September 16

Births

1925: B.B. King (Riley B. King) (Blues Guitarist & Singer / Songwriter)

1941: Joe Butler (Lead Vocals for The Lovin' Spoonful)

1944: Betty Kelly (Singer in Martha and the Vandellas)

1948: Kenney Jones (Drummer for The Small Faces & The Who)

1948: Ron Blair (Bass for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

1953: Earl Klugh (Jazz Pianist / Guitarist)

1954: Colin Newman (Guitar & Vocals for Wire)

1961: Bilinda Butcher (Guitar & Vocals for My Bloody Valentine)

1963: Richard Marx (Singer / Songwriter)

1964: David “The Snake” Sabo (Guitar for Skid Row)

1968: Marc Anthony (Marco Antonio Muñiz ) (Latin American Singer)

1969: Justine Frischmann (Guitar & Vocals for Elastica)

1977: Musiq Soulchild (Taalib Johnson) (R&B Singer)

1988: Teddy Geiger (Singer / Songwriter)

1992: Nick Jonas (Singer / Songwriter)

Events

1959: Dick Clark's first "Caravan of Stars" tour opens in New York, featuring The Coasters, The Drifters, Lloyd Price, LaVern Baker, Duane Eddy, Paul Anka and Annette Funicello.

1963: Currently the #1 song in England, the Beatles' "She Loves You" is released by the tiny Swan label in America, but the stateside public has no idea who the group is, and the single fails to chart. Four months later, after "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and the attendant Beatlemania, a re-released "She Loves You" single will reach #1 in the US as well.

1964: ABC-TV premieres the musical variety show Shindig!, featuring the Everly Brothers, the Righteous Brothers, and Bobby Sherman.

1965: NBC-TV premieres The Dean Martin Show, featuring the theme song (and recent hit) "Everybody Loves Somebody," and, later, a chorus of beautiful showgirls named The Golddiggers. The famously laid-back and largely improvised show, which made stars of Dom DeLuise, Charles Nelson Reilly, Tom Bosley, and Nipsey Russell, would run for a full decade.

1966: Tom Drilberg, MP of Barking, England, asks the House of Lords to censure a magistrate who'd recently spoken out against the Rolling Stones as "complete morons (who) wear their hair down to their shoulders, wear filthy clothes and act like clowns."

1966: Pete Quaife, bassist for the Kinks, leaves the band after injuries from a recent car crash threaten his ability to play. He will eventually return and stay with the band through 1969.

1970: Jimi Hendrix takes the stage at an Eric Burdon and War concert at London club Ronnie Scott's, marking the last time the guitarist will ever play in public.

1972: Former Herd and Humble Pie guitarist Peter Frampton plays his first solo gig, opening for the J. Geils Band in New York.

1977: Marc Bolan (Singer & Guitar for T. Rex) was a passenger in a purple Mini 1275GT driven by Gloria Jones as they headed home from Mortons drinking club and restaurant in Berkeley Square, London. Jones lost control of the car and it struck a sycamore tree after failing to negotiate a small humpback bridge near Gipsy Lane on Queens Ride, Barnes, southwest London.  Bolan died instantly at 29 years old.

1979: The first rap single was released, The Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight' at 14:59 minutes long.

1988: Former Clash drummer Topper Headon was released from jail after serving 10 months of a 15-month sentence on a narcotics charge.

1988: Singer Fish (Derek William Dick) leaves rock group Marillion.

1991: Willie Nelson and makeup artist Ann-Marie D'Angelo got married. It's his fourth marriage.

1993: Grace Slick's (Jefferson Airplane / Starship) home was destroyed by fire.

1998: The members of Mott The Hoople played together for the first time in 24 years at the Virgin Megastore on London's Oxford Street.

2004: Weather Girls singer Izora Armstead died aged 62 of heart failure at a hospital in San Leandro, East San Francisco. Also member of Two Tons O' Fun featured on four Sylvester albums, including '(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real.'

2006: Bob Dylan's new album Modern Times goes to #1 in Billboard's album chart, making the 65-year-old the oldest musician to ever hold that honor until 2011’s Tony Bennett Album “Duet’s II”.

