December 6

Births

1896: Ira Gershwin (Lyricist)

1920: Dave Brubeck (Jazz Pianist)

1943: Mike Smith (Singer & Keyboards for The Dave Clark 5)

1954: Chris Stamey (Singer / Songwriter in The DB’s & Solo)

1955: Rick Buckler (Drummer for The Jam)

1956: Peter Buck (Guitarist for R.E.M.)

1956: Randy Rhoads (Guitarist for Ozzy & Quiet Riot)

1961: David Lovering (Drummer for The Pixies, NItzer Ebb & Cracker)

1962: Ben Watt (Producer & Singer in Everything But The Girl & DJ)

1969: Mark Gardener (Singer & Guitar for Ride)

Events

1949: Blues legend Leadbelly died from Lou Gehrig's disease.

1968: President Richard Nixon sends out 66,000 signed letters to potential administrative office holders, including Elvis Presley.

1969: Cab Calloway stars in NBC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation of The Littlest Angel.

1969: The infamous rock concert known as Altamont, featuring Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and the Rolling Stones, takes place at the speedway of the same name in Altamont, CA. Headliners the Rolling Stones, who organized the show as a free "thank you" concert, hire Hell's Angels instead of cops for security, resulting in the deaths of four people in the crowd of 300,000 (including Meredith Hunter, stabbed to death by the Angels).

1969: Led Zeppelin made their debut on the singles chart with 'Whole Lotta Love'.  It went on to go to No.4 on the chart and was the first of six Top 40 singles for the group in the US. During the bands career, Zeppelin never released any singles in the UK.

1970: The Rolling Stones tour documentary Gimme Shelter, featuring footage of the infamous Altamont concert, opens in New York City.

1978: Sex Pistol Sid Vicious smashed a glass in the face of singer Patti Smith's brother Todd Smith during a fight at New York City club Hurrah. Vicious was out on bail after being charged with the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen.

1980: John Lennon mixes Yoko Ono's "Walking On Thin Ice." It is the last time he would be in a studio.

1984: Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson record "Highwayman" at Nashville's Moman Studios. Among the musicians is guitarist Marty Stuart.

1986: Ringo becomes the first Beatle to use his name in an advertisement, for Sun Country wine cooler.

1988: Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at 52.

1993: At a video shoot for Travis Tritt's remake of the Eagles' "Take It Easy," the Eagles themselves reunite and decide to reform for new songs and a tour.

1995: Michael Jackson collapses in a New York theater during a rehearsal for an upcoming TV special and is hospitalized.

2003: Elvis Costello married jazz artist Diana Krall in a ceremony at Elton John's UK mansion. About 150 guests, including Sir Paul McCartney, attended the wedding. It was Costello's third marriage.

2006: Jazz artist Diana Krall gave birth to twins with her husband Elvis Costello.