Today in Music History for April 23:
In 1920, Canadian string instrument builder Frank Gay was born in Marcelin, Sask. In 1953, Gay established a studio in Edmonton, building guitars for such famous country stars as Johnny Cash, Don Gibson and Hank Snow. Three of Gay's guitars -- those owned by Johnny Horton, Webb Pierce and Faron Young -- are in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
In 1923, the "New Symphony Orchestra," which would become the "Toronto Symphony Orchestra" in 1927, gave its first concert at Massey Hall. The orchestra was conducted by Luigi von Kunits until his death in 1931.
In 1936, pioneer rock singer Roy Orbison was born in Vernon, Texas. His writing and performing in the '50s helped create a mass market for rock music, including his own recording of "Ooby Dooby," which was a moderate hit in 1956. In 1958, he wrote "Claudette," named for his wife, which became a million-seller for "The Everly Brothers." His sound mellowed somewhat in the following decade, and he began his string of million-sellers in 1960 with "Only the Lonely." His other hits included "Running Scared," "Crying" and "Oh, Pretty Woman," a No. 1 record in 1964. Orbison suffered two personal tragedies in the '60s. His wife was killed in a 1966 motorcycle accident, and two of his three children died in a 1969 fire at his home near Nashville. His career took an upswing in 1988 when his collaboration with Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Tom Petty, under the name "The Traveling Wilburys," was a big hit. Just as the album and the single from it, "Handle With Care," were climbing the charts, Orbison died of a heart attack on Dec. 6 at the age of 52. His album, "Mystery Girl," was released two months after his death, and produced the hit single "You Got It."
In 1956, Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas debut, opening for comedian Shecky Greene. Presley's two-week engagement was cancelled after a week because of poor audience response. Elvis would not return to Vegas for 13 years.
In 1969, "The Ash Grove," a famous folk and blues club in Los Angeles, was destroyed by fire. Among the performers who got their start there were "Taj Mahal," "Canned Heat" and "The Chambers Brothers."
In 1975, Pete Ham, leader of "Badfinger," hanged himself at his home in Weybridge, England. He was reported to be depressed over business problems. Signed by "The Beatles" to their Apple label, nothing much happened for "Badfinger" until Paul McCartney wrote a song called "Come and Get It" and had the group record it for the film "The Magic Christian." The record reached the top-10 on both sides of the Atlantic.
In 1981, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a live album called "The Survivors" in Stuttgart, West Germany.
In 1986, Harold Arlen, one of popular music's greatest composers, died in New York at age 81. Beginning in 1930 with "Get Happy," Arlen composed more than 20 top-10 songs during the next three decades. Among them were "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz," "Blues in the Night" and "Stormy Weather."
In 1987, singer Carole King sued record company owner Lou Adler for breach of contract. She claimed she was owed more than $400,000 in royalties and demanded the rights to her old recordings.
In 1991, punk rock guitarist and singer Johnny Thunders died of an overdose of methadone and alcohol in a New Orleans hotel room. Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, was a member of both "The New York Dolls" and "The Heartbreakers." He also had an off-and-on solo career.
In 1995, the "Sunday Times" of London reported a Liverpool welder had found one of "The Beatles" earliest recordings. The tape's 16 songs from 1959 included "Hello Little Girl," a Lennon-McCartney composition "The Beatles" never recorded commercially, and Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So."
In 2002, Jerry Lee Lewis announced he and his sixth wife, Kerrie, were divorcing after 17 years of marriage.
In 2009, Steven Curtis Chapman won his seventh Artist of the Year award at the Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards. Natalie Grant won the Female Vocalist trophy for the fourth year in a row. Brandon Heath won Male Vocalist and Song of the Year for "Give Me Your Eyes." Group of the Year honours went to "Casting Crowns" for the fifth straight time.
In 2011, former president and chairman of Sony, Norio Ohga, credited with developing the compact disc, died in Tokyo at age 81.
In 2012, award-winning singer-actress Jennifer Hudson offered moving testimony about her family after being called as the prosecution's first witness at the opening of the trial of the her former brother-in-law, charged in the murders of her mother, brother and nephew. (William Balfour was convicted and sentenced to three terms of life in prison plus 120 years on other charges.)
In 2012, Billy Bryans, the Juno Award-winning drummer and producer who co-founded the Canadian cross-cultural pop group "Parachute Club" and was considered a pioneer of world music in Canada, died after a long battle with cancer. He was 63.
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The Canadian Press
