10 ready-to-read segments for November 25, lead story first. Free to use on air; a quick credit to Today in Tunes is appreciated.
On this day in 1984, 42 years ago: Band Aid records "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Pop stars packed a London studio to raise money for famine relief. The single sold a million copies in its first week in the UK. Here's Band Aid with “Do They Know It's Christmas?”
On this day in 1976, 50 years ago: The Band plays The Last Waltz. Their Thanksgiving farewell at Winterland brought out Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters and more, and Martin Scorsese filmed it all.
On this day in 1995, 31 years ago: Whitney Houston's "Exhale" debuts at No. 1. It was only the third song ever to enter the Hot 100 at the top, after hits by Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey.
On this day in 1997, 29 years ago: Garth Brooks releases Sevens. The country superstar's album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and included "Two Piña Coladas."
On this day in 2013, 13 years ago: The Frozen soundtrack is released. It spent 13 weeks at No. 1, and "Let It Go" won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
On this day in 1787, 239 years ago: Franz Xaver Gruber, composer of "Silent Night," is born. The Austrian organist set a poem by priest Joseph Mohr to music, and the two first sang it at Christmas Mass in 1818.
On this day in 1924, 102 years ago: Paul Desmond, who wrote "Take Five," is born. The Dave Brubeck Quartet's alto saxophonist composed the group's biggest hit, which has outsold every other jazz song ever recorded.
On this day in 1940, 86 years ago: Soul singer Percy Sledge is born. "When a Man Loves a Woman" went to No. 1 in 1966 and was Atlantic Records' first gold record.
On this day in 1968, 58 years ago: EPMD's Erick Sermon is born. The Long Island native was one-third of the hip-hop group EPMD, and his highest-charting song, "Music," was built around Marvin Gaye's voice.
On this day in 1974, 52 years ago: Folk singer Nick Drake dies at 26. Barely known in his lifetime, he found a huge new audience after "Pink Moon" appeared in a 1999 Volkswagen ad.
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