This Day In Music Search

John Lodge, bassist and singer with English rock band The Moody Blues died at the age of 82. The Moody Blues had the hit singles 'Nights in White Satin' and 'Question'. Lodge's was one of the primary songwriters of the Moody Blues, writing many songs such as 'Isn't Life Strange' and 'I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)', both songs for which he won an ASCAP songwriting award. They embraced the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s, with their second album, 1967's Days of Future Passed, being a fusion of rock with classical music (performed with the London Festival Orchestra) that established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock.

Ed Sheeran was at No.1 on the UK chart with his seventh studio album Autumn Variations. It became his seventh UK No.1 album and debuted at No.4 on the Billboard 200 in the US. It also topped the charts in Australia, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

American tenor saxophone player Steve Mackay who worked with The Stooges, Violent Femmes, Snakefinger, Commander Cody and others, died from sepsis at a hospital in Daly City, California at the age of 66.

Taylor Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year 2014, making her the first artist to receive the award twice. The award goes to the female artist who "has shaped and inspired the music industry with her success, leadership and innovation" over the last year.

Paul McCartney and his band surprised New Yorkers by performing songs from his "New" album in a short impromptu free concert to roughly 3,000 people on a long truck parked in the middle of Times Square.

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'.

Boyzone singer Stephen Gately died suddenly at the age of 33 while on holiday in Majorca. Spanish police said there were no signs of suspicious circumstances, but the cause of death was not yet known. Gately was on holiday with his long-term partner Andy Cowles.

Sting topped a list of the worst lyricists ever, for such alleged sins as name-dropping Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov in The Police tune "Don't Stand So Close to Me," quoting a Volvo bumper sticker ("If You Love Someone Set Them Free"), and co-opting the works of Chaucer, St. Augustine and Shakespeare. The survey in Blender magazine placed Rush drummer Neil Peart at No. 2, Creed frontman Scott Stapp at No. 3 and Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher at No. 4 saying Gallagher "seemed incapable of following a metaphor through a single line, let alone a whole verse."

Twelve protesters dressed as monkeys picketed outside the north Wales holiday home of former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown. The demonstrators argued Brown, was selling the five-bedroom house, in the small village of Llithfaen on the Llyn Peninsula for an inflated price - £150,000 - which local people could not afford. The monkey costumes worn by the anonymous protesters, referred to the name of Brown's recent solo album 'Unfinished Monkey Business.'

Britney Spears made her UK live debut when she played the first of three sold out nights at London's Wembley Arena.

US teenager Christina Aguilera went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Genie In A Bottle.' The song spent 5 weeks at No.1 on the US chart and won Aguilera the Best New Artist Grammy for the year.

A charity auction selling Elvis Presley's belongings was held at The Grand Hotel, Las Vegas. A wristwatch sold for $32,500, a cigar box $25,000, an autographed baseball sold for $19,000, and a 1956 Lincoln Continental sold for $250,000.

R.E.M. scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Automatic For The People', featuring the singles 'Drive', 'Everybody Hurts', 'Man On The Moon' and 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight.'

Whitesnake went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Here I Go Again', a No.9 hit in the UK in 1987.

The funeral took place of Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham ‘Bonzo’ was found dead at guitarists Jimmy Page's house of what was described as asphyxiation, after inhaling his own vomit after excessive vodka consumption, (40 shots in 4 hours) aged 32.

The Rose, starring Bette Midler as a self-destructive 1960s Rock star, (transparently based on Janis Joplin) premiered in Los Angeles. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Frederic Forrest), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Bette Midler, in her screen debut), Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

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.

The second Stiff Records UK tour kicked off featuring; Wreckless Eric, Jona Lewie, Rachel Sweet, Lene Lovich and Micky Jupp. The UK tour was undertaken by train, and then continued on to the USA, without Jupp, who was afraid of flying.

The Carpenters were at No.2 on the US singles chart with 'We've Only Just Begun.' The song was originally recorded by Smokey Roberds, under the name "Freddie Allen", and was used in a wedding-themed television commercial for Crocker National Bank in California in 1970.

Black Sabbath were at No.1 on the UK chart with their second album 'Paranoid.' The album which contains some of the band's best-known signature songs, including the title track, 'Iron Man' and 'War Pigs' is now regarded as one of the classic Heavy Metal albums.

Neil Diamond went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Cracklin' Rosie', his first No.1 as an artist. Diamond who had spent his early career as a songwriter in the Brill Building, wrote the 1966 No.1 hit 'I'm A Believer' for The Monkees.

