Music History for
December 18


Today's:


1737 - Antonio Stradivari, died in Cremona, Italy. He is recognized as the most renowned violin maker in history.

1786 - Opera composer Baron Karl von Weberwas born.

1860 - Composer Edward Alexander MacDowell was born.

1892 - Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia.

1920 - Conductor Arturo Toscanini made his first recording for Victor Records.

1934 - Willie Smith sang with Jimmy Lunceford and his Orchestra on "Rhythm is Our Business."

1961 - Britain's EMI Records rejected the Beatles. They later signed them.
Today in Beatles History

1964 - Funeral services were held in Chicago for Sam Cooke.

1965 - U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler recorded "Ballad of the Green Berets."

1971 - Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousin Myra Brown were divorced. They were married when she was 13 years old.







1975 - Rod Stewart announced that he was leaving Faces for a solo career.

1981 - About 35 million people watched a Rod Stewart concert via satellite. The broadcast was televised in 23 countries.

1984 - Madonna's "Like a Virgin was the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit. The song was Madonna's first No. 1 hit.

1997 - Tori Amos, offered 14 music videos, including a rare clip of "Cornflake Girl," for viewing over the Internet as part of a holiday charity effort for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Users were allowed access to the clips for a four week period in exchange for a donation of $5.

1999 - Prince recorded "Rave Un2 The Joy 2000" at Paisley Park Studios.

2001 - Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) won a court battle with ex-wife Pamela Anderson. Anderson had filed the suit to gain full custody of the couple's two children. The judge denied a request by Anderson's lawyers to require monitoring of Lee's visits.

2003 - In Santa Maria, CA, Michael Jackson was charged with seven counts of molesting a child under 14 and two counts of supplying the child with "an intoxicating agent." Jackson's lawyer denounced the allegations and said they were driven by money and revenge.
Today in Michael Jackson History