June 8th

Musical birthdays today include Nancy Sinatra (79), Parliament-Funkadelic founding member Fuzzy Haskins (78), former Three Dog Night vocalist Chuck Negron (77), Renaissance lead singer Annie Haslam (75), Boz Scaggs (75), Julie Driscoll (72), Bonnie Tyler (68), ex-Black Flag frontman Greg Ginn (65), ex-Simply Red lead singer Mick Hucknall (59), Greek pop singer Katy Garbi (58), Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes (57), Kanye West (42), Allman Brothers Band guitarist Derek Trucks (40), ex-The Calling frontman Alex Band (38), and Nickel Creek fiddler Sara Watkins (38). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for composer Tomaso Albinoni, born on this day in 1671... for Robert Schumann, born in 1810... for singer-songwriter Steven Fromholtz, who would have been 74 today... for former Milli Vanilli vocalist Rob Pilatus, who would have been 54... for singer-songwriter Root Boy Slim [né Foster MacKenzie III], who died on this date in 1993... and for pop singer Crispian St. Peters, who left us today in 2010. 

Also on June 8th: The Crystals' 'Da Doo Ron Ron' peaks at № 3 on the US singles chart. The song was produced by Phil Spector, and represents his first use of a multi-track recording system to build the song layer upon layer to achieve a result that has become known as a 'wall of sound'. Backing musicians included Glen Campbell on guitar, Leon Russell on piano, Hal Blaine on drums and Nino Tempo on sax (1963)... Procol Harum go to № 1 on the UK singles chart with 'a Whiter Shade of Pale', while Sgt. Pepper reaches the top of the album rankings, where it will remain for 27 weeks (1967)... Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts visit Brian Jones at his home in Cotchford Farm, E. Sussex to discuss his future in the Rolling Stones. Upon returning to London, Jagger & co. issue a statement announcing that Jones has left the band (1969)... Bob Dylan releases Self-Portrait... East German police impound Deep Purple's van and equipment after the group drive too close to the border while on a European tour (1970)... Bill Wyman becomes the first Rolling Stone to release a solo album with Monkey Grip. The record features guest appearances by, Dr John, Leon Russell and Lowell George... David Bowie starts a four-week run at the top of the UK charts with his third № 1 album, Diamond Dogs. The cover art features Bowie as a striking half-man, half-dog grotesque painted by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert. It is controversial as the full painting clearly shows the hybrid's genitalia. Very few copies of this original cover make their way into circulation at the time of the album's release... Elvis Presley calls Dolly Parton to tell her that he would like to cover her new single 'I Will Always Love You'. Parton is interested until Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker tells her that it is standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song Elvis records. Parton refuses. The song will become a worldwide hit for Whitney Houston almost two decades later when released as a single from the the soundtrack to the film 'The Bodyguard'... Paul McCartney and Wings go to № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Band On The Run'. McCartney later states that George Harrison unwittingly contributed the first line of one part of the song: "If we ever get out of here" was something that he said during one of the many Beatles' business meetings (1974)... Tears for Fears have the № 1 single in the US with 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'... Bob Dylan releases Empire Burlesque (1985)... At a Greenpeace press conference, vegetarian Chrissie Hynde claims that she once firebombed a McDonalds restaurant. The following day, a McDonalds in Milton Keynes, England is destroyed in this way and the Pretenders lead singer is threatened with legal action (1989)... Bruce Springsteen marries Patti Scialfa in a small private ceremony at their home in Beverly Hills, CA (1991)... Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller and Martin Carr of The Boo Radleys are all involved in a brawl at Dingwalls, Camden in London (1998)... Months of secrecy surrounding Sir Paul McCartney's wedding plans are blown when John Leslie, the owner of the 17th century Castle Leslie in Co Monaghan, lets slip to reporters that Sir Paul had booked the venue for the wedding (2002)... Rolling Stone magazine publishes a list of the Top 50 guitar songs of all time ~№ 5 is ‘Brown Sugar’ by The Rolling Stones; № 4, ‘You Really Got Me’ by The Kinks; № 3, ‘Crossroads’, by Cream; № 2 ‘Purple Haze’, by Jimi Hendrix, and at № 1, Chuck Berry's ‘Johnny B Goode’ (2008).