Today in Music History for Jan. 7:
In 1868, the most ambitious musical composition inspired by Confederation, "Cantate: la Confederation" by Jean-Baptiste Labelle, was performed at the city hall in Montreal. The work was dedicated to George-Etienne Cartier, a Father of Confederation, who did much to reconcile French-Canadians to the idea of Lower Canada -- now Quebec -- joining Upper Canada -- now Ontario -- New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the Dominion of Canada.
In 1933, the famous Wheeling Jamboree western music program was first broadcast on radio station WWVA in Wheeling, W. Va.
In 1941, "Symphonic Suite," the first symphony by Canadian composer Robert Farnon, was premiered by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
In 1948, singer Kenny Loggins was born in Everett, Wash. He wrote the "House at Pooh Corner," a hit for "The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band," before teaming with Jim Messina for several albums and the top-10 single "Your Mama Don't Dance" in the 1970s. The duo split in 1976, and Loggins did well on his own with such hit singles as "Footloose," the theme from the 1984 movie, and "Danger Zone" in 1986, which was part of the "Top Gun" movie soundtrack.
In 1950, Nova Scotia native Hank Snow made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Later that year, his recording of "I'm Movin' On," stayed on the Billboard country chart for 44 weeks, selling more than one million copies.
In 1954, Muddy Waters recorded "Hoochie Coochie Man" in Chicago.
In 1955, Marion Anderson became the first Black person ever to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
In 1962, "The Twist" by Chubby Checker hit No. 1 on the pop charts for a second time. It had previously hit No. 1 in 1960 for seven weeks.
In 1963, one of Canada's best-known dance halls, the Palace Pier in Toronto, was destroyed by fire.
In 1963, singer Gary (U.S.) Bonds sued Chubby Checker for $100,000, claiming that Checker's recording of "Dancin' Party" was plagiarized from Bonds' "Quarter to Three." The suit was settled out of court.
In 1964, British blues singer and harmonica player Cyril Davies died of leukemia at age 32.
In 1970, neighbours of Max Yasgur, on whose New York farm the Woodstock festival was held the previous year, sued him for $35,000 for property damage.
In 1974, James Taylor and Carly Simon had their first child, Sarah Maria Taylor (a.k.a. Sally), in New York.
In 1977, classical guitarist Liona Boyd made her orchestral debut, playing Vivaldi's "Concerto in D" with the New Chamber Orchestra in Toronto.
In 1980, Carl White, one of the four members of the 1960s novelty group "The Rivingtons," died in his Los Angeles home at age 48. "The Rivingtons" had hits in 1962 and '63 with "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and "The Bird's the Word," which was copied almost note-for-note in 1964 by "The Trashmen," who called it "Surfin' Bird" and took it into the top-10.
In 1988, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's longtime manager, was invited to a ceremony at Graceland Mansion in Memphis, marking what would have been the late singer's 53rd birthday. The invitation ended years of bitter relations between Parker and the Presley estate.
In 1992, Capitol Records in the U.S. decided not to renew Anne Murray's contract. She had been with the label for 22 years, recording 30 albums, many of them bestsellers.
In 1992, singer Debbie Gibson made her Broadway debut in "Les Miserables." She played the part of Eponine.
In 1994, "Nirvana" played their last U.S. show, at the Seattle Arena.
In 1994, singer Rick James was sentenced in Los Angeles to five years and four months in prison for sexual assault on two women. But two weeks later, a plea deal was reached under which James avoided prison by entering a drug rehabilitation centre. The deal came after allegations that a prosecution investigator had provided heroin to a key witness at James' trial. The singer, best known for his 1981 hit "Super Freak," was convicted of holding one woman against her will and forcing another to have sex with his girlfriend during a six-day cocaine binge.
In 1997, jazz musician Lionel Hampton's New York apartment caught fire and burned nearly everything he owned. Hampton escaped the fire unhurt.
In 1998, producer Owen Bradley, who played a large role in developing Nashville as a country music mecca, died in "Music City" at age 82. In 1955, Bradley opened the first recording studio on what later became Nashville's Music Row. There, he recorded such country music giants as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Conway Twitty and Ernest Tubb for Decca Records. Under his own name, Bradley had a pop hit in 1957 with a version of "White Silver Sands."
In 1999, Rod Stewart and his second wife, model Rachel Hunter, announced they had separated after eight years of marriage.
In 2002, Jon Lee, the drummer for the Welsh rock band "Feeder," hanged himself at his Miami home. He was 33.
In 2009, drummer Pat Pengelly announced he left the Canadian reggae/ska band "Bedouin Soundclash."
In 2010, Britain's Royal Mail began selling stamps featuring iconic album covers by British musicians: "The Rolling Stones" ("Let It Bleed"); "The Clash" ("London Calling"); "Pink Floyd" ("The Division Bell"); David Bowie ("The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars"); "Led Zeppelin" (Led Zeppelin IV"); Mike Oldfield ("Tubular Bells"); "New Order" ("Power, Corruption and Lies"); "Primal Scream" ("Screamadelica"); "Blur" ("Parklife"); "Coldplay" ("A Rush of Blood to the Head").
In 2011, bassist Phil Kennemore of "Y&T," best known for the '80s songs "Summertime Girls" and "Mean Streak," died of lung cancer in Stanford, Calif. He was 57.
In 2012, pop diva Beyonce and her rap legend husband Jay Z (born Shawn Carter) welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Blue Ivy Carter. The power couple wed in 2008 after a years-long courtship.
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The Canadian Press