Music
*** A
Acuff-Rose Publishing Company ..... U.S.A ..... set up by country singer Roy Acuff and Chicago songwriter Fred Rose it was the FIRST country music publishing house in America and became a major player in the development of Nashville as Music City, USA. It also gave a start to the song writing talents of top stars such as Hank Williams, the Everley Bros and Roy Orbison
Acuff - Roy ..... born September 15th 1903 died 1992 ..... U.S.A ..... in 1962, in recognition of his contributions to country music, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the FIRST living musician to receive this honour. At the age of 70 years he made the record books as the oldest person to reach the US country charts
Alabama ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST group in the history of the CMA (Country Music Association) Entertainer of the Year Award and the only artist to win for three consecutive years
Alexander's Ragtime Band ..... U.S.A ..... Irving Berlin's FIRST hit song
Amici ..... U.K ..... the world's FIRST opera band. All five members were classically trained opera singers and their debut album The Opera Band was released in September 2003
Anka - Paul ..... born July 30th 1941 ..... FIRST Canadian solo artist to have a million-selling record. His chart hit "Diana" sold over 9 million after its release in 1957
Apache ..... U.K ..... the FIRST hit by The Shadows without Cliff Richards - 1960
Armstrong - Louis 'Satchmo' ..... born 1901 died 1971 ..... U.S.A ..... jazz trumpet player and singer who was the FIRST solo jazz virtuoso
Arnold - Richard Edward ..... born May 15th 1918 ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST to receive an ACM (Association of Country Music) Award when presented with the ACM Pioneer Award in 1984. He was also the FIRST country artist to record in Nashville, the FIRST country entertainer to appear on Network television - 1949 - Milton Berle Show and the FIRST country entertainer to have his own national television show - CBS in 1952 as Perry Como's replacement
Ashton Operatic Society ..... U.K ..... in 1964 it was the FIRST amateur company to premier the hit American musical West Side Story
Astley - Rick ..... U.K ..... in the 1980s he was the FIRST male solo artist whose first eight singles reached the top 10
Autry - Orvan Gene ..... U.S.A ..... born 29th September 1907 died 2nd October 1998 ..... winner of the FIRST gold record ever awarded when his recording of That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine sold 500,000 copies. A second was awarded when sales topped the million mark. He was also the FIRST performer to sell out Madison Square Garden and the FIRST country and western singer to have a custom made guitar with his name inlaid in pearl
*** B
Bach - Carl Philipp Emanuel ..... born 1714 died 1788 ..... German composer who published The True Art of Clavier Playing in 1753, the FIRST methodical treatment of the subject
Bailey - Deford ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST black performer in country music and probably the FIRST artist ever to record in Nashville - October 2nd 1928
Beethoven - Ludwig Van ..... born 26th March 1827 ..... GERMANY ..... FIRST important composer to make a living from his music and the FIRST composer to receive a salary with no strings, free from court and church subsidies, thereby allowing him to compose whatever he liked
Beiderdecke - Bix ..... U.K ..... the legendary jazz music player who was the FIRST white player to be a true innovator in jazz music
Belafonte - Harry ..... U.S.A ..... King of the Calypso, the FIRST man ever to sell 1m LPs when his LP Calypso went on sale and one of the FIRST black film idols
Bell - Freddie & The Bellboys ..... U.S.A ..... mid-50s rock and roll band who were the FIRST American rock act to tour Britain when they toured with Tommy Steele in 1956
Bennett – William Sterndale ..... born 13th April 1816 ..... U.K ..... conducted the FIRST performance in England of the St Matthew Passion which was written in 1854
Bishop - Henry Rowley - Sir ..... born 18th November 1786 died 1855 ..... U.K ..... composer and the FIRST English musician to be knighted( 1842)
Black Dyke Mills Band ..... U.K ..... FIRST brass band-in-residence with the Royal Northern College of Music in October 2001
Blair - Harold ..... born 1924 died 1976 ..... Australian tenor who became the FIRST aboriginal to gain a Diploma in Music in 1949
Bournemouth Symphony ..... U.K ..... Britain's FIRST permanent municipal orchestra
