This
Month In Music History: July
1940: Billboard
begins charting pop records. First national hit: "I'll Never Smile Again," Tommy
Dorsey, Victor Records.
July 1, 1968: John Lennon publicly announces his love
for Yoko Ono at his first art opening in London.
July 1, 1983: John Bongiovi signs with Mercury Records. The label,
wanting to make his name easier to spell,
suggests stage names such as Johnny Lightning. A compromise is reached
in the form of Jon Bon Jovi.
July 2, 2005: Live 8 Concerts take place around the world simultaneously to
draw attention to
poverty in Africa.
July 6, 1953: Bill Haley and the Comets release
"Crazy Man, Crazy," the first rock and roll record ever to make the US charts.
July 12, 1962: The Rolling Stones appear for the first
time (London Marquee Club).
July 13, 1985: Live Aid Concerts take place simultaneously in
Philadelphia, London, Moscow, and Sydney to raise
money to fight hunger in Africa. Phil Collins manages to play
the London and Philadelphia shows.
July 25, 1965: Bob Dylan booed by the audience for using
an electric guitar for the first time onstage (Newport Folk Festival).
"April is the cruelest month"? No disrespect to T.S. Eliot, but
it might be July. All of the following artists died in July: Billie Holiday
(heroin overdose at age 44, 1959), Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones
(drowning due to drugs and alcohol at age 27, 1969), Jim Morrison (heart
attack at age 27, 1971), Cass Elliot (heart attack at age 32, 1974), and Harry
Chapin (heart attack induced auto accident at age 39, 1981).
Happy Birthday:
July 1:
Debbie Harry (Blondie)
(b. 1945, Portsmouth, VA)
July 1:
Missy Elliott (b. 1971, Portsmouth, VA).
July 2:
Michelle
Branch (b. 1983, Flagstaff, AZ).
July 5:
Robbie
Robertson (1943, Toronto, Ontario).
July 6:
50
Cent (b. Curtis Jackson, 1976, Queens, NY).
July 7:
Ringo
Starr (b. Richard Starkey, 1940, Liverpool, England).
July 8:
Toby
Keith (b. Toby Keith Covel, 1961, Clinton, OK).
July 8:
Beck (b. Beck Hansen, 1970, Los Angeles, CA).
July 9:
Courtney
Love (b. Love Michelle Harrison, 1964, San Francisco, CA).
July 9:
Jack White (The White Stripes) (b. John
Anthony Gillis, 1975, Detroit, MI).
July 10:
Jessica
Simpson (b. 1980, Dallas, TX).
July 11:
Richie
Sambora (Bon Jovi) (b. 1959, Perth Amboy, NJ).
July 11:
Lil' Kim (b. Kimberly Denise Jones, 1975,
Brooklyn, NY).
July 12:
Christine
McVie (Fleetwood Mac) (b. 1943, Grenodd, Lancashire, England).
July 13:
Fatboy
Slim (b. Kenton Cook, 1963, Bromley, Kent).
July 14:
Taboo
(Black Eyed Peas) (b. 1975).
July 15: Linda Ronstadt (b.
1946, Tucson, AZ).
July 15: Ray Toro (My Chemical Romance b. 1977)
July 16:
Stewart
Copeland (The Police) (b. 1951, Alexandria, VA).
July 19:
Brian
May (Queen) (b. 1947, Twickenham, England).
July 20:
Carlos
Santana (Santana) (b. 1947 Aulan,
Mexico).
July 20: Mike Kennerty (All American Rejects b. 1980)
July 22:
Don
Henley (The Eagles) (b. 1947, Gilmer, TX).
July 23:
Slash
(Guns N' Roses) (b. Saul Hudson, 1965, Hampstead, England).
July 23:
Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child) (b. Tenetria Michelle
Williams, 1980, Rockford, IL).
July 24:
Jennifer
Lopez (b. 1970, Bronx, NJ).
July 26:
Mick
Jagger (b.
Michael Phillip Jagger, 1943
Dartford, Kent, England).
July 29:
Patty
Scialfa (E Street Band) (b. Vivienne Patricia Scialfa, 1953, Deal, NJ).
July 31:
Will
Champion (Coldplay) (b. 1978, Southampton, Hampshire, England).
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