Today in Music History for Sept. 3:
In 1915, blues singer and pianist Memphis Slim was born Peter Chatman in the city from which he took his stage name. Memphis Slim was one of the first American bluesmen to move to Europe and become a star there. He died in Paris on Feb. 24, 1988.
In 1934, Freddie King, one of the most influential of modern blues guitarists, was born in Gilmer, Texas. Among his disciples are such rock guitarists as Eric Clapton and John Mayall. King’s guitar style -- a cross between country and urban blues -- was featured on more than 70 songs for the King label in the early 1960s. Among his hits were the instrumental "Hideaway" and "Have You Ever Loved a Woman?" The interest in blues in the late ’60s, particularly among British musicians, revived King’s career. He soon was more popular than ever. On Dec. 28, 1976, he died in Dallas of heart failure, a blood clot and bleeding ulcers.
In 1966, Donovan scored his first No. 1 hit in the U.S. when "Sunshine Superman" topped the Billboard Hot 100. The pop-oriented song was recorded specially for the American market, and was a departure from Donovan’s previous folk records, such as "Catch the Wind" and "Universal Soldier."
In 1970, Al (Blind Owl) Wilson of the blues-rock group "Canned Heat" died of a drug overdose at the age of 27. Wilson's body was found at the Los Angeles home of another "Canned Heat" member, Bob Hite. Wilson was partially blind and subject to fits of severe depression. "Canned Heat" never really recovered from Wilson's death, although the group struggled along until 1981, when Hite died of a heart attack.
In 1982, the three-day U.S. Festival opened in San Bernardino, Calif. More than 400,000 people gathered to listen to such performers as "Fleetwood Mac," "The Police," "The Cars," the "Talking Heads" and the "Grateful Dead." The audience was also treated to such technical wizardry as video blowups of the artists. The festival, which had the financial backing of Steven Wozniak, the founder of Apple Computers, was reported to have lost a lot of money. The U.S. Festival '83 followed, and ended up even deeper in the red.
In 1992, a spokesman for Prince said Warner Brothers Records had re-signed the performer to a contract worth a record US$100 million. The figure surpassed the $60 million deal that Madonna had signed earlier in the year. But industry sources later speculated the Prince contract might be worth considerably less than $100 million. Warner also made Prince a vice-president for A&R (artists and repertoire) and agreed to put substantial funds into two joint-venture record labels.
In 1993, members of the Alberta legislature congratulated k.d. lang for winning the Best Female Video trophy at the previous night's MTV Music Video Awards. Earlier in the year, the governing Conservatives refused to congratulate lang, a native of Consort, Alta., for winning an American Music Award. Tory MP's cited lang's sexual orientation and her stand against eating meat.
In 1994, Chicago soul singer Major Lance died of heart disease at his home in Decatur, Ga. He was 52. Lance had top-10 hits in 1963 with "The Monkey Time" and the following year with "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um."
In 1995, "Metallica" and Courtney Love's band, "Hole," were the featured attractions at a high Arctic concert in Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. Contest winners from across North America joined local residents at the show, sponsored by Molson Breweries.
In 1995, disgraced American figure skater Tonya Harding made her singing debut with her band, "The Golden Blades," in Portland, Ore. The crowd booed her during her 15-minute set.
In 2002, the Russian space agency informed NASA it was not taking Lance Bass of "'N Sync" on a mission to the international space station. Bass had failed to come up with the needed C$30 million.
In 2009, Michael Jackson was interred at Forest Lawn Glendale Memorial Park, just outside of Los Angeles, in the cemetery's Great Mausoleum, more than two months after his death. The area is restricted and many parts of it are accessible only by pass keys.
In 2010, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum renamed its atrium to honour Sen. George Voinovich. As mayor of Cleveland in the '80s and former governor in the 1990s, Voinovich was instrumental in getting the hall built in Cleveland.
In 2010, Mike Edwards, who played cello in "Electric Light Orchestra" between 1972 and 1975, was killed when his van collided with a 600-kilogram hay bale that had rolled down a steep hill to the road. He was 62.
In 2010, Fox TV announced Kara DioGuardi was the latest judge to leave its hit singing contest, "American Idol." Simon Cowell left after the year's finale to concentrate on another talent show for Fox, "The X Factor," and Ellen DeGeneres left in July.
In 2011, "The Black Eyed Peas" benefit concert in Minot, N.D., raised at least $1.3 million to help the city with recovery efforts after devastating floods in July. Minot-born actor Josh Duhamel, husband of BEP singer Fergie, organized the concert.
In 2017, Walter Becker, the guitarist, bassist and co-founder of the 1970s rock group Steely Dan, died at age 67. The group sold more than 40 million albums and produced such hit singles as "Reelin' In the Years," "Rikki Don't Lose that Number" and "Deacon Blues."
In 2019, stage and screen actress Carol Lynley died at the age of 77. Lynley's daughter Jill Selsman said her mother died in her sleep in Los Angeles. Lynley appeared in more than 100 films and television series, but her best-known role was as pop singer Nonnie Parry in 1972's "The Poseidon Adventure." Her character performed the song "The Morning After" -- although the vocals in the film were dubbed. The song went on to win an Academy Award. Lynley had numerous guest appearances on television series including "Fantasy Island," "The Love Boat" and "Hawaii Five-O."
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The Canadian Press