This Week in Music History

December 14th, 1998 - Billy Preston pleads guilty to insurance fraud in a LA court and agrees to testify against six others who allegedly participated in similar acts. Allegedly, Preston was part of a group who staged car crashes, thefts, and fires for a total of 18 fraudulent insurance claims. Preston got five years of probation plus one year in jail. He was already serving a term for violating probation on a prior conviction of cocaine possession.

December 15th, 1984 - ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ by Band Aid entered the charts at No.1 and stayed at the top for five weeks. Band Aid was masterminded by former Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof, who had been moved by a TV news story of famine in Ethiopia. Geldof was able to put together a who’s who list of pop acts to participate in the song. Duran Duran, Culture Club, George Michael, Sting, Bono, Phil Collins,  and Bananarama were just some of the great acts to lend their talents in the charity single.

December 16th, 1970 - Five singles and five albums by Credence Clearwater Revival are certified gold. The singles were: ‘Down on the Corner’, ‘Lookin out My Back Door’, ‘Travelin’ Band’, ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and ‘Up around the Bend’. The albums were ‘Cosmo’s Factory’, ‘Willy and the Poor Boys’, ‘Green River’, ‘Bayou Country’ and ‘Credence Clearwater Revival’.

December 17th, 1968 - The Who played their Xmas party at the Marquee Club, London. Also on the bill was a new group called Yes. Other acts appearing at the club this month included Joe Cocker, Free, and Led Zeppelin.

December 18th, 1981 – Rod Stewart’s concert at the Los Angeles Forum is beamed worldwide via satellite. Stewart delights the masses by performing “Tonight’s the Night” with Kim Carnes and inviting out a virtually unknown Tina Turner to sing with him on “Hot Legs,” “Stay With Me,” and “Get Back.”

December 19th, 1957 - Elvis Presley receives his draft notice from the Army. He would go on to join the 32nd Armor Regiment and would serve in Germany from October 1958 until March 1960.

December 20th, 1968 - The Beatles sixth Christmas record 'The Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record', was sent to fan club members in the UK and the US. It included the song ‘Nowhere Man’ sung by Tiny Tim.