December 13, 1928 - GEORGE Gershwin's musical work, An American in Paris, was premiered by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra 83 years ago today. Here's an updated performance of the song, again by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in North Korea, circa late 1990s, early noughties. Before that we have memorable scenes from the movie with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, including the stunning Kelly tap dancing in roller skates. This guy is truly amazing! A treat, dear reader. Only two pictures have ever been described by critical concensus as 'the perfect film'; Citizen Kane and An American in Paris. This was Kelly's magnum opus. His choreography was of such standard the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences created a special Oscar that year in recognition of his achievement. Watch these, jaw agape, the magic of Gene, the music of Gershwin.
1961 - FIFTY years ago today, music history took a new turn, when The Beatles signed with manager Brian Epstein. Five years later and Jimi Hendrix was the toast of London town as he stepped inside the recording studio to record Foxy Lady, the song about Kathy Etchingham, the first girlfriend he met, reportedly on his first night in London, in 1966. At this live show in Rainbow Ridge, though, he dedicates the song to Pat Hartley. Awesome performance.
1970 - DAVE Edmunds was at #1 on the UK singles chart today with his version of the 1955 Smiley Lewis hit I Hear You Knocking. This was the only #1 for the The Welsh singer, songwriter and producer. To see this song, go to our archives and use the search engine. GTo years later to the day and one of the great bands, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band appeared at The Cakais, Inverness, Scotland and it didn't take long before Harvey himself built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era. Harvey was a large influence on the late Bon Scott. By his own account, he worked in a number of jobs, from carpentry to waiting on tables at a restaurant to carving tombstones before finding success in music. He first began performing in skiffle groups in 1954. On February 4, 1982 while waiting for a ferry back to shore after performing the last concert with new band, Electric Cowboys, Harvey suffered a massive heart attack. In an ambulance on the way to the hospital, he suffered a second heart attack, this one fatal. It occurred on the day before his 47th birthday, and he left his second wife, Trudy, and two sons (Alex, by his first wife, Mary Martin, and Tyro). Without a shadow of a doubt, Alex Harvey remains one of rock's best theatrical performers, he and his band a major influence on many that followed.
1974 - WOULD you believe George Harrison had lunch with U.S. President Gerald Ford at the White House on this day 36 years ago? And exactly one year later, David Bowie released one of his finest, Golden Years. This is a live version of the song, from his Serious Moonlight Tour, in Vancouver, Canada.
1979 - LONDON'S Marquee club was the starting point for many bands from the 60s and 70s, including Simple Minds, who played the first of two nights at The Marquee in London, tonight, with tickets just GBP£1.25. on the same day in 1986, Bruce Hornsby & The Range went topped American charts, with The Way It Is and this is a version of the song performed by Hornsby and his band, Noisemakers, on Good Morning America, in 2004.
1999 - HAPPY Mondays singer Shaun Ryder was ordered to pay GBP£160,000 to his ex management team over a dispute in his contract. Ryder said he was so high after a 'joint' he didn't bother to read the small print; the court was told the contract had 'done his nut in'. This is probably the band's best known hit, taken from their album, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches.
1993 - GUNS'N'ROSES guitarist Slash joined Billy Joel on stage in Los Angeles to play a solo on the tune Shameless. We rarely show Prince videos because the man will not allow his videos to be embedded. Pity, because we love Prince and would love him on *MUSICBACKTRACK* more often. In the meantime, though, anyone doubting the various talents of Prince should watch this video of the man and his band performing the song Dolphin on the David Letterman Show, on this day in 1974.
1961 - FIFTY years ago today, music history took a new turn, when The Beatles signed with manager Brian Epstein. Five years later and Jimi Hendrix was the toast of London town as he stepped inside the recording studio to record Foxy Lady, the song about Kathy Etchingham, the first girlfriend he met, reportedly on his first night in London, in 1966. At this live show in Rainbow Ridge, though, he dedicates the song to Pat Hartley. Awesome performance.
1970 - DAVE Edmunds was at #1 on the UK singles chart today with his version of the 1955 Smiley Lewis hit I Hear You Knocking. This was the only #1 for the The Welsh singer, songwriter and producer. To see this song, go to our archives and use the search engine. GTo years later to the day and one of the great bands, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band appeared at The Cakais, Inverness, Scotland and it didn't take long before Harvey himself built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era. Harvey was a large influence on the late Bon Scott. By his own account, he worked in a number of jobs, from carpentry to waiting on tables at a restaurant to carving tombstones before finding success in music. He first began performing in skiffle groups in 1954. On February 4, 1982 while waiting for a ferry back to shore after performing the last concert with new band, Electric Cowboys, Harvey suffered a massive heart attack. In an ambulance on the way to the hospital, he suffered a second heart attack, this one fatal. It occurred on the day before his 47th birthday, and he left his second wife, Trudy, and two sons (Alex, by his first wife, Mary Martin, and Tyro). Without a shadow of a doubt, Alex Harvey remains one of rock's best theatrical performers, he and his band a major influence on many that followed.
1974 - WOULD you believe George Harrison had lunch with U.S. President Gerald Ford at the White House on this day 36 years ago? And exactly one year later, David Bowie released one of his finest, Golden Years. This is a live version of the song, from his Serious Moonlight Tour, in Vancouver, Canada.
1979 - LONDON'S Marquee club was the starting point for many bands from the 60s and 70s, including Simple Minds, who played the first of two nights at The Marquee in London, tonight, with tickets just GBP£1.25. on the same day in 1986, Bruce Hornsby & The Range went topped American charts, with The Way It Is and this is a version of the song performed by Hornsby and his band, Noisemakers, on Good Morning America, in 2004.
1999 - HAPPY Mondays singer Shaun Ryder was ordered to pay GBP£160,000 to his ex management team over a dispute in his contract. Ryder said he was so high after a 'joint' he didn't bother to read the small print; the court was told the contract had 'done his nut in'. This is probably the band's best known hit, taken from their album, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches.
1993 - GUNS'N'ROSES guitarist Slash joined Billy Joel on stage in Los Angeles to play a solo on the tune Shameless. We rarely show Prince videos because the man will not allow his videos to be embedded. Pity, because we love Prince and would love him on *MUSICBACKTRACK* more often. In the meantime, though, anyone doubting the various talents of Prince should watch this video of the man and his band performing the song Dolphin on the David Letterman Show, on this day in 1974.
