1934 Johnny Burnette born in Memphis, Tennessee. US Singer. (1961 UK No.3 & US No.8 single ‘Your Sixteen’). He was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake, California on 1st August 1964 aged 30.
1938 Hoyt Axton born in Duncan, Oklahoma. US singer/songwriter and actor who wrote songs for Kingston Trio – Greenack Dollar, Three Dog Night – Joy to The World & Never Been To Spain. He aslo wrote for Elvis Presley, John Denver, Ringo Starr and Glen Campbell. He died at age 61 at his home in Victor, Montana, on October 26, 1999, after suffering two heart attacks in two weeks.
1940 Anita Bryant born in Barnsdale, Oklahoma. US singer.
1942 Aretha Franklin born in Memphis, Tennessee. The Queen of Soul, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.10 single ‘Respect, 1968 UK No.4 single ‘I Say A Little Prayer’ & 1987 UK No.1 single with George Michael ‘I Knew You Were Waiting’, plus over 15 other UK Top 40 hits). On August 13, 2018, Franklin was reported to be gravely ill at her home in Riverfront Towers, Detroit. She was under hospice care and surrounded by friends and family. Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson and ex-husband Glynn Turman visited her on her deathbed. Franklin died at her home on August 16, 2018, aged 76,[144] without a will.[145] The cause of death was pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, though widely mis-reported as pancreatic cancer, a different disease.
1947 Jack Hall – banjo/bass guitar/vocals with The Charlie Daniels Band, (1979 US No.3 & UK No.14 single ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’).
1947 Sir Elton John (Reginald Dwight) born in Middlesex, England. UK Singer/Songwriter/Pianist, 1971 UK No.7 single ‘Your Song’, 1973 US No.1 single ‘Crocodile Rock’ seven other US No.1’s. Biggest selling single of all time with 1997 ‘Candle In The Wind 97’, p
1947 John Rowles born in Whakatane, New Zealand. New Zealand singer who charted in 1969 with ‘If I Only Had Time” & “Hush Not A Word To Mary”.
1947 Duncan Browne, UK singer, songwriter, (1972 UK No.23 single ‘Journey’). In 1989 Browne was diagnosed with cancer, and while initial treatment appeared to be successful, the disease returned a few years later and he died in on 28th May 1993 aged 46.
1949 Neil Jones born in Llanbradach, South Wales. Guitarist with Amen Corner, (1969 UK No.1 single ‘If Paradise Is Half As Nice’). He died 8 June 2018.
1951 Maisie Williams born in Montserrat, West Indies. UK Singer with Boney M (1978 UK No.1 & US No.30 single ‘Rivers of Babylon’).
1958 Having been sworn in as Private 53310761 the previous day Elvis Presley received the regulation short back and sides haircut from army barber James Peterson. Presley would earn $78 per month as an army private.
1958 Buddy Holly appeared at The Gaumont Theatre in London, the final date on his only UK tour. Also on the bill was Gary Miller, The Tanner Sisters, Des O’Connor, The Montanas, Ronnie Keene & His Orchestra.
1960 Steve Norman born in London, England. UK Rhythm Guitarist/Saxophonist with Spandau Ballet, (1983 UK No.1 & US No.4 single ‘True’, plus 16 other UK Top 40 singles).
1960 Cliff Richard recorded ‘Please Don’t Please’.
1960 Roy Orbison recorded his first major hit song ‘Only The Lonely’.
1963 Johnny Cash recorded ‘Ring Of Fire’.
1964 The Beatles made their debut on UK TV show ‘Top Of The Pops’ singing ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ and ‘You Can’t Do That.’ The show had been recorded on March 19th.
