September 21

Births

1934: Leonard Cohen (Singer / Songwriter)

1947: Don Felder (Lead Guitar for The Eagles)

1954: Philthy Animal (Phil Taylor) (Drummer for Motorhead)

1967: Faith Hill (Country Singer)

1967: Tyler Stewart (Drums for Barenaked Ladies)

1968: Trugoy (David Jude) (Rapper in De La Soul)

1972: David Silveria (Drums for Korn)

1972: Liam Gallagher (Vocals for Oasis & Beady Eye)

Events

1957: Elvis Presley's longtime guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black leave the King's band, dissatisfied over being denied pay raises by manager Colonel Tom Parker. Drummer D.J. Fontana stays on.

1962: A year and a half before the Beatles break in America, the Springfields' "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" becomes the first British song to reach the top 20 in the US. Later, member Dusty Springfield would have several more solo hits of her own.

1965: Having signed with Beatles manager Brian Epstein, the Moody Blues play their first major gig, as part of the manager's "Evening of Popular Music" at Royal Albert Hall in London. Other acts include Manfred Mann, the Kinks, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames.

1968: Janis Joplin announces her upcoming departure from her band Big Brother and the Holding Company, which observant listeners had decried as too amateurish for her talents.

1968: Deep Purple made No.4 on the US singles chart with their debut single 'Hush'.

1972: ABC-TV debuted "In Concert." Alice Cooper appeared in the first episode.

1974: Barry White went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Baby', the singers first and only US solo chart topper.

1980: Bob Marley, who had refused treatment for a spreading melanoma due to his religious beliefs, collapses while jogging in New York's Central Park and is hospitalized. Two nights later her performs the next date on his North American tour, the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, but it sadly proves to be his last.

1980: Elton John leaves longtime label MCA and signs with David Geffen's new label for a six-year contract.

1986: The National Inquirer Magazine featured a picture of Michael Jackson in an oxygen chamber with a story claiming that Jackson had a bizarre plan to live until he was 150 years old.

1987: Jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius died from injuries sustained in a fight. Pastorius was trying to enter the Midnight Bottle Club in Wilton Manors, Florida, (where he'd been banned), and became involved in a fight with a bouncer, Pastorius fell into a coma and was put on life support on September 11th. He was 36 years old.

1989: The Bangles issued a press statement confirming that the group were splitting. They reformed in 2000.

1990: The Internal Revenue Service places liens totalling $16.7 million on Willie Nelson's property to guarantee that he pays $6.5 million in back taxes.

1991: Status Quo set a world record when they play four separate British arenas in one 11-hour period.

1992: 'Yes Please' by The Happy Mondays, became the last release on Manchester label Factory records.

1999: While being searched at London's Heathrow Airport, Diana Ross allegedly assaults the security guard in question and is detained for five hours.

2001: All major television networks in the US simultaneously air the all-star benefit concert America: A Tribute To Heroes, the proceeds (in excess of $128 million) of which will go to victims of the infamous 9/11 attacks and their families. Performing guests include Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, and Willie Nelson.

2004: Cat Stevens, known as Yusuf Islam since the late Seventies, is stopped from entering the US after his name is erroneously found on a terrorism watch list.

2007: Snoop Dogg was sentenced to three years probation and 160 hours of community service after pleading guilty to carrying a collapsible baton. The rapper was arrested in September 2006 after the baton was found in his bag at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. In April 2007 he was given five years probation and 800 hours community service after pleading no contest to gun and drug charges in a Californian court.

September 20

Births

1948: Chuck and John Panozzo (Bass and Drums for Styx)

1957: Alannah Currie (Vocals & Sax for The Thompson Twins)

1960: Dave Hemmingway (Lead Vocals for The Housemartins)

1960: Robert Wiggins (Cowboy Rapper in Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five)

1966: Nuno Bettencourt (Guitar & Singer / Songwriter for Extreme)

1967: Gunnar & Matthew Nelson (Vocalists for Nelson)

1968: Ben Shepherd (Bass for Soundgarden)

1979: Rick Woolstenhulme (Guitar for Lifehouse)

Events

1955: Tennessee Ernie Ford records the Merle Travis-written "Sixteen Tons" at the Capitol Recording Studio on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood.

1966: George Harrison went to India for his first visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

1969: During a meeting in London between John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Lennon announced he was leaving The Beatles.

1969: Blind Faith started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their self-titled debut album. The only release from the Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker & Rick Grech line-up also reached No.1 in the US. The only UK gig was in Hyde Park, London on 7th Jun 1969.

1970: Jim Morrison of The Doors was acquitted on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, but was found guilty of exposing himself during a concert at The Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove a year and a half earlier. At his trial at the Dade County Courthouse in Miami, Judge Goodman sentenced Morrison to six months hard labor and a $500 fine for public exposure and sixty days hard labor for profanity. The sentence was appealed, but Morrison was never brought to trial, as he would die in Paris France on July 3, 1971.

1971: Peter Frampton quit Humble Pie to follow a solo career.

1972: Paul and Linda McCartney were arrested for the second time in four weeks for possession of cannabis this time at their Scottish farmhouse in Campbeltown.

1973: On his way to perform his second concert of the day, US singer / songwriter Jim Croce was killed with five others when his chartered aircraft hit a tree on take off in Louisiana.  He was 30 years old.

1973: A day after Gram Parsons died, his body is stolen during transfer at the Los Angeles International Airport, then taken to Joshua Tree, where it is burned, in accordance with his request. Road manager Phil Kaufman is among two charged with the crime.

1973: The Sunset Strip's legendary Roxy club opens in Los Angeles with a performance by Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse. The opening acts were Elton John, Carole King and Jackson Browne.

