Births
1939: John
Fahey (Folk Artist)
1942: Brian
Jones (Guitar for The Rolling Stones)
1943: Donnie
Iris (Guitar for Wild Cherry & Solo)
1957: Cindy Wilson (Singer in The B52’s)
1957: Ian Stanley (Keyboards for Tears For Fears)
1969: Patrick Monahan (Singer / Songwriter for
Train & Solo)
1977: Jason Aldean (Country Artist)
Events
1966: Over
$20,000 in debt, the owners of Liverpool's famous Cavern Club -- where the
Beatles got their start -- decide to close the rock institution. 100 fans
barricade themselves in the club, but to no avail. The venue would later become
a subway station, although the Cavern would eventually reopen in a different
location.
1968: Singer
Frankie Lymon was found dead of a heroin overdose at age 25 in his
grandmother's bathroom.
1970: Led
Zeppelin is forced to play its gig in Copenhagen, Denmark under a different
name (The Nobs) when the appalled family of the late Ferdinand von Zeppelin
himself complains.
1970: In an interview with the New Musical
Express, Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green talked about his plans to give all his
money away. The following year Green confronted his accountant with a gun after
he sent him an unwanted royalty check. The guitarist went to jail briefly
before being transferred to an asylum and was committed to a mental hospital in
1973. He re- launched his career in the 90's.
1972: George and Patti Harrison were injured in a
car crash; Patti was unconscious for several days.
1976: At
tonight's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Paul Simon picks up Best Pop Vocal and
Best Album awards for Still Crazy After All These Years, leading him to
famously remark, in his acceptance speech, "I'd like to thank Stevie
Wonder for not releasing an album this year."
1977: A
crazed audience member climbs onstage at a Ray Charles concert and attempts to
strangle the blind pianist with a rope.
1982: Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham collapsed
during the bands European tour suffering from heroin withdrawal.
1984: Michael Jackson won a record seven Grammy
awards including: Album of the year for 'Thriller'; Record of the year and Best
rock vocal performance for 'Beat It'; Best pop vocal performance, Best R&B
performance and Best R&B song for 'Billie Jean', and Best Recording For
Children for E.T The Extra Terrestrial.
1985: David Byron, singer with Uriah Heep, died
from an epileptic fit and liver disease aged 38.
1991: Mayor
of Los Angeles Tom Bradley declares today Curtis Mayfield Day.
1996: The original members of Kiss appeared at the
Grammy Awards. It was the first time in 17 years that the band had appeared in
full make-up and costumes.
1997: Death Row Records boss Marion 'Suge' Knight
was sentenced to nine years in prison for violating his probation for a 1995
assault conviction. Under US law, Knight would not be allowed to run Death Row
Records while in prison.
2006: Two stewards were shot during a concert by
rapper Kanye West at the NEC in Birmingham, England. Police said the shootings
took place after people who tried to gain entrance without tickets were
escorted from the arena. A man, who had no ticket, entered the foyer and was
ejected, he then returned and shot at the stewards, one was in a serious
condition after being shot in the face.
2007: The
Doors are honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6901 Hollywood
Blvd.
2008: Boy George pleaded not guilty to falsely
imprisoning a male escort by chaining him to a wall. The singer and DJ was also
accused of assaulting Audun Carlsen during the alleged incident on 28 April
2007. He was released on bail until a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in
November.
2008: Mike Smith (lead Singer for The Dave Clark
Five) died at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, at the
age of 64, of pneumonia, a complication from his earlier accident. He died only
11 days before he was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a
member of The Dave Clark Five.
2008: Drummer Buddy Miles, who played with Jimi
Hendrix in his last regular group, Band of Gypsys, died aged 60 at his home in
Austin, Texas after struggling with a long-term illness.
2010: The
2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver ends with, among other things, a surprise
appearance by Canadian native Neil Young, who sings "Long May You
Run" as the torch is put out.
