December 25 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS

Cab Calloway (1907) jazz singer/bandleader/songwriter [“Minnie the Moocher”] (died 1994) age 86 – stroke complications

Bill Horton (1929) The Silhouettes lead singer/co-founder [“Get a Job”] (died 1995) age 65 – unknown causes

O’Kelly Isley Jr. (1937) The Isley Brothers singer/songwriter/co-founder [“It’s Your Thing”/”Fight the Power – Part 1”] (died 1986) age 48 – heart attack

Trevor Lucas (1943) Fairport Convention guitarist/singer (died 1989 age 45 – heart attack

Henry “The Sunflower” Vestine (1944) Canned Heat guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“Going Up the Country”] (died 1997) age 52 – heart and respiratory failure

John Edwards (1944) The Spinners lead singer

Noel Redding (1945) The Jimi Hendrix bassist/co-founder and solo bassist/singer/songwriter (died 2003) age 57 – cirrhosis of the liver

Jimmy Buffett (1946) singer/songwriter/guitarist [“Margaritaville”/”Cheeseburger in Paradise”/”Come Monday”], also actor (died 2023) age 76 – Merkel cell skin cancer

Barbara Mandrell (1948) country singer/multi-instrumentalist [“Sleeping Single in a Double Bed”/”(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right”]

Annie Lennox (1954) Eurythmics singer/songwriter/pianist/co-founder and solo singer/songwriter/pianist

Steve Wariner (1954) country singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist

Robin Campbell (1954) UB40 guitarist/co-founder [current] [“Red Red Wine”]

Shane MacGowan (1957) The Pogues lead singer/songwriter [“Fairytale of New York”] (died 2023) age 65 – pneumonia

Alannah Myles (1958) singer/songwriter [“Black Velvet”]

Dido [born Dido Armstrong] (1971) singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist [“Thank You”]

Noel Hogan (1971) The Cranberries lead guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [current] [“Linger”/”Zombie”]

Josh Freese (1972) A Perfect Circle, Guns N’ Roses, Devo, Nine Inch Nails, and Weezer drummer/multi-instrumentalist

DEATHS

Dean Martin [born Dino Crocetti] (1995) singer [“That’s Amore”/”Memories are Made of This”/”Everybody Loves Somebody”], also actor (born 1917) age 78 – acute respiratory failure

James Brown (2006) singer/songwriter/bandleader [“Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”/I Got You (I Feel Good)”/”It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”/”Living in America”] (born 1933) age 73 – congestive heart failure

Eartha Kitt (2008) singer [“C’est si bon”/”Santa Baby”], also actress (born 1927) age 81 – colon cancer

Robert “Tony” Bellamy (2009) Redbone lead guitarist/singer/pianist [“Come and Get Your Love”] (born 1946) age 63 – liver failure

George Michael [born Georgios Panayiotou] (2016) Wham! singer/songwriter/co-founder and solo singer/songwriter (born 1963) age 53 – heart failure 

CHARTS

In 1965, “Over and Over” by The Dave Clark Five hits No. 1 – 1 week (only No. 1 single)

In 1971, “Brand New Key” by Melanie hits No. 1 – 3 weeks (only No. 1 single)

In 1993, “Hero” by Mariah Carey hits No. 1 – 4 weeks (eighth of 18 No. 1 singles)

NOTEWORTHY RELEASES

(Singles)

1967, “Rocky Top,” The Osborne Brothers

COMINGS/GOINGS

In 1978, Public Image Ltd. performs lives for the first time at a concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London.