Music History Today: October 18, 2022

October 18, 2018: Postmodern Jukebox uploaded Olivia Kuper Harris' haunting jazz ballad cover of David Bowie's "Life On Mars." 

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October 18, 1947: Singer-songwriter Laura Nyro was born in the Bronx.

Laura Nyro was a well-respected recording artist, whose confident piano work and rich, expressive vocals made 1968's Eli and the Thirteenth Confession a classic.

Laura Nyro

She demonstrated how R&B and girl group material had influenced her on the all-covers set Gonna Take a Miracle, recorded with Labelle. 

Read more: Allmusic

October 18, 1966: Frank Sinatra recorded "That's Life."

Frank Sinatra sang “That’s Life” with a scowl in his voice that was out of character, but exactly what the song needed.

Frank Sinatra 1956

A story circulated that producer Jimmy Bowen told Sinatra, after the recording session, to get out of his car and back in the studio to re-record the vocal, which made Frank very angry and resulted in his edgy vocal. 

Read more: Songfacts

October 18, 1975: John Denver's album Windsong hits Number 1 in America.

 

Released at the peak of Denver's career, Windsong rode to the top on the strength of the epic "Calypso," which provided the touchstone for the album. It's an album about communing with nature. 

Read more: Allmusic

October 18, 1981: Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin were at Number 1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the 1963 Lesley Gore hit "It's My Party."

Life On Mars
Olivia Kuper Harris