On This Day In History

[Bikkie]

1600 -Battle at Nieuwpoort: Maurice Count of Nassau leads an Anglo-Dutch army to victory over the Spanish led by Albert, Duke of Burgundy

1613 -The first English expedition from Massachusetts against Acadia led by Samuel Argall

1644- Battle of Marston Moor, North Yorkshire: Parliamentary forces under Lords Fairfax and Manchester defeat royalists led by Prince Rupe

1679- Europeans first visit Minnesota and see headwaters of Mississippi in an expedition led by Daniel Greysolon de Du Luth

1681- Earl of Shaftesbury arrested for high treason

1687-King James II disbands English parliament1776 -At the Continental Congress, John Dickinson abstains from the votes that declare independence

1776-- New Jersey gives the right to vote to all adults who could show a net worth of 50 pounds

1843- An alligator falls from sky during a thunderstorm in Charleston, South Carolina

1847- Envelope bearing 1st US 10 cent stamps used (still exists today)

1850 -Benjamin Lane patents gas mask with a breathing apparatus

1858- Partial emancipation of Russian serfs

1861- Battle of Hoke's Run, West Virginia - small Union victory

1862- Lincoln signs act granting land for state agricultural colleges
Slavery Divide Triggers America’s Civil War

1863- 2nd day of the Battle of Gettysburg (US Civil War)



Music History


2015-For the first time ever, Rush make the cover of Rolling Stone. The magazine and their cohorts at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (which didn't induct the band until 2013), have given Rush short shrift throughout their career, but even diehard fans are pleased with the piece.

2014-On her website, Jewel announces she will be divorcing husband Ty Murray after almost six years of marriage.

2014-In Grand Rapids, Michigan, a new group called The Raskins play their first show on the Mötley Crüe Final Tour, which also includes Alice Cooper. They later süe the Crüe, claiming they paid $1 million for the privilege, but received heaps of abuse in return.More

2001-Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher welcomes his first child, Gene Gallagher, with girlfriend (and future wife) Nicole Appleton (of All Saints).

2001-Liverpool renames its airport the "Liverpool John Lennon Airport" after its famous native.

1994-Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong marries Adrienne Nesser. The next day, Adrienne discovers she is pregnant with their son, Joseph.

1992-Mick Jagger's daughter Jade makes him a grandfather when her daughter Assisi Lola Jackson is born.

Ice Cube Stars In Boyz N The Hood
1991-In his first acting role, Ice Cube stars alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. in the acclaimed drama Boyz N the Hood. Writer/director John Singleton wrote the role of troubled gangster Darrin "Doughboy" Baker specifically for the ex-N.W.A rapper.More

Under The Cherry Moon Released
1986-The second Prince movie, Under the Cherry Moon, hits theaters. Unlike the first, Purple Rain, Prince directs it himself.More

1983-Michelle Branch is born in Sedona, Arizona.

1982-Harmonica player DeFord Bailey dies at age 82. A cast member at the Grand Ole Opry throughout the 1930s, he was the first African American inducted into the institution. In 2005, he entered the Country Music Hall of Fame.

1981-Bruce Springsteen plays the first of six sold-out shows at the new Byrne Arena in New Jersey. His average show lasts 28 songs.

1980-Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart and Bob Weir are arrested and charged with inciting a riot at San Diego Sports Arena to break up a drug bust.

1976-A battered Tina Turner leaves husband Ike in Dallas, Texas, after one final blowout. She files for divorce later in the month.

1973-Brian Eno quits Roxy Music over a spat with lead singer Bryan Ferry.


1970-Rapper Monie Love is born Simone Gooden in Battersea, London, England.

1969-Mountain form in Long Island with former Vagrants member Leslie West at the helm.

1969-Barbra Streisand starts a month-long run of shows to open the new 2000-seat theater at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. She's breaking in the venue for Elvis Presley, who starts a run of shows there on July 31.

1967-Rick Nelson stars in the short-lived (it lasts three months) TV series Malibu U on ABC.

1965-Dave Parsons (bassist for Bush) is born in Hillingdon, London, England.

1963-Little-known Barbra Streisand plays Las Vegas for the first time, opening for Liberace at the Riviera. She returns to Vegas as a top draw in 1969, becoming the first artist to play the Showroom Internationale in the International Hotel.

1958-Elvis Presley's fourth movie, King Creole, opens while The King is serving in the Army. Elvis gets surprisingly good reviews for his acting.

