Music Almanac: January 27

Bobby "Blue" Bland

Birthdays

• 1918 - Elmore James (d. 1963)
• 1919 - Ross Bagdasarian (aka David Seville) (d. 1972)
• 1930 - Bobby “Blue” Bland (82)
• 1937 - Buddy Emmons (75)
• 1944 - Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) (68)
• 1944 - Kevin Coyne (d. 2004)
• 1946 - Nedra Talley (Ronettes) (66)
• 1948 - Kim Gardner (Ashton, Gardner & Dyke) (d. 2001)
• 1951 - Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy) (61)
• 1951 - Seth Justman (J. Geils Band) (61)
• 1953 - Lee Carroll (Exile) (59)
• 1955 - Richard Young (Kentucky Headhunters) (57)
• 1955 - Cheryl White (Whites) (57)
• 1957 - Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) (55)
• 1957 - Martin Degville (Sigue Sigue Sputnik) (55)
• 1961 - Gillian Gilbert (New Order) (51)
• 1961 - Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) (51)
• 1968 - Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) (44)
• 1968 - Tricky (born Adrian Thaws) (44)
• 1968 - Tracey Lawrence (44)
• 1969 - Michael Kulas (James) (43)
• 1972 - Mark Owen (Take That) (40)

Deaths

• 1972 - Mahalia Jackson - Heart failure and diabetes (60)
• 2006 - Gene McFadden (McFadden & Whitehead) - Cancer (56)

Houston at Super Bowl XXV

On This Day

• 1958 - Little Richard entered the Oakwood Theological College in Huntsville to become an ordained Seventh Day Adventist minister.
• 1961 - Frank Sinatra played a benefit for Martin Luther King at Carnegie Hall.
• 1967 - The Beatles sign a new 9-year contract with EMI.
• 1968 - The Bee Gees made their concert debut in the U.S. in Anaheim, CA.
• 1971 - David Bowie came to the U.S. for the first time to promote his latest album. He wasn't allowed to perform because of work permit issues.
• 1976 - David Bowie sued his attorney Michael Lippman on the grounds that he took a fee of 15%, 5% more than was customary.
• 1977 - The Clash signed with CBS Records in Britain.
• 1984 - The Eurythmics start a 175-date world tour.
• 1989 - James Brown is charged with marijuana possession and unlawful use of a firearm.
• 1990 - It was Tom Petty Day in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida.
• 1991 - Whitney Houston sang the Star Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XXV. It's hailed as one of the great performances at the event.
• 1993 - Warner Brothers Records released Ice-T from his contract due to creative differences.
• 1994 - Oasis played in London for the first time.
• 1997 - Pat Boone surprised the crowd at the American Music Awards with his new "metal" persona.
• 1998 - James Brown was charged with marijuana possession and unlawful use of a firearm at his home in South Carolina.
• 2002 - Koko Taylor fainted while performing at her club. It was due to her not taking her diabetes medication but a blocked artery was also found.
• 2004 - Faith Evans and her husband were arrested for cocaine and marijuana possession in Atlanta, GA.
• 2005 - R.E.M. cancel their first show in ten years when their equipment was held at the Estonia/Russia border.
• 2005 - Master P and his brother, Silkk the Shocker, were arrested in Los Angeles for felony drug charges.

Recorded

• 1959 - The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton

Released

• 1956 - Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
• 1968 - (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding

Awards

• 1997 - American Music Awards
• Pop/Rock Male - Eric Clapton
• Pop/Rock Female - Alanis Morissette
• Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group - Hootie & the Blowfish
• Pop/Rock Album - Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette
• Pop/Rock New Artist - Jewel
• Soul/R&B Male - Keith Sweat
• Soul/R&B Female - Toni Braxton
• Soul/R&B Band, Duo or Group - New Edition
• Soul/R&B Album - Secrets - Toni Braxton
• Soul/R&B New Artist - D'Angelo
• Country Male - Garth Brooks
• Country Female - Shania Twain
• Country Band, Duo or Group - Brooks & Dunn
• Country Album - Clear Blue Sky - George Strait
• Country New Artist - LeAnn Rimes
• Adult Contemporary Artist - Whitney Houston
• Rap/Hip-Hop Artist - Tupac Shakur
• Alternative Artist - Smashing Pumpkins
• Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist - Metallica
• Award of Merit - Little Richard
• International Artist Award - Bee Gees

Broadcasts

• 1964 - Juke Box Jury (U.K.) - Rolling Stones
• 1984 - The Tube (C4 TV U.K.) - Madonna (First appearance on British TV)
• 2000 - VH1 Storytellers - Aimee Mann, John Popper, Lisa Loeb, Dwight Yoakam (special webcast from the Sundance Film Festival)