July 7

Births

1924: Mary Ford (Singer & Guitarist)

1927: Doc Severinson (Trumpet for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson)

1927: Charlie Louvin (Singer for The Louvin Brothers)

1930: Hank Mobley (Jazz Saxophonist)

1932: Joe Zawinul (Pianist for Miles Davis band & Weather Report)

1940: Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey) (Drumms for The Beatles)

1944: Warren Entner (Singer & Guitar for The Grass Roots)

1945: Jim Rodford (Guitar for Argent)

1947: Peter Banks (Guitarist for Yes from ‘68-‘70)

1948: Larry "Rhino" Rheinhardt (Guitarist for Iron Butterfly)

1950: David Hodo (Construction worker in The Village People)

1962: Mark White (Bass for The Spin Doctors)

1963: Perry Richardson (Bassist for Firehouse)

Events

1954: Memphis D.J. Dewey Phillips of WHBQ became the first D.J. to play an Elvis Presley record.

1956: A riot breaks out at a Fats Domino concert in San Jose, CA, with twelve injured.

1956: Johnny Cash makes his first appearance on the Grand Old Opry show in Nashville.

1956: Elvis Presley's 18th film, Tickle Me, opens in the US.

1962: David Rose's singe "The Stripper" hits #1.

1963: The Rolling Stones made their UK TV debut when they appeared on 'Thank Your Lucky Stars.' Also appearing on the show was, Mickie Most, The Cadets, Helen Shapiro and Gordon Mills. The group made a total of 13 appearances on the show between 1963 and 1966.

1968: The folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary appear as the "mystery guest" on CBS-TV's What's My Line?

1968: The Yardbirds disband immediately after a gig in Luton, England.

1969: George Harrison recorded his new song ‘Here Comes the Sun’ with just two other Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at Abbey Road in London. John Lennon was absent recovering from a car crash in Scotland.

1971: ABBA members 26-year-old Bjorn Ulvaeus and 21-year-old Agnetha Faltskog married in Verum, Sweden. 3000 fans arrived and in the chaos a police horse stepped on the brides foot, causing her slight injury.

1971: The Carpenters debut their variety summer replacement series, Make Your Own Kind Of Music, on NBC.

1975: The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards is arrested in Arkansas for reckless driving and firearm possession.

1980: Led Zeppelin played their last-ever concert when they appeared in West Berlin at the end of a European tour. The set included ‘Black Dog’, ‘Rock and Roll’, ‘Kashmir’, ‘Trampled Underfoot’ and ‘Stairway To Heaven’. They finished the show with ‘Whole Lotta Love’.

1984: Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Born In The USA'. The album went on to spend a total of 139 weeks on the US chart. Its also one of three albums (Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814) to produce seven Top-ten US singles.

1984: Prince started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'When Doves Cry', his first US No.1 which went on to sell over 2 million copies.

1984: The song "Relax," by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, became the biggest selling single of all time in Britain.

1989: Compact discs begin to outsell vinyl records for the first time.

1998: Along with his financial partner Don Barden, Michael Jackson announces plans to build an entertainment complex in Detroit called "The Majestic Kingdom." It never materializes.

1999: Coolio was sentenced to 10 days in jail, 40 hours of community service and two years probation after he pled guilty to a charge of illegal gun possession.

2000: Eminem's wife, Kimberly Mathers, was hospitalised after she slit her wrists following her husband's show as part of the Up in Smoke Tour at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

2000: Patsy Kensit confirmed her separation from Oasis singer Liam Gallagher.

2001: The Pointer Sisters' June Pointer completes her court-ordered rehab for cocaine.

2006: After suffering from diabetes for several years, Pink Floyd original singer & Guitarist Syd Barrett died at his home in Cambridge. He was 60 years old. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer. The occupation on his death certificate was given as "retired musician.

2007: Snow Patrol Keyboard player Tom Simpson was arrested in connection with a failed court appearance in Glasgow. He was later released and the band went on to headline the T in the Park festival in Scotland. Amy Winehouse pulled out of her slot from the event suffering from "exhaustion".

2009: Michael Jackson's family and fans said farewell to the pop superstar at an emotional memorial service. The singer's coffin was placed in front of the stage during the event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles after an earlier private funeral. Jackson's daughter Paris, 11, fought back tears to describe him as "the best father you could ever imagine". Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey paid tribute before the family joined a sombre finale on stage. Motown boss Berry Gordy, who signed the Jackson Five, ended his tribute with the words: "Michael, thank you for the joy, thank you for the love. You will live in my heart forever."