On This Day, May 14 in Music History
EVENTS ON MAY 14 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day May 14 in 1959 – American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Sidney Bechet died at the age of 62.
1962 – Fifteen year old Helen Shapiro became the youngest musician to headline an event at the London Palladium theater. She rose to prominence as a teenage star with the hit songs ‘Don’t Treat Me Like a Child’ and ‘Tell Me What He Said’.
1968 – American rock band The Rascals recorded ‘People Got to Be Free’ on this day May 14 in music history. The song was released on July 1 and it became a big hit topping the singles charts in the US and Canada.
1976 – English singer and instrumentalist Keith Relf died at the age of 33 after being electrocuted while tuning an improperly grounded guitar at his home. Best remembered as a member of The Yardbirds and, Renaissance.
1977 – With ‘When I Need You’, Leo Sayer scored his second No.1 single of the year in the US on this day May 14. He previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’ on January 15.
1983 – New wave band Spandau Ballet went to No.1 in the UK with their third studio album ‘True’. The LP features three UK Top 10 singles, including the chart-topping title-track.
1988 – English folk and soft rock band Fairground Attraction topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Perfect’ on this day May 14. It also became a chart-topper in Australia, Ireland and South Africa.
1988 – At Madison Square Garden in New York, Led Zeppelin reunited for the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party. Jason Bonham replaced his late father John Bonham on drums. A dozen other bands and artists were present at the event, including: Foreigner, Ben E King, Crosby Stills & Nash, Yes, Genesis, Wilson Picket, etc.
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1988 – With ‘Anything For You’, Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine started a two-week stint at number one in the US on this day May 14 in music history.
1994 – With their first compilation album ‘Our Town – The Greatest Hits’, rock band Deacon Blue started a two-week stint at No.1 in the UK.
1994 – Scottish post-grunge band Stiltskin scored their first and only No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘Inside’ .
1998 – American singer and actor Frank Sinatra died at the age of 82. He is one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 150 million records sold worldwide.
2002 – Canadian progressive rock band Rush released their seventeenth studio album ‘Vapor Trails’ on this day May 14. The album peaked at No.3 in their home country and reached No.6 in the US.
2005 – American bluegrass musician James ‘Jimmy’ Martin nicknamed “The King of Bluegrass” died from cancer at the age of 77.
2005 – Senegalese-American R&B singer Akon topped the UK Singles chart for the first time as as a solo artist with ‘Lonely’ on this day May 14.
2005 – With his thirteenth studio album ‘Devils & Dust’, Bruce Springsteen scored his seventh chart-topper on the US Billboard 200.
2015 – Influential blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Riley B. King better known by his stage name B.B King died on this day May 14 in music history, aged 89.
2016 – With her sixth studio album ‘Lemonade’, Beyonce scored her sixth consecutive solo chart-topper on the US Billboard 200 chart.
2020 – Rapper Drake topped the UK Albums chart with his fourth mixtape ‘Dark Lane Demo Tapes’. He also hit No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘Toosie Slide’ on this day May 14.
2022 – The number one single in the United States on this day was ‘Wait for U’ by the rapper Future featuring Drake and singer Tems. Future also topped the US Albums chart on this day with ‘I Never Liked You’.
BORN ON MAY 14 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1897 – Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer Sidney Bechet was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1916 – American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and arranger Lloyd ‘Skip’ Martin was born in Robinson, Illinois. Best known for his work with the likes of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Charlie Barnet, etc.
1928 – American R&B singer Will “Dub” Jones was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Best known as a member of The Coasters with whom he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1932 – Record producer William ‘Bob’ Johnston was born in Hillsboro, Texas. Best known for his work with musicians such as Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel among others.
1936 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bobby Darin was born in East Harlem, New York City. Best known for the hit songs ‘Splish Splash’, ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘Dream Lover’, ‘Beyond the Sea’, ‘If I Were a Carpenter’, etc.
1943 – Founding member, bassist and lead vocalist of the rock supergroup Cream, Jack Bruce was born in Bishopbriggs, Scotland.
1945 – Canadian multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Gene Cornish was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He came to prominence as a founding member of the blue-eyed soul band The Rascals
1952 – Singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer David Byrne was born in Dumbarton, Scotland. Best known as the founding member and frontman of the new wave band Talking Heads.
1962 – Founding member and frontman of the rock band The Cult, Ian Astbury was born in Heswall, England.
1962 – Lead guitarist of the glam metal band Poison, C.C. DeVille was born Bruce Johannesson in Brooklyn, New York City.
1966 – American bass guitarist Mike Inez was born in San Fernando, California. Best known for as a member of Alice in Chains and for playing with Ozzy Osbourne from 1989 until 1993.
1966 – R&B/soul singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Raphael Saadiq was born Charles Ray Wiggins in Oakland, California. Best known as one third of the vocal trio Tony! Toni! Toné!
1971 – American rapper Tahliq Raymond Rogers better known as Freaky Tah was born in Queens, New York. He rose to fame as a member of the hip hop group Lost Boyz.
1973 – Canadian singer and actress Natalie Appleton was born in Mississauga, Ontario. Best known as a member of the girl group All Saints.
1973 – American multi-instrumentalist Hunter Burgan was born in Grass Valley, California. Best known for playing bass guitar with the rock band AFI.