November 9

Births

1936: Mary Travers (Singer / Songwriter in Peter, Paul and Mary)

1941: Tom Fogerty (Rhythm Guitar in Creedence Clearwater Revival)

1948: Joe Bouchard (Bass for Blue Oyster Cult)

1960: Demetra Plakas (Drums for L7)

1970: Scarface (Brad Terrance Jordan) (Rapper)

1970: Susan Tedeschi (Blues Artist)

1973: Nick Lachey (Singer in 98 Degrees & Solo)

1974: Joe C. (Joseph Calleja) (Rapper with Kid Rock)

1978: Sisqo (Mark Andrews) (R&B Singer in Dru Hill & Solo)

Events

1956: Buddy Holly begins his first solo tour, opening for country singers George Jones and Hank Locklin.

1958: Elvis Presley's massive hit "Hound Dog" b/w "Don't Be Cruel" becomes only the third record in history to sell more than three million copies, following two seasonal favorites: Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" and Gene Autry's "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer."

1959: Sam Cooke is guaranteed $100,000 by RCA if he chooses to leave his current home, Keen Records.

1963: The Beatles' new single, "I Want To Hold Your Hand," becomes the first-ever UK single to receive advance orders of one million copies.

1963: "Louie, Louie" was released by the Kingsmen.

1966: John Lennon met Yoko Ono for the first time when he visited her art exhibition 'Unfinished Paintings and Objects' at the Indica Gallery in London.

1967: In a battle of egos, the Byrds' Roger McGuinn boots David Crosby from the group, leaving Crosby to form CSNY instead.

1967: The first issue of the rock periodical Rolling Stone hits the shelves in San Francisco, CA, with a cover featuring John Lennon, in a still from his upcoming movie How I Won The War, and a free roach clip with every issue.

1968: Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant marries his first wife. Maureen, in London, then holds the wedding reception at the local club the Roundhouse, where the group plays its first London gig.

1971: Carly Simon attends James Taylor's concert at Carnegie Hall and the two fall madly in love.

1990: The IRS seizes Willie Nelson's bank accounts and real estate holdings to pay off $16 million in back taxes.

1993: The Dave Matthews Band released their first album, ‘Remember Two Things’ on the Bama Rags label.

1996: For the first time, Bob Dylan licenses one of his songs for commercial use, in this case, "The Times They Are A-Changin'" to the Bank of Montreal.

1997: Paul Weller (The Jam & The Style Council) was arrested and spent the night in a French jail after smashing up his hotel room. His record company paid $8,000 to cover the damage; Weller was released the following day.

1998: Michael Jackson successfully settles his lawsuit with London's Daily Mirror newspaper, which had claimed his face was disfigured by endless cosmetic surgery. Jackson claimed the photos had been doctored.

1998: Rick James bangs his head back and forth during a performance in Denver, CO, causing a blood vessel in his neck to rupture and bringing on a minor stroke.

1999: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announces the century's big winners, sales-wise: The Beatles have sold the most albums (106 million) with Garth Brooks and Barbra Streisand the most successful male and female solo artists. Elvis Presley leads the pack on gold and platinum certifications with 77 (singles) and 80 (albums), while Elton John's "Candle In The Wind '97" (rewritten as a tribute to the recently-deceased Princess Diana) is the best-selling single of the century. The best-selling album, surprisingly, is the Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975, which has just overtaken Michael Jackson's Thriller.

2000: Gretchen Wilson and her boyfriend, Mike Penner, have a daughter, Grace.

November 8

Births

1927: Patti Page (Clara Ann Fowler) (Singer)

1945: Don Murray (Drummer for Turtles)

1947: Minnie Riperton (R&B Singer)

1949: Bonnie Raitt (Singer / Songwriter)

1954: Rickie Lee Jones (Singer / Songwriter)

1957: Porl Thompson (Guitar for The Cure)

1961: Leif Garrett (Singer)

1970: Rat (Gareth Pring) (Guitar for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin)

1970: Diana King (R&B Singer)

1975: Tara Reid (Just because)

1977: Bucky Covington (Country Artist)

1985: Jack Osbourne (Ozzy’s Son)

Events

1961: Liverpool record store owner Brian Epstein calls Liverpool's Cavern Club to see when the Beatles would next be performing, with the intent to see if their live show matched their reputation.

1962: A bullet is fired at Motown's tour bus while traveling through Savannah, GA, but fortunately none of the (all African-American) stars are hurt.

1963: Having heard Priscilla Presley was with her fiance Elvis, and reportedly attempting to beat her to the altar, actress and Viva Las Vegas co-star Ann-Margret is quoted in the L.A. press as being "in love" with Elvis and deeply thinking of marriage with him. Priscilla, on the Colonel's advice, is sent back to Memphis to avoid controversy (but not before Priscilla throws a vase across the room, screaming that the expatriate Ann should "keep her ass in Sweden where she belongs").

1965: The Dave Clark Five perform for Queen Elizabeth II at London's annual Royal Variety Performance.

1968: Diana Ross leaves the Supremes to begin her solo career, and is replaced by Jean Terrell.

1968: John Lennon's divorce from first wife Cynthia is finalized, without Lennon present; the Beatle is at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London with Yoko Ono, currently pregnant with the child she will miscarry later in the month.

1970: Jim Morrison of the Doors makes the spoken-word recordings which would later become the basis of the group's album An American Prayer.

1971: Paul McCartney throws a party at London's Empire Ballroom to officially launch his new group, Wings.