1966 At a photo session at Bob Whitaker’s studio in London, The Beatles posed in white coats using sides of meat with mutilated and butchered dolls for the cover of their next American album, ‘Yesterday and Today’. After advance copies were sent to disc jockeys and record reviewers, negative reaction to the cover photo was so strong Capitol recalled 750,000 copies from distributors to replace the cover. The total cost to Capitol to replace the cover and promotional materials was $250,000, wiping out their initial profit
1966 Jeff Healey born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was blind from the age of one. Plays the guitar on his lap. He was a Canadian jazz and blues-rock vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter who attained musical and personal popularity, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. He hit Number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Angel Eyes” and reached the Top 10 in Canada with the songs “I Think I Love You Too Much” and “How Long Can a Man Be Strong”. On January 11, 2007, Healey underwent surgery to remove metastatic tissue from both lungs. In the previous 18 months, he had two sarcomas removed from his legs. On March 2, 2008, Healey died of sarcoma in his home town of Toronto at age 41.
1967 The Turtles started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Happy Together’, it made No.12 in the UK.
1967 The Who and Cream made their U.S. concert debut at RKO 58th Street Theatre, New York City as part of a rock & roll extravaganza promoted by DJ Murray the K.
1967 The Rolling Stones kicked off a three-week European tour in Orebro, Sweden. Arriving in Copenhagen for the tour the group were delayed after customs officers search all their luggage for drugs.
1967 Pink Floyd played three gigs in 24 hours. The appeared at the Ricky Tick Club in Windsor, England, then the New Yorker Discotheque in Swindon and then played at the Shoreline Club in Bognor Regis (in the early hours 26 March).
1969 Cathy Dennis born in Norwich, England. UK Singer/Songwriter, (1991 US No.2 & UK No.5 single ‘Touch Me All Night Long’). Co- wrote ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ hit for Kylie Minogue Alo written for S Club 7, Kelly Clarkson, Brian Kennedy, Celine Dion, Ro
1969 John and Yoko started their week long ‘bed-in’ in the presidential suite at The Amsterdam Hilton hotel. The couple invited the world’s press into their hotel room every day, to talk about promoting world peace.
1971 Michael McKeegan, bass, Therapy’ (1993 UK No.9 single ‘Screamager’).
1972 America started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with their debut hit ‘Horse With No Name’, it made No.3 in the UK. The group scored eight other US top 40 hits during the 70’s.
1972 Lindisfarne started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album ‘Fog On The Tyne.’
1972 Roberta Flack started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘First Take.’
1974 Finley Quaye, singer, (1997 UK single ‘Even After All’). 1998 Brit award winner for best male solo artist.
1975 Melanie Blatt, vocals, All Saints, (1998 UK No.1 & US No.4 single ‘Never Ever’).
1975 Juvenile, (Terry Gray), 2004 US No.1 single feat Soulja Slim ‘Slow Motion’, 2006 US No.1 album ‘Reality Check’).
1978 Bill Kenny, lead singer of The Ink Spots died. Had the UK No.10 single ‘Melody Of Love.’ ‘The Gypsy’ was their biggest chart success, staying at the No.1 position on the US chart for 13 weeks.
1978 20 Golden Greats’ by Buddy Holly and The Crickets went to No.1 on the UK album chart, giving Holly his first ever No.1 LP almost 20 years since his first release in 1959.
1981 Adam & The Ants went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart for the second time with ‘Ant Music’. Staying at No.1 for 1wk. Going to No.1 for the 1st time on 11-Mar-81 for 1wk.
1983 Motown Records celebrated its 25 anniversary with a concert in Pasadena, featuring; The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Jr. Walker, The Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson 5.
1985 Prince wins an Oscar for Best Original Score for the film “Purple Rain.”
1986 Guns N’ Roses signed a world-wide deal with Geffen Records. The band has now sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, their 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction, has sold in excess of 28 million copies worldwide.
1988 American music producer, musician, and DJ Ryan Lewis. The Macklemore’s and Lewis single ‘Thrift Shop’ reached No.1 on the US singles chart in 2013 and their second single, ‘Can’t Hold Us’ also peaked at No.1, making Macklemore and Lewis the first duo in the chart’s history to have their first two singles both reach the top of the US charts.
