This Day In Music Search

Singer-songwriter Amy Wadge had a jury’s verdict tattooed on her arm after she and Ed Sheeran were victorious in a copyright trial over the track 'Thinking Out Loud'. Ms Wadge, who is based in Wales, co-wrote the song with Sheeran, her friend of 17 years. A court in New York ruled the pair had not copied Marvin Gaye’s 'Let’s Get It On', despite claims from heirs of Gaye's co-writer. The tattoo reads "independently created" in a typewriter font.

Tower of Power played a California prison with former lead singer Rick Stevens, who had served 36 years for a 1976 drug-related triple homicide. Stevens was in his 30s, four years out of Tower of Power and addicted to drugs, when he shot to death three men in a 1976 dealing dispute. A jury voted for his execution, but the California Supreme Court ruled not long afterward that the death penalty was unconstitutional. After the show Stevens talked to the audience about how he rebuilt his life.

Donald Dunn, bassist with Booker T and the MG's died in his sleep after playing a show at the Blue Note night club in Tokyo the night before. He had been in the country as part of an ongoing tour with Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd. Booker T and the MG's scored the 1962 US No.3 single 'Green Onions', and the 1969 UK No.4 single 'Time Is Tight'.

'Like A Rolling Stone' was voted as Bob Dylan's best-ever song by Rolling Stone Magazine, who had asked the opinions of a panel of writers, academics and musicians to compile a poll to mark Dylan's 70th birthday on 24th May. 'Like A Rolling Stone', was described by U2's Bono as 'a black eye of a pop song', while Mick Jagger praised the simplicity of 'Desolation Row'. Keith Richards argued that the original 1963 solo version of 'Girl From The North Country', ranked 30th, was superior to Dylan's 1969 duet of the same song with Johnny Cash.

The US Postal Service issued a 42-cent postage stamp in honour of Frank Sinatra. The design showed a 1950s-vintage image of Sinatra, wearing a hat.

Brian May was under 24-hour security watch after a deranged man announced he was setting off to murder him - then disappeared. Police were hunting for a schizophrenic who left a letter behind at his home blaming the Queen guitarist for his illness. In it the man - said May was an "impostor" and that HE was the real rock star. He signed the letter "Brian May."

Michael Jackson launched a court case suing Motown Records. Jacko filed the lawsuit in LA, saying he hadn't been paid royalties due for the music he did with the Jackson Five in the 60s and 70s. The singer also claimed his music has been used in TV ads without his permission.

Dionne Warwick was arrested at Miami International Airport for possession of marijuana after authorities found 11 joints in a lipstick case in the singer's hand luggage. The charges were dropped after she completed a drug program and made a contribution to charity.

Shaun Ryder's Volkswagen Corrado was found abandoned after being used as the getaway car. The former Happy Mondays singer's car, was used in an armed robbery on Harry Ramsden's fish and chip restaurant in Manchester. £7,000 cash was taken in the robbery.

Oasis became the fastest selling group in UK history after all 330,000 tickets for their summer shows sold out in just nine hours, the tickets for shows at Knebworth and Loch Lomand were priced at £22.50.

Kylie Minogue was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with her second solo No.1 'Hand On Your Heart.' The song was written and produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman.

Simple Minds went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Street Fighting Years', their fourth No.1 album. The album featured 'Mandela Day', 'Belfast Child' and 'Biko'.

Scottish band Fairground Attraction were at No.1 on the UK singles with 'Perfect'. The group featured Eddi Reader who had previously worked as a backing singer with the Eurythmics and Sandie Shaw. 'Perfect' won the award for Best Single at the 1989 BRIT Awards.

Bruce Springsteen married Julianne Phillips at Lake Oswego, Oregon. Julianne filed for divorce on Aug 30th 1988.

Boney M were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Rivers of Babylon'. The single which stayed at the top of the charts for five weeks was originally by the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians, whose version of the song appeared in the sound track to the 1972 movie The Harder They Come.

Forty-three people were arrested and more than fifty were injured after youths started throwing bottles outside a Jackson Five concert at RFK stadium in Washington DC.

On his twenty-first birthday Stevie Wonder received all his childhood earnings. Despite having earned $30 million so far, he received only $1 million.

The world premiere of The Beatles film 'Let It Be' took place in New York City. The film which was originally planned as a television documentary features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public. Released just after the album, it was the final original Beatles release.

Led Zeppelin became one of the first major British rock group to appear in Hawaii, when they appeared at The Civic Auditorium, Honolulu. A review in the Honolulu Advertiser stated: 'The showmanship exceeded any rock performance here to date. I wondered before the concert if Led Zeppelin could sound as good as their Atlantic album – they sounded better'.

