2009: The Year in Music, Part One

Before we let go of 2009, let's stroll down memory lane and review some of last year's more interesting events in music.

February was a month of sadness in music.

We lost two representatives of American jazz history this month last year.
Blossom Dearie died on February 7 at the age of 82. She began her career as a jazz singer in New York city in the early 1940s and continued to perform in clubs until 2006.

Louie Bellson, who died on February 14 at age 84, was an Italian American jazz drummer. He was born in Rock Falls, Illinois and performed throughout the 1940s with some of the biggest names in big band jazz. His last recording was made in 2007 and released in 2008.




On February 8, 21- year- old R&B singer Rihanna cancelled her scheduled Grammy appearance. It later surfaced that she had sustained visible injuries in an incident of domestic violence involving her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown. She subsequently postponed her Malaysian tour. In early November Rihanna was interviewed on television by Diane Sawyer. To her credit, Rihanna was open about the extensive abuse she suffered, begging other young girls who find themselves in abusive relationships to get out and seek help.

April was the month of Susan Boyle.

On April 11 Susan Boyle, a plain middle-aged Scotswoman, caused a sensation when she appeared on the TV show Britain's Got Talent, a UK American Idol featuring Simon Cowell. Her performance of the song "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables stunned the audience and judges. She went on to win the talent competition and released her first album in November. Her album has since sold over 700,000 copies in the U.S., making it the biggest U. S. -selling debut album since 1993. In its first week of release, the album sold a total of 3 million copies around the world.

June was a month of incomparable sadness in music.

The world was stunned by the sudden death of pop star Michael Jackson at age 50. Although he had not released an album since 2001, Jackson was poised to begin a 50 date comeback concert tour shortly before his death. Jackson's death was investigated as a possible homicide by the LA police, so the singer was not laid to rest until September. Today, the news broke that the physician who administered a powerful sedative to Jackson hours before he died is going to be charged with manslaughter.

Earlier in June, we lost Chicago blues singer Koko Taylor. She died at the age of 80, having remained an active performer up to her death.

August was silly season.

I guess it wasn't silly to Paula Abdul. All through the summer there was talk about whether or not Paul Abdul would return as a judge for the next season of American Idol. Will she or won't she achieve a successful contract negotiation? It seemed like the publicity was meant to generate interest in her position and create pressure on the network to renew her. What would American Idol be like without goofy, sympathetic Paula? I guess we'll find out. When the definitive answer came, it was a 'no'. It was announced in September that Paula Abdul has left American Idol, to be replaced by goofy, sympathetic Ellen DeGeneres. I can't wait.

PS: Rumors surfaced this week that Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol in 2011 to launch the X Factor, another talent competition imported from the UK, and that he is bringing Paula with him as a judge. Remember, this is just a rumor folks.