June 24

Births

1942: Mick Fleetwood (Drummer for Fleetwood Mac)

1942: Arthur Brown (Singer for The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown)

1944: Jeff Beck (Guitar for The Yardbirds)

1944: Chris Wood (Sax & Flute for Traffic)

1945: Colin Blunstone (Guitar & Vocals for The Zombies)

1948: Patrick Moraz (Kayboards for Yes & The Moody Blues)

1949: John Illsley (Bassist for Dire Straits)

1950: Derrick "Duckie" Simpson (Black Uhuru)

1957: Jeff Cease (Guitar for The Black Crowes)

1957: Terence Wilson (Astro) (Vocals for UB40)

1959: Andy McCluskey (Vocals, Guitar & Keyboards for Orchestral Manoeveres In The Dark)

1961: Curt Smith (Vocals & Bass for Tears For Fears)

1967: Richard Zven Kruspe (Lead Guitarist for Rammstein)

1970: Glenn Medeiros (Singer)

1973: Mario Calire (Drummer for The Wallflowers)

Events

1964: Sam Cooke, preceded by a 70-foot billboard in Times Square, begins a famous two-week engagement at New York's Copacabana club that would come to define the beginning of "supper-club soul."

1966: Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention open for none other than Lenny Bruce at the Fillmore in San Francisco.

1966: John Lennon's second whimsical book of original prose, poetry, and drawings, entitled A Spaniard In The Works, is published in his native England.

1966: In a watershed moment for the brother/sister duo later known as the Carpenters, the jazz combo known as the Richard Carpenter Trio wins the Hollywood Bowl's "Battle of the Bands" contest.

1966: With the McCoys and the Standells opening, the Rolling Stones' 1966 tour begins at the Manning Bowl in Lynn, Massachusetts, inciting yet another crowd riot that the police counteract with tear gas. Rock concerts are banned from the venue for nearly two decades.

1967: Led by Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd make their TV debut performing their hit single "See Emily Play" on BBC's Top Of The Pops.

1967: 5th Dimension make their TV debut performing their hit single "Up, Up And Away" on ABC's American Bandstand.

1967: Guitarist Zal Yanovsky quits the Lovin' Spoonful after their gig at the Forest Hills Music Festival in New York.

1972: At tonight's show in Fort Worth, TX, the Rolling Stones film the performance that would become the quadrophonic concert documentary Ladies And Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones.

1973: After an extensive two-year investigation, 19 major music label heads, including Clive Davis of Arista and the Gamble-Huff team behind Philadelphia International, are indicted by the state of New Jersey for "payola" practices and income tax evasion.

1973: Legendary rock organist Al Kooper rejoins his first band, Blues Project, onstage during a concert in Central Park.

1977: En route to his hotel while on tour in Madison, WI, Elvis spots an altercation between two young men and a gas station attendant and immediately gets out of his limo, striking a karate pose, shouting "I'll take you on!" When all three get a glimpse of their intruder, however, they immediately forget the fight and ask for pictures and photographs.

1984: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin joins Yes onstage in Dortmund, Germany for a cover of the Beatles' "I'm Down," further fueling rumors that the guitarist will assemble a new band called XYZ (Ex-Yes and Zeppelin).

1988: UB40 bass player Earl Falconer was sent to prison for six months, with a further 12 suspended, after admitting to causing his brothers death in a car accident.

1989: Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Back To Life'. Their only UK No.1 peaked at No.4 on the US chart.

1989: The Beatles finally get a US #1 Country hit when Rosanne Cash's cover of "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" reaches the top spot.

1990: Perry Bamonte replaced Roger O'Donnell as keyboardist in The Cure.

1990: New Kids On The Block's Donnie Wahlberg spent two days in hospital after falling through an unlocked trapdoor mid-concert in Saratoga Springs, New York.

1992: Billy Joel's old alma mater, Hicksville High in Long Island, NY, awards the singer-songwriter an honorary diploma in place of the one he never stayed in school to receive.

1993: Hank Williams' illegitimate daughter Jett, is awarded a piece of the country legend's estate from his son, Hank Jr.

1998: Johnny Cash makes his first public appearance since announcing his battle with Shy-Drager Syndrome, walking onstage at Kris Kristofferson's latest Nashville concert to sing Cash's hit "Sunday Morning Coming Down," written by Kris.

1999: Eric Clapton auctions off one hundred of the guitars in his collection to raise money for his Crossroads drug rehab clinic in Antigua, with the 1956 Fender "Layla" was written on going for nearly half a million dollars, a record at the time. Five years later, a similar auction, held like the first at Christie's in New York, nets another record -- almost one million dollars for another Fender Clapton named "Blackie," making it the most expensive guitar of all time.

