Today in Music History for June 24:
In 1803, George Webb, American church organist, was born. He compiled several collections of sacred music during his lifetime, and also composed the melody to the hymn, "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus."
In 1880, "O Canada," with music by Calixa Lavallee and French lyrics by Judge A.B. Routhier, was performed for the first time at the Skaters' Pavilion in Quebec City. Three bands, playing together, performed "O Canada" during a banquet at a St-Jean Baptiste Day banquet. Canada's future national anthem was reported to have been received enthusiastically. It finally became the national anthem in 1980.
In 1942, Mick Fleetwood, drummer with "Fleetwood Mac," was born in London. Originally a blues band when it was formed in 1965, "Fleetwood Mac" developed into a pop group that put out one of the world's best-selling albums, "Rumours," in 1977. It has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
In 1944, Jeff Beck, one of the great rock guitarists, was born in Surrey, England. Beck's first important band was "The Yardbirds," replacing Eric Clapton in 1964. In 1967, he formed the "Jeff Beck Group" with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. The beginnings of heavy metal could be heard in the group's blues-based songs. The "Jeff Beck Group" broke up after only two albums, and Beck was then sidelined for 18 months with a fractured skull suffered in a car accident. After a short partnership with former "Vanilla Fudge" members Tim Bogert and Carmen Appice, Beck turned to fusion music, often in collaboration with keyboards player Jan Hammer. Beck, who continues to record and tour, won the 2002 Grammy Award for rock instrumental performance for "Dirty Mind."
In 1960, the second Newport Folk Festival, produced by George Wein and Albert Grossman, opened in Rhode Island. Performers included Mahalia Jackson, "Flatt and Scruggs" and Joan Baez. Author Studs Terkel was the emcee.
In 1965, John Lennon's second book, "A Spaniard in the Works," was published.
In 1967, "Jefferson Airplane's" "White Rabbit" and "Procol Harum's" "Whiter Shade of Pale" were released.
In 1972, Helen Reddy released the song "I Am Woman."
In 1973, keyboards player and singer Al Kooper reunited the original "Blues Project" for a one-shot concert in New York's Central Park. The event was documented on the LP "Reunion in Central Park." In the late '60s, the "Blues Project" had been one of the groups responsible for starting the blues revival.
In 1987, former "Culture Club" leader Boy George released his first solo album, "Sold."
In 1988, Earl Falconer, the bassist for the British reggae band "UB40," was sentenced to six months in jail for causing his brother's death in a car accident.
In 1989, Paul Simon brought his "Graceland" tour to Moscow, playing the first of two concerts before 5,000 people in Gorky Park. It was Simon's first appearance in the Soviet Union.
In 1990, Donnie Wahlberg of "New Kids on the Block" suffered cuts and bruises after falling through a stage trap door during a concert in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Teenage fans besieged the hospital where he was treated.
In 1990, keyboardist Roger O'Donnell quit "The Cure." He was replaced by Perry Bamonte, who was a roadie for the band.
In 1995, Neil Young filled in for "Pearl Jam" at a concert in San Francisco after lead singer Eddie Vedder quit after six songs because of the flu. Young had already been scheduled to perform as a guest at the show. He played for 90 minutes, mixing classics with songs from his latest album, "Mirror Ball." The next day, "Pearl Jam" cancelled the remaining dates on its 15-city tour. The band cited scheduling difficulties caused by its dispute with Ticketmaster, which "Pearl Jam" accused of price gouging.
In 1995, "Scream," the first single from Michael Jackson's "HIStory" album, entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 5. It was, at the time, the highest debut ever on the chart.
In 1997, the Walt Disney Co. pulled "The Great Malenko" by the rap group "Insane Clown Posse" from store shelves. Less than a week earlier, Disney's music division, Hollywood Records, had shipped 100,000 copies of the obscenity-laced album. The action came after the Southern Baptist Convention voted to boycott Disney for what it called anti-family product and policies. Disney denied the recall had anything to do with the boycott.
In 1998, Johnny Cash appeared on stage for the first time since disclosing the previous October that he had a progressive nervous system disorder. He strode on stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville while Kris Kristofferson was performing "Sunday Morning Coming Down." The two finished the song together.
In 2010, Canadian rapper Drake was sued for copyright infringement by Hugh Hefner's now-defunct label, Playboy Enterprises, over allegations that his breakout smash "Best I Ever Had" sampled "Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds'" 1975 No. 1 hit "Fallin' in Love." (A settlement was reached in May 2011.)
In 2011, longtime Edmonton singer-songwriter Gaye Delorme died from an apparent heart attack on stage in Calgary while doing a sound check before a show. He was 64. His career included such hit singles as "Thin Man," but he was equally known for his songwriting. His "Rodeo Song" -- with its cheerful use of profanity and its refrain "...got a heater in my truck and I'm off to the rodeo" was a double-platinum hit for "Gary Lee and Showdown." He also worked extensively with the comedy duo Cheech and Chong in the 1970s and co-produced k.d. lang's first album, "A Truly Western Experience."
In 2013, Alan Myers, drummer for "Devo" from 1976 to 1985 during the band's heyday, died after a battle with brain cancer at age 58. He played on the singles "Whip It" and the group's frenetic version of The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."
In 2014, the original handwritten draft of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" sold at auction for US$2.045 million, including a buyer's premium, a world record for a popular music manuscript. Dylan was 24 when he recorded the song in 1965 about a debutante who becomes a loner when she's cast from upper-class social circles.
In 2015, after a 45-year wait, legendary singer/songwriter James Taylor finally scored his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with "Before This World," his first studio release of new songs in 13 years.
In 2016, Bernie Worrell, the ingenious "Wizard of Woo" whose amazing array of keyboard sounds and textures helped define the Parliament-Funkadelic musical empire and influenced performers of funk, rock, hip-hop and other genres, died of lung cancer. He was 72.
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The Canadian Press