May 5

Births

1937: Johnnie Taylor (R&B Singer)

1942: Tammy Wynette, (Country singer)

1942: Jim King ( Family)

1948: Bill Ward (Drums for Black Sabbath)

1951: Rex Goh (Guitar for Air Supply)

1954: Pete Erskine (Drummer for The Weather Report)

1959: Ian McCulloch (Singer for Echo And The Bunnymen)

1961: Sean McLuskey (Jo Boxers)

1962: Gary Daly, vocals (China Crisis)

1962: Kevin Paul Mooney (Bass for Adam And The Ants)

1964: Kevin Saunderson (Inner City)

1981: Craig David (Singer)

1981: Jesse Colburn (Guitarist for Avril Lavigne)

1988: Adele (Pop Singer)

1989: Chris Brown ((R&B Singer)

Events

1900 : "The Billboard" (later called "Billboard") began weekly publication instead of monthly after six years of publication.

1956: Elvis Presley scored his first US No.1 single and album when 'Heartbreak Hotel' went to the top of the charts. His debut album also went to No.1.

1962: The Shirelles started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Soldier Boy', it made No.23 in the UK.

1962: The soundtrack to West Side Story went to No.1 on the US album chart. It went on to spend a total of 54 weeks at the No.1 position.

1962: Chris Montez recorded "Let's Dance."

1963: On a recommendation by George Harrison, Dick Rowe Head of A&R at Decca records, (and the man who turned down The Beatles), went to see The Rolling Stones play at Crawdaddy Club, London. The band was signed to the label within a week.

1968: Buffalo Springfield split up. Richie Fury formed Poco and Stephen Stills teamed up with David Crosby and Graham Nash in Crosby Stills & Nash.

1968: Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" was released.

1969: The Beatles single 'Get Back' was released in the US.

1969: Stevie Wonder met President Nixon at the White House.

1972: Blind blues guitarist Reverend Gary Davis died of a heart attack aged 76. His unique finger-picking style influenced many other artists.

1973: David Bowie scored his first UK No.1 album when 'Aladdin Sane' started a five-week run at the top, featuring the single 'Drive In Saturday'.

1974: Television appeared at CBGB's in New York City, supported by the Stillettoes (later to become Blondie, who were playing their first show at CBGB).

1984: Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr married Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park, New York City.

1984: Duran Duran were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Reflex', the group's second and last No.1. The song which was taken from their third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger was also a US No.1.

1986: It was announced that Cleveland, Ohio, had been chosen as the city where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame would be built.

1987: Over 130 girls fainted during a gig by Curiosity Killed The Cat in Liverpool, England.

1990: The John Lennon tribute concert was held at the Pier Head Arena in Merseyside, featuring Lenny Kravitz, Al Green, Joe Cocker, The Christians, Kylie Minogue, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Deacon Blue, Lou Reed, Joe Walsh and Wet Wet Wet. 

1992: Radiohead released 'The Drill EP', their first record in the UK.

1995: Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler was arrested on a felony count of possession of heroin, as well as two misdemeanour drug charges.

1996: Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan received both a public apology and a donation of  12,750 to the Warchild charity from The Sport newspaper after they ran a story claiming she had performed a gig in Hamburg without wearing any underwear.

1996: Rage Against The Machine went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Evil Empire'.

1997: Management company Ignition sent emails to over 100 Oasis unofficial websites threatening legal action over their alleged unlawful breach of copyright over Oasis music featured on the sites.

1998: The Michigan state legislature introduced a bill that would limit concert attendance by minors under the age of 18.

1999: Garth Brooks was named artist of the decade at the 34 annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

2000: Rod Stewart had a one-hour throat operation at Cedar Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles to remove a growth on his thyroid. The growth turns out to be benign.

2002: Two disc jockeys from Denver's KRFX-FM, Rick Lewis and Michael Floorwax, stopped a live radio interview with Detroit rocker Ted Nugent after he used derogatory racial terms for Asians and Blacks. The station received dozens of complaints.

2005: Justin Timberlake underwent an operation at Los Angeles' Cedars Sinai Hospital to remove nodules from his throat.

