Today in Music History for Nov. 30:
In 1915, blues singer and guitarist Brownie McGhee, best known for his collaborations with harmonica player Sonny Terry, was born in Knoxville, Tenn. McGhee started performing with Terry in the late 1930s, although the duo didn’t really become popular until the folk music boom in the 1950s. McGhee also performed often on his own, and in 1948 had a best-selling R&B record, "My Fault." McGhee died of cancer on Feb. 16, 1996.
In 1929, Dick Clark, who was once described as the most influential person in the pop music industry, was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y. He was the host of television’s longest-running pop music series, "American Bandstand," which began as a local show in Philadelphia in 1952. Clark became the host in 1956, a year before the show made its national debut on the ABC network. He relinquished his hosting duties in 1989, and the program continued to run for a while as a weekly show on a U.S. cable channel. At its peak in the early '60s, "American Bandstand" was on the tube five days a week. The program became a showcase for pop performers, particularly for Philadelphia-based teen idols such as Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Chubby Checker. Clark owned substantial interests in music publishing and record companies, and claimed he was a millionaire by age 30. But he sold many of his business holdings following the U.S. congressional payola investigations in 1960. He thrived as the founder of Dick Clark Productions, supplying movies, game and music shows, beauty contests and more to TV. Since 1974, he was host to an annual New Year's Eve special from New York's Times Square, but his role diminished after suffering a stroke in 2004 that affected his ability to speak and walk. American Idol's Ryan Seacrest assumed hosting duties in 2009 while Clark continued to make limited appearances. Clark died on April 18, 2012.
In 1931, country singer Teddy Wilburn was born in Thayer, Mo. He and his brother, Doyle, began working as a duo following the Korean War, touring with such artists as Webb Pierce and Faron Young. "The Wilburn Brothers" hit the country top-10 in 1956 with "Go Away With Me." They were at the peak of their popularity in 1959, when three of their songs -- "Which One Is to Blame?", "Somebody Back in Town" and "A Woman’s Intuition" -- became major hits. "The Wilburn Brothers" also formed a talent agency which represented many of Nashville’s leading artists, including Loretta Lynn. Teddy died Nov. 24, 2003.
In 1932, bassist Bob Moore was born, one of the top Nashville session players who worked with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and countless others.
In 1965, the Colorado State legislature declared "Rolling Stones Day" in honour of the group’s performance that night in Denver.
In 1969, "Simon and Garfunkel’s" first TV special was broadcast. AT&T withdrew its sponsorship over use of footage from Vietnam and Robert Kennedy’s funeral.
In 1972, the Montreal blues-rock band "Offenbach" recorded a performance of its "Mass for the Dead" at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. Later in the decade, "Offenbach" became one of the leading rock bands in Quebec.
In 1977, David Bowie sang a duet of "Little Drummer Boy" with Bing Crosby on his Christmas special.
In 1982, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album was released. It is the biggest-selling LP in history, with various sources estimating between 65 and 110 million copies sold worldwide. In Canada, it sold over two million copies while sales in the U.S. totalled more than 30 million. From the LP came the million-selling singles "This Girl Is Mine," a duet with Paul McCartney, "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." In 1984, Jackson won a record eight Grammy awards, including album of the year.
In 1988, LL Cool J performed the first rap concert in Africa, in Cote D’Ivoire.
In 1991, Rob Pilatus, half of the disgraced "Milli Vanilli" lip-synching duo, attempted suicide in West Hollywood, Calif. Police said he slashed his wrist, took pills and straddled a hotel’s ninth-floor balcony railing before being taken into custody. Pilatus and partner Fabrice Morvan were forced to give up their 1990 Grammy Award for Best New Artist after it was revealed they didn’t sing on their best-selling album "Girl You Know It’s True." Pilatus died of an overdose of pills and liquor in a Frankfurt, Germany hotel room on April 2, 1998.
In 1992, Colombian authorities banned huge rock concerts following a riot after a "Guns N’ Roses" show in Bogota. Twenty people were hurt after about 1,500 people, most of whom could not get tickets for the concert, fought with police, smashed cars and looted stores.
In 1993, David Houston, who had half a dozen No. 1 country hits in the 1960s, died of a ruptured brain aneurysm at age 57. Seventeen of Houston’s records made the top-10 between 1963-71.
In 1994, "Live at the BBC," the first album of fresh recordings by "The Beatles" in almost 25 years, was released in Britain and continental Europe. Its North American release came six days later. The 56 songs on the two-CD set were recorded for radio shows between 1962-65. In London, eager fans lined up for hours outside record stores, some of which opened at midnight to sell the album. Within four days, "Live at the BBC" was No. 1 on the British chart.
In 1994, Connie Kay, drummer with "The Modern Jazz Quartet" for nearly 40 years, died in New York at age 67. He had suffered a stroke in 1992 but recovered enough to work with the quartet again. The group projected a serious image on stage and performed mainly exploratory works such as "Django" and "No Sun in Venice."
In 1996, ukulele-playing, falsetto-voiced entertainer Tiny Tim died of a heart attack. He collapsed after performing his signature tune "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." Tiny Tim, whose real name was Herbert Khaury, was 66. He built his career on that song. His recording of it made the top-20 in 1968. Tiny Tim’s marriage in 1969 to Vicki Budinger on Johnny Carson’s "The Tonight Show" attracted 40 million viewers.
In 1998, "Across the Bridge of Hope," an all-star benefit album for victims of a bombing in Northern Ireland, was released in Britain. "U2," Sinead O’Connor, Van Morrison and "Boyzone" were among those who contributed tracks. The bombing in Omagh the previous August killed 29 people and injured 370.
In 2000, "Loverboy" bass guitarist Scott Smith drowned when he was swept off his sailboat near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. He was 45. His body was never found. He joined the band in 1980, as the Vancouver-based rock group began its recording career. "Loverboy" sold more than 23 million records during the 1980s and won six Juno awards in 1982. Their hits included "Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend." It disbanded in 1988 but reunited five years later.
In 2009, the National Arts Centre bestowed its prestigious awards, valued at $75,000 each, on three contemporary composers, John Estacio, Peter Paul Koprowski and Ana Sokolovic.
In 2010, about 3,000 giddy, screaming Keith Urban fans packed the indoor hockey rink at West Edmonton Mall for a free mini-concert by the Aussie country-pop star to promote his newly released album, "Get Closer."
In 2010, El Debarge released his fifth solo album and first in 16 years, "Second Chance."
In 2011, the French government awarded rocker Lenny Kravitz the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony in Paris. Kravitz said his first big break was at a 1989 music festival in Rennes, France.
In 2011, country music star Tim McGraw won a court ruling in Nashville allowing him sign with another record label and keep recording while a lawsuit against him by Curb Records continued. The record company believed he didn't fulfil his obligation for a fifth album. (He signed a multi-album deal with Scott Borchetta's Big Machine Records in May 2012)
In 2012, Katy Perry was named Woman of the Year at Billboard's annual Women in Music event while B.C.'s "Call Me Maybe"-singer Carly Rae Jepsen was presented with the Rising Star award.
In 2017, Jim Nabors, who starred as Gomer Pyle on TV's "The Andy Griffith Show" and then on his own popular spinoff, died at age 87. He was also known for his rich baritone voice, recording more than two dozen albums and singing with the Dallas and St. Louis symphony orchestras.
In 2021, Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd, along with Americans Olivia Rodrigo and H.E.R., all won Apple Music Awards. The Weeknd was named global artist of the year, a step up from the category last year, which was mere artist of the year.
----
The Canadian Press