Births
1918: Ella Fitzgerald (Jazz Singer)
1923: Albert King (Blues Guitarist)
1928: Johnny Griffin (Jazz Saxophonist)
1942: Barbra Streisand (Singer)
1943: Richard Sterban (Bass Singer in The Oak Ridge Boys)
1945: Doug Clifford (Drums in Creedence Clearwater Revival)
1945: Bjorn Ulvaeus (Guitar & Vocals for Abba)
1947: Ann Kelly (The Hues Corporation)
1948: Steve York (Manfred Mann)
1950: Steve Ferrone (Drummer for Average White Band)
1958: Fish (Derek Dick) (Vocals for Marillion and Solo Artist)
1964: Andy Bell (Erasure)
1965: Eric Avery (Jane's Addiction)
1965: Simon Fowler (Vocals for Ocean Colour Scene)
1982: Kelly Clarkson (Pop Singer)
Events
1954: Keeping an eye on the new trends, an article in this week's Billboard is entitled "Teenagers Demand Music With A Beat - Spur Rhythm And Blues."
1959: After running on Saturday nights on radio for 24 years and TV for the last nine, the final installment of the musical countdown show Your Hit Parade airs on NBC. The final Top Five: Elvis Presley, "I Need Your Love Tonight" (#5), Brook Benton, "It's Just A Matter Of Time" (#4), Ricky Nelson, "Never Be Anyone Else But You" (#3), Dodie Stevens, "Pink Shoe Laces" (#2), and the Fleetwoods at #1 with "Come Softly To Me."
1961: Bob Dylan makes his first recording -- playing harmonica on Harry Belafonte's song "Calypso King." He's paid fifty dollars.
1963: An 18-year-old Brenda Lee marries Ronnie Shacklett, one year her senior, in Nashville a mere six months after meeting him at a Jackie Wilson concert. 48 years later, the two are still together.
1968: The newly-formed Apple Records decides not to sign a young talent named David Bowie.
1969: Paul McCartney says their is no truth to rumors he is dead
1970: Having been invited to a White House dinner by Tricia Nixon, daughter of US President Richard Nixon, the Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick brings radical Abbie Hoffman with her, in an attempt to secretly dose Tricia with LSD during the meal. Hoffman is turned away at the door by Secret Service agents, causing Slick to leave as well.
1974: Pamela Courson the long-term companion of the late Jim Morrison died of a drugs overdose. It was Courson who found the Doors singer dead on July 3, 1971 in the bathtub of their apartment in Paris, France.
1976: In a parody of recent public offers, Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels goes on air and offers the Beatles the whopping sum of $3,000 if they agree to reunite on the hits NBC-TV show. And it almost happens: Paul, visiting John in his New York apartment for what would turn out to be the last time, is watching the skit with John, and both consider going across town to the studio live. However, the duo decide they're too tired.
1977: Elvis Presley made the last recordings of his life during a concert at the Saginaw, Michigan Civic Centre. Three songs from the show appeared on the posthumously released Presley album, 'Moody Blue'.
1977: Talking Heads began its first European tour, supporting the Ramones.
1979: The Police made their debut on BBC TV's 'Top Of The Pops' performing 'Roxanne'.
1979: Governor George Busbee of Georgia issues a proclamation declaring Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia On My Mind" the new official state song. Ray Charles sings his famous version at the ceremony.
1982: Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ebony And Ivory.' This was McCartney's 24th No.1 hit single as a songwriter. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say "black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!". It was later named as the tenth worst song of all time by Blender magazine and in 2007 was named the worst duet in history by BBC 6 Music listeners.
1984: With questions still lingering about the death of his fifth wife, Shawn Stephens, Jerry Lee Lewis marries his sixth, Kerrie McCarver, the 22-year-old president of his fan club.
1987: U2 started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Joshua Tree.'
1988: Bon Jovi's manager Doc Mcgee was convicted on drug offences arising from the 1982 seizure of 40,000lb of marijuana smuggled into north Carolina from Colombia. McGee was sentenced to a five year suspended prison term and a $15,000 fine.
1990: The Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix played at the Woodstock festival was auctioned off for a record $295,000.
1990: The road crew for Roger Waters discovered an unexploded World War II era bomb while constructing the set for "The Wall" concert in Potsdamer Platz, Germany.
1992: The Cleveland Orchestra sues Michael Jackson for $7 million after it discovers the singer used part of their recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on his hit album Dangerous.
1992: Kris Kross started an eight week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Jump', a No.2 hit in the UK. The duo of Chris Smith and Chris Kelly were 12 and 13 when they recorded the song.
1992: David Bowie marries his second wife, model Iman, in Switzerland.
1992: In his hometown of Inglewood, NJ, Wilson Pickett drives his car through the mayor's front yard, yelling death threats at the house and accidentally running over an 86-year-old man. He is later arrested and found with open containers of alcohol in his car.
1994: Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for attacking a TV cameraman during the memorial services for actor River Phoenix the previous November.
1996: It was announced that Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) was in a drug rehab and could not perform causing the cancellation of several shows.
2002: Jewel was thrown from a horse and suffered a broken collarbone and a rib
2002: TLC member Lisa Lopes was killed in a car accident in La Ceiba, Honduras, aged 30. Seven other people, including Lopes' brother and sister, who were in the Mitsubishi Montero sports utility vehicle when the crash happened, were taken to a hospital. Lopes who was driving the car when it crashed had spent the past month in Honduras working on various projects including a clothing line, a new solo project and a book.
2005: After 94 performances, the Broadway musical and Beach Boys tribute Good Vibrations closes.
2007: US President George W. Bush is denied a luxury suite at the Imperial Hotel in Vienna when Mick Jagger, in town with the Stones on a tour, books it first.
2007: American singer Bobby "Boris" Pickett died of leukemia at the age of 69. Scored the Halloween anthem ‘The Monster Mash’ in 1962. The song had been banned by The BBC in the UK, deemed offensive and wasn’t a hit until 1973. It was a spoof on the dance crazes popular at the time, including the Twist and the Mashed Potato.
