Eagle Classic Hitstory August 21 on birminghamseagle.com

On This Day in Eagle Classic Hitstory...

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August 21

1904
Bandleader William "Count" Basie is born. He wins Best Performance by a Dance Band at the first Grammy Awards in 1959. He goes on to win eight more Grammys.

1938
Kenny Rogers is born in Houston. Rogers is a member of the New Christy Minstrels and First Edition in the 1960s. He goes solo in 1973 and scores more than a dozen No. 1 country singles. His biggest pop hit is "Lady," a song written by Lionel Richie that tops the Hot 100 for six weeks in 1980.
Kenny Rogers "Lady" Live 1980

1955
The Clash's Joe Strummer is born.
The Clash "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"

1965
The Rolling Stones album, Out of Our Heads, is number one on the U.S. album chart. Songs off the LP include, "Satisfaction," "Play With Fire," and "The Last Time."

1965
The Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe In Magic" and Barry McGuire's "Eve Of Destruction" are released.
Barry McGuire "Eve of Destruction"

1966
Jerry Lee Lewis signs to play Iago in the London stage production of the rock opera Catch My Soul.

1967
Columbia Records re-signs Bob Dylan after his original 5 year deal agreement ended. Reportedly, Dylan had already signed with MGM Records, but MGM never countersigned the contract, allowing Columbia to move in.

1969
No. 1 Hit: "Honky Tonk Women," The Rolling Stones.
The Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Women" Madison Square Garden 1969

1972
Following a chaotic show in Akron, Ohio, Grace Slick is maced in the face and Paul Kantner has his head slammed to the floor by authorities. A phoned-in bomb threat put police on edge. When fans toss rocks at a squad car, police respond with tear gas. Jack Cassidy objects from the stage. He's then arrested and taken to the basement. When Slick and Katner go downstairs to check things out, that's when the trouble with police begins.

1976
The Rolling Stones top the bill over Todd Rundgren, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10cc, and others at England's annual Knebworth Festival. The concert is held in front of 200,000 fans and is played up as the last Stones show ever to be held in Britain. Of course, it's not!
Lynyrd Skynyrd "Call Me the Breeze" Knebworth August 21, 1976

1979
No. 1 Hit: "My Sharona," The Knack. The song is ranked the No. 1 single of the year.

1980
The Pirates of Penzance co-starring Linda Ronstadt, moves to Broadway.

1980
"The Glimmer Twins," Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, grace the cover of Rolling Stone.

1992
Rock singer Sting marries his longtime girlfriend, Trudie Styler, in a civil ceremony in London. The two have been together 10 years and have three children.

1993
Bernie Taupin, Elton John's lyricist, marries Stephanie Haymes.

1994
Singer John Denver is charged with drunken driving after crashing his Porsche into a tree.

1995
R.E.M. sues Hershey Foods, claiming the company exploited its name when it ran a "Kit Kat - R.E.M. concert" sweepstakes in Hershey candy bars. The suit was eventually dropped.

1995
Seal's single "Kiss From A Rose" tops the Hot 100. The song is from the Batman Forever soundtrack.

1996
Former Talking Heads lead singer David Byrne sued to prevent the rest of the group from touring as "The Heads." The suit was settled out of court.

1997
At a press conference in the San Francisco Hard Rock Cafe, Carlos Santana unveils a limited edition T-shirt bearing his artwork. The guitarist autographs 500 of the shirts for distribution to foreign and domestic markets.

1999
Alan Jackson headlines Brazil's largest rodeo, the Barreto Rodeo. The 10-day event draws almost 2 million people, and Jackson plays before a crowd of 50,000.

2002
U2 shoots a video for its new single, "Electrical Storm," in the French seaside tow of Eze. The clip, which stars actress Samantha Morton (Minority Report) as a mermaid, films from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. the following morning.

2003
The utterly unique, 6'5", 300-pound singer/songwriter Wesley Willis passes away at the age of 40 after a long battle with chronic myelogenous leukemia. The Chicago-based artist underwent emergency surgery to suppress internal bleeding on June 2 and remained in hospice care until his death.
A short documentary on the late Wesley Willis

2005
Bob Moog, inventor of his namesake range of synthesizers and one of the most significant figures in the evolution of electronic music, dies at his home in Asheville, N.C. He is 71. A native of N.Y., Moog was diagnosed with brain cancer in late April and had since undergone radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
Dr. Bob Moog on the history of the Moog

2005
James Blunt's five-week run at the top of the U.K. singles chart with "You're Beautiful" ends when boy band McFly places at No. 1 with "I'll Be OK."

2006
BMI assistant vice president Patricia Baird, whose more than 35-year career helped to launch such stars as Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, Three Dog Night, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Grand Funk Railroad, dies in New York at the age of 59.

August 21 Birthdays