EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY DECEMBER 22 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day December 22 in 1939 – Influential blues singer Gertrude “Ma” Rainey nicknamed “The Mother of the Blues” died at the age of 53. Best remembered for her recordings of ‘Bo-Weevil Blues’, ‘See See Rider Blues’, and ‘Soon This Morning’.
1958 – ‘The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)’ by The Chipmunks & David Seville hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first of four weeks. Interestingly, the creator of the song named the Chipmunks – Alvin, Theodore and Simon after executives at Liberty Records.
1962 – With ‘Telstar’, The Tornados became the first ever British band to top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this day December 22 in music history. The instrumental was named after the world’s first communication satellite and it also peaked at No.1 in the UK, Ireland, South Africa, and Belgium.
1968 – Singer and songwriter Eric Burdon left The Animals on this day in order to pursue a solo career.
1973 – Elton John scored his second number one album in the UK on this day December 22 with ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, his seventh studio release.
1976 – The RIAA awarded Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band with a Gold Plaque for their album ‘Live Bullet’.
1978 – Rock band The Cure released their first single ‘Killing an Arab’ on this day December 22. The song was inspired by Albert Camus‘ novel ‘The Stranger’.
1979 – With ‘Escape(The Piña Colada Song)’, Rupert Holmes scored the last number one single of the seventies in the United States. It also became a chart-topper in Canada.
1984 – With ‘Like a Virgin’, Madonna hit No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on this day December 22 for the first of six consecutive weeks. The song also reached No.1 in Australia and Canada, and it peaked at No.3 in the UK.
1987 – Motley Crue‘s co-founder and bassist Nikki Sixx was pronounced clinically dead after his heart stopped beating due to a drug overdose but luckily he managed to recover.
1990 – Under the name of Mookie Blaylock, Pearl Jam opened for Alice in Chains on this day December 22 at a show in Seattle, Washington.
2001 – Canadian rock band Nickelback scored their first number one single in the US with ‘How You Remind Me’ which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks. The song also reached No.1 in Austria, Denmark, and Ireland, and it peaked at No.4 in the UK.
2001 – With their rendition of ‘Somethin’ Stupid’, singer Robbie Williams and actress Nicole Kidman started a three-week stint at the top of the UK Singles chart on this day December 22.
2002 – Co-founder, guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist of The Clash, John Graham Mellor better known by his stage name Joe Strummer died at the age of 50 from a heart attack.
The Clash – Rock the Casbah
2003 – American country music singer Dave Dudley died on this day December 22 at the age of 75. Best remembered for songs such as ‘Six Days on the Road’, ‘Me and ol’ C.B.’, ‘Vietnam Blues’, etc.
2007 – Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua reached number one on the UK Singles chart with their version of ‘What a Wonderful World’ which was originally a hit for Louis Armstrong in 1967.
2012 – With ‘Locked Out of Heaven’, Bruno Mars hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first of six consecutive weeks. The song was a worldwide hit and it peaked at No.1 in Canada, Hungary, Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, and Slovakia as well. He also topped the UK Albums chart on this day December 22 with ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’.
2012 – The collective of musicians and celebrities called The Justice Collective topped the UK Singles chart with their rendition of ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’.
2014 – English singer and instrumentalist Joe Cocker died from lung cancer on this day December 22 at the age of 77. Best remembered for his hit renditions of songs such as ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’, ‘Up Where We Belong’, and ‘You Are So Beautiful’.
2016 – The collaborative studio album ‘Together’ by singers Michael Ball and Alfie Boe went to number one in the UK.
2018 – With the posthumously released studio album ‘Skins’, rapper XXXTentacion topped the US Billboard 200 on this day December 22.
BORN ON THIS DAY DECEMBER 22 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1919 – American blues singer and songwriter Lil Green was born in Mississippi on this day December 22 in music history.
1938 – American western and country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Russell “Red” Steagall was born on this day Gainesville, Texas.
1939 – American musician James Martin Gurley was born on this day December 22 in Detroit, Michigan. Best known as the lead guitarist of the band Big Brother & the Holding Company.
1942 – British saxophonist and session musician Richard “Dick” Parry was born in Kentford, England. Best known for his work with Pink Floyd.
1944 – British drummer Colin Ernest “Barry” Jenkins was born on this day December 22 in Leicester, England. He came to prominence as a member of the band The Animals.
1948 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of the rock band Cheap Trick, Richard “Rick” Nielsen was born in Elmhurst, Illinois.
1949 – Twin brothers and co-founders of the the Bee Gees, Maurice and Robin Gibb were born in Douglas, Isle of Man on this day December 22 in music history.
1957 – Scottish singer and songwriter Ricky Ross was born on this day in Dundee, Scotland. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the rock band Deacon Blue.
1960 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist and founding member of the country band BR5-48, Charles “Chuck” Mead was born on this day December 22 in Nevada, Missouri.
1960 – American rapper and producer Luther Roderick Campbell also known by his stage names Luke Skyywalker and Uncle Luke was born in Miami, Florida.
1967 – Guitarist and songwriter Richard James Ewdwards also known as Richey Edwards and Richey Manic was born on this day December 22 in Blackwood, Wales. He rose to fame as a member of the band Manic Street Preachers.
1984 – Swedish singer, songwriter, DJ, and producer Jonas Altberg also known professionally as Basshunter was born in Halmstad, Sweden.
1993 – Soul and blues music singer-songwriter Mark Klein was born in Central City, Louisiana on this day December 22 in music history. Best known as a member of the group The Boogie Kings.