say the attack was caused by an allergic reaction to garden pesticide, while others say Porcaro's heart was weakened by smoking and cocaine use. Porcaro also worked with many other acts including Sonny & Cher, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan, Paul Simon and Boz Scaggs.
15 May 1991
Manic Street Preacher guitarist Richey Edwards carved '4 real' into his arm with a razor blade while being interviewed by music paper The NME.
4 May 1991
Cher scored her first solo UK No.1 single with 'The Shoop Shoop Song' from the film 'Mermaids'. The song had been a hit for Betty Everett in 1964, and gave Cher her first No.1 in the UK since 1965's 'I Got You Babe'.
8 Mar 1990
Cher won the worst dressed female, and worst video for 'If I Could Turn Back Time', in The Rolling Stone Magazine's awards, Donny Osmond won the most unwelcome comeback award.
14 Sep 1989
Cuban bandleader and composer Perez Prado died of a stroke in Mexico City. Had the US & UK 1955 No.1 single 'Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White'.
10 Sep 1988
Phil Collins was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'A Groovy Kind Of Love.' Taken from his film Buster the song had been a No.2 hit for The Mindbenders in 1966. The song was written by Carole Bayer Sager when she was a 22-year-old schoolteacher, and Toni Wine who was a 17-year-old high school student.
1 Dec 1987
A Kentucky teacher lost her appeal in the US Supreme Court over her sacking after showing Pink Floyd's film The Wall to her class. The court decided that the film was not suitable for minors with its bad language and sexual content.
25 Jun 1987
Songwriter Boudleaux Bryant died. Wrote with his wife Felice, The Everly Brothers hits, 'Bye Bye Love', 'All I Have To Do Is Dream', 'Wake Up Little Susie' and 'Raining In My Heart' a hit for Buddy Holly. Other acts to record their song include Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Simon And Garfunkel, Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Dean Martin, Ruth Brown, Cher, R.E.M. and Ray Charles.
9 May 1987
Starship started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with a song co-written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren, 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now.' At 48, it made lead singer Grace Slick the oldest female to reach No.1 on the UK chart, (later broken by Cher's 'Believe' in 1999).
4 Jul 1986
The second Farm Aid benefit concert took place at Manor Downs Racetrack, Manor, Texas. Held to raise money for family farmers in the US, the concerts were organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young. Artists who appeared included: Alabama, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Emmylou Harris, Jason & the Scorchers, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Vince Neil and Willie Nelson.
31 Aug 1985
UB40 with guest vocals from Chrissie Hynde had the UK No.1 single with their version of the Sonny Bono song 'I Got You Babe' a hit for Sonny & Cher in 1965.
29 Mar 1985
Jeanine Deckers, The Singing Nun, died aged 52 following a suicide pact with her longtime partner, Annie Pécher. Her 1963 US No.1 & UK No.7 single 'Dominique' sold over 1.5 million copies, winning a Grammy Award for the year's best Gospel song. Deckers wrote about her financial difficulties in a suicide note, and in a great irony, the very day of her suicide and unknown to her, the Belgian association that collects royalties for songwriters awarded her $300,000 (571,658 Belgian francs).
27 Oct 1980
Former T. Rex member Steve Took, choked to death on a cherry stone, after some magic mushrooms he had eaten, numbed all sensation in his throat, he was aged 31. Took was also a member of The Deviants with Pink Fairies members Twink and Mick Farren.
10 Oct 1978
Joe Perry and Steve Tyler from Aerosmith were injured after a cherry bomb was thrown on stage during a gig in Philadelphia. The group performed behind a safety fence for the rest of the tour.
3 Mar 1977
The first night of an UK tour with Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Cherry Vanilla and The Police kicked off at the Roxy Club, London. John Otway and Wild Willie Barratt played at The Speakeasy, London and Iggy Pop supported by The Vibrators appeared at Huddersfield Poly.
18 Sep 1976
One Hit Wonders Wild Cherry started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Play That Funky Music'. The song started life as a B-side. It was the group's only hit in the UK which peaked at No.7.
8 Nov 1975
David Bowie made his US TV debut performing 'Fame', on the Cher CBS-TV show. Bowie who was living in New York at the time had written the song with John Lennon during a jamming session.
5 Aug 1975
Drummer Sandy West and guitarist Joan Jett formed the first ever all female heavy rock band after being introduced by producer Kim Fowley. The Runaways released four studio albums, among its best known songs: 'Cherry Bomb', 'Queen's of Noise' and a cover of the Velvet Underground's 'Rock n Roll'.
30 Jun 1975
Cher married Greg Allman four days after her divorcing Sonny Bono, the couple split after ten days, followed by a three year on and off marriage.
16 Feb 1975
Cher started her own weekly hour of a music and comedy show on CBS-TV. The singer had co-presented The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour with her former husband. Cher's new show featured a female guest each week.
28 Dec 1974
Helen Reddy went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Angie Baby', the singers third US No.1. The song was turned down by Cher.