September 13

Births

1857: Milton Hershey (Founder of Hershey Chocolate)

1911: Bill Monroe (Bluegrass Musician)

1922: Yma Sumac (Peruvian Singer)

1925: Mel Torme (Singer)

1941: David Clayton-Thomas (Lead Singer for Blood, Sweat and Tears)

1944: Peter Cetera (Singer for Chicago & Solo)

1948: Nell Carter (Singer / Actress)

1949: Fred "Sonic" Smith (Guitarist for MC5)

1952: Randy Jones (Cowboy in The Village People)

1952: Don Was (Singer in Was, Now Was & Producer)

1954: Steve Kilbey (Lead singer / songwriter & Bass for The Church & Solo)

1956: Joni Sledge (Singer in Sister Sledge)

1957: Vinny Appice (Drummer for Black Sabbath & DIO)

1961: Dave Mustaine (Lead Singer & Guitarist for Megadeth and one time member of Metallica)

1967: Stephen Perkins (Drummer for Jane's Addiction & Porno For Pyros)

1967: Timothy “Ripper” Owens (Singer for Judas Priest & Iced Earth)

1977: Fiona Apple (Singer / Songwriter)

1979: Geike Arnaert (Singer for Hooverphonic)

1980: Teppei Teranishi (Guitar & Keyboards for Thrice)

1993: Niall Horan (Singer in One Direction)

Events

1959: While he is stationed in the US Army in Germany, Elvis Presley's friend, airman Currie Grant, brings Priscilla Ann Beaulieu to a party at his apartment after meeting her in the nearby Eagles Club, a popular hangout for officers and their families. Wearing a sailor dress for the occasion, Priscilla says "It's a pleasure to meet you" and remarks that it's a shame the Army has taken his sideburns. He plays her a few songs on guitar. Elvis and "Cilla" are immediately smitten with each other, with the singer describing her to friends as smart, saying that she treats him like an ordinary guy, and dubbing her "the woman I've been looking for my whole life."

1960: A movement to ban Ray Peterson's new single "Tell Laura I Love Her" begins in the UK when it is feared that the song's powerful story of a stock-car driver who dies young while racing for his girl's love will inspire a "death cult" amongst teens.

1960: The FCC bans "payola," the controversial practice of paying DJs for playing songs, as a result of the scandal involving, among others, Dick Clark and Alan Freed.

1963: The Hollies' Graham Nash (later of CSNY) falls out of his touring van after a Scottish gig, leaning on an unlocked door and tumbling out at 40 mph. 36 years later to the day, the singer breaks both legs in a boat accident off the coast of Hawaii.

1963: Barbra Streisand marries her first husband, actor Elliot Gould, in New York. The two would divorce in 1971.

1964: To prevent the spate of stage-rushing going on at recent frenzied Rolling Stones concerts, Liverpool's Empire Club hires two dozen rugby players to act as a human shield; the crowd of 5,000 washes right over them.

1965: Ringo Starr and wife Maureen become the proud parents of their first child, Zak Starkey (who also became a drummer). Six years later to the day, Paul and Linda McCartney celebrate the arrival of their second child, Stella.

1965: The Beatles win their first Grammys, for Best New Artist and Best Album (for A Hard Day's Night) at the awards ceremony in New York.

1969: John Lennon debuts the Plastic Ono Band at the Rock and Roll Revival Show in Toronto. So named because of the flexible "plastic" nature of the members, this lineup included Eric Clapton, longtime Beatles associate Klaus Voormann, and drummer Alan White, all of whom rehearsed for the first time on the plane trip over from England. The concert, mainly a mix of simple rock and roll oldies and stabs at "Give Peace A Chance," "Yer Blues," and John's forthcoming single "Cold Turkey," will later be released as Live Peace In Toronto 1969.

1977: Symphonic conductor Leopold Stokowski died at the age of 95.

1980: Jackson Browne scored his only US No.1 album with 'Hold Out'.

1982: David Bowie reports to the Cook Islands to begin filming his role in the movie Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.

1985: Sting began his first solo tour in San Diego. The tour was to support the album "Dream Of The Blue Turtles."

1991: Geffen Records threw a party to launch Nirvana’s single ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ The band ended up being thrown out of their own party after starting a food fight.

1993: Max Weinberg, drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, begins his new job as bandleader for NBC-TV's new show Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

1994: The debut album "Ready to Die" was released by The Notorious Big.

1996: American rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur died after being shot six days earlier when he was driving through Las Vegas. 13 bullets were fired into his BMW. The incident was blamed on East and West Coast Gang wars. Shakur was a convicted sex offender, guilty of sexual abuse. After serving eleven months of his sentence he was released from prison on an appeal financed by Marion "Suge" Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records.

1998: Lauryn Hill started a five week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.'

1998: Mel B (Spice Girls) and Jimmy Gulzarof were married.

2000: Elton John storms out of the Estoril Casino in Portugal just before his planned gig there and flies back to England, fuming that the supposedly sell-out crowd had only half arrived. Turns out they were merely lingering at a VIP dinner given just before the show.

2003: US stores Wal-Mart were refusing to stock 'Permission To Land' the Number 1 album by UK rock group The Darkness because the sleeve featured a woman's bottom.

