Wednesday July the 16th

ON THIS DAY in 1903
singer/saxaphonist Carmen Lombardo was born in London Ontario.  He was the younger brother of bandleader Guy Lombardo, and did much of the singing & arranging for the band famed as The Royal Canadians.  He penned many of the band's hit songs, including Coquette, Boo Hoo, Seems Like Old Times, Sweethearts on Parade, & Get Out Those Old Records. He died of cancer April 17 1971 at age 67.

              
In 1907, actress Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Stevens in Brooklyn.  She is best remembered as the matriarch of the Barkley clan in the TV western The Big Valley.  Later she starred in The Colbys & was featured in The Thorn Birds. Her TV roles followed a 37 year career on the big screen which began at age 17.  She died of congestive heart failure & emphysema Jan. 20 1990 at age 82.

In 1911, actress/dancer Ginger Rogers was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence Missouri.  After a dazzling big screen career, during which she co-starred with Fred Astaire in some ten musicals, she began accepting the odd TV role in the late 50's, and continued to make occasional appearances for the next 25 years.  At one point she was hostess of The Bell Telephone Hour. She died of congestive heart failure Apr 25, 1995 at age 83.

In 1915, actor Barnard Hughes was born in Bedford Hills NY. He had recurring roles on several long-running soap operas, including the Guiding Light and As the World Turns, and as he reached old age he became a familiar "Grandpa" on TV through the 1980s and 90s. Among his television credits are the series "The Cavanaughs" (1986), "Mr. Merlin" (1981) and "Doc" (1975). In 1991, at the age of 76, he played "Grandpa Buzz" on the sitcom Blossom.  He died July 11, 2006 just days short of his 91st birthday.

              
In 1925, Latin jazz musician Cal Tjader was born in St. Louis. Unlike other American jazz musicians who experimented with the music from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he never abandoned it, performing it until his death.   He primarily played the vibraphone, but was also accomplished on the drums, bongos, congas, timpani, and the piano. He died while on tour in Manila, suffering a fatal heart attack May 5, 1982 at age 56.

In 1934, the NBC Red radio network premiered the musical drama, Dreams Come True. The show concerned the lives of baritone singer Barry McKinley and his novelist sweetheart.

In 1959, the Coasters recorded their soon-to-be smash hit "Poison Ivy."

              
In 1966, guitarist Eric Clapton, formerly of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and the Yardbirds, joined two ex-members of the Graham Bond Organisation, bass guitarist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker, to form Cream. The influential blues-rock trio sold more than 15-million albums in their three years together, before differences between the band members broke up the group. Cream is remembered for songs such as ``Strange Brew,'' ``White Room'' and ``Sunshine Of Your Love.''

Also in 1966, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Hanky Panky," by Tommy James & the Shondells.

Still in 1966, the Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer In The City" was released.

In 1969, The Who's "I'm Free" was released.

In 1972, Smokey Robinson performed for the last time with the Miracles in Washington, D-C. They'd been together since 1959. Robinson went on to a successful solo career.

              
Also in 1972, singer Charlie Chamberlain, a member of Don Messer's Islanders since the group's 1939 launch in Charlottetown, died at 61. On the same date in 1977, Marg Osburne (below), the female vocalist with the Islanders, died at 49.
                                                                                                                    

In 1973, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Big Bad Leroy Brown," by Jim Croce.

Also in 1973, Bob Dylan's ``Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid'' soundtrack L-P was released. It contained the hit single ``Knockin' on Heaven's Door.''

In 1976, two major breakups took place. Loggins & Messina disbanded after 6 years, and the 'b\Allman Brothers Band[/b] split up.

In 1977, BC radio pioneer Jack Pilling died in Chilliwack at age 69. He began at CHWK in 1929, as an engineer and filling in on-air. He became an equal partner in 1940, and was named President of Fraser Valley Broadcasters in 1955.  He retired in 1963, and sold his controlling interest in the company.

Also in 1977, "Da Doo Ron Ron" by Shaun Cassidy topped the charts and stayed there for just the one week.

In 1980, ``No Nukes,'' a film documentary of several anti-nuclear benefit concerts, premiered in New York. The performers included the Doobie Brothers; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Jackson Browne and James Taylor.

              
In 1981, singer-songwriter Harry Chapin was killed in a car crash on a New York City freeway. Chapin was best known for ``Taxi,'' a top-20 hit in 1972, and ``Cat's in the Cradle,'' which hit number-one in '74.

In 1983, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Every Breath You Take," by The Police. It stayed atop the pop chart for eight weeks. Billboard ranked the million-selling single the top song of the year.

In 1985, orchestra leader Wayne King, "the waltz king," died at age 84. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the radio category, and had a TV show in Chicago from 1949-52.

Also in 1985, Major League Baseball's All-Star Game became the first program telecast in stereo by a network. The NBC milestone soon led to sound enhancement of other network shows.

In 1986, Dolly Parton's "Dollywood" amusement park opened in Tennessee.

In 1988, British rock singer Sting cancelled his Calgary concert due to a severe throat infection; Edmonton show the following night was also cancelled; 11,000 fans got refunds.

              
Also in 1988, Michael J. Fox married Tracy Pollan.

In 1990, Disc Jockey Rick Dees debuted his TV show "Into The Night" on ABC-TV.

