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June 30
This date in musical history
In 1943, Florence Ballard of the Supremes was born in Detroit.
The three original Supremes - Ballard, Diana Ross and Mary Wilson - grew up together in a housing project. Through a friendship with members of the Temptations, the trio, then calling themselves the Primettes, were introduced to Berry Gordy, who signed them to Motown in 1961. It was Florence Ballard who suggested a change of name for the group - to the Supremes. It wasn't until their 10th single, "Where Did Our Love Go," in 1964 that the Supremes hit the top of the charts. Other number-one records for the Supremes that year included "Baby Love" and "Come See About Me."
Diana Ross gradually emerged as the star of the group, and this and other problems led to Florence Ballard's departure from the Supremes in 1967. She later sued Ross and Berry Gordy, alleging she had been forced out of the group. Ballard lost the suit, and when she died three years later of cardiac arrest at the age of 32, she and her three children were living on welfare.
Other musical milestones on this date:
In 1922, fiddlers Eck Robertson and Henry C. Gilliland made what are believed to be the first discs ever recorded by Southern country musicians. Following a Confederate reunion in Virginia, Robertson and Gilliland, dressed as Western plainsmen, travelled to New York. They recorded six titles for the Victor company, some of which were released in April 1923.
In 1975, Cher and Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band were married. She had been divorced from Sonny Bono only several days. Nine days after marrying Allman, Cher was again suing for divorce.
In 1977, the theatrical rock group Kiss released a comic book of themselves. The story that band members contributed some of their blood to the printing ink undoubtedly helped boost sales past the 500,000 mark.
In 1979, in one of the wierdest pairings in TV history, actress Joan Collins and Johnny Rotten, formerly of the Sex Pistols, appeared together on the BBC-TV program "Juke Box Jury."
In 1981, Jerry Lee Lewis was taken to hospital in Memphis after bleeding internally from a perforated stomach ulcer. After two operations, his chances were rated no better than 50-50. But within four months, Lewis was back performing.
In 1985, Yul Brynner gave his 4,625th and final performance in the musical "The King and I." Less than four months later, Brynner was dead of lung cancer at the age of 65. Brynner had opened in "The King and I" on Broadway in 1951. He also starred in the 1956 movie version.
In 1988, former Beach Boy Brian Wilson released his first record in 22 years, "Love and Mercy." The album was not a commercial success. On the same date, the Beach Boys released the single "Kokomo," which went to number one.
In 1990, stars such as Paul McCartney, Elton John and Phil Collins helped raise more than $10.5 million for handicapped children and young musicians during a charity concert at Knebworth, England. The crowd of 100,000 reserved their biggest cheers for McCartney's versions of two Beatle oldies - "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Back in the USSR."
In 1991, Frank Zappa joined Hungarians in nationwide celebrations of the withdrawal of Soviet troops after 46 years of occupation. Zappa was the main attraction at a rock concert in a Budapest park.
In 1995, jazz and R'n'B singer Phyllis Hyman committed suicide in her New York apartment. She was 45. Hyman starred in the 1981 Broadway musical "Sophisticated Ladies," a tribute to Duke Ellington. That same year, she had a top-10 R'n'B hit, "Can't We Fall in Love Again."
In 1995, Garth Brooks buried a copy of his album "The Hits" beneath his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was the first object to be preserved underneath the walk.
In 1996, 400 people at a schizophrenia fund-raiser in Peterborough, Ontario were treated to what they thought was a surprise appearance by Willie Nelson and Ringo Starr. However, the two were impersonators invited by the host, Ronnie Hawkins. No one in the audience questioned the pair's authenticity and the hoax wasn't revealed until the next day.
Born on this date:
In 1948, Canadian folk and country singer Murray McLauchlan was born in Paisley, Scotland. Brought to Canada at age five, McLauchlan began his career in coffee houses in Toronto's Yorkville district when he was 17. The success of his "Farmer's Song" in 1973 resulted in the first of his annual concert tours across Canada, and appearances in the US. "Farmer's Song," which won a gold record award for sales, also gave McLauchlan Juno Awards in 1973 for best folk single, best country single and composer of the year. He also won Junos in 1976, '77 and '79 for best male country singer.
In 1951, rock and jazz bass player Stanley Clarke was born in Philadelphia. Following stints with such well-known jazz artists as Art Blakey, Gil Evans and the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Clark and pianist Chick Corea formed a jazz-rock group called Return to Forever in 1972. The group's albums were popular, but Return to Forever disbanded in 1976. Clarke joined Rolling Stones guitarists Keith Richards and Ron Woods in 1979 for a North American tour as the New Barbarians. Among their appearances were two charity concerts for the blind in Oshawa, Ontario. The concerts were in lieu of a jail sentence for Richards on heroin possession charges.
In 1917, singer Lena Horne.
In 1922, Gilles Lefebvre, founder of the Jeunesses Musicales of Canada, in Montreal.
In 1936, country musician Doyle Holly; and folksinger Dave Van Ronk.
In 1941, '50s pop vocalist Larry Hall; and Larry Henley of the '60s rock group the Newbeats.
In 1944, Glen Shorrock, lead singer of Little River Band.
In 1946, William Brown of the sweet soul group the Moments.
In 1949, Andrew Scott, lead guitarist with the '70s British rock group Sweet.
In 1956, Philip Wright of the British electro-pop group the Human League.
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Garth Brooks.
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