1956-Elvis Presley records "Hound Dog" at the RCA studios in New York City. Needing a B-side, Elvis and his team listen to some demos and find a song called "Don't Be Cruel," which they also record in the session. The two songs are released 11 days later as a double-A-side single and set numerous records for sales and chart position.

1955-The Lawrence Welk Show premieres on ABC.

1954-Pete Briquette (bassist for The Boomtown Rats) is born Patrick Martin Cusack in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, Ireland. His stage name is a nod to his homeland, where peat briquettes were burned for heat.

1952-Johnny Colla, who plays guitar and saxophone for Huey Lewis & the News and also assists with songwriting, is born in Sacramento, California.

1949-Roy "The Professor" Bittan (keyboardist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) is born in Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York.

1939-Leapy Lee, known for the 1968 hit single "Little Arrows," is born Graham Pulleyblank in Eastbourne, England.

1939-Paul Williams (original lead singer for The Temptations) is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

1934-Folk singer Tom Springfield (of The Springfields) is born Dionysius P. A. O'Brien in Hampstead, London, England. He'll welcome sister Dusty Springfield a few years later.

1714-Opera composer Christoph Willibald Gluck is born in what is now Bavaria, Germany.

[Bikkie]

1428- Treaty of Delft signed between Jacqueline of Bavaria and Philip the Good of Burgundy, ending the Hook and Cod wars in the County of Holland

Founding of Quebec
1608- Samuel de Champlain founds the city of Quebec

1630- Emperor Ferdinand II opens German Parliament
1720- Sweden and Denmark sign peace treaty

Washington Surrenders
1754 -George Washington surrenders to French, Fort Necessity (7 Years' War)

1767 -Norway's oldest newspaper still in print, Adresseavisen, is founded (first edition published this date)

1767- Pitcairn Island is discovered by Midshipman Robert Pitcairn on an expeditionary voyage in the Pacific, commanded by Philip Carteret

1775- George Washington takes command of Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts

1778- British forces massacre 360 men, women and children in Wyoming, Pennsylvania

1778- Prussia declares war on Austria

1806- Michael Keens exhibits 1st large-scale cultivated strawberry—a large fruit strawberry, called the Keen Seedling

1814- Americans capture Fort Erie, Canada (War of 1812)

1819- 1st savings bank in US (Bank of Savings in NYC) opens its doors

1839 -1st state normal school in US opens, Lexington, Massachusetts, with 3 students

1841 -John Couch Adams decides to determine position of an unknown planet by irregularities it causes in the motion of Uranus

1844 -The last pair of Great Auks is killed

Théâtre Robert-Houdin Opens
1845- Pioneering French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin opens his magic theatre in Paris

1848- Slaves freed in Danish West Indies (now US Virgin Islands)

1849- The French enter Rome in order to restore Pope Pius IX to power; proves a major obstacle to Italian unification

1852 -Congress authorizes US's 2nd mint (San Francisco, California)

1861- Colonel Jackson receives his commission as brigadier general

1861- Martinsburg, Virginia - Confederate forces pull out before US advance
Pony Express

1861 -Pony Express arrives in San Francisco with overland letters from NY

1883 -SS Daphne sinks on Clyde River in Scotland; 195 die

1884 -Dow Jones publishes its first stock index, the Dow Jones Transportation Average

1886 -1st NY Tribune printing using 1st commercial linotype machine



Music History


2021-Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton get married at Shelton's ranch in Oklahoma. They met in 2014 when they were judges on the TV show The Voice and started dating a year later.

2020-Ryan Adams publicly apologizes for mistreating women he has worked with, claiming he is now sober and chastened. Sixteen months earlier, several female musicians he worked with, including his ex-wife Mandy Moore, accused him of controlling and sometimes abusive behavior.

2016-Maren Morris releases her first major-label album, Hero. It goes to #1 on the Country chart and includes one of her most enduring songs, "My Church."

2012-Frank Ocean posts a letter on his Tumblr detailing an unrequited love for a man when he was 19, inspiration for his song "Bad Religion." It's an early example of a high-profile hip-hop artist addressing a same-sex relationship.

2009-Algerian music star Cheb Mami (real name Ahmed Khelifati Mohammed) is sentenced by a French court to five years in prison for abducting his former girlfriend and trying to force her to have an abortion. Mami is best known in America for his collaboration with Sting on the song "Desert Rose."

2008-Colin Cooper (leader of Climax Blues Band) dies of cancer at age 69.