The first issue of Sounds the British music paper was published. It was intended to be a weekly rival to titles such as Melody Maker and New Musical Express and was well known initially for giving away posters in the centre of the paper. Sounds closed on April 6, 1991.

King Crimson released their debut studio album In the Court of the Crimson King on Island Records in England and Atlantic Records in America. Rolling Stone named In the Court of the Crimson King the second greatest progressive rock album of all time, behind Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon.

During a UK tour The Beatles appeared at De Montfort Hall in Leicester. Ringo Starr drove himself to the venue after taking delivery of a brand new Facel Vega, apparently reaching speeds of 140 MPH on the M6 motorway.

The Quarry Men played at the Casbah Coffee Club, Liverpool. Ken Brown, suffering from a heavy cold was unable to perform and after the show, an argument started when Paul McCartney said that Brown should not get a share of the performance fee since he had not performed. Lennon and Harrison side with McCartney and Brown quits The Quarry Men.

Elvis Presley's 'Love Me Tender' entered the US chart for a 19 week stay, peaking at No.1 for 5 weeks. The song, from Presley's first film of the same name, was adapted from the tune "Aura Lee", written in 1861.

The real Eleanor Rigby died in her sleep of unknown causes at the age of 44. The 1966 Beatles' song that featured her name wasn't written about her, as Paul McCartney's first draft of the song named the character Miss Daisy Hawkins. Eleanor Rigby's tombstone was noticed in the 1980s in the graveyard of St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, a few feet from where McCartney and Lennon had met for the first time in 1957.

The Gibson Mandolin guitar company was formed. Gibson's first electric guitar the ES-150 was produced in 1936, and in 1946 Gibson introduced the P-90 single coil pickup, which was eventually used on the first Les Paul model made in 1952.

Gabrielle Aplin, English singer-songwriter who had the 2012 UK No.1 single with her version of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's ‘The Power of Love’, which was used in a John Lewis television commercial.

Australian pop singer and songwriter Gabriella Cilmi. Her 2008 debut album peaked at No.2 on the Australian chart and No.8 in the UK. Her 2010 single 'Sweet About Me' peaked at No.1 on the Australian chart and became a hit in Europe, reaching No.1 in the Netherlands and Norway and becoming a top-five hit in eight other countries. In the UK, the song reached No.6 and was the most-played track of 2009 according to PRS for Music.

Welsh singer, songwriter Marina Diamandis, known mononymously as Marina and previously by the stage name Marina and the Diamonds. Her debut studio album, The Family Jewels, (2010) reached No.5 on the UK Albums Chart. Diamandis' second studio album, Electra Heart (2012), was a concept album about a character of the same name. The album explored electropop and dance-pop and became her first UK No.1 album.

Italian-English singer, songwriter Jack Savoretti. Singing to Strangers (2019) became his first No.1 album on the UK Chart, and the follow-up Europiana (2021) also made No.1.

American musician Lzzy Hale, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of hard rock band Halestorm. The band has placed eleven singles within the top ten of the US Mainstream Rock airplay chart, including six No.1s. In 2021, Gibson guitars announced that Hale was being named the first female Gibson brand ambassador.

Irish singer-songwriter and musician, Una Healy, best known for being a member of girl group The Saturdays. They made their chart debut in July 2008 with 'If This Is Love', which reached the top ten in the UK. Its follow-up single 'Up,' (2008), debuted at No.5 on the UK Singles Chart and to date has sold over 345,000 copies in the UK alone and stayed in the charts for 30 weeks.

Mya, (Marie Harrison), US singer. She had the 2000 US No.2 single 'Case Of The Ex' and the 2001 US & UK No.1 single with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Pink, 'Lady Marmalade'.

Scott Morriss, bassist with English indie rock band The Bluetones. Their debut studio album, released in February 1996, knocked Oasis's (What's the Story) Morning Glory? off the No.1 spot in the UK Albums Chart for a week. The second single from their debut album 'Slight Return' peaked at No.2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is named after the subtitle for 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' by Jimi Hendrix.

American musician Mike Malinin, known for his work as the drummer with the American rock band Goo Goo Dolls from December 1994 until December 27, 2013. The band is renowned for their 1998 single, 'Iris', which spent 11 consecutive months on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked atop the Hot 100 Airplay chart for 18 weeks.

Graham Crabb, drums, from English alternative rock band, Pop Will Eat Itself who scored the 1991 UK No.15 single 'X Y & Zee' and the 1993 top ten hit, 'Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!'

Jonny Male, guitarist with English alternative rock band Republica who had the 1997 UK No.7 single 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' and the single 'Ready to Go'.

