Today in Music History for Jan. 8:
In 1921, Canadian soprano Beatrice LaPalme, one of the most sought-after artists of her generation, died in Montreal at the age of 42.
In 1923, Canadian soprano Sarah Fischer sang the role of Pamina in "The Magic Flute," the first opera broadcast from Covent Garden in London.
In 1935, the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," Elvis Presley, was born in Tupelo, Miss. His early recordings for Sun Records in Memphis were a revolutionary blend of white country-and-western and black R&B that changed the face of pop music forever. During the 1950s, Presley earned more gold records than other stars gain in an entire career. He made almost no personal or TV appearances after his two-year stint in the U.S. Army ended in 1960. Yet his popularity scarcely dimmed, largely because of his string of successful movies. Towards the end of the '60s, when his career finally did slow down, Elvis made a dramatic comeback through personal and TV appearances. But the years of success -- and alcohol and drug abuse -- took their toll. He was found dead in his Graceland Mansion in Memphis on Aug. 16, 1977.
In 1947, rock musician and film star David Bowie was born in London. Like many British musicians of his era, he began by playing rhythm-and-blues. His familiar androgynous stage persona made its first appearance in the early 1970s following the release of the album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." After Ziggy Stardust, the stuttering rock sound of "Changes" gave way to the disco soul of "Young Americans," co-written with John Lennon, to a droning collaboration with Brian Eno in Berlin that produced "Heroes." He had some of his biggest successes in the early 1980s with the bombastic "Let's Dance," and a massive American tour. Another one of his definitive songs was "Under Pressure," which he recorded with Queen. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, but he didn't attend the ceremony. He died on Jan. 10, 2016, after an 18-month battle with cancer, just two days after turning 69 and releasing his new album "Blackstar."
In 1966, the last episode of ABC television's "Shindig" rock music show was broadcast. Guests were "The Kinks" and "The Who." "Shindig" had been on the air for nearly two years.
In 1974, "KISS," the theatrical rock band with painted faces, signed with Casablanca Records. Their heavy-metal thudding was panned by critics, but they still managed to become one of the decade's biggest-selling acts.
In 1979, the Canadian government named Rush its official "Ambassadors of Music."
In 1979, Sara Carter, a member of country music's legendary "Carter Family," died.
In 1989, "42nd Street" closed after eight years and 3,486 performances seen by 10 million people. It told the tale of a chorus girl replacing an aging star who breaks her ankle just before opening night.
In 1990, Toronto-born saxophonist Georgie Auld died of lung cancer at his home in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 70.
In 1991, Steve Clark, guitarist for the hard-rock band "Def Leppard," was found dead in his London home. He was 30. A coroner ruled Clark "was a very heavy drinker who seemingly had abused drugs and regrettably paid the price." Clark, lead singer Joe Elliott and bassist Rick Savage formed "Def Leppard" in January 1978. Their million-selling albums include "High 'n' Dry," "Pyromania" and "Hysteria." "Pyromania," released in 1983, sold seven million copies in the U.S. alone.
In 1993, the Elvis Presley postage stamp went on sale in the U.S. on what would have been the singer's 58th birthday. The U.S. postal service printed 500 million of the 29-cent stamps -- the most ever for a commemorative issue.
In 1994, 40,000 in Bombay saw Bryan Adams perform in India's first stadium concert in more than four years.
In 1995, composer Louis Gaste, who wrote the song that was plagiarized as the hit "Feelings," died at his Paris home at age 88.
In 1996, Robert Dewey Hoskins was found guilty of stalking Madonna.
In 2005, "Motley Crue" singer Vince Neil married Lia Gerardini in Las Vegas. It was his fourth marriage, her second.
In 2009, R&B singer R. Kelly's divorce from his wife, Andrea, was finalized after 11 years of marriage. They had three children together.
In 2012, Bulgarian-born pianist Alexis Weissenberg, whose love of music from the age of three saved him and his mother in a concentration camp and carried him to the heights of 20th century performances with Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein, died at age 82.
In 2013, Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer David Bowie, on his 66th birthday, released his first song in 10 years titled "Where Are We Now?" from his upcoming album "The Next Day."
In 2013, a second coroner's report confirmed that Grammy Award-winning singer Amy Winehouse died from accidental alcohol poisoning when she resumed drinking after a period of abstinence. She was found dead on July 23, 2011, at her London home with a blood alcohol level five times the legal driving limit, and above a level that can prove fatal.
In 2015, Andrae Crouch, the legendary Grammy Award-winning gospel performer, songwriter and choir director whose work graced songs by Michael Jackson and Madonna and movies such as "The Lion King," died in a L.A. hospital almost a week after suffering a heart attack. He was 72.
In 2015, an acetate copy of the first song Elvis Presley ever recorded, "My Happiness," backed with "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," sold at auction for US$300,000 on what would have been the King of Rock 'n' Roll's 80th birthday. He recorded it in 1953 at Sun Records, the Memphis studio operated by Sam Phillips, and it was meant as a gift for his mother Gladys but he left it at a friend's house. It was later discovered that rocker Jack White was the bidder and he re-issued the record on vinyl on his Third Man Records label for Record Store Day.
In 2016, R&B artist Otis Clay, a Blues Hall of Fame musician who also was a community activist on Chicago's West Side, died at age 73.
In 2017, the musical "La La Land" danced its way to a record seven Golden Globes, including best motion picture (musical or comedy), and awards for its stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as well as director Damien Chazelle.
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The Canadian Press