History Highlight:
Today in 1957, The Everly Brothers had their first No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Wake Up Little Susie." Some Boston radio stations actually refused to play it due to what were deemed "suggestive lyrics", Don Everly has said. In the song, two teenagers go out on a date and fall asleep during the movie, waking up way past curfew. Scandalous!
Also, Today In:
1968 - The Jackson Five made their national TV debut on ABC's Hollywood Palace.
1969 - Police in New Jersey issued a warrant for the arrest of Frank Sinatra in relation to his connections with the Mafia.
1972 - Michael Jackson went to No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Ben." The song was Jackson's first U.S. No. 1 solo hit; he was 14 years old at the time.
1988 - Def Leppard became first act in chart history to sell seven million copies of two consecutive LPs, with Pyromania (released in 1983) and Hysteria, (released in 1987 and which became the band's best-selling album to date, selling more than 20 million copies worldwide, and spawning six hit singles).
1989 - Mötley Crüe started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Dr. Feelgood.
1990 - Renowned American composer, pianist and conductor Leonard Bernstein died of pneumonia. He composed music for the 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront and for the 1957 musical West Side Story. Bernstein conducted the New York Philharmonic at age 25. He wrote three symphonies, two operas, five musicals, and numerous other pieces.
1996 - Madonna gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Lourdes. The father is her personal trainer, Carlos Leon.
2000 - The Beatles' official autobiography Anthology hit No. 1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list.
2004 - Eric Clapton was suspended from driving in France after being caught speeding at 134 mph in his Porsche 911 Turbo in the countryside south of Dijon. He was given a fine and his UK license was confiscated. After paying his fine, Clapton posed for photographs with the local gendarmes and then left the scene in his Porsche; his secretary was behind the wheel.
2006 - Freddy Fender died of complications from lung cancer at the age of 69. Fender is known for the hits "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" (U.S. No. 1 in 1975) and "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights."
2006 - Opening for Rascal Flatts at Madison Square Garden, Eric Church went off-kilter, playing "Crazy Train" and staying on stage past his allotted time. He was kicked off the tour and replaced by a talented newcomer named Taylor Swift.
2008 - Illustrator and rock cartoonist Ray Lowry died. He contributed illustrations for NME, Punch, Private Eye and The Guardian and designed the artwork for The Clash album London Calling.
2009 - Paul McCartney was named Songwriter of The Year at the 29th Annual ASCAP Awards in London, England. The awards presentation honored songwriters and publishers of the most performed works in the U.S. during 2008.
2011 - Chuck Ruff (drummer for Edgar Winter Group and Sammy Hagar) died in San Francisco, California, after a lengthy illness at age 60.
2011 - After 27 years of marriage, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth announced they were breaking up.
2014 - Isaiah "Ikey" Owens the American keyboardist known for his work with The Mars Volta, Jack White and an array of bands from the Long Beach music scene died aged 39.
2014 - Pop singer Kesha filed a civil lawsuit against her longtime producer, Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald), in a bid to be released from her contract. She cited years of physical, verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of the producer, who denied all charges.
Birthdays:
Cliff Richard is 79.
Thomas Dolby, best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science" and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", is 61.
Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks is 45.
Usher is 40.