In 1991, actor/announcer Dwight Weist, who was radio's first Mr. District Attorney, and announced on some of the biggest shows of radio's "Golden Age," died at age 81.

Also in 1991, Marc Emery, owner of a London, Ontario bookstore, was convicted of selling obscene material -- specifically, 2 Live Crew's album, "As Nasty as They Wanna Be." Emery received a conditional discharge -- meaning he'd have no criminal record -- and a year's probation.

In 1992, Charlton Heston joined the furore over rapper Ice-T's "Body Count" album by reading the lyrics to "K-K-K Bitch" and "Cop Killer" to a Time-Warner shareholders meeting in Los Angeles. The actor condemned the company for releasing the album. Protests began with police groups, who said "Cop Killer" encouraged the killing of police. Ice-T said two weeks later the song would be dropped from future copies of the album.

In 1993, Michael Mick Jagger celebrated his 50th birthday with a French revolutionary costume party and banquet on the grounds of a suburban London teaching college. The 300 celebrity guests included fellow Rolling Stones Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Jagger actually hit the half-century mark 10 days later.

Also in 1993, members of Guns 'N' Roses were charged in Argentina with cocaine possession and indecent exposure. But the charges were dropped an hour before their concert in Buenos Aires. No drugs were found.

              
In 1994, tenors Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras performed together before 56-thousand at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on the eve of the World Cup soccer final.  On TV the concert drew an estimated one-point-three billion viewers.

Also in 1994, Bruce Springsteen showed up unannounced at the 20th anniversary celebration of the Stone Pony bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Springsteen and his wife, Patty Scialfa, Jon Bon Jovi and former E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg performed several songs with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

Still in 1994, "The Lion King" soundtrack album hit the top of the Billboard chart. It was the second chart-topping album for the Walt Disney Company, following 1965's "Mary Poppins."

In 1996, John Panozzo, drummer and founding member of the 1970s rock band Styx, died of internal bleeding at his Chicago home. Panozzo was 47.

              
Also in 1996, Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the Irish pop group the Cranberries, was awarded more than 15-thousand dollars in libel damages by a London court. The Daily Star tabloid had claimed that a gust of wind had lifted O'Riordan's skirt during a concert in Germany to reveal she was not wearing underwear. The singer donated her monetary award to charity.

In 1997, the rap duo Insane Clown Posse signed with Island Records, three weeks after Disney-owned Hollywood Records announced it was pulling their album from stores because of obscene lyrics. Island re-released the album, "The Great Milenko," the following month.

Also in 1997, concert promoters were forced to call off a Calgary show by shock rocker Marilyn Manson. A judge refused to order arena operator Larry Ryckman to allow the concert to go ahead. Another judge later ordered Ryckman to compensate the promoters.

In 1999, the Beach Boys appeared on NBC-TV's Today

In 2003, rock 'n' roll radio pioneer Winston J. "Buddy'' Deane died in Pine Bluff, Arkansas of complications from a stroke. He was 78. His popular television teen-dance show in Baltimore from 1957 to 1964 formed the basis for John Waters' "Hairspray'' and Deane had a bit part in the original 1988 movie.

              
In 2004, U.S. Domestic TV icon Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison and five months of home confinement by a federal judge in New York for lying about a stock sale.


Today's Birthdays:

TV hostess/panelist Bess Myerson (To Tell the Truth, Candid Camera) is 84.

50's pop vocalist Mindy Carson is 81.

Soul singer William Bell is 69.

Actor-singer Ruben Blades (Gideon's Crossing) is 60.

Drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police is 56.

Dancer Michael Flatley (Lord of the Dance) is 50.

Actress Phoebe Cates (Lace, Baby Sister) is 45.

Country singer Craig Morgan is 44.

Actor Will Ferrell (Saturday Night Live) is 41.

Actress Rain Pryor (Head of the Class) is 39.

Actor Corey Feldman (Sonic Underground, Surreal Life) is 37.

Singer-guitarist Ed Kowalczyk of Live is 37.

Singer Ryan McCombs of Drowning Pool is 34.

Actress AnnaLynne McCord (Nip/Tuck) is 21.

Actor Mark Indelicato (Ugly Betty) is 14.


Chart Toppers - July  16th


1951
Too Young - Nat King Cole
Mister and Mississippi - Patti Page
The Loveliest Night of the Year - Mario Lanza
I Wanna Play House with You - Eddy Arnold

1960
Alley-Oop - Hollywood Argyles
I’m Sorry - Brenda Lee
Mule Skinner Blues - The Fendermen
Please Help Me, I’m Falling - Hank Locklin

1969
In the Year 2525 - Zager & Evans
Good Morning Starshine - Oliver
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells
Statue of a Fool - Jack Greene

1978
Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
Take a Chance on Me - Abba
Only One Love in My Life - Ronnie Milsap

1987
Alone - Heart
Shakedown - Bob Seger
Songbird - Kenny G
All My Ex’s Live in Texas - George Strait

1996
How Do U Want It/California Love - 2 Pac (featuring KC & JoJo)
You’re Makin’ Me High/Let It Flow - Toni Braxton
Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman
No One Needs to Know - Shania Twain

2005
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
Behind These Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson
Don’t Phunk With My Heart - Black Eyed Peas
Fast Cars and Freedom - Rascal Flatts