Births
1903: Bix Beiderbecke (Jazz Musician)
1940: Dean Torrence (Singer in Jan and Dean)
1947: Tom Scholtz (Guitar for Boston)
1963: Jeff Ament (Bass for Pearl Jam)
1963: Rick Rubin (Producer)
1964: Neneh Cherry (R&B / Hip-Hop Artist)
1966: Edie Brickell (Singer / Songwriter)
1966: Dave Krusen (Drummer for Pearl Jam)
1970: Matt Barlow (Singer for Iced Earth)
1971: Timbaland (Rapper & Producer)
1971: Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
1973: John LeCompt (Guitar for Evanescence)
1977: Robin Thicke (R&B Singer)
1978: Ben Burnley (Lead Vocals & Rhythm Guitar for Breaking Benjamin)
1983: Carrie Underwood (Country Artist)
1983: Che'Nelle (R&B Singer)
Events
1937: Benny Goodman plays a gig for 21,000 jitterbugging fans at New York City's Paramount Theatre.
1955: Trumpeting their new signing, RCA Victor places a half-page ad in Billboard announcing Elvis Presley as the "new singing rage."
1956: Bobby Darin makes his first television appearance, singing "Rock Island Line" on CBS-TV's Dorsey Brothers Stage Show.
1963: Three days after an emotional public service, Patsy Cline's body is buried quietly at Shenandoah Memorial Park in Winchester, VA.
1964: Simon and Garfunkel record "The Sounds Of Silence".
1967: Sonny and Cher guest star as "Jerry and Ramona" on tonight's "The Hot Number Affair" episode of the NBC-TV spy spoof The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
1977: At 7:00 in the morning on a trestle table set up out-side Buckingham Palace, London, The Sex Pistols signed to A&M Records. The contract lasted for six days.
1979: Gloria Gaynor started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Will Survive'. The song was originally released as the B-side to a song first recorded by The Righteous Brothers called 'Substitute.'
1988: Younger brother of The Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, died in hospital. His death from myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) followed a long battle with cocaine addiction, which had weakened his heart.
1979: In what has to be one of the more bizarre appearances at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, James Brown takes the stage at the Ryman Auditorium on the invite of his good friend Porter Wagoner. James plays it straight, delivering surprisingly traditional renditions of "Tennessee Waltz" and "Your Cheatin' Heart," but also unleashing "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag." Jean Shepard is vocal in her dislike of Brown's set, but Barbra Mandrell, for one, applauds the unusual guest appearance.
1981: Jimmy Page joins Jeff Beck at a concert In London for three encore jams, marking the first time the Led Zeppelin guitarist has taken the stage since the breakup of his band.
1997: American rhythm and blues singer Lavern Baker died from coronary complications aged 57.
2000: Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde was arrested for leading an animal rights protest against the clothing firm Gap, who were accused of using leather from cows slaughtered 'illegally and cruelly'. The protest took place in a store in Manhattan.
2000: Country artist Vince Gill marries Christian singer Amy Grant in Nashville, with about 75 people attending. Grant takes her vows barefoot.
2003: The Righteous Brothers, AC/DC, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, The Clash, The Police, and Floyd Cramer are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York City.
2003: During a show in London, Dixie Chick Natalie Maines tells the crowd, "We're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." The audience cheers, but many U.S. radio stations stop playing Chicks music, as the nation prepares for war in Iraq.
2005: Michael Jackson shows up at his child molestation trial in Los Angeles an hour late and still in his pajamas. After being threatened with jail time for making the court wait, Jackson listens to testimony from one of his former visitors at his Neverland Ranch, a teenager who testifies that the singer tried to get him drunk on soda cans filled with red wine, which he reportedly called "Jesus' Blood," and white wine or "Jesus Juice."
2008: The Dave Clark Five, The Ventures, Little Walter, Leonard Cohen, John Mellencamp, and Madonna are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York City.
