May 17

Births

1942: Taj Mahal (Blues Guitarist)

1949: Bill Bruford (Drummer for Yes & King Crimson)

1958: Paul Dianno (Vocals for Iron Maiden)

1961: Enya Ni Bhraonain (Singer for Clannad and Solo)

1963: Page Samuel McConnell (Pianist, Organist, Keyboardist for Phish)

1965: Trent Reznor (Singer & Songwriter for Nine Inch Nails)

1966: Jan Kincaid (Drums & Keyboards for The Brand New Heavies)

1968: Dave Abbruzzese (Drummer with Pearl Jam from 1991 to 1994)

1970: Jordan Knight (New Kids On The Block)

1974: Andrea Corr (Vocals for The Corrs)

1976: Kandi Burruss (Xscape)

1980: Dallas Taylor (Singer for Underoath)

Events

1933: Jimmie Rodgers, already terminally ill with tuberculosis, begins recording his last two dozen songs for RCA Victor in Nashville.  He died nine days later at the age of 35.

1958: The Killer's hometown of Ferriday, LA, holds its first annual "Jerry Lee Lewis Day."

1963: The first annual Monterey Folk Festival opens with musical performances by, among others, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Peter Paul and Mary, and Joan Baez.

1966: Bob Dylan, who had recently "gone electric" and added rock and roll instruments to his folk music, appears at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England; just before he begins a version of his latest hit, "Like A Rolling Stone," a member of the audience, a folk purist angry at the move to rock, shouts out, "Judas!" Dylan responds with "I don't believe you," adding, "You're a liar!" Then proceeds to tell the band to play the song "f****** loud."

1969: Chicago released their debut Album Chicago Transit Authority.

1970: On the same afternoon, with the same band, and at the same session, Jean Knight records "Mr. Big Stuff" and King Floyd records "Groove Me" at the Malaco Studios in Jackson, MS.

1974: The Elton John TV special Say Goodbye To Norma Jean And Other Things airs on ABC.

1975: An angry Mick Jagger thrusts his hand through the plate-glass window of a restaurant in Montauk, NY, requiring 20 stitches.

1975: Elton John was awarded a Platinum Record for sales of a million copies of the LP 'Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy', the first album ever to be certified Platinum (1 Million Copies) on the day of its release.

1978: The disco film Thank God It's Friday, starring Donna Summer, premieres in Los Angeles.

1980: After Gene Simmons' girlfriend, Diana Ross, tells KISS drummer Peter Criss he's too talented for the band, the drummer quits, to be replaced by Eric Carr.

1980: Just weeks after his harrowing incarceration in Tokyo, Paul McCartney appears (with wife Linda) as the musical guests on NBC-TV's Saturday Night Live.

1987: Tom Petty's home in Encino, CA, is ravaged by fire, causing over a million dollars' worth of damage.

1989: Rolling Stone ex-bassist Bill Wyman opens the first of his Stones-themed restaurants, Sticky Fingers, in London.

1990: Nirvana played the last date of a North American tour at the Zoo in Boise, Idaho. This was Chad Channing’s final gig with the band, drummer Dave Grohl replaced him in Sept of this year after his band Scream had split-up.

1992: Lawrence Welk died from pneumonia in Santa Monica, California.

1993: Barry Manilow is the guest star (playing himself) on the "One" episode of CBS-TV's Murphy Brown.

1993: Johnny Cash begins four days of recording in producer Rick Rubin's living room in Los Angeles, backed only by his own guitar. It marks the start of work on his "American Recordings" album.

1995: Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Little Richard share the stage for the first time ever at a concert in Sheffield, England.

1996: Johnny "Guitar" Watson died on stage while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a bitch", probably in reference to the song "Ain't that a Bitch".

2000: The Eagles filed suit against the "Hotel California" restaurant in Dallas, TX, alleging trademark violations.

2001: A new $37-million Country Music Hall of Fame opens in downtown Nashville.

2002: Lance Bass of boy-band *NSYNC underwent hospital treatment to correct an irregular heartbeat. Bass was hoping to qualify for a seat onboard a Russian rocket flight to the International Space Station.

2003: June Carter Cash's funeral is held in her hometown of Henderson, TN, with two thousand mourners attending, including her husband Johnny Cash as well as Kris Kristofferson and Hank Willams, Jr. Emmylou Harris, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Sheryl Crow all perform tributes.

2003: Singer with Stone Temple Pilots Scott Weiland, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession after being stopped during a routine traffic search in Los Angeles, He was released on $10,000 bail.

2006: Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills admitted that they had given up the fight to save their marriage, saying that after fours years together, they were going their separate ways.