Sunday July the 13th

ON THIS DAY in 1898  
Guglielmo Marconi applied for a patent for his radio technology.

In 1906, bandleader Harry Sosnik was born in Chicago. He directed the orchestra for some of the years of Your Hit Parade on both radio & TV.  On TV he also was musical director for The Ernie Kovacs Show, Producer's Showcase and By Popular Demand.  He directed the orchestra for the Bob Hope & Shirley Ross recording of Thanks for the Memory.  His death has never been recorded, so it's possible he's celebrating his 102nd birthday today!

              
In 1913, broadcaster Dave Garroway was born in Schenectady NY.  He was one of the first practioners of a conversational approach on the air, as opposed to 'announcing' to the audience.  He had a popular late night jazz radio show in Chicago before being featured in Garroway at Large in the earliest days of the TV era, and then being named first host of the NBC Today Show. He was fired ten years later after lying down in the studio to press his contract demands. Sadly he committed suicide July 21, 1982 just days after his 69th birthday.  

In 1928, actor Bob Crane was born in Waterbury Conn.  While he had excellent radio credentials from his KNX Hollywood breakfast show, he is best remembered as the star of TV's zany German prison sitcom, Hogan's Heroes. He was found murdered in his hotel room in Scottsdale, AZ June 29, 1978 at age 49.

In 1929, Frank Sinatra made his recording debut with the Harry James band, singing "Melancholy Mood" and "From the Bottom of My Heart."

In 1930, RCA boss General Sarnoff opined to the NY Times that the medium still in experimental mode, "TV would be a theater in every home."

              
In 1934, Canadian broadcaster, writer and reporter and host of CBC Radio's "This Country in the Morning" and "Morningside", Peter Gzowski was born in Toronto. He died of emphysema after a lifetime of heavy smoking Jan. 24, 2002 at age 67.  

In 1938, spectators paid 25 cents to witness the first television theatre that opened in Boston Mass. The variety show with dancing and song lasted 45 minutes and was attended by 200 people. The acts were performed on a floor above the theatre and transmitted downstairs by TV.

In 1939, Frank Sinatra made his recording debut with the Harry James band. Frankie sang Melancholy Mood and From the Bottom of My Heart.

In 1946, Riley Puckett, one of the pioneers of recorded old-time country music, died in East Point, Georgia at age 52. His death was due to blood poisoning from an infected boil on his neck. Among Puckett's many recordings was ``Rock All Our Babies to Sleep,'' said to be one of the first discs to feature a country yodeller.

              
In 1959, Dedicated to the One I Love, by The Shirelles, was released. The tune went to number 83 on the Top 100 chart of "Billboard" magazine. The song was re-released in 1961 and made it to number three on the charts.

In 1960, KDBQ San Francisco, California changed its call letters to KYA, and became an iconic rock radio force.

Also in 1960, Freddy Cannon performed "Happy Shades of Blue" on "American Bandstand."

In 1964, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Rag Doll,'' by The 4 Seasons.

Also in 1964, the Supremes made the studio recording of "Come See About Me."

In 1968, Black Sabbath played their first gig at a small backstreet blues club in Birmingham, England. The group would develop into one of the biggest heavy metal bands of the 1970's with such albums as "Paranoid," "Masters of Reality" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath."

              
In 1973, actor Lon Chaney Jr, who had feature roles in the TV series Hawkeye and The Last of the Mohicans, & Pistols 'n' Petticoats, died of beriberi & liver failure at age 67.

In 1973, the Everly Brothers called it quits during a concert at the John Wayne Theatre in Buena Park, CA. Phil Everly walked off the stage in the middle of the show and brother Don said, “The Everly Brothers died ten years ago.� The duo reunited a decade later for a short time.

Still in 1973, the British rock band Queen's self-titled debut album was released. Their highly produced, much-overdubbed music resulted in more than a dozen gold and platinum records. Queen's biggest hit single was "Another One Bites the Dust,'' which topped both the Billboard pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in 1980

In 1974, "Rock Your Baby" by George McRae topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

              
Also in 1974, Eric Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" was released.

In 1975, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Listen to What the Man Said,'' by Wings.

In 1977, a Boz Scaggs concert in New York was cut short due to a citywide power failure. NRBQ was playing that night in a different venue and improvised by taping flashlights to their microphones stands and playing an acoustic set.

In 1978, BBC Radio banned "No One Is Innocent" by the Sex Pistols.

In 1980, singer Bryan Ferry collapsed in France from a kidney infection. The remainder of a European tour by his group, Roxy Music, was cancelled.

In 1981, the first issue of the Canadian music industry magazine "The Record" was published.

In 1984, Philippe Wynne, lead singer of the Spinners from 1972 to '77, died of a heart attack while on stage in Oakland, California. The Spinners' close harmony ballads regularly hit the top of the pop and rhythm-and blues charts from 1972 to '79. Their hits included ``I'll Be Around,'' ``Could It Be I'm Falling in Love'' and ``Then Came You.''

              
Also in 1984, sportscaster Howard Cosell said that he was "tired of being tied to the football mentality" and asked to be released from duties on Monday Night Football. Roone Arledge obliged. In fact, Cosell was removed from television altogether a year later.

In 1985, the Live Aid concerts to aid starving Africans took place on dual stages in London and Philadelphia. Sixty-one of rock's biggest acts performed for 17 hours in the outdoor stadiums for a global T-V and radio audience of more than 1.5-billion. Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof organized the historic concerts, which by the end of the year had raised an estimated 70-million dollars U-S for African famine relief. The final tally raised was double that.

