January 18

Births

1941: David Ruffin (Singer for The Temptations)

1971: Jonathan Davis (Vocals for Korn)

1977: Richard Archer (lead singer of Hard-Fi)

1983: Samantha Mumba (Singer)

Events

1965: Paul Simon drops out of law school to pursue music full-time.

1968: At a White House luncheon to discuss the rise in urban crime, Eartha Kitt gets into a notorious spat with First Lady Claudia Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson, declaring, "Vietnam is the main reason we are having trouble with the youth of America. It is a war without explanation or reason." Although accounts of the entire argument differ, Kitt is subsequently blackballed in America.

1969: Former Beatle Pete Best wins his eight-million-dollar defamation suit against his former group (but settles for considerably less money in the judgment).

1973: Pink Floyd begin recording their legendary Dark Side of the Moon album.

1973: The Rolling Stones hold a benefit concert at the Los Angeles Forum for victims of the recent Nicaraguan earthquake, raising over $200,000 for the cause. (Lead singer Mick Jagger personally contributes an extra $150,000.)

1974: Free's Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, Mott the Hoople's Mick Ralphs, and King Crimson's Boz Burrell unite to form the band Bad Company.

1975: Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago officially declares today Bobby Vinton Day.

1975: Barry Manilow scored his first US No.1 single when 'Mandy', (originally titled 'Brandy' when it was recorded in 1972 by Scott English), went to the top of the charts.

1977: President Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Concert takes place the night before the swearing-in, featuring performances by Linda Ronstadt and Aretha Franklin, among others. John Lennon and Paul Simon are among those spotted in the crowd.

1981: Wendy O. Williams of The Plasmatics was arrested on stage at Milwaukee and was charged with the offence of simulating sex with a sledgehammer. Williams later filed a multimillion dollar civil suit against the Milwaukee Police, claming they sexually assaulted and beat her during the arrest, but a jury rejected her claims.

1985: USA Today readers select Cleveland, OH, as their choice for the permanent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1987: Steve Winwood marries Eugenia Grafton.

1989: The Fourth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include Dion, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder.

1995: The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia escapes unhurt when his rented BMW crashes into a guardrail near Mill Valley, California.

1996: Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson after less then two years of being married.

2004: Jennifer Lopez’s divorce from her second husband Cris Judd became final. Lopez and Judd married in 2001, after meeting when filming the video to ‘Love Don’t Cost A Thing’ but split the next year. He was expected to get a $15 million settlement from the divorce.

January 17

Births

1922: Betty White (Actress)

1927: Eartha Kitt (Jazz Singer & Catwoman)

1948: Mick Taylor (Guitar for The Rolling Stones)

1955: Steve Earle (Singer / Songwriter)

1959: Susanna Hoffs (Singer & Guitar for The Bangles & Solo)

1964: Andy Rourke (Bass for The Smiths)

1966: Shabba Ranks (Rexton Gordon) (Reggae Singer)

1971: Kid Rock (Robert James Ritchie) (Singer)

1971: Jon Wysocki (Drummer for Staind)

1978: Ricky Wilson (Vocals for Kaiser Chiefs)

1981: Ray J (William Ray Norwood) (R&B Singer & Brandy’s Brother)

1982: Alex Varkatzas (Vocals for Atreyu)

Events

1967: London's Daily Mail newspaper carries an article about potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire. It was this article that inspired the line John Lennon wrote in "A Day In The Life."

1971: Marvin Gaye performs the national anthem at Superbowl V in Miami, FL.

1972: Highway 51 South in Memphis, TN is renamed "Elvis Presley Blvd."

1974: Singer Dino Martin (not to be confused with his more famous father, Dean) is arrested on suspicion of possession and sale of firearms. He was arraigned and released the next day on $5,000 bail.

1979: Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton announce their intention to record what would be known as the Trio album together. It would be eight years before the recording was made, however.

1981: Mötley Crüe formed when bass guitarist Nikki Sixx left the band London and began rehearsing with drummer Tommy Lee and vocalist, guitarist Greg Leon, (who later left). Sixx and Lee then added guitarist Bob "Mick Mars" Deal. Vince Neil accepted an offer to join (after turning them down) in April of this year.

1986: Olivia Newton-John gives birth to her daughter Chloe.

1990: The Fifth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include Hank Ballard, Bobby Darin, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, The Kinks, The Platters, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Who.

1993: President William Jefferson Clinton's Inauguration ceremonies feature a free outdoor concert at which Aretha Franklin, Michael Bolton, Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, and Diana Ross (among others) perform.

1994: Donny Osmond of the Osmonds and Danny Bonaduce of the Partridge Family appear in a three-round charity boxing match. The fight was created after Osmond taunted Bonaduce at the gym they both frequented. Bonaduce won the split decision.

