1964 - It was this day that Roy Orbison celebrated his 28th birthday, and according to pop folklore, the Beatles attended. Same day two years later, and it was reported in the New York Times Ray Charles would undergo tests to see whether or not he had abstained from narcotic drugs. Ray Charles, who pioneered genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm & blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings for Atlantic Records, also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. During his tenure with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. So it's amazing to realise that throughout much of his life, Charles battled with heroin and substance abuse, but in the end, conquered his addictions. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and also voted him number two on their November 2008 list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. He had dozens of brilliant songs, and here are just three of them. He was the best. RIP.
1975 - B.J. Thomas had the longest title of a number one song at the top of the Billboard popular music chart. The song was (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song. Are you old enough to remember this, dear reader?
1977 - This was the night that the disco phenomenon began, and later to took off all over the world, erupting from the audacious Studio 54, which had its opening night tonight. Studio 54 was a world-famous disco in the 70s and early 80s. It was originally a New York City Broadway theater, then a CBS radio and television studio, but from tonight it became a discothèque located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan. The disco opened on April 26, 1977, owned by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. It, closed in March 1986 and briefly reopened in 1994 after a multi-million dollar renovation. But back 34 years to opening night, it set the pace to become notorious for extreme Manhattan disco hedonism; sexual encounters on the balconies, rampant drug use, and much more. Its dance floor was decorated with a depiction of a Man in the Moon that included an animated cocaine spoon. After the nightclub's closing, cocaine and money were found in its walls. Schrager and Rubell were found guilty and spent 13 months in prison. In 1985, Rubell, who was closeted for most of his life, discovered he had AIDS. He began taking AZT, but his illness was furthered by his continued drug usage and drinking, which affected his already compromised immune system. Rubell died on July 25, 1989. The official cause of death was listed as hepatitis.
1978 - The musical version of The Prince and the Pauper, Ringo, aired on American television. Still on TV, two years later, The Carpenters' Music Music Music TV special aired on ABC-TV, and in 1982 on this day Rod Stewart was mugged in broad daylight, in Los Angeles. The Clash were forced to cancel their UK tour on the very same day because Joe Strummer had gone missing for a month. Jefferson Airship's Grace Slick pleaded guilty in court today in 1994, when she was arrested for pointing a shotgun at police in her Tiburon, California, six weeks earlier - wonder what she was thinking. On April 26, 1999, Geffen Records and Bong Load Custom Records filed suit against Beck in Los Angeles, California, for breach of contract. The so-called postmodern rocker Beck was sued for breach of contract. Beck's attorney, Jill Berliner, said the suits are a result of failed contract renegotiation talks with Geffen. She said Beck is seeking release from his Geffen contract, citing California's seven-year rule, which states that contracts are subject to renegotiation after that period. The singer has continued to work on his next studio album, which is not yet scheduled for release, Berliner said. Representatives for Geffen and Bong Load could not be reached for comment. This is the song, on of my all-time favourites, that first broke Beck around the world.
1999 - Big year, '99, and on April 26 it was Sinead O'Connor who was ordained as the first woman priest in the Latin Tridentine Church. Same day, same year, and search engine Lycos launched five Web radio music channels hosted by live Internet DJs. Jump forward nine years to sadly see Amy Winehouse spend the night in custody after being arrested on suspicion of assault. Police said Winehouse had been “in no fit state” to be questioned when she arrived at the London station so she was kept in the cells. The 24-year-old was to be questioned about an incident said to have occurred 3 days earlier after a 38-year-old man claimed he was assaulted by the singer. A year earlier and she did this brilliant version of Rehab. A year later and she did this sizzling version, along with a suave looking/sounding Paul Weller and a cracking Jools Holland band, of I Heard It Through The Grapevine. I truly hope she recovers and gets on with it, she is my fave femme singer...this week. Too cute.
