Today in Music History for Nov. 24:
In 1868, Scott Joplin, the foremost composer of ragtime music, was born in Texarkana, Texas. Ragtime was the earliest form of jazz to become widely popular. It began about 1893 and its appeal lasted until the beginning of the First World War. Joplin's most famous tune, "Maple Leaf Rag," was composed near the beginning of his career, in 1899. Although Joplin enjoyed considerable success as a ragtime composer, he suffered a major failure in 1911 when he attempted a ragtime opera, "Treemonisha." This setback, and the decline of ragtime in general, hit Joplin hard. In 1916, he was confined to a mental hospital in New York, where he died on April 11, 1917. Joplin's music enjoyed a revival after its use in the 1973 film "The Sting."
In 1924, Canadian cellist Lorne Munroe was born in Winnipeg. He was principal cello of the Philadelphia Orchestra for 13 years, beginning in 1951. At the invitation of conductor Leonard Bernstein, Munroe assumed a similar position with the New York Philharmonic in 1964.
In 1944, Adam Mitchell, guitarist and singer with the late-1960s Canadian rock band, "The Paupers," was born in Glasgow, Scotland. "The Paupers" toured widely in the U.S. and Canada in 1967 and '68, recorded two albums and had modest hits with "If I Call You By Some Name" and "Simple Deed." After "The Paupers" broke up in mid-'68, Mitchell turned to record production.
In 1950, "Guys and Dolls," Frank Loesser's musical based on Damon Runyan's New York characters, opened on Broadway. It was later made into a movie with Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Stubby Kaye.
In 1958, two rock 'n' roll classics were released -- Ritchie Valens' "Donna" and Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops."
In 1966, "The Beatles" began recording sessions for their next album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." However, the song they recorded on this date, "Strawberry Fields Forever," did not make it onto that album.
In 1972, the television show "In Concert," produced by Don Kirshner, premiered on ABC. Guests on the first show were Alice Cooper, Chuck Berry, "Blood, Sweat and Tears," "Seals and Crofts," "Poco" and "The Allman Brothers Band."
In 1972, Rick Nelson was awarded a gold record for "Garden Party," his song about the poor reception he received when he performed new songs at a rock 'n' roll revival show at Madison Square Garden. "Garden Party" was Nelson's first major hit in eight years.
In 1984, Canadian composer and music teacher Godfrey Ridout died in Toronto at the age of 66. He guided some of Canada's best-known musicians during his tenure at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music, from 1948 until his retirement in 1982. As a composer, Ridout is best remembered for his orchestral works. His "Music For a Young Prince," composed with Prince Charles in mind, was commissioned for the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
In 1985, Big Joe Turner, one of the forefathers of rock 'n' roll, died at age 74 from multiple causes following a heart attack. Turner had been singing for more than 20 years when he recorded such R&B classics as "Chains of Love," "Honey Hush" and "Shake, Rattle and Roll" in the early 1950s. Turner had performed in the swing era with Benny Goodman, and in 1938 appeared with pianist Pete Johnson at a famous Carnegie Hall concert that sparked a craze for boogie-woogie. In this music lay the roots of the R&B that began to surface in the late 1940s. Turner turned to R&B himself when he signed with Atlantic Records in 1951. His 1954 recording of "Shake, Rattle and Roll" made the R&B top-10, but it was the cover version by "Bill Haley and the Comets" later that year that sold one million copies. In later years, Turner returned to jazz singing, performing with such artists as Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie.
In 1991, "Queen" lead singer Freddie Mercury died at his home in London, one day after revealing that he was stricken by AIDS. He was 45. Queen's elaborate and bombastic songs were scorned by the critics but hailed by fans in the late 1970s. The band's many hits included "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Another One Bites the Dust."
In 1991, "KISS" drummer Eric Carr died in New York at age 41 of complications from cancer. He had been in a coma for about two months. Carr joined "KISS" in 1980 after founding member Peter Criss departed. Carr recorded eight albums with "KISS," from "The Elders" in 1981 to 1990's "Hot in the Shade," which contained the top-10 hit "Forever."
In 1991, Little Richard performed the ceremony as singer Cyndi Lauper wed actor David Thornton in New York. Guests included Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman, and actor John Turturro. Patti LaBelle sang "A Whiter Shade of Pale."
In 1992, Michael Jackson showed up in New York to help send off more than $2 million worth of relief supplies for the war-torn Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. Jackson's Heal the World Foundation teamed with AmeriCares to deliver the 42-and-a-half tonnes of medical supplies, blankets, winter clothing and shoes. The supplies were donated by U.S. corporations.
