This Day In Music Search

American soul and gospel singer Cissy Houston died age 91. She was the mother of Whitney Houston). She was a member of Sweet Inspirations, The Drinkard Singers, (with Dionne Warwick), and as a back-up singer worked with Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross, David Bowie (Young Americans), Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison, (Moondance), Beyoncé, (Dangerously In Love) and many others.

Adidas placed its partnership with Kanye West under review after he made several antisemitic remarks and wore a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt at a Paris Fashion Week show days earlier. In response to this behaviour, Balenciaga, Vogue, Creative Artists Agency and MRC cut ties with West. Sales for Yeezy's Adidas sneakers had generated over $1.3 billion.

Slipknot were at No.1 in the UK with their seventh studio album The End, So Far. The album which peaked at No.2 on the US chart is dedicated to co-founder and former drummer Joey Jordison, who died in his sleep in July 2021.

The Rolling Stones played the first night of the Desert Trip festival, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The event also featured Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters and the Who. The six-day (split over two weekends) event rakes in $160 million, making it the highest-earning music festival ever.

Annie Lennox described the sexualised imagery of modern pop videos as "dark" and "pornographic". "I'm all for freedom of expression," she told BBC Radio 5 live, "but this is clearly one step beyond, and it's clearly into the realm of porn." The singer called for pop videos to be rated in the same way as films.

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.

Monkees vocalist Davy Jones ruled out ever reuniting with his former band mates after launching a scathing attack on each of his old pals in The National Enquirer. "It's not a case of dollars and cents. It's a case of satisfying yourself. I don't have anything to prove. The Monkees proved it for me."

Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with Magic, the singer, songwriter's 15th studio album and 7th UK No.1. (and topped the charts in six countries, including the US). Two songs from the album 'Radio Nowhere' and 'Girls in Their Summer Clothes' won a total of three Grammys, making Magic the second of only two Springsteen albums with three wins.

25 year-old Hip-hop artist Lil' Wayne was arrested during a US tour after a concert in Idaho on a warrant stemming from a drug possession charge. Because of the nature of the charges, the rapper - real name Dwayne Michael Carter Jr - was not eligible for bail.

Babyshambles postponed their UK tour to give singer Pete Doherty more time to recover from drug treatment. The band postponed their five remaining dates to allow him to continue his "excellent" rehab efforts.

Boy George was arrested in New York after Police found traces of drugs in his apartment. George had called the police after he thought somebody was breaking into his apartment. When police arrived and made a search they found traces of cocaine on a computer table.

Mick Jagger donated £100,000 to his old Grammar school in Dartford to help pay for a music director and buy musical instruments. The new centre was also named after Mick Jagger.

Don Henley and Eagles Ltd. filed a federal suit against Lovearth, a Sarasota, Florida-based Internet company, alleging that its registration of the domain names don-henley.net, don-henley.org, donhenley.org, theendoftheinnocence.com, and e-a-g-l-e-s.com constitutes copyright infringement.

It was reported that four musicians who claimed they worked on her 'Miseducation' album were suing Lauryn Hill. The musicians were seeking unpaid royalties for co writers and producers.

Alanis Morissette went to No.1 on the US album chart with her third album Jagged Little Pill. The record produced six successful singles, including 'You Oughta Know', 'Ironic', 'You Learn', 'Hand in My Pocket', and 'Head over Feet' and went on to become the biggest selling album ever by a female artist with sales over 30m.

Paula Abdul went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Forever Your Girl'. Abdul spent sixty-four consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 before hitting number one, making it the longest time for an album to reach the number one spot.

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page was given a 12-month conditional discharge after being found guilty of possessing cocaine.

Factory Records released 'Transmission' the debut single by English post-punk band Joy Division. In May 2007, NME magazine placed 'Transmission' at No.20 in its list of the 50 "Greatest Indie Anthems Ever", one place below their third single 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'.

The film soundtrack to 'Grease' featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John started a 13 week run at No.1 on the UK chart.

US Music magazine Billboard reported that Marvin Gaye had twice filed bankruptcy papers earlier in the year, with debts of $7 million.

