Today in Music History for Aug. 28:
In 1948, Danny Seraphine, the original drummer and founding member of "Chicago," was born in the city from which the group takes its name. Called the "Chicago Transit Authority" for its first album in 1969, the group soon shortened its name and altered its jazz-rock style to a more melodic pop approach. Among "Chicago's" hits during the 1970s were "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," "25 or 6 to 4," "Saturday in the Park" and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day." After a downturn in fortunes in the late '70s, "Chicago" hit No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart in 1982 with "Hard to Say I'm Sorry." Seraphine was let go from "Chicago" in May 1990. He then worked on musical and theatrical projects, including producing and seeking investment for Broadway shows. He's also worked as executive producer on movies.
In 1961, Motown released its first No. 1 hit, “Please Mr. Postman” by "The Marvelettes."
In 1963, "Peter, Paul and Mary" performed "Blowin' in the Wind" before 200,000 civil rights marchers gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial to hear Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The trio also joined Joan Baez and Bob Dylan to lead the demonstrators in singing "We Shall Overcome."
In 1964, "The Beatles" performed before 15,000 screaming fans at the first of two concerts at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in New York. After the first concert, "The Beatles" met Bob Dylan, who is reported to have introduced John, Paul, George and Ringo to marijuana.
In 1965, Bob Dylan, backed by Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson and other musicians who later became known as "The Band," was booed off stage at Forest Hills Stadium in New York for playing electric guitar. Dylan had abandoned pure folk music earlier that year with the album "Bringing It All Back Home."
In 1965, "The Rolling Stones" announced that Allen Klein would join Andrew Loog Oldham in managing their career. Oldham had been directing the band on his own since 1963. On the same day, "The Stones" announced they had signed a new five-year recording contract with British Decca. After splitting with the group, Klein briefly managed business affairs for "The Beatles."
In 1965, country singer Shania Twain was born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ont. Growing up in Timmins, Ont., she began her music career as the headline vocalist in musical productions at a northern Ontario resort. Focusing on country music, she recorded a demo tape in Nashville in 1991 followed by her first album. But it was her 1994 followup, "The Woman In Me," that made Twain a major international star with more than 10 million albums sold and four top-10 country hits. That album was her first with her producer, songwriting partner and now ex-husband Robert (Mutt) Lange. Twain's 1997 album, "Come On Over" was even more of a smash, with such hit tracks as "You're Still The One," "From This Moment On", "That Don't Impress Me Much" and "Man! I Feel Like A Woman." By March 2000, that album was confirmed as both the best-selling album in country music history, and the best-selling album ever by a female artist. Twain has won several awards including Grammys, Junos and American Music Awards.
In 1967, the "Grateful Dead" and "Big Brother and the Holding Company" played at the wake for Hell's Angel member (Chocolate George) Hendricks. Hendricks was struck by a car driven by a tourist in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury section.
In 1972, "David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars" made their debut at Carnegie Hall in New York. The show featured Bowie in futuristic costumes, outlandish makeup and orange hair. But Bowie was sick with the flu for the New York concert and gave a lacklustre performance.
In 1973, Bobby (Boris) Pickett was awarded a gold record for "Monster Mash" after the novelty tune made the charts for the second time. It was a No. 1 hit when first released in 1962, and made No. 10 when reissued in '73.
In 1975, "The Happy Gang" musical troupe performed two reunion concerts at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. Each concert drew an estimated 15,000 people. "The Happy Gang's" weekday lunchtime show ran on CBC Radio for 22 years, beginning in 1937. It was Canada's longest-running radio show when it left the air in 1959.
In 1982, George Strait's first No. 1 country single, "Fool-Hearted Memory," hit the top of the Billboard chart. (He has accumulated 60 No. 1 songs to date, on various charts.)
In 1986, a "Get Tough on Toxics" concert in Long Beach, Calif., featured Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Neil Young and all of the "Eagles" except Glenn Frey. Frey was in hospital with an intestinal disorder.
