On This Day, June 12 in Music History
EVENTS ON JUNE 12 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day June 12 in 1957 – Jazz instrumentalist and big band leader Jimmy Dorsey died at the age of 53. Best remembered for composing jazz standards such as ‘I’m Glad There Is You’, ‘It’s The Dreamer In Me’, and ‘So Many Times’ among others.
1963 – The Beach Boys recorded the title track of their third studio album ‘Surfer Girl’ and its B-side ‘Little Deuce Coupe’. They were released on July 22 and ‘Surfer Girl’ reached No.5 in the US while ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ became the band’s highest charting B-side peaking at No.15 on the Hot 100.
1965 – The Supremes scored their third No.1 single of the year in the US with ‘Back in My Arms Again’ on this day June 12 in music history. They previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Come See About Me’, and ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’.
1970 – David Bowie re-released the single ‘Memory of a Free Festival Part 1 & 2’ on Mercury Records. The single was a commercial failure as it managed to sell only a few hundred copies.
1971 – R&B and soul girl group Honey Cone went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100chart with “Want Ads’ on this day June 12.
1972 – The Plastic Ono Band released their part-studio and part-live double album ‘Some Time in New York City’ on Apple Records. The album received mixed reviews and it peaked at No.11 in the UK and No.48 in the USA.
1976 – With ‘Combine Harvester (Brand New Key)’, comedy folk act The Wurzels started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart.
1978 – Country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Cyrus Bond also known professionally as Johnny Bond died at the age of 63. Best remembered for scoring seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts.
1982 – English singer and multi-instrumentalist Adam Ant topped the UK Singles chart with his debut solo release ‘Goody Two Shoes’ on this day June 12 in music history.
1989 – Italian American singer Louis Scaglione also known professionally as Lou Monte died at the age of 72. Best remembered for hit songs such as ‘Lazy Mary’ and ‘Pepino the Italian Mouse’.
1990 – Mariah Carry released her self-titled debut studio album on this day June 12 through Columbia Records. The album peaked at number one in the US and Canada and it went on to sell over 15 million copies worldwide.
1993 – Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited reached number one in the UK with their second studio album ‘No Limits’.
1993 – Reggae group UB40 topped the UK Singles chart with their version of ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You’ on this day June 12.
1999 – With her debut single ‘If You Had My Love’, Jennifer Lopez topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was an international hit that year, reaching number one in seven other countries.
1999 – The No.1 single in the UK on this day June 12 in music history was ‘Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)’ by the Australian film director Baz Luhrmann.
1999 – With their first greatest hits compilation ‘By Request’, Irish boy band Boyzone went to number one on the UK Albums chart.
2004 – R&B musician Mario Winans featuring singer Enya and rapper P. Diddy topped the UK Singles chart on this day June 12 with ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’.
2004 – Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne reached No.1 in the US with her second studio album ‘Under My Skin’. The album was also a chart-topper in ten other countries that year, including Canada, the UK and Australia.
2010 – French DJ David Guetta and singer Chris Willins hit No.1 in the UK with ‘Gettin’ Over You’ on this day June 12.
2010 – The number one album in the United Kingdom on this day was the fifth studio release ‘To the Sea’ by singer & songwriter Jack Johnson.
2011 – Singer and founding member of the The Coasters, Carl Gardner died on this day June 12 in music history, aged 83. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
2012 – Progressive rock band Rush released their 19th and final studio album ‘Clockwork Angels’ in the US and Canada. The album became a chart-topper in Canada and peaked at No.2 on the Billboard 200.
2020 – Welsh pop singer David Spencer better known by his stage name Ricky Valance died on this day June 12, aged 84. Best remembered for his chart-topping and million-selling single ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’.
BORN ON JUNE 12 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1927 – Scottish jazz trumpeter Alastair “Al” Fairweather was born in Edinburgh.
1928 – American pop and big band singer Vito Farinola also known professionally as Vic Damone was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known for his hit renditions of songs such as ‘You’re Breaking My Heart’, ‘On the Street Where You Live’, and ‘I Have But One Heart’.
1941 – English singer-songwriter Reginald Maurice Ball also known by his stage name Reg Presley was born in Andover, Hampshire.. He rose to fame as the lead signer of The Troggs.
1941 – Jazz composer, bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Anthony “Chick” Corea was born today in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
1941 – English singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper was born in Manchester. Best known for singing the lead vocals on Pink Floyd‘s ‘Have a Cigar’.
1942 – American blue-eyed soul singer-songwriter Leonard Borisoff also known professionally as Len Barry was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1949 – English singer, songwriter and instrumentalist John Wetton was born in Willington. He came to prominence as a member of the progressive rock band King Crimson.
1951 – Singer, songwriter and guitarist Bradley “Brad” Delp was born in Peabody, Massachusetts. Best known as a founding member and lead singer of the rock band Boston.
1952 – Bassist and founding member of the Pretenders, Pete Farndon was born in Hereford, England.
1950 – Founding member and drummer of the rock band Cheap Trick, Brad M. Carlson also known professionally as Bun E. Carlos was born in Rockford, Illinois.
1953 – Singer and guitarist Jonathan “Rocky” Burnette was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Best known for his chart-topping 1980 hit single ‘Tired of Toein’ the Line’. He’s also the son of Johnny Burnette.
1958 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Meredith Brooks was born in Corvallis, Oregon. Best known for her Grammy nominated and chart-topping song ‘Bitch’.
1959 – Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter John Linnell was born in New York City. He rose to fame as the co-founder of the alt rock band They Might Be Giants.
1977 – American blues and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd was born in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1979 – Swedish pop singer Robin Carlsson also known as Robyn was born in Stockholm. She rose to fame with her debut studio album ‘Robyn Is Here’ that features two US Top 10 singles.