2007-Boots Randolph, known for the 1968 hit "Yakety Sax," dies of a brain hemorrhage a month after his 80th birthday.

2004-Glenn Danzig gets in a fight backstage after a Danzig show when a member of support band North Side Kings confronts him because they were bumped from the bill and didn't play that night. Danzig pushes the guy but gets punched in the face in retaliation.

2001-Sum 41 release their debut single, "Fat Lip." The song goes on to top the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

2001-Delia Derbyshire, who helped create the electronic sounds on the Doctor Who theme, dies aged 64.

1996-At the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Alice in Chains play their last show with lead singer Layne Staley, who dies in 2002.

1996-Cliff Richard leads the Wimbledon Centre Court crowd in singing during a rain delay. His backing singers are former tennis stars Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova, Hana Mandlíková, Pam Shriver, Liz Smylie, Gigi Fernández and Conchita Martinez.

1995-D'Angelo releases his debut album, Brown Sugar.

1990P-olice pursue Slick Rick through the streets of New York after the rapper attempts to shoot his cousin and former bodyguard, Mark Plummer, and wounds an innocent bystander instead. Plummer had been extorting money from Rick and threatening the rapper's family, so Rick took matters - and weapons - into his own hands. He's charged with a host of crimes, including two counts of attempted murder, and serves five years at Rikers Island.

1986-Bono's 26-year-old personal assistant Greg Carroll is killed in a motorcycle act while running an errand in Dublin. U2's next album, The Joshua Tree, is dedicated to Carroll, who inspired the song "One Tree Hill."

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1976-At a show in Anaheim, California, Brian Wilson appears onstage with The Beach Boys for the first time in 12 years.

1976-Shane Lynch (of Boyzone) is born in Donaghmede, North-east Dublin, Ireland.

1975-Labelle is the first Black vocal group to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone. Donning sexy space-age costumes, the "Lady Marmalade" hitmakers are given the tagline "Comin' Comin' Comin' To Getcha."

1975-Three Dog Night's Chuck Negron is arrested in his hotel room and charged with cocaine possession on the opening night of a tour.

1969-Kevin Hearn (keyboardist for Barenaked Ladies) is born in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada.

1965-The Beach Boys Summer Spectacular tour stops at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. This date includes performances by The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, The Righteous Brothers, and of course, The Beach Boys. Also on the bill: The Kinks, who are having a miserable time in America and at war with their manager Larry Page, who flies back to England the next day.

1960-Synth-pop innovator Vince Clarke is born Vincent John Martin in South Woodford, England. An early member of Depeche Mode, he writes the group's breakthrough hit, "Just Can't Get Enough," before forming Yazoo ("Only You," "Situation") and Erasure ("A Little Respect," "Chains of Love").

1960-Muddy Waters brings the blues to a wider audience with a riveting performance at the Newport Jazz Festival punctuated by his rendition of "Got My Mojo Working."

1958-Country singer Aaron Tippin is born in Pensacola, Florida, but will be raised in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

1957-Stephen Pearcy (former frontman of Ratt) is born in San Diego, California.

1952-Bass guitarist/vocalist Andy Fraser (of Free) is born in Paddington, London, England.

1952-Pop singer Laura Branigan ("Gloria," "Self Control") is born. She is raised in Armonk, New York.

1951-Mike Corby (keyboardist/lead guitarist of The Babys, which he founded) is born in Windsor, Berkshire, England.

1947-Actress/singer Betty Buckley, Tony Award-winner for her role as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of Cats, is born in Big Spring, Texas.

1943-Judith Durham (lead singer of The Seekers) is born Judith Mavis Cock in Essendon, Victoria, Australia.

1940-Fontella Bass, known for the 1965 soul hit "Rescue Me," is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1929-David Lynch (of The Platters) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1895-Scott Joplin's "A Picture Of Her Face" is copyrighted.

1854-Czech composer Leoš Janáček is born in Hukvaldy, Moravia.

[Bikkie]

The Declaration of Independence (1776)
The most iconic event associated with July 4th is the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. This monumental document, drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, was officially adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It marked the Thirteen Colonies’ formal separation from Great Britain and the birth of the United States of America.

The Declaration of Independence articulated the colonies’ grievances against King George III and emphasized the fundamental rights of individuals, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It was a radical assertion of self-governance and human rights that inspired numerous other movements for independence and democratic governance worldwide. The principles enshrined in the Declaration continue to resonate globally, symbolizing the enduring quest for freedom and equality.

