Monday June the 30th

ON THIS DAY in 1913
sportscaster/football owner Harry Wismer was born in Port Huron Mich.  After years as one of the premier football playbyplay broadcasters in US radio, Wismer embarked on a failed  ownership of the AFL's New York Titans, who played their home games in the rotting remains of the Polo Grounds. He died Dec 3 1967 of a cracked skull suffered in a drunken fall the day previous, at age 54.

              
In 1917, jazz drummer Buddy Rich was born in Brooklyn, New York. Beginning in the late 1930's, Rich drummed with a succession of big bands, including Bunny Berrigan, Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey. Rich's first big band of his own, started in 1945 with 50-thousand dollars backing from Frank Sinatra, was not a success. But in 1966, he began leading a band of mostly young musicians playing modern, swinging arrangements. Rich continued with this successful formula for most of the next 20 years. He died on April 2nd, 1987 of a heart attack, two weeks after undergoing surgery for a brain tumour.

In  1918, singer Stuart Foster was born in Binghamton NY.  He sang & recorded with the Tommy Dorsey & Ina Ray Hutton big bands, and appeared regularly on Galen Drake's daytime CBS TV show in 1957. He died Feb. 7 1968  at age 49.

In 1928, singer June Valli was born in the Bronx New York.  She was a cast member of TV's Your Hit Parade & Stop The Music in the early 50's, and was a guest 3 times on The Ed Sullivan Show.   Her big record hit was Crying in the Chapel.  She died of cancer Mar 12, 1993 at age 64.

n 1939, Frank Sinatra made his first appearance with Harry James' band. Sinatra was center stage at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD, where he sang My Love for You.

              
In 1943, Florence Ballard of the Supremes was born in Detroit. The three original Supremes -- Ballard, Diana Ross and Mary Wilson -- grew up together in a housing project. Through a friendship with members of the Temptations, the trio -- then calling themselves the Primettes -- were introduced to Berry Gordy, who signed them to Motown in 1961. It was Florence Ballard who suggested a change of name for the group -- to the Supremes. But it wasn't until their 10th single, "Where Did Our Love Go,'' in 1964 that the Supremes hit the top of the charts. Diana Ross gradually emerged as the star of the group, and this and other problems led to Florence Ballard's departure in 1967. She later sued Ross and Gordy, alleging she'd been forced out of the group. Ballard lost the suit, and when she died three years later of cardiac arrest at 32, she and her three children were living on welfare.

In 1948, three scientists from Bell Telephone Laboratories demonstrated their new invention to replace the vacuum tube -- the transistor. John Bardeen, Walter H. Brattain and William Shockley were awarded a Nobel Prize for their work.

In 1952, CBS-TV debuted "The Guiding Light". It was a daytime serial that had been on radio already for 15 years, and continues on TV today in its 72nd year.

In 1952, the  No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Delicado,'' by the Percy Faith Orchestra.

              
In 1961, radio pioneer, Dr Lee De Forest, died at age 87.

In 1966, The Supremes made the studio recording of "You Keep Me Hangin' On.'' The song topped Billboard's Hot 100 for two weeks and the R&B singles chart for four weeks.

In 1969, a sad day for Vancouver music fans as C-FUN became CKVN (Voice of News) just before midnight.
                
The C-FUN call would return four years later, after CHUM bought the station.

In 1972, at Vancouver BC, the Rolling Stones opened their seventh American/Canadian tour. It would hit San Diego, Tucson, Albuquerque, Washington, Montreal and New York.

In 1973, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" by George Harrison topped the charts and stayed there for just a week.

              
Also in 1973, "The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour," starring Jack Burns & Avery Schreiber debuted on ABC TV.  

In 1974, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Rock the Boat,'' by the Hues Corporation.

In 1975, Cher and Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band were married. She'd been divorced from Sonny Bono for only several days. But nine days after marrying Allman, Cher was again suing for divorce.

In 1976, police raided singer Neil Diamond's house. They didn't find "enough" marijuana for an arrest, but Diamond did give them copies of his new album, "Beautiful Noise."

