10 ready-to-read segments for December 16, lead story first. Free to use on air; a quick credit to Today in Tunes is appreciated.
On this day in 1770, 256 years ago: Beethoven is born in Bonn, most likely on this day. No document proves the exact day, but he was baptized on December 17 and Beethoven himself accepted the 16th as his birthday. His "Moonlight" Sonata is still among his most popular pieces. Here's Ludwig van Beethoven with “Moonlight Sonata.”
On this day in 1972, 54 years ago: Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" hits No. 1. The song knocked Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" off the top of the Hot 100 and stayed there for three weeks, through the end of 1972.
On this day in 1986, 40 years ago: The Housemartins top the UK chart singing with no instruments. Their voices-only take on "Caravan of Love", first recorded by Isley-Jasper-Isley, became just the second a cappella record to reach No. 1 in Britain, after the Flying Pickets' "Only You".
On this day in 1993, 33 years ago: MTV airs Nirvana's Unplugged in New York. The band had taped the set at Sony Studios a month earlier. Released as an album the next year, it entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 and earned Nirvana the only Grammy they ever won.
On this day in 2006, 20 years ago: Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable" reaches No. 1. It was her fourth solo chart-topper and her second of 2006, and it went on to hold the top of the Hot 100 for ten straight weeks. Ne-Yo was among its co-writers.
On this day in 1946, 80 years ago: ABBA's Benny Andersson is born in Stockholm. He played keyboards and co-wrote the songs for ABBA, who broke through by winning Eurovision in 1974. With Björn Ulvaeus he went on to write the musicals Chess and Mamma Mia!
On this day in 1949, 77 years ago: ZZ Top founder Billy Gibbons is born. He started ZZ Top in late 1969 and has been its guitarist, lead singer and main songwriter ever since, the one member who never left the band.
On this day in 1971, 55 years ago: Trance DJ and producer Paul van Dyk is born. His tracks include "For an Angel", and he was the first artist nominated in the Grammys' new Best Dance/Electronic Album category, for his 2003 record Reflections.
On this day in 1988, 38 years ago: Sylvester, the "Queen of Disco", dies at 41. The singer died in San Francisco of complications from AIDS. His "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" was chosen for the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry in 2019.
On this day in 2013, 13 years ago: Country singer Ray Price dies at 87. He died at home in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. His 1970 recording of "For the Good Times" gave him his first country No. 1 since 1959.
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