John Lennon was awarded his ‘Green Card’ - permanent residency status, at a hearing in New York which overturned previous efforts by the US Government to deport him. The three judge panel of the US Court of Appeals ruled that his 1968 arrest in Britain for possession of marijuana was "contrary to US ideas of due process and was invalid as a means of banishing the former Beatle from America."

Jose Feliciano performed a controversial version of The Star Spangled Banner before the fifth game of the World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals. As a result of his slow, Bluesy delivery, many radio stations refused to play his songs, and his career suffered.

Cass Elliot from The Mamas & the Papas spent the night in a London jail after being accused of stealing from a hotel. A TV and concert appearance had to be cancelled.

The Beatles rejected an offer of $1 million from promoter Sid Bernstein to make a second appearance at New York's Shea Stadium. Bernstein had originally brought the group to Shea in August 1965. Sid Bernstein had actually successfully contracted the Beatles to play at Shea Stadium in both 1965 and 1966.

Johnny Kidd was killed in a car crash while on UK tour in Radcliffe, Manchester, aged 27. Pirates' bassist Nick Simper, who later became an original member of Deep Purple, was also in the car with Kidd but he suffered only some cuts and a broken arm. Kidd scored the 1960 UK No.1 single 'Shakin' All Over' as Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.

Smiley Lewis, New Orleans R&B singer, died of stomach cancer. He wrote 'One Night' covered by Elvis Presley and 'I Hear You Knocking' 1955 US No.2 for Gale Storm plus UK No.1 & US No.2 for Dave Edmunds'.

The Rolling Stones recorded the Lennon and McCartney penned song ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ at De Lane Lea Studios in London. The song which was primarily written by Paul McCartney, was finished by Lennon and McCartney in the corner of a room while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were talking. The song peaked at No.12 on the UK charts when released.

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi. In March 2019, his single 'Someone You Loved' (2018) topped the UK Singles Chart, where it remained for seven weeks, and in November 2019, it reached No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (making him the first Scottish solo artist to top the US charts since Sheena Easton in 1981). 'Someone You Loved' won the 2020 Brit Award for Song of the Year. In May 2020, it was announced that 'Someone You Loved' had become the longest-running top 10 UK single of all time by a British artist.

English singer, rapper, dancer, television personality Alesha Dixon. She rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the R&B and garage group Mis-Teeq, who had seven UK top 10 hits, two top 10 double platinum albums, and sold over 12 million records worldwide.

US soul singer, songwriter Taylor Hicks, who was the 2006 American Idol winner. He had the 2006 US No.1 single ‘Do I Make You Proud’, and also in 2006, his second album peaked at No.2 on the US chart.

British electronic music artist and formerly a rave dancer and occasional keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill, from electronic dance group The Prodigy. Their 1997 album The Fat Of The Land went to No.1 in 16 countries, including the UK and the US, and spawned the UK No.1 singles 'Firestarter' and 'Breathe' in 1996. The third single, 'Smack My Bitch Up', was a UK top ten hit and generated considerable controversy over its suggestive lyrics and music video. The Prodigy are one of the most successful electronic groups of all time, selling an estimated 25 million records worldwide. ,

English musician Thom Yorke who is the singer and main songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. Their 1993 debut single 'Creep' was initially unsuccessful, but it became a worldwide hit several months after the release of their debut album, Pablo Honey. Their 1997 album OK Computer appeared on many critics' lists and listener polls for best album of the year in 1997. In 2006, Yorke released his debut solo album, The Eraser, and in 2009 formed Atoms for Peace. Their awards include six Grammy Awards and four Ivor Novello Awards, and Radiohead hold five Mercury Prize nominations, the most of any act.

American singer, songwriter, pianist, actress Toni Braxton who had the 1996 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Un Break My Heart'. In the late 1980s, Braxton began performing with her sisters in a music group known as The Braxtons. She has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards.

English singer, songwriter Sam Brown, who had the 1989 UK No.4 single 'Stop'. She is the daughter of musician Joe Brown and session singer Vicki Brown and worked as a session backing vocalist, working with artists such as Gary Moore, George Harrison, Spandau Ballet, Adam Ant, Pink Floyd, David Gilmour and Nick Cave. She has often appeared as a member of Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.

