This Day in Music: January 11th

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Born on this day:

1895, Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ
1924, Slim Harpo, blues harmonica player, singer
1942, Clarence Clemons, saxophone, E Street Band
1952, Lee Ritenour, jazz guitarist
1958, Vicki Peterson, guitar, vocals, The Bangles
1968, Tom Dumont, guitar, No Doubt
1971, Mary J. Blige, R&B singer, songwriter
1971, Tom Rowlands, The Chemical Brothers
1981, Tom Meighan, vocals, Kasabian

1958, The release date for the Elvis Presley single “Jailhouse Rock” was put back a week after Decca Records pressing plants in the U.K. were unable to meet the advance orders of 250,000 copies.

1964, Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash became the first country album to go to #1 on the U.S. album chart.

1965, The Righteous Brothers arrived in Britain for a promotional visit, appearing on three TV shows – Ready Steady Go!, Scene At 6.30 and Discs A Go-Go.

1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded “Purple Haze.” Jimi also signed to the new record label Track Records on this day. For more on this story, see This Day in Music Spotlight.

1978, Elvis Costello and the Attractions appeared at Newcastle City Hall, England.

1985, A Brazilian rock festival held in Rio claimed to be the biggest ever staged. The festival featured featured Queen, Rod Stewart, AC/DC, Whitesnake, Yes and Iron Maiden.

1992, Nirvana appeared on Saturday Night Live. Also on this day, Nevermind went to #1 on the U.S. album chart.

1998, Rolling Stone magazine readers poll picked Be Here Now by Oasis as album of the year.

1999, Ex-Mighty Wah singer Pete Wylie appeared in a Liverpool Court charged with making threats to kill his ex-girlfriend.

2002, Mickey Finn, percussionist and sideman to Marc Bolan in T. Rex, died of kidney and liver problems at age 55.

2005, Former Bread guitarist and Academy Award-winning songwriter James Griffin died at his home in Nashville at the age of 61 after suffering from cancer. Bread had the 1970s hits “Make It with You,” “Baby I’m-a Want You” and “Everything I Own.”

2008, Ringo Starr helped launch the celebrations for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. He was joined by acrobats who dangled on wires from cranes as the opening party kicked off a year-long program of more than 350 events. Organizers hoped the Capital of Culture tag would attract an extra 2 million visitors to Liverpool and boost the economy by ?100m.

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