10 ready-to-read segments for December 9, lead story first. Free to use on air; a quick credit to Today in Tunes is appreciated.
On this day in 1978, 48 years ago: Chic's "Le Freak" hits No. 1 on the Hot 100. Chic’s single lost the top spot a week later to Barbra and Neil’s "You Don’t Bring Me Flowers", then won it back on December 23. Here's Chic with “Le Freak.”
On this day in 1963, 63 years ago: The Beach Boys release "Little Saint Nick." Brian Wilson and Mike Love's holiday song climbed to No. 3 on Billboard's seasonal Christmas Singles chart.
On this day in 1966, 60 years ago: Cream release their debut, Fresh Cream, in Britain. The band’s first album reached No. 6 on the UK chart; American buyers had to wait until January 1967.
On this day in 1972, 54 years ago: Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" reaches No. 1. Reddy co-wrote the anthem with Ray Burton. It was the first Billboard No. 1 by an Australian-born artist and earned her a Grammy.
On this day in 1927, 99 years ago: Musique concrète composer Pierre Henry is born. A major name in musique concrète, he worked from 1949 to 1958 at the RTF studio that Pierre Schaeffer had founded. His "Psyché Rock" inspired the theme to the cartoon Futurama.
On this day in 1934, 92 years ago: Blues harmonica player Junior Wells is born. He had the harmonica down by age seven. His 1965 Delmark album Hoodoo Man Blues, with Buddy Guy on guitar, is counted among the decade's classic blues records.
On this day in 1950, 76 years ago: Joan Armatrading is born in St Kitts. Her 1976 self-titled album gave her the top-10 single "Love and Affection". She has three Grammy nominations, including one in the blues category.
On this day in 1969, 57 years ago: Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers is born. He formed the Wallflowers in 1989 as singer, guitarist and main songwriter. Their "One Headlight" won two Grammy Awards.
On this day in 2012, 14 years ago: Banda star Jenni Rivera dies in a plane crash. Her Learjet went down near Monterrey, Mexico. Singing banda, mariachi and norteño, she sold more than 15 million records and was a top-selling woman in regional Mexican music.
On this day in 2019, 7 years ago: Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson dies at 61. She had lived with a brain tumour since 2002. With Roxette she scored four Hot 100 No. 1s, including "The Look" and "It Must Have Been Love".
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