Today in Music History for Jan. 16:
In 1849, Stephen Humbert, who in 1801 compiled the first English-language collection of vocal music, died in Saint John, N.B. at the age of 82.
In 1908, Broadway singer-actress Ethel Merman was born in Astoria, Queens, N.Y. She was best known for her roles in ``Gypsy'' and ``Mame.'' She died on Feb. 15, 1984.
In 1934, Bob Bogle, lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band ``The Ventures,'' known for 1960s instrumental hits including ``Walk, Don't Run,'' was born in Wagoner, Okla. The band sold millions of albums and heavily influenced other rock guitarists. It was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. The hall's Web site hailed ``The Ventures'' as ``the most successful instrumental combo in rock and roll history.'' He died on June 14, 2009.
In 1950, ``The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra'' made its debut at Hamilton's Memorial School Auditorium.
In 1957, the Cavern Club opened in Liverpool. Originally a jazz club, it later became famous as the place where ``The Beatles'' began their climb to fame. The group, then known as ``The Silver Beatles,'' began playing regular lunchtime gigs at the Cavern in 1961. Their pay was eight pounds a show.
In 1964, the musical ``Hello Dolly,'' starring Carol Channing, opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway.
In 1970, ``The Who'' began a tour of European opera houses, performing excerpts from their rock opera ``Tommy.''
In 1972, Ross Bagdasarian, better known as David Seville, the creator of ``The Chipmunks,'' died at the age of 52. Seville speeded up tape-recorded voices to get the high-pitched squealings of ``The Chipmunks.'' The technique gave him three million-sellers in 1958 and '59 -- ``The Chipmunk Song,'' ``Alvin's Harmonica'' and ``Ragtime Cowboy Joe.'' Eight years after Bagdasarian's death, ``The Chipmunks'' were revived by his son for the ``Chipmunk Punk'' LP.
In 1973, gospel singer Clara Ward died in a Los Angeles hospital after suffering a stroke a week earlier. She was 48.
In 1976, Peter Frampton's live album ``Frampton Comes Alive!'' was released.
In 1979, singer-actress Aaliyah was born Aaliyah Haughton to a musical family in Brooklyn, N.Y. After a brief stage debut at age six in a production of ``Annie,'' she polished her talent to the point where she was invited by Gladys Knight -- who was once married to Aaliya's father -- to perform with her in Las Vegas. She burst onto the music scene at age 15 in 1994 when her debut album, ``Age Ain't Nothing But a Number,'' sold more than one million copies. She later earned two Grammy nominations and also appeared in the 2001 action film ``Romeo Must Die.'' Her career had barely begun to peak when she and eight others were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas on Aug. 25, 2001.
In 1979, the marriage of Cher and Greg Allman was finally dissolved, four years after the couple split up. They stayed together only nine days after exchanging vows.
In 1980, former ``Beatle'' Paul McCartney, and his wife Linda, were arrested in Tokyo after customs agents found marijuana in his luggage. On the same date four years later, they were arrested for marijuana possession in Barbados.
In 1981, Canadian teacher and composer Gordon Delamont died in Toronto at age 62. In more than 30 years of private teaching, his pupils included such leading Canadian musicians as Peter Appleyard, Hagood Hardy and Moe Koffman.
In 1987, the ``Beastie Boys'' became the first act to be censored by ``American Bandstand.''
In 1988, Tina Turner performed before 200,000 fans in a soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
In 1991, ``The Byrds,'' Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and ``LaVern Baker and the Impressions'' were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1992, Eric Clapton taped an all-acoustic concert for the MTV series ``Unplugged.''
In 1994, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams played before 2,500 people in Ho Chi Minh City -- the first Western entertainer to perform in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. About half of the audience were foreigners, because the ticket prices of C$20-$45 represented several weeks wages for the average Vietnamese worker. Adams said he didn't do some of the wilder acts of his regular concerts because he feared clashes between police and fans. Nonetheless, the crowd roared when Adams began his best-known song, ``(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.''
In 1996, Wayne Newton took the stage in Las Vegas for what was billed as his 25,000th performance. He began performing in the gambling capital as a teenager in 1957, often working six shows a night, six nights a week. Newton has performed more shows as a headliner in Vegas than any other entertainer.
In 1996, Bono and Adam Clayton of ``U2'' and Jimmy Buffett escaped injury when Jamaican police opened fire on a seaplane that had just brought them to a resort. They were in a boat being taken ashore when police fired on the plane. Police mistakenly thought the plane was involved in drug smuggling.
In 1997, Brian Harvey, the lead singer of the British band ``East 17,'' apologized for remarks he made in favour of the drug, ecstasy. Harvey's comment that the drug brought out people's good qualities caused a storm of protest in Britain. Prime Minister John Major denounced the singer in Parliament and 14 radio stations banned the group's records. The apology wasn't enough for ``East 17's'' other members -- the following day they fired Harvey for ``unacceptable behaviour.''
In 2000, Celtic musician John Morris Rankin, of the Cape Breton musical group ``The Rankins,'' died when his truck plunged into the icy Gulf of St. Lawrence near Margaree Harbour, N.S. He was 40. Rankin and his younger siblings -- Jimmy, Cookie, Raylene and Heather -- are credited with taking Cape Breton Celtic music to the mainstream.
In 2004, pop star Michael Jackson pleaded innocent to child molestation charges during a court appearance in Santa Maria, Calif.; the judge scolded Jackson for being 21 minutes late. (Jackson was eventually acquitted.)
In 2009, singer Boy George (born George O'Dowd) was sentenced to 15 months in jail after being convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort by handcuffing him to a wall in a London apartment.
In 2010, Carl Smith, a country music hitmaker of the 1950s and 1960s known for his dynamic voice and good looks, died in Tennessee at age 82. Smith had 41 chart singles during the 1950s, including the hits ``Are You Teasing Me,'' ``Back Up Buddy,'' and ``Hey Joe!'' He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
In 2012, Jimmy Castor, a New York funk and soul saxophonist, died of apparent heart failure in a Las Vegas hospital. He was 71. His 1972 song, ``It's Just Begun,'' morphed over 40 years into an anthem for generations of hip-hoppers and mainstream musical acts.
In 2012, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened its new library and archives at the Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, giving scholars and fans access to the stories behind the music through such ``artifacts'' as personal letters from Madonna and Aretha Franklin and 1981-82 video of ``The Rolling Stones'' tour. The collection includes more than 3,500 books, 1,400 audio recordings and 270 videos, and is housed in the new four-story, $12 million building.
In 2012, Matt Andersen nabbed three prizes at the Maple Blues Awards: Best Entertainer, Best Acoustic act and Best Male Vocalist. Suzie Vinnick won the Best Songwriter and Best Female Vocalist awards. Veteran performer Paul James was presented with a lifetime achievement award.
In 2013, singer-songwriter John Mayer performed his first concert in nearly two years, a fundraiser he helped organize to benefit firefighters that helped save his home and others from a Montana wildfire in 2012. Mayer had needed two surgeries to remove growths near his vocal cords.
In 2014, Toni Tennille filed for divorce from her husband Daryl Dragon, known onstage as ``The Captain,'' ending their 39-year union. They were married in 1975 - the same year ``Love Will Keep Us Together'' earned the Grammy for record of the year. At the height of their popularity, the Captain and Tennille had 14 songs on the pop singles chart, including ``Muskrat Love'' and ''Do That To Me One More Time.``
In 2015, Barbra Streisand's album ``Partners'' was 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).
-----
The Canadian Press