This Day in Music
On this day in music, June 11, 1988, the star-studded Freedomfest concert took place at London’s Wembley Stadium. The event, which marked the 70th birthday of the then-imprisoned anti-apartheid revolutionary, Nelson Mandela, was organized to raise awareness of apartheid (institutionalized racial segregation) in South Africa and called for the country’s political prisoners, including Mandela, to be freed. Performances by the likes of Whitney Houston, George Michael, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, and the Bee Gees were broadcast live to an estimated global audience of one billion. Less than two years later, Mandela was freed from prison, while apartheid was repealed in 1991. Mandela, who died in 2013, went on to serve as South Africa’s first present.
In 1966, The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black” became the first No.1 hit to feature a sitar. The song, which began a two-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on this day, also reached the top spot in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands.
In 1969, The Beatles topped the UK pop chart for the 17th time with “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” The recording only featured John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
In 1977, with their single “I’m Your Boogie Man,” KC and the Sunshine Band became the second group in Billboard chart history (following the Jackson Five) to score four US No.1 hits.
In 2005, Queen co-founder and guitarist Brian May was recognized for his charitable and musical contributions when he was awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II. On that same day, Led Zeppelin founder and guitarist Jimmy Page was awarded an OBE.
BORN ON JUNE 11
1934: James “Pookie” Hudson (The Spaniels)
1946: John Lawton (Uriah Heep)
1947: Richard Palmer-Jones (Supertramp, King Crimson)
1949: Frank Beard (ZZ Top)
1951: Lynsey De Paul
1952: Donnie Van Zant (38 Special)
1961: Robert Birch (Stereo MCs)
1964: Penny Ford (Snap!)
1969: Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips)
1997: Kodak Black