Bass guitarist David Taylor who with the English pop band Edison Lighthouse scored the 1970 UK No.1 single 'Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes'. The song also reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling over a million copies. Tony Burrows initially tried to get the single released under his own name, but was turned down by the song's writer and producer, Tony Macaulay. When 'Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)' became a hit, a group needed to be assembled rapidly to perform the song on Top of the Pops. The pair found a group called Greenfield Hammer, who appeared on Top of the Pops a week later as Edison Lighthouse.

English television personality and businessman Simon Cowell. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows Pop Idol (2001–2003), The X Factor UK (2004–2010; 2014–2018), and Britain's Got Talent (2007–present), as well as the American television talent competition shows American Idol (2002–2010), The X Factor US (2011–2013), and America's Got Talent (2016–present). Cowell is known for his blunt and controversial comments as a television show judge, including insults and wisecracks about contestants and their singing abilities.

American musician Tico Torres best known as the drummer for the rock band Bon Jovi, who scored the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.4 single 'Livin' On A Prayer'. Their 1986 US No.1 album Slippery When Wet has sold over 8 million copies world wide. He has also worked with Pat Benatar, Chuck Berry, Cher, Alice Cooper and Stevie Nicks. Torres was one of the drummers auditioned by Kiss in 1980 after original drummer Peter Criss left the band.

American bass guitarist Ricky Phillips, who was a member of the rock band Styx from 2003 to 2024 and has worked with Nasty Habit, The Babys, Bad English, Ronnie Montrose, Coverdale-Page and Ted Nugent.

American singer and songwriter, John 'Cougar' Mellencamp, who had the 1982 US No.1 and UK No.25 single 'Jack And Diane', and the 1982 US No.1 album American Fool. He has had fourteen top 20 hits in the United States and holds the record for the most tracks by a solo artist to hit No.1 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart, and has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning one, as Best Male Rock Performer for 'Hurts So Good'.

David Hope, from American rock band Kansas, who scored the 1978 US No.3 single 'Dust In The Wind', and the 1978 hit single 'Carry On Wayward Son', which was the second-most-played track on US classic rock radio in 1995 and No.1 in 1997.

English singer-songwriter, drummer and music video director Kevin Godley. With 10cc, he had the 1975 UK No.1 & US No.2 single 'I'm Not In Love', plus 10 other UK Top 30 hits including 2 No.1's). He was later part of the collaboration duo Godley and Creme, who had the 1981 UK No.3 single 'Under Your Thumb'. As a video director, Godley has worked with Police, Sting, U2, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins and others.

American singer-songwriter Judee Sill. She was the first artist signed to David Geffen's label Asylum. She released her first album, Judee Sill, in 1971, followed by Heart Food in 1973. Both albums were acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful. Graham Nash produced her first single, 'Jesus Was a Cross Maker'. Sill struggled with drug addiction and dropped out of the music scene. She died of a drug overdose, or "acute cocaine and codeine intoxication", on November 23, 1979.

Tony Silvester, singer with American soul and R&B group Main Ingredient, best known for their 1972 hit song 'Everybody Plays the Fool'.

Guitarist Martin Murray, from 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.

Colin Cooper from British blues rock group Climax Blues Band, who had the 1977 US No.3 & 1976 UK No.10 single 'Couldn't Get It Right'. Cooper died of cancer, aged 69 on 3 July 2008.

Chet Powers, American singer-songwriter, and under the stage names Dino Valenti or Dino Valente, one of the lead singers of Quicksilver Messenger Service. He wrote the quintessential 1960s love-and-peace anthem 'Get Together' a hit for The Youngbloods. He died on 16 November 1994.

American singer Al Martino. He had the 1952 US & UK No.1 single 'Here In My Heart' which became the first No.1 in the NME singles chart. It remained in the top position for nine weeks in the UK, setting a record for the longest consecutive run at No.1 a record which, over 50 years on, has only been beaten by six other tracks. Martino also played Johnny Fontane in 1972 film The Godfather. He died on 13th Oct 2009 aged 82.