Bowlly - Al ..... U.K ..... crooning star of the 30s and one of the FIRST real heart-throb crooners in Britain. He was the FIRST to sing Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade originally called Now I Lay Me Down To Weep . In April 1941 he was killed by the blast from a land-mine during a German raid on London
Bradley - Owen ..... born 1915 ..... U.S.A ..... Decca (MCA) record producer who opened the FIRST recording studio in Nashville
Brubeck - Dave ..... U.K ..... had the FIRST million-selling jazz album in 1959 - Time Out
*** C
Caruso - Enrico ..... born 27th February 1873 died 1st August 1921 ...... ITALY ..... his recording of Vesti la Giubbi from I Pagliacci in 1902 was the world’s FIRST gold record
Carmen ….. FIRST opera to be televised - 1934 - BBC
Carter Family ….. in 1970 they were the FIRST group to be inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame
Chetham’s School ..... U.K ..... Manchester ..... in 1969 it became Britain’s FIRST specialist music school for musically-gifted children
Chisholm - George ..... born 29th March 1915 died 1997..... U.K ..... FIRST British jazz musician of international stardom
Christie - Tony ..... U.K ..... in April 2005 he became the FIRST artist to top the new combined chart of single sales and music downloaded from the internet
Club Eleven ..... U.K ..... Britain’s FIRST jazz club
Crowson - Lamar ..... FIRST American to be appointed Professor of Piano, Royal College of Music in 1956
Count Basie ..... U.S.A ..... leader of the FIRST black band to play at Carnegie Hall in America
Cry Baby ..... the FIRST ever UK song ever to score no points in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song was sung by the duo Jemini in May 2003
Culshaw - John ..... born 1924 died 1980 ..... British record producer who developed recording techniques and produced the FIRST complete recordings of Wagner's Ring cycle
Cunningham - Buddy Blake ..... U.S.A ..... musician born in Jackson, Mississippi, who was the FIRST artist released on the Phillips International Record label in 1957
*** D
Dafne ….. FIRST opera was composed by Jacopo Peri and Jacopo Corst in 1597
Dear Mr Gable ..... U.S.A ..... song recorded by Judy Garland and it was the FIRST time that a studio had permitted a song to be dedicated to one of its stars
Dickens - James Cecil ..... born December 19th 1920 ..... American country singer known as Little Jimmy Dickens who earned recognition in 1964 as the FIRST country music artist to completely circle the globe in a world tour
Donegan - Anthony James "Lonnie" ….. born 1931 died 2002 ..... the FIRST British male artist to have two American Top 10 hits
Duncan - Todd ..... born February 12th 1903 ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST black member of the New York City Opera
*** E
Eckstine - Billy neé William Clarence Eckstein ..... born 1914 ..... American who was the FIRST black singer to become a national sex symbol
Elgar - Sir Edward ..... the FIRST composer to extensively record his own work
Elvis 2000 : The King Returns ..... U.K ..... 1999 - the FIRST concert tour given by a dead singer
Everly Bros ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST act to feature drums on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. Previously bands had to hide their drummers behind a curtain as some country-music fans believed that drums belonged in parades, not in a country song
*** F
Fiddlin' John Carson ….. U.S.A ..... FIRST Hillbilly Act to be recorded. Songs were The Old Log Cabin In The Lane, The Old Hen Cracked and The Rooster's Going To Crow. Sales peaked at over 1/2 m
Fishman - Jack ….. born 14th June 1920 died 1997 ….. U.K ..... songwriter and best selling biographer who was awarded the FIRST Ivor Novello award in 1955 for the song Everywhere. By 1971 his songs had sold more than 10m records around the world
Foley - Clyde Julian 'Red' ..... born 17th June 1910 died 19th September 1968 ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST major country star to actually record in Nashville. He was the FIRST singer to top the million sales mark with a gospel album - Peace In The Valley. Two others - Just A Closer Walk With Thee and Steal Away both achieved the same status. In 1933 he wrote the well known ballad Old Shep. In 1939 he was the FIRST country performer to have his own national radio programme
Four Tops ….. American singing group who were the FIRST black act to top the British charts in February 1968
*** G
Goodacre - Tony ….. born 1938 ..... country music singer who released Britain's FIRST 12 cd box set in 2006. In 2007 he received the FIRST Lifetime Achievement Award in British country music and was the FIRST British act to be featured on major shows at Australia's Tamworth Music Festival. With Arthur Layfield he was the first act to play at the Bunkhouse Country Music Club at the Londonderry Inn, Sunderland, the north east's FIRST country music club
