1963 - Thirteen-year-old Little Stevie Wonder started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Fingertips part II," making him the youngest singer to top the charts.
1972 - During their Wings Over Europe Tour, Paul and Linda McCartney were arrested in Sweden for possession of six ounces of marijuana, which was mailed to them by someone in McCartney's office who thought they would like some weed on the road. The couple are released after paying a combined fine of $1,200.. McCartney joked the arrest would “make good publicity” for the tour.
1984 -Red Hot Chili Peppers release their self-titled debut album, an arduous collaboration with producer Andy Gill of the British rock band Gang of Four. The band wanted to bring the raw energy of their live club gigs to their debut, but Gill insisted the band pursue a commercial path with a hit friendly sound. The band's rows with Gill got so bad, the tension sent engineer Dave Jerden to the hospital with a stomach ulcer and led RHCP bassist Flea to defecate in a pizza box and deliver it to Gill. Although the album receives mixed reviews, it's later regarded as the catalyst for rap rock and a forerunner of funk metal.
1993 - The Dave Matthews Band played at The Flood Zone in Richmond, Virginia, the gig was recorded with some of tonight’s songs ending up on the bands first album ‘Remember Two Things.’ Featured early versions of future of future DMB staples like, Ants Marching, Satellite, and Tripping Billies. The record featured a “Magic Eye” cover that revealed a hand making the peace sign when you looked at it just right. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
2008 - Singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes died at his home in Memphis, Tennessee. Hayes won an Oscar for the 1971 hit Theme From Shaft (Hayes initially became involved with Shaft in hopes of having director Gordon Parks cast him in the title role) and was also known as the voice of Chef from the hit cartoon show, South Park.
2016 - Ed Sheeran was being sued in America over claims that his track 'Thinking Out Loud' rips off a Marvin Gaye song. The estate of ‘Let’s Get It On’ co-writer Ed Townsend sued Sheeran through the US courts over allegations that he had ripped off the “melody, harmony and rhythm compositions” of the Gaye classic on ‘Thinking Out Loud’. A company called Structured Asset Sale then filed its own litigation over the same allegations on the basis that it also has a stake in the ‘Let’s Get It On’ copyright. The case is still making it's way through the legal system.
Birthdays:
Clarence Leonidas 'Leo' Fender, inventor and founder of the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, was born today in 1909. He was 81 years old when he passed away in 1991.
Veronica Yvette Bennett, also known as Ronnie Spector, is 78. Spector was the lead singer of the Ronettes, which had a bunch of hits during the early to mid-1960s including "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You", "The Best Part of Breakin' Up", and "Walking in the Rain".
Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull, is 74.
INXS drummer Jon Farriss is 60.
On This Day In Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Song Facts, Complete Music Update, and Wikipedia.