Jim Glennie, bassist from English rock band James who scored the 1991 UK No.2 single 'Sit Down' and the hits 'Laid' and 'Come Home'. As of 2010, the band had sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.

English actor, musician Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet who became one of the most successful groups to emerge during the New Romantic era. They produced a number of international hits during the 80s including 'True', 'Gold' and 'Through the Barricades.' He is the brother of Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet who he appeared with in the British film 'The Krays'. He is also known for his role as Steve Owen in the British soap opera EastEnders.

Eric Martin, singer with American hard rock supergroup Mr. Big, who had the 1992 hit 'To Be With You', which was a No.1 single in 15 countries. The band takes its name from a song by Free, which they covered on the 1993 album Bump Ahead.

British guitarist, singer and songwriter Simon Townshend, (the younger brother of the The Whos guitarist Pete Townshend). He is most associated with The Who and the various side projects of its original members. Simon Townshend has also performed with numerous other acts, including Pearl Jam, Dave Grohl and Jeff Beck.

British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl. The daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl, she recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including 'There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis' and cover versions of Billy Bragg's 'A New England' and the Kinks' 'Days. She also scored the 1987 UK No.2 single with The Pogues, 'Fairytale Of New York'. MacColl was killed in a boating accident on 18th December 2000 on holiday in Cozumel, Mexico, with her sons and her boyfriend, musician James Knight. She and her sons went diving at the Chankanaab reef, in a designated diving area where watercraft were restricted from entering. As the group was surfacing from a dive, a powerboat moving at high speed entered the restricted area. MacColl was struck by the powerboat, which ran over her, killing her instantly.

American country music singer and songwriter Tanya Tucker. Best known for her debut hit 'Delta Dawn', which she released when she was 13 years old. She has topped the US country music charts 10 times and in 1980, she recorded a few singles with Glen Campbell, with whom she was romantically linked. She starred in her own fly-on-the-wall TV show, Tuckerville, in 2005.

American rock vocalist, and songwriter David Lee Roth who with Van Halen had the 1984 US No.1 & UK No.7 single 'Jump' and solo hits with the songs 'California Girls,' 'Yankee Rose,' and 'Just Like Paradise,' in the late 1980s. Van Halen's 1978 debut album has sold more than twelve million copies. In 2004, Roth appeared on the TV series The Sopranos as a poker-playing guest of Tony Soprano. In 2004, he trained as a state-licensed emergency medical technician in New York.

Midge Ure, Scottish musician and singer-songwriter. He joined Slik, who had the 1976 UK No.1 'Forever And Ever', and with the Rich Kids, had the 1978 UK No.24 'Rich Kids'. He was also a member of Visage and then Ultravox, who had the 1981 UK No.2 'Vienna'. Ure co-wrote and produced the 1985 charity single 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' which has sold 3.7 million copies in the UK. His 1985 solo debut album The Gift featured the UK No.1 hit 'If I Was'.

American guitarist Keith Grimes, who worked with Eva Cassidy. She is the only artist to score three posthumous UK No.1 albums, the 2001 Songbird, 2002 Imagine and the 2003 American Tune.

American percussionist and vocalist Cyril Neville, who first came to prominence as a member of his brother Art Neville's funky New Orleans–based band, The Meters. He later joined Art in the Neville Brothers band. He has appeared on recordings by Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Edie Brickell, Willie Nelson and Dr. John.

American singer, songwriter John Prine, known for the 1971 Vietnam War song 'Sam Stone' from the album John Prine. He released his debut album in 1971, and put out 19 studio albums in all. He died on 7 April 2020 aged 73 due to complications from Covid-19.

Alan Cartwright, bassist with Procol Harum, who had the 1967 UK No.1 & US No.5 single 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' (one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies) and scored the hits 'Homburg', 'Conquistador'. He was part of the band’s line-up between 1971 and 1976, playing on four albums including their ground-breaking 1972 release Live With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Cartwright died on 4 March 2021 age 75.

Jerry Lacroix, from jazz-rock American music group Blood Sweat & Tears. They scored the 1969 US No.2 single 'Spinning Wheel', and the 1969 US No.12 single 'You've Made Me So Very Happy'. They had a US No.1 with their second album Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1968. He had also been a member of Edgar Winter's White Trash. Lacroix died on 7 May 2014.

Denis D'Ell, lead vocals and harmonica player with English beat group The Honeycombs who had the 1964 UK No.1 single 'Have I The Right'). The band featured Honey Lantree on drums, one of the few high-profile female drummers at that time. He died of cancer on 6th July 2005.