Grosz - Will neé Wilhelm Grosz (aka Hugh Williams) ..... born 11th August 1894 died 1939 ..... AUSTRIA ..... composer and concert pianist born in Vienna who composed the FIRST radio opera " Kleine Melodie"
Grove - Sir George ….. born 13th August 1820 died 1900 ….. English engineer who became the FIRST director of the Royal College of Music and was the FIRST editor of (Grove's) Dictionary of Music and Musicians. He also erected the FIRST two cast-iron lighthouses in the West Indies
*** H
Haley - Bill & The Comets ….. U.S.A ..... had the FIRST ever hit record of Rock 'n Roll on the Billboard Charts with Crazy Man Crazy in June 1953
Handy - William Christopher ..... U.S.A ..... said to have written the FIRST blues song in 1909 in Memphis
Harrison - George ….. U.K ..... his song " My Sweet Lord" was the FIRST solo release by one of the Beatles to reach number 1 in the charts. He was also the FIRST Beatle to release a solo album
Herman's Hermits ….. U.K ..... scored Manchester's FIRST number 1 hit single in 1964. I'm Into Something Good sold over 400,000 copies in the UK alone
Holly - Buddy & The Crickets ..... U.S.A ..... in 1957 they were the FIRST white performers to appear at the Apollo Theater, the largest theater in New York City's Harlem section located at 125th Street and Eighth Avenue
*** I
Ifield Frank ..... U.K ..... FIRST artist to have three consecutive number one hits in Britain and also to be awarded three gold discs in the space of a year. He was also one of the FIRST from Australia to gain widespread international fame
In Dahomey ..... U.K ..... in London in 1903 it was the FIRST all-singing, all-dancing and all-black musical and it played to packed houses at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London from May through to Christmas. Dahomey is a country in West Africa known today as Benin and was famous for its fearsome warriors
*** J
Jackson - Alan ….. U.S.A ..... in 2005 he became the FIRST Country artist to earn RIAA certification for two gold digital singles - Five O'Clock Somewhere and Remember When. Gold digital singles signify 100,000 purchased downloads
Jailhouse Rock sung by Elvis Presley was the FIRST single ever to enter the hit parade straight in at No.1
James - Nicky ..... U.K ..... in 1991 he was the FIRST winner of the British Country Music Award
Je t'aime, moi non plus ….. FIRST British No.1 hit to be banned on national radio - 1969
John - Elton (Reginald Dwight) ..... born 1947 ..... U.K ..... FIRST white performer to appear on the television music show "Soul Train" which was hosted by Don Cornelius
Jordanaires - The ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST white quartet to sing spirituals and the FIRST group to back Elvis Presley. The group was begun by evangelist brothers Bill and Monty Matthews in 1948 and then joined by Bob Hubbard and Culley Holt. When Bill and Monty left the group was joined by Gordon Stoker and Bob Money and other changes followed when two of the group died. Currently, in 2004, the group consists of Gordon Stoker, Ray Walker, Louis Nunley and Curtis Young
Jukebox - The ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST appeared as the "John Gabel Entertainer" in California in 1906
*** K
Kaempfert - Bert ..... born 16th October 1923 died 1980 ..... GERMANY ..... music producer, composer and arranger born in Hamburg and as the producer of Polydor Records of West Germany was the FIRST man to record the Beatles when in 1961 he hired them to back singer Tony Sheridan on his recording of "My Bonnie/ When The Saints Go Marching In". Soon afterwards Brian Epstein became the Beatles manager and persuaded Polydor to release "My Bonnie" in England
Kante- Mory..... from Guinea, he was the FIRST African artist to sell a million singles in the popular musical charts with his global hit 'Yeke Yeke'
Kanze - Tetsunojo ….. in 1954, in Venice he was the FIRST person outside Japan, to perform Noh, a centuries-old form of musical dance-drama employing measured chants and movements. He headed one of five well-known Noh troupes and staged performances for peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons in 1985 on the 40th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Kerby - Raymond ..... U.S.A ..... guitar player with the hillbilly band, the Ripley Cotton Choppers, who in 1953 became the FIRST white artists to record for Sun Records
