December 15th

 

Musical birthdays today include former Supreme Cindy Birdsong (82), Dave Clark (79), rock drummer Carmen Appice (75), Fuzztones frontman Rudi Protrudi (69), ex-Clash bassist Paul Simonon (66), ex-Torch Song keyboardist Richard Orbit (65), Dave Matthews Band lead guitarist Tim Reynolds (64), Stryper bassist Tim Gaines (59), heavy metal guitarist Clint Lowery (49), and Falling in Reverse lead singer Ronnie Radke (38). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for talent scout and producer John Hammond, born on this day in 1910... for jazz pianist Stan Kenton, born in 1911... for Max Yasgur [owner of the farm where Woodstock took place in 1969], born in 1919... for  Grand Ole Opry star Ernest Ashworth and jazz pianist Barry Harris, both born in 1929... for R&B pianist and songwriter Jesse Belvin, who would have been 88... for Fats Waller, who died on this date in 1943... for Glenn Miller, presumed dead after the aircraft in which he and members of his band were flying disappeared over the English Channel on a USO tour on this day in 1944. No trace of the plane or its crew and passengers ever having been found, Miller's official status remains MIA... and for soul singer Rufus Thomas, who left us today in 2001. 

Also on December 15: Hank Williams marries Audrey Sheppard ~ the ceremony takes place at a filling station outside of Nashville and is performed by a passing Justice of the Peace. The union produces Hank Williams, Jr., and a divorce in 1952 (1944)... Elvis gives his final performance on 'Louisiana Hayride', a live radio program broadcast on KWKH in Shreveport, LA. Presley made 50 appearances on the show, which was a springboard to his early stardom (1956)... At Bell Sound Studios in NYC, The Everly Brothers record 'Let It Be Me' (1959)... The Who release The Who Sell out (1967)... John Lennon plays what will prove to be his final gig in the UK when he appears at The Lyceum Ballroom in London with the Plastic Ono Band in a UNICEF 'Peace for Christmas' benefit. George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie, Billy Preston and Keith Moon also take part (1969)... Charlie Rich has his only US № 1 single with 'The Most Beautiful Girl' (1973)... The Sex Pistols are refused a performance visa for the USA two days before a scheduled NBC TV appearance ~ Johnny Rotten because of a drugs conviction, Paul Cook & Sid Vicious for 'moral turpitude' and Steve Jones because of his criminal record (1977)... U2 play the Windsor Castle Pub on Harrow Road in London. Admission is free (1979)... 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' by Band Aid enters the UK chart at № 1, where it will stay for five weeks. It will become the biggest selling UK single of all time with sales over 3 and a half million. Band Aid was masterminded by former Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof, who had been moved by a TV news story of famine in Ethiopia. Geldof had the idea of raising funds with a one-off charity single featuring the cream of the then-current pop world. Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Paul Young, Culture Club, George Michael, Sting, Bono, Phil Collins, Paul Weller, Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt of Status Quo and Bananarama all appeared on the recording (1984)... James Brown is sentenced to 6 years in prison for various offences including possession of unregistered firearms and resisting arrest (1988)... Rod Stewart marries New Zealand model Rachel Hunter in Los Angeles. Stewart is quoted as saying "I found the girl that I want, I won't be putting my banana in anybody's fruit bowl from now on". They will split in 1999 (1990)... 'Spice World, The Movie' has its world premiere at the Empire Cinema on Leicester Square (1997)... Boy George is knocked unconscious and receives  minor concussion when a mirror ball falls on his head during a show in Wimborne, Dorset... Former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren announces that he is running for Mayor of London. He says he will be campaigning for open bars in public libraries, as well as brothels and cannabis shops. "I changed London with the Sex Pistols, I can change London as Mayor" proclaims the candidate... 'Posh Spice' Victoria Beckham punches a crazed fan and knocks him to the ground after he tries to grab her baby son Brooklyn as she is leaving Harrods (1999)... Various  Pink Floyd items are sold at an Entertainment Memorabilia auction by Bonhams of Knightsbridge, London. A demo pressing of the single 'Point Me To The Sky/Careful With That Axe Eugene' sells for £720. Pink Floyd signatures, in various blue marker pens on four separate pieces of paper mounted and framed together with a copy of 'Dark Side Of The Moon' goes for £624, and a demo pressing of the Syd Barrett single, 'Octopus' / 'Golden Hair' from 1969 [with the singer's name misspelt 'Barratt' and corrected in ink on the A-side] fetches £300 (2010