May 4

Births

1928: Maynard Ferguson (Jazz Trumpeter)

1929: Audrey Hepburn

1931: Ed Cassidy (Drummer for Spirit)

1934: Ace Cannon (Alto Sax Player)

1937: Dick Dale (Guitarist)

1938: Tyrone Davis (R&B Singer)

1941: David LaFlamme (Violinist in It's A Beautiful Day)

1942: Nickolas Ashford (Ashford and Simpson)

1943: Ricky West (The Tremeloes)

1944: Richie Furay (Singer in Buffalo Springfield & Poco)

1944: Peggy Santiglia (The Angels)

1945: George Wadenius (Guitar in Blood Sweat and Tears)

1949: Zal Cleminson (Guitarist in Sensational Alex Harvey Band)

1949: Stella Parton (Country Singer)

1951: Bruce Day (Bass Guitar for Santana & Pablo Cruise)

1951: Mick Mars (real name Bob Deal) (Motley Crue)

1951: Jackie Jackson (The Jackson 5)

1959: Randy Travis (Country Singer)

1970: Gregg Alexander (Singer for New Radicals)

1972: Mike Dirnt (Bass for Green Day)

1979: Lance Bass  (*NSYNC)

Events

1886: The graphophone, a link between the earlier gramophone and the modern phonograph, is patented, featuring wax cylinders which conducted music better than Thomas Edison's original tinfoil ones.

1956: England's New Musical Express erroneously reports that "Elvin" Presley will be performing an upcoming gig at the Palladium in London. Elvis never plays Europe.

1956: Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps recorded 'Be Bop A Lula.' The track was written three days before the session. The song became a 1956 US No.7 & UK No.16 hit single spending 20 weeks on the US chart. In April 1957, the record company announced that over 2 million copies had been sold to date.

1957: ABC-TV premieres Alan Freed's Rock and Roll Revue show, an attempt to replicate the success of their own American Bandstand. The first show features performances from The Clovers, The Del-Vikings, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Sal Mineo, and Guy Mitchell.

1959: The very first Grammy Awards are held in Los Angeles, with Record of the Year going to Domenico Modugno's "Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)" and Henry Mancini's The Music From Peter Gunn soundtrack winning Album of the Year. The Champs' "Tequila," for some reason, takes home Best Rhythm and Blues Performance.

1963: Andy Williams started a 16-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Days Of Wine And Roses'.

1964: Birmingham, England musicians Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder form an R&B group they call the Moody Blues (after Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo").

1968: Steppenwolf makes its US television debut, performing "Born To Be Wild" on ABC-TV's American Bandstand.

1968: Twiggy, one of the first English "supermodels," catches an 18-year-old singer named Mary Hopkin on the BBC-TV talent show Opportunity Knocks and calls friend Paul McCartney, who eventually signs her to Apple and gives her one of his songs, "Those Were The Days," to record.

1970: The US National Guard opens fire on a Vietnam War protest at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four unarmed students and wounding eleven more. After seeing the photos later that week in Life magazine, Neil Young immediately writes the song "Ohio," which Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young will record the next day. Twenty-five years later to the day, Peter Paul and Mary play a commemorative concert at the university, performing Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind."

1973: Led Zeppelin opened their 1973 North American tour, which was billed as the 'biggest and most profitable rock & roll tour in the history of the United States'. The group would gross over $4 million from the dates, flying between gigs in 'The Starship' a Boeing 720 passenger jet, complete with bar, shower room, TV and video in a 30' lounge and a white fur bedroom.

1974: Abba were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Waterloo', the group's first of nine UK No.1 singles was the 1974 Eurovision song contest winner for Sweden. The song was first called 'Honey Pie'.

1976: KISS performed their first concert in their hometown of New York City

1985: The legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem reopens after a massive ten-million-dollar makeover.

1987: Paul Butterfield (Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band) dies of a drug-related heart failure.

1989: Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine in Jersey, he was released on $9,000 bail.

1989: Stevie Ray Vaughan set out on what would be his last ever tour at the Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia. The guitarist was killed in a helicopter crash on  Aug 27^th 1989 after a concert at Alpine Valley Music Theater in Wisconsin, after playing 107 of the 110 dates.

1990: In an interview, David Bowie's ex-wife, Angie (she of the Rolling Stones song), claims for the first time that she once walked in on her ex and Stones frontman Mick Jagger having sex.

1991: Cher scored her first solo UK No.1 single with 'The Shoop Shoop Song' from the film 'Mermaids'. The song had been a hit for Betty Everett on 1964, and gave Cher her first No.1 in the UK since 1965's 'I Got You Babe'.

1991: Phil Collins and Al Jarreau received Honorary Doctor of Music Degrees from Berklee College of Music during cermonies in Boston.

1992: Dudu Mntowaziwayo Ndlovu (Dudu Zulu), a band member of Johnny Clegg & Savuka, died of a gunshot wound in Zululand, South Africa, at the age of 33.

1992: Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke declares today "KISS Day" and presents the band with a key to the city.

1996: Alanis Morissette started a six-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Jagged Little Pill'.

1997: Courtney Love placed an advert in The Seattle Times selling the house she had shared with Kurt Cobain. The five bedroom four bathroom house was on the market for $3m. The carriage house where Kurt Cobain died had been knocked down during refurbishment.

2004: Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Ska Producer) died suddenly of a heart attack while working at the Studio.