In 1992, "Rolling Stone" Bill Wyman agreed to an $800,000 divorce settlement with his former wife, 22-year-old Mandy Smith. She had been seeking $7.5 million from the 56-year-old Wyman. He said they had spent only five days together as man and wife after their marriage in June 1989.
In 1993, it was revealed that mass murderer Charles Manson wrote "Look at Your Game, Girl," the 13th and final track on "Guns N' Roses" album "The Spaghetti Incident." Only the first 12 tracks were listed on the album cover. Lead singer Axl Rose said he felt the song deserved an audience although he called Manson a "sick individual." Geffen Records later announced royalties from the song would go to the son of one of Manson's murder victims.
In 1993, bluesman Albert Collins, dubbed "the master of the Telecaster," died in Las Vegas of cancer. He was 61. Collins was one of the first blues performers to appeal to a rock audience after being championed by Los Angeles blues rockers "Canned Heat" in the late 1960s. Jimi Hendrix said Collins was a major influence and wrote "Drivin' South" as a tribute to him. Collins was a cousin of Lightnin' Hopkins who helped shape the younger bluesman's razor-sharp guitar style.
In 1994, two people died and more than 300 were injured when a fire broke out at a concert hall in Gdansk, Poland. Spectators had gathered for a rock concert and a live broadcast of the MTV European Music Awards ceremony from Berlin.
In 1994, at the MTV European Music Awards awards, Bryan Adams was named Best Male Star and "The Crash Test Dummies" were designated Best Breakthrough Group.
In 1994, Celine Dion was presented with a diamond record to mark Canadian sales of over one million copies of her album "Color of My Love." She was only the fourth Canadian artist to reach that sales plateau, following in the footsteps of Bryan Adams, Alannah Myles and Corey Hart. Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain would soon join that exclusive group a few years later.
In 2003, Teddy Wilburn, half of the country music duo the Wilburn Brothers, died in Nashville at age 71. He and his brother, Doyle, had 30 songs on the country charts from 1955-72, including "Hurt Her Once for Me," "Trouble's Back in Town" and "Roll, Muddy River." Doyle Wilburn died of cancer in 1982. The brothers were longtime members of the Grand Ole Opry and between 1963-74, they were hosts of one of country music's first syndicated colour TV shows. In 1972, they were nominated for the Country Music Association's Vocal Group of the Year award.
In 2005, former "Creed" lead singer Scott Stapp and members of the band "311" got into a fight at a hotel bar in Baltimore. (All four original members of "Creed" reunited in 2009).
In 2008, bassist Kenny MacLean of the 1980s band "Platinum Blonde" was found dead in his Toronto apartment-recording studio. He was 52. The band scored hits with such records as "It Doesn’t Really Matter," "Standing in the Dark," and "Crying Over You." MacLean had just released his third solo album, "Completely." His family later said that a post mortem indicated he died of natural causes.
In 2009, ABC's "Good Morning America" cancelled a scheduled appearance by glam rocker Adam Lambert because of his racy performance two days earlier on the network's American Music Awards show, but rival CBS quickly snapped him up for their "The Early Show."
In 2010, Rihanna set two Billboard records when "Only Girl (In the World)" climbed atop the Hot 100 chart. It marked the first time a lead single reached No. 1 after the second single did ("What's My Name?" featuring Drake) and she became the first female artist in the 52-year history of the chart to have four No. 1's in a calendar year. The other songs: "Rude Boy" and Eminen's "Love the Way You Lie" where she was the featured artist.
In 2010, a spokeswoman for Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Billy Joel confirmed that the 61-year-old pop star had double hip-replacement surgery within the past week to correct a congenital condition.
In 2010, satellite radio companies XM Canada and Sirius Canada Inc. merged in an all-stock deal valued at about $520 million.
In 2011, divisive Canadian rock band "Nickelback" played at halftime of the Thanksgiving Day game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers despite widespread opposition that included an internet petition drive that gathered some 50,000 signatures. Signers wanted a group with stronger local ties.
In 2012, YouTube announced that South Korean rapper PSY's "Gangnam Style," released only four months earlier, became the most watched video of all time with 805 million views. (It reached 2.894 billion views before being surpassed in July 2017.)
In 2013, country crossover star Taylor Swift was the big winner at the American Music Awards taking home four awards - Artist of the Year (her third), Pop/Rock Artist, Country Female Artist and Country Album. R&B singer Rihanna won the Icon Award — at age 25.
In 2016, social media lit up with mixed reviews of Aretha Franklin's slow, lengthy version of the U.S. national anthem ahead of the Minnesota Vikings-Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game. Her "Star Spangled Banner" clocked in at 4 minutes, 35 seconds, almost twice as long as Whitney Houston's iconic rendition of the song ahead of the Super Bowl in 1991.
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(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
