MUSIC RELATED STORIES
On August 1, 1981 Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles was the first video shown on MTV. Was originally released in 1979 and hit #40 on the pop charts. In 1980 Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn joined the group Yes. In 1981 Downes joined Asia and Horn became a prolific producer.
What was the last song ever sang by Bing Crosby? While playing golf, on a course in Spain, a group of construction workers recognized him and asked him to sing them a song. Gladly, Bing sang them "Strangers In The Night." Moments later Bing dropped dead of a massive heart attack.
In 1984, Bruce Springsteen's, "Born In The USA," became the first CD manufactured in the United States for commercial release. Before that time, all CD's sold in the U.S. had been imported.
"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be."
Producer / singer Babyface got his nickname from Parliament bassist Bootsy Collins.
After partying for more than twenty four years and being clean and sober for eleven months, Perry was asked, "How do you feel?" The toxic twin replied, "A little hungover."
In 1969, Keith Richards bought a vintage Nazi staff car and had it restored to it's World War II splender. Unforunately, Richards nodded off at the wheel and smashed up the classic auto the first time he drove it.
To make his life simpler, Chuck Berry has always called everyone Jack.
Boxer "Sugar" Ray Leonard's full name is Ray Charles Leonard. He was named after Ray Charles.
"Sometimes you don't realize how true country songs are until you find yourself in the middle of one." - Hank Williams Jr.
"You got to have smelt a lot of mule manure before you can sing like a hillbilly." - Hank Williams
Q: What's the difference between an accordion and an onion? A: No one cries when you chop up an accordion.
The Police, needing money, bleached their hair for a Wrigley's gum commercial. The look stuck.
The Glitter Ball (Disco Ball) were first used in nightclubs in the 1920's.
"Sound when stretched is music. Movement when stretched is dance. Mind when stretched is meditation. Life when stretched is celebration." -Ravi Shankar
The "King of Pop" Michael Jackson was inducted into the Musically Speaking Hall Of Fame by winning the Royalty category.
The female lead in an opera is the "prima donna." The male lead is the "prima uomo" , in english that would be "homo."
The melody to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is from a 1761 French song. The lyrics date to 1806.
The Spice Girls had a #1 hit in 53 countries within six months of their debut.
The first country song to win a Grammy Award was El Paso by Marty Robbins in 1959.
Who has a Starland Vocal Band tattoo? Homer Simpson
Frankie Valli's #1 hit "My Eyes Adored You" was rejected by Motown. They said it wasn't commercial enough.
The first video banned by MTV was "Girls On Film" by Duran Duran. It featured topless mud wrestlers. I don't see the problem.
Regis Philbin sings "Pennies From Heaven" on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - The Album.
As a session musician, Jimmy Page played with the Kinks, Joe Cocker, and Engelbert Humperdinck.
"I couldn't care less what your sexuality is-but of course, if you were gay, it would be fantastic!" -Boy George, to Ricky Martin
Bill Haley and His Comets started out as a country group called the Saddlemen.
"I like Beethoven, especially the poems." - Ringo Starr (Beatles)
"You know what they say about the Japanese is right! They all do look alike." - John Lennon (Beatles)
"I've only read two books in my life: the Bible and Peter Pan." - Michael Jackson
"My life belongs to the Lord Krishna and there's my dog collar to prove it. I'm just a dog and I'm led around by my dog collar by Krishna." - George Harrison (Beatles)
"Let's finish this son of a bitch so I can go home and throw up some more." Don Henley ( The Eagles)
"The ocean scares me." - Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys)
"My dad used to say, "They think you're obnoxious little brats." I never knew what the word obnoxious meant anyway, so I just went, "Hey great, we're obnoxious." - Maurice Gibb (of the Bee Gees)
"I must have snorted all of Peru." -Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
Before putting together AC/DC, Malcolm Young played with the Velvet Underground. No, not "the" Velvet Underground. Young's bandmates were Australians who simply stole the name.
"I hope you all get heart attacks."- Jerry Lee Lewis, to a crowd that booed him.
" I done had every kind of bitch. Young bitch, old bitch, users, mothers, grandmothers, dumb bitches..." -The Notorious B.I.G. Is anyone surprised Biggie dropped out of school?
Ringo Starr dropped out of school at age 15.
Best selling artist of all time in Africa: Tupac Shakur. Best selling artist of all time in Iran: Liza Minnelli.
On July 29 1978 Prince appeared on the Pop charts for the first time with "Soft and Wet", it failed to reach the top 40.
On July 29 1968 the Beatles began recording their 7 minute epic "Hey Jude" a song written about John's son Julian.
In 1989 Michael Jackson sued the Daily Mirror for libel after they printed a less than flattering color photo of the ever changing singer on the front cover.
