EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JANUARY 13 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day January 13 in 1962 – Chubby Checker returned for a two-week run at number one on the US Singles chart with ‘The Twist’.
1962 – With the soundtrack album to the film of the same name ‘The Young Ones’, Cliff Richard & The Shadows hit No.1 in the UK for the first of six consecutive weeks.
1968 – Despite warnings from Columbia Records executives to cancel the show, Johnny Cash recorded his now-iconic live album at the Folsom Prison in front of 2,000 inmates on this day January 13 in music history. This turned out to be one of the best moves of his career.
1973 – With her third studio album ‘No Secrets’, Carly Simon started a five-week stint at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album also reached No.1 in Australia and Canada that year, while in the UK it peaked at No.3.
1973 – British hard rock band Slade scored their first domestic number one album with ‘Slayed?’ on this day January 13.
1978 – Five months after his untimely death, the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA) awarded Elvis Presley a Gold record for his version of the Paul Anka song ‘My Way’.
1979 – American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Donny Hathaway committed suicide on this day January 13 at the age of 33 .
1984 – The BBC banned ‘Relax’ by Frankie Goes to Hollywood because they deemed the song obscene and vulgar. But just like any other banned song, it only got more popular due to the controversy and it eventually reached No.1 in the UK.
1990 – The German R&B duo Milli Vanilli topped he US Billboard 200 chart with their album ‘Girl You Know It’s True’ on this day January 13 in music history
1996 – Rock band Oasis returned for a six-week run at number one in the UK with their second studio album ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’.
2001 – Portuguese DJ Rui da Silva featuring English singer-songwriter Cassandra Fox topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Touch Me’ on this day January 13.
2007 – With his second studio album ’21’, R&B singer Omarion went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.
2010 – American singer, songwriter and composer Theodore “Teddy” Pendergrass died on this day January 13, aged 59 from colon cancer. Best known as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.
2018 – The soundtrack album ‘The Greatest Showman’ to the musical drama film of the same name reached No.1 in the US.
The Greatest Show
2021 – American guitarist Sylvain Mizrahi died on this day January 13 in music history at the age of 69. Best known as a longtime member of the New York Dolls.
2021 – American bass guitarist and vocalist John Voorhis “Tim” Bogert died at the age of 76. Best known as a member of the bands Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, and Beck, Bogert & Appice
2022 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day January 13 was ‘Easy on Me’ by Adele. The pop ballad was a worldwide hit that year and it reached No.1 in over 20 countries, including the US.
BORN ON THIS DAY JANUARY 13 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1902 – American jazz pianist and singer Louis “Putney” Dandridge was born in Richmond, Virginia on this day January 13 in music history.
1905 – American jazz trumpeter and bandleader Percy Gaston Humphrey was born on this day in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1909 – Jazz trombonist Quentin “Butter” Jackson was born on this day January 13 in Springfield, Ohio. Best known for his work with Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Charles Mingus among others.
1927 – Country music singer and songwriter Elizabeth “Liz” Anderson was born in Roseau, Minnesota. Best known for songs such as ‘The Game of Triangles’, ‘Mama Spank’, ‘Mother, May I’, ‘I’m a Lonesome Fugitive’ and others.
1929 – American jazz guitarist and composer Joe Pass was born Joseph Passalaqua in New Brunswick, New Jersey on this day January 13.
1938 – Guitarist and founding member of the bands Soft Machine and Gong, David “Daevid” Allen was born on this day in Melbourne, Australia.
1947 – British singer and guitarist John Lees was born on this day January 13 in Oldham, England. He came to prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Barclay James Harvest.
1950 – Founding member and frontwoman of the rock band Coven, Esther “Jinx” Dawson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1954 – Multi-instrumentalist and composer Trevor Rabin was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on this day January 13 in music history. Best known for his work with the rock bands Rabbitt and Yes.
1955 – American drummer Fred E. White was born Frederick Eugene Adams in Chicago, Illinois. Best known as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
May Interest You: Metal Bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1957 – English singer and multi-instrumentalist Don Snow was born in London on this day January 13. Best known for his work with the bands Squeeze, the Catch, Procol Harum, and The Sinceros.
1959 – Bass guitarist James LoMenzo was born on this day in Brooklyn, New York. He rose to fame as a member of the heavy metal band White Lion.
1961 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band The Flaming Lips, Wayne Coyne was born on this day January 13 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1961 – British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Graham McPherson also known professionally as Suggs was born in Hastings, England.
1962 – American country music singer, guitarist, and actor Tracy “Trace” Adkins was born on this day January 13 in Sarepta, Louisiana.
1963 – Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Timothy “Tim” Kelly was born in Trenton, New Jersey. Best known as a member of the hard rock band Slaughter.
1975 – Black metal guitarist Rune Eriksen was born in Norway on this day January 13 in music history. He rose to fame as a member of the band Mayhem.
1980 – American R&B and gospel music singer LaKisha Ann Jones was born on this day in Flint, Michigan.