Also in 1985, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "A View to a Kill,'' by Duran Duran. It was the first No. 1 hit from a James Bond movie. (Paul McCartney's ``Live and Let Die'' and Carly Simon's ``Nobody Does It Better'' each reached No. 2.)

In 1986, Joan Baez closed Toronto's Mariposa Folk Festival, then appeared barefoot at a news conference. She said that the recent Amnesty International benefit concerts had overcome her usual state of being cynical about all-star events.

                
In 1987, Madonna donated the 400-thousand-dollar proceeds from a Madison Square Garden concert to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The crowd of 14-thousand paid up to 100 dollars each.

Also in 1987, a federal judge threw out Bette Midler's $10 million suit against Ford Motor Co, who used a sound alike voice for their TV commercials

In 1991, Bryan Adams' 'Everything I Do, I Do It For You' (theme song of the Kevin Costner movie Robin Hood) hit #1 on the UK pop singles chart; it stayed on top for a record-breaking 16 weeks.

In 1992, an appeals court in New York ruled that Jett Williams, the illegitimate daughter of Hank Williams Sr., was entitled to share the royalties from his songs. The court ruled Jett Williams should receive one-quarter to one-third of the millions of dollars in royalties generated by her father's music since 1982. Hank Williams's son, Hank Williams Jr., and widow, Billie Jean Williams Berlin, split the royalties before the ruling.

In 1993, Geddy Lee of the Toronto rock band Rush sang "O Canada" at baseball's all-star game in Baltimore.
            
              
In 1994, an estimated 60- to 100-thousand "Deadheads" converged on the small Vermont town of Highgate, about 60 kilometres south of Montreal, for the start of the Grateful Dead's summer concert tour. Police reported a 10-kilometre-long traffic jam on a nearby interstate highway.

Also in 1994, bluesman Eddie Boyd died in Helsinki, Finland at 80. His 1952 recording of "Five Long Years" was a number-one rhythm-and-blues hit.

In 1995, George Michael and Sony settled their lengthy legal battle with an announcement that the singer was free to record for other companies. Michael then signed with David Geffen's new Dreamworks label in North America, and with Virgin Records for the rest of the world. In 1994, Michael lost a bid to break his multi-album contract with Sony, which he claimed amounted to "professional slavery."

In 1996, Philip Anselmo, lead singer for the band Pantera, overdosed on heroin. Anselmo later claimed he was dead for five minutes before being revived.

Also in 1996, about 240-thousand people braved heat and rain to attend a 12-hour country music festival at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Among the performers were Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr. and Patty Loveless.

              
Still in 1996, "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.

In 1997, Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis suffered a badly broken wrist when his motorcycle struck a car that made a U-turn in front of him in Los Angeles.

In 1998, it was announced that Marilyn Manson had to cancel appearances at seven European rock festivals due to drummer Ginger Fish's bout with mononucleosis.

In 2000, in Japan, Yoko Ono filed a lawsuit against Teito Rapid Transit Authority for copyright infringement for their unauthorized use of a ticket showing the portrait of John Lennon.

Also in 2000, James Brown was accused of swinging a knife at a utility worker and holding the man against his will. The event was supposed to have happened on July 3, 2000, when Russel Eubanks responded to a "no lights" report.

In 2003, "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce featuring Jay-Z became #1 for the first of 8 weeks on the Billboard Top 100.

In 2004, Ken Jennings, a software engineer from Salt Lake City, crossed the $1-million mark in his 30-game winning streak on the syndicated TV show Jeapardy.

              
In 2006, actor-comedian Red Buttons died of vascular disease at age 87. His last work had been a multi-episode guest spot on TV's ER.


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: Next Generation) is 68.

Quebec pop singer Donald Lautrec is 68.

Actor Robert Forster (Karen Sisco, Spawn, Banyon) is 67.

Singer-guitarist Roger McGuinn of The Byrds is 66.

Actor Harrison Ford (Star Wars Holiday Special, AFI Salute to George Lucas) is 66.

Actor-comedian Cheech Marin (Judging Amy, Nash Bridges) is 62.

Actress Daphne Maxwell Reid (Fresh Prince of Belair) is 60.

Montreal-born rock guitarist/singer David Wilcox is 59.
  
Actress Didi Conn (Benson, The Practice) is 57.

Country singer Louise Mandrell is 54.
  
Country singer-songwriter Victoria Shaw is 46.

Actor Michael Jace (The Shield) is 43.

Country singer Neil Thrasher (Thrasher Shriver) is 43.

Toronto-born r&b singer Deborah Cox is 34.

Drummer Will Champion of Coldplay is 30.


Chart Toppers:

July 13

1948
Woody Woodpecker Song - The Kay Kyser Orchestra (vocal: Gloria Wood & The Campus Kids)
You Can’t Be True, Dear - The Ken Griffin Orchestra (vocal: Jerry Wayne)
Little White Lies - Dick Haymes
Bouquet of Roses - Eddy Arnold

1957
Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley
Searchin’/Young Blood - The Coasters
Valley of Tears/It’s You I Love - Fats Domino
Bye Bye Love - The Everly Brothers

1966
Paperback Writer - The Beatles
Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle
Hanky Panky - Tommy James & The Shondells
Think of Me - Buck Owens

1975
Love Will Keep Us Together - The Captain & Tennille
The Hustle - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
Magic - Pilot
Movin’ On - Merle Haggard

1984
When Doves Cry - Prince
Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen
Jump (For My Love) - Pointer Sisters
Somebody’s Needin’ Somebody - Conway Twitty

1993
Weak - SWV (Sisters With Voices)
Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team
Can’t Help Falling in Love - UB40
Money in the Bank - John Anderson

2002
Hot In Herre - Nelly
Without Me - Eminem
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song) - Brad Paisley