"I hate it when [Grace Slick] does that sexy stuff onstage. It makes me want to puke!" - Marty Balin about his fellow bandmate in Jefferson Airplane
"I'd never eat an entire scab. Although it's OK to eat half a scab." - Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers)
"A cow farts enough per week to fill a hot air balloon. Not many people know that." - Sexy Spice/ Ginger
"My whole school life was a case of 'I couldn't care less." - John Lennon
While recording the album Rumors in 1977, Fleetwood Mac snorted so much coke that they wanted to give their dealer credit on the album. The dealer was killed before the album came out, solving the dilemma.
Earliest keyboard instruments: the pipe organ, the clavichord, and the harpsichord, in that order.
Elton John won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 11.
Upon waking from a diabetic coma, Jerry Garcia's first words were, "I'm not Beethoven."
"We can fly, you know. We just don't know how to think the right thoughts and levitate ourselves off the ground." (Michael Jackson)
"I've been drunk for twenty-seven years." (Keith Richards in 1980)
People who make and repair guitars are called "Luthiers."
Bruce Springsteen got busted trying to climb over the gates of Graceland in 1976.
"Sometimes, you let the hair do the talking." - James Brown
On July 9th 1956 Dick Clark hosts American Bandstand for the first time.
The first platinum single (two million copies sold) is "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor in 1976.
Tina Turner has sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer to date.
The info on this page comes from many different sources but my favorite source is Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Music by the Bathroom Reader's Institute. Some from my local Coffee News, Billboard, The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia Of Rock & Roll, Rock Stars Do The Dumbest Things, and This Day In Music and to all of them I'd like to say "please don't sue me, I'm trying to promote you." To visit The Bathroom Readers.
"Rock 'n' roll is not so much a question of electric guitars as it is striped pants." - David Lee Roth (formerly of Van Halen)
Timeless Tip: "If you do it with feeling, don't." -- Patsy Cline
In 1925 Billboard magazine stated that the medium of radio could be good for record sales if songs were not "killed by being radio'd to death."
Led Zeppelin's song "Houses Of The Holy" is on their "Physical Graffiti" album, not "Houses Of The Holy."
In 1991 Star Trek's Data (Brent Spiner) released an album titled Ol' Yellow Eyes Is Back.
Bo Diddley was the first major act to have a female guitarist. Her name is Peggy Jones.
June 25, 2009 I was shocked to hear about the passing of Michael Jackson. Died of a heart attack at age 50. No matter what your opinion of him is he was a great singer, writer and performer and for that he will be missed.
Ronald Reagan requested "Born In The U.S.A." for his '84 campaign song. Bruce Springsteen said no. And as always Bruce was on the wrong side.
Carl Perkins wrote the song "Blue Suede Shoes" on an old potato sack.
A group of harpist is called a Melody; a group of pipers is called a Skirl. What should we call a group of Rappers? Go to my contact page and give me your thoughts.
Singer Carly Simon's "Anticipation" was once used in a Heinz ketchup commercial.
The word "RAP" in Rap Music stands for Rhythm and Poetry.
In 1958 oil companies claimed rock music made drivers accelerate faster, wasting fuel.
In 1987 Will Smith declared bankruptcy. In 1998 he was on Forbes's highest-paid entertainers list.
If I were rich I would love to have an old Wurlitzer jukebox. 1940's Wurlitzer Jukebox slogan: "The magic that changes moods."
Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower was his only top 40 hit, it reached #20 in 1968.
Courtney Cox is the girl that Bruce Springsteen picked to dance with during the "Dancing In The Dark" video.
The 1957 Bugs Bunny cartoon "What's Opera, Doc?" adapted music from various Wagner operas.
Guitar legend Les Paul gave Steve Miller, of The Steve Miller Band, his first guitar and taught him how to play it.
Rocker Eddie Money is a graduate of the New York City Police Academy.
Iron Butterfly was scheduled to play Woodstock...but didn't. They got stuck at the airport.
The American Film Institute's top three movie songs of all time are "Singing In The Rain", "Over The Rainbow", and "As Time Goes By."
Duran Duran members Andy, John, and Roger all have the last name Taylor but none of them are related.
In 1989 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Want To Be was the first rap LP with an "Explicit Lyrics" warning label.
Tap dancing is derived from Irish clog dancing.
The largest free concert ever was given by Rod Stewart in 1994. 3.5 million people attended the show in Brazil.
Chuck Berry has a beauty-school degree.
There is a Metallica tribute called Harptallica. All songs are played on harps.
Shinji Kanki composed the album "Music for Dolphins" based on music dolphins seemed to like.
Lynyrd Skynyrd named themselves after their high-school gym teacher, Leonard Skinner, whom they hated.
