Today in Music History for Feb. 6:
In 1945, Bob Marley, the first superstar of reggae music, was born in Rhoden Hall, Jamaica. In 1963, Marley formed a vocal quintet, "The Wailers," who achieved some success, but little financial reward, in their native country, before disbanding in 1966. "The Wailers" reunited in 1968, but for several years seemed no closer than before to establishing steady careers. Then, in 1972, Chris Blackwell signed them to Island Records and advanced them the money to record an album in Jamaica. The result was "Catch a Fire," the first album by "Bob Marley and the Wailers"” to be marketed outside Jamaica. It was the start of their climb to international fame, aided by Eric Clapton's hit single of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff." Over the next several years, Marley and the Wailers were largely responsible for the worldwide popularity of reggae music. Marley became a superstar in Jamaica, where he survived an assassination attempt in 1976. In 1980, a tour of the U.S. was cancelled when Marley collapsed on stage during a concert. He had developed brain and lung cancer, which killed him in May 1981. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 1946, internationally acclaimed folk singer Kate McGarrigle was born in Montreal. She was best known for performing with her sister Anna as "The McGarrigle Sisters." They began playing in the 1960s before getting their break in the 1970s, when Linda Ronstadt used their "Heart Like a Wheel" as the title track on her 1974 chart-topping album. Their songs were also covered by numerous other artists, including Judy Collins, Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg and Emmylou Harris. Their own well-known releases included "The Work Song," "Cool River" and "Lying Song." The 1996 album "Matapedia" and 1998's "The McGarrigle Hour" earned them Juno Awards for best roots and traditional album. Kate was invested with the Order of Canada in 1994. The sisters received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2004. Kate died of cancer on Jan. 18, 2010.
In 1960, R&B vocalist and songwriter Jesse Belvin died in a car accident in Los Angeles. He was only 26.
In 1962, "Guns N' Roses" lead singer Axl Rose was born William Bailey in Lafayette, Ind. At age 17, Rose jumped on a bus headed for Los Angeles where he became frontman for the rock band "L.A. Guns" before forming "Guns N' Roses" with guitarists Slash and Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Their 1987 debut, "Appetite For Destruction" took "GNR" to the top of the rock scene with Rose's shrieking vocals and their heavy guitar-based riffs. Hits like "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Welcome to the Jungle," along with their infamous rock-n-roll lifestyle propelled the group to superstar status. Follow-ups "Lies" and the "Use Your Illusion" double-album kept "Guns N' Roses" on top of the charts. But in 1993, with Rose's erratic behaviour and continued infighting, the group broke up. Rose unsuccessfully re-hashed "Guns N' Roses" with a different lineup in 2002. He finally released the long-awaited album "Chinese Democracy" in December 2008. Rose was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Gun N' Roses. He didn't attend the ceremony.
In 1970, "Instant Karma" by John Lennon was released as a single.
In 1976, jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, best known for writing the music for the "Peanuts" TV specials, died of a heart attack in Menlo Park, Calif. He was 43.
In 1979, the Canadian Brass made their New York debut at the Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Centre.
In 1981, Yoko Ono released "Walking on Thin Ice," the song on which she and John Lennon were working the night he was killed -- Dec. 8, 1980.
In 1981, the New York Post announced that the surviving "Beatles" would reunite to record "All Those Years Ago." The session did not take place.
In 1981, orchestra leader Hugo Montenegro died in Palm Springs, Calif., of emphysema. His arrangement of the spaghetti western theme "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" went to No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 1968.
In 1987, restaurant owner Sonny Bono, formerly of "Sonny and Cher," declared he would run for mayor of Palm Springs, Calif. His candidacy was sparked by a dispute over a sign for his restaurant. He won the election two months later and moved on a few years later to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was still serving when he died in a 1998 skiing accident.
In 1988, police in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, used tear gas and rubber bullets to control about 10,000 rioting fans at a concert by reggae star Gregory Isaacs. The fans complained that the Jamaican musician's one-hour performance was too short. It was the second riot at an Isaacs concert within a week.
In 1990, punk rocker Billy Idol suffered a severely broken leg and a broken arm when his motorcycle hit a car in Los Angeles.
In 1990, composer Jimmy Van Heusen, writer of such memorable tunes as "Love and Marriage" and "Swinging on a Star," died in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 77.
In 1992, Bob Dylan made a rare TV appearance on David Letterman's 10th anniversary special.
In 1995, Keith Lockhart replaced John Williams as conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra.
In 1998, Quebec folk music legend Oscar Thiffault died in Trois-Rivieres, Que., at age 85. He gained fame in the 1950s and is said to have been the first Quebec artist to sell more than two million records throughout his career.
In 1998, Austrian singer Falco, who topped the charts in 1986 with "Rock Me Amadeus," died in the Dominican Republic when his sport utility vehicle collided with a bus. He was 40. Falco, born Johann Holzel, was a classical music child prodigy who turned to pop.
In 1998, "Beach Boy" Carl Wilson died in Los Angeles of lung cancer. He was 51. Wilson, the group's lead guitarist, formed "The Beach Boys" in 1961 with his brothers Dennis and Brian and his cousin, Mike Love. Carl Wilson was still in his teens when the group began hitting the charts in the 1960s with surfing hits like "I Get Around," "Good Vibrations," "Help Me Rhonda" and "Surfin' USA." He was the lead singer on one of "The Beach Boys'" most successful ballads, "God Only Knows." Carl Wilson left "The Beach Boys" in 1981 but soon returned after his solo career didn't work out. He remained with the group until his death.
In 2003, ABC aired the British documentary, "Living With Michael Jackson." His comments about allowing kids to spend the night in his bedroom prompted authorities to look into his relationships with children. Jackson was arrested the following November on child molestation charges. (He was acquitted at trial).
In 2010, John Dankworth, British jazz musician, composer and bandleader, died in London at age 82.
In 2010, country singer Sammy Kershaw was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He accepted the honour during a concert in Lafayette, La.
In 2011, singer Christina Aguilera botched a line of the U.S. National anthem during a performance at the Super Bowl. She said she got lost in the moment.
In 2011, guitarist Gary Moore, a former member of the influential Irish rock band "Thin Lizzy," died at a hotel in the southern Spanish town of Estepona, where he was vacationing. He was 58. He joined the band in 1973, left after four months, but rejoined four years later and played on the band's "Black Rose" album before going solo once again.
In 2012, singers Gordon Lightfoot, Susan Aglukark and Molly Johnson, as well as fiddler Natalie MacMaster, were among the recipients of the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medals.
In 2013, the iTunes Store sold its 25 billionth download since its launch in 2003 - "Monkey Drums (Goskel Vancin Remix)" by British DJ Chase Buch. German student Phillip Lupke bought the song and received a C$13,500 iTunes gift card.
In 2013, Paul Tanner, the electro-theremin player on "The Beach Boys'" "Good Vibrations," died of pneumonia at age 95. He helped develop the electro-theremin and was a music professor at UCLA for 23 years. Before that, he was a trombonist in the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
In 2013, Justin Bieber's "Believe Acoustic" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Album chart. It was his fifth overall, more than any other artist had achieved before turning 19. He also became one of only nine acts who had a No. 1 album in four consecutive years.
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(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
