1927 Mose Allison, singer, songwriter, pianist, blues artist, his songs have been covered by The Who John Mayall, Elvis Costello, Georgie Fame.
1929 Lavern Baker, R&B singer, (1958 US No.6 single ‘I Cried A Tear’). Died 10th March 1997.
1936 Opal Courtney Jr, singer with 50’s doo-wop group The Spaniels. Their 1954 hit ‘Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight’ was featured in such films as Three Men and a Baby, Diner and American Graffiti. Died on 18th Sept 2008.
1938 Roger Lavern Jackson born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. UK Keyboard Player with The Tornados, (1962 UK & US No.1 single ‘Telstar’). The first major hit from a UK act on the American chart. Died 15 June 2013)
1944 Frank Sinatra began a long and successful career with Columbia Records this day.
1945 Vince Martell born in The Bronx, New York City, New York. US Guitarist with Vanilla Fudge, (1968 US No.6 single ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’).
1945 Composer Jerome Kern, who wrote such memorable tunes as “Ol’ Man River,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” and “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” died at the age of 60.
1946 Chip Hawkins – Bass Vocalist with the Tremeloes, (1963 UK No.1 single ‘Do You Love Me’, 1967 US No.11 single ‘Silence Is Golden’). Father of singer & actor Chesney Hawkes.
1946 Chris Dreja born in Surbiton, England. rhythm guitar, bass, percussion (1963-1968, 1982-1983, 1992-2013) with The Yardbirds, (1965 UK No.3 & US No.6 single ‘For Your Love’).
1947 Pat Daugherty – US Bassist with Black Oak Arkansas, (70’s US No.1 radio hit single ‘Jim Dandy To The Rescue’).
1950 Jim Peterik born in Berwyn, Illinois. g American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the founder of the band Survivor, as vocalist and songwriter of “Vehicle” by the Ides of March, and as co-writer of the anthem “Eye of the Tiger”, the theme from the motion picture Rocky III. Ides Of March, (1970 US No.2 single ‘Vehicle), Survivor, (1982 US & UK No.1 single ‘Eye Of The Tiger’).
1952 Paul Cowsill born in Portsmouth, Virginia. US Singer and keyboard player with The Cowsills, (1967 US No.2 single ‘The Rain, The Park & Other Things’, 1969 US No.2 single the theme from ‘Hair’). TV’s Partrige Family was based on the family.
1953 Andy Partridge born in Mtarfa, Malta. UK Guitarist/Singer and Songwriter with XTC, (1982 UK No.10 single ‘Senses Working Overtime’). He lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was brought up.
1954 Bill Haley scored his first US Top ten single with ‘Shake Rattle And Roll’. He had dropped his cowboy image about a year and a half earlier, while renaming The Saddlemen to Bill Haley and His Comets. The song became the theme song for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League. ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’ was originally made popular by Big Joe Turner.
1955 Elvis Presley was voted the most promising new country & western artist by Billboard magazine.
1956 Ian Craig Marsh born in Sheffield, England. UK Pianist and Songwriter with Heaven 17, (1983 UK No.2 single ‘Temptation’), Human League, (1981 UK No.1 single ‘Don’t You Want Me’ plus over 15 other UK top 40 singles).
1957 Elvis Presley appeared at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, this was Presley’s last concert of the 50’s. Presley served in the United States Army between March 1958 and March 1960 and at the time of his draft he was one of the most well-known names in the world of entertainment.
1957 Mike Mesaros, US group, The Smithereens, (1988 US No.41 album ‘Smithereens 11).
1957 Tony “Gad” Robinson. Keyboardist with Aswad, (1988 UK No.1 single ‘Don’t Turn Around’).
1957 Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his third wife and cousin, Myra Gale Brown in Tennessee.
1957 “Little Bitty Pretty One” by Thurston Harris peaked at #6 on the US singles chart.
1957 “Silhouettes” by The Diamonds peaked at #10 on the US ingles chart.
