Today in Music History for Jan. 15:
In 1882, tenor Henry Burr (born Harry McClaskey), the most prolific recording artist of his era, was born in St. Stephen, N.B. He recorded an estimated 12,000 titles from 1902 to about 1930. He died in New York on April 6, 1941.
In 1895, ``The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir,'' Canada's oldest-surviving mixed-voice amateur choral group, gave its first concert.
In 1895, Tchaikovsky's ``Swan Lake'' ballet opened in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In 1909, Gene Krupa, the premier drummer of the big-band era, was born in Chicago. Besides leading his own band, he is best known for his work with Benny Goodman. After most of the big bands disbanded, Krupa led small jazz groups through most of the 1950s and '60s. A film loosely based on his life, ``The Gene Krupa Story,'' starring Sal Mineo, was released in 1959. Gene Krupa died of leukemia in 1973.
In 1915, conductor-composer Guillaume Couture, considered to be Canada's first great musician, died in Montreal at age 63.
In 1928, ``The Hart House String Quartet,'' Canada's most famous chamber music ensemble of the first half of the 20th century, performed Maurice Ravel's ``Quartet'' in New York.
In 1948, country singer Jack Guthrie, a cousin of the famous folk singer Woody Guthrie, died at age 32.
In 1948, Ronnie Van Zandt, lead singer of the southern rock band ``Lynyrd Skynyrd,'' was born in Jacksonville, Fla. The band built a loyal following, beginning in the American South in 1973. Their best known songs were ``Sweet Home Alabama'' and ``Free Bird,'' a tribute to Duane Allman of ``The Allman Brothers Band.'' ``Lynyrd Skynyrd'' seemed on the verge of superstardom in 1977 when a plane crash in Mississippi killed Ronnie Van Zandt and five others, including the band's guitarist, Steve Gaines.
In 1961, Motown Records signed ``The Supremes.''
In 1964, Johnny Rivers began a year-long stint as the spotlight artist at the Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles. He helped turn the club into a hot spot, and about six weeks later, his hit album ``Johnny Rivers At The Whisky A Go-Go'' would be recorded.
In 1965, ``The Who's'' first single, ``I Can't Explain,'' was released in Britain. The record was ignored until ``The Who'' appeared on the TV program ``Ready, Steady, Go,'' where Pete Townsend smashed his guitar and Keith Moon overturned his drums. ``I Can't Explain'' rose to No. 8 on the British chart, selling 100,000 copies in six weeks.
In 1967, ``The Rolling Stones'' made their famous ``Let's Spend the Night Together'' appearance on ``The Ed Sullivan Show.'' Sullivan ordered ``The Stones'' to censor the lyrics of their current hit, so Mick Jagger mumbled the title lyrics as ``Let's spend some time together'' while rolling his eyes.
In 1968, ``John Fred and the Playboy Band'' received a gold record for ``Judy in Disguise.'' The title was a play on ``The Beatles''' ``Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.''
In 1972, Don McLean's ``American Pie'' reached No. 1 in the U.S. The song, inspired by the death of Buddy Holly, ran 8.5 minutes on the LP but was considerably shortened for its release as a single.
In 1974, ``Brownsville Station'' got a gold record for their only hit, ``Smokin' in the Boys' Room.''
In 1982, Harry Wayne Casey, leader of ``K.C. and the Sunshine Band,'' was seriously injured in a car crash in Miami. He spent the rest of the year recovering.
In 1986, singer Jimmy Dean was ordered to pay his brother, Don, $500,000 for causing him mental anguish in a feud over the family sausage business.
In 1988, Shirley Goodman, half of the 1950s duo of ``Shirley and Lee,'' won the right to collect half the royalties from their 1956 million-seller, ``Let the Good Times Roll.''
In 1991, Sean Lennon's remake of his father John Lennon's ``Give Peace a Chance'' was released to coincide with the United Nations' midnight deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait. The lyrics were updated to reflect concerns of the 1990s.
In 1992, Johnny Cash, ``The Yardbirds,'' ``The Jimi Hendrix Experience,'' ``Booker T. and the MG's,'' ``Sam and Dave,'' ``The Isley Brothers'' and Bobby ``Blue'' Bland were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1992, Dee Murray, who played bass for Elton John, died of cancer in Nashville at age 45.