1971: Led Zeppelin released their fourth album. With no title printed on the album, and generally referred to as Four Symbols, The Fourth Album or Led Zeppelin IV. It has gone on to sell over 37 million copies worldwide. The 19th century rustic oil painting on the front of the album was purchased by Robert Plant from an antique shop in Reading, Berkshire, England. The 20th century urban tower block on the back of the full gatefold LP cover is Butterfield Court in Eves Hill, Dudley, England.

1974: After returning to her Howard Johnson's hotel room in Jericho, CT, following a show at the nearby Westbury Music Fair, singer Connie Francis is attacked at knifepoint and raped. Francis successfully sues the chain for $3 million for neglecting to repair a broken lock and torn screen on her room before the attack. Her rapist is never brought to justice, and Francis finds herself so shattered by the incident she quits touring for seven years and eventually divorces her husband, Joseph Garzilli.

1975: David Bowie makes his US television debut on CBS' Cher variety show, performing his latest hit, "Fame."

1975: John Lennon names close friend Elton John the godfather of his new son, Sean.

1977: Glam queen Suzi Quatro makes her first appearance as Leather Tuscadero, the little sister of Fonzie's girlfriend Pinky, on ABC-TV's Happy Days.

1987: The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson marries his second wife, Gina Martin, daughter of legendary crooner Dean.

1988: Jerry Lee Lewis declares bankruptcy.

1994: Sonny Bono, half of Sonny and Cher and former mayor of Palm Springs, CA, is elected to the US House of Representatives.

1994: A memorial service is held for legendary guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith, late of the MC5 and The Sonics, at Mariner's Church in Detroit, MI.

1995: A financially strapped Michael Jackson merges his company, ATV Music Publishing -- the one with all the Beatles hits -- with Sony Music Publishing in a deal worth some $110 million. Jackson keeps half-ownership of the new company, but as debts mount, that share is whittled down over time.

2002: David Gilmour, longtime guitarist for Pink Floyd, is made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.

2005: The original "Guitar Hero" game was released in North America.

2009: Former Smiths frontman Morrissey stopped a concert halfway through his second song after being hit by a beer bottle. The 50-year-old singer who was hit in the eye by a plastic bottle of beer, said goodnight to the 8,000 strong crowd in Liverpool, England before walking off.

2011: Rapper Heavy D died from a pulmonary embolism at age 44.

November 7

Births

1922: Al Hirt (Jazz Trumpeter & Bandleader)

1942: Johnny Rivers (John Henry Ramistella) (Singer / Songwriter)

1943: Joni Mitchell (Singer / Songwriter)

1957: John "Jellybean" Benitez (DJ and Producer)

1960: Tommy Thayer (Lead guitarist, took over Ace Frehley's character in Kiss)

1967: David Guetta (DJ & Producer)

1968: Greg Tribbett (Guitar for Mudvayne)

1971: Robin Finck (Guitarist for Nine Inch Nails & Guns N' Roses)

Events

1951: Frank Sinatra marries his second wife, actress Ava Gardner. The marriage, her third, lasts six years and is credited for moving Sinatra into his "mature" phase as a singer, with Nelson Riddle stating: "It was Ava who did that, who taught him how to sing a torch song. That's how he learned. She was the greatest love of his life and he lost her."

1956: Elvis Presley becomes the first artist to chart an Extended Play or EP 45 rpm record when the four-song Love Me EP enters the Billboard charts.

1959: Smokey Robinson marries Claudette Rogers, still a member of the group and the eventual inspiration for his song "My Girl" made famous by the Temptations. The two would divorce in 1985.

1961: Ray Charles is arrested for possession of drugs in Indianapolis, IN, after local authorities discover marijuana and heroin in his hotel room.

1963: The Beatles make their only visit to Ireland as a group, performing two shows in Dublin at the Adelphi Cinema.

1967: Elton John, still going by his given name of Reg Dwight, and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin sign their first major publishing deal, with their parents there to witness the signing, as both are still minors.

1974: Ted Nugent won a National Squirrel-shooting contest after picking off a squirrel at 150 yards. The heavy metal guitarist also shot dead 27 other mammals during the three day event.

1986: Willie Nelson guest stars as a corrupt cop on tonight's "El Viejo" episode of NBC-TV's Miami Vice.

1986: Tracey Pew, bassist with The Birthday Party died during an epileptic fit at age 28.

1987: Tiffany became the youngest act to score a US No.1 since Michael Jackson ('Ben', in 1972) with 'I Think we're Alone Now'.

1991: Frank Zappa was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He died on December 4^th, 1993.

1991: Rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit Guns N’ Roses and was replaced by guitarist Gilby Clarke. Stradlin citied a combination of Axl Rose's personal behaviour and the difficulties of being around Slash, Matt Sorum, and Duff McKagan, due to his new-found sobriety.

1995: The Captain (Daryl Dragon) and Toni Tenille renew their vows in Virginia City, NV on the occasion of their 20th anniversary.

2000: Garth Brooks filed for a divorce from his wife Sandy.

2002: Twelve Guns N' Roses fans were arrested during a riot after a gig in Vancouver was cancelled. Promoters pulled the gig after Axl Rose's flight from Los Angeles was delayed.

2002: Whitney Houston's husband, New Edition singer Bobby Brown was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, speeding, driving without a license and having no proof of insurance after he was stopped by police in Atlanta City.

2003: In a desperate effort to reassure visitors that the SARS outbreak is no threat, Hong Kong officials invite the Rolling Stones, among others, to play a massive concert in the city. The total cost for appearance fees tops $100 million.