On This Day, December 19 in Music History
EVENTS ON DECEMBER 19 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day December 19 in 1955 – Carl Perkins recorded one of the first ever rockabilly songs ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ which peaked at No.2 on the US Cashbox Best Selling Singles chart. The record was later popularized by Elvis Presley.
1958 – With ‘It’s Only Make Believe’, Conway Twitty hit number one on the UK Singles chart for the first of five consecutive weeks.
1964 – Motown’s most successful act The Supremes topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Come See About Me’ on this day December 19 in music history. The single was also a chart-topper in Canada and Singapore.
1964 – After topping the UK Albums chart for 21 consecutive weeks with ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, The Beatles extended their run at No.1 on the chart for seven mores weeks with ‘Beatles for Sale’.
1970 – After a one-week break from the top spot, Andy Williams returned for a four-week stint at No.1 on the UK Albums chart with ‘Andy Williams’ Greatest Hits’ on this day December 19.
1981 – Swedish pop group ABBA went to number one on the UK Albums chart with their eighth studio release ‘The Visitors’ for the first of three weeks straight. The album was an international hit and it also reached No.1 in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Portugal, and Sweden, while in the US it peaked at No.29.
1987 – With their rendition of ‘Always on My Mind’, the Pet Shop Boys hit the top spot on the UK Singles chart for the first of four consecutive weeks on this day December 19.
1993 – American musician Michael Clarke died on this day at the age of 47 from liver failure due to alcohol abuse. Best known for his work as a drummer with the rock band The Byrds.
1998 – Irish girl group B*Witched reached number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘To You I Belong’ on this day December 19, their third chart-topper.
2000 – Gospel and R&B musician Roebuck “Pops” Staples died at the age of 85. Best known as the leader/patriarch of the family vocal group The Staple Singers.
2009 – Lady Gaga scored her third number one single of the year in the UK with ‘Bad Romance’ on this day December 19 in music history. She previously topped the UK Singles chart in January and March with ‘Just Dance’ and ‘Poker Face’.
2015 – Michael Jackson‘s sixth studio LP ‘Thriller’ became the first album to sell more than 30 million copies in the United States alone.
2019 – The number one album in the UK on this day December 19 was the compilation LP ‘You’re in my Heart’ by Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
2020 – With his fourth studio album ‘Wonder’, Canadian singer Shawn Mendes topped the US Billboard 200 chart.
BORN ON DECEMBER 19 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1915 – American singer-songwriter Charles Ryan was born in Graceville, Minnesota. Best known for the hit single ‘Hot Rod Lincoln’ which peaked at No.33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1918 – Blues singer and pianist Henry Roeland Byrd also known professionally as Professor Longhair was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
1920 – Country music singer and songwriter James Cecil Dickens also known by his stage name Little Jimmy Dickens was born in Bolt, West Virginia.
1929 – American jazz music trombonist, piano player, composer, and arranger Robert “Bob” Brookmeyer was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Best known for his work with Jimmy Giuffre and Gerry Mulligan.
1935 – Jazz music pianist and composer Robert “Bobby” Timmons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for his compositions ‘Moanin”, ‘This Here’, and ‘Dat Dere’.
1940 – American protest singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Philip Ochs was born in El Paso, Texas. Best known for songs such as ‘I Ain’t Marching Anymore’, ‘Draft Dodger Rag’, ‘The War Is Over’, ‘Love Me’, etc.
1941 – Founder, frontman, and main songwriter of ‘Earth, Wind & Fire’, Maurice White was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1944 – Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Alvin Lee was born Graham Anthony Barnes in Nottingham, England. He rose to fame as the frontman of the blues-rock group Ten Years After.
1944 – Canadian folk-rock musician Zalman “Zal” Yanovsky was born in Toronto, Ontario. Best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist and singer of the rock band Lovin’ Spoonful.
1945 – Singer, multi-instrumentalist, and founding member of the country-rock group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band , John McEuen was born in Oakland, California.
1947 – Scottish bass guitarist James “Jimmy” Bain was born in Newtonmore, Scotland. Best known for his work with the hard rock bands Dio and Rainbow.
1947 – Country music singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Jane Marie Fricke better known by her stage name Janie Fricke was born in South Whitley, Indiana.
1949 – American jazz fusion drummer Leonard “Lenny” White III was born in New York City. He came to prominence as a member of the band Return to Forever.
1952 – American record producer, composer, and keyboardist Walter Murphy Jr. was born in New York City. Best known for his chart-topping disco adaptation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony called ‘A Fifth of Beethoven’.
1957 – Jazz and pop music saxophonist, flutist, and piccolo player Eric Marienthal was born in Sacramento, California.
1958 – British singer and keyboardist Christopher Hamill also known professionally as Limahl was born in Wigan, England. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the pop group Kajagoogoo.
1985 – British rapper Louise Amanda Harman also known by her stage name Lady Sovereign was born in London, England. Best known for the songs ‘Love Me or Hate Me’ and ‘9 to 5’.