*** L
Liberace - Wladziu (Walter) Valentino ….. born 16th May 1919 died 4th February 1987..... American entertainer who as Liberace became America's FIRST matinee idol
Lowe - Tom ..... U.K ..... from Stockport, Manchester, he was the FIRST non-American to sing the US national anthem at a major baseball games in the States - 2006
Lynott - Phil ..... born 20th August 1951 died 4th January 1986 ..... rock star who was the FIRST pre-eminent black Irishman
*** M
Manchester School of Sound Recording ..... U.K ..... set up the world's FIRST DJ course which taught everything from mixing tunes to promotion in clubs and thereby created the only official DJ qualification in the world
MacKerras - Sir Charles ..... U.K ..... in November 2005 he became the FIRST recipient of the Queen's Medal for Music which honoured those who have had a major influence on the musical life of the nation
McCartney - Sir Paul ….. U.K ..... in November 2001 he received the FIRST ever Top of the Pops Hall of Fame Award at the Manchester Evening News Arena. In the event, he received it in honour of his fellow Beatle, George Harrison, who had just died. On Sunday November 13th 2005 he became the FIRST artist in history to broadcast live music into space when his performance of the Beatles classic Good Day sunshine was beamed to the international space station crew, 220 miles above the Earth. On March 21st 2007 he became the FIRST artist to sign to Starbucks' record label Hear Music
McEwen - Sir John ….. born 13th April 1868 ….. his 'Solway' Symphony was the FIRST symphony by a British composer to be recorded
Miki & Griff ..... Barbara Miki Griffiths died 1989 and Griff died 24th September 1995 ..... in 1964 they were the FIRST UK country act to play the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Theatre
Morton - Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe "Jelly Roll"…..U.S.A ..... born 20th September 1885 died 1941- ….. one of the FIRST to orchestrate jazz music, as well as claiming to have invented jazz
Motown ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST black-owned American record company
Motsoadi - Abel ..... FIRST South African to appear in the "Cardiff Singer of the World" where he won through to the final
Mull of Kintyre ..... U.K ..... by Wings, it was the FIRST 2 million selling single
*** N
Neophone Company ..... U.K ..... Finsbury Square, London. Produced the FIRST long-playing gramophone records from 1904 to 1906
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ..... country music group - in 1976 they became the FIRST American band to tour the USSR where they played at live concerts and to 145,000,000 viewers via a Soviet television link. In 1992 the Aspen Music Festival and School created the FIRST scholarship honouring a group with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band scholarship
*** O
Of Thee I Sing ..... U.S.A ..... scored by Gershwin it was the FIRST musical to win a Pulitzer prize
Outlaws - The ..... U.S.A ..... in 1976 it was the FIRST country album to sell over a million copies - the group consisted of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tompall Glaser and Jessie Colter neé Miriam Johnson
*** P
Payne - John Howard ..... U.K ..... author of Home Sweet Home who was the FIRST musician to be knighted in 1842
Perkins - Carl ….. born 9th April 1932 ….. U.S.A ..... the man who wrote Blue Suede Shoes and who was the FIRST to record it
Presley - Elvis Aaron ..... born 8th January 1935 died August 16th 1977 ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST artist to receive three Norwegian Silver Records which were awarded in 1962 for Good Luck Charm. He was also the FIRST artist to give credit to session players on recordings when he insisted on the Jordanaires being named. He was the FIRST music star to have a television performance broadcast worldwide via satellite with Aloha from Hawaii and the FIRST rock and roll star to have his picture on a US commemorative stamp
Pride - Charley ….. U.S.A ..... FIRST black person inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville - June 2000
Puppet On A String ..... U.K ..... in 1967 it became Britain's FIRST winning song in the Eurovision song contest when it was sung by Sandie Shaw
*** R
Rascal - Dizzie ..... U.K ..... in September 2003, at the age of 19 years, he became the youngest person and the FIRST rapper to win the prestigious Panasonic Mercury Music Prize of £20,000
Revere - Paul & The Raiders ..... U.S.A ..... FIRST rock group signed by Columbia Records in the 1960s
Richards- Sir Cliff ..... U.K ..... the FIRST pop star to be knighted
