Today in Music History for May 16:
In 1896, violinist Frantz Jehin-Prume, the first musician of international reputation to choose Canada as his home, gave his final concert in Montreal with pianist Victoria Cartier. Now considered one of the most accomplished artists in Canadian history, Jehin-Prume died in 1899 at age 60.
In 1913, band leader Woody Herman was born in Milwaukee. He joined Isham Jones' band in 1934 and took over that orchestra two years later when Jones retired because of ill health. The band became the first Woody Herman Herd, and was known as "The Band That Plays the Blues." The band's fortunes began to grow following the 1939 release of their recording of "Woodchopper's Ball." Herman's band became louder and more brassy in the mid-'40s and topped major magazine polls. In the following decades, the band moved in a jazz-rock direction, then returned to a more pure jazz style. Herman died in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure on Oct. 29, 1987.
In 1919, pianist Liberace, whose full name was Wladziu Valentino Liberace, was born in West Milwaukee, Wis. His overly sentimental pop tunes and frilly, condensed versions of the classics built him into one of the hottest show business personalities in the 1950s. Liberace's trademarks included candlebra on the piano and outlandish costumes that weren't matched until some of the rock groups of the '70s came along. His audience consisted mainly of middle-aged women, some of whom behaved much as rock groupies did a decade later. Liberace died Feb. 4, 1987, from conditions related to AIDS.
In 1946, the musical "Annie Get Your Gun," featuring songs by Irving Berlin and starring Ethel Merman, opened on Broadway.
In 1947, Barbara Lee of "The Chiffons" was born in New York City. The group had several hits in the early 1960s, including 1963's "He's So Fine." She died May 15, 1992.
In 1951, the newly-formed Canadian League of Composers was introduced to the public at a concert at the Royal Conservatory of Music Concert Hall in Toronto. A string orchestra and soloists performed music by John Weinzweig, the league's president.
In 1955, the CBC Symphony Orchestra made its public debut at Massey Hall in Toronto. Formed in 1952, it performed only on radio for the first three years of its existence. The orchestra was disbanded in 1964.
In 1960, Berry Gordy Jr. formed Motown Records.
In 1966, "The Beach Boys" album "Pet Sounds" was released. Although it only barely made the top-10, the album has since become regarded as a classic and their best. "Pet Sounds" gained new fans through its 1990 release on CD.
In 1969, Pete Townshend of "The Who" spent a night in jail in New York City after being charged with assault. The group was performing at the Fillmore East when fire broke out at a supermarket next door. A plainclothes policeman jumped onto the stage to warn the crowd, and Townshend -- thinking the cop was a member of the audience -- booted him off. Townshend was bailed out by Bill Graham, owner of the Fillmore.
In 1969, Jack Casady, bassist with "Jefferson Airplane," was arrested for narcotics possession in New Orleans. He received a two-and-a-half-year suspended sentence.
In 1970, Marty Balin, vocalist of the "Jefferson Airplane," and two others were charged in suburban Minneapolis with possession of marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of minors after a party involving teenage girls. Balin ended up paying a $100 fine.
In 1980, Dr. George C. Nichopoulous, known to his patients as "Dr. Nick," was indicted in Memphis on 14 counts of illegally prescribing drugs to Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and others.
In 1981, pianist, arranger and producer Ernie Freeman died of a heart attack at age 58. His 1957 recording of "Raunchy" was a close second to Bill Justis' version in popularity, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard chart. Freeman also produced records for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Connie Francis. He also masqueraded as pianist B. Bumble on "Bumble Boogie," a 1961 hit by "B. Bumble and the Stingers."
In 1983, Michael Jackson's famous moonwalk was seen by the public for the first time as he performed "Billie Jean" on the Motown 25 anniversary special on NBC.
In 1986, country singer Johnny Paycheck was found guilty of shooting and wounding a man after an argument in a bar in Hillsboro, Ohio. Paycheck, best known for his 1978 hit "Take This Job and Shove It," was sentenced to up to nine-and-a-half years in prison.
In 1987, rock musician David Crosby married longtime girlfriend Jan Dance in a traditional religious service in Los Angeles. The ceremony also featured a renewal of wedding vows by Crosby's sometime musical partner, Graham Nash, and Susan, his wife of 10 years.
In 1990, singer, dancer and actor Sammy Davis Jr. died in Los Angeles after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 64. Davis began his show business training early, travelling with his father Sammy Sr. and uncle Will Mastin in a vaudeville act. He made his Broadway debut in "Mr. Wonderful" in 1956, and played New York again in 1966's "Golden Boy." His movie appearances were largely forgettable, the highlight being his role as Sportin' Life in "Porgy and Bess" in 1959. He was a frequent headliner in Las Vegas and a recording star as well. His best-known songs are "I've Gotta Be Me" from 1969 and "The Candy Man," a No. 1 hit in 1972.
In 1993, singer Marv Johnson, who helped create the Motown sound with Berry Gordy Jr., died after suffering a stroke at a concert in Columbia, S.C. He was 54. Johnson recorded the first-ever Motown record, "Come to Me," in 1959. It was released on the United Artists label because Motown was just a production company at the time. Johnson's hit-making peak came in 1960, when he had two top-10 hits, "You Got What It Takes" and "I Love the Way You Love."
In 1998, Keith Richards hurt his chest and ribs when he fell off a ladder while reaching for a book at his Connecticut home. The accident forced "The Rolling Stones" to postpone the European leg of their "Bridges to Babylon" tour.
In 1998, the "Titanic" soundtrack, featuring Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," slipped from the top of the Billboard album chart, dethroned after 16 weeks by "Before These Crowded Streets" from "The Dave Matthews Band."
In 2000, Prince announced he was dropping the Love Symbol as his name and was going back to being called Prince again after his publishing contract with Warner expired. He had adopted the unpronounceable symbol during a legal battle over the artistic and financial control of his music.
In 2009, Montreal-born musician Gonzales, born Jason Charles Beck, began his Guinness World Record for the longest concert by a solo artist. He played the piano for 27 hours, three minutes and 44 seconds, performing 240 songs, including the Canadian national anthem. The previous record was 26 hours and 12 minutes, set by Prasanna Gudi in December 2008.
In 2010, Ronnie James Dio, the metal legend who replaced Ozzy Osbourne in "Black Sabbath" in 1980 and later piloted the bands "Dio" and "Heaven & Hell," died of stomach cancer in Los Angeles. He was 67.
In 2010, country music stars Brad Paisley, "Lady Antebellum," Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Rodney Atkins, Kellie Pickler and many others performed a benefit concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It raised almost US$2 million for victims of the May 3rd flood in Tennessee.
In 2012, Chuck Brown, who styled a unique brand of funk music as a singer, guitarist and songwriter known as the "godfather of go-go," died after suffering from pneumonia. He was 75.
In 2012, Doug Dillard, an influential banjo player who helped shape rock 'n' roll and introduce the nation to bluegrass music during a popular run on "The Andy Griffith Show," died in Nashville. He was 75.
In 2013, R&B vocalist Candice Glover was crowned the new "American Idol" as last original judge Randy Jackson bade farewell after 12 seasons on the FOX-TV singing competition.
In 2014, Tim Lambesis, lead singer of Grammy-nominated heavy metal band "As I Lay Dying," was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty in February to trying to hire someone to kill his estranged wife.
In 2016, Rihanna's "Needed Me" became her 29th Billlboard Hot 100 top-10 as lead artist, tying her with Michael Jackson for third-most and trailing only The Beatles (34) and Madonna (38). (In February 2017, she added a 30th with "Love on the Brain.")
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The Canadian Press