2000: Preparing for "retirement," KISS begin auctioning off their quarter-century of band memorabilia, netting $876,000.

2003: Gert van der Graaf, former boyfriend of ABBA's Agnetha Faeltskog, is arrested near her home for stalking the singer, despite having received a restraining order three years earlier.

2003: Beyoncé Knowles released her debut solo album "Dangerously in Love".

2004: US President George W. Bush awards the Medal of Freedom to Doris Day.

June 23

Births

1929: June Carter Cash (Country Singer)

1937: Niki Sullivan (Guitar for The Crickets)

1940: Stu Sutcliffe (Original Bassist for The Beatles)

1941: Robert Hunter (Singer & Guitar for Grateful Dead)

1956: Randy Darius Jackson (Bass Player & American Idol Judge)

1962: Steve Shelley (Drums for Sonic Youth)

1964: Joey Allen (Guitar for Warrant)

1965: Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs (Guitar for Oasis)

1966: James MacPherson (Drummer for The Breeders)

1977: Jason Mraz (Singer/Songwriter & Guitarist)

1984: (Duffy) Aimee Anne Duffy (Singer)

Events

1960: Paul Anka opens at New York's Copacabana nightclub, the youngest act ever to do so at the time.

1960:  Guitarist Eddie Cochran was at No.1 in the UK with the single 'Three Steps To Heaven'. The American singer had been killed 3 months earlier in a car crash while touring the UK.

1963: Del Shannon's cover of the Beatles' "From Me To You" hits the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100, thus becoming the first Lennon-McCartney composition to ever make the US charts.

1965: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles released "The Tracks Of My Tears".

1967: John Entwistle ,Bassist for The Who, marries his first wife childhood sweetheart Alison Wise.

1967: Aretha Franklin recorded "Chain Of Fools".

1970: Chubby Checker and three passengers are arrested in Niagara Falls after police discover marijuana and other, unidentified capsules in the rocker's car. The charges are later dropped, however.

1972: Smokey Robinson appears onstage for the last time with his group The Miracles in Washington, DC.

1975: Alice Cooper falls off the stage during his Welcome To My Nightmare tour stop in Vancouver, breaking six ribs in the process.

1976: Paul McCartney wraps up the Wings Over America tour at the Forum in Los Angeles, marking last time the ex-Beatle would tour until 1989.

1977: Who drummer Keith Moon joins Led Zeppelin onstage in Los Angeles for rousing versions of "Rock And Roll" and a drum duet on "Moby Dick," both pounded out on tympani.

1979: The Charlie Daniels Band released "The Devil Went Down To Georgia".

1979: The Knack released the single “My Sharona”.

1984: Duran Duran started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Reflex', the group's first US No.1.

1990: Actor Gary Busey, best-known for his lead role in the controversial 1978 biopic The Buddy Holly Story, purchases one of Buddy's guitars, complete with tooled leather case made by the rocker, in auction for approximately $240,000.

1990: 13-year-old Keith Sorrentino filed a $500,000 lawsuit against Madonna, claiming he suffered nightmares and bed-wetting problems after an incident outside Madonna’s home when she allegedly flung him to the ground.

2000: Michael Jackson is sued by a German promoter for $21 million after the singer cancels two once-in-a-lifetime millennial New Year's concerts.

2003: Diana Ross pleads not guilty to drunk driving charges in Tucson after being discovered with a 0.2 BAC, claiming that the arresting officer threatened her with injury if she didn't take the breath test.

2003: In London, Eminem gave a $450,000 necklace to a fan in the front row of a concert. He had announced while from the stage that "I'm going to give this to the sexiest woman I see."

2004: St. Andrews University in Scotland presents Bob Dylan with an honorary doctorate in Music.

2009: Chris Brown pleaded guilty to one count of assault on his former girlfriend, Rihanna. The 19 year-old R&B singer was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to do six months community service. Brown had faced charges of assaulting Rihanna, 21, during a fight in February. The last-minute plea deal came before a hearing at a Los Angeles court at which Rihanna was due to give evidence. The Los Angeles County Superior Court judge also ordered Brown and Rihanna to stay at least 50 yards from each other, except at entertainment industry events when the distance is reduced to 10 yards.

