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Today in Music History

December, 4

  • 1997 Gail Menscer, mother of country singer Doug Stone, dies from cancer.
  • 1996 Madonna, Mariah Carey and Carlos Santana are honored with special honors at the Billboard Music Awards. Madonna receives Billboard’s artist achievement award which recognizes popularity, record sales and career achievement. Carey is honored for setting a new chart record with her single “One Sweet Day,” a duet with Boyz II Men. The song remains at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for sixteen weeks. Santana wins the ultimate Billboard century award.
  • 1995 Michael Jackson appears with legendary mime Marcel Marceau at New York news conference promoting a Jackson special airing on HBO.
  • 1995 Mary Chapin Carpenter, Pam Tillis, John Berry, David Ball and Bryan White are among the singers performing on World AIDS Day at the third annual Country Music CARES concert at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.
  • 1994 Singer Aretha Franklin, composer Morton Gould and folk singer Pete Seeger are among those honored at ceremonies held by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The center in Washington, D.C., has held the annual ceremonies since 1978.
  • 1991 Paula Abdul is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
  • 1980 Led Zeppelin announces its decision to break up.
  • 1976 Tommy Bolin of Deep Purple dies of a drug overdose at the age of 25.
  • 1972 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “I Am Woman,” Helen Reddy.
  • 1956 Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins hold an impromptu recording session at Sun Studios, Memphis, Tenn.
  • 1949 Actor Jeff Bridges is born in Los Angeles, Calif. At the age of 16, Bridges writes a song that is included on the soundtrack to the 1969 film “John and Mary.” He later sells two songs to Quincy Jones. Bridges has penned over 200 songs, and in late 1999 he releases his debut album, “Be Here Soon.”
  • 1944 Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys is born in Hawthorne, Calif.