Louisiana Purchase (1803)
On July 4, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson announced the Louisiana Purchase, a landmark deal between the United States and France. This agreement involved the acquisition of approximately 828,000 square miles of territory west of the Mississippi River, effectively doubling the size of the United States at that time.

The Louisiana Purchase was negotiated by American envoys Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, who secured the territory for $15 million. This strategic acquisition opened vast tracts of land for settlement and exploration, significantly expanding the young nation’s geographic and economic horizons. It also demonstrated the United States’ growing influence and ambition on the global stage, setting the stage for further westward expansion and manifest destiny.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865)
July 4, 1865, marked the publication of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” a novel by Lewis Carroll (the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). This whimsical tale of a young girl’s journey through a fantastical world has become one of the most beloved and enduring works of children’s literature.

Carroll’s imaginative storytelling, combined with John Tenniel’s iconic illustrations, created a timeless classic that continues to captivate readers of all ages. The book’s exploration of logic, language, and absurdity has also made it a subject of academic interest and literary analysis. “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” has inspired countless adaptations in various media, cementing its place in the cultural canon.

The First Independence Day Celebrations (1777)
The first anniversary of American independence was celebrated on July 4, 1777, with great fanfare. The city of Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence had been signed, hosted a grand celebration that included bonfires, fireworks, and public speeches.

This inaugural Independence Day set the precedent for future celebrations, establishing traditions that continue to this day. Fireworks, parades, and patriotic displays have become hallmarks of July 4th festivities, reflecting the enduring pride and unity of the American people. The holiday serves as a reminder of the nation’s founding principles and the ongoing commitment to liberty and democracy.

The Deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (1826)
In a remarkable coincidence, two of the Founding Fathers and former U.S. Presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Their deaths on such a significant date added a poignant layer to their legacies.

Adams and Jefferson were key figures in the American Revolution and played crucial roles in the drafting and promotion of the Declaration. Despite their political differences and rivalries, both men profoundly influenced the nation’s early development. Their passing on Independence Day was seen by many as a symbolic reminder of their contributions to the founding of the United States.

The Erie Canal Completion (1817)
Construction of the Erie Canal began on July 4, 1817. This ambitious project aimed to create a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, facilitating the movement of goods and people between the eastern seaboard and the western frontier.

The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, was a monumental engineering achievement that significantly boosted economic growth and development in the United States. It reduced transportation costs, spurred the growth of cities along its route, and helped establish New York City as a major commercial hub. The canal’s success underscored the importance of infrastructure in national development and set the stage for future transportation projects.

The Birth of American Composer Stephen Foster (1826)
Stephen Foster, often referred to as the “father of American music,” was born on July 4, 1826. Foster’s contributions to American music were profound, as he composed some of the most enduring and popular songs of the 19th century.

Foster’s works, including “Oh! Susanna,” “Camptown Races,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” and “Beautiful Dreamer,” captured the spirit and culture of America during his time. His songs have remained popular through the years, influencing various genres of American music. Foster’s ability to blend different musical traditions helped create a uniquely American sound that continues to resonate with audiences today.

The Battle of Vicksburg (1863)
The Battle of Vicksburg, a crucial engagement during the American Civil War, concluded on July 4, 1863, with the surrender of Confederate forces to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. This victory gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, effectively splitting the Confederacy and disrupting its supply lines.

The fall of Vicksburg, along with the Union victory at Gettysburg (which concluded on July 3), marked a turning point in the Civil War. It boosted Northern morale and weakened the Confederate war effort. The surrender on July 4th added symbolic weight to the Union’s cause, reinforcing the connection between the fight for national unity and the principles of independence celebrated on that day.

The United States Military Academy at West Point (1802)
On July 4, 1802, the United States Military Academy at West Point formally opened. Established by President Thomas Jefferson, West Point became a premier institution for training future military leaders.

West Point has played a vital role in American military history, producing many of the nation’s most distinguished military figures. Its rigorous academic and physical training programs have set high standards for military education, emphasizing leadership, discipline, and service. The academy’s graduates have significantly influenced U.S. military strategy and operations throughout the nation’s history.

The Philippine Declaration of Independence (1946)
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines gained full independence from the United States, marking the end of American colonial rule. The Treaty of Manila was signed, officially recognizing the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines.

