This Day in Music: December 5th

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Born on this day:
1912, Sonny Boy Williamson, harmonica player, singer
1932, Little Richard, singer, pianist
1938, J.J. Cale, guitarist, singer-songwriter
1952, Andy Kim, singer
1965, Johnny Rzeznik, vocals, guitar, Goo Goo Dolls

1965, The Beatles played their last ever show in their hometown of Liverpool when they appeared at The Liverpool Empire during the group’s final UK tour. Only 5,100 tickets were available, but there were 40,000 applications for tickets. The group also had the U.K. #1 single with “We Can Work it Out”/“Day Tripper.”

1968, The release of The Rolling Stones’ new album Beggar’s Banquet was celebrated at a party in London. A food fight with custard pie was the highlight of the event that went on without an ill Keith Richards. For more on this story, see This Day in Music Spotlight.

1970, “Amazing Grace” by Judy Collins entered the U.K. singles chart for the first of eight times; it spent a total of 67 weeks on the chart never making the #1 position.

1987, The Jesus and Mary Chain were banned from appearing on a U.S. music TV show after complaints of blasphemy when the group’s name was flashed across the screen. The CBS show asked the band to be called JAMC but the group didn’t agree.

1992, Whitney Houston started a 10-week run at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with “I Will Always Love You.” The longest-ever run at #1 for a female artist the Dolly Parton-penned song was taken from the Bodyguard soundtrack.

1993, Co-founder of the Gin Blossoms Doug Hopkins died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds at age 32. The guitarist and songwriter was in a detox unit of Phoenix’s St. Luke’s Hospital when he snuck out and bought a .38 caliber pistol. The next day Hopkins committed suicide.

2006, Beatles lyrics handwritten by Sir Paul McCartney to an early version of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” sold for $192,000 at an auction in New York. A guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix fetched $168,000, a notebook containing lyrics written by Bob Marley sold for $72,000 and a poem penned by Doors frontman Jim Morrison made $49,000 at the Christie's sale.

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