1996: The Eleventh Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include David Bowie, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Jefferson Airplane, Little Willie John, Pink Floyd, The Shirelles, and The Velvet Underground.

January 16

Births

1944: Ronnie Milsap (Country Artist)

1950: Damo Suzuki (Vocals for Can)

1959: Sade (Helen Folasade Adu) (R&B Singer)

1959: Jill Sobule (Singer / Songwriter)

1962: Maxine Jones (Singer in En Vogue)

1970: Brendan O'Hare (Drummer for Teenage Fanclub)

1979: Aaliyah (R&B Singer)

1981: Nick Valensi (Guitar for The Strokes)

Events

1938: Benny Goodman brings jazz to New York City's Carnegie Hall for the first time with a concert there. When asked how long an intermission he wanted, Goodman joked, "How much does Toscanini get?"

1957: The Cavern Club opened in Liverpool. It became the home of many Liverpool bands including The Beatles who appeared at the club 292 times.

1965: Beatles manager Brian Epstein, in Britain's Melody Maker magazine, is quoted as saying "I give the Beatles two or three years more at the top."

1972: David Seville (The Chipmunks) died of a heart attack at age 53.

1976: The television variety show Donny and Marie, starring Donny and Marie Osmond, debuts on ABC.

1978: Sex Pistol, Sid Vicious fell through a glass door at a San Francisco hotel, took a drug overdose and was rushed to hospital.

1979: Cher's divorce from Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers becomes final.

1980: Paul McCartney is jailed in Tokyo, Japan, for possession of a half-pound of marijuana found in his luggage. He would spend ten days behind bars -- the only time ever spent away from wife Linda -- before being expelled from the country by Japanese authorities. (His Japanese tour, naturally, was canceled.)

1987: The Beastie Boys became the first act censored on "American Bandstand."

1990: Ike Turner was convicted of driving under the influence of cocaine and being under the influence of cocaine and sentenced to a four year prison sentence in California.

1991: The Sixth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include LaVern Baker, The Byrds, John Lee Hooker, The Impressions, Wilson Pickett, Jimmy Reed, and Ike and Tina Turner.

1996: Jimmy Buffett’s seaplane Hemisphere Dancer is shot at by Jamaican authorities after being mistaken for a drug smuggler's plane. Buffett and U2's Bono, also on board, are unhurt. The incident inspires Buffett's song "Jamaica Mistaica."

1996: Wayne Newton performs his 25,000th show in Las Vegas.

2004: Michael Jackson appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to seven charges of child molestation. The singer, who arrived 21 minutes late was told off by the Santa Barbara judge saying 'Mr. Jackson, you have started out on the wrong foot here, it is an insult to the court.'

2009: Boy George was sentenced to 15 months in jail for falsely imprisoning a male escort.

January 15

Births

1909: Gene Krupa (Jazz Drummer & Band Leader)

1929: Earl Hooker (Blues Guitarist)

1929: Dr. Martin Luther King

1941: Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) (Singer / Songwriter)

1949: Ronnie Van Zant (Lead Singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd)

1951: Charo (Flamenco Guitarist)

1952: Boris Blank (Yello)

1953: Duke Erikson (Bass for Garbage)

1959: Peter Trewavas (Bass for Marillion)

1965: Adam Jones (Guitar for Tool)

1965: Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez) (Vocals for Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam)

1981: Howie Day (Singer / Songwriter)

Events

1955: Billboard magazine reports that "music with an R&B beat is not longer regarded as a passing phase by major recording firms," citing the recent success of white pop covers of R&B hits.

1961: The Supremes sign with Motown Records.

1967: Ed Sullivan refuses to let the Rolling Stones sing their big hit "Let’s Spend the Night Together" on his CBS show of the same name unless they change the title and lyrics to "Let's Spend Some Time Together." The band does as it's told, but lead singer Mick Jagger mocks the censorship by making faces at the camera while he sings the cleaned-up line.

1969: George Harrison had a five-hour meeting with John, Paul and Ringo where he made it clear that he was fully prepared to quit The Beatles for good. Harrison wasn’t happy with plans for live performances and the Let It Be film project.

1974: The Fifties-nostalgia sitcom Happy Days premieres on ABC.

1982: Harry Casey (the KC in KC and the Sunshine Band) is partially paralyzed in a Miami car crash. His recovery takes the better part of a year.

1992: The Seventh Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include Bobby "Blue" Bland, Booker T. and the MGs, Johnny Cash, The Isley Brothers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Sam and Dave, and The Yardbirds.

1994: Singer / Songwriter Harry Nilsson died in his sleep of heart failure after spending the previous day in the recording studio.

