May 19th: The Biggest Music Headlines

19 May 2018
American musician, songwriter and record producer Reggie Lucas died aged 65. Lucas is best known for having produced the majority of Madonna’s 1983 self-titled debut album, and for playing with Billy Paul and Miles Davis electric band of the first half of the 1970s.

19 May 2016
John Berry, a founding member of rap group Beastie Boys died at the age of 52. Berry originally formed the four-piece hardcore punk band, the Young Aborigines, in 1978 who later became the Beastie Boys and came up with the name for the group.

19 May 2015
Lee Ryan became the fourth and final member of Blue to declare himself bankrupt. Lee became the last member of the chart-topping boyband – who earned more than £80million after selling in excess of 15million records worldwide – to file for bankruptcy, following in the financial footsteps of his band mates Simon Webbe, Antony Costa and Duncan James.

19 May 2013
A guitar played by John Lennon and George Harrison sold for $408,000 (£269,000) at auction. The custom-made instrument, built in 1966 by VOX was bought by an unidentified US buyer in New York. Harrison played ‘I Am The Walrus’, on the guitar in a scene from Magical Mystery Tour in 1967. Lennon used it in a video for Hello, Goodbye later that year. After playing the guitar, Lennon gave it as a 25th birthday present to Alexis “Magic Alex” Mardas, a member of The Beatles’ inner circle in the 1960s.

19 May 2010
‘Stairway To Heaven’ was named the UK’s favourite rock song in a survey by listeners to radio station Absolute Classic Rock. Led Zeppelin had two other tracks in the top 10; ‘Whole Lotta Love’ was voted at No. 4 and ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’, from the group’s fourth album, was at No. 7.

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19 May 2007
Lawyers for Michael Jackson dropped an effort to block an auction of the star’s personal belongings and other Jackson family items. An agreement was reached with representatives of an auctioneer, who was the current owner of the materials, and a New Jersey man who claimed to own a warehouse full of Jackson memorabilia after a failed business venture wound up in bankruptcy court.

19 May, 2007
At Porter Wagoner’s 50th anniversary celebration at the Grand Ole Opry, Dolly Parton sings “I Will Always Love You” to Wagoner, whom she wrote the song about in 1974.

19 May 2001
Mike Sammes founder of The Mike Sammes Singers died aged 73. He worked with Tom Jones, Cliff Richard and featured on The Beatles, ‘I Am The Walrus’ and ‘The Long And Winding Road.’

19 May 2000
Folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary celebrate their 40th year together with a US tour that kicks off with a three-night stand in Las Vegas.

19 May, 1998
Sonny and Cher get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For Sonny, who died January 5, 1998, it’s a posthumous honor.

19 May 1992
Billy Ray Cyrus releases his debut album, Some Gave All, featuring his signature song “Achy Breaky Heart.” The album dominates the Billboard 200 chart for 17 consecutive weeks, and the single’s music video spawns a line-dancing trend across the US, where a new breed of country music is already becoming a phenomenon.

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19 May 1990
Madonna started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Vogue’. Originally planned as a B-side, it became the singers eighth US No.1 and seventh UK No.1 hit.

19 May 1988
James Brown was arrested for the fifth time in 12 months, following a car chase near his home, he was charged with assault, resisting arrest and being in charge of illegal weapons, he was given a 6 year jail sentence.

19 May 1986
Former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel transitions from cult performer to pop star with the release of his fifth solo album, So, which includes the hit single “Sledgehammer.”

19 May 1984
Bob Marley and the Wailers started a 12-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with the compilation album ‘Legend’, released to commemorate the third anniversary of Marley’s death.

19 May 1980
Ringo Starr and his future wife were involved in a car crash less than half a mile from where Marc Bolan was killed, the car was a write-off but Starr and Bach were not seriously injured.

19 May 1979
ABBA started a four week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Voulez-Vous‘ the group’s fourth No.1 album.

19 May 1979
Eric Clapton held a party at his Surrey house celebrating his recent marriage to Patti Boyd. Clapton had set-up a small stage in the garden and as the evening progressed, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ended up jamming together along with Clapton, Ginger Baker and Mick Jagger. The all-star band ran through old Little Richard and Eddie Cochran songs.

19 May 1979
Supertramp went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Breakfast In America’, the group’s only US No.1. It featured three US Billboard hit singles: ‘The Logical Song’, ‘Goodbye Stranger’ and ‘Take the Long Way Home’.

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19 May 1978
Dire Straits released their first major label single ‘Sultans Of Swing’, recorded on a £120 budget. The song was first recorded as a demo at Pathway Studios, North London, in July 1977, and quickly acquired a following after it was put on rotation at Radio London.

19 May 1976
Rolling Stone Keith Richards crashed his car near Newport Pagnell, Bucks, after falling asleep at the wheel; marijuana and cocaine were found by the police resulting in another fine for the guitarist.

19 May 1973
Stevie Wonder went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’. His third US No.1, won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. This song was the second single released from the album ‘Talking Book’.

19 May 1973
Paul Simon released the single ‘Kodachrome’ named after the Kodak 35mm film Kodachrome which became a No.2 hit in the US. It was not released as a single in Britain, because the BBC would not play the trademarked name.

19 May 1967
The Beatles held a press party at manager’s Brian Epstein’s house in London for the launch of the Sgt. Pepper album. Linda Eastman was hired as the press photographer for the event.

19 May 1962
Mick Jagger is mentioned in print for the first time when the British music magazine Disc prints this item: “A 19-year-old Dartford rhythm-and-blues singer, Mick Jagger, has joined Alexis Korner’s group, Blues Inc., and will sing with them regularly on their Saturday night dates at Ealing and Thursday session at the Marquee Jazz Club, London. Jagger, at present completing a course at the London School of Economics, also plays harmonica.”

19 May 1962
Less than three months before her death, Marilyn Monroe makes one of her last public appearances at President John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday celebration, where she famously sings “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” in his honor.

19 May 1960
American DJ Alan Freed was indicted along with seven others for accepting $30,650 in payola from six record companies. Two years later, he was convicted and given a suspended sentence and a $300 fine.

19 May 1949
English guitarist, songwriter and producer Larry Wallis best known as a member of the Pink Fairies and an early member of Motörhead. Wallis died on 19 September 2019 aged 70.

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