Today in Music History for Dec. 29:
In 1849, the Christmas hymn by Edmund Sears, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," was first published in "The Christian Register."
In 1939, Radio Luxembourg was given government permission to begin broadcasting. It was the only commercial radio station in Europe to broadcast in English during the 1950s and '60s, and was the only European station to play rock 'n roll. Part of Radio Luxembourg's Saturday night programming was a rebroadcast of disc jockey Alan Freed's show from the U.S.
In 1941, sax and flute player Ray Thomas of "The Moody Blues" was born in Stourport-on-Severn, England. Thomas, along with lead singer Denny Laine, keyboard player Michael Pinder, bassist Clint Warwick and drummer Graeme Edge, began "The Moody Blues" as a R&B band in 1964 in Birmingham. After their first major hit, "Go Now," Laine and Warwick left the group and Justin Hayward and John Lodge joined. The group turned to a more full-bodied orchestral sound. "Nights in White Satin," in 1972, was the biggest of their dozen hit singles.
In 1942, Rick Danko, bass player with "The Band," was born in Simcoe, Ont. "The Band," then known as "The Hawks," began backing rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins in the Toronto area around 1960. That relationship lasted until 1963, when members of the group moved to the U.S. In 1965, "The Band" began their long relationship with Bob Dylan, backing him on his world tour. "The Band" released its own debut album, "Music From the Big Pink" in 1968. Their other hit LPs include "Stage Fright," "Rock of Ages" and "Moondog Matinee," a tribute to early rock ’n’ roll. "The Band’s" final concert was at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in 1976, an event that was filmed by director Martin Scorcese as "The Last Waltz." Rick Danko died on Dec. 10, 1999.
In 1943, band manager Bill Aucoin was born. He discovered the rock group "KISS" in New York City in 1973 and helped launch the makeup-wearing, fire-breathing quartet into a musical and merchandising juggernaut. He financed the band's first tour on his personal American Express credit card when money was tight, but he was well rewarded when the band's popularity exploded in 1975 with the hit "Rock and Roll All Nite." After parting with "KISS" in the early 1980s, he managed Billy Squier and Billy Idol. He died June 28, 2010, of surgical complications from prostate cancer.
In 1946, singer Marianne Faithful was born in London. Signed by "The Rolling Stones'" manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, in 1964, she covered the groups' "As Tears Go By." It was her only major hit. Later, Faithful had a brief career as an actress, and then became famous as Mick Jagger's girlfriend. She withdrew from public life after a widely-publicized treatment for heroin addiction in the early 1970s. She returned to music in 1977 with the release of the album "Faithless," and has recorded several more albums since then.
In 1955, 13-year-old Barbra Streisand made her first recording, "You'll Never Know."
In 1957, singers Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme were married in Las Vegas. (They remained married until her death in August 2013).
In 1967, guitarist and vocalist Dave Mason made the first of his two departures from the group "Traffic." Mason disagreed with leader Steve Winwood over the direction the group should take, with Mason favouring a pop approach while Winwood leaned toward jazz. Mason returned briefly in 1968 to help record "Traffic's" second album but was gone again within months.
In 1967, Paul Whiteman, the most popular bandleader of the pre-swing era, died in Doylestown, Pa., at age 77. He had more than 30 No. 1 hits from 1920 to 1934, including "Whispering," "Hot Lips," "Three O'Clock in the Morning" and "Ol' Man River." Whiteman was billed as the "King of Jazz," but he specialized in sentimental songs and novelty tunes. However his band did include, at various times, such sidemen as cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, trombonists Jack Teagarden and Tommy Dorsey and trumpeters Henry Busse and Red Nichols. Bing Crosby made his professional debut with Whiteman in 1926.
In 1969, the first Canadian production of the rock musical "Hair" opened at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. The cast included Terrence Black, Gale Garnett and Tobi Lark. The production closed on Jan. 3, 1971.
In 1975, Paul Kantner and Grace Slick of "Jefferson Airplane" split after seven years of marriage.
In 1975, Bob Dylan's "Rolling Thunder Revue" concert extravaganza played in Quebec City.
In 1980, folksinger and songwriter Tim Hardin died of a heroin overdose in Los Angeles at the age of 40. He composed such well-known songs as "Reason to Believe" and "If I Were a Carpenter," which provided a hit for both Bobby Darin and the duo of Johnny Cash and June Carter. Ironically, Hardin's only successful single came when he recorded Darin's "Simple Song of Freedom," which made the top-50 in 1969.
In 1981, the father of Spanish singer Julio Iglesias was kidnapped by Basque terrorists from a Madrid hospital. He was rescued three weeks later in a raid by 150 anti-terrorist troops and police on a house in northeastern Spain. No ransom was paid, although the singer was reported to have withdrawn about $1 million from a U.S. bank and transferred it to Spain.
In 1982, Jamaica issued a stamp commemorating reggae star Bob Marley, who had died of brain cancer on May 11, 1981.
In 1992, B.B. King performed in Gainesville, Fla., for a prison audience that included his daughter. Patty King was serving three years for drug trafficking.
(Note content of following paragraph.)
In 1997, a judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police and Sergeant John Whalen against a punk rock band and Alternative Tentacles Records, owned by Jello Biafra of "The Dead Kennedys." The police claimed the defendants misappropriated a posed photo of Whalen lying beside his cruiser for use on the cover of the punk band's 1992 album "Our Will Be Done." (Note: The band involved in the lawsuit was "The Crucif--ks.")
In 2006, burlesque artist Dita Von Teese filed for divorce from singer Marilyn Manson, citing irreconcilable differences. They had been married barely a year.
In 2008, Freddie Hubbard, the Grammy-winning jazz musician whose style influenced a generation of trumpet players and who collaborated with such greats as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, died at age 70.
In 2011, guitarist and singer Robert Dickey, who with his cousin James Purify made up the duo "James and Bobby Purify" and had the 1966 hit "I'm Your Puppet," died in his hometown of Tallahassee, Fla. He was 72.
In 2016, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rap group Run-D.M.C. filed a $50 million lawsuit in New York accusing Wal-Mart, Amazon and other retailers of selling products that traded on the group's name without permission.
In 2016, in a Facebook post, Jan Chamberlin, a member of the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir, officially announced her resignation to choir leaders over its decision to perform at the Jan. 20th inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
---
The Canadian Press