Today in Music History: Pete Townshend turns 70
May 19, 2015
History Highlight:
Pete Townshend is 70 today. The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the guitarist and songwriter for the Who, was born in West London in 1945. Townshend's career with the Who spans more than 50 years, during which time the band grew to become one of the most influential bands of the 1960s and '70s. In their stage shows, Townshend developed a signature move where he would swing his right arm against the guitar strings in a style reminiscent of the vanes of a windmill. He developed this style after watching Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards warm up before a show. Beyond music, Townshend has enjoyed a career as a journalist and essayist; he has also done a lot of charity work, most notably for children's charities, for drug rehabilitation and for Amnesty International.
Also, Today In:
1969 - The Beatles' single "Get Back" was certified Gold by the RIAA. Selling more than a million copies, "Get Back" hit No. 1 in the U.S. within a week of its release.
1976 - Keith Richards smashed his Bentley into a highway divider in Newton Pagnell, England, a town about 50 miles north of London. Police discovered a few substances in his vehicle and Richards was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana.
1973, Stevie Wonder went to No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life". The song earned Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
1973 - "Kodachrome," a big hit for Paul Simon, was released.
1978 - Dire Straits released their first major label single, "Sultans Of Swing", recorded on a £120 budget — about $180.
1979 - Supertramp went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Breakfast In America, the group's only U.S. No. 1. It featured three Billboard hit singles: "The Logical Song", "Goodbye Stranger" and "Take the Long Way Home".
1988 - James Brown was arrested for the fifth time in 12 months, following a car chase near his home. Brown was charged with assault, resisting arrest and being in charge of illegal weapons, and was given a six-year jail sentence.
Birthdays:
Joey Ramone was born today in 1951.
AC/DC drummer Philip Rudd is 61.
Sam Smith is 23.