1998: James Brown is admitted to a South Carolina hospital for addiction to painkillers.

2002: 1980's British pop legend Adam Ant was admitted to a mental ward 24 hours after being charged by police with pulling a gun on staff in a London pub.

2003: In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lou Rawls is arrested on one count of battery against his girlfriend.

2010: Charlie Daniels suffers a mild stroke while snowmobiling in Colorado.

January 14

Births

1936: Clarence Carter (R&B Singer)

1948: T-Bone Burnett (Singer & Producer)

1959: Geoff Tate (Singer for Queensryche)

1962: Patricia Morrison (Bass for Sisters Of Mercy & The Damned)

1967: Zakk Wylde (Guitar for Ozzy Osbourne & Black Label Society)

1968: LL Cool J (James Todd Smith) (Rapper)

1969: Dave Grohl (Drums for Nirvana, Vocals & Guitar for Foo Fighters)

1982: Caleb Followill (Singer & Guitar for Kings Of Leon)

Events

1955: Legendary disc jockey and promoter Alan Freed debuts his first Rock and Roll Ball in New York City. Staged at the 6,000-seat Saint Nicholas Arena in Harlem, both shows sell out well in advance. Featured at the gig are Big Joe Turner, the Clovers, Fats Domino, the Moonglows, the Drifters and the Harptones.

1966: Singer David Jones changes his last name to Bowie in order to avoid confusion with the Monkees' Davy Jones.

1970: At the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, Diana Ross performs her last show with the Supremes. Miss Ross also introduces her replacement, Jean Terrell.

1970: John Lennon's erotic "Bag One" lithographs are exhibited publicly in London (and removed by Scotland Yard two days later).

1973: The Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh is arrested for possession of drugs in California.

1973: Elvis Presley draws the largest single television event audience ever for his "Aloha From Hawaii" concert, broadcast live via satellite to over one billion people in forty countries throughout the world. Originating from Honolulu's International Center Arena, the show is a major success, and is released as a hit double-album set later that year. However, the United States doesn't get to see the show until NBC airs it on April 4th.

1978: Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album logs a record 31st week at the top of Billboard's album chart.

1978: The Sex Pistols played their last live gig at Winterland, San Francisco, (they re-formed in 96).

1988: Paul McCartney releases his album CHOBA B CCCP (translation: Back In The U.S.S.R.) exclusively in Russia, causing bootleg copies stateside to fetch upwards of $1000. (The album, a collection of oldies covers, is eventually released worldwide.)

1989: The soundtrack to the film Dirty Dancing, which consists mainly of classic oldies, reaches sales of ten million copies (now known as Diamond certification).

1992: Jerry Nolan drummer with The New York Dolls died from a fatal stroke.

1997: The Beach Boys guest star on an episode of the ABC sitcom Home Improvement.

1999: Model Jerry Hall files for divorce from her husband, the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger.

1999: Metallica sued Victoria's Secret, claiming that the manufacturer infringed on its trademark by marketing a line of "Metallica" lip pencils.

2003: Linda Gail Lewis the sister of Jerry Lee Lewis, dropped a claim of sex discrimination against Van Morrison. Lewis had claimed that Morrison had 'publicly humiliated' her on stage and had tried to ruin her life by asking her for sex. She withdrew her claim after discussions with her lawyer. Morrison denied all the allegations.

2005: A $100,000 statue honoring the late punk guitarist Johnny Ramone was unveiled by his widow Linda at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

January 13

Births

1954: Trevor Rabin (Guitar & Vocals for Yes)

1957: Don Snow (Keyboards for Squeeze)

1959: James Lomenzo (Bass for White Lion & Megadeth)

1961: Graham McPherson (Suggs) (Vocals for Madness)

1961: Wayne Coyne (Lead Vocals & Guitar for The Flaming Lips)

1963: Tim Patrick Kelly (Guitar for Slaughter)

Events

1941: The Modernaires vocal group joins the Glenn Miller Orchestra on a permanent basis.

1968: Johnny Cash played a show, which was recorded, for his forthcoming live album at Folsom Prison, near Sacramento, California in front of 2,000 inmates.

1969: After his triumphant '68 "comeback" special, Elvis Presley decides to take more control of his career and begins recording in Memphis for the first time since he left Sun Records. Over the next three weeks at Chips Moman's American Recording Studios, Elvis records the songs that would return him to the top of the charts ("Suspicious Minds" and "In The Ghetto" chief among them).

1970: John Lennon and Yoko Ono have their hair cut and donate it to a charity auction.