In 1986, singer Tina Turner received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1989, fans in Los Angeles took only an hour to snap up more than 77,000 tickets for five Paul McCartney shows in November. They were the former "Beatle's" first L.A. concerts in 13 years.
In 1993, lead singer Bruce Dickinson performed for the last time with "Iron Maiden" at a London concert carried on pay-per-view TV in the U.S. He rejoined the band in 1999.
In 1994, "The Rolling Stones" filled just half of the 78,000 seats at Cleveland Stadium. It was one of the few non-sellouts on their "Voodoo Lounge" tour.
In 1994, Edmonton's phone system was thrown into chaos when tickets for "The Rolling Stones'" "Voodoo Lounge" stop went on sale. Forty-two-thousand of the 50,000 available tickets were sold within 28 minutes, so a second show was added. This made the phone problem even worse. People had to wait one to two minutes even to get a dial tone.
In 1997, police in Noblesville, Ind., accused the hip-hop group "Wu-Tang Clan" of creating a near-riot by urging the audience at a concert to rush the stage. Police estimate nearly half the 13,000 people there took the group up on its offer. No one was hurt and members of the group weren't charged.
In 2003, the MTV Video Music Awards opened with a performance by Madonna, in which she kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera full on the lips.
In 2008, T.I. set a Billboard Hot 100 record with a 71-1 jump with his song "Whatever You Like." Only two weeks later on Oct. 9, he topped that with his single "Live Your Life" (featuring Rihanna) with a jump from 80-1. But those records were short-lived as Britney Spears' comeback single "Womanizer" jumped 96-1 on Oct. 16 and Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" did one better with a 97-1 jump on Jan. 29, 2009.
In 2009, the Los Angeles County coroner officially declared Michael Jackson's death a homicide. Forensic tests determined the cause of death was "acute propofol intoxication." Other sedatives contributed to the death, most notably lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan. Additional drugs detected in Jackson's system were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine. His personal doctor, Conrad Murray, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.
In 2009, celebrity disc jockey D.J. AM (real name Adam Goldstein) was found dead in his apartment. He was 36. He publicly acknowledged his history of drug addiction and had filmed a reality show in which he offered to help other addicts. Toxicology results showed his death was from an accidental overdose of cocaine and prescription drugs. In 2008, Goldstein was badly hurt in a South Carolina plane crash that killed four people and seriously injured rock drummer Travis Barker.
In 2009, country music star Carrie Underwood showed up at an assembly at her old high school in Checotah, Okla., with about $120,000 worth of band and orchestra instruments. They were purchased through her new charity and would go to three local schools.
In 2011, a statue in honour of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was dedicated at the National Mall in Washington. The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, performed "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" for her mentor and friend. He often requested she sing it when she accompanied him to churches in the early days of the civil rights movement.
In 2011, Katy Perry won only three of the 10 categories she was nominated in at the MTV Video Music Awards but captured the most important moonman trophy, Video of the Year, for her inspirational clip "Firework." But Beyonce's belly rubbing gesture after her performance overshadowed everyone else, confirming that she and rapper-husband Jay-Z were expecting their first child. Canadian Justin Bieber won Best Male Video for his song "U Smile" while Britney Spears was honoured with an MTV Video Vanguard award for her visual legacy.
In 2012, "Black Eyed Peas" member will.i.am premiered his new solo single - from Mars. NASA rover Curiosity beamed "Reach for the Stars" to Earth in the first music broadcast from another planet, to the delight of students who gathered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., to listen. The song had been uploaded to the rover, which landed near the equator of Mars on Aug. 5, and played it back - a journey of just over 1,100 million kilometres.
In 2016, Beyonce won eight MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year and Best Female, to give her 24 career Moonmen trophies and break Madonna's record of 20. Canadian rapper Drake won Best Hip Hop Video for "Hotline Bling."
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The Canadian Press