music history

Leslie Wundermann is the star of today's note in music history.  Maybe you don't recognize her birth name so let's talk showbiz.  Today, April 7, in 1990, Taylor Dayne scored her first number single on the U.S. singles chart.

Today, in music history we go back to April 2, 1987, when U2 kicked off their North American Joshua Tree tour at Arizona State Activity Center.  The band played 29 dates on the tour.  Every singer's nightmare, the night before the first show, Bono was losing his voice.

Big changes in 1985 as Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth as the front man for the rock group Van Halen.  A new sound and a new album, "5150", released in 1986, which produced hits like, "Why Can't This Be Love", "Dreams", "Love Walks In", and "Best Of Both Worlds"...

Being a part of Disney's animated feature, "Tarzan" was a great move on Phil Collins part.  He wrote the featured single, "You'll Be In My Heart" for the movie soundtrack.  The song had great chart success, spending nineteen (non consecutive) weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary genre.

"Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell, Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high."  Lyrics that are heard at karaoke bars across the country, "Black Velvet" by Canadian singer, Alannah Myles.  On this day, March 24, in 1990, Myles started her two week run at number one on the U.S. singles chart with this hit.

Alanis Morissette, born in Ottawa Canada on June 1, 1974, became a female rock icon in the 1990's.  Her first internationally released album, "Jagged Little Pill" climbed to number one on the U.S. album chart on this day, March 10, 1996.  Morissette was the first female Canadian to achieve this.

Although this Berlin, Germany, rock group only had one charting U.S. hit, they had everyone singing "99 Red Balloons", the anti-nuclear protest song  The band, Nena, featured singer/actress, Gabriele "Nena" Kerner on lead vocals.  The single was originally released in German, "99 Luftballons", then re-recorded in English as "99 Red Balloons".

The rock group from Sayreville, New Jersey take the spotlight today in music history.  Bon Jovi, featuring Jon Bovi on vocals, Ritchie Sambora on guitar, Dave Bryan on keyboards, Alec John Such on bass, and Tico Torres on drums, hit number one on the U.S. singles chart with 'Livin' On A Prayer', on this day in 1987.

Born Orville Richard Burrell, in Kingston, Jamaica, Shaggy is our spotlight artist today in music history.  On this day, February 11, in 2001, Shaggy had the number album in the country with, "Hotshot".

INXS, rock group from Sydney, Australia, scored their first U.S. number one single on this day, January 30, 1988.  "Need You Tonight" got everyone to 'slide over here' and give the band a moment.