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Today in Music History

July, 19

  • 1999 Dr. Dre (Andre Young) files suit against Priority Records and Death Row Records, alleging that the recent Priority-distributed Death Row album “The Chronic 2000” infringes on a trademark held by Dre. “The Chronic” was the title of Dre’s 1992 album.
  • 1999 The Artist Formerly Known As Prince steals the show at the second annual Yahoo! Internet Life Awards, held at Studio 54 in New York. He wins best Internet-only single (“War”) and leads an impromptu musical reunion that features James Brown saxophonist Maceo Parker and four members of Sly & the Family Stone.
  • 1999 They Might Be Giants release their new album “Long Tall Weekend” exclusively in the MP3 format. Visitors to e-tailer EMusic can download the entire album for $8.99 or individual tracks for .99 each.
  • 1996 Musician Emmanual Tettey Mensah dies at the age of 77.
  • 1991 Drummer Steve Adler files suit in Los Angeles against his former band, Guns N’ Roses. The 26-year-old claims band members pressured him to use heroin and then dropped him after he entered a rehabilitation program.
  • 1986 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Invisible Touch,” Genesis.
  • 1976 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Kiss and Say Goodbye,” Manhattans.
  • 1968 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Grazing in the Grass,” Hugh Masekela. A version of the song by The Friends of Distinction reaches No. 3 in 1969.
  • 1954 Elvis Presley’s first single, “That’s All Right Mama,” is released by Sun Records.
  • 1946 Alan Gorrie of Average White Band is born in Perth, Scotland. The group’s only No. 1 song is the million-selling single “Pick Up the Pieces.” The song is written in memory of the band’s drummer, Robbie McIntosh, who died of a heroin overdose.
  • 1932 Singer and guitarist Buster Benton is born.