November 25

Musical birthdays today include film score composer Eleni Karaindrou (74), Percy Sledge (72), singer-songwriter Bob Lind (71), blues harmonica player Jerry Portnoy (70), Marillion lead guitarist Steve Rothery (54), Amy Grant (53), former Screaming Trees lead singer Mark Lanegan (49), Rancid guitarist Tim Armstrong (47), Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton (41), and Thea Gilmore (34). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for violin maker Giuseppe Guarneri, born on this date in 1666... for composer Virgil Thomson, born in 1896... for saxophonist Paul Desmond, who would have been 89 today... for trumpeter Nat Adderley, who would have been 82... for English hymnwriter Isaac Watts, who died on this day in 1748... for Nick Drake, who died in 1974... for former Bob Dylan producer Don DeVito, who passed away in 2011... and for longtime Coasters vocalist Earl Carroll, who left us a year ago today. 

Also on November 25: 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' enters the American singles chart for the first time, in a version sung by Gene Autry (1949)... The Everly Brothers begin active duty with the 8th Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, serving as artillerymen (1961)... Harrods department store in London closes to the public so that The Beatles can do their Christmas shopping in private (1964)... The Jimi Hendrix Experience make their UK live debut at the Bag O'Nails Club, London, where they play using the DJ booth as the stage (1966)...  John Lennon returns his MBE to The Queen on the grounds of the UK's involvement in the Biafran conflict in Nigeria and the American war in Vietnam, and also as a protest against his latest single 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts (1969)... Chuck Berry tops the UK singles chart with 'My Ding a-Ling', his only British No.1. The song was originally recorded by Dave Bartholomew in 1952. Berry's version was from a concert recorded at the Locarno Ballroom in Coventry, England, on the 3rd of February, 1972. Boston radio station WMEX disc jockey Jim Connors was credited with a gold record for discovering the song and pushing it to No.1 over the airwaves and amongst his peers in the United States (1972)... The Band give their final performance ~ 'The Last Waltz', held on Thanksgiving Day at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The show also features guests Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Dr John, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton and others. The event is filmed by director Martin Scorsese and will be made into a documentary of the same name, released in 1978 (1976)... The cream of the British pop world gathers at S.A.R.M. Studios, London to record the historic 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' The single, which was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, features Paul Young, Bono, Boy George, Sting and George Michael. It will go on to sell over three million copies in the UK, becoming the bestselling record ever, raising over £8 million ($13.6 million) worldwide (1984)... A statue in Montreux, Switzerland by sculptor Irena Sedlecka that was erected as a tribute to Freddie Mercury is unveiled by Freddie's father and Montserrat Caballé, with bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor also in attendance. Standing almost 10 feet (3 metres) high, the memorial overlooks Lake Geneva (1996)... Michael Jackson launches a website to defend himself following allegations of the sexual abuse of a 12-year old boy. The singer posts a message saying the charges are based on 'a big lie' and that he wants to end 'this horrible time' by proving in court that they are false (2003)... A restaurant falls victim to a prankster who has them make 178 pizzas by claiming they are for Bob Dylan and his band and road crew. An imposter wearing a fake pass for a Dylan concert calls an Antonio's restaurant and places the huge order worth more than $3,900. He tells the owner that the pizzas are for Dylan and his tour party who have just appeared in concert in Amherst, MA. Staff at Antonio's work until 5.30am to make the pies, but will be left stunned when no one returns to collect the order (2010).