On December 29, 1939 country singer Ed Bruce is born William Edwin Bruce Jr. in Keiser, Arkansas, but is raised in Memphis, Tennessee. The rich-voiced performer works as a vocalist, actor, commercial spokesman and songwriter. He is perhaps best known for penning “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”
Born on this day in Stourport-on-Severn, England in 1942: Ray Thomas, flautist and percussionist for The Moody Blues. Also born on December 29, 1942: Rick Danko of The Band. He was born in Blayney, Ontario, Canada. Danko dropped out of school at age 14 to become a musician.
In 1947, rock drummer Cozy Powell was born Colin Flooks in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England. He was drummer for Whitesnake, ELP, Rainbow and Black Sabbath as well as having a solo career. Powell was killed in a car crash in England on 5th April 1998.
Glen Phillips, vocalist and guitarist for Toad The Wet Sprocket was born on this day in 1970 in Santa Barbara, California.
On the day in 1962, During his first visit to the UK, Bob Dylan performed at The Troubadour in London.
In 1964, The Liverpool Youth Employment Service announced that some graduates were finding it difficult to get jobs because their ‘Beatle’ style haircuts and clothing were unacceptable to employers.
In 1966, The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their debut on the UK TV show Top Of The Pops performing ‘Hey Joe’.
In 1967, British guitarist and singer Dave Mason quit Traffic after differences of musical opinion just as the group is releasing its debut album. Mason wrote ‘Hole in My Shoe’, a psychedelic pop song that became a hit in for Traffic. Unlike the other members of the group, Mason didn’t want to collaborate on writing songs, setting up something of a rivalry with fellow founder Steve Winwood and prompting Mason to pursue a solo career. In spite of this, mason will return twice before finally quitting for good.
In other December 29 breakup news, in 1975 Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane break up after living together for 7 years. Slick marries the band’s lighting engineer the next year.
In 1968, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Civic Auditorium, Portland on their first North American tour opening for Vanilla Fudge.
This day in 1969 Capitol released Merle Haggard’s live Okie From Muskogee album.
In 2002, Readers of Sugar magazine voted Pink as their No.1 role model. The Top 10 was: 1. Pink; 2. Britney Spears; 3. Ms Dynamite; 4. Kelly Osbourne; 5. Kylie Minogue; 6. Victoria Beckham; 7. Avril Lavigne; 8. Jennifer Lopez; 9. Sarah Michelle Geller and 10. Holly Valance.
On December 29, 2013 Nashville’s morning newspaper, The Tennessean, names Taylor Swift the Tennessean of the Year. The same day, a one-of-a-kind signed hardback copy of Autobiography by Morrissey, the only copy of the full-color hardback signed by the author, sold on eBay for £8,300, with all proceeds going to PETA as a New Year’s present to help prevent the slaughtering of animals for meat. Morrissey signed only one copy of the book – the cover of which pictures the singer-songwriter bare-chested in a swimming pool.
On the day in 1962, During his first visit to the UK, Bob Dylan performed at The Troubadour in London.
In 1964, The Liverpool Youth Employment Service announced that some graduates were finding it difficult to get jobs because their ‘Beatle’ style haircuts and clothing were unacceptable to employers.
In 1966, The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their debut on the UK TV show Top Of The Pops performing ‘Hey Joe’.
In 1967, British guitarist and singer Dave Mason quit Traffic after differences of musical opinion just as the group is releasing its debut album. Mason wrote ‘Hole in My Shoe’, a psychedelic pop song that became a hit in for Traffic. Unlike the other members of the group, Mason didn’t want to collaborate on writing songs, setting up something of a rivalry with fellow founder Steve Winwood and prompting Mason to pursue a solo career. In spite of this, mason will return twice before finally quitting for good.
In other December 29 breakup news, in 1975 Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane break up after living together for 7 years. Slick marries the band’s lighting engineer the next year.
In 1968, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Civic Auditorium, Portland on their first North American tour opening for Vanilla Fudge.
This day in 1969 Capitol released Merle Haggard’s live Okie From Muskogee album.
In 2002, Readers of Sugar magazine voted Pink as their No.1 role model. The Top 10 was: 1. Pink; 2. Britney Spears; 3. Ms Dynamite; 4. Kelly Osbourne; 5. Kylie Minogue; 6. Victoria Beckham; 7. Avril Lavigne; 8. Jennifer Lopez; 9. Sarah Michelle Geller and 10. Holly Valance.
On December 29, 2013 Nashville’s morning newspaper, The Tennessean, names Taylor Swift the Tennessean of the Year. The same day, a one-of-a-kind signed hardback copy of Autobiography by Morrissey, the only copy of the full-color hardback signed by the author, sold on eBay for £8,300, with all proceeds going to PETA as a New Year’s present to help prevent the slaughtering of animals for meat. Morrissey signed only one copy of the book – the cover of which pictures the singer-songwriter bare-chested in a swimming pool.
On the Charts on December 29:
- 1956: Elvis Presley made chart history by having 10 songs on Billboards Top 100 for week ending Dec 29th.
- 1973: Jim Croce scored his second No.1 US single of the year when ‘Time In A Bottle’ went to the top of the charts. Croce was killed in a plane crash on the way to a concert on September 20th 1973.
- 2001: Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)” spent the first of five weeks at #1 in Billboard