Births
1942: Andy
Summers (Guitar for The Police)
1943: John
Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.) (Singer /
Songwriter)
1943: Pete
Quaife (Bass for The Kinks)
1947: Burton
Cummings (Keyboards & Lead Vocals for The Guess Who & Solo)
1948: Donna
Summer (LaDonna Adrian Gaines )
(R&B / Disco Songer)
1951: Tom
Hamilton (Bass for Aerosmith)
1959: Paul Westerberg (Guitar & Lead Vocals
for The Replacements & Solo)
1963: Scott Ian (Rhythm Guitar for Anthrax &
Stormtroopers Of Death)
1970: Danny McNamara (Lead Vocals for Embrace)
1972: Joey
McIntyre (Singer in New Kids On The Block & Solo)
1977: Psy (Park
Jae-sang) (Gangnam Style)
Events
1912: A
rambunctious 12-year-old named Louis Armstrong fires his stepfather's pistol
during New Years Eve festivities and is sent to the New Orleans Home for
Colored Waifs, where he will learn to read and write music, as well as play
cornet and bugle with the school band.
1947: Roy
Rogers marries Dale Evans.
1955: Les
Baxter's "Unchained Melody," the hit theme from the movie Unchained,
is voted Billboard's top-selling single of the year, with no less than
four hit versions. And the Righteous Brothers' hit version was still nearly a
decade away!
1961: The
Beach Boys, formerly known as the Pendletons, make their onstage debut under
their new name at a Ritchie Valens Memorial Concert in Long Beach, CA. They are
paid $300 for the gig.
1961: Janis
Joplin makes her on-stage debut at the Halfway House in Beaumont, TX.
1962: John
Phillips and Michelle Gilliam, later of the Mamas and Papas, are married.
1963: The
Kinks make their on-stage debut at London's Lotus House Restaurant.
1967: Sonny
and Cher are suddenly disinvited to appear at tomorrow's Tournament of Roses
Parade in Pasadena, CA, after publicly backing the "Sunset Strip
Rioters," teenagers protesting the city's new curfew.
1971: Elvis
Presley announces to his entourage that his wife Priscilla will be divorcing
him, saying simply, "She says she doesn't love me anymore." In
contrast to previous years, tonight's New Year's Eve celebration is held at
Graceland rather than a local club.
1971: Blood
Sweat & Tears essentially break up as lead singer David Clayton-Thomas
performs his last live show with the group. (The band would briefly reunite four
years later.)
1972: Dick
Clark begins a new holiday tradition as his first New Year's Rockin' Eve
concert is broadcast on ABC-TV. Dick himself will host the annual event for the
next 32 years. Guests for the inaugural event include Three Dog Night and Al
Green.
1973: Australian band AC/DC made their live debut
when they appeared at Chequers Bar in Sydney.
1974: Pink
Floyd begin recording their landmark LP Wish You Were Here after
abandoning an earlier concept of an album recorded entirely with household
objects.
1974:
Ex-Faces guitarist Ron Wood flatly denies rumors that he will be joining the
Rolling Stones to replace Mick Taylor, who had recently quit the band.
1974: Stevie
Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are asked to join Fleetwood Mac.
1975: Casablanca
Records' single release party for Donna Summer's debut single, "Love To
Love You Baby" features a life-size cake in the shape of the singer, flown
in all the way from Los Angeles to New York. (It's Summer's 23rd birthday.)
1982: Max's
Kansas City club in New York, where Bruce Springsteen, the New York Dolls, and
the Velvet Underground played some of their first concerts, shuts its doors for
good.
1982: E
Street Band guitarist "Miami Steve" and/or "Little Steven"
Van Zandt marries Maureen Santora at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Little
Richard officiates; Bruce Springsteen is the best man; Percy Sledge sings
"When A Man Loves A Woman" during the reception.
1984: Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, crashed his
Corvette Stingray, on the A57 outside Sheffield. Allen lost his left arm in the
accident.
1991: Ted
Nugent donates 200 pounds of venison to a Detroit soup kitchen run by the
Salvation Army, declaring in a note, "I kill it, you grill it."
2000: Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson married
actress Kate Hudson the daughter of actress Goldie Hawn. The couple separated
in 2006.
2003: Australian singer and actress Natalie
Imbruglia married Silverchair singer Daniel Johns.