This date was chosen to coincide with American Independence Day, symbolizing the Philippines’ emergence as an independent nation. The journey to independence was marked by significant struggles, including the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule, the subsequent Philippine-American War, and the Japanese occupation during World War II. The attainment of independence on July 4, 1946, was a momentous occasion that celebrated the resilience and determination of the Filipino people.

The Birth of Calvin Coolidge (1872)
Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was born on July 4, 1872. Coolidge, known for his quiet and reserved demeanor, served as president from 1923 to 1929, a period marked by economic prosperity known as the “Roaring Twenties.”

Coolidge’s presidency emphasized limited government intervention in the economy, tax cuts, and reducing the national debt. His leadership style, characterized by integrity and a hands-off approach to governance, earned him the nickname “Silent Cal.” Coolidge’s impact on American politics and his promotion of conservative fiscal policies continue to be studied and debated by historians.

NASA’s Pathfinder Mission to Mars (1997)
On July 4, 1997, NASA’s Pathfinder spacecraft, carrying the Sojourner rover, successfully landed on Mars. This mission marked a significant achievement in planetary exploration, as it was the first successful Mars landing since the Viking missions in the 1970s.

The Pathfinder mission provided valuable data about the Martian surface, atmosphere, and climate. The Sojourner rover conducted experiments and sent back images, offering unprecedented insights into the red planet. This mission demonstrated the potential for robotic exploration of Mars and paved the way for subsequent missions, including the Mars Exploration Rovers and the Curiosity rover.

The “Freedom Train” (1947)
The “Freedom Train,” a traveling exhibition of American historical documents, was launched on July 4, 1947. Sponsored by the American Heritage Foundation, the train toured the United States, displaying significant documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

The Freedom Train aimed to promote patriotism and unity in the post-World War II era, emphasizing the importance of American democratic principles and civic responsibility. It visited over 300 cities and attracted millions of visitors, reinforcing a sense of national identity and pride. The success of the Freedom Train inspired similar initiatives to preserve and celebrate American history.

The Birth of George M. Cohan (1878)
George M. Cohan, a renowned American entertainer, playwright, composer, and producer, was born on July 4, 1878. Cohan is often referred to as “the man who owned Broadway,” due to his significant contributions to American theater and music.

Cohan’s prolific career included writing and performing in numerous Broadway shows, as well as composing iconic songs such as “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Give My Regards to Broadway,” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” His work helped define the American musical theater genre and left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Cohan’s patriotic songs and performances became especially significant during times of national celebration and wartime morale-boosting.

The Founding of the Tuskegee Institute (1881)
The Tuskegee Institute, a historically black college in Alabama, was founded on July 4, 1881, by Booker T. Washington. The institute played a crucial role in the education and empowerment of African Americans in the post-Reconstruction era.

Under Washington’s leadership, Tuskegee emphasized vocational training and practical skills, preparing students for careers in agriculture, mechanics, and industry. The institute became a model for similar educational institutions and significantly contributed to the advancement of African Americans in the United States. Tuskegee’s legacy includes notable alumni and faculty, such as George Washington Carver, who made significant contributions to science and agriculture.

Conclusion
July 4th is a date rich in historical significance, encompassing a wide range of events that have shaped the course of human history. From the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and pivotal battles to groundbreaking scientific achievements and cultural milestones, this day has witnessed moments of profound importance. Reflecting on these events offers valuable insights into the complexities of our past and the enduring impact of July 4th on the global stage. Whether celebrating independence, honoring historical figures, or marking scientific milestones, July 4th remains a day that resonates with historical significance and collective memory.




Music History

2024-In Vancouver, Missy Elliott launches her first-ever headlining tour, with support acts Ciara and Busta Rhymes. Elliott, who is introverted and suffers from Graves' disease, kept a light performance schedule since 2004, the last time she toured.

2023-At his show in Las Vegas, Usher cozies up to the actress Keke Palmer while singing "There Goes My Baby." It blows up on social media and causes a rift with her boyfriend, Darius Jackson. In August, Palmer stars in Usher's video for "Boyfriend," poking fun at the controversy.

2020-On Twitter, Kanye West announces he's running for president. He forms his own political party, the "Birthday Party," telling supporters, "When we win, it's everybody's birthday."

Ariana Grande Licks Donuts
2015-Ariana Grande licks some donuts on a display counter at Wolfee Donuts in Lake Elsinore, California.More

2014-The first Beatles movie, A Hard Day's Night, is re-released in American theaters to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

2014-Sia, the hit songwriter behind Rihanna's "Diamonds" and David Guetta's "Titanium," releases her album 1000 Forms Of Fear, which goes to #1 in America. For a "layer of protection," she wears a wig that covers her face while promoting the album and doesn't appear in the videos for the singles "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart," which instead feature interpretive dancing by Maddie Ziegler.

