This Day In Music - June 26

 This Day In Music - 26 June

1870: At the National Theatre in Munich , Wagner's opera Die Walküre is performed for the first time, introducing the famous piece "The Ride Of The Valkyries." - https://youtu.be/XRU1AJsXN1g.

1909: Colonel Tom Parker (Andreas Cornelis Van Kuijk) born in Breda, Netherlands. Parker emigrated illegally to the United States at the age of 20. He resided in the without legal status for the rest of his life, and never left the country's borders. He changed his name and claimed to have been born in the United States, and his Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. Parker discovered the then-unknown Elvis Presley in 1955. He manoeuvred himself to become Presley's sole representative. Within months, he had won him a recording contract with the RCA Victor record label. Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager.

1928: Stewie Speer was born in Melbourne, Vic (died on the 16th of September 1986 aged 58). An Australian jazz and rock drummer who is best known as a member (1967–1976, 1980) of the Australasian group Max Merritt and the Meteors - https://youtu.be/3qOtq-KTpGA .

1938: R&B singer Billy Davis, Jr. (of The 5th Dimension) is born in St. Louis, Missouri - https://youtu.be/oPK7ZF6jfJE .

1942: Larry Taylor (Samuel Lawrence Taylor) of Canned Heat born in Lake Balboa, California. Before joining Canned Heat he had been a session bassist for The Monkees and Jerry Lee Lewis. He was the younger brother of Mel Taylor, long-time drummer of The Ventures - https://youtu.be/Jcb-h8z1uQo .

1943: R&B/jazz musician Georgie Fame is born Clive Powell in Leigh, Lancashire, England - https://youtu.be/RdrdN1PFa-U .

1943: Thanks to Dooley Wilson's rendition as piano-playing Sam in Casablanca, Rudy Vallee's 12-year-old version of "As Time Goes By" lands at #1 on the charts, where it stays for four weeks - https://youtu.be/_yTzjc056qM .

1950: Junior Daye (Sweet Sensation) born. From the British soul group Sweet Sensation who scored the 1974 No.1 and No.14 single 'Sad Sweet Dreamer' - https://youtu.be/_SJ0_Cg6ElU .

1951: Rindy Ross (Saxophone player for Quarterflash) born in Portland Oregon - https://youtu.be/OqeKV2UYq1Q .

1955: Mick Jones (lead guitarist, vocalist of The Clash / Big Audio Dynamite) is born in Wandsworth, London, England - https://youtu.be/bJ9r8LMU9bQ .

1956: Chris Isaak is born Christopher Joseph Isaak in Stockton, California. He is widely known for his hit "Wicked Game", as well as the songs "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing" and "Somebody's Crying". He is known for his signature 1950s rock & roll style and crooner sound, as well as his falsetto and reverb-laden music. - https://youtu.be/4vKsSGyQf-M .

1957: Scandal lead singer Patty Smyth is born in New York City.

1959: Stef Burns, who replaces Chris Hayes as guitarist for Huey Lewis and the News, is born in Oakland, California - https://youtu.be/LB5YkmjalDg .

1961: Terri Nunn (lead singer of Berlin) is born in Los Angeles, California - https://youtu.be/Bx51eegLTY8 .

1964: The Beatles album "A Hard Day’s Night" was released in the - https://youtu.be/Yjyj8qnqkYI .

1965: The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man" goes to #1 on the Hot 100. It's the only song written by Bob Dylan ever to top that chart - https://youtu.be/f7eJSdpMEnI .

1969: Colin Greenwood (bassist for Radiohead) is born in Oxford, England. Brother and future bandmate Jonny Greenwood is born two years later.

1972: During sessions at Olympic Studios, London, England, David Bowie recorded 'John, I'm Only Dancing', with Mick Ronson on lead guitar and Lou Reed on rhythm guitar. The track released became a hit single in the in September of this year, but was not released in America, being judged too risqué by RCA Records - https://youtu.be/6i46LmQ7P30 .

1973: Marsha Hunt brought a paternity suit against Mick Jagger, which was eventually acknowledged (Karis as daughter).

1974: Cher divorced Sonny Bono after 10 years of marriage. Four days later, Cher married guitarist Gregg Allman, the couple split 10 days after that, got back together and split again. They did stay married for three years, producing Elijah Blue Allman.

1976: TV talent show winners from Liverpool The Real Thing were at No.1 on the singles chart with 'You To Me Are Everything', the group's only No.1 hit. It was the first single by a Black British band to top the UK charts (#5 in ) - https://youtu.be/_aNxQ3xICqU .

1976: Peter Frampton releases "Baby, I Love Your Way." - https://youtu.be/m0nc-hh9viQ .

1977: Elvis Presley's final concert took place at Market Square Arena, Indianapolis. He dies on August 16. The last two songs he performed were ‘Hurt’ and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water.’ Before the show Elvis was presented with a plaque commemorating the 2 billionth record to come out of RCA’s pressing plant - https://youtu.be/OvgtrT4f0mE .

1978: You’re The One That I Want (Olivia Newton-John / John Travolta) becomes the #1 song in this week - https://youtu.be/itRFjzQICJU .

1979: Two years after his son's death, Vernon Presley dies of heart failure at age 63.

1979: The Village People become the first disco act to play Madison Square Garden - https://youtu.be/CS9OO0S5w2k .

1979: Nathan Followill (drummer for Kings of Leon) is born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to a family that will later include younger brothers - and future bandmates - Caleb and Jared - https://youtu.be/RF0HhrwIwp0 .

1986: James Hetfield (Metallica) broke his wrist while trying to skateboard down a hill. One show was cancelled and the remainder of dates on the tour James was on vocals only and John Marshall (later with Metal Church) was on guitar.

1990: Nelson release their debut album After the Rain, which sells over 2 million copies thanks to the #1 single "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection." Nelson is the duo of Gunnar and Matthew, the twin sons of Rick Nelson - https://youtu.be/x1W6-ErrHls .

1993: Ariana Grande is born in Boca Raton, Florida. After starring on the Nickelodeon TV show Victorious, she becomes a popular singer with a huge social media presence - https://youtu.be/tcYodQoapMg .

1995: Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman? moved to the #1 spot on the chart - https://youtu.be/hq2KgzKETBw .

1996: Sammy Hagar is replaced as Van Halen's lead vocalist by the man he replaced 11 years earlier, David Lee Roth - https://youtu.be/SwYN7mTi6HM .

1999: Pearl Jam score their biggest Hot 100 hit when "Last Kiss," a cover of a song from the '60s, reaches #2, held off the top spot by Jennifer Lopez' first single, "If You Had My Love." - https://youtu.be/uvjTo-hRD5c .

2000: Spinning Around (Kylie Minogue) enters the singles chart at #1 - https://youtu.be/t1DWBKk5xHQ .

2004: Defying predictions of musical and personal implosion, Velvet Revolver, fronted by Scott Weiland and with three ex-Guns N' Roses members in the line-up, debuts at #1 in with their first album, Contraband.

2020: At 79, Bob Dylan becomes the oldest artist to top the albums chart with an album of original songs when Rough And Rowdy Ways hits the top spot.

2020: American soul singer Tami Lynn died. She scored a Top Ten hit on the Singles Chart in 1971 with "I'm Gonna Run Away From You”. She sang on all Dr. John's albums as well performing backing vocals on the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main St, and worked with Wilson Pickett, Sonny & Cher and Miles Davis - https://youtu.be/BeaLTzCW6r0 .