2008: Martha Reeves' home in Detroit is burglarized and one million dollars' worth of recording equipment stolen. In just a few hours, the perpetrator is caught while attempting to hock the merchandise for $400.

May 3

Births

1903: Bing Crosby (Singer)

1919: Pete Seeger (Folk Singer)

1921: Joe Ames (The Ames Brothers)

1926: Jimmy Cleveland (Jazz Trombonist)

1928: Dave Dudley (Country Singer)

1928: James Brown (R&B Singer)

1936: Engelbert Humperdinck (Singer)

1937: Frankie Valli (Singer in The Four Seasons)

1944: Pete Staples (Bass player in The Troggs)

1950: Mary Hopkin (Folk Singer)

1951: Christopher Cross (Singer)

1953: Bruce Hall (Bass for REO Speedwagon)

1955: Steve Jones (Sex Pistols Guitarist)

1959: David Ball (Soft Cell)

1965: Simon Smith (Drums for The Wedding Present)

1972: Josey Scott (Lead singer for Saliva)

1981: Farrah Franklin (Singer in Destiny's Child)

Events

1958: One of the first major rock and roll riots breaks out during Alan Freed's "Big Beat Spring 1958" show at the Boston Arena, with local police threatening to shut the show down because of dancing and Alan Freed telling the crowd from the stage, "The police don't want you to have fun." He is arrested for inciting a riot.

1964: Gerry and the Pacemakers make their US television debut, singing "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" on CBS' Ed Sullivan Show.

1968: Having just returned from studying with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India, the Beach Boys make him the opening lecture act on their new tour. About half of the dates are eventually canceled.

1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded 'Voodoo Chile.' It was featured on the 'Electric Ladyland' double album and became a UK No.1 single on 21st November 1970 two months after the guitarist's death.

1969: Jimi Hendrix was arrested when Canadian customs officials found heroin in his bag.

1971: Grand Funk Railroad hold their sparsely-attended first press conference at the Gotham Hotel in New York.

1976: Paul Simon, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Cliff and others perform a benefit for the New York Public Library.

1976: Paul McCartney opens his first tour with his new band as the massively successful Wings Over America tour begins in Ft. Worth, TX.

1978: The movie FM, a flop comedy about a radio station, opens in Los Angeles. However, the title track, performed by Steely Dan, becomes a huge hit.

1980: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band started a six week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Against The Wind'.

1986: Robert Palmer went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Addicted To Love', it made No.5 in the UK. Palmer originally recorded the song as a duet with Chaka Khan but due to contractual problems her voice was removed.

1986: Dollywood (Dolly Parton's theme park) opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

1991: Texas Governor Ann Richards officially declares today ZZ Top in the Lone Star State.

1991: Andy Williams marries his second wife, Debbie Haas, in New York City.

2000: Rapper DMX was sentenced to 15 days in jail after he pled guilty to drug possession charges, driving without a license and outstanding parking tickets. DMX was also fined $350.

2001: London based bank Coutts And Co. turned down applications from members of Oasis to open accounts on the grounds of the bands bad behavior.

2004: The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal by two musicians who claimed they were owed royalties from Ozzy Osbourne. Bassist Robert Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake had fought a long-running battle since 1997 with the Osbourne family claiming they were entitled to money from the albums ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ and ‘Diary of a Madman.’ Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager, said that the pair had "harassed" her family and had had their contributions removed from the albums because of their "abusive and unjust behaviour".

2006: Bob Dylan's first hosted radio show airs on XM Satellite Radio, with the legend playing favorite tracks by Prince, Wilco, Blur, LL Cool J, and Billy Bragg, among others.

2008: Rap star Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. The 38-year-old dedicated the star to his father, who was shot dead in 1972.

May 2

Births

1904: Bing Crosby (Singer)

1929: Link Wray (Guitar Player)

1936: Engelbert Humperdinck (Singer)

1945: Goldy McJohn (Keyboards for Steppenwolf)

1945: Randy Cain (The Delfonics)

1946: Lesley Gore (Singer)

1946: Bob Henrit (Drummer for Argent)

1948: Larry Gatlin (The Gatlin Brothers)

1950: Lou Gramm (Singer for Foreigner)

1951: Jo Callis (Synthesizer, Keyboards & Guitar in Human League)

1954: Prescott Niles (The Knack)

1961: Dr Robert (The Blow Monkeys)

1985: Lily Allen (Singer)

Events

1956: In a definite sign of the times, five records -- Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally," Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes," The Platters' "(You've Got The) Magic Touch," and Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" -- occupy the Billboard R&B and Pop Top 10, the first time so many records had "crossed over" at the same time.

1957: Elvis Presley recorded the Leiber and Stoller song 'Jailhouse Rock' as featured in his third motion picture of the same name.

1960: Elvis Presley begins filming on his fifth movie, G.I. Blues.

