Today in Music History for Aug. 11: In 1943, Jim Kale, the original bass guitarist with "The Guess Who," was born. He was also a member of "The Guess Who's" forerunner, "Chad Allan and the Expressions," a group formed in Winnipeg in the early 1960s.
Today in Music History for Aug. 11:
In 1943, Jim Kale, the original bass guitarist with "The Guess Who," was born. He was also a member of "The Guess Who's" forerunner, "Chad Allan and the Expressions," a group formed in Winnipeg in the early 1960s. "The Guess Who" moniker was designed to promote the "Expressions'" 1965 single "Shakin' All Over," and after the international success of the record, the name stuck. "The Guess Who," under the leadership of guitarist Randy Bachman and vocalist Burton Cummings, became Canada's leading rock band of the late '60s and early '70s with such million-selling hits as "These Eyes," "Laughing" and "American Woman."
In 1958, "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" by Italian singer Domenico Modugno hit No. 10 on the second-ever Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the first foreign-language top-10 hit. (The next week it made it to No. 1.)
In 1962, Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sedaka had to wait 13 years for his next No. 1, 1975's "Laughter in the Rain."
In 1962, "Booker T. and the MG's" classic instrumental "Green Onions" was released. It went to No. 3 on the Billboard chart and sold a million copies. For trivia buffs -- MG stands for Memphis Group.
In 1965, "The Orford String Quartet," one of Canada's most distinguished musical ensembles, gave its first concert at the JMC Orford Art Centre in Mount Orford Provincial Park near Magog, Que. The quartet performed throughout North America and Europe, and in 1974 shared first prize in the European Broadcasting Union's string quartet competition. The quartet disbanded in July 1991, playing its final concert in Sharon, Ont.
In 1972, Elvis and Priscilla Presley filed for divorce after less than five years of marriage. Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu, the daughter of a U.S. Army officer stationed in West Germany, in 1960. She moved into Graceland, Presley's mansion in Memphis, the following year, ostensibly under the supervision of Presley's father and stepmother. The couple were wed on May 1, 1967 and their only child, Lisa Marie, was born on Feb. 1, 1968. Elvis died in 1977.
In 1973, TV director Bill Aucoin saw the flamboyant stage antics of "KISS" at a New York concert and offered to become their manager. He helped them get a contract with Casablanca Records.
In 1976, Elton John opened a seven-night stand at Madison Square Garden. He broke the house attendance record established the previous year by "The Rolling Stones."
In 1984, the rap group "Run-D.M.C." made their professional debut, a 25-minute performance at the Hollywood Stardust club.
In 1985, rock star Simon Le Bon of "Duran Duran" and 28 other people were rescued from three yachts during the Fastnet yacht race off the British coast. Le Bon's yacht, the "Drum," capsized, and most of the crew clung to the hull. But Le Bon and five others were trapped underneath. All six were pulled to safety by Larry Slater, a Royal Navy diver who received a medal for bravery.
In 1986, six early albums by "The Monkees" re-entered Billboard’s top albums chart after almost 20 years.
In 1987, singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, considered the creative force behind "Fleetwood Mac," announced plans to leave the group. Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks joined "Fleetwood Mac" in 1975 and heavily influenced its 1977 album "Rumours," which won a Grammy Award as album of the year and has sold over 40 million copies worldwide to-date. The group got back together, minus Christine McVie, in the spring of 2003, and made a new album, "Say You Will," the first project with all-new material since 1987.
In 1993, author Salman Rushdie emerged from hiding to share the stage with "U2" in front of 72,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium. Rushdie was sentenced to death in 1989 by Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini. Khomeini said Rushdie's book "The Satanic Verses" was blasphemous to Islam.
In 1995, a private funeral service was held in Belvedere, Calif., for "Grateful Dead" leader Jerry Garcia. He had died two days earlier of a heart attack at a drug treatment centre. The mourners included Bob Dylan, Ken Kesey, Bruce Hornsby and former basketball great Bill Walton.