1975: 'Fame' gave David Bowie his first No.1 in the US, the song was co-written with John Lennon.

1975: The Bay City Rollers made their US TV debut when they appeared on the 'Saturday Night Variety Show' with host Howard Cosell.

1976: The Captain and Tennille musical variety show premiered on ABC TV in the US.

1980: Kate Bush scored her first UK No.1 album with 'Never For Ever.' It was the first ever album by a British female solo artist to top the UK album chart as well as being the first album by any female solo artist to enter the chart at No.1.

1980: Queen started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Game', the group's only US No.1 album.

1982: A seriously ill Karen Carpenter, now weighing only 77 pounds due to her anorexia, is admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York and fed intravenously in order to get her weight back to normal.

1993: Just back from a tour of Japan, keyboard player with The Charlatans Rob Collins was out with an old friend. They stopped at a liquor store and his friend went in, half-jokingly saying he could rob the place. When he came out with a loud bang, Collins stupidly picked him up. The police arrested the pair the next day and charged them both with attempted robbery and possession of a firearm (it was a replica gun).

1994: The Dave Matthews Band released ‘Under the Table and Dreaming’, the album featured their first commercial hits ‘What Would You Say,’ ‘Satellite,’ and ‘Ants Marching.’ The album was dedicated to Matthews' older sister Anne, who was killed by her husband in 1994 in a murder-suicide.

1994: The Temptations are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7060 Hollywood Blvd.

2002: Lynchburg, Virginia, names a street after hometown boy Phil Vassar when he performs in the city. Lynchburg also proclaims Phil Vassar Day, and presents him with a key to the city.

2003: Nelly Furtado gave birth to a daughter, Nevis, at a hospital in Toronto, Canada.

2005: Canadian JD Fortune, beat two other finalists to become the new lead singer with INXS after a worldwide search to replace the late Michael Hutchence. INXS held auditions in six continents as part of a reality TV series.

2007: Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones was admitted to hospital when he was injured during an altercation with a member of a club's security team. The band had gone to a west London club after appearing at the Vodafone Live Music Awards.

September 19

Births

1928: Adam West (Batman)

1931: Brook Benton (R&B Singer)

1940: Bill Medley (Singer in The Righteous Brothers & Solo)

1941: Mama Cass Elliott (Ellen Naomi Cohen) (Singer in Mamas and the Papas)

1949: Twiggy (Lesley Hornby) (60's model & Singer)

1951: Daniel Lanois (Producer, Guitarist & Singer)

1952: Nile Rodgers (Guitar for Chic & Producer)

1955: Rex Smith (Singer)

1958: Lita Ford (Guitar & Vocals for The Runaways & Solo)

1963: Jarvis Cocker (Singer for Pulp & Solo)

1964: Trisha Yearwood (Country Singer)

1969: Candy Dulfer (Jazz Saxophonist)

1969: Nine (Derrick Keyes) (Rapper)

1976: Jim Ward (Lead Singer & Rhythm Guitar for At The Drive-In & Sparta)

1977: Ryan Dusick (Drums for Maroon 5)

1980: Tegan & Sara Quin (Singer / Songwriters in Tegan & Sara)

Events

1960: Former chicken plucker Chubby Checker went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Twist'.

1960: Hank Ballard and The Midnighters had the honour of being the first group to have three songs in the US Top 100 at the same time. ‘Finger Poppin’ Time,’ ‘Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go’ and ‘The Twist’ all made the Top 30. Ballard refused to perform ‘The Twist’ on a highly rated US TV show, so Chubby Checker picked it up at the insistence of Dick Clark, and Checker’s version of the song was number 1 this week in 1960.

1968: Steppenwolf won its first gold record for "Born to be Wild."

1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their only UK No.1 single with 'Bad Moon Rising' a US No.2 hit. Also on this day the group started a four-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Green River.'

1970: Diana Ross started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'. The singers first solo No.1 since leaving The Supremes.

1973: Country rock singer / songwriter 26-year-old Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death was attributed to heart failure but later was officially announced as a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin, a former roadie for The Byrds, and was taken to Cap Rock in the California desert, where it was set alight, in accordance to Parson's wishes. The two were later arrested by police.

1974: Max Weinberg made his debut as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

1979: The No Nukes concert was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.

1981: Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park. Over 400,000 fans attend the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.

1986: "Captain EO" with Michael Jackson premieres.

1987: "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" was released by Pink Floyd. It was the first release after Roger Waters departure.

1993: Ex-Mamas and Papas' vocalist Michelle Phillips is robbed by an unknown gunman outside a West Hollywood restaurant.

1995: P.M. Dawn's DJ JC Eternal was arrested on charges of sexual assault and child abuse after an alleged affair with his 14 year-old cousin. He was released on $10,000 bail.

1997: VH1 aired "Storytellers" live for the first time. The show was a 90 minute special featuring Elton John from the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA.

1998: Robbie Williams scored his first solo UK No.1 single with 'Millennium', taken from his from his second album, I've Been Expecting You.

1999: Christina Aguilera was at No.1 on the US album chart with her self-titled debut album.

2002: James Brown was being sued by his own daughters for more than $1M of song royalties they said they were owed. Deanna Brown Thomas and Dr Yamma Brown Lumar, a Texas physician, said Brown had withheld royalties on 25 co-written songs because of a family grudge. The lawsuit claimed that Brown had held a grudge against his daughters since 1998, when Ms Thomas had her father committed to a psychiatric hospital to be treated for addiction to painkillers.

2004: Canadian singer Celine Dion extended her Las Vegas show for another year. Dion was reportedly being paid $100m for the original three-year run of five 90-minute concerts a week.

2010: In Baltimore, MD, a bronze bust of Frank Zappa was dedicated outside an east Baltimore library.