Today in Music History for April 7:
In 1824, the first complete performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's ``Missa Solemnis'' was held in St. Petersburg, Russia. He spent over a year researching the history of church music so he could integrate the original styles into the mass.
In 1908, orchestra conductor, arranger and composer Percy Faith was born in Toronto. He began by playing music for silent films in the city's movie houses, later turning to arranging and composing when his hands were severely burned in an accident. After a stint at the C小蓝视频, he moved to the U.S. and became an arranger-conductor for Columbia Records. He worked with Tony Bennett and other singers, plus his own orchestra and chorus. His ``Theme From a Summer Place'' won the 1960 Grammy for Record of the Year. Faith died in Los Angeles in 1976.
In 1915, Billie Holliday, probably the greatest jazz singer ever, was born Eleanora Fagan in Baltimore. Her greatest recordings -- ``Strange Fruit,'' ``God Bless the Child'' and ``Yesterdays'' -- were made in 1939 and 1940. A 1973 movie loosely based on Holliday's autobiography, ``Lady Sings the Blues,'' starred Diana Ross. Holliday was jailed for a narcotics offence in 1948, and died in a New York hospital in July, 1959 while facing another possession charge.
In 1943, guitarist Mick Abrahams, founder of ``Jethro Tull,'' was born. He left the group after their first album in the '60s.
In 1949, John Oates of ``Hall and Oates,'' was born in New York City. Beginning with their first record, 1972's ``Whole Oats,'' Oates and Daryl Hall had great success with their energetic blend of R&B and rock 'n' roll.
In 1949, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ``South Pacific'' opened at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. Adapted from James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning novel ``Tales of the South Pacific,'' the musical starred Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza and ran for 1,925 performances. ``South Pacific'' was made into a movie in 1958.
In 1962, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met future ``Rolling Stone'' Brian Jones at a London blues club.
In 1975, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left ``Deep Purple'' to form ``Rainbow.'' His guitar riffs helped make ``Deep Purple'' one of the early '70s most successful groups.
In 1979, ``Music Box Dancer,'' an instrumental by Canadian pianist Frank Mills, became the No. 1 single in the U.S. It was the first instrumental to top the charts in several years.
In 1987, jazz singer Maxine Sullivan, whose big hit was her 1937 recording of Loch Lomond, died in New York at age 75.
In 1988, Alice Cooper simulated hanging himself during a London concert. A safety rope snapped, and Cooper dangled by the neck for several seconds before being rescued by a stage hand.
In 1990, ``Motley Crue'' drummer Tommy Lee suffered a mild concussion during a New Haven concert. Lee fell while swinging down a rope from on-stage scaffolding.
In 1997, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis became the first jazz composer to win a Pulitzer Prize for music. He won for ``Blood on the Fields,'' a three-hour work for big band and three singers.
In 1997, Canadian country singer Patricia Conroy suffered a head wound and numerous bites and cuts when attacked by a German shepherd on a beach in Italy. The remaining seven dates of her European tour were cancelled.
In 1997, ``Oasis'' lead singer Liam Gallagher finally married actress Patsy Kensit in a civil ceremony in London. The 24-year-old groom and his 28-year-old bride had cancelled a ceremony in February because of a media onslaught. The stormy marriage lasted three years.
In 1997, the University of Amsterdam began offering a pop culture course on the music, persona and media presence of Madonna.
In 1998, drummer Tommy Lee of ``Motley Crue'' pleaded no contest to felony spousal abuse. He was accused of kicking his wife, actress Pamela Anderson Lee, while she held their son. Lee was sentenced to six months in jail.
In 1998, singer George Michael was arrested in Beverly Hills, Calif., for allegedly committing a lewd solo act in a park restroom. He later confirmed he was gay and that he'd been similarly ``reckless'' before. Michael pleaded no contest and was fined $810, banned from the park, and ordered to take counselling and perform community service.
In 2011, country music singers Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner, John Michael Montgomery and the late Keith Whitley were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.
In 2013, Luke Bryan won the coveted Entertainer of the Year honour at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Miranda Lambert took home three awards - her fourth straight Female Vocalist, Single and Song of the Year for co-writing and recording ``Over You.'' Eric Church won Album of the Year for ``Chief'' and Jason Aldean picked up Male Vocalist of the Year.
In 2015, singer-songwriter Don McLean's original 16-page manuscript and notes to ``American Pie'' sold at auction for US$1.2 million. The 8-minute-long wistful anthem was released in 1971 and was a No. 1 U.S. hit for four weeks in 1972. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was named a ``song of the century'' by the Recording Industry Association of American and the National Endowment for the Arts.
In 2016, Trent Harmon was crowned the last ``American Idol'', as the Fox TV singing contest - that was once a ratings powerhouse - ended its 15-year-run.
In 2017, Seattle rockers Pearl Jam, the late rapper Tupac Shakur and 1970s hitmaking band Journey were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with folk icon Joan Baez, Electric Light Orchestra and prog-rockers Yes.
In 2017, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran settled the copyright suit over his hit song ``Photograph,'' but terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard filed a lawsuit last June seeking $20 million alleging ``Photograph'' was nearly identical to their song ``Amazing,'' which had been recorded by Matt Cardle, the winner of the British version of ``The X Factor'' in 2010.
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The Canadian Press
