Today in Music History for Sept. 24:
In 1941, Linda McCartney was born in Scarsdale, N.Y. She married Paul McCartney in 1969, soon after he broke up with Jane Asher. Linda's maiden name was Eastman and she was a photographer, but she was not, as reported at the time of her marriage, the heiress to the Eastman photographic fortune. Linda was heavily involved in Paul's 1971 album "Ram," and later that year became the keyboard player and backup vocalist with Paul's group, "Wings." She died of breast cancer on April 17, 1998, at a family-owned ranch near Tucson, Ariz.
In 1942, Gerry Marsden, lead singer of the Merseybeat group "Gerry and the Pacemakers," was born in Liverpool, England. They were signed by "Beatles" manager Brian Epstein in 1962, and their first three singles all reached No. 1 on the British charts. The band's American breakthrough came in 1964 with "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying." Among their other hits -- "How Do You Do It?" and "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey," the title of a 1965 film featuring the group. "Gerry and the Pacemakers" broke up in 1968, although there have been periodic revivals for the oldies circuit.
In 1957, the movie "Mr. Rock and Roll," starring disc jockey Alan Freed, premiered. It was a semi-autobiographical role for Freed, who played a DJ out to prove that rock 'n' roll didn't breed juvenile delinquents. Among the artists putting in appearances were Chuck Berry, Little Richard and "The Moonglows."
In 1973, the revue "An Evening With Noel Coward and Cole Porter," starring Dinah Christie and Tom Kneebone, premiered at Massey Hall in Toronto. The production toured Canada under the auspices of the Canada Council, appearing with symphony orchestras in Edmonton, Hamilton and London, Ont.
In 1975, John Lennon was given a reprieve to remain in the United States for the birth of his and Yoko Ono's baby. Sean Ono Lennon was born on Oct. 9, his father's 35th birthday. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service was seeking John Lennon's deportation on grounds of an arrest for drugs and involvement with leftist radicals in the U.S. But Lennon won the battle and was granted permanent resident status in 1976, four years before he was murdered in New York.
In 1977, what is believed to be the first Elvis Presley convention was held, in Cincinnati, only five weeks after the singer's death.
In 1984, Marcus Price, guitarist for the soul group "The Bar-Kays," was shot to death while leaving a rehearsal studio in Memphis.
In 1988, James Brown was arrested following a high-speed chase through Augusta, Ga., and North Augusta, S.C.. He was sentenced to six years in jail after being convicted of failing to stop for police. But he was acquitted of assault with intent to kill for trying to run down two officers.
In 1993, former "Guns N' Roses" drummer Steven Adler got a $2.5 million out-of-court settlement in a lawsuit filed against the group and its managers. Adler was thrown out of the band in 1990 because he couldn't kick his heroin habit.
In 1994, "The Tragically Hip" released "Day For Night," which became the fastest-selling Canadian album ever. Within a week, it had reached triple-platinum status -- 300,000 copies sold.
In 1995, one person piloting a personal watercraft was killed after colliding with a boat with Gloria Estefan and her husband on board. The Estefans weren't hurt and were not found to be at fault.
In 1997, singer Larry Hall, whose recording of "Sandy" went to No. 15 on the Billboard chart in 1960, died of cancer in Monmouth, Ore.. He was 57. "Sandy" was Hall's only hit.
In 1998, heavy-metal band "White Zombie" announced it was disbanding after 13 years. The band members said that they had accomplished everything they set out to do. Among their hit albums were "Supersexy Swingin’ Sounds" and "Astro Creep: 2000."
In 1998, former "Queen" drummer Roger Taylor set what was billed as a world record for the biggest live Internet audience. EMI Music and the Guinness Book of World Records said Taylor’s 45-minute performance registered an average 500 hits per second.
In 2008, Darius Rucker, frontman for "Hootie and the Blowfish," reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Country Singles Chart with "Don't Think I Don't Think About It." Only two other black singers accomplished that feat -- Ray Charles and Charley Pride. Rucker's next two singles, "It Won't Be Like This For Long" and "It's Alright," also reached No. 1.
In 2009, Leonard Cohen performed in Israel for the first time in 34 years at a sold out show in front of 47,000 people at a stadium near Tel Aviv. It was a fundraiser for "Parents Circle," a joint Israeli-Palestinian group of bereaved parents that helps families from both sides who lost loved ones in the conflict.
In 2009, lawyers for Apple Inc. and Eminem’s music publisher Eight Mile Style LLC squared off in a Detroit court room. Eight Mile sued Apple, claiming they never authorized the use of 93 songs in a downloadable format on Apple's popular iTunes service. They also sued Aftermath Records, which controlled the recordings in question, saying it didn't have the right to make deals on digital downloads. The lawsuit was settled out of court on Oct. 1 and the terms of the deal were confidential.
In 2010, Dick Griffey, a key figure in black music whose record label SOLAR churned out classic R&B hits including "Fantastic Voyage" and "Rock Steady," died in Los Angeles of complications from quadruple bypass surgery. He was 71.
In 2012, "Metals" by singer-songwriter Feist won the $30,000 Polaris Music Prize for the best Canadian album of the previous year.
In 2014, Barbra Streisand's "Partners" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, making her the only artist to have No. 1 albums in each of the last six decades and the first women to have 10 No.1 albums. (Partners was later certified platinum, her 31st overall, solidifying her place as the female artist with the most platinum albums. She leads Reba McEntire (19), Madonna (17) and Mariah Carey (13).)
In 2016, musician and accordionist Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural Jr., who rose from a cotton-picking family in southwest Louisiana to introduce zydeco music to the world through his namesake band Buckwheat Zydeco, died of lung cancer. He was 68.
In 2018, Celine Dion announced on social media that she would leave her Caesars Palace residency in June 2019.
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The Canadian Press