Today in Music History for Dec. 10:
In 1943, Chad Stuart of the 1960s duo "Chad and Jeremy," was born in England. Their popularity rivalled that of another British pairing of the period, "Peter and Gordon." Chad and Jeremy鈥檚 soft-rock sound kept them on the charts from 1964 to 鈥�66 with such hits as "A Summer Song," "Willow Weep For Me" and "Before and After." The pair was also responsible for one of the first concept albums, 1967's "Of Cabbages and Kings." Chad and Jeremy broke up in 1967, and Chad Stuart began working as a musical comedy composer.
In 1959, the four male members of "The Platters" were acquitted of charges of aiding and abetting prostitution. They had been arrested four months earlier.
In 1965, the "Grateful Dead" played their first concert under that name at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The band, led by guitarist Jerry Garcia, was previously known as "The Warlocks."
In 1966, "Good Vibrations" by "The Beach Boys" reached No. 1 on the U.S. charts. The record marked a more sophisticated approach than their previous surfing and hot rod songs, and at $50,000 was reputed to have cost more to produce than any single record up to that time.
In 1967, singer Steve Miller signed a precedent-setting contract with Capitol Records. He received a large advance on his band鈥檚 first album and a sizable royalty rate.
In 1967, singer Otis Redding and four members of his band, "The Bar-Kays," were killed when their twin-engine plane crashed into a lake near Madison, Wis. He was 26. Redding came along at a time when black R&B artists were making inroads into the top-40. But it was not until after his death that one of his records made the top of the charts. "(Sittin鈥� On) The Dock of the Bay" was a No. 1 hit in early 1968, selling four million copies in five months.
In 1969, an Ontario Supreme Court jury in Toronto found singer-guitarist Jimi Hendrix not guilty of possession of heroin and hashish. Jurors deliberated for eight hours after hearing Hendrix testify he鈥檇 used marijuana, hashish, LSD and cocaine but was now free of drugs. But less than a year later, he was found dead of a drug overdose in a London hotel.
In 1971, singer Frank Zappa was thrown from the stage of the Rainbow Theatre in London, breaking his leg and his ankle and fracturing his skull. A 24-year-old man said he did it because his girlfriend said she loved Zappa. Zappa spent months in a wheelchair recovering.
In 1972, singer Roberta Flack and two members of her backup band were injured in a car accident while driving into New York.
In 1976, Billy Idol鈥檚 "Generation X" played their first show at London鈥檚 Central Art School.
In 1986, Canadian flugelhornist and composer Fred Stone died of a heart attack in Toronto at age 51.
In 1987, Jascha Heifetz, a child prodigy who became the world鈥檚 highest paid violinist at age 18, died in Los Angeles. He was 86. Heifetz, who was born in Russia, made his American debut at New York鈥檚 Carnegie Hall in 1917.
In 1991, disc jockey Alan Freed, the man credited with coining the phrase "rock 鈥檔鈥� roll," was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Among those honouring Freed, who died in 1965, were Little Richard, Phil Everly and "Wolfman" Jack.
In 1991, a founder of "Ladysmith Black Mambazo," the Grammy-winning vocal group that gained fame for its harmonies on Paul Simon鈥檚 "Graceland" album, was shot and killed in a roadside argument near Durban, South Africa. Headman Tshabalala, one of four brothers in the 10-member group, was 44.
In 1992, Canadian rock singer Tom Cochrane visited World Vision famine relief centres in Baidoa, Somalia, and a refugee camp on the Kenyan border. It was his second trip for the charitable organization.
In 1993, singer Mariah Carey, a Long Island native, announced during a Madison Square Garden concert that she would donate her profits from her hit single "Hero" to families of the Long Island Railroad shooting victims. Six people were killed and 18 were wounded when a gunman opened fire on a train a week earlier.
In 1994, saxophonist Kenny G.鈥檚 "Miracles, The Holiday Album鈥� became the first Christmas album to top the Billboard chart since Mitch Miller鈥檚 "Holiday Sing Along With Mitch" in 1962.