The Monkees second album More Of The Monkees, went to No.1 on the UK charts. In 1967 only four albums reached No.1; The Sound Of Music which spent 17 weeks at No.1, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper, 25 weeks at No.1 and The Monkees first and second albums spent 9 weeks at No.1.

The Supremes scored their 10th US No.1 single with 'The Happening'; it made No.6 in the UK. It was the last single to be released as the Supremes, from now on they were known as Diana Ross and the Supremes.

American country music singer and songwriter Morgan Wallen. His second album, Dangerous: The Double Album, released in January 2021, became the only country album in the 64-year history of the Billboard 200 to spend its first seven weeks at No. 1. It went on to spend a total of ten weeks at that spot, the first album to do so since Whitney Houston's Whitney in 1987.

Michael Madden, bass, Maroon 5, who had the 2004 UK No.1 album ‘Songs About Jane’, the 2004 US No.1 & UK No.4 single ‘She Will Be Loved’ and the 2014 US No.1 album V.

Brian Patrick Carroll known professionally as Buckethead, an American musician who has worked within many genres of music and was a member of Guns N' Roses from 2000 to 2004.

American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Chuck Schuldiner. He founded the pioneering band Death in 1983 and is often referred to as "The Godfather of death metal". Death's best-selling album is the 1991 release Human. Schuldiner died of brain cancer on 13 December 2001. .

American singer and songwriter Darius Rucker, from American rock band Hootie & the Blowfish who had the 1995 US No.1 album Cracked Rear View. As a country music singer, his first single, 'Don't Think I Don't Think About It', made him the first black artist to reach No.1 on the Hot Country Songs charts since Charley Pride in 1983.

Alison Goldfrapp, English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the electronic music duo Goldfrapp who had the 2008 UK No.2 album Seventh Tree.

Scottish singer Lorraine McIntosh from Deacon Blue who had the 1988 UK No.8 single 'Real Gone Kid' plus over 15 other UK Top singles. The name Deacon Blue comes from the title of the Steely Dan song 'Deacon Blues'. McIntosh is married to Deacon Blue lead singer Ricky Ross.

Julian Brookhouse from British pop band, Curiosity Killed The Cat who had the 1989 UK No.14 single 'Name And Number' and the UK No.1 album Keep Your Distance.

Paul Thompson, drummer who with Roxy Music scored the hit singles 'Street Life', 'Love is the Drug', 'Dance Away', 'Angel Eyes', 'Jealous Guy' and 'Avalon'.

British musician Danny Kirwan, guitarist, singer and songwriter with the blues rock band Fleetwood Mac between 1968 and 1972 who had the 1969 UK No.1 single 'Albatross'.

Australian-born Irish singer and composer Johnny Logan. He first won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980, with the song 'What's Another Year'.

American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder. A child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century. Wonder who has been blind from shortly after birth, signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day. Wonder has scored over 40 US & UK Top 40 singles. Albums include Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life.

Pete Overend Watts, bassist with Mott The Hoople, who had the 1972 UK No.3 & US No.37 single 'All The Young Dudes' which was written for them by David Bowie. Other hits include, 'All the Way from Memphis' and 'Roll Away the Stone'. Watts continued with Dale Griffin, Morgan Fisher and Ray Major in the Mott successor British Lions. He later became a record producer, producing albums for artists including Hanoi Rocks and Dumb Blondes. Watts died on 22 January 2017 from throat cancer, aged was 69.

Scottish singer-songwriter Rab Noakes. He was at the forefront of Scottish folk music for over 50 years and recorded over 19 studio albums. Noakes was a founding member of the folk-rock band Stealers Wheel, along with Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan and also recorded with Lindisfarne. Noakes died on 11 November 2022, suddenly, at the age of 75, in hospital in Glasgow.

Magic Dick, harmonica, with American rock band The J Geils Band, who had the 1982 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Centerfold' which was taken from their US No.1 1981 album Freeze Frame.

American singer Mary Wells, who had the 1964 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'My Guy', (written by Smokey Robinson). Other hits include, 'The One Who Really Loves You', 'Two Lovers' and the Grammy-nominated 'You Beat Me to the Punch'. Wells died of cancer on 26th July 1992 at the age of 59.

English entertainer and rock and roll singer and guitarist Joe Brown, who had the 1962 UK No.2 single 'A Picture Of You'. He has made six films, and presented specialist radio series for BBC Radio 2.

American singer, songwriter, Ritchie Valens, who had the 1958 US No.2 hit single 'Donna' and a hit with 'La Bamba'. On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "the Day the Music Died", Valens died in a plane crash in Iowa, an accident that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson.