July 2

Births

1948: Gene McFadden (Singer in McFadden and Whitehead)

1949: Roy Bittan (Keyboards for The E Street Band)

1952: Johnny Colla (Guitar & Sax for Huey Lewis and the News)

1965: Dave Parsons (Bass for Bush)

1970: Monie Love (Simone Riscoe) (Rapper)

1974: Rocky Gray (Drummer for Evanescence)

1983: Michelle Branch (Singer / Songwriter)

1985: Ashley Tisdale (Pop Singer)

1986: Lindsay Lohan

Events

1955: ABC-TV premieres a new musical variety program called Dodge Dancing Party, which had already been airing locally in Los Angeles for four years; it would later be retitled The Lawrence Welk Show after its bandleader and host.

1956: Elvis Presley recorded "Hound Dog" & "Don't Be Cruel”.  Take 31 being the version of “Hound Dog” that they released. This was the first time The Jordanaires worked with Presley.

1962: Jim Reeves records what would be his last songs for RCA before his fatal plane crash just over one month later.

1962: After breaking his ankle during a jump with the 101st Airborne, James (later Jimi) Hendrix receives an honorary discharge from the US Army.

1966: While touring in Japan, the Beatles wire EMI their choice for the next album title: Revolver.

1967: Rick Nelson's new TV series, Malibu U, premieres on ABC-TV. It is not a hit.

1969: Leslie West forms Mountain, named after his recent solo album.

1969: Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell leave the Jimi Hendrix Experience after completing the three-day Denver Pop Festival. Hendrix and drummer Mitch Mitchell would later team with bassist Billy Cox to form the short-lived Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, who played at the Woodstock Festival.

1971: Queen appeared at Surrey College, England. This was the group's first gig with the line-up of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon.

1973: After endless disputes with leader Bryan Ferry over the direction of the group, keyboardist Brian Eno leaves Roxy Music.

1976: After twelve years of staying at home while the band tours, Beach Boy & resident genius Brian Wilson finally joins his band onstage at a gig in Anaheim, CA. Though he mostly stares at the piano in front of him, he does sing lead on the group's rendition of "In My Room."

1979: The Walkman, the world's first portable cassette player, is introduced by Sony.

1980: The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, along with manager Danny Rifken, are arrested in San Diego after allegedly interfering with a drug bust during the band's concert there.

1986: For the first time, Bob Dylan joins The Grateful Dead onstage for a rendition of his own "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" at a gig in Akron, OH.

1986: The Prince movie "Under The Cherry Moon" was released. It was his second movie.

1988: Michael Jackson became the first artist to have five number one singles from one album when ‘Dirty Diana’ went to the top of the US charts. The other four chart-toppers from the LP ‘Bad’ were the title track, ‘I Just Can't Stop Loving You’, ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ and ‘Man in the Mirror’.

1991: Axl Rose caused a riot to break out during a Guns N' Roses gig after leaping into the crowd to remove a camera from a fan at the Riverpoint Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights. Over 50 people were injured and 15 fans were arrested.

1992: Mick Jagger becomes a grandfather with the birth of Assisi Lola Jackson by his daughter Jade.

2001: Liverpool Airport is renamed John Lennon Airport in honor of its native son, sporting a new logo that features a Lennon self-portrait and the words "Above Us Only Sky" from his solo song "Imagine."

2005: The Live 8 concerts are held simultaneously all over the world to benefit impoverished African nations, featuring performances by Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Chuck Berry, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, The Who, and a reunited Pink Floyd which was their first time playing together in 24 years.

2008: The gravestone of former Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis was stolen. Cheshire Police said his memorial stone was taken from where he is buried in Macclesfield Cemetery. Officers were appealing for anyone with information on its whereabouts, detectives said the stone, had the inscription ‘Ian Curtis 18 - 5 - 80’ and the words ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’.

July 1

Births

1915: Willie Dixon (Blues Musician)

1939: Delaney Bramlett (Delaney and Bonnie)

1945: Deborah Harry (Singer for Blondie & Solo)

1951: Fred Schneider (Vocals for The B-52’s & Solo)

1954: Keith Whitley (Country Singer / Songwriter)

1956: Phil Solem (Singer for The Rembrandts)

1960: Evelyn "Champagne" King (R&B Singer)

1963: Roddy Bottum (Keyboards for Faith No More)

1967: Pamela Anderson (…Just because)

1971: Missy Elliott (Rapper)

Events

1897: The trade paper Billboard Advertising renames itself The Billboard.

1956: NBC's Steve Allen Show capitalizes on the outrage engendered by Elvis Presley's recent version of "Hound Dog" on The Milton Berle Show by winkingly presenting a new, "clean" Elvis, dressed in a tuxedo and singing "Hound Dog" to an actual basset hound perched on a stool. Backstage, a humiliated Elvis explodes in fury at the Colonel for agreeing to the stunt. The next day, however, fans protest the show, demanding "The REAL Elvis."

1956: An 11-year-old Brenda Lee signs her first recording contract with Decca Records.

1959: Dave Brubeck recorded "Take Five".

1964: Married only four days before, Michael Nesmith of The Monkees leaves his San Antonio home to make a name for himself as a folk singer in Los Angeles.

1968: The Band released their debut album Music From Big Pink. The album, which features their first hit single The Weight, was recorded in studios in New York and Los Angeles in 1968, and followed the group's backing of Bob Dylan on his 1966 tour (as The Hawks).

1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono, along with his son Julian and her daughter Kyoko, are injured in a car crash near Golspie, Scotland. John gets 17 stitches in his face while Yoko has 14; soon, he will bring a cot into Abbey Road studios so she can rest comfortably while he records "Come Together."

1969: Legendary producer Sam Phillips sells his Sun Records Studio in Memphis.

1970: Casey Kasem begins his weekly Billboard countdown on the nationally syndicated radio show American Top 40.

1975: Ringo Starr divorces his first wife Maureen Cox after a decade of marriage.

1976: Connie Francis is awarded $2.5 million from the motel where she was sexually assaulted two years earlier.

1981: Rushton Moreve (Bass for Steppenwolf) died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in Santa Barbara, California. He was 32.

1983: A New Jersey based quintet calling themselves Bon Jovi signed to Phonogram's Mercury records.

1989: Milli Vanilli scored their first US No.1 single with 'Baby Don't Forget My Number'.

1990: Hank Williams Jr. marries his fourth wife--Mary Jane Thomas, a former model for Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion--in Montana. They honeymoon in Tanzania, where they discover their camp is infested with cobras.

1995: Wolfman Jack died of a heart attack at 57 years old.

1998: In her Malibu home, Barbra Streisand marries her second husband, actor James Brolin.

1999: Reggae artist Dennis Brown was rushed to Kingston's University Hospital, suffering from cardiac arrest on June 30^th. Brown died on this day in 1999 and the official cause of his death was a collapsed lung, although his cocaine habit was considered a contributing factor. He was 42 years old.

2003: Jazz flutist Herbie Mann died after a long battle with prostate cancer at 73 years old.

2004: Glen Campbell began serving 10 nights in jail along with two years of probation for a November 2003 drink-driving, hit-and-run collision. The 68 year old entertainer was also sentenced to 75 hours of community service and fined $900.

2005: Four Tops singer Renaldo "Obie" Benson died aged 69 in a Detroit hospital from lung cancer. He was diagnosed after having a leg amputated due to circulation problems.

2005: American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer Luther Vandross died at the age of 54 at the JFK Medical Centre in New Jersey, two years after suffering a major stroke.

2008: Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley, died at the age of 60 from cancer of the oesophagus. Galley also played with Trapeze, Glenn Hughes, Cozy Powell and the Blue Jays.

2011: Supermodel Kate Moss married Guitarist Jamie Hince of The Kills in England's Cotswolds region.