1973: Eric Clapton made his stage comeback at the Rainbow Theatre, London, with Pete Townsend, Ronnie Wood, Stevie Winwood, Rebop, Jim Capaldi and support from The Average White Band. The night's two shows were recorded for the 'Rainbow Concert' album. The Who's Pete Townshend had organised the concert to help Clapton kick his heroin addiction.

1978: The Police started recording their first album at Surrey Sound Studios, Surrey, England with producer Nigel Gray.

1979: The YMCA organization sues the Village People for copyright infringement over their song of the same name. The suit is eventually dropped.

1979: Soul singer Donny Hathaway committed suicide falling from a 15th floor New York hotel window.

1984: BBC Radio 1 announced a ban on 'Relax' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, after DJ Mike Read called it 'obscene', a BBC TV ban also followed.

1993: Bobby Brown was arrested in Augusta, GA, for simulating a sex act onstage. It was the second time that he had been arrested by the Augusta police department for the same offense.

1998: Kevin Dubrow (Singer in Quiot Riot) was released from jail. He was arrested for failing to pay a judgment against him for an incident at a 1994 concert. A woman claimed that he threw another fan on top of her breaking her leg.

2003: Diana Ross appeared in a US court charged with driving while twice over the drunk driving limit. Police in Tucson reported that Miss Ross could not walk in a straight line, touch her nose or count to 30 after she had been stopped for swerving across the road.

2003: Who guitarist Pete Townshend was arrested on suspicion of child porn offences. Police officers impounded seven computers from his 25.5 million home in Richmond, Surrey.

2010: Soul singer Teddy Pendergrass died at the age of 59 following a difficult recovery from colon cancer surgery.

January 12

Births

1904: Mississippi Fred McDowell (Blues Singer & Guitarist)

1905: Tex Ritter (Country Artist)

1926: Ray Price (Country Singer)

1928: Ruth Brown (R&B & Blues Singer)

1951: Chris Bell (Singer / Songwriter & Guitarist for Big Star)

1952: Ricky Van Shelton (Country Artist)

1954: Howard Stern (DJ)

1954: Felipe Rose (Indian in The Village people)

1965: Rob Zombie (Rob Cummings) (Singer for White Zombie & Solo)

1970: Raekwon (Corey Woods) (Rapper in Wu-Tang Clan & Solo)

1970: Zack de la Rocha (Singer for Rage Against The Machine)

1974: Mel C (Melanie Chisholm) (Singer in The Spice Girls)

1980: Amerie (Amerie Mi Marie Rogers) (R&B Singer)

Events

1959: Berry Gordy borrows $800 from his family to start a record label and rents an eight-room house on 2648 W. Grand Blvd, the future home of Motown Records.

1965: The Supremes guest star on an episode of NBC's Tarzan, playing a trio of nuns.

1969: Led Zeppelin's debut album was released in the US. Recorded at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London, the album took only about 36 hours of studio time to complete.

1977: The Police had their first rehearsal, held at drummer's Stewart Copeland's London flat, with Henri Padovani on guitar.

1981: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) donates several rock record albums to the Library of Congress, including Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, The Sex Pistol’s Never Mind The Bollocks & KISS' Alive!

1985: After a record 24 weeks as the #1 album in the nation, Prince slipped to the #2 spot with "Purple Rain". Replacing Prince at the top spot: ‘The Boss’ Bruce Springsteen’s "Born In the USA".

1991: Johnny Paycheck is released from prison after serving two years of a seven-year sentence for a barroom shooting. Ohio Governor Richard Celeste had commuted his sentence upon leaving office.

1992: The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and wife Jerry Hall become the proud parents of their third child, Georgia May Ayeesha.

1993: The Eighth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in Los Angeles. Inductees include Cream (who reunite on stage for the event), Ruth Brown, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Etta James, Van Morrison, and Sly and the Family Stone.  Van Morrison did not attend the induction dinner.

1995: The Tenth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York. Inductees include The Allman Brothers Band, Al Green, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Martha and the Vandellas, Neil Young, and Frank Zappa.

1998: The Thirteenth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York. Inductees include The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas and the Papas, Lloyd Price, Santana, and Gene Vincent.

1999: Britney Spears' debut album "...Baby One More Time" was released.

2001: British Airways staff complained about Oasis singer Liam Gallagher after he had grabbed a stewardess' bottom, refused to stop smoking and thrown objects around the cabin during a flight from London to Rio De Janeiro.

2002: Singer Adam Ant (Stuart Goddard) was arrested at the Prince of Wales club in London. He was charged with possession of a firearm and with criminal damage and assault. He also allegedly attacked a man in his 40s.

2003: Singer-songwriter Maurice Gibb from the Bee Gee's died aged 53 in Miami Hospital, Florida following a heart attack during abdominal surgery.