TODAY-MUSIC-HISTORY-AUG09

Today in Music History for Aug. 9:

In 1914, Canadian fiddler King Ganam was born Ameen Sied in Swift Current, Sask., to Syrian-English parents. He formed "The Sons of the West" in Edmonton in 1942. They won the World Open Western Band Competition in Vancouver in 1950. Ganam moved to Toronto in 1952, and was featured on several radio and TV shows, including CBC's "Country Hoedown" from 1956-59. "The King Ganam Show" was on the CTV network in the 1961 season. Four albums of Ganam's western swing tunes, reels and polkas were issued on RCA's Camden label. He died in Carlsbad, Calif. on April 26, 1994, following a stroke.

In 1934, country songwriter and singer Merle Kilgore was born in Chickasha, Okla. Although he was a regular on the "Louisiana Hayride" radio show throughout the 1950s and had several country hits in the early '60s, Kilgore is better known for his writing. Among his compositions are "Wolverton Mountain," Claude King's 1962 million-seller, which he co-wrote with King, and "Ring of Fire," co-written with June Carter and a million-seller for Johnny Cash in 1963. He died Feb. 6, 2005.

In 1947, Hank Williams's first single, "Move It On Over," entered the Billboard country chart. It would get as high as No. 4.

In 1963, "Ready, Steady, Go," one of the numerous pop music programs on British television in the wake of "The Beatles'" success, was first broadcast. In the three-and-a-half years it was on the air, "Ready, Steady Go" introduced most of the top British groups, as well as previewing the latest dances and fashions.

In 1963, singer-actress-producer Whitney Houston was born in Newark, N.J. She was the daughter of 1970s R&B singer Cissy Houston and a cousin of Dionne Warwick. She was unquestionably the top female pop singer of the '80s and '90s. Houston was the first female artist to have an album debut at No. 1 on Billboard. That was her 1985 self-titled debut. She repeated the feat with her second album, "Whitney," in 1987. Houston's chart-topping hit singles included "All the Man That I Need," "Didn't We Almost Have It All" and "Greatest Love of All." In 1993, her "I Will Always Love You" became the longest-running No. 1 pop single of the rock era, topping the Billboard chart for the 14 weeks. (In 1995, "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and "Boyz II Men" broke the record spending 16 weeks at No. 1). Houston appeared in several movies including "The Bodyguard," "Waiting to Exhale," and "The Preacher's Wife." She was producer on "The Princess Diaries." She won several Grammy, Emmy and American Music Awards, among others. But her majestic voice was ravaged by drug use and her regal image was tarnished by erratic behaviour and a tumultuous marriage to "New Edition" singer Bobby Brown. She died Feb. 11, 2012, found submerged in the bathtub of her suite in a Los Angeles hotel.

In 1967, concert officials at the Sunbury Jazz and Blues Festival in England asked Jerry Lee Lewis to leave the stage because they thought the crowd had gotten too wild during Lewis’ performance.

In 1973, Australian rock journalist Lillian Roxon died in New York City of a severe asthma attack. She was 41. Roxon's "Rock Encyclopedia," published in 1969, was one of the first serious, and at the time most comprehensive, reference books on rock music.

In 1974, trumpeter Bill Chase and three other members of his jazz-rock group, "Chase," died when their light plane crashed near Jackson, Minn. Also killed were drummer Walter Clark, keyboards player Wallace Yohn and guitarist John Emma. Chase organized his band in 1970, and their debut album the following year was voted the No. 1 album in the annual readers' poll conducted by "Downbeat" magazine. The LP yielded a hit single, "Get It On." The group disbanded after a couple more albums. Chase had just organized an almost entirely new band when the crash occurred.

In 1975, Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich died. His works included 15 symphonies plus operas, ballets and film and theatre scores. He is considered one of the most prominent composers in 20th century classical music. His ambitions were challenged several times throughout his career by official denunciations in Soviet newspapers, who accused him of creating work that fell outside of Soviet orthodoxy. "Symphony No. 7 in C Major", nicknamed "Leningrad", became a symbol of resistance during the pressures and trials of the Second World War.

In 1986, a 21-year-old man was stabbed to death during "Queen's" set at the Knebworth Festival in Britain. Thomas McGuigan bled to death before medics could get through the crowd of 120,000 to help him.

In 1990, a judge in Daytona Beach, Fla., ordered two members of the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" rock group to each pay $5,000 to a rape crisis centre. Michael "Flea" Balzary and Chad Smith were also ordered to apologize to a 20-year-old college student they sexually harassed during a Spring Break beach concert. The two spanked the woman and tried to peel off her swimsuit bottom.

In 1995, Jerry Garcia, leader of the "Grateful Dead," died of a heart attack at a residential treatment centre in Forest Knolls, Calif. He was 53. He reportedly was trying to kick his recurring heroin habit. A coroner said Garcia had used heroin within days of his death, but the drug did not contribute directly to his heart attack. The band broke up after Garcia's death (former members reunited as "The Other Ones" and "The Dead" for various tours). Despite their legions of fans known as "Deadheads," the "Grateful Dead" had only one top-10 hit, 1987's "Touch of Grey."

In 1999, guitarist Paul (Bonehead) Arthurs quit British rock band "Oasis." Barely two weeks later, bassist Paul (Guigsy) McGuigan also quit.

In 2009, Miley Cyrus won six surfboard-shaped trophies at the Teen Choice Awards, including comedy TV actress and comedy TV show for "Hannah Montana," music/dance movie actress and hissy fit for the "Hannah Montana" movie, music single for "The Climb" and summer song for "Before the Storm." Country crossover star Taylor Swift was voted winner in the Female Artist category and in the Album Female Artist category for "Fearless."

In 2012, Grammy award-winning saxophonist Kenny G filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. He married Balynda Helene Benson-Gorelick in April 1992 and they had one child together.

In 2014, Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill broke his ribs after the band's tour bus driver was forced to brake suddenly when a pedestrian crossed the street in front of the vehicle after a show in Boston. The Grammy-winning group had to cancel its next nine shows.

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The Canadian Press

2024-07-26T14:13:08Z dg43tfdfdgfd