2005: Jimi Hendrix' boyhood home in Seattle is saved from destruction after his estate and the city agree to renovate the building and turn it into a community center.

2009: Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" wins Best Female Video during the MTV Video Music Awards. Rapper Kanye West interrupts her acceptance speech at New York's Radio City Music Hall to insist that Beyonce should have won.

September 12

Births

1888: Maurice Chevalier (French Singer & Actor)

1931: George Jones (Country Singer)

1943: Maria Muldaur (Singer / Songwriter)

1944: Barry White (Barry Eugene Carter ) (R&B Singer)

1949: Mark Knopfler (Guitar & Vocals for Dire Straits)

1952: Neil Peart (Drummer for Rush)

1952: Gerry Beckley (Singer / Songwriter for America)

1956: Barry Andrews (Keyboards for XTC)

1956: Brian Robertson (Guitar for Thin Lizzy & Motorhead)

1966: Ben Folds (Singer / Songwriter & Piano for Ben Folds Five & Solo)

1968: Larry Laronde (Bass for Primus)

1974: Jennifer Nettles (Lead vocalist for Sugarland)

1976: Bizzy Bone (Bryon Anthony McCane II) (Rapper in Bone Thugz-n-Harmony)

1978: Ruben Studdard (R&B Singer)

1981: Jennifer Hudson (Actress & Singer)

Events

1954: The first 'teen idol', Frank Sinatra was at No.1 on the singles chart with 'Three Coins In The Fountain,' the singer's first No.1. The song was The Academy Award winning Best Original Song of 1954.

1966: N.B.C. aired the first episode of The Monkees TV show in the US.

1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their first UK No.1 album with 'Cosmo's Factory'. It enjoyed a nine-week run at No.1 in the US where it sold over three million copies.

1970: "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor was released. It was his first single.

1970: At a gig in New Orleans, Pink Floyd are the victims of thieves who steal $40,000 worth of their equipment.

1970: CBS debuts their new animated series about a female band, Josie and the Pussycats.

1986: Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues was hospitalized after collapsing from exhaustion in Los Angeles.

1986: Public Image Ltd guitarist John McGeoch needed 40 stitches in his face after a two-liter wine bottle was thrown at the stage during a gig in Vienna.

1987: Michael Jackson kicked of his Bad World Tour by playing the first of three sold-out nights at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. By the end of the 123-date tour, Jackson had played to over 4million fans across fifteen countries.

1987: Morrissey left The Smiths for a solo career.

1988: Pogues singer Shane Macgowan was admitted to a Dublin hospital suffering from nervous exhaustion.

1990: Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie from Fleetwood Mac announced they were leaving the band at the end of their current tour.

1994: George Jones undergoes triple bypass surgery on his 63rd birthday at Nashville's Baptist Hospital.

1995: INXS singer Michael Hutchence pleaded guilty to punching photographer Jim Bennett outside a London hotel. He was fined $800 and ordered to pay $3,000 in medical costs.

1996: Oasis canceled their U.S. tour citing "internal differences" as the cause.

2000: Christina Aguilera released her first Spanish album, Mi Reflejo, which contained Spanish versions of songs from her English debut as well as new Spanish tracks.

2001: Garth Hudson, keyboard player with The Band, filed for bankruptcy for the third time.

2002: The son of Rod Stewart was sentenced to 90 days in jail and ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation after pleading no contest to attacking a man outside a Malibu, California restaurant. 22 year-old Sean Stewart had been arrested on Dec. 5th, 2001, after he was seen kicking the man in the face and stomach. Stewart was also sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $5,600 to the victim.

2003: Johnny Cash dies at age 71 at Nashville's Baptist Hospital, of complications from diabetes, four months after the death of his wife, June Carter. The Man In Black was a member of both the Country Music and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame.

2006: Britney Spears gave birth to a second baby boy at a hospital in Los Angeles.

2006: Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay was arrested and cautioned for common assault following an altercation with a photographer after an incident outside a London nightclub.

2007: The surviving members of Led Zeppelin announced they would reform for a star-studded tribute concert in London. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would play at a show to remember the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The place of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980, would be taken by his son Jason. The one-off concert, the trio's first performance for 19 years, would take place at the O2 arena in London on 26th November with tickets costing $200. All profits from the show would go towards scholarships in Ertegun's name in UK, the USA and Turkey, the country of his birth. 

2008: Kanye West was arrested on suspicion of vandalism after a fight with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport. The incident happened before he cleared security screening at the airport before boarding a flight to Hawaii. A camera valued at $10,000 was broken in the incident, according to an airport spokesman.

2011: Houston rappers Paul Wall and Baby Bash were arrested  in El Paso, Texas on suspicion of marijuana possession.