1962 Gunnar Mathias “Mic” Michaeli born in Upplands Väsby, Sweden. Norwegian Keyboard Player and Songwriter with Europe
1962 Frank Ifield was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Lovesick Blues’, the singers second UK No.1
1964 The Searchers went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with “When You Walk In The Room”. Staying at No.1 for one week.
1965 The final recording session for The Beatles Rubber Soul album took place, at Abbey Road, London. They needed three new songs to finish the album so an old song ‘Wait’ is pulled off the shelf and the group recorded two new songs from start to finish. Paul’s ‘You Won’t See Me’ and John’s ‘Girl’, the basic tracks for both songs being completed in two takes. Rubber Soul was completed, and finished copies of the album were in the shops by December 3 in the UK and December 6 in the US.
1965 The Beatles recorded “You Won’t See Me,” “Girl,” “Wait,” “I’m Looking Through You”
1967 HITBOUND: NEW ON THE CHARTS SUPREMES with “IN AND OUT OF LOVE”.. LINDA RONSTADT & THE STONE PONEYS’ “DIFFERENT DRUM”.. and “MASSACHUSETS” from the BEE GEES 1967 #1 SONG IN ENGLAND FOUNDATIONS and “BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU” starts a 3-week run at #1 in England. In the US, the song peaks at #11, during the winter of ’68
1967 AMERICAN BANDSTAND VAN MORRISON (“BROWN EYED GIRL”) is the guest
1968 John Lennon and Yoko Ono release their infamous Unfinished Music No. 1 — Two Virgins album, which features a full-frontal nude cover photo of the couple.
1969 Beatles with Billy Preston release “Get Back” in the UK.
1969 Gary Powell, drummer, The Libertines, (2004 UK No.1 album ‘The Libertines’). Played with the New York Dolls for their 2004 reunion shows, Dirty Pretty Things, (2006 UK No.3 album ‘Waterloo to Anywhere’).
1969 The FBI in Phoenix, Arizona arrested Jim Morrison for drunk and disorderly conduct aboard a plane. The Doors singer who was on his way to a Rolling Stones concert with actor Tom Baker had been drinking and annoying the stewardesses. The pair spent the night in jail and were released on $2,500 bail.
1970 “I Think I Love You” single by Partridge Family was certified Gold by the RIAA
1970 Two very different albums entitled “Plastic Ono Band”, one by John Lennon and the other by Yoko Ono, are released at the same time on Apple in the U.S. and U.K.
1971 BBC TV’s Top Of The Pops celebrated its 400th show. The UK chart show was presented by Tony Blackburn with guests; Tom Jones, Dana, John Kongos, Cher, Slade, Cilla Black, The Piglets, Clodagh Rodgers and The Newbeats.
1971 Olivia Newton John went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with “Banks Of The Old Ohio. Staying at No.1 for two weeks.
1972 Allman Brothers bass player Berry Oakley was killed when his motorcycle hit a bus at the same intersection as former band member Duane Allman, who had died a year earlier. Oakley was 24 years old.
1972 Gilbert O’Sullivan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Clair’, the singers first of two UK No.1’s. The Irish singer songwriter would dress as a 1920s worker in flat cap, braces and baggy trousers.
1973 American musician Jason White, lead guitarist. He was a touring member of Green Day from 1999 until 2012 and played lead guitar in the majority of their live shows. During late 2012 he became an official member of the band, with Green Day becoming a four-piece group.
1973 Thirty US radio stations broadcasted a ‘live’ Mott The Hoople concert. In reality it was the band recorded in the studio with the applause dubbed in.
1974 Stephen Garrett (Static Major), American R&B singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer Also a member of the R&B trio Playa. Static Major gained posthumous fame for appearing in Lil Wayne’s 2008 No.1 hit Lollipop. Garrett died on Feb 25th 2008 at his home in Louisville, Kentucky.
