How Reginald Dwight became the famous Elton John
1968
It was on a flight back to the UK following a successful US tour that Reginald Dwight, a singer whose career was burgeoning, decided he needed a stage name.
His backup band, Bluesology, featured horn player Elton Dean and lead singer Long John Baldry. Dwight asked them if he could use their names to create a new one for himself and that’s how the name Elton John was born. He legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John in 1972,
Monday is a nice name for a song
1966
American folk rock vocal group The Mamas & the Papas claimed an unusual slice of music history when they became the first band to have a No 1 hit single on the US charts with a song that incorporated a day of the week in the title — ‘Monday, Monday’.
It was also the first US No 1 hit that featured a group comprising two men and two women!
Only two other artists scored hits with a song using the word Monday, The Carpenters with ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’ and The Bangles with ‘Manic Monday’.
‘Monday Monday’ also gave the Mamas & the Papas a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
They were also later inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
‘True’ gives Spandau Ballet their only No 1
1993
Spandau Ballet, one of the pioneers of the New Romantic sound of the 80s, went to No 1 on the UK singles chart with ‘True’, the group’s only No 1.
The song spent four weeks at the top of the UK chart and was a huge worldwide hit going to No 1 in 21 countries.
The song was sampled and used in several songs most notably by American hip hop and R’n’B duo PM Dawn on their mega 1991 US No 1 hit ‘Set Adrift on Memory Bliss’, and Nelly’s 2004 song ‘N Dey Say.’
Country great Eddie Rabbitt dies of cancer
1998
American country singer and songwriter Eddie Rabbit died of lung cancer aged 56.
One of country music’s most innovative artists during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Rabbit scored over 20 No 1’s on Billboard’s Country singles chart including 1981 ‘I Love A Rainy Night’ and ‘Driving My Life Away.’
He was a prolific hit maker and penned songs that were recorded by the likes of Elvis Presley, Dr Hook, Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle and Lynn Anderson.