26 Jun 1974
Cher divorced Sonny Bono after 10 years of marriage. Four days later, Cher married guitarist Gregg Allman, the couple split 10 days after that, got back together and split again. They stayed married for three years, producing Elijah Blue Allman.
6 Oct 1973
Cher started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Half-Breed', the singer's second US No.1. The single which didn't chart in the UK was recorded with instrumental backing by L.A. sessions musicians from the Wrecking Crew.
17 Nov 1971
Slade were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Coz I Luv You', the group's first of six No.1's. The misspelt song titles became a trademark for Slade, causing a great furore among teachers up and down the country.
11 Nov 1971
BBC TV's Top Of The Pops celebrated its 400th show. The UK chart show was presented by Tony Blackburn with guests; Tom Jones, Dana, John Kongos, Cher, Slade, Cilla Black, The Piglets, Clodagh Rodgers and The Newbeats.
6 Nov 1971
Cher started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves', the singer's first US solo No.1, it made No.4 in the UK. The song earned Cher a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance category.
1 Aug 1971
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour started on prime-time American TV. By this time, Sonny and Cher had stopped producing hit singles so the duo decided to sing and tell jokes in nightclubs across the country. CBS head of programming Fred Silverman saw them one evening and offered them their show. Musical guests who appeared on the show include Glen Campbell, Jackson 5, The Supremes and Chuck Berry.
3 Jun 1970
The Kinks Ray Davies was forced to make a 6,000 mile round trip from New York to London to record one word in a song. Davies had to change the word 'Coca- Cola' to 'Cherry Cola' on the bands forthcoming single 'Lola' due to an advertising ban at BBC Radio.
31 Jan 1969
Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at The Fillmore East, New York City during the band's first North American tour. Porter's Popular Preachers opened the night, then Led Zeppelin took the stage. It is alleged that Zeppelin's show was so powerful and got such an enthusiastic audience that headliners Iron Butterfly refused to follow them.
25 Jan 1969
Pink Floyd appeared at the Sixty Nine Club, Royal York Hotel, Ryde, Isle of Wight, England. Support band was The Cherokees, who had had a minor hit single in 1964 with Seven Golden Daffodils produced by Mickie Most. They later changed their name to New York Public Library.
3 Aug 1968
The two day Newport Pop Festival took place in Costa Mesa, California with Alice Cooper, Canned Heat, Chambers Brothers, Charles Lloyd Quartet, Country Joe and the Fish, Electric Flag, James Cotton Blues Band, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sonny & Cher, Steppenwolf and Tiny Tim. Over 100,000 fans attended the festival.
29 Sep 1967
Working at Abbey Road in London, The Beatles mixed the new John Lennon song ‘I Am The Walrus’, which included the sound of a radio being tuned through numerous stations, coming to rest on a BBC production of William Shakespeare's "King Lear". Lennon composed the song by combining three songs he had been working on. When he learned that a teacher at his old primary school was having his students analyse Beatles' lyrics, he added a verse of nonsense words.
27 Sep 1967
Working on new songs The Beatles recorded various parts for the new John Lennon song ‘I Am The Walrus’ and the new Paul McCartney song ‘Fool On The Hill.’ Lennon received a letter from a pupil at Quarry Bank High School, that mentioned an English teacher was making his class analyse Beatles' lyrics. Lennon, amused that a teacher was putting so much effort into understanding the Beatles' lyrics, decided to write in his next song the most confusing lyrics that he could.
12 Jun 1967
Bob Dylan's album Greatest Hits peaked at No.10 in the US chart. The cover photograph of the album was taken by Rowland Scherman at Dylan's November 28th, 1965, concert in Washington, D.C., winning the 1967 Grammy award for Best Album Cover, Photography. The original album package also included Milton Glaser's now-familiar psychedelic poster depicting Dylan.
24 Sep 1966
The Association started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Cherish'. The New Christy Minstrels almost recorded the track but Association member and songwriter, Terry Kirkman, held onto ‘Cherish’ instead of selling it for $1000. The finished recording played for 3 minutes and 25 seconds, but the single’s label listed the time as 3:00 so that DJs wouldn’t be discouraged from playing a ‘long song.’
30 Jul 1966
The Beatles started a five week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Yesterday...And Today', the group's 8th No.1 album. Issued only in the United States and Canada, the album is remembered primarily for the controversy surrounding its original cover image, the "butcher cover" featuring the band dressed in white smocks and covered with decapitated baby dolls and pieces of meat.
25 Mar 1966
At a photo session at Bob Whitaker's studio in London, The Beatles posed in white coats using sides of meat with mutilated and butchered dolls for the cover of their next American album, Yesterday and Today. After advance copies were sent to disc jockeys and record reviewers, negative reaction to the cover photo was so strong Capitol recalled 750,000 copies from distributors to replace the cover. The total cost to Capitol to replace the cover and promotional materials was $250,000, wiping out their initial profit.
5 Sep 1965
Sonny & Cher made their first live UK appearance when they appeared at the 100 Club in London. The tour was organised and overseen by Larry Page, co-manager of the English rock band The Kinks.