1975 “Diamonds & Rust” album by Joan Baez was certified Gold by the RIAA
1975 “Piano Man” album by Billy Joel was certified Gold by the RIAA
1975 “Sedaka’s Back” album by Neil Sedaka was certified Gold by the RIAA
1975 “Extra Texture” album by George Harrison was certified Gold by the RIAA
1975 “Foghat” album by Foghat was certified Gold by the RIAA
1976 “Destroyer” album by KISS was certified Platinum by the RIAA
1976 “Free For All” album by Ted Nugent was certified Gold by the RIAA
1976 “Rock & Roll Over” album by KISS was certified Gold by the RIAA
1976 KISS, the heavy-metal/glitter rock band the critics love to hate, earns another gold record for their album, “Rock and Roll Over.” It contains the hit “Calling Dr. Love.”
1976 US singer Linda Ronstadt made her UK live debut when she appeared at the Birmingham Odeon
1976 “Four Seasons Of Love” album by Donna Summer was certified Gold by the RIAA
1977 Wings release “Mull of Kintyre” & “Girl’s School”.
1978 Donna Summer started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with her version of Jimmy Webb’s ‘MacArther Park’, also a hit for actor Richard Harris in 1968, (made No.5 in the UK). Also on this day Summer went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Live And More’.
1978 The Cars released ‘My Best Friend’s Girl’, the first picture-disc single commercially available, which went on to be a No.3 hit on the UK charts.
1978 David Bowie played the first night of his 8-date Low / Heroes tour of Australia and New Zealand at The Oval in Adelaide. This was Bowies first ever show in Australia.
1978 “Beast Of Burden” by Rolling Stones peaked at #8 on the pop singles chart.
1978 On the same day that ex-Rufus lead singer Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” hits Number One on the soul chart, the album from which it came, “Chaka,” enters the soul LP chart where it peaks at #2.
1981 Olivia Newton John went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with “Physical”. Staying at No.1 for three weeks in a row.
1981 “867-5309/jenny” single by Tommy Tutone was released
1981 Rod Stewart kicks off his first North American tour in three years in Greensboro, North Carolina. Billed “Le Grand Tour of America and Canada — Worth Leaving Home For,” the tour promotes his latest album, “Tonight I’m Yours.”
1982 Prince kicked off his 87-date ‘1999’ North American tour at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1985 The first night of a UK tour by Go West at the Apollo Manchester, England, supported by Heart.
1986 Appearing at Birmingham’s Powerhouse, England, Big Audio Dynamite, tickets £5
1986 Pink Floyd issued a press statement stating that they intend to continue using the name without Roger Waters and were recording their next album.
1987 “Richard Marx” album by Richard Marx was certified Gold by the RIAA
1989 Bad English started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘When I See You Smile’, a No.61 hit in the UK.
1989 Diane Warren became the first female to write the top two songs in the US singles chart with Bad English’s “When I See You Smile,” and Milli Vanilli’s “Blame it on the Rain.”
1989 Chris Rea started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘The Road To Hell.’ The iconic album cover features art by the English artist, Adrian Chesterman who was also responsible for creating cover art for, amongst others, Motörhead for their 1979 ‘Bomber’ album.
1989 Lisa Stansfield was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘All Around The World’. The British singers debut solo single was a No.1 hit in 11 other countries and a No.3 hit in the US.
1989 Melissa Etheridge and Joe Cocker entertain Germans celebrating the newly tumbled Berlin Wall.
1990 A 21 year-old AC/DC fan died after being attacked outside the Brendan Byrne Arena in New Jersey where the band were playing a gig that night.
1991 Right Said Fred went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with “I’m Too Sexy”. Staying at No.1 for two weeks.
1995 Actors Robson and Jerome had their second UK No.1 single when ‘I Believe/Up On The Roof’, started a four week run at the top of the charts.
1995 The Smashing Pumpkins double album ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ went to No.1 on the US chart. The band had formed in 1988.
1996 Warren G feat. Adina Howard went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with “What’s Love Got To Do With It”. Staying at the top spot for 5 weeks in a row.
