12 DECEMBER
Featured Events
2011 The Jewish reggae star Matisyahu shaves his beard, which he has had for 16 years. He gets the shave at a Manhattan Supercuts, as he doesn't own a razor. Many of his fans are thrown for a loop, but he explains that losing the beard does not mean he is abandoning Judaism.
2007 Ike Turner dies of a cocaine overdose in San Marcos, California, at age 76. He was also struggling with emphysema and cardiovascular disease.
1998 Luciano Pavarotti becomes the first classical musician to perform on Saturday Night Live when he sings ''Adeste Fideles'' with Vanessa Williams.
1987 At Cobo Arena in Detroit, The Cars wrap up their Door To Door tour. It ends up being their last concert until they pick up the pieces in 2011 for another album and tour.
1976 At a show in Lakeland, Florida, Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley is nearly electrocuted when he grabs a metal railing on the poorly wired set, completing a circuit that sends current through his body.More
1915 Frank Sinatra is born Francis Albert Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey.More
12 DECEMBER
In Music History
2020 Bad Bunny's El Último Tour Del Mundo hits #1 on the US albums chart, becoming the first album entirely in Spanish to top the tally.
2020 Country star Charley Pride dies at 86 after contracting coronavirus.
2020 El Ultimo Tour del Mundo by Bad Bunny becomes the first entirely Spanish-language album to top the Billboard 200 albums chart.
2015 Chance the Rapper becomes the first unsigned artist to perform as musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
2015 After going five years without releasing an album, Craig David continues his comeback with a performance at the X Factor finale alongside contestants Reggie 'N' Bollie and Ghanaian singer Fuse ODG. He sings his hit song "Re-Rewind" (originally produced by garage duo Artful Dodger) with a new rap verse.
2014 Nick Cannon files for divorce from Mariah Carey. The pair married in 2008 and had two children, twins Monroe and Moroccan.
2014 R&B singer Jeremih, along with two members of his entourage, is arrested for disorderly conduct at New Jersey's Newark Liberty international airport for forcing his way onto a flight after missing the final call.
2011 Two students at Evanston Township High School in Illinois orchestrate a fundraiser where "Baby" by Justin Bieber is played between classes until $1,000 is raised. The "Stop The Bieber" campaign ends two days later when the goal is met.
2002 After three months, Gordon Lightfoot leaves a Hamilton, Ontario, hospital, where he'd been sent for emergency surgery on his abdomen.
2001 The state of Nevada declares Frank Sinatra Day in honor of the the crooner.
1994 Beach Boys lead singer Mike Love is awarded songwriting credits on 35 Beach Boys songs, including "California Girls," "Good Vibrations," and "Wouldn't It Be Nice." Love claimed that Murry Wilson, the father of Beach Boys Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, administered the publishing rights and left him uncredited for many songs for which he contributed lyrics.
1986 The Smiths play the Artists Against Apartheid benefit at Brixton Academy, which ends up being the last time they perform together as a group.
1985 After missing a bond revocation hearing in November, David Crosby turns himself in to the FBI and begins serving time for drug and firearms possession. Crosby considered fleeing the country to avoid jail time, but decided to bite the bullet and serve his sentence.
1985 Ian Stewart, the original keyboard player for The Rolling Stones, dies of a heart attack in London, England, at age 47. Stewart stepped down from the group because his image didn't suit them. He became the group's road manager and played on some of their songs.
Secular Rendition of "Silent Night" Sparks Rage At Middle School Concert
2013Someone forgot to invite Jesus to his own birthday party. The fifth-grade choir at Ralph J. Osgood Intermediate School in Long Island, New York receives a round of applause after performing "Silent Night" at a holiday concert, but not all crowdgoers are pleased with the secular rendition, which removes references to Jesus and his mother.
The chorale director revamped the traditional carol to avoid offending non-Christians, only to offend a couple Christian parents in the audience, who take their case to the Board of Education a few days later. "'Silent Night' at its core is a religious song. It's a sacred, religious hymn that tells the story of Jesus's birth," angry parent Kevin McDonald insists. "The non-religious words were cobbled together to create something resembling the song and something that would probably pass public scrutiny regarding the separation of church and state. It should have been off limits." The Board half-heartedly defends the director's controversial choice but ultimately throws her under Santa's sleigh in its official statement: "The Board of Education sincerely apologizes to our community members who were offended by the change of lyrics to the song 'Silent Night' and we share in your sentiment. This action was not approved by the Board of Education or district administration, nor is it their role to approve the songs chosen for our concerts." It's not unusual for artists to alter religious carols to reflect their own beliefs. Barbra Streisand's 1967 Christmas album includes versions of "Silent Night" and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" that remove references to Jesus being the messiah – a claim that isn't supported by her Jewish faith.
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