26 Aug 1965
Sonny & Cher were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I Got You Babe', the duo's only UK No.1. Sonny Bono was inspired to write the song to capitalise on the popularity of the term "babe," as heard in Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe'. Bono wrote the lyrics and composed the music of the song for himself and his then-wife, Cher, late at night in their basement. When Cher was woken up to sing the lyrics, she hated the song, not thinking it would be a hit, and immediately went back to bed.
14 Aug 1965
Sonny & Cher started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Got You Babe'. Sonny Bono is said to have been inspired to write the song to capitalise on the popularity of the term "babe," as heard in Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe'.
25 Mar 1965
Bobby Vee, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, Heinz and The Zombies all appeared at The Odeon Cinema, Stockton, Cleveland.
27 Oct 1964
31 year old Salvatore Philip Bono married 18 year old Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere. For a time they performed together as Caesar and Cleo before changing the name of their act to Sonny & Cher. Their union lasted 12 years.
14 Mar 1964
For the first time in British recording history, all Top Ten singles in the UK were by British acts. No.1 was 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' by Cilla Black, No.2 - 'Bits and Pieces' by The Dave Clark Five, No.3 - 'Little Children' by Billy J Kramer, No.4 - 'Diane' by The Bachelors, No.5 - 'Not Fade Away' by The Rolling Stones, No.6 - 'Just One Look' by The Hollies, No.7 - 'Needles and Pins' by The Searchers, No.8 - 'I Think Of You' by The Merseybeats, No.9 - 'Boys Cry' by Eden Kane, and No. 10 - 'Let Me Go Lover' by Kathy Kirby.
29 Feb 1964
The first night of a 29-date twice-nightly tour featuring The Searchers, Bobby Vee and Dusty Springfield kicked off at The Adelphi Cinema, Slough.
30 Jan 1964
The Searchers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Sonny Bono song 'Needles And Pins'. The group's second UK No.1 had originally been recorded by Jackie DeShannon. The song has also been covered by the Ramones and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
12 Aug 1963
Merseybeat band the Searchers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman penned ‘Sweets for My Sweet’ which was originally recorded by The Drifters.
10 Aug 1963
The 100th edition of 'Thank Your Lucky Stars' was aired on UK TV, with Cliff Richard, The Shadows, The Searchers, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and Alma Cogan.
9 Aug 1963
The first ever edition of 'Ready Steady Go! was shown on UK TV. Introduced by Keith Fordyce and 19 year-old Cathy McGowan. The first show featured The Searchers, Jet Harris, Pat Boone, Billy Fury and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. The final show was in Dec 1966 after 175 episodes. Originally 30 minutes long, it expanded to 50 minutes the following year, and soon attracted the most popular artists, including The Beatles, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Rolling Stones, The Four Tops, The Kinks and many others.
8 Aug 1963
The Searchers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Sweets For My Sweet', the group's first of three UK No.1's. The song was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and was originally recorded by The Drifters.
1 Jun 1959
'The Battle Of New Orleans' by Johnny Horton went to No.1 on both the Country and Pop charts in the US, where it will stay for two months. The song was originally a poem written by high school teacher James Morriss in 1936, which he put to the music of an old fiddle tune known as 'The Eighth Of January'. Horton later won a Grammy Award for the song.
27 Jul 1958
Fan's of rock & roll music were warned that tuning into music on the car radio could cost you more money. Researchers from the Esso gas company said the rhythm of rock & roll could cause the driver to be foot heavy on the pedal, making them waste fuel.
21 Apr 1958
US country music singer Marvin Rainwater was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Whole Lotta Woman'. Rainwater was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian, known for wearing Native American-themed outfits on stage.
27 Oct 1957
The Crickets started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'That'll Be The Day'. It was also a No.3 hit in the US where it went on to sell over a million. The song was inspired by a trip to the movies by Holly, Jerry Allison and Sonny Curtis in June 1956. The John Wayne film The Searchers was playing and Wayne's frequently-used, world-weary catchphrase, "that'll be the day" inspired the young musicians.
23 Sep 1957
The Crickets went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'That'll Be The Day.' The title being taken from a phrase used by John Wayne in the film 'The Searchers.'
27 May 1957
Buddy Holly and the Crickets released 'That'll Be The Day' which became a UK No.1 and US No.3 hit. The song had its genesis in a trip to the movies by Holly, Allison and Sonny Curtis in June 1956. The John Wayne film The Searchers was playing. Wayne's frequently-used, world-weary catchphrase, "that'll be the day" was the Inspiration behind the song. It was also the first song to be recorded by The Quarrymen, the skiffle group that subsequently became The Beatles.
25 Feb 1957
Buddy Holly recorded a new version of 'That'll Be The Day', at Norman Petty Recording Studio in Clovis, New Mexico. The title being taken from a phrase used by John Wayne in the film 'The Searchers.'
24 Apr 1955
Perez Prado was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White'. Known as the 'King of the Mambo' the instrumental was the theme from the film 'Underwater' where Jane Russell can be seen dancing to 'Cherry Pink'.
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