January 9th

 

Musical birthdays today include Joan Baez (81), former Walker Brothers bassist Scott Walker (79), Lovin' Spoonful pianist Jerry Yester (79), Jimmy Page (78), former New York Dolls lead singer David Johansen (72), country singer Crystal Gayle (71), L.A. Guns lead singer Phil Lewis (65), ex-Hole lead guitarist Eric Erlandson (59), Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Hardwell (55), Dave Matthews (55), moe Guitarist Al Schnier (54), rapper MF Doom (51), and Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean (43). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for opera impresario Sir Rudolf Bing, born on this day in 1902... for former Modern Jazz Quartet drummer Kenny Clarke, born in 1914... for Cowsills frontman Bill Cowsill, and former Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Cassie Gaines, both of whom would have been 73... and for Carter Family vocalist and autoharpist Sara Carter, who left us today in 1979. 

Also on January 9th: Richard Strauss' tone poem Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) is given its first performance by the NY Philharmonic (1892)... Rosemary Clooney has the № 1 single in the UK with her 'Mambo Italiano'. The song performed poorly in the US after it was widely banned by radio stations for being 'below the standards of good taste', in the words of one network spokesman (1955)... Charlie Watts officially joins The Rolling Stones after leaving Blues Incorporated (1963)... Led Zeppelin play the Royal Albert Hall on the night of Jimmy Page's 26th birthday. Among the spectators are John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. The 2 1/4 hr. set is both recorded and filmed, but will not receive an official release until 2003 (1970)... Mick Jagger is refused a visa for Japan because of his record of drug offences, forcing the Stones to cancel the Japanese leg of their upcoming world tour (1973)... Yes release Tales from Topographic Oceans (1974)... Terry Hall and Jerry Dammers of The Specials are fined £400 each for using 'obscene and threatening language' at a gig in Cambridge the previous week (1981)... David Bowie gives a 50th Birthday Bash concert [the day after his birthday] at Madison Square Garden with guests Frank Black, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, The Foo Fighters, Lou Reed, and Billy Corgan and Placebo. Proceeds from the concert are going to the Save The Children fund (1997).. Apple Computer Inc. unveils its iTunes music management software at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco (2001)... The Phantom of the Opera becomes the longest-running musical in Broadway history, surpassing 'Cats', which ran for 7,485 performances (2006)... Spice Girl Victoria Beckham is named the world's worst dressed celebrity in an annual list of fashion disasters. Critic Richard Blackwell, who has compiled the poll every year since 1960, says Beckham stepped out during the previous year in "one skinny-mini monstrosity after another". Amy Winehouse's trademark beehive hairdo and tattoos helped earn her second  place on the list (2008).