In 1978 the State of New York declared one week in June "National Disco Week."
Stephen Stills (of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, & Nash) auditioned for the Monkees. He didn't make it.
Real country song title: My Wife Left Me For My Girlfriend
Woody Guthrie wrote "This Land Is My Land" as a protest of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America."
Ben & Jerry's mourned Jerry Garcia's death by putting black cherries in Cherry Garcia ice cream.
The first video to be shown on MTV2 was "Where It's At" by Beck in 1996.
The piano piece "Chopsticks" was written by 16-year-old Euphemia Allen.
Q: Can you name The Muppet Show's "house" Band? A: Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
He who cannot dance will say the drum is bad. - African proverb
Frankie Valli's #1 hit "My Eyes Adored You" was rejected by Motown, they said it was "not commercial enough."
Actual title to a country song: "Mama Get A Hammer (There's A Fly On Papa's Head)."
The first record purchased by John Mayer was Debbie Gibson's "Out Of The Blue".
Kurt Cobain's first record purchased was "Seasons In The Sun" by Terry Jacks
That blows! Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac estimates that he spent $8 million...on cocaine.
Q: Who are William, Saul, Jeffrey, and Mike? A: Axl, Slash, Izzy, and Duff of Guns N' Roses.
A 3,300-year-old stone carving shows a Hittite bard playing an instrument that looks like a guitar.
Music induces more madness in many than wine. -Latin proverb
The artist to have the most singles make the Billboard Hot 100 (Pop Charts) without a #1 hit: James Brown. Although, of hit 44 entries 16 went to #1 on the R&B charts.
Neil Diamond was his high school's fencing champion.
Q: What has 9 arms and plays hard rock music? A: Def Leppard I apologize to Rick Allen, I saw him in concert in Detroit and that guy sounds great and works harder then any drummer out there.
The 1961 Grammy winner for Best New Artist was Bob Newhart. Not for music, but for his wildly popular comedy albums.
The Coca-Cola jingle "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" was a #1 hit in the U.S. and the U.K.
"Here Comes The Bride," from Richard Wagner's 1850 opera Lohengrin was first used as a wedding march during the Civil War.
Beyonce attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas.
"I don't know if you could call my music cowboy music. I don't sing about horses." -Merle Haggard
Clint Eastwood did his own singing in the 1969 movie Paint Your Wagon. Jean Seberg's was dubbed.
The Hillbilly singing group in the 1969 film Paint Your Wagon was the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Paul Hewson's stage name, Bono, is short for Bono Vox, which means "good voice" in Latin.
Peter Frampton played lead guitar on Frankie Valli's 1978 #1 hit song "Grease." (Written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees)
I'm a 45 year old guy that was dragged to the Hannah Montana movie last night. It was a good movie, I liked it. Go see it.
The original back cover of the Wings album Red Rose Speedway had a message to Stevie Wonder, written in Braille. (It says, "We love you, baby!")
Funk musician George Clinton's first job was as a foreman of a Hula Hoop factory.
The world record for disco-dancing was 408 hours set by Peter Stewart in August 1983 in England.
In the horror film Trick or Treat, Ozzy Osbourne plays a televangelist who denounces heavy metal.
Today is April 6 and everyone should be playing the Michigan State Fight Song. They play for the NCAA basketball championship tonight vs. the North Carolina Prada Heels and hand bags.
Today I'm visiting the great state of Indiana. Here is a short list of musical talent that came from the Hoosier state: The Jackson family (Michael, Janet, Jackson 5, etc..), John Mellencamp, David Lee Roth, Hoagy Carmichael, Bill Gaithers, Janie Fricke, and Steve Wariner, Axel Rose, Babyface, just to name a few.
First rap song to hit #1 on the Billboard charts was "Ice, Ice, Baby," by Vanilla Ice. Although, some say it was "Rapture" by Blonde. Check 'em out decide for yourself.
Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix stole a truck to get to Woodstock in time to perform.
When John Fogerty wrote "Proud Mary", he'd never even seen the Mississippi River.
The Bagpipe is mentioned in the Bible (Daniel 3:5).
Monkeys have been known to beat rhythmically on hollow logs.
Ronnie James Dio popularized the "devil horns" hand gesture now associated with heavy metal. It was originally an ancient Greek vulgarity called the mano cornuta.
Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys) and his psychiatrist, Dr. Eugene Landy, recorded a rap song called "Smart Girls" in 1988.
Paul McCartney, Nancy Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong all recorded songs for James Bond films.
Carly Simon's father is of publishing giant Simon & Schuster.
The play-by-play in Meat Loaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" was by sportscaster Phil Rizzuto.
What do Little Richard and M.C. Hammer have in common? They're both ordained ministers.
