This Day in Music
On this day in music, July 17, 1967, the broadly influential jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane died, aged 40, from liver cancer. Born in North Carolina and raised in Philadelphia, Coltrane rose to fame as a member of Miles Davis’ pathfinding quintet in the 1950s and played on several of the trumpeter’s key albums, including 1959’s Kind Of Blue. Coltrane’s stellar solo career, which took flight in the late 50s, saw him push the frontiers of modern jazz with groundbreaking albums like Giant Steps, My Favorite Things, and A Love Supreme, the latter sowing the seeds for the spiritual jazz movement.
In 1995, Robbie Williams left Take That during the middle of the British boy band’s Nobody Else tour. The singer-songwriter launched his solo career the following year with a cover of Geoge Michael’s “Freedom.”
In 1975, Bob Marley and the Wailers played the first of two concerts at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Marley’s label, Island Records, taped both nights and selected the best moments for the reggae icon’s first in-concert album, Live!, released in December 1975. It included a performance of the anthemic “No Woman No Cry,” which was released as a single and gave Marley his first UK chart entry.
In 1968, the animated movie Yellow Submarine, inspired by the music of The Beatles, premiered in London. A psychedelic fantasy adventure directed by George Dunning, the film featured the “Fab Four” as cartoon characters but their voices were spoken by actors. The soundtrack album made No.2 in the US and No.3 in the UK.
In 1959, legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday died at 44. Born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, “Lady Day” was noted for her plaintive tone as well as her heightened musical sensitivity. Among her signature songs was the Civil Rights anthem, “Strange Fruit,” as well as the self-written “Lady Sings The Blues” and “God Bless the Child.” Despite her success, the influential singer did not have an easy life and struggled with addictions, legal troubles, and several abusive relationships.
In 1965, James Brown released the single “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” Regarded as a landmark record in the evolution of funk music, the song spent two months at the top of the Billboard R&B chart and won the Grammy Award for best for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording.
In 2013, U2 frontman Bono was awarded Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for his contribution to music and commitment to humanitarian causes.
BORN ON JULY 17
1941: Spencer Davis (The Spencer Davis Group)
1947: Wolfgang Flür (Kraftwerk)
1948: Ron Asheton (The Stooges)
1949: Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
1952: Phoebe Snow
1966: Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh)
1971: DJ Minutemix (P.M. Dawn)
1976: Luke Bryan
1985: Tom Fletcher (McFly)
1987: Jeremih
