Blues Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer, Bobby “Blue” Bland.
Music history and highlights that has happened on January 27th… from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll.
1778: Puccinni’s opera “Roland” opens in Paris.
Blues legend Elmore James.
1885: Broadway composer Jerome Kern (“Showboat”) born in New York City.
1901: Italian composer Guiseppe Verdi passes on.
1918: Bluesman Elmore James (“Dust My Broom, “Shake Your Money Maker”, “It Hurts Me Too”, “The Sky is Crying”, “Every Day I Have the Blues”) born in Holmes County, Mississippi.
1918: Johnny Carson orchestra leader Skitch Henderson born in Birmingham, England.
The Ronnettes.
1930: Blues singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bobby “Blue” Bland (“Two Steps from the Blues”, “Turn on Your Lovelight”, “Crying All Night Long”, “Farther Up the Road”) born in Barretville, Tennessee.
1937: Nat King Cole marries dance Nadine Robinson in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
1947: “The Ronnettes” singer Nedra Telley (“Be My Baby”) born in New York City.
1948: Famed ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov born in Riga, Latvia.
Elvis with his first gold record, “Heatbreak Hotel”.
1956: Elvis Presley first releases “Heartbreak Hotel”. It became his first gold record.
1961: “Cowboy Junkies” singer Margo Timmins (“Sweet Jane”, “Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning”) born in Montreal.
1967: The Beatles sing a 9-year record contract with EMI records.
1970: John Lennon wrote, recorded and mixed “Instant Karma” all on this one day at Abby Road Studios in London. It became the fastes released single record ever.
Gospel great Mahalia Jackson.
1968: British rapper Tricky (album “Maxinquaye”) born in Bristol, England.
1972: Revered gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (“He Got the Whole World”) leaves us.
1973: Stevie Wonder’s song “Superstition” gives him his first No. 1 U.S. single in 10 years. (Guitarist Jeff Beck created the original drum beat while in the studio with Stevie.)
1981: Blues guitarist Johnny Lang born in Fargo, North Dakota.
Rap artist Usher.
1982: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” opens at the Royale Theater in New York.
1984: John Lennon and Yoko Ono release their album “Milk & Honey”.
1984: Michael Jackson is burned from an accident while filming a Pepsi-Cola commercial.
The Godfather of Soul, James Brown.Usher
1986: Whitney Houston, Crystal Gayle and Huey Lewis win at the 13th American Music Awards.
1997: Toni Braxton and Alanis Morissette win at the 24th American Music Awards.
1998: James Brown charged with possession of marijuana. He claimed the pot was used to help his “eyesight”. (He was probably right.)
Folk music master and civil rights activist Pete Seeger.Pe
2004: Usher releases his rap single “Yeah” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris. The song goes on to win the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and the Billboard song of the year in 2004.
2006: Otis Redding discovers songwriter Gene McFadden (of McFadden and Whitehead) passes on (Grammy award winner “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”).
2014: Folk singer, civil rights activist and creator of the modern American folk music movement Pete Seger leaves the building.