November 24, 1991 - FREDDIE Mercury died of complications from aids at his home in London's Holland Park today. He was aged 45. The day before he publicly announced what everyone knew - that he was HIV positive. Mercury was openly bisexual and enjoyed a colourful rock star lifestyle. During his career with Queen he scored over 40 global hits, including the worldwide mega operatic-like-rock song, the timeless Bohemian Rhapsody. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range. As a songwriter, Mercury composed many hits for Queen, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and We Are the Champions. In addition to his work with Queen, he led a solo career, penning hits such as Barcelona, I Was Born to Love You and Living on My Own. In 2008, Rolling Stone editors ranked him # 18 on their list of 100 greatest singers of all time. In 2009, a Classic Rock poll saw him voted greatest rock singer of all time.
1959 - TORCH SONG singer, songwriter, and pianist Johnnie Ray was released on bail after spending this night in jail, charged with accosting and soliciting. Ray went to trial following this second arrest in 1959 (both arrests in Detroit) for soliciting an undercover officer in a bar called the Brass Rail, described at the time as "attracting travelling musicians and gay people". He was found not guilty. At his peak, with an hysterical teenage following during much of the fifties, Johnnie Ray has been cited by some rock historians as a major performance-precursor to what would become rock'n'roll performance; his jazz and blues-influenced pop music and his animated stage personality, at times, riveting. Best man at Judy Garland's wedding in 1969, Ray was seen in Dexy's Midnight Runners' 1982 music video for Come On Eileen, where 1954 archival footage of him was used. The lyrics of the song say, "Poor old Johnnie Ray sounded sad upon the radio, he moved a million hearts in mono". Ray has also been name-checked by Billy Joel, Van Morrison and Tom Jones, and others.
1961 - HOWLIN' Wolf was the stage name of Chester Arthur Burnett, the 6 foot six inch, 300 pound, front runner of the classic 1950s Chicago blues singers. With his booming voice and looming physical presence, Burnett has been ranked among the leading performers in electric blues, a number of songs written or popularized by him - Smokestack Lightnin', Back Door Man, Killing Floor and Spoonful - have become blues and blues-rock standards, covered by many rock groups such as Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, to name a few. This was the day Howlin' Wolf arrived in London for his first UK tour with musicians Sunnyland Slim (piano), Little Hubert Sumlin (guitar), Willie Dixon (bass) and Clifton James (drums). This performance is from that tour, live.
1964 - THE first commercial radio station in the UK, Radio Manx based on The Isle of Man, started broadcasting today, heralding the trend of pirate radio, which changed pop music forever. The Beatles got together today for the first time since their return from the summer tour of the United States; the occasion was to record a new album, the first song of which was John's Strawberry Fields Forever. And on this day in 1973, Beatles now all gone as a group, Ringo Starr went to #1 on charts around the world, with Photograph. This is a live version of the song, performed in 1989 with his first All Star band, featuring Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Vlarence Clemens, Rick Danko, Jim Keltner, Levon Helm, and more.
1976 - FORMERLY known as Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago started a three week run at #1 on world charts today, with If You Leave Me Now, an eventual Grammy award winner. In 1979, on the same day, Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand started a two week run at #1 on American singles chart with No More Tears. Four years later on the same day, Irish group, The Undertones, split up. Lead singer Feargal Sharkey went on to have a worldwide hit as a solo artist with A Good Heart, and later worked in A&R for various record labels. This Undertones song is considered by some as the archetypical rock/pop song.
1991 - LITTLE Richard was the man who married Cyndi Lauper and actor David Thornton in Manhattan, today, and a year later Bill Wyman announced his divorce from young model Mandy Smith, who received a settlement amount of GBP£580,000. This was also the day in 1993 when American blues guitarist and singer Albert Collins died of lung cancer aged 61. Known as 'The master of the telecaster', he shared a Grammy for the 1985 album Showdown!, which he recorded with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland. This is the amazing Collins, live onstage with Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, BB King, then his own solo performance.
1959 - TORCH SONG singer, songwriter, and pianist Johnnie Ray was released on bail after spending this night in jail, charged with accosting and soliciting. Ray went to trial following this second arrest in 1959 (both arrests in Detroit) for soliciting an undercover officer in a bar called the Brass Rail, described at the time as "attracting travelling musicians and gay people". He was found not guilty. At his peak, with an hysterical teenage following during much of the fifties, Johnnie Ray has been cited by some rock historians as a major performance-precursor to what would become rock'n'roll performance; his jazz and blues-influenced pop music and his animated stage personality, at times, riveting. Best man at Judy Garland's wedding in 1969, Ray was seen in Dexy's Midnight Runners' 1982 music video for Come On Eileen, where 1954 archival footage of him was used. The lyrics of the song say, "Poor old Johnnie Ray sounded sad upon the radio, he moved a million hearts in mono". Ray has also been name-checked by Billy Joel, Van Morrison and Tom Jones, and others.
1961 - HOWLIN' Wolf was the stage name of Chester Arthur Burnett, the 6 foot six inch, 300 pound, front runner of the classic 1950s Chicago blues singers. With his booming voice and looming physical presence, Burnett has been ranked among the leading performers in electric blues, a number of songs written or popularized by him - Smokestack Lightnin', Back Door Man, Killing Floor and Spoonful - have become blues and blues-rock standards, covered by many rock groups such as Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, to name a few. This was the day Howlin' Wolf arrived in London for his first UK tour with musicians Sunnyland Slim (piano), Little Hubert Sumlin (guitar), Willie Dixon (bass) and Clifton James (drums). This performance is from that tour, live.
1964 - THE first commercial radio station in the UK, Radio Manx based on The Isle of Man, started broadcasting today, heralding the trend of pirate radio, which changed pop music forever. The Beatles got together today for the first time since their return from the summer tour of the United States; the occasion was to record a new album, the first song of which was John's Strawberry Fields Forever. And on this day in 1973, Beatles now all gone as a group, Ringo Starr went to #1 on charts around the world, with Photograph. This is a live version of the song, performed in 1989 with his first All Star band, featuring Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Vlarence Clemens, Rick Danko, Jim Keltner, Levon Helm, and more.
1976 - FORMERLY known as Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago started a three week run at #1 on world charts today, with If You Leave Me Now, an eventual Grammy award winner. In 1979, on the same day, Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand started a two week run at #1 on American singles chart with No More Tears. Four years later on the same day, Irish group, The Undertones, split up. Lead singer Feargal Sharkey went on to have a worldwide hit as a solo artist with A Good Heart, and later worked in A&R for various record labels. This Undertones song is considered by some as the archetypical rock/pop song.
1991 - LITTLE Richard was the man who married Cyndi Lauper and actor David Thornton in Manhattan, today, and a year later Bill Wyman announced his divorce from young model Mandy Smith, who received a settlement amount of GBP£580,000. This was also the day in 1993 when American blues guitarist and singer Albert Collins died of lung cancer aged 61. Known as 'The master of the telecaster', he shared a Grammy for the 1985 album Showdown!, which he recorded with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland. This is the amazing Collins, live onstage with Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, BB King, then his own solo performance.