1997 “Tubthumper” album by Chumbawamba was certified Platinum by the RIAA
1997 “Bridges To Babalon” album by The Rolling Stones was certified Gold and Platinum
1998 Irish singer Paddy Clancy of the Clancy Brothers died aged 76, he wrote the classic Irish songs ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ and ‘Carrickfergus.’
1998 Reef played the first night of a 15-date UK tour at The Que Club, Birmingham, England supported by Symposium. Eef
1999 Britney Spears won four MTV Awards; Best Female Singer, Best Pop Act, Best Song, ‘…Baby One More Time’, Best Breakthrough Artist. Best Rock Act went to The Offspring, Best Male Act, Will Smith and Bono won the Free Your Mind award.
1999 Britney Spears is the big winner at the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards, held at the Point in Dublin. The teen artist wins best female, best pop, best breakthrough artist and best song for “…Baby One More Time.”
2001 Michael Jackson went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Invincible’.
2001 Westlife went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Queen Of My Heart.’
2002 British Phonographic industry data showed that sales of singles were at their lowest level for 25 years, making up for less than 10% of all music sold in the UK.
2003 The Darkness played to a sold out crowd at The Astoria, London.
2004 Sarah Sainsbury wrote to Coldplay asking for their autographs to sell at a school charity and got a triple platinum disc worth over £4,000. The charity was hoping to raise funds at Surrey School.
2004 Liza Minnelli’s former bodyguard accused the singer of forcing him to have sex with her in order to keep his job, court documents revealed. M’hammed Soumayah was suing Minnelli for $100m damages, saying she made “many repeate
2004 The Rolling Stones and Queen were inducted into the UK’s first music Hall of Fame at a ceremony in London. One act had been chosen by TV viewers of a Channel 4 programme to represent each decade since the
2004 Coldplay fan Sarah Sainsbury wrote to the band asking for their autographs so she could sell them to raise funds at her school charity. Coldplay sent her a triple platinum disc worth over £4,000.
2004 Liza Minnelli’s former bodyguard accused the singer of forcing him to have sex with her in order to keep his job, court documents revealed. M’hammed Soumayah was suing Minnelli for $100m damages, saying she made “many repeated attempts” to compel him into sex and he “eventually succumbed”.
2004 Robbie Williams, The Rolling Stones and Queen were inducted into the UK’s first music Hall of Fame at a ceremony in London. One act had been chosen by TV viewers of a Channel 4 program to represent each decade since the 1950s. Williams represented the 1990s, Michael Jackson the 1980s, Queen the 1970s, the Rolling Stones the 1960s, and Cliff Richard the 1950s.
2006 Grammy-nominated R&B star Gerald Levert died of a heart attack aged 40. The singer who was the son of O’Jays vocalist Eddie Levert, first found fame with the R&B trio LeVert, and scored a UK top 10 single with Casanova in 1987.
2006 Carrie Underwood carves her name into the top of the Billboard country chart with “Before He Cheats”
2011 The four original band members of Black Sabbath announced that they were reuniting and recording a new album followed by a world tour in 2012.
2014 Big Bank Hank (Henry Lee Jackson), from The Sugarhill Gang died aged 58 from kidney complications due to cancer. The Sugarhill Gang were the first hip hop act to have a hit with the cross-over single ‘Rapper’s Delight’ in the pop charts in 1979.
2014 A collection of dresses and outfits worn by Madonna during her career in music and film helped a celebrity auction raise $3.2m (£2m). The highest lot was a jacket from Desperately Seeking Susan, which fetched $252,000, while a gown from her Material Girl video reached $73,125. Other lots which attracted the bidders were a pair of John Lennon’s spectacles which sold for $25,000 (£15,751) and a ring worn by Elvis Presley for $57,600 (£36,291).
2015 Phil Taylor better known as “Philthy Animal” Taylor and drummer with Motorhead died aged 61. He was in the The classic mark IV Motörhead line-up of Lemmy, Taylor, and Fast Eddie Clarke who recorded ten studio albums and the live album No Sleep ’til Hammersmith.