Today in Music History: Happy birthday, Nick Lowe
March 24, 2015
Birthday Highlight:
Happy 66th birthday to Nick Lowe, born on this date in 1949 in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. The pivotal figure in U.K. pub rock, power pop, punk rock and new wave has recorded 14 solo albums. Lowe might be better known for songs that he has written for other artists, like Elvis Costello's "(What's so Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding," and for producing albums for Johnny Cash, The Damned, Elvis Costello and The Pretenders. He's enjoyed additional success in recent years with his 2011 album, The Old Magic and with his 2013 holiday full-length, Quality Street.
Also, Today In:
1945 - Billboard published the first U.S. LP chart. Nat King Cole was at No. 1 with A Collection Of Favorites.
1958 - Elvis Presley, at 23 years old, was inducted into the Army in Memphis.
1965 - On the first date of their anniversary tour, Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman was zapped and knocked out by an electrical shock from a microphone stand in Odense, Denmark.
1966 - Simon & Garfunkel made their first appearance on the Brit singles chart with "Homeward Bound."
1973 - Lou Reed was bitten on the buttocks by a zealous fan at a concert in Buffalo, N.Y. No kidding. This display of affection happened as Reed got ready to play the classic Velvet Underground tune "Waitin' For The Man." The crazed fan — screaming, "Leather!" — evaded security as he attacked Reed. The fan was ejected, and Reed commented afterward that the U.S. "seems to breed real animals."
1973 - The O'Jays went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Love Train." The song's lyrics of unity mention a number of countries, including England, Russia, China, Egypt and Israel, as well as the continent of Africa.
1979 - The Bee Gees started a two week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Tragedy," the group's eighth U.S. No. 1.
1990 - Canadian singer Alannah Myles started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Black Velvet."
1992 - A Chicago court settled the Milli Vanilli class action suit by approving cash rebates of up to $3 to anyone proving they bought the group's music before Nov. 27, 1990, the date the lip-synching scandal broke.
2009 - Motown drummer Uriel Jones, died aged 74 after suffering complications from a heart attack. Jones played on many Motown classics, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," by Marvin Gaye, "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations, "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder.
Birthdays:
Sharon Corr, vocalist and violinist of the Corrs, is 45.