June 22

Births

1930: Roy Drusky (Country Singer)

1936: Kris Kristofferson (Country Singer, Songwriter & Guitarist)

1936: Verne Allison (Vocals in The Dells)

1937: Chris Blackwell (Founded Island Records)

1943: Jimmy Castor (R&B Artist)

1944: Peter Asher (Vocals for Peter and Gordon)

1947: Howard Kaylan (Lead Singer for The Turtles)

1948: Todd Rundgren (Singer, Keyboards & Guitar)

1949: Larry Junstrom (Bass for .38 Special)

1953: Cyndi Lauper (Pop Singer)

1956: Derek Forbes (Bass for Simple Minds)

1956: Green Gartside (Singer for Scritti Politti)

1957: Gary Beers (Bass for INXS)

1959: Alan Anton (Bass for the Cowboy Junkies)

1961: Jimmy Somerville (Singer for Bronski Beat)

1964: Bobby Gillespie (Guitar & Vocals for Primal Scream)

1964: Mike Edwards (Vocals for Jesus Jones)

1970: Steven Page (Guitar & Vocals for Barenaked Ladies)

1973: Carson Daly (Late Night Host & TRL Host)

1981: Chris Urbanowicz (Guitarist for Editors)

Events

1846: Adolphe Sax patents his new musical instrument in Paris, a new style of woodwind called the Saxophone that would function more as a member of the brass family. Although his patent would be challenged by other craftsmen, his instrument became an integral part of jazz, rock and roll, and ska.

1956: Elvis Presley started a three-day run playing 10 shows at the Paramount Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. The stage manager was told; "Pull all white lights. Presley works all in color, Presley act has no encore. When he leaves the stage, immediately close curtains.”

1957: Liverpool skiffle group The Quarrymen, later to morph into the Beatles, play their first major gig at a local fete by performing on the back of a coal truck. Four years later to the day, the Beatles (with Pete Best on drums) would have their first formal recording session, performing "My Bonnie," "When The Saints Go Marching In," "Why Can't You Love Me Again," "Nobody's Child," and "Take Out Some Insurance On Me Baby" while backing singer Tony Sheridan. The sessions, produced by Bert Kaempfert in Hamburg, Germany, also feature "Ain't She Sweet" and the instrumental "Cry For A Shadow," which are both performed by the group alone.

1961: Elvis Presley's seventh movie, a serious drama called Wild In The Country, opens nationwide in US theaters.

1963: The Surfaris released the single "Wipe Out".

1963: 13-year old Stevie Wonder first entered the US singles chart as Little Stevie Wonder with 'Fingertips Parts One and Two.'

1964: Barbra Streisand signs a $200,000 ten-year contract with CBS for a series of television specials.

1967: The drug possession trial of Rolling Stone members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards opened in London.

1968: The Jeff Beck Group makes its US stage debut in New York at the Fillmore East ballroom.

1968: Rolling Stone first reports on the existence of an unissued Bob Dylan album recorded with The Band during his extended convalescence at Woodstock, NY; it would finally see the light of day in 1975 as The Basement Tapes.

1969: Blind Faith's first and only LP was released.

1969: Judy Garland was found dead in the bathroom of a rented Chelsea, London house. The coroner, Gavin Thursdon, stated at the inquest that the cause of death was "an incautious self-overdosage" of barbiturates at age 47.

1975: Eric Clapton joins the Rolling Stones for a version of "Sympathy For The Devil" during the band's Madison Square Garden concert.

1981: John Lennon's murderer pleads guilty to his crime and is sentenced to 20 Years to Life in New York's Attica State prison. He has since been up for parole five times, and has been denied every time.

1985: Bryan Adams started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Heaven', his first No.1 single. The song had been featured in the film 'Night In Heaven'.

1987: Singer & Dancer Fred Astaire died from pneumonia ay 88 years old.

1988: Peter Tosh's murderer, Dennis Lobban, is sentenced to hanging by a court in his native Jamaica. Lobban, who was known to Tosh, and two others had murdered the reggae star in his home the previous year after a failed robbery.

1988: American session guitarist Jesse Ed Davis died of a heroin overdose after collapsing in a laundry room in Venice, California, aged 43. Worked with Conway Twitty, The Monkees, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, Keith Moon, Jackson Browne, Steve Miller, Harry Nilsson and Taj Mahal.

1990: Billy Joel performs a concert at Yankee Stadium, the first rocker ever to do so.

1992: Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was rushed to hospital after a gig in Belfast, Northern Ireland suffering from acute stomach pains brought on by ulcers.

1992: Three members of M.C. Hammer's tour crew were wounded in a drive in shooting incident, three days later Joseph Mack, a dancer in Hammer's entourage was shot on stage during a concert in Nevada.

1996: The brother of singer Diana Ross, Arthur Ross and his wife were murdered by suffocation in the basement of their rented Detroit home. The badly decomposed bodies were discovered after neighbors complained of a foul odor coming from the house. Two men were later charged with murder and robbery. Arthur Ross had written songs for Marvin Gaye, The Miracles and Madonna.

2000: After giving himself various new identities' during the 90's, The Artist Formally Known As Prince announced he wanted to be known as Prince again.

