1937 Freddy Fender(Baldemar Huerta) born in San Denito, Texas. US Country singer. 1975 US No.1 single ‘Before The Next Teardrop Falls’. He died October 14- 2006 at the age of 69 of lung cancer at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas, with his family at his bedside.
1940 Cliff Bennett born(Clifford Bennett) in Slough, Berkshire, England. UK singer, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, (1966 UK No.6 single ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’).
1942 Glenn Wallichs launched Capitol Records in the US. The label became home to such artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, Glen Campbell, Steve Miller, Dr. Hook, Bob Seger, Tina Turner, Heart and countless others. Wallichs was the man who invented the art of record promotion by sending copies of new releases to disc jockeys.
1942 Rob E.G. (Robert Porter) born in Sydney. Australian musician & record musician.
1944 Roger Ball born in Broughty Ferry, Scotland. UK Saxophonist & founding member of the Average White Band, (1975 US No.1 and UK No.6 single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’).
1944 Michelle Phillips (Holly Michelle Gillam) born in California. Vocalist with the Mamas & The Papas.
1945 Gordon Waller born in Scotland. One half of the 60’s Duo Peter & Gordon, (1964 UK & US No.1 single ‘A World Without Love’). He went into cardiac arrest on the evening of 16 July 2009, and died aged 64 of a heart attack early in the morning of 17 July 2009 at Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut.
1950 Peter Van Hooke born in London, England. Drummer with Mike & The Mechanics.
1952 Jimmy McCulloch born in Dumbarton, Scotland. Scottish-born musician and songwriter best known for playing lead guitar and bass, as a member of Paul McCartney’s band Wings from 1974 to 1977. On 27 September 1979, McCulloch was found dead by his brother in his flat in Maida Vale, London. An autopsy found that McCulloch died of heart failure due to morphine and alcohol poisoning. He was 26 years old and was not known for being a user of hard drugs.
1956 Reeves Gabrels, American guitarist, worked with David Bowie from 1987 to 2000.
1958 Selwyn Brown, vocals, keyboards, Steel Pulse, (1978 UK No.35 single ‘Prodigal Son’).
1962 El Debarge born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. US Lead Singer & Keyboard Player with the family group DeBarge.
1962 Steve Grimes, The Farm, (1990 UK No.4 single ‘All Together Now’).
1963 The first ‘Pop Goes The Beatles’ programme was aired on the BBC in the UK. The band played a version of ‘Pop Goes The Weasel’ on the show.
1963 The Searchers released their first single. Sweets For My Sweet.
1964 Chris Kavanagh, drums, Sigue Sigu Sputnik, Big Audio Dynamite, (1986 UK No.11 single ‘E=MC2).
1964 The Beatles played two performances at the KB Hallen, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark on the first date of a 27-day world tour. Drummer Jimmy Nicol replaced Ringo Starr who was ill in hospital.
1967 The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Procol Harum, Denny Laine and The Chiffons all appeared at The Saville Theatre, London. Both Paul McCartney and George Harrison were in the audience to see Hendrix perform the title track from Sgt Peppers which had been released 3 days earlier.
1969 Seven years after his first hit Tommy Roe was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Dizzy’ his only No.1 hit. Also a UK No. 1 for Vic Reeves and Wonder Stuff in 1991.
1969 In Glenrowan, Australia, hundreds of people signed a petition protesting against the casting of Mick Jagger in the role of the Australian folk hero Ned Kelly in the film of the same name. The film, directed by Tony Richardson, was released in October 1970.
1970 Elvis Presley began five days of recording at RCA’s studio B in Nashville, starting each day at 6pm and working until dawn.
1974 Stefan Lessard, bass, Dave Matthews Band, (1998 US No.1 album ‘Before These Crowded Streets’, 2005 US No.1 album ‘Stand Up’).
1975 The Rolling Stones became the first rock band to receive royalties for sales of their records in Russia.
1976 Appearing live at The Capitol Theatre, Leeds, England, Elton John.
1976 Live recordings were made at the new wave venue GBGB’s of performances from Blondie, Mink DeVille, Talking Heads, Laughing Dogs and Tuff Darts. The tracks featured on the album ‘Live At CBGB’S New York’.
1976 The Sex Pistols appeared at The Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England. The now legendary night is regarded as a catalyst to the punk rock movement. In the audience was, Morrissey, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook (soon to form Joy Division) and Mark E Smith, (The Fall). Tickets cost £1.
1977 The Jam’s debut single ‘In The City’ made No.40 on the UK singles chart. They went on to score 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1982, including four No.1 hits.
1977 Kasey Chambers born in Mounht Gambier, SA. Australia Country singer.
1983 The Police started a four week run at No.1 in the UK with ‘Every Breath You Take’ the group’s fifth and final No.1 single. Taken from the bands album Synchronicity, Sting won Song of the Year and The Police won Best Pop Performance for the song at the 1984 Grammy Awards.
1984 Bruce Springsteen released the album, ‘Born In The USA’, which became the best-selling album of 1985 in the United States (and also Springsteen’s mostsuccessful album ever). The album produced a record-tying string of seven Top 10 singles (tied with Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814).
1985 Elton John began a high court battle with Dick James Music, seeking the rights to early songs and recordings plus damages estimated at more than £30 million ($51 million). The singer lost a six-month court battle to recover the copyright to 169 songs however, the court ordered Dick James to cough up millions in unpaid royalties.
