December 7

Births

1910: Louis Prima (Big Band Singer)

1942: Harry Chapin (Singer / Songwriter)

1949: Tom Waits (Singer / Songwriter)

1958: Tim Butler (Bass for The Psychedelic Furs)

1973: Damien Rice (Singer / Songwriter)

Events

1963: The Beatles appear as panelists on the BBC show Juke Box Jury to rate records. Elvis' new single, "Kiss Me Quick," is declared a "hit."

1964: The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson suffers a nervous breakdown while on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston. He would stop touring with the group soon after.

1966: Nancy Sinatra guest-stars on the CBS TV special Frank Sinatra: A Man & His Music, Part II.

1967: In Britain's New Musical Express magazine, the Hollies' recently-departed Graham Nash announces the formation of Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

1967: Otis Redding went into the studio to record '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay'. The song went on to be his biggest hit. Redding didn't see its release; he was killed three days later in a plane crash.

1968: The Animals' lead singer, Eric Burdon, announces that the group will officially disband after a December 22 concert at Newcastle City Hall. Eric would pursue an ill-fated acting career in California.

1973: Fleetwood Mac's then-manager, Clifford Davis, claims ownership of the band's name and assembles a fake version of the group for a national tour.

1974: Barry White was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'You're The First, The Last, My Everything', the singers first UK No.1. Originally written in the 1950's as a country song with the title 'You're My First, You're My Last, My In-Between.'

1984: In a $5 million plagiarism suit brought against him in Chicago, IL, Michael Jackson testifies that he did not steal his hit "The Girl Is Mine" from an Illinois man. He eventually wins the case.

1987: Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and Judy Collins (among others) appear onstage at Carnegie Hall to pay tribute to Harry Chapin, who would have been celebrating his 45th birthday. That same day, Chapin recieved a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor (#111) for his work in fighting hunger.

1993: Guns N' Roses announced they would keep the tune written by Charles Manson "Look At Your Game, Girl" on their album, "The Spaghetti Incident?" The decision to keep the song came when the band learned that the royalties would go to the son of one of Manson's victims.

1996: Jerry Lewis' white and red pinstriped devil suit was stolen from his dressing room at Shea's Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. Lewis needed the costume, valued at $9,000, to play the role of Satan in the musical Damn Yankees.