2013-Jay-Z releases his twelfth studio album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail, as a free download, but only for Samsung customers who can access it through the Jay-Z Magna Carta app. Non-Samsung users will have to tough it out and buy the album at retail price four days later.

2010-After attending a gay pride parade in London, George Michael crashes his Range Rover into a Snappy Snaps photo store in Hampstead, England. Convicted of driving under the influence of cannabis, he goes to prison on September 21 and serves four weeks.

2009-Allen Klein, an influential music publisher who simultaneously managed The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, dies of respiratory failure at age 77 after years of diabetes-related complications and an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

2009-Drake Levin (guitarist for Paul Revere and the Raiders) dies of cancer at age 62.

2007-Bill Pinkney (of The Drifters) dies of a heart attack at age 81.

2005-Rockabilly entertainer "Big" Al Downing dies of leukemia at age 65.

2003-Barry White, age 58, dies two months after suffering a severe stroke while awaiting a kidney transplant.

2002-Michael Abram, the man who attacked and nearly murdered George Harrison some 19 months earlier, is given a conditional release by a Mental Health Review Tribunal, to the fury of George's widow, Olivia. Says Abram: "If I could turn back the clock I would give anything not to have done what I did. But I have come to realise that I was very ill at that time, really not in control."

1995-Backstage at the Lollapalooza stop in George, Washington, Courtney Love of Hole punches Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna in the face. Hanna presses charges, and Love pleads guilty to fourth degree assault.

1995-Foo Fighters release their self-titled debut album. It's essentially a Dave Grohl solo project - he wrote, produced, and played all the instruments except for some guitar on "X-Static" by Greg Dulli.

1995-Post Malone is born Austin Richard Post in Syracuse, New York. Raised in Grapevine, Texas, from age 9, he's living in Los Angeles when his song "White Iverson" takes off on SoundCloud in 2015 and launches him to stardom.

1992-John Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas receives a liver transplant in Los Angeles.

1988-Kylie Minogue releases her debut album, Kylie, featuring her hit cover of "The Loco-Motion." The album marks a rebirth of disco, a genre Minogue proudly embraces.

1987-Genesis close out their Invisible Tour with a sold-out show at Wembley Stadium in London. They played the venue the previous three nights as well, also to sell-out crowds.

1986-Run-DMC release their rap version of "Walk This Way" featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, the group that released the original version in 1975. It's the first major collaboration between rappers and rockers, proof positive that the styles can work together. Both groups get a huge boost when the song becomes a hit; for Aerosmith, it launches a comeback.

1986-Flotsam and Jetsam's only full-length studio album with bassist Jason Newsted, Doomsday for the Deceiver, is released via Metal Blade Records. Doomsday is co-produced by the band with the label's head, Brian Slagel, and is the only album in the history of Kerrang! Magazine to receive a "six K" review (out of a possible five "K's").

1985-Dire Straits play the first of 14 consecutive nights at Wembley Arena in London. On Day 10 of the residency (July 13), they first play an afternoon set across the parking lot at Wembley Stadium as part of Live Aid.

1984-Ringo Starr sits in with The Beach Boys during their Miami concert.

1984-Jack Wagner, in character as Frisco Jones, sings the ballad "All I Need" on the soap opera General Hospital. The song is released as a single and climbs to #2, making Wagner the second cast member on the show to become a real-life musician, following Rick Springfield.

1980-500,000 attend a free Beach Boys concert in Washington DC.

1978-Stephen McNally (who puts the "Mak" in BBMak) is born in Liverpool, England.

1977-Blondie bassist Gary Valentine quits the band.

1976-Paul Revere is married during the intermission of his concert at King's Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati on America's bicentennial.

1976-In a defining moment for punk rock in Britain, the Ramones play the Roundhouse in Camden. Local acts like The Sex Pistols and The Clash soon gain notoriety.


1974-Singer Inara George is born in Towson, Maryland, near where her dad, Lowell George, recorded the Feats Don't Fail Me Now album with his band Little Feat. Her middle name is "Maryland" in tribute.

1974-Barry White marries Glodean James of Love Unlimited.

1974-Steely Dan (Walter Becker and Donald Fagan) give up live performing after a show in Santa Monica so they can focus on studio work, including the album Katy Lied. They don't tour again until 1993.

1974-The Tony Orlando & Dawn TV show debuts on CBS.

1972-William Goldsmith (drummer for Foo Fighters) is born in Seattle, Washington.

1971-Andrew Creeggan (original percussionist, keyboardist for Barenaked Ladies) is born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

1971-Following a week-long celebration with performances by Santana, The Grateful Dead, Boz Scaggs and several other acts that played there since it opened in 1968, San Francisco's Fillmore West concert hall closes.

1971-R&B singer Don McPherson (of The Main Ingredient) dies of leukemia at age 29.

1969-Grand Funk Railroad, which formed just a few months earlier, play to a huge crowd at the Atlanta Pop Festival. Lead singer Mark Farner sheds his shirt because of the heat and gets such a reaction from the crowd that he decides to play every show shirtless.

1966-The Beatles play two shows in the Philippines, first in the afternoon to a crowd of 30,000, then in the evening to another 50,000. They fly to India the next day.

1966-The Lovin' Spoonful release "Summer In The City."

1964-Millie Small, part of the British Invasion, reaches #2 in America with "My Boy Lollipop."

1964-The Rolling Stones appear on the BBC's Juke Box Jury show as panelists, where they pass judgment on various records. A review in The Daily Sketch calls them "gum-chewing, ill-mannered, ill-humoured, illiberal and illogical jurors."

1963-Matt Malley (former bass guitarist for Counting Crows) is born in Oakland, California.

1959-The Brothers Four release "Greenfields."

1959-Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong found Island Records in Jamaica, taking the label's name from Harry Belafonte's "Island in the Sun."

1958-INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly is born in Kew, Victoria, Australia.

1955-Gene Vincent's leg is crushed when his motorcycle is struck by a car in Franklin, Virginia.

1952-John Waite (lead vocalist, bass guitarist of The Babys and lead vocalist of Bad English) is born in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.

1951Ralph Johnson (drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1948-Jeremy Spencer (guitarist, pianist for Fleetwood Mac) is born in Hartlepool, County Durham, England.

1943-Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson (guitarist, harmonica player for Canned Heat) is born in Arlington, Massachusetts.

1940-Dave Rowberry (keyboardist for The Animals) is born in Mapperley, Nottinghamshire, England.

1938-Bill Withers is born in Slab Fork, West Virginia.

1911-Mitch Miller, an influential A&R executive at Columbia Records throughout the '50s and '60s, is born in Rochester, New York. Signed Aretha Franklin to her first record deal.

1828-"Hail to the Chief" is performed by the United States Marine Band for President John Quincy Adams during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

[F5 Dave]

Jesus what a lot of American crap. :tugger:

Fuk em, pull ot the plug and let em all sink.

[Bikkie]

1687 -Isaac Newton's great work Principia is published by the Royal Society in England, outlining his laws of motion and universal gravitation

1811- Venezuelan Declaration of Independence: Seven provinces declare themselves independent of Spain

1852- Fugitive slave Frederick Douglass delivers his 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?' speech to the Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, condemns the celebration as hypocritical sham

1865- US Secret Service begins operating under the Treasury Department

1881-Poll tax imposed on Chinese
Parliament passed the Chinese Immigrants Act, which introduced a ‘poll tax’ of £10 (equivalent to nearly $1700 today) on Chinese migrants and restricted the number allowed to land from each ship arriving in New Zealand.

1994 -Amazon.com is founded by Jeff Bezos in Bellevue, Washington

2004 -First direct presidential election held in Indonesia, eventually won by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono



Music History



2004 -First direct presidential election held in Indonesia, eventually won by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

2005-Shirley Goodman (of Shirley & Lee, Shirley & Company) dies at age 69.

2004-On the 50th anniversary of the day he recorded the song, Elvis Presley's first single, That's Alright, is re-released. In the UK, it's a hit, going to #3.

2003-The Lollapalooza tour returns for the first time since 1997 with a show in Noblesville, Indiana. Original headliner Jane's Addiction is on the bill along with Audioslave and Incubus. The tour limps along, plagued by poor ticket sales and cancelled shows.

2001-R&B singer Ernie K-Doe dies of kidney and liver failure at age 65 due to years of alcohol abuse.

1997-Mrs. (Elva) Miller, who charted with an off-key rendition of "Downtown" in 1966, dies at age 89.