Frank Zappa's only top-40 song was "Valley Girl," in 1982, it featured his daughter Moon Unit Zappa and peak at #32.
Jessica Simpson was only 14 years old when she released her first album.
I named this section after the Dave Clark Five song "Bits And Pieces".
Shortest song to reach #1 was Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs' 1960 hit "Stay," at only 1:36.
Billboard's first #1 Hot 100 song was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson, on August 4, 1958.
The 1957 Bugs Bunny cartoon What's Opera, Doc? adapted music from various Wagner operas.
Vinnie Vincent of KISS was a staff songwriter for TV's Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi.
The Spike Jones Orchestra used an instrument called the "Latrinophone"- a toilet seat with strings.
R.I.P. Jimmy Boyd who is famous for his version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in 1952 and Country star Hank Locklin who is famous for "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" (#1 for 14 weeks) and "Let Me Be The One" (#1 for 3 weeks). Both passed away this passed week.
Q: From what performer did Elvis Presley pick up his pelvic gyrations? A: Bo Diddley
The most aired video in MTV history is Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer", which came out in 1986.
Merle Haggard was born in a converted train car.
The first singing telegram was delivered to singer Rudy Vallee on July 28, 1933. The song was "Happy Birthday."
After Dark Side Of The Moon, Pink Floyd planned an album of sounds made by household objects.
"I thank you in advance for the great round of applause I am about to get." -Bo Diddley
Ray Charles was born sighted but went completely blind by the age of 7. I heard him once say that he thought the sun was beautiful and he would often stare at it.
A-ha is the only Norwegian band with international success. Biggest hit: Take on Me (1985) Check out the music video, it's awesome!
Bill Haley (We're Gonna Rock Around The Clock) once used the stage name "the Ramblin' Yodeler."
Nigerian-born singer Sade's real name is Helen Folasade Adu.
The Reverend Jesse Jackson's PUSH organization launched a campaign against disco music in the 1970s.
Amongst the 50 people killed in Buffalo on flight 3407 were Gerry Niwood and Coleman Mellett, members of Chuck Mangione's band.
The only person nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and a Nobel Peace Prize: Bono.
Country singer Tonya Watts was a body double for Pamela Anderson in the 1996 film Barb Wire.
Eric Clapton was inducted into the Musically Speaking Hall Of Fame in 2008. Found at musichof.com
"I am not a fan of the Monkees' music." - Mike Nesmith of the Monkees
The first African-American opera, Treemonisha, was written by ragtime composer Scott Joplin in 1911.
Electric Lady Studios was the first recording studio owned by a major artist- Jimi Hendrix.
New Jersey punk rocker Sluggo put a broken guitar up for auction and got $100,000 for it. That's because it's one of only a few smashed by Kurt Cobain.
When he died in1750, Bach was mourned mainly as an organist, not as a composer.
The American rock band with the most top 40 hits is The Beach Boys, with 36.
Got Milk? Hanson, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Tony Bennett have all worn milk "mustaches" in ads.
The oldest female artist with a #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 is Cher, at age 52, with the song "Believe" in 1998.
Andrea True, who had the 1976 disco hit "More, More, More," was a former adult-film actress.
This is pretty tasteless, when the New York Post reported Ike Turners death the headline read: "Ike 'Beats' Tina to Death."
Vincent Ford, a songwriter credited with composing the Bob Marley reggae classic "No Woman, No Cry," died December 28, 2008 at the age of 68.
"An intellectual is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture and not think of The Lone Ranger" - Dan Rather
Spinning the hits: B.B. King, Bill Haley, James Brown, and Ike Turner were all former DJs.
The Jordanaires have sung backup on more than 30,000 recordings, including 361 Elvis songs.
Martina McBride once worked as a T-shirt vendor at Garth Brooks concerts.
Actor / comedian Chevy Chase was an original member of Steely Dan. I believe he played the drums.
The all-female group ,the Chordettes, were the first to perform live on American Bandstand.
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson was the first video by a black artist on MTV.
Eartha Kitt, famous for her version of "Santa Baby", died Christmas day 2008. Goodbye Catwoman.
A photo of Queen Elizabeth taken by singer Bryan Adams was made into a Canadian postage stamp.
Barry Manilow's "I Write The Songs," was actually written by Bruce Johnston, the song is about fellow Beach Boy Brian Wilson.
As a teenager, Kevin Costner sang in a church choir.
The first Gold Record single was awarded to Perry Como in 1958 for "Catch a Falling Star."
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen lost his arm in a car crash on 12/31/84.
Even though they broke up about 29 years ago, the Beatles continue to sell more records each year than the Rolling Stones.
Musician Eric Clapton grew up thinking his mum was his sister.
Yo Mama's so fat...When she dances, she makes the band skip.
