11 ready-to-read segments for December 14, lead story first. Free to use on air; a quick credit to Today in Tunes is appreciated.
On this day in 1968, 58 years ago: Marvin Gaye's "Grapevine" reaches No. 1. His take on the song held the top spot for seven weeks and, until "I'll Be There" came along, was the biggest single Motown had ever released. Here's Marvin Gaye with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”
On this day in 1918, 108 years ago: Puccini's Il trittico has its world premiere at the Met. New York's Metropolitan Opera premiered Puccini's trio of one-act operas, Il tabarro, Suor Angelica and the farce Gianni Schicchi, which he meant to be performed as a set.
On this day in 1925, 101 years ago: Berg's opera Wozzeck premieres in Berlin. Erich Kleiber conducted the first performance at the Berlin State Opera. Built on Büchner's play Woyzeck, the opera leans on atonal music to paint people ground down by those in power.
On this day in 1979, 47 years ago: The Clash release London Calling in the UK. Though a double album, it sold for about the price of a single one. In America, "Train in Vain" was issued as a single in 1980 and peaked at No. 23 on the Hot 100.
On this day in 1899, 127 years ago: Harmonica wizard DeFord Bailey is born. He was the first African-American performer on the Grand Ole Opry. His "Pan American Blues" mimicked the rush of an express train on harmonica.
On this day in 1920, 106 years ago: Jazz trumpeter Clark Terry is born in St. Louis. He played in both Count Basie's and Duke Ellington's bands, and gave early lessons to two young players named Miles Davis and Quincy Jones.
On this day in 1932, 94 years ago: Charlie Rich, the "Silver Fox," is born. His "Behind Closed Doors" topped the country chart and crossed over to pop, and in 1974 the Country Music Association named him Entertainer of the Year.
On this day in 1991, 35 years ago: Migos rapper Offset is born. As one third of the Atlanta trio Migos, he helped send "Bad and Boujee" all the way to No. 1 on the Hot 100.
On this day in 1788, 238 years ago: Composer C. P. E. Bach dies in Hamburg. A son of Johann Sebastian Bach, he played in Frederick the Great's court orchestra, then followed his godfather Telemann as Hamburg's music director.
On this day in 1963, 63 years ago: Dinah Washington dies at 39. She called herself the "Queen of the Blues." Her 1959 hit "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" went to No. 4 on the pop chart and won a Grammy.
On this day in 2006, 20 years ago: Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun dies. His label was home to Ray Charles, the Drifters and Ruth Brown, and he later signed Led Zeppelin. He died weeks after a fall at a Rolling Stones concert at the Beacon Theatre.
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