August 4

Births

1901: Louis Armstrong (Trumpet Player & Singer)

1921: Herb Ellis (Jazz Guitarist)

1936: Elsberry Hobbs (The Drifters)

1939: Frankie Ford (Pop Singer)

1940: Larry Knechtel (Guitar & Keyboards for Bread)

1941: Timi Yuro (R&B Singer)

1947: Paul Layton (Bassist & Vocals for The New Seekers)

1947: Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream)

1955: Billy Bob Thornton (Actor & Singer / Songwriter)

1960: Graham Massey (Keyboards for 808 State)

1960: Robbin Crosby (Guitar for RATT)

1961: Barack Obama (President)

1962: Paul Reynolds (Lead Guitar for A Flock Of Seagulls)

1963: Sam Yaffa (Bass Guitar for Hanoi Rocks)

1968: Rob Cieka (Drums for The Boo Radleys)

1969: Max Cavalera (Massimiliano Antonio Cavalera) (Guitar & Vocals for Sepultura)

Events

1956: Elvis Presley released the single "Hound Dog" b/w "Don't Be Cruel"

1957: The Everly Brothers cause a sensation by performing their upcoming single, "Wake Up Little Susie," on CBS' Ed Sullivan Show. The song, a lighthearted tale of two chaste lovers who accidentally fall asleep on a date and are then assumed to have "spent the night together," will be banned in some markets.

1958: Billboard combines its unwieldy system of five separate sales, jukebox, and DJ charts to make one master chart, the "Billboard Hot 100" we know today. The first #1 listed on it is Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool."

1963: The Beatles make their first inroad to the American charts when their latest British single, "From Me To You," debuts at #116 in Billboard. Unfortunately, it stays there, due to problems with its American label (Vee Jay) and a cover version by Del Shannon that got the jump on it. It would take a massive promotional blitz by Capitol over the next five months to ensure a Beatles hit in America with the single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" b/w "I Saw Her Standing There".

1966: South Africa bans all Beatles music as a result of John Lennon's recent "bigger than Jesus" comments.

1967: While on tour in Minneapolis, MN, a sixteen-year-old female fan stows away on the Monkees' plane en route to St. Louis, MO, opening the band up to charges from the girl's father of transporting a minor across state lines.

1970: Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson marries his second wife, Barbara Charren, in Los Angeles. The couple would divorce just four years later.

1970: The Doors' Jim Morrison is arrested in Los Angeles for public drunkenness after being found lying unconscious on a resident's doorstep.

1972: The "blaxploitation" movie Superfly, featuring an acclaimed (and ironic) score from the Impressions' Curtis Mayfield, opens in the US.

1975: While vacationing on the isle of Rhodes in Greece, Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and his family are badly injured in a car accident, forcing the cancellation of an upcoming US tour. Doctors tell Plant he may never walk again.

1980: John Lennon began recording what would become his final album 'Double Fantasy' at The Hit Factory, New York.

1984: Prince started a 24 week run at the top of the US album charts with 'Purple Rain', it went on to sell over 10 million copies.

1984: Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman were married.

1990: During a New Kids On The Block concert in Montreal. Canada, three armed robbers stole souvenir sales proceeds valued at $260.000.

1990: During a US tour Janet Jackson collapsed on stage at a show in St Louis, suffering from an inner ear infection.

1990: Mariah Carey's started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Vision Of Love', her debut release. 

1996: Oasis played two sold out nights at Balloch Castle Country Park, Loch Lomand, Scotland to over 80,000 fans. Oasis roadie James Hunter was crushed to death between a forklift truck and a lorry during the bands two days shows.

2005: American blues singer and guitarist Little Milton died. Milton had suffered a brain aneurysm on 25th July 2005 and had lapsed into a coma. He signed to Sun records in 1953 and had the 1965 US No.25 single 'We're Gonna Make It'. He was 70 years old.

2007: US singer, songwriter Lee Hazlewood died of cancer, in his home near Las Vegas aged 78. Hazlewood wrote and produced many of Nancy Sinatra's most famous hits, including “These Boots Were Made For Walkin'”, “Jackson” and “Did You Ever?” He also produced Duane Eddy and Gram Parsons and Something Stupid - the duet Nancy recorded with her father Frank in 1967.

2011: Marcus Mumford, lead singer of Mumford and Sons, is engaged to actress to Carey Mulligan after dating for five months. The pair were childhood pen pals who lost touch and reconnected after the Mumfords' debut disc, "Sigh No More," had gained international acclaim.