Today in Music History: Happy Birthday, Butch Vig
August 02, 2019

History Highlight:
Bryan David "Butch" Vig was born today in 1955, making him 64 today. A native of Wisconsin, he produced Nirvana's Nevermind, and is also co-producer and drummer of Garbage. The band's self-titled debut album was released in August of 1995, and in the 20-plus years since then, they have featured the same lineup -- Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. Manson has said, "I think the reason we've stayed together is we've treated each other with respect, and we all understand that we need each other. Nobody in the band thinks they can do it on their own."
Also, Today In:
1961 - The Beatles began what would be a two-year stint as headliners at Liverpool's Cavern Club.
1962 - An obscure Folk singer named Robert Zimmerman had his name legally changed to Bob Dylan.
1962 - Aretha Franklin, the "First Lady of Soul", made her television debut, singing "Don't Cry Baby" and "Try A Little Tenderness" on ABC's American Bandstand. Franklin has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards and is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. She started her career singing in her dad's church in the 40s and 50s and her career is still going strong well into her 70s. Here she is singing at the Kennedy Center, honoring Carole King.
1964 - The Beatles appeared at the Gaumont Cinema in Bournemouth. One of the supporting acts, billed as a "new and unknown London group", was The Kinks.
1969 - Bob Dylan left his 10-year reunion at Hibbing High School in Hibbing, MN when a drunken former classmate picked a fight with him.
1973 - The Mamas and the Papas filed a lawsuit against their record label Dunhill alleging over $60 million in unpaid royalties.
1983 - James Jamerson died at age 47. As one of The Funk Brothers, he was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s including songs by Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and The Supremes. He performed on nearly 30 No. 1 pop hits.
1997 - Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti died from complications brought on by AIDS at 58 years old. Kuti has been hailed as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers," and he released two dozen albums over 30 years.
1998 - Beastie Boys started a three week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with "Hello Nasty", the band's third U.S. No. 1 album.
2004 - Eric Clapton bought a 50% share in Cordings to save the historic gentleman's outfitters from closure. The store, based in London since 1839 had run into financial difficulties. The guitarist said he had been fond of the shop since a window display caught his eye when he was 16, and had become a regular shopper there. Cordings was the originator of the Covert coat and the Tattersall shirt and made riding boots for the Queen Mother and the Duke of Windsor.
2014 - Weird Al Yankovic's Mandatory Fun went to No. 1, giving the parody master his first chart-topping album.
Birthdays:
Garth Hudson, keys and saxophone player in The Band, is 82.
Doris Coley of The Shirelles was born today in 1941.
Jim Capaldi, Traffic drummer, was born today in 1944.
Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple was born today in 1951.
Pete de Freitas of Echo & the Bunnymen was born today in 1961.
Zelma Davis of C&C Music Factory is 49.
Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.