In 1977, the theatrical rock group Kiss released a comic book of themselves. The story that band members had contributed some of their blood to the printing ink undoubtedly helped boost sales past the half-million mark. They also released "Love Gun," now considered their last great album.

              
In 1978, on NBC TV's "Midnight Special" Martin Mull welcomed Jethro Tull, Robert Palmer, and Flo & Eddie.

Also in 1978, the Sex Pistols' "My Way" was released.

In 1979, "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

Also in 1979, Johnny Rotten and Joan Collins appeared together on the BBC's Juke Box Jury.

In 1981, Grant Tinker, head of MTM Enterprises, was named to succeed Fred Silverman as president of NBC-TV. Silverman was known as a programming wonder-boy in previous successes with CBS and ABC but would find it rough-going at the Peacock Network.

Also in 1981, Jerry Lee Lewis was taken to hospital in Memphis after bleeding internally from a perforated stomach ulcer.

              
In 1983, comedienne Mary Livingstone, who was born Sadye Marks in Seattle, grew up in Vancouver, then became Mrs. Jack Benny & got some of the best lines ever on his long-running radio show, died of heart disease at age 77.

Also in 1983, the Canadian pay TV arts network C-Channel bit the dust.  It had only been operating since Feb. 1.

In 1984, Richmond (BC)'s CISL signed off 940 KHz at 6 p.m. but reappeared at its current 650 KHz dial spot at midnight the same day.

In 1985, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Sussudio,'' by Phil Collins.

In 1985, Yul Brynner gave his 4,625th and final performance in the musical "The King and I.'' Less than four months later, Brynner was dead of lung cancer at 65. But his anti-smoking TV spots would outlast him for years.

              
In 1986, the Vancouver rock band Loverboy returned to their hometown for the first time in four years to play three shows at Expo 86.

Also in 1986, Madonna released the album "True Blue."

In 1987, NBC's WYNY-FM, New York moved from a Top 40 format to Country music.

In 1988, the cop spoof "Sledge Hammer!" aired for the final time on ABC-TV.

Also in 1988, former Beach Boy Brian Wilson released his first record in 22 years, "Love and Mercy." The album was not a commercial success. On the same date, the Beach Boys released the single "Kokomo," which went to number one.

In 1990, stars such as Paul McCartney, Elton John and Phil Collins helped raise more than 10-million dollars for handicapped children and young musicians during a charity concert at Knebworth, England.

              
Also in 1990, the  New Kids on the Block (Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jon Knight, Danny Wood, Joe McIntyre) stepped to number one in the U.S. with their Step by Step single, just as their Step by Step LP was stepping to #1 in the U.S. and the U.K.

In 1991, Frank Zappa performed with Hungarian musicians as Hungary celebrated the withdrawal of Soviet troops after some 46 years of occupation. Zappa headlined the Taban Jazzfestival this day in Budapest.

Also in 1991, country-rock singer Steve Earle appeared at a Parliament Hill demonstration calling for the release of two Satan's Choice motorcycle gang members. Gary Comeau and Richard Sauve were convicted of murder, even though another man admitted during their trial that he shot a man in a bar in Port Hope, Ontario. Earle wrote a song about the incident, "Justice in Ontario."

              
In 1995, comic actor Gale Gordon, who was hilarious in support on Fibber McGee & Our Miss Brooks on radio, and Our Miss Brooks & Here's Lucy on TV, died at age 89.

Also in 1995, jazz and rhythm-and-blues singer Phyllis Hyman committed suicide in her New York apartment. She was 45.

Still in 1995, Garth Brooks buried a copy of his album "The Hits" beneath his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  It was the first time something like this had been done and, as far as we know, the last.

              
In 1996, Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom, one of the longest continuously operating nightclubs in the country, closed because of a dispute between the landlord and the ballroom's operator.  It has since reopened.

In 1996, Toronto's Neil Young premiered his album, "Broken Arrow" via the Internet. The album was slated for release on July 2, two days after its technologically advanced premiere.

