This Day in Music September 5

5 Sep 1956
Elvis Presley surprised his mother with a gift of a pink Cadillac. The car remained in the Presley family and eventually went on display at Graceland.


5 Sep 1964
The Animals started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'House Of The Rising Sun'. When first released the record company printed the time of the song on the record as three minutes feeling that the real time of four minutes was too long for radio airplay.

5 Sep 1976
Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington was seriously injured in a car crash in Florida.

5 Sep 1981
Stevie Nicks went to No.1 on the US album with Bella Donna, featuring the tracks ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’ (the Tom Petty duet), ‘Leather and Lace’ (with Don Henley), ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘After the Glitter Fades.’

5 Sep 1981
Soft Cell were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of 'Tainted Love.' The song had been a hit for Gloria Jones in 1964. (Jones who became Marc Bolan's girlfriend was the driver of the car, that crashed and killed Bolan on 16 September 1977. Jones nearly died in the accident).

5 Sep 1999
After spending 58 weeks on the UK album chart, Shania Twain went to No.1 with 'Come On Over'. It became the best-selling country music album, and the second best-selling studio album by a female act. To date, the album has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.

5 Sep 2008
A study of more than 36,000 people from around the world concluded that musical tastes and personality type were closely related. The research, which was carried out by Professor Adrian North of Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh in the UK suggested classical music fans were shy, while heavy metal fans were gentle and at ease with themselves. Fans of Indie music had low self-esteem and were not hard working, fans of Rap music had high self-esteem and were outgoing. Country & Western fans were hardworking and outgoing, Reggae fans were creative but not hardworking, and fans of chart pop had high self-esteem, were not creative, but where hardworking and outgoing.

5 Sep 1939
John Stewart, singer, songwriter with The Kingston Trio. As a solo artist he had a 1979 US No.5 single with ‘Gold’. He also wrote The Monkees hit ‘Daydream Believer’. Stewart died aged 68 after he suffered a massive stroke or brain aneurysm in San Diego on 19th Jan 2008.

5 Sep 1946
Buddy Miles drummer with The Ink Spots, Wilson Pickett, Santana, Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix. Miles featured on the 1970 Hendrix album Band Of Gypsies as well as tracks on Electric Ladyland and The Cry of Love. He died on 28th Feb 2008 died aged 60 at his home in Austin, Texas after struggling with a long-term illness.


5 Sep 1946
Freddie Mercury singer, Queen, (1975 UK No.1 single 'Bohemian Rhapsody' also UK No.1 in 1991, plus over 40 other UK Top 40 singles. 1980 US No.1 single 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'). Solo, (1987 UK No. 4 single 'The Great Pretender'). Mercury died of bronchio-pneumonia on November 24th 1991 aged 45, just one day after he publicly announced he was HIV positive.

5 Sep 1949
Dave Clempson guitar, Humble Pie (1969 UK No.4 single 'Natural Born Bugie').

5 Sep 1966
Terry Ellis, vocals, En Vogue (1992 US No.2 & UK No.4 single 'My Lovin').

5 Sep 1968
Brad Wilk, drummer, from Rage Against The Machine, who had the 1996 US No.1 album Evil Empire. And with Audioslave had the 2005 US No.1 album Out of Exile.