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Music Almanac: May 15, 2018
Birthdays
- 1918 - Eddy Arnold (d. 2008)
- 1935 - Utah Phillips (d. 2008)
- 1937 - Trini Lopez (81)
- 1938 - Lenny Welch (80)
- 1941 - K.T. Oslin (77)
- 1942 - Lois Johnson (d. 2014)
- 1943 - Freddie Perren (d. 2004)
- 1944 - Ian Amey (Tich of Dave Dee, Dozey, Beaky, Mick and Tich) (74)
- 1947 - Graham Goble (Little River Band) (71)
- 1948 - Brian Eno (70)
- 1948 - Gary Thain (Uriah Heep) (d. 1975)
- 1951 - Dennis Fredericksen (Toto) (67)
- 1953 - Mike Oldfield (65)
- 1959 - Andrew Eldritch (Sisters of Mercy) (59)
- 1966 - Pete Wiggs (Saint Etienne) (55)
- 1974 - Ahmet Zappa (44)
- 1982 - Jessica Sutta (Pussycat Dolls) (36)
- 1983 - Devin Bronson (35)
Deaths
- 1992 - Barbara Lee (Chiffons) - Heart attack (44)
- 1999 - Rob Gretton (manager of Joy Division and New Order) - Heart attack (46)
- 2000 - Geoff Goddard (Tornados) (62)
- 2001 - Brian Pendleton (Pretty Things) - Cancer (57)
- 2003 - June Carter Cash - Complications from heart valve replacement (73)
- 2011 - Bob Flanigan (Four Freshman) - Congestive Heart Failure (84)
- 2015 - Ortheia Barnes-Kennerly - Heart failure (70)
On This Day
- 1957 - Elvis Presley has to undergo an emergency procedure when he accidentally inhales one of the caps from his teeth into his lung.
- 1963 - The Rolling Stones signed with Decca Records.
- 1967 - Paul McCartney met Linda Eastman for the first time at a Georgie Fame concert in London.
- 1968 - The film Wonderwall premiered at the Cannes Film Festival with George Harrison and Ringo Starr in attendance. Meanwhile, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were holding a press conference to announce they were no longer associated with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
- 1971 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono show their films Apotheosis and Fly at the Cannes Film Festival.
- 1974 - Frank Zappa and his wife welcomed Ahmet Rodan.
- 1975 - Fleetwood Mac, in the new configuration with Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine and John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, plays live for the first time in El Paso, TX.
- 1977 - Procol Harum played their last concert (up to that time) in New York.
- 1980 - The Sex Pistols film, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle, is released.
- 1981 - Public Image Ltd, led by John Lydon, were booed off the stage in New York when they "performed" by standing behind a video screen while pre-recorded music played.
- 1982 - Ricky Skaggs joined the Grand Ole Opry.
- 1984 - Nils Lofgren joined Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band.
- 1994 - Sting and Nancy Wilson receive Honorary Doctorates of Music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
- 1995 - R.E.M. resumes their Monster tour after Bill Berry's recovery from an aneurysm.
- 1995 - Scott Weiland was arrested for trying to buy drugs.
- 1997 - Courtney Love sold the mansion she shared with Kurt Cobain.
- 1997 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted The Bee Gees, Joni Mitchell, The Young Rascals, The Jackson 5, King Records founder Syd Nathan, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Bill Monroe.
- 1998 - Sonny & Cher received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- 2000 - Bob Dylan and Isaac Stern received Sweden's Polar Music Prize.
- 2002 - Jay Kay of Jamiroquai was assaulted and received facial injuries after seeing Star Wars II: The Attack of the Clones.
- 2003 - The manager of t.a.t.u. is arrested by Russian authorities after fans riot in Red Square.
- 2004 - The Beastie Boys played a secret show in London to promote their new album, To the 5 Boroughs.
- 2004 - Terri Clark was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry.
- 2008 - Shania Twain and Mutt Lange announced they were separating.
