May 3

Births

1903: Bing Crosby (Singer)

1919: Pete Seeger (Folk Singer)

1921: Joe Ames (The Ames Brothers)

1926: Jimmy Cleveland (Jazz Trombonist)

1928: Dave Dudley (Country Singer)

1928: James Brown (R&B Singer)

1936: Engelbert Humperdinck (Singer)

1937: Frankie Valli (Singer in The Four Seasons)

1944: Pete Staples (Bass player in The Troggs)

1950: Mary Hopkin (Folk Singer)

1951: Christopher Cross (Singer)

1953: Bruce Hall (Bass for REO Speedwagon)

1955: Steve Jones (Sex Pistols Guitarist)

1959: David Ball (Soft Cell)

1965: Simon Smith (Drums for The Wedding Present)

1972: Josey Scott (Lead singer for Saliva)

1981: Farrah Franklin (Singer in Destiny's Child)

Events

1958: One of the first major rock and roll riots breaks out during Alan Freed's "Big Beat Spring 1958" show at the Boston Arena, with local police threatening to shut the show down because of dancing and Alan Freed telling the crowd from the stage, "The police don't want you to have fun." He is arrested for inciting a riot.

1964: Gerry and the Pacemakers make their US television debut, singing "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" on CBS' Ed Sullivan Show.

1968: Having just returned from studying with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India, the Beach Boys make him the opening lecture act on their new tour. About half of the dates are eventually canceled.

1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded 'Voodoo Chile.' It was featured on the 'Electric Ladyland' double album and became a UK No.1 single on 21st November 1970 two months after the guitarist's death.

1969: Jimi Hendrix was arrested when Canadian customs officials found heroin in his bag.

1971: Grand Funk Railroad hold their sparsely-attended first press conference at the Gotham Hotel in New York.

1976: Paul Simon, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Cliff and others perform a benefit for the New York Public Library.

1976: Paul McCartney opens his first tour with his new band as the massively successful Wings Over America tour begins in Ft. Worth, TX.

1978: The movie FM, a flop comedy about a radio station, opens in Los Angeles. However, the title track, performed by Steely Dan, becomes a huge hit.

1980: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band started a six week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Against The Wind'.

1986: Robert Palmer went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Addicted To Love', it made No.5 in the UK. Palmer originally recorded the song as a duet with Chaka Khan but due to contractual problems her voice was removed.

1986: Dollywood (Dolly Parton's theme park) opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

1991: Texas Governor Ann Richards officially declares today ZZ Top in the Lone Star State.

1991: Andy Williams marries his second wife, Debbie Haas, in New York City.

2000: Rapper DMX was sentenced to 15 days in jail after he pled guilty to drug possession charges, driving without a license and outstanding parking tickets. DMX was also fined $350.

2001: London based bank Coutts And Co. turned down applications from members of Oasis to open accounts on the grounds of the bands bad behavior.

2004: The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal by two musicians who claimed they were owed royalties from Ozzy Osbourne. Bassist Robert Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake had fought a long-running battle since 1997 with the Osbourne family claiming they were entitled to money from the albums ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ and ‘Diary of a Madman.’ Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager, said that the pair had "harassed" her family and had had their contributions removed from the albums because of their "abusive and unjust behaviour".

2006: Bob Dylan's first hosted radio show airs on XM Satellite Radio, with the legend playing favorite tracks by Prince, Wilco, Blur, LL Cool J, and Billy Bragg, among others.

2008: Rap star Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. The 38-year-old dedicated the star to his father, who was shot dead in 1972.