December 9

Births

1922: Redd Foxx (John Elroy Sanford) (Comedian)

1934: Junior Wells (Blues Musician)

1941: Dan Hicks (Singer / Songwriter)

1950: Joan Armatrading (Singer / Songwriter)

1954: Jack Sonni (Guitar for Dire Straits)

1957: Donny Osmond (Singer in The Osmonds)

1958: Nick Seymour (Bass for Crowded House)

1958: Rikk Agnew (Guitar for The Adolescents & Christian Death)

1964: Paul H. Landers (Rhythm Guitar for Rammstein)

1966: Michael Foster (Drummer for Firehouse)

1968: Brian Bell (Rhythm Guitar for Weezer)

1969: Jakob Dylan (Singer / Songwriter & Guitar for The Wallflowers & Solo)

1971: Geoff Barrow (Producer & DJ for Portishead)

1972: Tre Cool (Frank Wright III) (Drummer for Green Day)

1974: Canibus (Germaine Williams) (Rapper)

Events

1955: Elvis Presley performs at the B&I Club in Swifton, AK, and introduces his new song, "Heartbreak Hotel," by claiming "It's gonna be my first hit."

1962: Bobby Darin appears as the "mystery guest" on CBS' What's My Line show.

1962: The Supreme’s debut album “Meet the Supremes” was released.

1964: John Coltrane recorded the album “A Love Supreme” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. It is generally considered to be among Coltrane's greatest works.

1967: The Doors appeared at the New Haven Arena, New Haven, Connecticut. Before the show a policeman found singer Jim Morrison making out with an 18 year-old girl in a backstage shower and after an argument the policeman sprays mace in Morrison’s face. Once on stage Morrison tells the story of the backstage episode and starts taunting the police who drag him off the stage and arrest him. The crowd riots leaving the venue in disarray and many are arrested. Later over 100 protestors gathered at the police station in demonstration and more arrests were made.

1968: NBC airs the joint Supremes and Temptations television TCB (Takin' Care Of Business).

1972: An all-star orchestral version of The Who's Tommy opened at London's Rainbow Theatre. Advance tickets went for the then-princely sum of $50, but the show itself was a major disappointment, with most of the "actors" floundering (except Who singer Roger Daltrey and Steve Winwood as Tommy's father). Narrator Pete Townshend, for his part, was observed to be drunk. None of this stopped the cast recording from being recorded and eventually becoming a hit in '73.

1984: The Jacksons' five-month Victory tour -- Michael Jackson's last group tour -- ends after 55 performances in 19 cities.

1989: Garth Brooks nabs his first #1 country single: "If Tomorrow Never Comes".

1990: Paula Abdul was taken to North Hollywood Medical Centre after being involved in a car crash in Los Angeles.

1991: A long legal battle over the Bob Marley estate ends when the nearly $12 million estate is awarded to his widow, Rita, and her children. In honor of the verdict, son Ziggy names his daughter, who was born that day, Justice Marley.

1992: After more than thirty years, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman quits the group.

2000: U2 made their first-ever appearance on the long-running NBC program 'Saturday Night Live.' The band played ‘Beautiful Day’ and ‘Elevation.’

2002: Stereolab singer Mary Hanson was killed in a cycling accident after colliding with a tipper truck in East London at 36 years old.

2006: Mariah Carey threatened legal action against porn star Mary Carey in an attempt to stop her trademarking her similar-sounding stage name. The singer believed fans could get the two performers confused if the adult film actress Mary Carey's trademark application was successful.