Monday April the 21st

ON THIS DAY in 1919  
singer Don Cornell was born in New York City. He got his start with Red Nichols and bandleader Sammy Kaye before going solo. He sold over 50 million records. Among his hits were "It Isn't Fair," "I'm Yours," "I'll Walk Alone," and "Hold My Hand." In 1993, he was inducted into the Big Band Hall of Fame. He died from emphysema and diabetes Feb 23 2004 at the age of 84.
            

In 1921, Canadian tenor Roger Doucet was born in Montreal. He was best-known for singing "O Canada'' at home games of the Montreal Canadiens, Alouettes and Expos. Doucet also performed the national anthem at special events in the U-S. Roger Doucet died in the early 1980's.

In 1924, Ira Louvin, who formed a gospel and bluegrass duo with his brother Charlie, was born in Rainesville, Alabama.
The Louvin Brothers first gained notice in the '50s with their talking gospel songs, such as "Satan Is Real'' and "Make Him a Soldier.'' Their secular hits included "When I Stop Dreaming" and "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby." Ira Louvin died in a 1965 car crash in Missouri.

In 1940, the radio quiz program, "Take It or Leave It", was first heard on CBS radio on this day. Host Bob Hawk offered contestants a top prize of $64. And the show was a bona fide hit.

            
In 1947, new wave performer Iggy Pop, whose real name is James Jewel Osterberg, was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan.      
Pop and his band the Stooges, formed in 1968, are now considered forerunners to the punk rock movement. He earned notoriety for his wild concert performances, which included flinging himself into audiences and smearing his body with anything handy, from peanut butter to blood.

In 1949, the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for Broadcasting was presented to You Bet Your Life star, "The one, the only, Groucho Marx." This was the first time the honor had been awarded to a comedian.

In 1956, ten-year-old Leonard Ross became the youngest prizewinner on a big-time TV quiz program. The youngster won $100,000 on The Big Surprise for knowing about his specialty: stocks!    Hope he invested that dough wisely.

          
In 1956, "Heartbreak Hotel," Elvis Presley's first single for RCA Victor, went to number one in the U-S. It stayed in the top spot for eight weeks, becoming his first million-seller.

In 1958, "Twilight Time" by Platters topped the charts .. but only for the week.

In 1960, Dick Clark testified before a congressional committee investigating payola.   He admitted that he had a financial interest in 27 percent of the records he played on his show in a period of 28 months.
          
In 1961, the Beatles debuted at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.

In 1962, "Good Luck Charm" by Elvis Presley topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1963, the Beatles went to the Crawdaddy Club in London to see the Rolling Stones. The impressed Beatles recommended the Stones to their former publicist Andrew Loog Oldham, who became the Stones' first manager.

          
In 1965, the Beach Boys appeared on ABC-TV's "Shindig!" and performed "Do You Wanna Dance?"

In 1969, rock singer Janis Joplin gave one of her greatest performances at London's Royal Albert Hall. The show was attended by a glittering array of British rock performers. Just 18 months later, on October 4th, 1970, Joplin died of a drug overdose.

In 1970, sportscaster Curt Gowdy was the recipient of the coveted George Foster Peabody Award for achievement in radio and television. Curt, a long-time voice of the Boston Red Sox, NBC and ABC Sports and syndicated programs (including The American Sportsman), was the first sports broadcaster to receive the honor.

Also in 1970, Chicago blues guitarist and singer Earl Hooker, a cousin of the better known John Lee Hooker, died of tuberculosis at 40. He brought a modern feeling to traditional blues and became known as the king of the electric slide guitar.

          
Still in 1970, Elton John made his solo concert debut when he opened for T. Rex in London.

In 1971, "Sticky Fingers,'' the Rolling Stones' first album for their own label, Rolling Stones Records, was released.

In 1973, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" by Tony Orlando & Dawn topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

In 1974, the country duo of Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed together for the last time.

In 1975, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song'' by B.J. Thomas. The song has the longest title of any No. 1 single.

          
In 1977, the musical "Annie,'' based on the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie,'' opened on Broadway. The original production played for 2,377 performances.

Also in 1977, singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester played his first U-S show in 10 years. He had fled to Canada during the Vietnam War to avoid the draft.

Still in 1977, Natalie Cole and John Denver were guests on Frank Sinatra's ABC-TV special "Sinatra & Friends".

In 1978, British folk-rock singer Sandy Denny died of a brain hemorrhage after falling down the stairs at a friend's home in London. She was 37. Denny performed with the Strawbs, Fairport Convention and Fotheringay. She was one of Britain's most popular singer-songwriters in the early 1970s.

In 1979, "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart topped the charts, but only for the week.

          
In 1982, the final episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati" aired on CBS.

