Music Almanac: January 1

Grandmaster Flash

Birthdays

• 1936 - Benny Barnes (77)
• 1942 - Country Joe McDonald (Country Joe & the Fish) (71)
• 1947 - Gary "BB" Coleman (d. 1994)
• 1950 - Steve Ripley (Tractors) (63)
• 1950 - Morgan Fisher (Mott the Hoople) (63)
• 1958 - Grandmaster Flash (born Joseph Saddler) (55)
• 1967 - John Digweed (46)
• 1968 - Rick J. Jordan (born Hendrik Stedler) (Scooter) (45)

Deaths

• 1953 - Hank Williams - “Acute right ventricular dilation” (29)
• 1967 - Moon Mullican - Heart attack (57)
• 1984 - Alexis Korner - Lung cancer (55)
• 1991 - Buck Ram (producer, songwriter (Only You, The Great Pretender) (84)
• 1995 - Ted Hawkins - Stroke (58)
• 1997 - Townes Van Zandt - Cardiac arrhythmia most likely brought on by detoxification (52)
• 1997 - Hagood Hardy (59)
• 2006 - Bryan Harvey (House of Freaks) - Murdered (49)
• 2007 - Del Reeves - Emphysema (74)

ABBA's Final Performance

 On This Day

• 1939 - Jake Tindall, Lonnie Wilson & Beecher "Pete" Kirby (Bashful Brother Oswald) joined Acuff's Smokey Mountain Boys.
• 1959 - Elvis Presley crashed his BMW in Germany.
• 1960 - Johnny Cash performed at San Quentin Prison
• 1962 - The Beatles had an audition at Decca Records where they were turned down.
• 1967 - Gary Lewis was drafted.
• 1967 - Sonny and Cher were barred from appearing in the Tournament of Roses Parade after they supported rioters on the Sunset Strip.
• 1968 - According to Billboard, 1967 was the first year that albums outsold singles.
• 1968 - The Blue Velvets changed their name to Creedence Cleearwater Revival.
• 1972 - Marc Bolan started his T Rex Wax Co.
• 1976 - Robert Plant walked unassisted for the first time since an August car crash.
• 1977 - The Roxy Club in London opened with a performance by the Clash.
• 1979 - Bruce Springsteen injured his cheek throwing a firecracker into the crowd at a concert.
• 1980 - Cliff Richard was named an OBE by the Queen. Only the Beatles and Elton John had received it before among popular artists.
• 1982 - ABBA played their final show in Stockholm, Sweden.
• 1985 - VH1 began broadcasting.
• 1988 - Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan became Milli Vanilli when they signed with producer Frank Farian.
• 1989 - Nirvana signed with Sub Pop Records.
• 2000 - George Harrison was discharged from the hospital after being treated for stab wounds from an intruder at his house.
• 2002 - Shakin' Stevens was arrested for drunk driving.
• 2002 - Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees were named Commanders of the British Empire (CBE) by the queen.
• 2002 - Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys was arrested in Tampa, FL for resisting arrest and opposing a law enforcement officer.
• 2004 - Charles Aznavour was named a commander of the French Legion of Honor.
• 2005 - The first rock era records became public domain under current European law including such classics as Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & the Comets.
• 2011 - Chuck Berry collapsed onstage while performing in Chicago, IL.

Marriages

• 2002 - Eric Clapton and Melia McEnery
• 2002 - Kenny Latimore and Chante Moore
• 2002 - Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) and Gavin Rossdale (Bush) (engaged)
• 2011 - Shania Twain and Frederic Thiebaud

Recorded

• 1964 - Fun, Fun, Fun - Beach Boys

Broadcasts

• 1957 - Cool For Cats (BBC) (Premier)
• 1964 - Top of the Pops (BBC) (Premier) - Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, Hollies, Swinging Blue Jeans
• 1966 - The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (final episode) - Rick Nelson
• 1967 - KTLA-TV (Los Angeles) - Doors (first TV appearance)