He was a composer, pianist, and big band leader, and wrote more than 1,000 compositions. More than a striking figure in the story of jazz, Ellington's music stretched into several other genres, including blues, gospel, film scores, popular, and classical. His career spanned more than 50 years and included leading his orchestra, composing an inexhaustible songbook, scoring for movies, composing stage musicals, and public tours. Several of his instrumental works were adapted into songs that became standards. His reputation increased after his death, the Pulitzer Prize Board bestowing a special posthumous honor in 1999. Ellington called his music 'American Music', rather than jazz, and liked to distinguish those who impressed him as "beyond category" Duke Ellington's work has come to be recognised as a foundation of American culture and heritage and is widely regarded as the most significant composer in jazz; Ellington earned 12 Grammy awards from 1959 to 2000, nine while he was alive. Here now is one of his many, many classics, written in 1931, with lyrics by Irving Mills. Ivie Anderson sang the vocal and trombonist Joe Nanton and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges played the instrumental solos. The deed was based on the oft stated credo of Ellington's former trumpeter Bubber Miley, who was dying of tuberculosis. The strain became famous, Ellington wrote, "as the face of a view which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time." Probably the beginning call to use the word 'swing' in the title, it introduced the condition into everyday speech and presaged the Swing Era by 3 years. Following that is Stevie Wonder's tribute song to Wonder, Sire Duke.
1967 - The deep and all great Otis Redding didn't receive a hint that the strain he wrote in 1965, would suit the iconic signature line for soul queen Aretha Franklin, whose own version was released 44 years ago today. Respect is the song, originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. While Redding wrote the call as a man's plea for honour and recognition from a woman, the roles were reversed for Franklin's version, which became a watershed for the feminist movement. It is too often considered as one of the best songs of the R&B era, earning two Grammy Awards in 1968 for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and Best Rhythm & Blues Female Solo Vocal Performance, and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin's version by adding it to the National Recording Registry. It is number 5 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and it was also included in the number of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. Clearly, then, this is one of the classic songs of all time. First video is the way it was, live, in 1967; second video is from the man who wrote the song, Otis Redding.
1968 - The musical Hair opened on Broadway, today, the year later the so-called 'summer of love', in the Biltmore Theatre. This first time is from the original cast, doing live TV on the Smothers Brothers Show.check out the sick list for Meat Loaf and many others who went on with singing careers. Second video is from the opening scenes of the film version. Check out the dancing horses.
1976 - This was the day Bruce Springsteen climbed the rampart of Graceland to see his hero, Elvis Presley, but the queen was not at home. Take a slip back 34 years, dear reader, and watch why Bruce was the actual deal. Following that video, there's some truly rare footage, taken by a fan in 1957, of the real Graceland before it became a money-making tourist attraction, and it shows Elvis on his tractor, trying to get it out of the mud.for real.
1980 - This is the dark that Black Sabbath began their first go with new lead singer, the late Ronnie James Dio. So what do you think? Ozzie or Ronnie?
1988 - It's now 23 years since Eric Clapton filed for a divorce from Patti 'Layla' Boyd.Boyd was an English model and photographer, and the old wife of both George Harrison, before marrying Clapton. She was the aspiration for love songs written by both musicians - Harrison's, Something, For You Down and Isn't It a Pity, and Clapton's Layla.What better cue for another reason to play one of the best songs of all time.mmm.which version.let's see what youtube's got. How nearly this beautiful, poignant acoustic version with Clapton and Mark Knopfler.
Eric Clapton With Mark Knopfler - Layla
Uploaded by tigwenn.
1993 - The soul musician Barry White appears, animated of course, in the episode 20 of the 4th season of The Simpsons, the episode entitled Whacking Day. Let's celebrate by performing one of his songs, too.howzabout Let The Music Play, LIVE.
1995 - Tupac Shakur married Keisha Morris inside the Clinton Correctional Facility, where he was helping a 4 1/2 year jail term for sex abuse. So, how near a love song, like California Love. You may know a pair of the other lads, eh?