Hollywood director Steven Spielberg played a cameo role as the clerk who receives Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi's money at the end of the Blues Brothers.
"The other day I was in a gym in Kansas, and the worst songs were being played on the radio. And then MY song came on. I was like, 'Oh no! I'm one of them!'" -Jewel
Who danced with Elvis Presley in the movie "G.I. Blues"? Juliet Prowse
The Capitol Records Building, located near Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood, is unique in a couple of ways. It was built to look like a stack of records on a turntable, and a red light on its roof blinks out the word "Hollywood" in Morse Code.
Irving Berlin wrote "White Christmas" in Phoenix, Arizona.
Beethoven once returned to a ballroom still buttoning up his trousers after a bathroom break.
Sheryl Crow's front two teeth are fake. She had them knocked out when she tripped on the stage earlier in her career.
AC/DC's Malcolm Young once worked in a bra factory.
Frank Sinatra's young son, Frank Sinatra Jr., was kidnapped in 1963. The famous crooner paid a ransom of $240,000 for his release.
A "Motown" is a poker term for two jacks and two fives- jacks on fives. (Get it? Jackson Fives!) I don't make this stuff up.
"A wedding without a bagpipe is like a funeral." - Bulgarian saying
Hey Justin, did you know that Tom Petty & the Heartbreaker's had 9 Mainstream Rock #1's? But their biggest hit was Stop Draggin' My Heart Around with Stevie Nicks. My favorite is Breakdown, their first top 40 hit, from 1978.
Tom Petty once said of his success "The more you get, the more you get."
Beatles: John's middle name is Winston, Paul's real first name is James, as a boy, Ringo was called "Ritchie", and George's haircuts name was Arthur.
Michael J. Fox was the lead guitarist for The Pinheads in the movie Back To The Future.
"When I want to feel a surge of patriotism, I turn to country music." -George H. W. Bush (President 1989-1993)
Gene Autry recorded three of the most popular Christmas songs of the 20th century: "Here Comes Santa Claus", "Frosty The Snowman", and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer."
At age 10, Justin Timberlake won the 1991 pre-teen Mr. America Pageant. The following year, he became the first male winner of America's Universal Charm Pageant.
Paris Hilton's middle name is Whitney. Mine is Wayne. And no one cares about either.
The song "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" was socalled because the lead singer of Iron Butterfly couldn't pronounce In The Garden Of Eden.
Whose biography was entitled, "Lady Sings The Blues"? Billie Holiday
1980s girl group Bananarama's first single, "Aie A Mwana" was sung in Swahili.
Chinese mythology says the founder of music was Ling Lun, whose bamboo flutes mimicked birds.
Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl took a record 62 weeks to hit #1 on the Billboard Album charts.
30 artist turned down "Bye Bye Love" before the Everly Brothers made it a #1 hit.
"Country is soul music for white people."- Paul Schaffer
"There's not a lot of logic in my head."- Bjork
The tune of Little Peggy Marsh's "I Will Follow Him" is from the French song "Chariot."
Drive Talking was the original name of the Bee Gees #1 record Jive Talkin'. Barry Gibb's wife Linda noticed the rhythm that the Sunny Isles Bridge in Miami Florida made as they drove over it and pointed it out to her husband. They duplicated the sound at the beginning of the song.
Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins was the first song ever to make the pop, country, and R&B charts at the same time.
The first song played on armed forces radio during Operation Desert Storm was Rock The Casba by The Clash.
The first rock band to play with a symphony orchestra was Deep Purple in 1969.
Fats Domino, who is famous for songs like I'm Walkin' and Walking To New Orleans, owned over 300 pairs of shoes.
Blues singer? Every song title on Bobby Vinton's 1963 album Blue Velvet has the word "Blue" in it.
Campanology is the art of ringing bells. When you see someone practicing this art be sure to put some money in their red kettle.
Titles of real country songs: "My wife left me for my girlfriend", "You're the reason our kids are ugly", "Too dumb for New York, too ugly for L.A.," and "Mama get a hammer (there's a fly on Papa's head)".
Christian music fans be on the watch for a talented young singer/guitarist from Clare Michigan named Matt Moore, he's in the studio now recording his first cd and it should be out this spring. If I'm updated I'll pass on the info.
"I'd love to see Christ come back and crush the spirit of hate and make men put down their guns. I'd also like just one more hit single." -Tiny Tim
Tina Turner won a Grammy in 1971, was on food stamps in '76, and won another Grammy in '85.
"The great thing about rock and roll is that someone like me can be a star." -Elton John
Why did Western Union invent singing telegrams? To improve the telegraphs "bad news" reputation.
Saxophones were invented in 1840, but did not become popular until the rise of Jazz in the 1920s.