In 1994, Pearl Jam鈥檚 "Vitalogy" entered the Billboard album chart at No. 55 based entirely on sales of the vinyl LP. The vinyl edition had been released Nov. 22, while the cassette and CD versions weren鈥檛 available until two weeks later.
In 1995, Darren Robinson, a 450-pound rapper who found stardom with "The Fat Boys," died of a heart attack in Rosedale, N.Y., at age 28. He was known as the "human beat box" for his percussive grunts which permeated "The Fat Boys" recordings.
In 1996, Faron Young, a huge country star in the 1950s and 鈥�60s, died in a Nashville hospital one day after shooting himself in the head. He was 64. A suicide note indicated Young was despondent over his failing health.
In 1996, bluegrass singer and mandolin player John Duffey died after suffering a heart attack at his home in Arlington, Va. He was 62.
In 1997, drummer Tommy Lee and bassist Nikki Sixx of "Motley Crue" were arrested on assault charges for allegedly knocking over a security guard at a concert in Phoenix.
In 1997, Jacob Carey, bass singer for the 1950s vocal group "The Flamingos," died at his home in Lanham, Md., of a heart attack. He was 74. "The Flamingos" were best known for their hit "I Only Have Eyes For You."
In 1998, a judge in London blocked the release of an unauthorized collection of Bruce Springsteen songs recorded early in his career.
In 1998, a high-quality, 25-minute, 10-song tape of a 1963 "Beatles" concert in Bournemouth, England, was sold at auction in London for US$42,000.
In 1998, Bruce Springsteen, Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain were among the performers at a seven-hour mega-concert in Paris to honour the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 1999, Canadian-born rock musician Rick Danko with the Woodstock-era group "The Band," died at age 56.
In 1999, pop star Sarah McLachlan won a court dispute after a British Columbia judge ruled that she did not have to share songwriting credits or royalties from her first album with Vancouver musician Darryl Neudorf who said he made a significant original contribution.
In 2005, Garth Brooks married Trisha Yearwood in a private ceremony at their home in Oklahoma.
In 2006, at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in Edmonton, Penny Lang, a Montreal singer-songwriter often called Canada鈥檚 first lady of folk, took two of the genre鈥檚 top prizes - Best Album and Best Solo Artist.
In 2007, the surviving members of "Led Zeppelin" reunited for the first time in 30 years, for a tribute concert in London for Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun. The late John Bonham's son, Jason, was the drummer. (The performance was recorded and released as a DVD and album ("Celebration Day") and released in November 2012.)
In 2009, Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton (born Mark Anthony Myrie) was arrested in Florida for attempting to buy cocaine from an undercover officer. A jury deadlocked in his first trial in 2010, but he was convicted in a second trial in February 2011.
In 2010, Bob Dylan's original handwritten lyrics for his 1964 hit "The Times They are A-Changin'" sold for US$422,500 at Sotheby's auction in New York City.
In 2010, Sherrill "Shaun" Nielsen, a gospel singer who performed with Elvis Presley, died of lung cancer. He was 68. He sang with Elvis on the Grammy-nominated song "Softly as I Leave You" and performed with a number of gospel groups over his career including the "Singing Speer Family" and "Voice."
In 2012, Luke Bryan cleaned up at the fan-voted American Country Awards, earning nine guitar-shaped trophies, including Artist and Album of the Year. His smash hit "I Don't Want This Night to End" was named Single and Music Video of the Year. Carrie Underwood won Female Artist of the Year, and a tearful Lauren Alaina won New Artist of the Year.
In 2020, Korean supergroup BTS was named Time magazine's Entertainer of the Year.
In 2021, the wool-hatted, guitar-strumming member of the 1960s, made-for-television rock band, The Monkees, died. Michael Nesmith was 78.
In 2021, Ottawa singer-songwriter Les Emmerson, whose anti-establishment anthem ``Signs'' became a staple of 1970s rock radio, died at 77. The leader of Five Man Electrical Band contracted COVID-19 a month earlier and died at a local hospital.
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The Canadian Press