Robbins - Marty ..... U.S.A ..... born 26th September 1925 ..... winner of the FIRST ever Country Music Grammy which was for his song El Paso
Rocca - Nick La ….. born 11th April 1889 ..... U.S.A ..... founder leader of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the FIRST jazz band to make gramophone records
Rodgers - James Charles 'Jimmie' ….. U.S.A ..... Country’s FIRST solo singer, known as the Father of Country Music and in 1961 was the FIRST inductee of the Country Music Hall of Fame
Royal - Marshall ….. born 1912 died 1995 ….. U.S.A ..... one of the FIRST black musicians to break into the charmed circle of Hollywood studio players
Ruddigore ..... 1964 ….. U.K ..... the FIRST cartoon opera
*** S
SAMYO ..... the U.K's FIRST national South Asian Music York Orchestra
Shannon - Del ..... neé Charles Weedon Westover ..... born 30th December 1934 died 8th February 1990 ..... in April 1961 his recording of Runaway became the FIRST record to simultaneously occupy the Number 1 slot in both the U.S and U.K record charts
Shaw - Robert …... born 30th April 1916 died 1999 ….. American conductor who was the FIRST to present Bach’s Mass in G Minor to the New York public using a relatively small chorus and orchestra
South Pacific ..... FIRST ever UK soundtrack and it stayed in the charts for 115 weeks
Spohr - Ludwig ….. born 5th April 1784 died 1859 ….. German composer, violinist and conductor who was believed to be the FIRST to conduct with a baton
Squadronaires - The ….. U.K ..... the RAF’s FIRST official dance band
Steele - Tommy ….. originally Thomas Hicks ..... born 17th December 1936 ….. U.K ..... FIRST rock ‘n roller to appear in This Is Your Life - 1958
Stockwell – Matthew, Ewan and Thomas ….. U.K ..... FIRST triplets to be selected for a cathedral choir – Salisbury Cathedral ( 1998)
Sugarcubes - The ..... Iceland's FIRST musical export
Sun Studios ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST truly indie music label
*** T
Take That ..... in December 2006 they became the FIRST pop group to top all five pop charts at the same time
TaTu ..... FIRST Russian band to make the UK pop charts. Yulia and Lena, the two girls who make up the band, are responsible for a new pop revolution on the streets of Moscow
That's Alright Mama ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST Elvis Presley record
The Ballad Of High Noon ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST song from a non-musical film to gain an Oscar. It was sung by Tex Ritter and was later a chart hit for Frankie Laine
There Goes My Baby ..... U.S.A ..... hit song of the new Drifters ( previously known as the Five Crowns) which was the FIRST rhythm and blues recording to incorporate strings. Ben E. King was lead singer
Thespis ..... 1871 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST Gilbert and Sullivan opera
Tornados - The ..... the FIRST British group to top the American charts ( was it with Telstar ???)
*** W
Watson - Russell ….. U.K ..... FIRST singer to create a theme tune for the Star Trek series. It was the FIRST time that producers have used a song with vocals as a lead in for the show. He was also the FIRST British artist to reach No 1 in the classical charts simultaneously in Britain and the U.S.A when his first album The Voice came out in 2001
Whitfield - David ..... born 1926 died 1980 ….. FIRST British male vocalist to enter the United States charts and this led to an invitation to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show
Whitman Jr - Ottis Dewey ….. born 20th January 1924 ….. U.K ..... who as Slim Whitman became the FIRST country singer to top the bill at the London Palladium (1956). His No.1 hit was Rose Marie which reached the hit parade in 1955 and stayed at the top for a record-making 11 consecutive weeks. It was not until 1991 that another No.1 hit broke this record
Who Says You Can't Go Home ..... the FIRST single by a rock band to reach Number 1 on the Billboard Country Music chart - 2006 - a duet by Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles
Wilson - Orlandus ..... born 1917died 1999 ..... U.S.A .....Gospel singer with the Golden Gate Quartet who were the FIRST black group to be allowed to play at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the Republic. The occasion was the inauguration of President Roosevelt in 1941. Other members of the quartet were William Langford, Willie Johnson, Henry Owens and later Clyde Riddick
Woodstock ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST free rock festival held near Bethel, New York State, over three days in 1969. 400,000 people attended and the festival was a landmark in the youth culture of the 60s