The song "Midnight Train to Georgia" was written on a plane.
The one billionth song downloaded from iTunes was "Speed Of Sound" by Coldplay.
David Bowie's real name is David Robert Hayward-Jones.
Lindsay Lohan practices Kabbalahism,which is a mysticism of Judaism, like Madonna and Demi Moore.
Beyonce Knowles is allergic to perfume. She can't even use her own brand of perfume, House Of Deron, that was launched in 2005.
Mariah Carey has revealed that she likes wearing shoes during "whoopie", she's had phone "whoopie", and enjoys "whoopie" to her own songs.
Irving Berlin once said "never hate a song that's sold a half million copies".
Most popular first dance song at U.S. wedding receptions is Unforgettable by Nat "King" Cole.
Kelly Clarkson's first record was Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction.
Dolly Parton's first single: "Puppy Love." She was 13.
Michael Jackson's Thriller was the winner of the rhapsodyreviews.com / musichof.com "Halloween Song "catergory 2008.
No one in any kind of music has more number one songs than George Strait, he has 53.
The phrase "Elvis has left the building" was first said on December 15, 1956, in Shreveport, Louisiana by Horace Logan.
Q: Can you name the year that America launched the space shuttle, Jimmy Carter (Americas worst) was inaugurated as President, and Elvis Presley died? A: 1977
Q: How many brothers where in the original Jackson line up? And how many bothers were on the Victory album? A: 5 and 6.
Both Holly Hunter and Anthony Hopkins are excellent piano players.
Early in her career, Whitney Houston sang the jingle used in commercials for Bounce fabric sheets.
Best-selling album of all-time: The Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1977, 29 million copies.
Both Neil Young and Rick White (Pink Floyd) wanted to be architects when they were kids.
Q: Why didn't the skeleton go to the dance? A: Because he had no body to go with.
Before his career took off, Jackson Browne played with the Blue Oyster Cult...for 2 weeks.
Blues-playing brothers Edger and Johnny Winter are both albinos.
Every song title on the soundtrack to An American Werewolf In London has the word "moon."
Michael Jacksons 1982 album "Thriller" ranks 2nd on the all-time best sellers list: 27 million copies.
Bobby Pickett titled his song "Monster Mash" to cash in on the "mashed potato" dance craze.
Two completely different songs called "Best Of My Love" have gone to #1 on the Billboard charts: one by the Eagles (1975) and one by the Emotions (1977).
"Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make." -Dracula
"Sometimes we spit towards each other to wake up. A good loogie can really get someone's attention."-James Hetfield (Metallic)
What do Aretha Franklin and Alice Cooper have in common? Their fathers were ministers.
The inventor of the first solid body electric guitar, Les Paul, also invented multitrack recording which was first used on his hit "How High The Moon" in 1951.
Bloomington Indiana is the birth place of Hoagy Carmichael ( Stardust, Georgia On My Mind), David Lee Roth(of Van Halen), Bobby Helms (My Special Angel and Jingle Bell Rock), Joe Dowell( Wooden Heart), Joshua Bell (world famous violinist and schoolmate of mine at Bloomington High School North) , and Phil Spaulding a musician who has played with Bob Wills, Bobby Helms, Freddy Fender, Asleep At The Wheel, Lawrence Welk, The Platters, Bill Haley's Comets, The Harmonicats, and many many more. He's also my Dad. Go Hoosiers and Cougars! I need a Gyros from the Trojan Horse.
Cher currently holds the record for longest time between #1 hit singles: 34 years. I Got You Babe-Sonny & Cher 1965 to Believe-Cher 1999.
Scary, but true: Gene Simmons of KISS was once an elementary school teacher.
Can you name anyone who plays a Bassoon? Me neither.
The Sylvester Stallone-movie Assassins was so boring that guitar-star Slash fell asleep and was thrown out of the theatre for snoring loudly.
Paul McCartney has been convicted of several drug offenses, including growing marijuana in his backyard.
The all-time most nominated Grammy artist with 77 is Quincy Jones.
Two movie soundtracks sold millions of copies and both (oddly enough) featured John Travolta....Saturday Night Fever and Grease.
Traditional country music was altered by Kentucky musician Bill Monroe in 1939 and introduced as bluegrass when he and his band, The Blue Grass Boys, appeared on the popular radio show, "The Grand Ole Opry". Monroe is hail as the Father of Bluegrass.
How many women were in the group ABBA? Two. How many men? Two.
Who sang "As Time Goes By" in the movie "Casablanca"? Dooley Wilson and Sam.
On the first invitation card to Victoria (aka Posh Spice) and David Beckham's wedding the couple had written their initials, VD. When someone told them that it was short for "venereal disease" they threw away all the cards and printed new ones.