- Marriages
- 1988 - Martina Schiff and John McBride
- 1999 - Keifer Thompson and Shawna McIlwain (both Thompson Square)
- 2004 - Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) and Allison Anderson
- Divorces
- 2008 - Shania Twain and Robert "Mutt" Lange (announced separation)
Released
- 1965 - Mr. Tambourine Man - Byrds
- 1969 - Life With Lions - John Lennon
- 1970 - Close to You (album) - Carpenters
- 1971 - Ram - Paul McCartney
- 1974 - Monkey Grip - Bill Wyman (first solo album by any member of the Rolling Stones)
- 1985 - Raspberry Beret - Prince
- 1986 - Raising Hell - Run-D.M.C.
- 2001 - The World Needs a Hero - Megadeth
- 2001 - Weezer (Green Album) - Weezer
- 2001 - God Bless the Go-Go's - Go-Go's (first album in 17 years)
- 2009 - Relapse - Eminem
- 2009 - 21st Century Breakdown - Green Day
Awards
- 1963 - Grammy Awards
- Record of the Year - I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennett
- Album of the Year - The First Family - Vaughn Meader
- Song of the Year - What Kind of Fool Am I? - Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley
- New Artist - Robert Goulet
- Pop Solo Female - Ella Swings Brightly With Nelson - Ella Fitzgerald
- Pop Solo Male - I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennett
- Pop Duo or Group With Vocals - If I Had a Hammer - Peter, Paul & Mary
- Rock & Roll Recording - Alley Cat - Bent Fabric
- R&B Recording - I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
- Country & Western Recording - Funny Way of Laughin' - Burl Ives
- Folk Recording - If I Had a Hammer - Peter, Paul & Mary
Broadcasts
- 1961 - Make Room For Daddy (CBS) - Brenda Lee
Number Ones - U.S. Singles
- 1948 - Nature Boy - Nat King Cole (7 weeks)
- 1976 - Boogie Fever - Sylvers (1 week)
- 1982 - Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (7 weeks)
- 1993 - That's The Way Love Goes - Janet Jackson (8 weeks)
- 2010 - OMG - Usher Featuring will.i.am (4 weeks)
Number Ones - U.S. Albums
- 1948 - Busy Fingers - Three Suns (1 week)
- 1961 - G.I. Blues - Elvis Presley (3 weeks)
- 1971 - 4 Way Street - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1 week)
- 1976 - Black & Blue - Rolling Stones (2 weeks)
- 1982 - Asia - Asia (2 weeks)
- 1993 - The Bodyguard - Whitney Houston/Soundtrack (3 weeks (17 previous weeks at number 1))
- 1999 - Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Volume 1 - Various Artists (1 week)
- 2004 - D12 World - D12 (1 week)
- 2010 - The Adventures of Bobby Ray - B.o.B. (1 week)
Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles
- 1976 - Love Hangover - Diana Ross (1 week)
- 1982 - It's Gonna Take a Miracle - Deniece Williams (2 week)
- 1999 - Fortunate - Maxwell (8 weeks)
Number Ones - U.S. Country Singles
- 1965 - Girl on the Billboard - Del Reeves (2 weeks)
- 1971 - I Won't Mention It Again - Ray Price (3 weeks)
- 1976 - What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down - Ronnie Milsap (1 week)
- 1993 - I Love the Way You Love Me - John Michael Montgomery (3 weeks)
- 1999 - Please Remember Me - Tim McGraw (5 weeks)
Number Ones - U.S. Adult Contemporary Singles
- 1971 - Me and You and a Dog Named Boo - Lobo (2 weeks)
- 1976 - Welcome Back - John Sebastian (2 weeks)
- 1982 - Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (5 weeks)
- 1993 - Tell Me What You Dream - Rascal Flatts Featuring Warren Hill (2 weeks)
Number Ones - U.K. Singles
- 1959 - A Fool Such As I / I Need Your Love Tonight - Elvis Presley (5 weeks)
- 1971 - Knock Three Times - Tony Orlando & Dawn (5 weeks)
- 1982 - A Little Peace - Nicole (2 weeks)
- 1999 - I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys (1 week)
Number Ones - U.K. Albums
- 1993 - Republic - New Order (1 week)
- 1999 - Head Music - Suede (1 week)
- 2004 - Greatest Hits - Guns N' Roses (1 week (2 previous weeks))
- 2010 - Song From the Tainted Cherry Tree - Diane Vickers (1 week)
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