2002: U2 guitarist 'The Edge' married his girlfriend of ten years Morleigh Steinberg in Eze in the south of France. The couple first met when she was a belly dancer on the bands Zoo TV tour. Guest's included Bono, Eurythmics Dave Stewart and Lenny Kravitz.

2008: Coldplay went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Viva La Vida', their first UK No.1. History was made by this single, as it had no physical CD-single release in the UK, being available by internet download only. The song won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2009.

June 21

Births

1932: O.C. Smith (R&B Singer)

1940: Ray Davies (Guitarist & Lead Singer of The Kinks)

1946: Brenda Holloway (R&B Singer)

1948: Joey Molland (Guitar for Badfinger)

1948: Leo Sayer (Singer)

1949: Greg Munford (Strawberry Alarm Clock)

1950: Joey Kramer (Drummer for Aerosmith)

1951: Nils Lofgren (Guitarist)

1957: Mark Brzezicki (Drums for Big Country)

1959: Kathy Mattea (Country Singer)

1961: Kip Winger (Singer for Winger)

1969: Pat Sansone (multi-instrumentalist for Wilco)

1976: Michael Einziger (Guitar for Incubus)

1981: Brandon Flowers (Vocals & Keyboards for The Killers)

1985: Kris Allen (American Idol Winner 2009)

Events

1955: Johnny Cash released "Hey Porter".

1958: Bobby Darin released "Splish Splash".

1962: As part of manager Brian Epstein's plan to get the band wider exposure by having them open for established acts, the Beatles open for Bruce Chanel of "Hey! Baby!" fame at the Tower Ballroom, in New Brighton, England. Backstage, Channel's harmonica player, who will go on to fame as Delbert McClinton, offers John Lennon some tips on playing harmonica, which Lennon will later put to use on the band's first single, "Love Me Do."

1966: The Rolling Stones sue fourteen New York City hotels who have refused to admit the band during their North American tour, disingenuously accusing them of "discrimination on account of national origin."

1966: Jimmy Page made his live debut with The Yardbirds at the Marquee Club, London.

1966: Tom Jones needed 14 stitches in his forehead after his Jaguar was involved in a car crash in Marble Arch, London.

1967: San Francisco's Golden Gate Park celebrates the Summer Solstice with a free concert with entertainment by The Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Quicksilver Messenger Service.

1968: Influenced by the recent assassination of Robert Kennedy, Steve Binder, director of Elvis Presley's upcoming NBC-TV special, asks musical director Bones Howe to write a "socially conscious" song for Elvis' big closing number, which had been slated to be the standard "I'll Be Home For Christmas." Howe writes the replacement song, "If I Can Dream," that afternoon; after hearing it a half-dozen times, Elvis agrees to end with it.

1970: Who guitarist Pete Townshend, while waiting for his flight at the airport in Memphis, likens the band's latest album, Tommy, to the atomic bomb, causing officials who misheard the remark to search the facilities for a real bomb.

1973: The band Bread, already having decided to break up, play their last live gig ever in Salt Lake City after one of its tour trucks flips over and destroys most of its gear.

1975: Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore leaves the band to form Rainbow.

1975: James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is" was released.

1979: Angus MacLise, Velvet Underground's first drummer died of tuberculosis aged 34. He quit the band in 1965.

1980: French police arrested all members of The Stranglers after a concert at Nice University for allegedly starting a riot.

1981: After a number of lawsuits, deaths, and accidents, Steely Dan break up, not to fully reform onstage until 2000.

1988: The Rascals reunite onstage for the first time in eighteen years.

1990: Little Richard is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6840 Hollywood Blvd.

1994: George Michael lost his lawsuit against Sony Records. Michael claimed that his 15-year contract with Sony was unfair because the company could refuse to release albums it thought wouldn't be commercially successful. Michael vowed he would never record for Sony again. He re-signed with the company in 2003.

1999: Pantera rode a float in the Dallas Stars Stanley Cup victory parade in downtown Dallas. Pantera is responsible for the Stars' theme song.

2000: 39 year-old Karen McNeil who claimed she was the wife of Axl Rose and that she communicated with him telepathically was jailed for one year for stalking the singer.

2001: John Lee Hooker, American blues singer and guitarist died in his sleep aged 83. Had hits will 'Boom Boom', 'Dimples' and 'I'm In The Mood'. His songs have been covered by many artists including Cream, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison, The Yardbirds, The Doors and The White Stripes. He appeared and sang in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers.

2003: Johnny Cash makes a surprise appearance live on stage in Hiltons, VA, near the birthplace of his recently-deceased wife June Carter Cash, saying "I don't hardly know what to say tonight about being up here without her... the pain is so severe, there's no way of describing it."

2007: After dating her for a full eighteen years, Tony Bennett marries teacher Susan Crow.