1960: Ben E. King, the Drifters' second lead singer, also leaves the group to start a solo career with Atco.

1964: After 51 weeks at the top, the Beatles finally relinquish the #1 album position in the UK -- to the Rolling Stones' self-titled debut.

1965: Ed Sullivan breaks a vow he made the year before and books The Rolling Stones back on his long-running CBS variety show -- but not before keeping the band in the studio all day, in order to keep from inciting the fans. The bands performs four songs: "The Last Time," "Little Red Rooster," "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love," and the instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue."

1967: The Beach Boys announce their intention to scrap their highly anticipated Pet Sounds followup, the album Smile. After decades of imagined Smile albums, assembled from bootlegs and released recordings, founder and resident genius Brian Wilson finally releases a finished version of the project in 2005.

1969: The Who debut their much-discussed rock opera Tommy by playing the finished album for the press in London at Ronnie's Jazz Club. Ten years later to the day, they would premiere their new movie, Quadrophenia, in New York.

1969: Benny Benjamin (Motown drummer in The Funk Brothers) died of a stroke at the age of 43.

1969: The Beatles record the song "Something".

1972: In New York City, Bruce Springsteen auditions for Columbia Records A&R head John Hammond, who is so impressed he immediately arranges a set that night at the Gaslight Club for his fellow execs.

1972: Les Harvey (Stone the Crow) was electrocuted on stage in Swansea, Wales. He died several hours later at the age of 25.

1975: Apple Records officially ends its life as a record label, though it will be revived as a Beatles-only label in 2004.

1977: Eric Clapton records "Wonderful Tonight".

1979: The Who performed their first concert after the death of Keith Moon. Kenney Jones, formerly of the Faces, was the new drummer.

1980: Joy Division played what would be their last gig with singer Ian Curtis when they appeared at Birmingham University, England. Curtis committed suicide two weeks later.

1982: Adam and the Ants disbanded.

1991: The video for the R.E.M. song 'Losing My Religion', was banned in Ireland because its religious imagery was seen as unfit for broadcast.

1991: Nirvana booked into Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California for 16 days. On a budget of $65,000 and with Butch Vig producing the band started recording what would become the ‘Nevermind’ album.

1992: Little known UK duo Nirvana filed a suit against the American band of the same name claiming that they had been using the name since 1968. The dispute was settled out of court in the British bands favor.

1992: Bonnie Raitt received an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Berklee College of Music during commencement ceremonies in Boston.

1992: The Cure scored their first UK No.1 album with 'Wish', their 15th album release, featuring the top 10 single 'Friday I'm In Love'.

1998: Japanese rock star Hideto Matsumoto was found hanged in the bathroom at his Tokyo apartment and died in hospital a short time later at the age of 33. His funeral, held on May 7th, was attended by over 70,000 people and required 100 police officers, 170 security guards, police boats and helicopters. 21 people were hospitalised for injuries caused by the massive crowd at his funeral.

1998: Loretta Lynn made the announcement backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, that she intended to return to college and get a degree.

1999: St Vincent and the Grenadines issued a *NSYNC postage stamp in honor of the boy band.

2003: Kings Of Leon played their first ever UK date when they appeared at The Empress Ballroom in Blackpool.

2004: Total Guitar magazine's readers voted Guns N' Roses' anthem ‘Sweet Child O' Mine’ as the greatest guitar riff ever ahead of Nirvana's grunge anthem ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Led Zeppelin's ‘Whole Lotta Love’ came third, followed by Deep Purple's ‘Smoke On The Water’. Total Guitar editor Scott Rowley said: "To a new generation of guitarist's, Guns N' Roses are more thrilling than the Sex Pistols."

2005: After 36 years, Cream (Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker & Jack Bruce) reunites at London's Royal Albert Hall for a four-night stint.

2006: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was released from hospital in New Zealand after the 62 year-old suffered "mild concussion" when he fell out of a coconut tree while on holiday in Fiji. He was airlifted to Auckland's Ascot Hospital for observation, where he underwent a brain scan.

2007: 1,876 guitarists gather in Wroclaw, Poland, to set a new Guinness World Record by simultaneously performing "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix.

2007: Britney Spears made her first appearance on stage since she left a rehabilitation clinic. Spears performed five songs at the House of Blues club in San Diego, California.

2008: Chad Kroeger was banned from driving for a year after being convicted of drink-driving in the Canadian city of Vancouver. The 33-year-old Nickelback singer had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system when he was stopped by police speeding in his Lamborghini.

2009: Motown's rarest 45, Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)," sets a world record by selling for nearly $40,000 at a London auction. The unreleased single is one of only two known copies.

2009: Bob Dylan takes the day off from his European tour and, along with 13 other tourists, takes a bus trip to visit John Lennon's childhood home in Liverpool, newly opened to the public. He is not recognized.