Musical
birthdays today include Rose Marie (93), coloratura soprano Rita Shane
(80), ex-Spencer Davis Group drummer Pete York (74), Sylvie Vartan (72),
songwriter Jimmy Webb [who gave us 'Up, up and away' and 'MacArthur
Park' among many others] (70), former Powderfinger frontman Bernard
Fanning (47), and Jonas Brother Joe (27).
Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Leon Theremin, inventor of the eerie-sounding instrument that bears his name, and who was born on this date in 1896... for Joe Garland, composer of the standards 'In the Mood' and 'Leapfrog', born in 1907... for jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, born in 1925... for Bill Pinkney, the last surviving member of the original Drifters, born on the same day... for Bobby Helms of 'Jingle Bell Rock' fame, who would have been 83... for legendary producer Jerry Wexler, who died on this date in 2008... and for the great Brazilian choro flautist Altamiro Carrilho, who left us three years ago today.
Also on August 15: Elvis Presley attends a meeting in Memphis with his current manager Bob Neal, his father Vernon and Colonel Tom Parker [not a real colonel at all, but rather a Dutch immigrant named Andreas Cornelius van Kujik, whose honorary title was given to him in 1948 by the governor of Louisiana]. Elvis signs a contract naming the latter a 'special advisor' and giving him control over virtually every aspect of the singer's career (1955)... Elvis scores his first post-US Army US № 1 with 'It's Now or Never' (1960)... The Kinks go to № 1 in the UK for the first time with 'You Really Got Me'; topping the US chart is Dean Martin's 'Everybody Loves Somebody' (1964)... The Beatles set new world record for largest attendance at a pop concert when they play before 55,600 screaming fans at Shea Stadium. Bob Dylan visits them at their hotel after the show (1965)... Five members of the Ku Klux Klan led by the Grand Wizard of Maryland picket the Beatles concert at DC Stadium (1966)... The three-day Woodstock Music & Art Fair ['3 Days of Peace & Music'] opens on Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, NY (1969)... George Harrison publishes his first book, 'I Me Mine', a collection of song lyrics and spiritual reflections (1980)... Diana Ross & Lionel Richie begin a nine-week run at the top of the US singles chart with 'Endless Love' (1981)... Paul Simon plays a free concert in NYC's Central Park for an estimated audience of three-quarters of a million (1991)... Boyz II Men begin their record-setting 13-week run at the top of the US charts with 'End of the Road' (1992)... Boyzone become the first Irish act to have four no. 1 singles in the UK, as 'No Matter What' tops the charts. They also become the first band in British chart history to hit the top 5 with their first 12 releases (1998)... David Bowie and his wife Iman welcome their first child, a daughter named Alexandria Zahra Jones (2000)... A memorial to John Lennon is unveiled in the remote Scottish village of Durness, where the future Beatle spent his summer holidays from the ages of 7 to 15. The lyrics to 'In My Life' are engraved on three stones (2002)... George Michael/Wham! superfan Brian Turner of Newcastle is ordered by a judge to pay a fine of £200 and further court costs of £215 for disturbing the peace. Neighbours brought the action against him, calling the police after Turner played 'Last Christmas' more than a hundred times in a row in the middle of the night at peak volume (2007)... U2's first gig on their current tour breaks the attendance record for a concert at Wembley Stadium, as more than 88,000 attend the show (2009).
Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Leon Theremin, inventor of the eerie-sounding instrument that bears his name, and who was born on this date in 1896... for Joe Garland, composer of the standards 'In the Mood' and 'Leapfrog', born in 1907... for jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, born in 1925... for Bill Pinkney, the last surviving member of the original Drifters, born on the same day... for Bobby Helms of 'Jingle Bell Rock' fame, who would have been 83... for legendary producer Jerry Wexler, who died on this date in 2008... and for the great Brazilian choro flautist Altamiro Carrilho, who left us three years ago today.
Also on August 15: Elvis Presley attends a meeting in Memphis with his current manager Bob Neal, his father Vernon and Colonel Tom Parker [not a real colonel at all, but rather a Dutch immigrant named Andreas Cornelius van Kujik, whose honorary title was given to him in 1948 by the governor of Louisiana]. Elvis signs a contract naming the latter a 'special advisor' and giving him control over virtually every aspect of the singer's career (1955)... Elvis scores his first post-US Army US № 1 with 'It's Now or Never' (1960)... The Kinks go to № 1 in the UK for the first time with 'You Really Got Me'; topping the US chart is Dean Martin's 'Everybody Loves Somebody' (1964)... The Beatles set new world record for largest attendance at a pop concert when they play before 55,600 screaming fans at Shea Stadium. Bob Dylan visits them at their hotel after the show (1965)... Five members of the Ku Klux Klan led by the Grand Wizard of Maryland picket the Beatles concert at DC Stadium (1966)... The three-day Woodstock Music & Art Fair ['3 Days of Peace & Music'] opens on Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, NY (1969)... George Harrison publishes his first book, 'I Me Mine', a collection of song lyrics and spiritual reflections (1980)... Diana Ross & Lionel Richie begin a nine-week run at the top of the US singles chart with 'Endless Love' (1981)... Paul Simon plays a free concert in NYC's Central Park for an estimated audience of three-quarters of a million (1991)... Boyz II Men begin their record-setting 13-week run at the top of the US charts with 'End of the Road' (1992)... Boyzone become the first Irish act to have four no. 1 singles in the UK, as 'No Matter What' tops the charts. They also become the first band in British chart history to hit the top 5 with their first 12 releases (1998)... David Bowie and his wife Iman welcome their first child, a daughter named Alexandria Zahra Jones (2000)... A memorial to John Lennon is unveiled in the remote Scottish village of Durness, where the future Beatle spent his summer holidays from the ages of 7 to 15. The lyrics to 'In My Life' are engraved on three stones (2002)... George Michael/Wham! superfan Brian Turner of Newcastle is ordered by a judge to pay a fine of £200 and further court costs of £215 for disturbing the peace. Neighbours brought the action against him, calling the police after Turner played 'Last Christmas' more than a hundred times in a row in the middle of the night at peak volume (2007)... U2's first gig on their current tour breaks the attendance record for a concert at Wembley Stadium, as more than 88,000 attend the show (2009).
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