11 ready-to-read segments for January 12, lead story first. Free to use on air; a quick credit to Today in Tunes is appreciated.
On this day in 1974, 52 years ago: "The Joker" tops the Hot 100. The Steve Miller Band's laid-back hit knocked "Time in a Bottle" off the top, giving the group its first Hot 100 No. 1. It held the spot for one week. Here's Steve Miller Band with “The Joker.”
On this day in 1959, 67 years ago: Berry Gordy founds Tamla Records in Detroit. Marv Johnson's "Come to Me" came out on the new label that month. The company was incorporated as Motown in April 1960 and became home to a soul sound that crossed over to pop audiences.
On this day in 1999, 27 years ago: Britney Spears releases ...Baby One More Time. The debut entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 and went on to sell over 25 million copies, making Spears the youngest artist ever certified diamond.
On this day in 2007, 19 years ago: Joshua Bell busks unnoticed in a D.C. subway. For a Washington Post experiment, the star violinist played for about 45 minutes at L'Enfant Plaza. Of 1,097 passersby, seven stopped; the story won a Pulitzer.
On this day in 1926, 100 years ago: Ray Price is born in Texas. He moved country music from a 2/4 to a 4/4 beat and recorded classics like "Crazy Arms," "Heartaches by the Number" and "For the Good Times."
On this day in 1926, 100 years ago: Composer Morton Feldman is born in Queens. Known for quiet, slowly unfolding music, he wrote Rothko Chapel for the chapel that houses Mark Rothko's paintings and a second string quartet lasting over six hours.
On this day in 1928, 98 years ago: Ruth Brown is born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her run of R&B hits, including the 11-week No. 1 "Teardrops from My Eyes," did so much for Atlantic Records that it was called the house that Ruth built.
On this day in 1970, 56 years ago: Raekwon is born in Brooklyn. A founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Corey Woods released his solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995.
On this day in 2001, 25 years ago: Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfá dies in Rio. He wrote the music for "Manhã de Carnaval" from the film Black Orpheus, one of the most-played standards in the world.
On this day in 2003, 23 years ago: Bee Gee Maurice Gibb dies in Miami Beach. Robin's twin played bass, guitar and keyboards for the Bee Gees, including the bass lines behind their disco era. He was 53.
On this day in 2007, 19 years ago: Alice Coltrane dies at 69. A pianist and one of jazz's rare harpists, she played in John Coltrane's band and recorded albums like Journey in Satchidananda.
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