Old news, from January 16th

16 Jan 2021
American producer Phil Spector died in prison age 81. Known for his ‘Spector Wall Of Sound’ he was a member of Teddy Bears, who had the 1958 US No.1 single ‘To Know Him Is To Love Him’. He went on to produce many classic songs including; Ben E King, ‘Spanish Harlem’, The Crystals, ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’, The Ronettes, ‘Baby I Love You’, The Righteous Brothers, ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’, Ike and Tina Turner, ‘River Deep, Mountain High’. He also produced albums for The Ramones, John Lennon, George Harrison, The Beatles, Cher and Harry Nilsson. The 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his 2009 conviction of murder in the second degree.

16 Jan 2014
Toni Tennille files for divorce from husband Daryl Dragon. The Captain & Tennille duo had been married for 39 years.

16 Jan 2009
Boy George was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort. The Culture Club frontman denied the charge at Snaresbrook crown court and claimed the victim, Norwegian Audun Carlsen, 29, had stolen photos from his laptop. The singer told police he invited Carlsen back to his home after a cocaine-fuelled pornographic photo shoot in January, 2007, because he suspected the Norwegian of stealing pictures from his computer. He admitted handcuffing Carlsen to a wall in April 2007 but said he did so in order to trace the missing property.

16 Jan 2005
The Killers started a two week run at No.1 on the UK charts with their debut album ‘Hot Fuss.’ The Las Vegas band also entered the UK singles chart at No.3 with ‘Somebody Told Me’. Green Day were at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘American Idiot.’

16 Jan 2005
Elvis Presley’s single ‘One Night’ made chart history by becoming the 1,000th UK No.1. Elvis, who led last week’s chart with ‘Jailhouse Rock’, had now scored more number one UK hits than any other artist with 20 No.1’s, beating The Beatles’ 17 chart toppers.

16 Jan 2000
It was reported that Mick Jagger had lost the chance of a knighthood because of his errant ways, British Prime Minister Tony Blair having doubts about the message it would give about family values. This decision was changed and on 12 December 2003, Mick Jagger was made a Knight Bachelor by The Prince of Wales for services to music, as Sir Michael Jagger.

16 Jan 1999
The inaugural ball for Minnesota Governor (and former professional wrestler) Jesse Ventura goes down at the Target Center in Minneapolis. America play “Ventura Highway,” and Warren Zevon does “Werewolves Of London” with Ventura, wearing his trademark bandana and feather boa, howling along on stage.

16 Jan 1996
Jamaican authorities opened fire on Jimmy Buffett’s seaplane, mistaking it for a drug trafficker’s plane. U2 singer Bono was also on the plane; neither singer was injured in the incident. The incident inspired Buffett to write a song called ‘Jamaica Mistaica’.

16 Jan 1992
Eric Clapton recorded his unplugged session for MTV. The set which included his current hit single ‘Tears in Heaven’ and a reworked acoustic version of ‘Layla’, earned six Grammy Awards for the album including Record of the Year.

16 Jan 1990
Ike Turner was convicted of driving under the influence of cocaine and being under the influence of cocaine and sentenced to a four year prison sentence in California.

16 Jan 1989
Michael Jackson played the first of five nights at the Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. These were the last shows on the singers Bad World Tour. Jackson donated more than $1m of the final concert’s takings to an organization fighting child cruelty.

16 Jan 1988
24 years after The Beatles first topped the chart, George Harrison went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Got My Mind Set On You’ an old favorite of George’s that was originally recorded by James Ray in 1962. In the UK, Harrison’s version spent four weeks at No.2.

16 Jan 1988
Former Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle scored her first UK No.1 single with ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth.’ The promotional video was directed by Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton and features an appearance of Carlisle’s husband Morgan Mason.

16 Jan 1988
Tina Turner gave herself a place in the record books when she performed in front of 182,000 people in Rio De Janeiro. The largest audience ever for a single artist.

16 Jan 1980
Paul McCartney was jailed for nine days in Tokyo for marijuana possession after being found with 219g on his arrival at Narita Airport in Japan. McCartney said in 2004. “This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet, so I thought I’d take it with me.”

16 Jan 1979
Cher’s divorce from Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers becomes final.

16 Jan 1973
Bruce Springsteen performs at Villanova University, Philadelphia, to an audience of 25 people. His concert had not been advertised due to a strike by Villanova’s school newspaper The Villanovan.

16 Jan 1969
Aretha Franklin’s attorney calls police in Ocala, Florida to let them know the woman who has been performing there as Franklin – quite convincingly – is a fake. The imposter, Vickie Jones, is arrested but set free when it becomes clear she was coerced into the scheme by an unscrupulous promoter. She becomes a popular live draw when news of her arrest, and how she can believably sing like Aretha, gets out.

16 Jan 1964
The Beatles played two shows at the Olympia Theatre, Paris, France, the first of an 18-night engagement. This first show was attended mostly by Paris’ ‘top society’ members (all dressed in formal evening attire). The French press had little good to say about The Beatles in the next day’s papers, but The Beatles didn’t care, because they’d just received news that their single ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ had hit No.1 in the US, selling 10,000 copies an hour in New York City alone.

16 Jan 1957
The Cavern Club opened in Liverpool, England. It became the home of many Liverpool bands including The Beatles who appeared at the club 292 times. Over the years a wide variety of popular acts appeared at the club, including The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Hollies, The Kinks, Elton John, Black Sabbath, Queen, The Who and John Lee Hooker.