Today in Music History for Jan. 9:
In 1939, producer Alfred Lion recorded boogie-woogie pianists Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons at a session in New York. Lion pressed only a few copies for his friends, but demand for the records was so great, that he made other recordings of Dixieland artists like Sidney Bechet. This was the beginning of Lion's famous Blue Note record label, for which practically every major jazz artist of the past 50 years has recorded at one time or another. Lion sold the label to Liberty-United Artists in 1966. He died in 1987.
In 1941, folk singer Joan Baez was born in Staten Island, N.Y. Her politics and music have always been closely connected, and she was active in opposing the U.S. military draft and American involvement in the Vietnam War. In March 1968, she married David Harris, a former student leader at Stanford University who was facing a three-year prison term for draft resistance. Baez played an important role in launching Bob Dylan's career, inviting him on stage during her concerts in the early '60s.
In 1944, rock guitarist Jimmy Page was born in London. He established his reputation as a session musician in London in the early '60s, and is rumoured to have played the guitar solo on "The Kinks'" recording of "You Really Got Me." Page later joined "The Yardbirds" as bass guitarist, taking over the lead guitar role when Jeff Beck left the group. When "The Yardbirds" disbanded in 1968, Page formed "Led Zeppelin" with vocalist Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. "Led Zeppelin" is generally regarded as the first heavy metal rock group, with hits including "Whole Lotta Love," "Immigrant Song," and the anthem "Stairway to Heaven." By the mid-'70s, "Led Zeppelin" was selling out at stadiums around the world but the group disbanded after Bonham's death in 1980. In 1994, Page and Plant reunited for an MTV Unplugged performance and subsequent world tour.
In 1964, "The Temptations" recorded the song "The Way You Do the Things You Do" at Motown Studios in Detroit.
In 1965, "The Beatles '65" album hit No. 1 and stayed there for nine weeks.
In 1973, "The Rolling Stones" had to scrap plans to tour the Orient when Japan refused to grant Mick Jagger a visa. The Japanese turned down Jagger's request on account of his 1969 drug bust.
In 1976, C.W. McCall's recording of "Convoy" reached the top of the country music charts. Its success led to a long string of C.B. radio-related novelty records during the next 18 months.
In 1977, country singer Emmylou Harris married Brian Ahern.
In 1979, "A Gift of Song" - The Music for UNICEF Concert was held at the United Nations General Assembly. Nine top recording artists, including "Abba," the "Bee Gees" and Rod Stewart, performed songs and donated the copyrights to UNICEF.
In 1984, Van Halen released "1984." Lead singer David Lee Roth left the band a year later and was replaced by Sammy Hagar. Roth rejoined the band in 2007.
In 1988, singer Frank Sinatra was paid $1 million for a single performance to help launch a new resort on Australia's Gold Coast. It was Sinatra's first performance in the country in 14 years. He had been banned by Australian unions in 1974 after calling female reporters "hookers" and male reporters "drunks."
In 1988, Canadian country singer Con Archer died of a heart attack at his home in Cannington, Ont. He was 46. His hits included "Sandy" and "Happy Anniversary."
In 1990, Madonna began auditioning dancers for her 1990 world tour. She had taken out a newspaper ad that said "wimps and wanna-be's need not apply."
In 1997, "Stone Temple Pilots" lead singer Scott Weiland checked himself into a drug treatment centre in California. It was his second drug rehab stint in a year. Weiland had spent five months in a court-ordered program that led to the dropping of cocaine and heroin charges against him.
In 1997, jazz musician Lionel Hampton was presented with the National Medal of the Arts by U.S. President Bill Clinton at a White House ceremony. The presentation took place two days after the 88-year-old Hampton lost most of his possessions in a fire at his New York apartment.
In 1998, leading British composer Sir Michael Tippett died in London at age 93. He was known for expressing radical political views in his music. One of Tippett's best-known works is the oratorio "Child of Our Times," composed as a response to the Depression of the 1930s. He served three months in prison for being a conscientious objector during the Second World War.
In 2001, a multi-million-dollar defamation lawsuit filed by rock singer Alannah Myles against the National Post was settled out of court just before jury selection began.
In 2002, it was announced that rocker Bryan Adams was among four photographers appointed to take pictures of Queen Elizabeth for her Golden Jubilee. A photo Adams took of the Queen in 2000 was used in a breast cancer fundraising project.
In 2009, Jon Hager, who was half of the musical comedy duo "The Hager Twins" on the variety TV series "Hee Haw," died in Nashville, Tenn., at age 67, eight months after his brother Jim died. The twins were in the original cast of the syndicated TV show, which had its debut in 1969, satirizing country life with a mixture of music and comedy. Both were guitarists and drummers and continued to perform together after leaving the show in 1986. Both were cast members of "Hee Haw" from 1969-86. The show lasted until 1993.
In 2009, Davidson County (Tennessee) Probate Judge Randy Kennedy denied Christopher Edward Tanner's request to exhume the body of late country star Eddy Arnold for DNA testing to prove he is the singer's illegitimate son.
In 2010, New York rapper and G-Unit member Lloyd Banks and his three-man crew were arrested and charged in Kitchener, Ont., with forcible confinement and aggravated assault and robbery. Waterloo regional police said a music promoter was allegedly held against his will, robbed and beaten in a Kitchener hotel over a dispute about a performance and appearance fee at Club NV in Brantford.
In 2012, "The Doors" premiered the song "She Smells So Nice" on the band's Facebook page. The song was recorded during the "L.A. Woman" sessions and stayed in the vault for over 40 years.
In 2012, saxophonist Kenny G and his wife of 20 years, Lyndie Benson-Gorelick, filed divorce papers, citing irreconcilable differences. They had two sons together.
In 2013, "Three Days Grace" lead singer Adam Gontier left the group due to an undisclosed health issue.
In 2013, radio broadcaster Frank Page, best known for giving a teenaged Elvis Presley one of his first radio gigs in 1954, died in hospital in Shreveport, La. He was 87.
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The Canadian Press
