February 24, 1969 - THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE played their final British concert at Royal Albert Hall tonight, before breaking up. No footage of that concert is available for free, but what we do have is footage of his final TV show performance on the BBC's television show, Lulu. Hendrix performed Voodoo Child then jammed his way into Hey Joe, then into a tribute to Cream's Sunshine of Your Love - the supergroup had split up in November, 1968. The show was broadcast live and introduced here as archive footage on the Old Grey Whistle Test.
1940 - FRANCES LANGFORD recorded When You Wish Upon a Star 72 years ago today, the song remaining a classic, and many of the greats through all ages, genres and trends of contemporary music have done cover versions. There is no video of this song, sadly, nor of her singing her signature song, I'm In The Mood For Love. However, here is Ms. Langford demonstrating her amazing charisma, beauty and, of course, beautiful voice, with the song, Who Am I, with Kenny Baker on piano from.
1956 - THIS WAS THE YEAR when political powers in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, led many cities across the United States and other western countries when they instructed police to invoke a 1931 ordinance barring people under the age of 18 from dancing in public unless accompanied by an adult - believe it or not. This was because they thought rock'n'roll was the devil's music and the dance it inspited, jiving, as seen in the following clips, was debasing the morals of teenagers. And this is the dance they banned.
1973 - ROBERTA FLACK had her second worldwide hit, with Killing Me Softly With His Song, which started a five-week run at the top in the united States today. Contrary to popular belief the song was not written about US singer songwriter Don McLean. The song was composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, and remade by numerous artists, most notably the Fugees whose rendition charted at number two in 1996. Helen Reddy was first sent the song but she didn't like the title so left it on her turntable for weeks.
1976 - THE EAGLES were the superstars of rock, all over the world in this year, and their Eagles' Greatest Hits album became the first album to be certified platinum by the RIAA in USA. And the song that many of us associate with The Eagles is this one, the original, brilliant Hotel California, recorded live here at Opry House, Houston Texas, 1976.
1978 - BARRY MANILOW made his second TV special which aired tonight on ABC-TV with guest star genius Ray Charles singing one of Manilow's songs, One Of These Days. And here's his beautiful version…from beautiful Ray…RIP, Ray.
1990 - THE LEGENDARY BYRDS had their debut hit with this Bob Dylan song, and on this day in 1990 the songwriter joined the 'almost' Byrds, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and David Crosby, to sing the song at a Los Angeles tribute to the late Roy Orbison. The fund raiser proceeds went to benefit the homeless, and here's a video of that night, filmed at the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles.
1990 - JOHNNIE RAY, the American singer, songwriter, pianist superstar of the fifties, died of liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles today. He scored over 20 Top 40 singles between 1952 & 1960, including his worldwide hit of 1956, Just Walking In The Rain. Dexys Midnight Runners name-checked Ray in the lyrics to their 1982 hit Come On Eileen. The following clip is from Johnnie's appearance on the Frankie Laine TV Show in 1956.
1993 - ERIC CLAPTON began this song as a tribute song about the death of his young son, and it ended up being awarded six Grammy Awards. *MUSICBACKTRACK* is about the soundtrack to your life, & every single day there's a song or a music event with which I can relate to my life's soundtrack, and this one holds a special place. It was the year my young son died, so I related to the song when it was released, still do, and have empathy for Clapton's sense of loss. Following is his beautiful song, Tears In Heaven, performed live here in 1999 at Madison Square Gardens, New York City.
1997 - THE SPICE GIRLS won best single with Wannabe at this years Brit Awards held in London, with other winners being: Best Group - Manic Street Preachers; George Michael won Best Male; Best Female went to Gabrielle; Best Newcomer was won by Kula Shaker; International Male was Beck; International Female, Sheryl Crow; Best International Group was the Fugees, and Best Dance Act went to the Prodigy.
1940 - FRANCES LANGFORD recorded When You Wish Upon a Star 72 years ago today, the song remaining a classic, and many of the greats through all ages, genres and trends of contemporary music have done cover versions. There is no video of this song, sadly, nor of her singing her signature song, I'm In The Mood For Love. However, here is Ms. Langford demonstrating her amazing charisma, beauty and, of course, beautiful voice, with the song, Who Am I, with Kenny Baker on piano from.
1956 - THIS WAS THE YEAR when political powers in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, led many cities across the United States and other western countries when they instructed police to invoke a 1931 ordinance barring people under the age of 18 from dancing in public unless accompanied by an adult - believe it or not. This was because they thought rock'n'roll was the devil's music and the dance it inspited, jiving, as seen in the following clips, was debasing the morals of teenagers. And this is the dance they banned.
1973 - ROBERTA FLACK had her second worldwide hit, with Killing Me Softly With His Song, which started a five-week run at the top in the united States today. Contrary to popular belief the song was not written about US singer songwriter Don McLean. The song was composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, and remade by numerous artists, most notably the Fugees whose rendition charted at number two in 1996. Helen Reddy was first sent the song but she didn't like the title so left it on her turntable for weeks.
1976 - THE EAGLES were the superstars of rock, all over the world in this year, and their Eagles' Greatest Hits album became the first album to be certified platinum by the RIAA in USA. And the song that many of us associate with The Eagles is this one, the original, brilliant Hotel California, recorded live here at Opry House, Houston Texas, 1976.
1978 - BARRY MANILOW made his second TV special which aired tonight on ABC-TV with guest star genius Ray Charles singing one of Manilow's songs, One Of These Days. And here's his beautiful version…from beautiful Ray…RIP, Ray.
1990 - THE LEGENDARY BYRDS had their debut hit with this Bob Dylan song, and on this day in 1990 the songwriter joined the 'almost' Byrds, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and David Crosby, to sing the song at a Los Angeles tribute to the late Roy Orbison. The fund raiser proceeds went to benefit the homeless, and here's a video of that night, filmed at the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles.
1990 - JOHNNIE RAY, the American singer, songwriter, pianist superstar of the fifties, died of liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles today. He scored over 20 Top 40 singles between 1952 & 1960, including his worldwide hit of 1956, Just Walking In The Rain. Dexys Midnight Runners name-checked Ray in the lyrics to their 1982 hit Come On Eileen. The following clip is from Johnnie's appearance on the Frankie Laine TV Show in 1956.
1993 - ERIC CLAPTON began this song as a tribute song about the death of his young son, and it ended up being awarded six Grammy Awards. *MUSICBACKTRACK* is about the soundtrack to your life, & every single day there's a song or a music event with which I can relate to my life's soundtrack, and this one holds a special place. It was the year my young son died, so I related to the song when it was released, still do, and have empathy for Clapton's sense of loss. Following is his beautiful song, Tears In Heaven, performed live here in 1999 at Madison Square Gardens, New York City.
1997 - THE SPICE GIRLS won best single with Wannabe at this years Brit Awards held in London, with other winners being: Best Group - Manic Street Preachers; George Michael won Best Male; Best Female went to Gabrielle; Best Newcomer was won by Kula Shaker; International Male was Beck; International Female, Sheryl Crow; Best International Group was the Fugees, and Best Dance Act went to the Prodigy.