Bob Marley was buried with his Gibson Les Paul, a soccer ball, a Cannabis bud, and a Bible.
Roger Tullgren, a man from Sweden, receives disability benefits for his "heavy metal addiction."
Died at age 27: Jim Morrison (The Doors), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones (Rolling Stones), Alan Wilson (Canned Heat), Gary Thain (Uriah Heep), Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Grateful Dead), and Pete Ham (Badfinger).
I saw the video to Blink 182's song All The Small Things, they were NAKED, now I know what the song is about. - Rick Spaulding
The word "piccolo" means "small" in Italian.
What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft? A flat minor.
Composer Franz Liszt's first concerto includes a triangle solo. Wow! Those crazy triangle players rock!!!
Prince had a hit with a song called "7", it went to number 7 on the charts. Maybe he should have called it One.
What will a child learn sooner than a song?
Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and instead of bleeding, he sings. - Ed Gardner
"The worst thing that ever happened to me was when platform shoes went out of style." -John Oates, of Hall & Oates (he's 5'5")
Even if you've never heard of Hoyt Curtin, you've probably heard his songs: The Flintstones theme, The Jetsons theme, Yogi Bear and many other cartoon themes.
Walter Matthau, Goldie Hawn, and Sylvester Stallone all released albums. They all bombed.
The first country artist to sell over 10 million copies of an album was Garth Brooks.
Singer Pink's real name is Alicia Moore.
When rock-star Marilyn Mason checks in at a hotel he sometimes uses the name Michael Stipe (singer in R.E.M.)
Most-requested song for use in movies and TV: "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees.
"Map out your future, but do it in pencil." -John Bon Jovi
"I'm not a snob. Ask anybody. Well, anybody who matters."-Simon LeBon, of Duran Duran
Pop-star Prince is called "Skipper" by his Mother.
President George W. Bush has these artist in his iPod: George Jones, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Van Morrison, Robert Palmer, Joni Mitchell, Bryan Adams, John Fogerty and the Knack just to name a few.
The Pet Shop Boys claim they titled their album PLEASE so people would have to ask for it politely.
Dove candy knowledge: Listen to your heartbeat and dance. More Dove candy knowledge: Sing along with elevator music.
Announced September 18, 2008 the passing of songwriter Norman Whitfield. He wrote many of Motowns greatest hits: I Heard It Through The Grapevine, War, Car Wash, I Can't Get Next To You, Just My Imagination, Do You Love Me, and many more.
The best selling album ever is Michael Jackson's Thriller, with worldwide sales of over 104 million.
Gene Simmons of KISS financed Van Halen's first demo tape. He suggested that they change their name to Daddy Longlegs. (They declined)
Announced September 15 2008 the passing of Richard Wright, Keyboardist and vocalist for Pink Floyd.
Nick Mason (drummer) is the only member of Pink Floyd to play on every album.
Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon was on the charts longer than any other album (741 weeks).
The chorus in Parliament's song "Flashlight" is based on a Jewish bar mitzvah chant
B.B.King named his guitar "Lucille" after nearly losing it in a fire started by two men fighting over a woman named Lucille.
Was he nuts? Willie Nelson wrote "Crazy" for Billy Walker, Walker turned it down. (Patsy Cline didn't.)
Aerosmith played the part of the Future Villain Band in the flop movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearst Club Band.
"We hate critics. Most of them are fat and ugly and they criticize."-Rob Pilatus, of Milli Vanilli
Frank Sinatra, Bill Haley, and the Monkees all had songs covered by the Sex Pistols.
Actor / singer John Travolta (6 top 40 songs) has a boeing 707 in his backyard.
"I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams."- Madonna
In 1972 the Raspberries, whose big hits were Go All The Way and I Wanna Be With You, released a raspberry-scented scratch-and-sniff album cover.
Actress and singer Julie Andrews, who starred in Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music, is also a children's author. She wrote "The Last Of The Really Great Whangdoodles" and "Mandy".
Huey Lewis had a perfect score of 800 on the math portion of his SAT.
Melba toast is named after Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931)
Who played the female lead in the musical movie Grease? Singer Olivia Newton-John
Who played the female lead in the musical movie Grease 2? Actress Michelle Pfeiffer
Stevie Wonder released an album in 1968 under the name Eivets Rednow. Now, read it backwards.
What do Julie Andrews, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, and Alice Cooper all have in Common? They all appeared on The Muppet Show.
The doorbell rings. The lady of the house answers the front door to find a man with a toolbox standing on her front porch. "May I help you?" she asks. "I'm a piano tuner," he says "But, I didn't send for a piano tuner," she exclaims. "No," he replies. "Your neighbors did."
Rick James (Super Freak) was the nephew of the Temptations' Melvin Franklin, that connection helped him break into the music business in the late seventies.
