May 16

Births

1913: Woody Herman (jazz clarinetist)

1919: Liberace (Wladziu Valentinon Liberace) (Piano Player)

1929: Betty Carter (Jazz Singer)

1946: Robert Fripp (Guitarist for King Crimson)

1946: Billy Cobham (Jazz Drummer)

1946: Roger Earl (Drummer for Foghat)

1947: Darrel Sweet (Drummer for Nazareth)

1947: Barbara Lee (The Chiffons)

1951: Jonathan Richman (Guitar & Vocals for The Modern Lovers & Solo)

1953: Richard Page (Lead Singer & Bass for Mr. Mister)

1958: Glenn Gregory (Singer for Heaven 17)

1964: Boyd Tinsley (Violinist for Dave Matthews Band)

1965: Chris Novoselic (Bass for Nirvana)

1966: Janet Jackson (Singer)

1968: Ralph Tresvant (Vocals for New Edition and Solo)

Events

1953: While walking from the Avon railway station after playing in a Paris club, guitar legend Django Reinhardt collapsed outside his house from a brain haemorrhage and died.

1960: Billboard magazine reports that Detroit music mogul Berry Gordy is thinking of starting three new record labels, including one called Motown.

1963: At this year's Grammy Awards ceremonies in Los Angeles, Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" wins Record Of The Year and Best Male Vocal, while Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You" is awarded Best R&B Recording. For some reason, Best Rock and Roll Record goes to the Bent Fabric instrumental "Alley Cat."

1965: The Rolling Stones' limo is attacked by female fans on the way back to their hotel after a show in Long Beach, CA, standing on the roof in such numbers that it caves in. While the band holds the roof up with their hands, the chauffeur speeds away, leaving fans to fall on the road.

1965: The Beach Boys appeared on the "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performed "Help Me Rhonda."

1966: The Beach Boys released the album 'Pet Sounds' in the US. The album is now regarded as the masterpiece of composer-producer Brian Wilson, and is often hailed as one of the best and most influential albums in popular music.

1966: Frank Sinatra recorded the single "Summer Wind".

1966: Dylan’s iconic Blonde On Blonde album was released. Rock's first double album, and Dylan's seventh studio effort, it was recorded with Al Kooper, Robbie Robertson and Nashville country music session players, and had what Dylan later called ‘that wild mercury sound’.

1969: Jack Casady, bassist for the Jefferson Airplane, is arrested in New Orleans for possession of marijuana and given a suspended sentence of two-and-a-half years.

1969: During the Who's set at the Fillmore East in New York, a plainclothes policeman rushes the stage to tell the audience that a fire has broken out, but guitarist Pete Townshend, figuring him for a rabid fan, kicks him off. Literally. The guitarist is arrested onstage, and later charged $30.

1970: Randy Bachman leaves the Guess Who to produce an album for Winnipeg band Brave Belt, which he eventually joins. At the suggestion of Neil Young, Bachman recruits fellow Winnipeg bassist and vocalist C.F. Turner, and the band Bachman-Turner Overdrive is born.

1970: Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane is arrested in his Bloomington, MN hotel room after police, responding to a noise complaint, find the singer smoking marijuana and having sex with teenage girls. His sentence is eventually reduced to a small fine.

1975: Tonight's episode of NBC-TV's The Midnight Special is a retro tribute hosted by Chubby Checker and featuring musical performances by Bo Diddley, The Drifters, Lesley Gore, The Angels, The Tymes, and Danny and the Juniors.

1976: Mayor James H. McGee declares today "Ohio Players Day" in the band's hometown of Dayton, OH.

1980: The Carpenters' last TV special, Music, Music, Music, airs on ABC.

1980: Brian May of Queen collapses onstage during a concert in and is rushed to the hospital, where he is diagnosed (for the second time) with hepatitis.

1980: Former Buggles members Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes joined Yes, replacing Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson.

1980: Elvis Presley's doctor, George Nichopoulous, is brought before the Memphis medical board and officially charged with 14 counts of abusing his right to prescribe medication. Though he will be acquitted in November, his case will be reopened twelve years later, when his license will be revoked.

1983: The television special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" aired. It was a taping of the first time that Michael Jackson performed the moonwalk for a live audience.

1984: Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee for ‘staggering drunk’ down Beale Street.

1986: Johnny Paycheck is convicted of shooting a man in a misunderstanding occurring at a bar in Hillsboro, OH. The fan was only grazed by the bullet and Paycheck is pardoned after 22 months in prison.

1986: Caitlin O'Riordan (Bass for The Pogues) and Elvis Costello were married.  They divorced in 2002.

1987: David Crosby marries his longtime girlfriend Jan Dance in Los Angeles, with bandmate Stephen Stills giving away the bride and Graham Nash renewing his vows with wife Susan.

1987: U2 started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart 'With Or Without You', the group's first US No.1.

1990: Sammy Davis Jr. died of complications from throat cancer.

1998: Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones reaches for a book of artistic nudes in his library at home in Connecticut and falls from a ladder, breaking a few ribs and forcing the band to postpone its upcoming tour.

1999: Diana Ross stars in her last major TV role, portraying the estranged mother of R&B singer Brandy in the NBC movie Double Platinum.

2000: The Artist announced that he was reclaiming the name "Prince" since his contract with Warner-Chappell had expired. The contract officially ended on December 31, 1999.

2000: The "What My Heart Has Seen" exhibition opened at the Catto Gallery in London. The art is the work of Tony Bennett.

2000: The Debut Britney Spears album "Oops!..I Did It Again" was released.

2002: Cher is the guest star (for the second time) on tonight's "A.I.: Artificial Insemination" episode of NBC-TV's Will & Grace.

2003: Hoboken, NJ names its post office after its favorite son, Frank Sinatra.

2003: While undergoing dialysis, Barry White suffers a stroke, though his sister publicly claims he will soon perform again, it proves to be the end of White's public life.

2011: Ronnie James Dio, singer with Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio died after a six-month battle with stomach cancer. He was 68 years old.