1986 The first of a six date Conspiracy of Hope tour was held at Cow Palace, San Francisco, California. The benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International were held to increase awareness of Amnesty on the 25th anniversary of its work for human rights. The shows were headlined by U2 and Sting, and also featured Bryan Adams, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Joan Baez, and The Neville Brothers.
1988 Tracy Chapman went to No.1 on the US chart with her self-titled debut album. Containing “Fast Car” & “Talking About A Revolution”.
1990 American punk rock singer Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church died after being hit by a taxi in Paris, France. Bators had been out drinking when he was hit by a taxi while crossing the road; he was taken to hospital but left before seeing a doctor. He died in his sleep as the result of a concussion.
1990 Zachary Farro, drummer, Paramore, 2009 UK No.1 album ‘Brand New Eyes’.
1992 Smokey Robinson’s half sister, Rose Ella Jones field a suit against Smokey claiming she had been cheated out of royalty payments from songs written during the 1980’s.
1992 Iron Maiden played a gig at the Oval pub, Norwich before 400 fans as The Nodding Donkeys, as a thank you to the pub’s landlord Chris Hiles.
1992 The US Postal Service announced the results of a poll conducted to see which picture of Elvis Presley should be used on a commemorative stamp. The young Elvis beat the (older and larger) Vegas Elvis.
1993 4-Jun-1993 Kurt Cobain Nirvana Kurt Cobain was arrested after a dispute at his house in Seattle; the disagreement allegedly concerned the Nirvana’s guitarist’s collection of firearms.
1993 Kurt Cobain was arrested after a dispute at his house in Seattle; the disagreement allegedly concerned the Nirvana’s guitarist’s collection of firearms.
1994 The Soundtrack from the film ‘The Crow’ went to No.1 on the US album chart.
1994 Wet Wet Wet started a fifteen-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Love Is All Around’, from the film ‘Four Weddings & A Funeral’. The song was written by Reg Presley of The Troggs and a former Top 10 for his band in 1967.
1997 Ronnie Lane – Small Faces bass guitarist, died aged 51 of multiple sclerois.
1997 Jeff Buckley’s body was discovered floating in the Mississippi River. Buckley had disappeared when swimming on May 29th in Wolf River Harbor, while wearing boots, all of his clothing, and singing the chorus of “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. A roadie in Buckley’s band, had remained on shore. After moving a radio and guitar out of reach of the wake from a passing tugboat, he looked up to see that Buckley had vanished.
2000 Bon Jovi went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Crush’.
2000 A teenage Sisqo fan was shot in the leg at a concert by the R&B star in Phoenix, Arizona when violence erupted after punters began objecting to parking fees of $30 (£17.60) at the venue.
2002 George Michael was jeered and heckled by the audience of a CNN news show as he took part in a phone interview. George was defending the content of the video to his new single ‘Shoot The Dog’ in which US President George Bush was shown in bed with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. George said this was an attack on Blair and not President Bush.
2002 Wyclef Jean was one of ten people arrested for disorderly conduct in a New York rally protesting cuts to education. Jean was arrested and led away in handcuffs following an attempt to perform, which was forbidden by the event’s permit. P. Diddy, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Erykah Badu, Foxy Brown and the Wu-Tang Clan were also at the rally to show their support and protest a proposed $1.2 billion (‘0.7 billion) cut to New York’s public education system.
2003 A Grandfather who set up his own pirate radio station in Wakefield, Yorkshire was under investigation by local broadcasting authorities. The man known as Ricky Rock had erected a 32ft transmitter in his garden and had b
2004 American Idol winner Fantasia was at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Believe.’ The first time in US chart history a debut single topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
2004 Nathan Moore, former singer with Brother Beyond and Worlds Apart appeared at Highbury Corner magistrates court and pleaded guilty to a charge of kerb crawling in central London. He was fined £250 and ordered to pay £50 costs. The former pop singer was arrested on 27th May in the Kings Cross area after he approached a woman he thought was a prostitute and requested a sexual favour. He then rode away on his moped before being arrested.
2006 Sandi Thom was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker, (with flowers in My Hair’). The song was originally released in October 2005 by Viking Legacy records, where it reached No.55.
2012 Herb Reed, bass singer and founder member with American doo-wop group The Platters died aged 83. The Platters scored four No.1’s in the late 50’s: The Great Pretender, My Prayer, Twilight Time and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Reed is credited with coming up with the group’s name – inspired by disc jockeys who referred to their records as “platters”.
2013 The former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos was bailed after being arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs. She was accused by a newspaper, who said she had introduced their reporter to a drug dealer. Before joining The X Factor, Tulisa rose to fame with the band N-Dubz.
2014 Handwritten letters, notes, poems and sketches by John Lennon all exceeded pre-sale estimates at an auction at Sotheby’s in New York. The Fat Budgie, a nonsensical poem, sold for $143,000 (£85,000), having been valued at up to $35,000 (£21,000). A handwritten manuscript called I Sat Belonely went for $137,000 (£82,000), four times its estimate. The pieces, part of an 89 lot sale, came from Lennon’s books In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works.
2015 According to the BPI’s Music Market 2015 report British acts accounted for 1 in 7 albums sold worldwide. With 13.7% of worldwide sales, it’s the highest British share since the BPI began recording figures in 2000. Albums by One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Sam Smith and Pink Floyd all made the top ten list of the world’s biggest-sellers of 2014