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Today in Music History

January, 5

  • 2000 The Canadian Record Industry Assn. (CRIA) declares Quebec superstar Celine Dion “the best-selling Canadian recording artist of the century.”
  • 2000 Rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow is indicted for attempted murder in the second degree. The rapper is also charged with assault and attempted assault.
  • 1999 Lauryn Hill receives 10 Grammy nominations for her album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
  • 1998 Rep. Sonny Bono (R-Calif.), the one-time singer/songwriter who gained fame as half of vocal duo Sonny and Cher, dies from head injuries after hitting a tree while skiing. He is 62.
  • 1997 Burton Lane, who composed the music for “Finian’s Rainbow,” “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” and other stage and movie musicals dies of a stroke at the age of 84.
  • 1980 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Please Don’t Go,” K.C. & the Sunshine Band.
  • 1979 Jazz star Charles Mingus dies of a heart attack. Age 56.
  • 1978 The Sex Pistols make their U.S. debut at the Great Southeast Music Hall in Atlanta.
  • 1970 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” B.J. Thomas. The song appears in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” starring Paul Newman.
  • 1960 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “El Paso,” Marty Robbins.
  • 1950 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Gene Autry. The record, which is Autry’s only No. 1 song, sells more than 8 million copies and is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1985.
  • 1950 Chris Stein of Blondie is born in Brooklyn, N.Y.