1940 - For every star we hear about in any entertainment genre, in any era, there are hundreds more we never knew existed. Such is the case with the polite and subdued musician, Johnny Long. Seemingly loved by all for his easy-going nature, Long never really became a major celebrity, or received the recognition, perhaps, that he deserved. Some say he lacked that killer determination, a will to be the best and succeed. Nevertheless, Johnny Long was popular among the hotel ballroom crowd, often described as ''knocking on the door of success,''. The music of Long and his orchestra was laid back, sweet, mid-tempo, and for a taster, watch their swinging version of A Shanty In Old Shanty Town, as recorded by Johnny Long and his orchestra, 71 years ago today.
1953 - Boston tenor, Luigi Vena, sang Ave Maria at the wedding between American Senator, John F. Kennedy, and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, in the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Newport, Rhode Island. The church was filled with 750 invited guests, who witnessed their wedding vows, overseen by Archbishop Richard Cushing; the church had been decorated with pink gladioli and white chrysanthemums.
1954 - Known by many as the first 'teen idol', Frank Sinatra was at #1 on the UK singles chart with Three Coins In The Fountain, today, and it was the singer's first #1 in that country. It was the title song of the movie of the same name, released in the same year, the song winning an academy award in the same year.
1966 - The title song is a lot slower than I recall in this video from the day the Monkees TV show premiered on NBC, not as frenetic as I remember it - slowing of the memory cells? Possible. Nevertheless, the pop rock quartet's TV series began 45 years ago tonight, and aired for two seasons. The theme song here was sung by its writers, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, and for more information on the Monkees, go to our archive search engine.
1970 - This is the day that James Taylor released his seminal song, Fire and Rain, his debut single, and at the same time Smokey Robinson and The Miracles were at #1 around the world with The Tears Of A Clown, their first #1 in some countries. Fast forward to 1986 on the same day, when Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues was hospitalised after collapsing from exhaustion in Los Angeles. And still in sick bay, on the same day, same year, guitar player for Public Image Ltd, John McGeoch, needed 40 stitches in his face after a two-litre wine bottle was thrown at the stage during a gig in Vienna. A year later on the same day, Morrissey left The Smiths for a solo career, and accordingly, here we have one of the final performances of the Smiths, from San Remo music festival of that same year. For more information and videos of all these acts, go to our archive search engine.
1990 - Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie both announced they would no longer perform with Fleetwood Mac, and that kind of took the sting out of the band's tail. Six years later, same day, and Oasis cancelled their American tour due to "internal differences". Prince released his song, The Hate Experience today in 1996, and Shania Twain became the first country music singer to be televised live on DirecTV. Also on this day, two years later, another country singer, Vince Gill made his 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry; On this day in 2006, the iTunes Music Store reached 1.5 billion songs and 45 million videos sold, and three years later, Steve Jobs, today, announced that Apple's iTunes had 88% of the legal U.S. music download market. And on this day 11 years ago, the family of Jimi Hendrix released 56 rare tracks in a 4-CD boxed set, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. And from 43 years ago, here's one of the songs on the box set., recorded in Stockholm earlier in 1967, without stage antics, this is a beautiful version of Wind Cries Mary.
2003 - Can't let today go by without remembering Johnny Cash, who died today, eight years ago, of respiratory failure, aged 71. The American singer & songwriter's influence on music spanned generations and genres. Traditionally referred to as 'the man in black', he usually began his shows with the immortal: "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." One of his biggest hits is now 42 years old, and he performed it live at his most legendary concert, in the same year, at San Quentin State Prison, and this is that song at that performance. For more Johnny cash, go use our archive search engine.
1953 - Boston tenor, Luigi Vena, sang Ave Maria at the wedding between American Senator, John F. Kennedy, and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, in the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Newport, Rhode Island. The church was filled with 750 invited guests, who witnessed their wedding vows, overseen by Archbishop Richard Cushing; the church had been decorated with pink gladioli and white chrysanthemums.
1954 - Known by many as the first 'teen idol', Frank Sinatra was at #1 on the UK singles chart with Three Coins In The Fountain, today, and it was the singer's first #1 in that country. It was the title song of the movie of the same name, released in the same year, the song winning an academy award in the same year.
1966 - The title song is a lot slower than I recall in this video from the day the Monkees TV show premiered on NBC, not as frenetic as I remember it - slowing of the memory cells? Possible. Nevertheless, the pop rock quartet's TV series began 45 years ago tonight, and aired for two seasons. The theme song here was sung by its writers, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, and for more information on the Monkees, go to our archive search engine.
1970 - This is the day that James Taylor released his seminal song, Fire and Rain, his debut single, and at the same time Smokey Robinson and The Miracles were at #1 around the world with The Tears Of A Clown, their first #1 in some countries. Fast forward to 1986 on the same day, when Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues was hospitalised after collapsing from exhaustion in Los Angeles. And still in sick bay, on the same day, same year, guitar player for Public Image Ltd, John McGeoch, needed 40 stitches in his face after a two-litre wine bottle was thrown at the stage during a gig in Vienna. A year later on the same day, Morrissey left The Smiths for a solo career, and accordingly, here we have one of the final performances of the Smiths, from San Remo music festival of that same year. For more information and videos of all these acts, go to our archive search engine.
1990 - Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie both announced they would no longer perform with Fleetwood Mac, and that kind of took the sting out of the band's tail. Six years later, same day, and Oasis cancelled their American tour due to "internal differences". Prince released his song, The Hate Experience today in 1996, and Shania Twain became the first country music singer to be televised live on DirecTV. Also on this day, two years later, another country singer, Vince Gill made his 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry; On this day in 2006, the iTunes Music Store reached 1.5 billion songs and 45 million videos sold, and three years later, Steve Jobs, today, announced that Apple's iTunes had 88% of the legal U.S. music download market. And on this day 11 years ago, the family of Jimi Hendrix released 56 rare tracks in a 4-CD boxed set, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. And from 43 years ago, here's one of the songs on the box set., recorded in Stockholm earlier in 1967, without stage antics, this is a beautiful version of Wind Cries Mary.
2003 - Can't let today go by without remembering Johnny Cash, who died today, eight years ago, of respiratory failure, aged 71. The American singer & songwriter's influence on music spanned generations and genres. Traditionally referred to as 'the man in black', he usually began his shows with the immortal: "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." One of his biggest hits is now 42 years old, and he performed it live at his most legendary concert, in the same year, at San Quentin State Prison, and this is that song at that performance. For more Johnny cash, go use our archive search engine.