After running out of hamburger buns one day, Luther Vandross invented the "Luther Burger" one all-beef bacon cheeseburger served between two Krispy Kreme glazed donuts.
Q: What was the only endorsement Elvis Presley ever gave in a television commercial? A: Southern Made Donuts in 1954. He may have had too many.
The Supremes were founded by 4 girls from a Detroit housing project.
The Alicia Keys song "Diary" has prompted people to call her old phone number.
A piano has 88 keys.
The Hard Rock Cafe got it's name from an album by the Doors called Morrison Hotel / Hard Rock Cafe.
Jon Bon Jovi and Michael Jackson are both 5' 10" tall.
The singer in the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Anthony Kiedis, is called "Antwan the swan" by his bandmates because they think his...."hoo hoo"......is shaped like a swan.
Sandra Bullock's Mom was a famous German Opera singer.
Bob Marley's Dad was a British landowner.
The Rattlesnakes and Wee Johnnie Hayes and the Bluecats were both names of the band that later became the Bee Gees.
During a mid-performance in 1994 Ramon Barrero, A Mexican musician famous for playing the world's smallest harmonica, inhaled the harmonica and choked to death.
In 2003 Mariah Carey spent $300,000 dollars for a Halloween party at an exclusive night club.
Paul McCartney's daughter, Stella, is a clothing designer.
Madonna's full name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, but in 2004 she officially changed her name to Esther.
It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.- Walter Lippmann
Here is a list of some very short celebrity marriages: Cher ( of Sonny & Cher) was married to Gregg Allman ( of the Allman Brothers) for 9 days, actor Dennis Hopper was married to Michelle Phillips ( of the Mama's & the Papa's) for 8 days, and beating them all is Britney Spears married to her high school sweetheart only 55 hours.
"If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams."-Les Brown A conductor-Clarinetist whose smooth arrangements of swing melodies transcended changes in musical tastes, Brown was cited in 1996 by the Guinness Book Of World Records for heading "the longest organized group in the history of popular music, some 65 years."
Kentucky's state song is "My Old Kentucky Home" and Florida's is "Old Folks At Home" both were written by Stephen Foster, known as the Father of American music.
The Righteous Brothers were not actually brothers, but Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, the "blue eyed soul" duo, were "Righteous" brothers.
The Swedish Pop group ABBA turned down an offer of $2 billion to reunite. They must really hate each other.
Van Halen singer David Lee Roth trained to be an EMT in New York City.
CBS was fined $550,000 for Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" that took place during the 2004 Super Bowl half time show. That amount could have paid for only 7.5 seconds of commercial time during that same game.
Oprah Winfrey and Elvis Presley are distant cousins.
Actor Kevin Spacey's older brother is a professional Rod Stewart impersonator.
Dolly Parton once lost a Dolly Parton Look-Alike contest.
David Bowie thinks he's being stalked by someone dressed like a giant pink rabbit. He noticed the fan at many of his shows,but he became alarmed when he got on a plane and the bunny was on board.
In 1948 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time and shared their $200 pay check.
Singer Bette Midler got her first big acting role in 1966 when she played a missionary in the movie version of James Michener's novel, Hawaii. Prior to that, Midler worked in a pineapple cannery.
Bloomington Indiana is the birth place and residents of John "Cougar" Mellencamp, Hoagy Carmichael ( Stardust) , David Lee Roth( Van Halen), Bobby Helms (My Special Angel and Jingle Bell Rock), Joe Dowell ( Wooden Heart), Joshua Bell (famous violinist), and Phil Spaulding a musician who has played with Bob Wills, Bobby Helms, Freddy Fender, Asleep At The Wheel, Lawrence Welk, The Platters, Bill Haley's Comets, The Harmonicats, and many many more. He's also my Dad.
Someone once said "One good thing about rock songs, kids can't whistle them".
Lenny Kravitz's mother played the part of Helen on the TV sitcom "The Jeffersons".
Hollywood actor and singer, of the #5 hit from 1987 Respect Yourself, Bruce Willis was the student council president at his high school in Penns Grove, New Jersey. He leaned toward acting instead of politics because when he was on stage, the stutter he had since childhood went away.
"Gray hair is God's graffiti".- Bill Cosby (He had a #4 hit in 1967 titled Little Ole Man (Uptight-Everything's Alright).
The first personal stereo was called a walkman.
Rolling Stone magazine was founded by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph Gleason in San Francisco in 1967. John Lennon of the Beatles was featured on the first issues cover.
In 1970, the rock band "The Who" became the first group of its kind to perform in New York's Metropolitan Opera House. They were there for the rock opera "Tommy."
The Secret Service had code names for many famous people including Frank Sinatra. They called him "Napoleon".