In 1984, Michael Jackson's Thriller album slipped a couple of notches from number 1 to number 3 on the pop album charts. Michael needn't have been too upset. Thriller was number one for 37 weeks, setting a record in music history for the longest run at the top.

Also in 1984, ABC TV's "Nightline" reverted back from 1 hour to ½ hour.

In 1985, Canada's original voice of hockey, Foster Hewitt died at age 82.  He'd been heard covering Toronto Maple Leaf games on CBC radio & TV for more than 50 years.

In 1986, Kim Wilde and Nik Kershaw headlined the first of five London benefit concerts for Greenpeace.

          
In 1986, the once-notorious Lexington Hotel in Chicago received a visitor, in the person of Geraldo Rivera, along with a camera crew. A record audience watched as the long-sealed vault of racketeer, Al Capone was opened during a much-hyped TV special. All that was found were broken bottles and no trace that Capone and his gang had ever stashed anything there.

In 1988, Barbra Streisand recorded "You'll Never Know."

In 1990, the largest crowd ever to attend a concert, 184-thousand people, jammed a soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro for a Paul McCartney show. That topped the 175-thousand at a 1980 Frank Sinatra show in the same venue.

In 1993, former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman married for the third time. Wyman, who was 56, married 33-year-old American fashion designer Suzanne Accosta in France. Wyman's previous marriage, to teenager Mandy Smith in 1989, lasted less than two years.

            
In 1993, the first episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger" with Chuck Norris aired on CBS.

In 1996, Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, oddsmaker and sports analyst for CBS TV, died at age 76.

In 1996, Nova Scotia's Acadia University announced it would bestow honorary music degrees on the Rankin Family. The university cited the Cape Breton singers for bringing their "award-winning mix of traditional Celtic tunes and contemporary originals to stages around the world."

In 1997, the ashes of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry were shot into orbit.

In 1998, hundreds of friends and fans gathered in Santa Barbara, California for a candlelight tribute to Linda McCartney. The American-born wife of Paul McCartney had died four days earlier of breast cancer at 56. Singer Jim Messina performed "Forever My Love" during the hour-long ceremony.

Also in 1998, Giant Records used the Internet to distribute the first single from Brian Wilson's album "Imagination" to four U-S radio stations. The company called it the first time the Internet was used to distribute a song to radio.

Still on this date in 1998, singer Helen Ward, who performed with the Benny Goodman and Harry James big bands in the '30s and '40s, died in Arlington, Virginia at 82. Among the songs Ward recorded with Goodman were the million-seller "These Foolish Things," and "Goody Goody."

            
In 1999, Brooks & Dunn debuted their newest video, "South of Santa Fe," while internet site country.com simultaneously streamed the video using Microsoft Windows Media technology. It was the first time that a country video made its debut simultaneously on TV and the Internet.

In 2001, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck was arrested for allegedly getting drunk and going on a rampage on a flight from Seattle to London. He was later found innocent of the charges.
          
In 2003, jazz & soul singer Nina Simone died from cancer at age 70. Songs she is best known for include My Baby Just Cares for Me, I Put A Spell On You, I Loves You Porgy, Feeling Good, Sinnerman and Ain't got no-I got life.


Today's Birthdays:

Comedienne/writer/director Elaine May is 76.

Actor Charles Grodin (60 Mins II, Charles Grodin Show, Fresno) is 73.

Singer Iggy Pop is 61.

Singer Paul Davis is 60.

Actress Patti LuPone (Oz, Life Goes On) is 59.

Actor Tony Danza (Who's the Boss, Taxi, Tony Danza Show) is 57.

Actress Andie MacDowell (Riding the Bus With My Sister, Insatiable) is 50.

Singer Robert Smith of The Cure is 49.

Guitarist Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is 49.

Rapper Michael Franti of Spearhead is 42.

Comedian Nicole Sullivan (King of Queens, Kim Possible, Raines) is 38.

Actor James McAvoy (State of Play, Band of Brothers) is 29.


Chart Toppers

April 21

1951
If - Perry Como
Mockingbird Hill - Les Paul & Mary Ford
Would I Love You - Patti Page
The Rhumba Boogie - Hank Snow

1959
Come Softly to Me - The Fleetwoods
I Need Your Love Tonight - Elvis Presley
(Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such as I - Elvis Presley
White Lightning - George Jones

1967
Somethin’ Stupid - Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra
This is My Song - Petula Clark
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You - The Monkees
Lonely Again - Eddy Arnold

1975
Philadelphia Freedom - The Elton John Band
(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song - B.J. Thomas
He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) - Tony Orlando & Dawn
Always Wanting You - Merle Haggard

1983
Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
Mr. Roboto - Styx
Dixieland Delight - Alabama

1991
You’re in Love - Wilson Phillips
Baby Baby - Amy Grant
Joyride - Roxette
Down Home - Alabama