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Today in rock history: on this date in 1991, jazz giant Miles Davis passed away at the age of 65 in Santa Monica, California. Diagnosed with respiratory problems, Davis had undergone several bouts of pneumonia and ultimately succumbed to a brain hemorrhage that lead to a coma. It was indicated that Davis had suffered a stroke combined with his pneumonia and respiratory failure. Miles was on life support for nearly a month while at St. John’s Hospital near his home in California and was eventually removed from the machines that were keeping him alive. A massive, 500-guest funeral service took place in New York City not long after Miles’s death and it was decided that his final resting place would be Woodlawn Cemetery in the borough of The Bronx in New York city. A huge loss in the jazz world, the passing of Miles Davis marked the end of an era but, luckily, he left behind an enormous body of work that will continue to thrill and elate listeners for years to come.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1967, Motown Records singing group Gladys Knight and the Pips released a single entitled “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” The song written by longtime Motown songwriting duo Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong was a huge hit for the group, climbed all the way to No. 2 on Billboard’s pop singles chart and made it all the way to the top spot on the R&B singles chart. “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” became the biggest selling single from the Motown catalog and proved to be Gladys Knight’s breakthrough hit single. Sales of the record would be eclipsed the following year when singer Marvin Gaye released his version of the song. Proving to be Marvin’s breakthrough single as well, his version remains one of the most popular and recognizable pop singles of all time.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1972, due to overwhelming demand, David Bowie performed at New York City’s prestigious, 3000-seat Carnegie Hall. At the height of his popularity due to the exposure and accolades his Ziggy Stardust alter ego was receiving, Bowie’s New York City concert at the world famous venue was the glam rock happening of the year. An immediate sellout, the event, which was made up of a sixteen-song set list, was a true testament to the popularity of glam rock and of its colorful and intriguing figurehead, the great David Bowie.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1968, “Hey Jude,” the epic single by The Beatles, began the first of a nine-week run at the top of the American pop singles chart. The first single by the band to be released under its new Apple Records label, the Paul McCartney-sung ballad also topped the British singles chart as well. As the longest single to ever top the English charts, the seven-minute song rose to the No. 1 spot on sales charts in dozens of countries around the world. Starting out as a song McCartney had written with the title “Hey Jules,” the composition originally began as way to console Julian Lennon, John Lennon’s son, after the separation and divorce of his parents.
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This article appears in Sep 27 – Oct 5, 2018.