This Day In Music - May 17

 This Day In Music - May 17

1938 - Pervis Jackson (Spinners) born.

1950 - Bill Bruford (drummer for Yes, King Crimson) is born in Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

1953 - George "Lightnin' Licks" Johnson (of The Brothers Johnson) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1953 - During a recording session at Atlantic Records studios in New York, Ray Charles learns that his mother has died. He continues on with the session, recording the song "Sinner's Prayer."

1957 - Rock-A-Billy (Guy Mitchell) went to #1 on the UK chart for one week.

1959 - Iron Maiden's original lead singer, Paul Di'Anno, is born in London, England.

1961 - New age singer Enya is born Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin in Dore, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. "Eithne" is pronounced "Enya," so she goes with that spelling to avoid confusion.

1962 - Tracy Bryn (Voice Of The Beehive) born.

1963 - Jan & Dean's "Surf City" was released.

1963 - First Monterey Folk Festival featured Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Peter, Paul and Mary.

1965 - Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) is born Michael Trent Reznor in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

1968 - Dave Abbruzzese, drummer for Pearl Jam on their albums Vs. and Vitalogy, is born in Stamford, Connecticut, raised in Mesquite, Texas.

1970 - Pop singer Jordan Knight (of New Kids on the Block) is born in Worcester, Massachusetts.

1971 - The musical "Godspell" opened in New York City and ran for 2,124 performances.

1975 - Stand By Your Man (Tammy Wynette) started a 3 week stint at #1 on the UK chart.

1975 - Elton John plays "Bennie And The Jets" and "Philadelphia Freedom" on Soul Train, becoming just the third white performer to appear on the show, after Dennis Coffey and Gino Vannelli.

1978 - Disco Movie “Thank God It’s Friday” starring Village People and featuring tracks by Donna Summer was premiered in Los Angeles.

1980 - Drummer Peter Criss left Kiss, the heavily made-up quartet of which he was a founder member and was replaced by Eric Carr.

1986 - The Chicken Song (Spitting Image) went to #1 on the UK chart for 3 weeks.

1987 - Tom Petty's home in Encino, California, burns to the ground. Petty and his family escape unharmed, but are traumatized by the blaze, which is determined to be arson. The perpetrator is never caught.

1992 - Bandleader and TV host Lawrence Welk dies of bronchial pneumonia at age 89.

2012 - Donna Summer dies of lung cancer at her home in Naples, Florida, at age 73.

2012 - Malcolm McGee of The Wild Cherries died.

2013 - Singer-songwriter Alan O'Day dies of brain cancer at age 72 - https://youtu.be/hgk37cAd4tE .

2017 - Kevin Stanton guitarist / vocalist with Mi-Sex died.

2017 - After performing with Soundgarden in Detroit, Chris Cornell is found dead from an apparent suicide at the age of 52.