March 7

Births

1943: Chris White (Bass for The Zombies)

1944: Townes Van Zandt (Folk Singer / Songwriter)

1945: Arthur Lee (Guitar & Lead Vocals for Love)

1946: Peter Wolf (Singer for The J. Geils Band)

1946: Matthew Fisher (Organ for Procol Harum)

1952: Ernie Isley (Multi-Instrumentalist for The Isley Brothers)

1952: Jules Shear (Singer)

1962: Taylor Dayne (Pop Singer)

Events

1955: In a little-noted but fateful development, Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" becomes the first country song to cross over to the Billboard R&B charts.

1962: The Beatles appear on the BBC for the first time, recording for the radio show Here We Go, also marking the band's first full live performance caught on tape, and the first performance in what would become their trademark collarless suits designed by Beno Dorn.

1967: Actress Sandra Dee officially files for divorce from singer Bobby Darin.

1971: Gilley's nightclub opens in Pasadena, Texas. Named for part-owner Mickey Gilley, the home of the mechanical bull provides the inspiration for the 1980 movie "Urban Cowboy," which results in a short-term country trend.

1976: Elton John becomes only the second rock act (after the Beatles) to be honored with a statue in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London.

1986: Randy Travis makes his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. After an introduction from Little Jimmy Dickens, he performs "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry".

1987: The Beastie Boys became the first rap act to have a No.1 album in the US with their debut album, 'Licensed To Ill.'

1988: American female impersonator and actor Divine (Harris Glenn Milstead), died in his sleep of heart failure aged 42.

2001: Ex-Trammps member Jerry Collins is convicted of attempted murder after being found of bashing his wife's head into a sink and also pistol-whipping her. He is sentenced to a maximum of 35 years.

2006: Rod Stewart is ordered to pay $3 million to Harrah's in Las Vegas after defaulting on a show in 2000.

2009: Rapper Coolio was charged with drug possession after being arrested at Los Angeles International Airport. The 45-year-old, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, was later released on $10,000 bail.