In 1995, singer, bandleader and comic Phil Harris died in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at age 89. Beginning in 1937, he made a series of popular novelty recordings that included "That's What I Like About the South," "The Darktown Poker Club" and "The Thing." Harris also spent nine years on Jack Benny's radio show. In 1967, he provided the voice of "Baloo" the bear in Disney's animated film "The Jungle Book."
In 1996, Mel Taylor, drummer with the instrumental rock 'n' roll band "The Ventures," died in Los Angeles of cancer and heart failure at the age of 63. Taylor joined the group in 1961, the year after "The Ventures" had their first and biggest hit, "Walk-Don't Run." He was with the group until 1967 and then again from 1978 until just before his death.
In 1998, "The Rolling Stones" played their first concert in Russia at a Moscow sports stadium. Heavy rain drenched both the band and the 70,000 fans. The Stones had first applied to play the Soviet Union in 1967 but after Soviet officials saw them perform in Poland, permission was denied.
In 1998, "Motley Crue" drummer Tommy Lee was sentenced in Phoenix to 30 days in jail and fined $800 for assaulting a security guard at a concert the previous December. Lee was already serving six months in a California jail for kicking his estranged wife, Pamela Anderson.
In 1999, bassist Nikki Sixx of "Motley Crue" was arrested for allegedly inciting violence at a show in Las Vegas. Police say he told the crowd to flip cop cars.
In 2000, Jean Papineau-Couture, one of the first Canadian composers and conductors who taught a generation of musicians and wrote almost 100 works, died at age 83.
In 2008, former "Blink-182" bassist Mark Hoppus sued a father-and-son business, alleging they pocketed his $600,000 investment in a venture to install automated checkout machines at McDonald's restaurants.
In 2008, "The Allman Brothers Band" sued UMG Recordings Inc. to demand a bigger cut of recordings sold through third parties such as Apple's iTunes music service. The band behind such hits as "Melissa" and "Ramblin' Man" demanded at least $13 million and additional royalties from the sales of newly configured compact discs and digital downloads for use on telephone ring tones.
In 2008, Don Helms, an original member of the Hank Williams' "Drifting Cowboys" band, died at age 81. Helms was a renowned steel guitarist who also played on country classics "Walkin' After Midnight" by Patsy Cline and "Long Black Veil" by Lefty Frizzell. His guitar was heard on more than 100 of Williams' recordings, including "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Cold, Cold Heart."
In 2009, Rapper Corey "C-Murder" Miller was convicted of second-degree murder for the 2002 shooting of a fan during a nightclub brawl, capping tumultuous jury deliberations at his second trial in the killing. He was also convicted in 2003 but it was overturned when a judge sided with defence lawyers who said prosecutors improperly withheld information. On Aug. 14, he was sentenced to life in prison.
In 2010, "The Suburbs," the third release by Montreal-based band "Arcade Fire," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart selling 156,000 copies. The album also took the top spot in Canada on the Nielsen Soundscan charts, HMV.ca, iTunes and Amazon.
In 2010, Leon Breeden, legendary director of the University of North Texas' jazz program from 1959-81 and made its "One O'Clock Lab Band" internationally famous, died of complications from an abdominal infection. The "One O'Clock Lab Band" became the first college band to perform at the White House by presidential invitation in 1967. It also began to tour internationally and became the first college band to receive a Grammy nomination.
In 2011, the all-female pop rock band "The Go-Go's" received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was unveiled in front of the building of what used to be The Masque Nightclub where they played their first show.
In 2011, Jani Lane, the former lead singer of the "hair metal" rock band "Warrant," was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel. He was 47. An autopsy later revealed he died of alcohol poisoning. He joined the band in 1984 and wrote such hits as "Heaven," ''Down Boys" and "Cherry Pie." He had an on-and-off relationship with the band, leaving it in 1992 before returning and quitting again several times.
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The Canadian Press
