ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base
"1979 in music"
- CONTENT--
Events
Elton John and Bernie Taupin resumed their creative collaboration after a three-year hiatus. Recorded by the duo in August 1979, the new songs were included on the album 21 at 33 a year later.
Michael Schenker left the Scorpions during their French tour and was replaced by Matthias Jabs.
Founding 2 Tone Records and the start of the second wave of ska in England.
Ozzy Osbourne is fired from Black Sabbath and replaced by Ronnie James Dio (ex-Rainbow). In the place of Dio in "Rainbow" Richie Blackmore invites Graham Bonnet.
The newly formed Killing Joke debuted with their EP Almost Red.
Chronology
January 1 – Bill Graham announces the closure of the Winterland dance hall in San Francisco after a New Year’s Eve concert featuring The Blues Brothers, New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Grateful Dead. On the same day, during a concert timed to celebrate the New Year in Cleveland, Ohio, Bruce Springsteen was injured because of a firecracker thrown on stage from the hall.
On January 5, Prince gave his first concert. The show took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
January 9 – A charity concert for UNICEF was held in New York at the UN General Assembly Hall with stars such as ABBA, Bee Gees, John Denver, Earth, Wind & Fire, Olivia Newton-John, Rod Stewart and Donna Summer.
January 13 – American soul singer Donnie Hathaway dies after falling from the 15th floor of the Jumeira Essex House Hotel in New York City. According to Atlantic Records, with which the musician collaborated, he had serious mental problems.
February 1, Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious is released on bail from Rikers Island Prison and the next morning is found dead by his mother in his girlfriend Michelle Robinson's apartment. The cause of death was a heroin overdose.
February 10 – Rod Stewart’s single “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from the album “Blondes Have More Fun” became a No. 1 hit on Billboard magazine and stayed at the top of the charts for four weeks.
February 11 – 43 million viewers watched John Carpenter’s autobiographical film about the “king of rock and roll” Elvis on ABC. The main role in the film was played by Kurt Russell.
February 15 – Minnie Riperton co-hosts Stephen Bishop at the 21st Annual Grammy Awards. The "Bee Gees" harvested 4 Grammy statuettes for the soundtrack to the film "Saturday Night Fever".
February 23 – Dire Straits begin their first U.S. tour with a concert in Boston.
March - in cinemas of the USSR launched a musical film-semibiography "Woman who sings" with Alla Pugacheva in the title role, which later became the leader of the box office in 1979.
March 21 – The Pretenders sign with Sire Records.
March 23 – Van Halen release their second studio album, Van Halen II.
March 27 – Eric Clapton marries Patti Boyd, the ex-wife of his friend George Harrison.
April 6 – Rod Stewart married actress Alana Hamilton, ex-J