On This Day, January 10 in Music History
EVENTS ON JANUARY 10 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day January 10 in 1956 – Elvis Presley recorded ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ in Nashville, his debut single for RCA Records. It was released on January 27 and it became his first number one single in the US and it peaked at No.2 in the UK.
1958 – Jerry Lee Lewis started a two-week stint at the top of the UK Singles chart with ‘Great Balls of Fire’. His only chart-topper in the country.
1964 – The Beatles released their first studio album in the US ‘Introducing… The Beatles’ through Vee-Jay records on this day January 10 in music history. The album peaked at No.2 on the Billboard 200 for nine consecutive weeks where it was blocked from reaching No.1 by another album of the band ‘Meet the Beetles!’ that was released by Capitol Records and was at No.1 for 11 weeks straight.
1976 – C.W. McCall scored his first and only number one single in the United States with ‘Convoy’. The song reached No.1 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand as well, while in the UK it peaked at No.2.
1976 – American blues singer, instrumentalist and bandleader Chester Arthur Burnett better known by his stage name Howlin’ Wolf died on this day January 10, aged 65. Best remembered for song such as ‘How Many More Years’, ‘Moanin’ at Midnight’, and ‘Smokestack Lightning’ among others.
1981 – With ‘Imagine’, John Lennon hit number one on the UK Singles for the first of four consecutive weeks. The song also became a chart-topper in Australia, Canada, and South Africa, while in the US it peaked at No.3.
1998 – The number one single in the UK on this day January 10 in music history was a rendition of Lou Reed‘s song ‘Perfect Day’ performed by various artists which featured Reed himself and the likes of David Bowie, Elton John, and Bono among others.
2001 – American guitarist and songwriter Bryan Gregory died on this day at the age of 49 from heart failure. Best remembered as a founding member of the rock band The Cramps.
2004 – Hip hop duo OutKast started a two-week stint at number one in the US on this day January 10 with their fifth studio album ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’.
2008 – English singer Rodney Bainbridge also known professionally as Rod Allen died at the age of 63. Best remembered as a founding member and the lead vocalist of the harmony beat group The Fortunes.
2011 – American pop and country music singer Margaret Whiting died on this day January 10 at the age of 86. Best remembered for chart-topping singles such as ‘A Tree in the Meadow’ and ‘Slippin’ Around’.
2015 – With his debut studio album ‘Wanted on Voyage’, singer-songwriter George Ezra went to number one in the UK.
2016 -Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist David Bowie died on this day January 10 in music history, aged 69 from liver cancer. Only two days after celebrating his 69th birthday.
10 Interesting David Bowie Facts
2017 – American jazz and pop music singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer Armando Joseph “Buddy” Greco died at the age of 90. Best remembered for songs such as ‘The Lady Is a Tramp’, ‘Around the World’, and ‘Up, Up and Away’ among others.
2018 – English guitarist Edward “Fast Eddie” Clarke died on this day January 10, aged 67. Best known for his work with the heavy metal bands Motörhead and Fastway.
BORN ON JANUARY 10 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1915 – American jazz and blues music pianist and bandleader Woodrow Wilson “Buddy” Johnson was born in Darlington, South Carolina.
1924 – Multi-instrumentalist and pioneer of the bebop genre Maxwell “Max” Roach was born in Pasquotank County, North Carolina.
1927 – American jazz music tenor and alto saxophonist Allen Eager was born in New York City.
1927 – Singer-songwriter, pianist and rock and roll pioneer Johnnie Ray was born in Dallas, Oregon. Best known for songs such as ‘Cry’, ‘The Little White Cloud That Cried’, ‘Walkin’ My Baby Back Home’, and ‘Just Walkin’ in the Rain’.
1935 – Blues music singer and guitarist Edward Harrington also known professionally as Eddy Clearwater was born in Macon, Mississippi.
1935 – American singer-songwriter Ronald “Ronnie” Hawkins was born in Huntsville, Arkansas. Best known for his hit recordings of songs such as ‘Who Do You Love?’, ‘Hey! Bo Diddley’, and ‘Susie Q’ among others.
1939 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Scott McKenzie was born Philip Wallach Blondheim in Jacksonville, Florida. best known for his 1967 hit song ‘San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)’.
1943 – American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitar player James “Jim” Croce was born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best remembered for the chart-topping singles ‘Bad, Bad Leroy Brown’ and ‘Time in a Bottle’.
1944 – Singer, songwriter, and conductor Francis “Frank” Sinatra was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He’s the son of singer Frank Sinatra.
1945 – English singer, songwriter, and producer Roderick “Rod” Stewart was born in London. He’s one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 250 million records sold worldwide.
1946 – British drummer Aynsley Dunbar was born in Liverpool, England. Best known for his work with the likes of Journey, Jefferson Starship, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and Jeff Beck among many others.
1948 – Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and co-founder of the rock band Steely Dan, Donald Fagen was born in Passaic, New Jersey.
1952 – American multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Scott Thurston was born in Medford, Oregon. Best known as a member of the bands The Stooges and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
1953 – American singer and songwriter Patricia Mae Giraldo also known as Pat Benatar was born in New York City.
1953 – Jazz guitarist Mike Stern was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He came to prominence as a member of Blood, Sweat & Tears.
1955 – German guitarist Michael Schenker was born in Sarstedt, West Germany. Best known as a member of the bands Scorpions and UFO.
1956 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Shawn Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. Best known for her Grammy Award-winning song ‘Sunny Came Home’.
1959 – Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of the rock band Meat Puppets, Curtis “Curt” Kirkwood was born in Amarillo, Texas.
1964 – Founding member and frontman of the folk rock band Crash Test Dummies, Bradley Roberts was born in Winnipeg, Canada.
1965 – Filipino-American multi-instrumentalist Joseph “Joey” Santiago was born in Manila, Philippines. He rose to fame as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the rock band Pixies.
1978 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band Shinedown, Brent Smith was born in Knoxville, Tennessee.