1988 American rapper Big Sean. His third studio album, Dark Sky Paradise, was released in 2015 and earned him his first No.1 album in the US. In 2017 his fourth studio album, I Decided, debuted at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart
1989 Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Anything For You.’
1989 Madonna was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Like A Prayer’, the singers sixth UK No.1, also No.1 in the US. The song was accompanied by a highly controversial music video, which in 2005 was voted the “Most Groundbreaking Music Video of All Time” by viewers of MTV.
1989 Mike And The Mechanics went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘The Living Years’, a No. 2 hit in the UK.
1990 Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee was arrested for mooning at the audience during a gig in Augusta. Lee was charged with indecent exposure.
1995 The charity record ‘Love Can Build A Bridge’ featuring Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton went to No.1 on the UK singles chart for one week.
1995 Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder was rescued after a riptide carried him 250 feet offshore in New Zealand.
1995 The Comic Relief charity record ‘Love Can Build A Bridge’ featuring Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton went to No.1 on the UK singles chart for one week. It is Eric Clapton’s only association with a No.1 hit.
2000 Former Bay City Rollers drummer Derek Longmuir was given 300 hours community service after being caught with a hoard of child pornography including 150 videos and 73 floppy disks.
2000 *NSYNC set a new world record after selling a million tickets in one day for the group’s forthcoming tour, netting them over £25 million ($42.5 million).
2001 Shaggy went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Angel.’
2001 The first Britney Spears Pepsi TV commercial was aired on US television. Spears had signed a multi-million dollar deal with Pepsi for her forthcoming world tour.
2002 112 went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with ‘Dance With Me’. Staying at No.1 for 1wk.
2002 Bono from U2 made a appearance at the air rage trial of R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, telling the court ‘I came to court because Peter is actually famously known for being a peaceable person. I once had to twist his arm to get him to a boxing match’. Buck was later cleared of all charges. He had been accused of attacking two cabin staff and covering them in yoghurt, knocking over a trolley and trying to steal a knife.
2002 So Solid Crew singer Asher D was jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of carrying a loaded gun. The 19 year- old singer claimed he bought the gun for his own safety after being constantly threatened by thugs who were jealous of his fame.
2002 The seven-year mystery of missing Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards took a grisly twist when human feet were found near where he vanished in 1995.
2005 Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were forced to flee their Buckinghamshire mansion after a blaze broke out as they slept. Ozzy and his wife were roused by a fire alarm and ran to safety in the garden, rescuing their pets as they escaped.
2006 Buck Owens Jr. American singer and guitarist died. Pioneered the Bakersfield sound a reference to Bakersfield, California. He scored twenty No.1 hits on the Billboard country music charts.
2007 The Notorious B.I.G. was at No.1 on the US album charts with ‘Greatest Hits’ It was the rapper’s fourth album release after being killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California on March 9, 1997.
2007 Proclaimers feat Brian Potter & Andy Pipkin went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’. The Scottish duo teamed up with the two comedians Peter Kay and Matt Lucas for this unofficial Comic Relief charity hit.
2008 Richie Sambora was arrested in California on suspicion of drink driving. The 48 year-old Bon Jovi guitarist was arrested after a police officer noticed his black Hummer weaving in traffic lanes in Laguna Beach. He was ordered to appear in court on one count of driving under the influence.
2010 The manager of pop star Justin Bieber was arrested after police claimed he failed to warn fans on Twitter about overcrowding at a shopping centre event. Police said they asked Scott Braun to tell fans through Twitter that Bieber would not be appearing because of fears over safety after hundreds turned up – resulting in five people being taken to hospital with minor injuries. Police said Mr Braun refused to send the message until 90 minutes later. He pleaded not guilty to charges including reckless endangerment related to November’s event in Roosevelt Field Mall in a New York suburb.
2015 Radiohead’s seminal album The Doors, The Righteous Brothers and Steve Martin.