In 1998, rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard of the Wu-Tang Clan was shot and wounded when two men robbed him of jewelry at his New York apartment. O-D-B -- real name Russell Jones -- died in November 2004 after collapsing at a Manhattan recording studio. He died of congestive heart failure resulting from a drug overdose.

In 2000, Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones) checked into a rehabilitation clinic in London to be treated for alcohol abuse.

              
In 2001, country music guitarist, producer and executive Chet Atkins died of cancer in Nashville at age 77. Atkins' recordings sold more than 75-million albums. He also played on such hit records as Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel,'' Hank Williams' "Jambalaya'' and the Everly Brothers' "Wake Up Little Susie.'' As an R-C-A Records producer and executive starting in 1957, Atkins helped craft the lush Nashville Sound using string sections and lots of echo. He had a role in the careers of such stars as Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Jim Reeves, Charley Pride, Waylon Jennings and Eddy Arnold.

Also in 2001, Al Jardine sued fellow Beach Boys Mike Love and Brian Wilson for four-million dollars, alleging they were excluding him from the group's concerts. A month later, a judge ruled Jardine could not tour as "Beach Boys Family and Friends.'' A federal appeals court upheld that ruling in January 2003.

              
In 2003, comedian Buddy Hackett, who had his own show 'Stanley' in early TV & was an A-list talk show guest for another 45 years, died at age 78.
  

Today's Birthdays:

Singer Lena Horne is 91.

Actress Nancy Dussault (Too Close for Comfort, Good Morning A\merica) is 72.

Actor Tony Musante (Oz, As the World Turns, Toma) is 72.

New Westminster-born actor/broadcaster Terry David Mulligan is 66.

Singer Glenn Shorrock of the Little River Band is 64.
  
Canadian folksinger Murray McLauchlan is 60.

Jazz bassist Stanley Clarke is 57.

Actor David Garrison (Married...with Children) is 56.

Guitarist Hal Lindes of Dire Straits is 55.

Actor David Alan Grier (Thank God You're Here, Life with Bonnie, In Living Colour) is 53.

Actor Vincent D'Onofrio (Law & Order:CI) is 49.

Actress Deirdre Lovejoy (The Wire) is 46.

Actor Rupert Graves (Forsyte Saga 2002) is 45.

Bassist Tom Drummond of Better Than Ezra is 39.

Actor Brian Bloom (Drive, DayBreak) is 38.

Actress Monica Potter (Boston Legal, Young & the Restless) is 37.

Actress Lizzy Caplan (The Class, Related) is 26.

"American Idol" winner/Broadway star Fantasia Barrino is 24.


Chart Toppers

June 30

1944
I’ll Be Seeing You - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Frank Sinatra)
I’ll Get By - The Harry James Orchestra (vocal: Dick Haymes)
Swinging on a Star/Going My Way - Bing Crosby
Straighten Up and Fly Right - King Cole Trio

1953
Song from Moulin Rouge - The Percy Faith Orchestra
April in Portugal - The Les Baxter Orchestra
Ruby - Richard Hayman
Take These Chains from My Heart - Hank Williams

1962
I Can’t Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
The Stripper - David Rose
Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon
Wolverton Mountain - Claude King

1971
It’s Too Late/I Feel the Earth Move - Carole King
Indian Reservation - Raiders
Treat Her Like a Lady - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
When You’re Hot, You’re Hot - Jerry Reed

1980
Coming Up - Paul McCartney & Wings
The Rose - Bette Midler
It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me - Billy Joel
Trying to Love Two Women - The Oak Ridge Boys

1989
Satisfied - Richard Marx
Buffalo Stance - Neneh Cherry
Baby Don’t Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli
I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party - Roseanne Cash

1998
The Boy Is Mine - Brandy & Monica
Uninvited - Alanis Morissette
Ray of Light - Madonna
If You See Him/If You See Her - Reba McEntire with Brooks & Dunn

2007
Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal) - Fergie
Ticks - Brad Paisley