In 1993, lyricist Sammy Cahn, responsible for such Oscar-winning songs as ``Call Me Irresponsible,'' ``Three Coins in the Fountain'' and ``All the Way,'' died in Los Angeles at age 79.
In 1994, singer and songwriter Harry Nilsson, who won a Grammy award for singing ``Everybody's Talkin','' the theme from the 1969 film ``Midnight Cowboy,'' died at his Los Angeles-area home. He was 52.
In 1995, guitarist Gilby Clarke announced he was leaving ``Guns 'N Roses'' for a solo career.
In 1995, Vic Willis, the last surviving member of ``The Willis Brothers'' country trio, died in a car accident in Hohenwald, Tenn. He was 72.
In 1996, orchestra leader Les Baxter died in Newport Beach, Calif., of a heart attack brought on by kidney failure. He was 73. Baxter recorded a series of instrumentals for Capitol in the 1950s, two of which, ``Unchained Melody'' and ``The Poor People of Paris,'' went to No. 1.
In 1998, singer and harmonica player Junior Wells, who helped define the Chicago blues sound, died of cancer in Chicago. He was 63. Wells, who often performed with guitarist Buddy Guy, was best known for the songs ``Hoodoo Man'' and ``Messin' With the Kid.''
In 1999, rapper O.D.B. of the ``Wu-Tang Clan'' was charged in New York City with attempted murder after what police said was a shootout. Officers said two shots were fired at them when they tried to pull over a vehicle driving without lights. But the charge against O.D.B. was dismissed less than a month later, when authorities failed to produce any gun or ballistics evidence. O.D.B. died on Nov. 13, 2004, at a New York recording studio from an accidental drug overdose.
In 2005, NBC held an all-star telethon to raise money for victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia. Performers included Madonna, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Nelly and Eric Clapton.
In 2009, Toronto-based WIDEawake Entertainment Group purchased infamous rap label Death Row from an L.A. auction for US$18 million. It now owns the entire intellectual property, assets, contracts, music, back catalogue, unreleased catalogue and artwork for the label that released such blockbusters as Dr. Dre's ``The Chronic,'' Snoop Dogg's ``Doggystyle'' and Tupac Shakur's ``All Eyez on Me.''
In 2010, country musician Charlie Daniels suffered a mild stroke while snowmobiling in Colorado. He was treated at a hospital in Durango before being airlifted to a Denver hospital. He was released on Jan. 17.
In 2012, pop icon Madonna picked up the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, co-writing ``Masterpiece''' for her film ``W.E.''
In 2012, ``KISS'' rocker Gene Simmons helped open Sophie's Place, a Surrey, B.C., facility to help children 12 years of age and under who are victims of mental, physical and sexual abuse. It was named after his daughter who advocated for such a centre after meeting with the city's mayor.
In 2015, The Black Crowes founding member Rich Robinson announced the blues-rock band was breaking up after 24 years. In a statement, he alluded to internal issues between his brother, lead singer Chris, and the group.
In 2016, Rene Angelil, the Quebec impresario who guided Celine Dion to superstardom and then married her, died of throat cancer. He was 73.
In 2017, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical ``Jersey Boys,'' based on the Four Seasons' career and harmonies, held its final performance after 4,642 shows during an 11-year run.
In 2018, gospel singer Edwin Hawkins, best known for the crossover hit ``Oh Happy Day'' and as a major force for modern gospel music, died at age 74. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer.
In 2018, Dolores O'Riordan, whose urgent, powerful voice helped make Irish rock band The Cranberries a global success in the 1990s, died suddenly in London where she was recording. She was 46. Their hits included ``Linger,'' ''Zombie,`` ''Free to Decide`` and ''Dreams.``
In 2019, Carol Channing, the ebullient musical comedy star who delighted American audiences in over 5,000 performances as the scheming Dolly Levi in ``Hello, Dolly!'' on Broadway and beyond, died at the age of 97. Her publicist said Channing died of natural causes in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
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The Canadian Press
