What Happened On May 29th In Music

2021 – B. J. Thomas
American singer B. J. Thomas died of lung cancer age 78. He scored hits with ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ (1968), ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ (1969), ‘(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song’ (1975), ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ (1977) and ‘Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love’ (1983).

2019 – Tony Glover
Tony Glover, the influential blues harmonica player who was a longtime peer of Bob Dylan and helped teach Mick Jagger how to play, died of natural causes age 79. He also worked as a writer and critic, contributing to magazines Crawdaddy and Cream, while also writing extensively for Rolling Stone between 1968 and 1973.

2015 – Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch went up for sale with a price tag of $100m (£65m). Jackson bought the Santa Barbara development in 1987 for $19.5m but struggled to pay for it, until an investment company stepped in to help him save it from auction.

2010 – B.B. King
Sabrosa Park (at the small town of Sabrosa, north of Portugal) was renamed B.B. King Park in honor of King and the free concert he had played before 20,000 people.

2009 – Phil Spector
Phil Spector was jailed for at least 19 years for murdering an actress in 2003. The producer, 69, famed for his Wall of Sound recording technique, was last month found guilty of shooting Lana Clarkson at his California home. Spector had pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder during the five-month retrial in Los Angeles. His lawyers said he would appeal. Spector was given a sentence of 15 years to life for second-degree murder and an additional four years for personal use of a gun.

2007 – John Lennon
A piano used by John Lennon on the night he died was put up for sale for $375,000 (£189,000) on The Moments in Time memorabilia website. The upright grand piano was part of the Record Plant Recording Studios in New York where the former Beatle recorded his 1971 Imagine album. Lennon was said to be so fond of the instrument that he had it moved to whichever studio he was working in and had used the piano hours before being shot on 8 December 1980.

2005 – Gorillaz
Gorillaz scored their first UK No.1 album when ‘Demon Days’ went to the top of the charts.

2002 – John Lennon
A 16ft by 6ft mosaic designed by John Lennon went on display at The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool. The mosaic had been built into Lennon’s swimming pool at his Kenwood home in Surrey where he lived between 1964 and 1968.

2002 – Natalie Imbruglia
Australian actress and singer Natalie Imbruglia became the new face of L’Oreal when she signed a deal worth £100,000 ($170,000) with the French cosmetics manufacturer.

2001 – Eagles
The Eagles made their first ever visit to Russia when they appeared at SC Olymisky in Moscow.

1999 – Iron Butterfly
Skeletal remains were found by photographers looking for old car wrecks to shoot at the bottom of Decker Canyon near Malibu, California. Based on forensic evidence the remains were Philip Kramer former bassist with rock group Iron Butterfly, who had disappeared on his way home from work on February 12, 1995. His death was ruled as a probable suicide.

1997 – Snoop Doggy Dogg
Sharitha Knight filed a suit at LA, Superior Court claiming she was owed $1 million (£588,000) as Snoop Doggy Dogg’s personal manger between 1993-6. The claim alleged that Snoop had withheld the 20 percent she was owed.

1997 – Jeff Buckley
Singer songwriter Jeff Buckley disappeared after talking a swim in the Mississippi River, his body was found on 4th June 1997 after being spotted by a passenger on a tourist riverboat.

1997 – George Michael
The Manic Street Preachers won the best song award for ‘A Design For Life’ at the 42nd Ivor Novello awards. Other winners included The Spice Girls for Hit of the year with ‘Wannabe’, Elvis Costello for Outstanding contribution to music, George Michael won Songwriter Of The Year and Most Performed work for ‘Fastlove.’

1992 – Freddie Mercury
Concerned that some pupils were overly identifying with Freddie Mercury, the sacred heart School in Clifton New Jersey decided not to sing the Queen song ‘We Are The Champions’, at their Graduation Ceremony.

1992 – Madonna
The FBI recovered 44 nude photographs of Madonna which had been stolen in America from fashion photographer Steven Meisel.

1991 – Nirvana
After just completing the recording of the ‘Nevermind’ album, Nirvana played a last-minute show at the Jabberjaw in Los Angeles. In the audience was Iggy Pop, Dave Grohl’s girlfriend and L7 bassist Jennifer Finch who brought along her best friend Courtney Love.

1983 – New Edition
US school boy band (which included Bobby Brown), New Edition were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Candy Girl’. Songwriter & producer Maurice Starr discovered New Edition performing at a local talent show. Starr went on to produce and write for New Kids On The Block.

1977 – Warsaw
Manchester band Warsaw, (later to become Joy Division) made their live debut supporting The Buzzcocks at The Electric Circus, Manchester, England.

1971 – The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Brown Sugar’, from Sticky Fingers. The first single released on Rolling Stones Records, it was the bands sixth US No.1, and a No.2 hit in the UK.

1971 – Grateful Dead
Three dozen Grateful Dead fans were treated for hallucinations caused by LSD after they unwittingly drank spiked apple juice served at a gig at San Francisco’s Winterland.

1969 – Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash released their self-titled debut on Atlantic Records label. It spawned two Top 40 hits: ‘Marrakesh Express’ and ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’.

1967 – Jimi Hendrix
The Move, Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, Zoot Money, Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band all appeared at the Tulip Bulb Auction Hall in Spalding, Lincoln, England. Pink Floyd were only a support band and played in a corner of the shed with a white sheet behind them with the coloured oil shining onto it. Tickets cost £1 ($1.70). The poster advertising the show promised a ‘Knockout Atmosphere’.

1965 – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s album Bringing It All Back Home was at No.1 on the UK charts, his second UK No.1 album. The black and white pamphlet lying across the Time magazine with President Lyndon B. Johnson on the cover is a publication of the Earth Society, who saw its mission as protecting earth from collisions with comets and planets.

1965 – The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Help Me Rhonda’, the group’s second US No.1. The recording session was interrupted by the Wilson brothers’ drunken father, Murry, who arrived at the studio to criticize the Boys enthusiasm. The recording reel continued to record the confrontation, which still circulates among fans.

https://youtu.be/CkYzjhr7SAI

1962 – Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker won a Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Recording for ‘Let’s Twist Again’ and Ray Charles won Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for ‘Hit The Road Jack’.

1961 – Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Travellin’ Man’. Sam Cooke turned the song down, the B-side was the Gene Pitney song ‘Hello Mary Lou’ which became a double A side UK No.1.

https://youtu.be/eZiSuKLOKeM

1942 – Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby recorded the Irving Berlin song ‘White Christmas’. Crosby recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers in just 18 minutes. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.