June 30

Births

1917: Lena Horne (Jazz Singer)

1943: Florence Ballard (Vocals for The Supremes)

1944: Glenn Shorrock (Vocals for Little River Band)

1949: Andrew Scott (Guitarist for Sweet)

1951: Stanley Clarke (Jazz Bass player in Return To Forever & Solo)

1953: Hal Lindes (Guitar for Dire Straits)

1957: Doug Sampson (Drummer for Iron Maiden)

1963: Yngwie J. Malmsteen (Metal Guitarist)

1968: Philip Anselmo (Vocals for Pantera & Down)

1979: Matisyahu (Matthew Miller) (Reggae Artist)

1981: Andy Knowles (Drummer for Franz Ferdinand)

1982: Dan Jacobs (Guitar for Atreyu)

1984: Fantasia Barrino (Singer & American Idol winner)

Events

1939: Frank Sinatra made his first appearance with Harry James’ band.

1966: The Beatles played the first of three concerts at the Nippon Budokan Hall, Japan. The concert was filmed with The Beatles wearing black suits. The following day's first performance was also filmed; with The Beatles wearing white suits. There was a strict police presence with 3,000 police observing each concert played in front of 10,000 fans.

1966: The Supremes made the studio recording of "You Keep Me Hangin' On."

1975: Cher married Greg Allman four days after her divorcing Sonny Bono, the couple split after ten days, followed by a three year on and off marriage.

1975: The Jackson Five announced that they were leaving Motown Records for Epic Records. The brothers were forced to change their name to The Jacksons since Motown owned the other name.

1976: Police raided the home of Neil Diamond searching for drugs, they found less than one ounce of marijuana.

1976: Stuart Goddard (Adam Ant) placed the following ad in the classified section of the Melody Maker, 'Beat on a bass, with the B-Sides.' Andy Warren answered the ad and the pair went on to form Adam and The Ants.

1977: Marvel Comics launched a comic book based on the rock group Kiss using their own blood mixed in with the ink.

1978: United Artists released The Buzzcocks single 'Love You More', at 1 minute 29 seconds it was the second shortest single ever released. Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs 1960 hit 'Stay' was the shortest hit at one minute 28 seconds.

1978: The Sex Pistols' "My Way" was released.

1983: The Everly Brothers announced plans for a reunion tour, ten years after they had split up.

1989: Police were called in to control over 4,000 Bobby Brown fans trying to see him at the HMV Record store in London's Oxford Street, six fans were hospitalized and one had to be given the kiss of life.

1989: The Stone Roses played at Leeds Polytechnic in England. The gig almost didn't take place after a security man wouldn't let singer Ian Brown into the gig.

1990: Police raided Chuck Berry's estate and seized homemade porn videos, drugs and guns.

1995: American soul singer Phyllis Hyman committed suicide by overdosing on pentobarbital and secobarbital in her New York City apartment aged 45. She was found hours before she was scheduled to perform at the Apollo Theatre, in New York.

1995: Garth Brooks was given a star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame. The Country singer buried the master tapes of his 'Hits' album under the star.

2000: Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones) checked into a rehabilitation clinic in London to be treated for alcohol abuse.

2001: American guitarist and producer Chet Atkins died in Nashville aged 77. Recorded over 100 albums during his career, produced records for Perry Como, Elvis Presley, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves and Waylon Jennings. Was a major influence on George Harrison and Mark Knopfler.

2001: Beach Boys member Al Jardine went to court in a bid to sue his former band mates, claiming he had been frozen out of the Beach Boys. The $4 million suit was filed against Mike Love, Brian Wilson, the Carl Wilson Trust and Brother Records Incorporated in a New York Superior Court. In 1998 a US judge temporarily barred Jardine from performing under the name “Beach Boys Family And Friends” after representations from Mike Love and Brother Records. Jardine lost the case in 2003.

2004: Kinks founder member Dave Davies was left paralyzed on the right-hand side of his body after suffering a stroke. The 57-year-old guitarist and brother of fellow Kinks star Ray Davies had been promoting his solo material when he collapsed.

2004: Pete Doherty was kicked out of from The Libertines due to his well known addiction problems specifically with crack cocaine and heroin.

2005: Nick Carter from The Backstreet Boys was fined $1,200 after admitting to drink-driving in California. The 25-year-old singer was also put on probation for three years, ordered to attend an alcohol education course and banned from driving for 90 days.