1996-Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, is born. She is named after Dolly Parton because the scientist thought the country star was the person most synonymous with mammary glands.

1992-Helix guitarist Paul Hackman, age 38, is killed after a concert in Vancouver when the band's van rolls down a 40-foot embankment and throws him from the vehicle.

1984-The The Everly Brothers 1984 Reunion Concert Tour kicks off in Cincinnati. After 10 years apart the group reunited in 1983 for a reunion concert, which led to the album Story of Me and the subsequent tour.

1983-Suicidal Tendencies release their self-titled debut album. The album spawns the band's biggest hit to date, "Institutionalized."

1982-Dave Haywood of Lady A is born in Augusta, Georgia.

1981-At the "Rock Werchter" festival in Belgium, The Cure play a 9-minute version of "A Forest" when they are told to hurry off stage so Robert Palmer can begin his set.More

1980-At a concert in Munich, Simon Kirke of Bad Company joins Led Zeppelin to provide a two-drum assault on the song "Whole Lotta Love." Kirke is the last guest musician to perform with the band, as the tour ends two days later and John Bonham dies in September.

1980-Lifehouse frontman Jason Wade is born in Camarillo, California.

1974-Linda Ronstadt records her breakthrough hit "You're No Good" at the Sound Factory in Hollywood with producer Peter Asher.

1973-Bengt Lagerberg (drummer for The Cardigans) is born in Jönköping, Sweden.

1973-Bengt Lagerberg (drummer for The Cardigans) is born in Jönköping, Sweden.

1969-The Who release "I'm Free."

1969-Jerry Butler and The Impressions "reunite" on American Bandstand, singing separately.

1969-The Rolling Stones put on a free concert in London's Hyde Park, which becomes a tribute to their founding member Brian Jones, who died two days earlier.

1969-Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, the future RZA, is born in Brownsville, New York. He will become leader of Wu-Tang Clan .

1966-Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers has an operation in a Los Angeles hospital to remove nodes on his vocal cords.

1965-Dick Clark launches a musical variety show called Where The Action Is, with Paul Revere & the Raiders as the house band. The show lasts 3 seasons on ABC and features many top musical acts of the era.

1965-Motown President Berry Gordy, Jr. appears on the popular TV show To Tell The Truth. The Supremes perform after his identity is revealed.

1965-The Four Tops release "It's the Same Old Song."

1964-US President Lyndon Johnson invites The Four Seasons to play at the White House.

1964-Them (with Van Morrison) release "Gloria."

1961-Ray Charles releases "Hit The Road Jack" and "Unchain My Heart."

1959-Marc Cohn is born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1955-Chuck Berry's song "Maybellene" is copyrighted in Berry's name alone, but Alan Freed's name is added as a form of payola.

1954-Elvis Presley makes his first professional recording, putting down "That's All Right" at Sun Studio in Memphis.

1950-Huey Lewis is born Hugh Anthony Cregg III in New York City. He forms Huey Lewis & the News in San Francisco.

1950-Michael Monarch (original lead guitarist for Steppenwolf) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1943-Robbie Robertson (lead guitarist for The Band) is born Jaime Royal Robertson in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1941-Terry Cashman (of Cashman & West, The Buchanan Brothers) is born Dennis Minogue in New York.

1938-Thomas "Snuff" Garrett, a record producer known for his work with Bobby Vee, Del Shannon, Sonny Curtis, and Sonny & Cher, is born in Dallas, Texas.

1913-R&B singer and guitarist Smiley Lewis, known for the 1955 hit "I Hear You Knocking," is born Overton Amos Lemons in DeQuincy, Louisiana.

1912-Prolific songwriter Mack David, known for his work on Disney films such as Cinderella and Alice In Wonderland, is born in New York City. His younger brother is songwriter Hal David, known for his collaborations with Burt Bacharach.

[Bikkie]

1189 – King Henry II of England dies, is succeeded by Richard I.

1483 – King Richard III crowned.

1535 – Sir Thomas More is executed in England for treason.

1885 – Louis Pasteur performs the first inoculation of a human being: a young boy bitten by a rabid dog.

1923 – Auckland-Wellington express train ploughs into a huge slip at Ōngarue, north of Taumaruni. Seventeen people die.

1928 – First all-talking feature film, The Lights of New York, premieres in New York.

1942 – Diarist Anne Frank’s family take refuge from Nazis in Amsterdam.

1957 – Althea Gibson becomes the first black tennis player to win a Wimbledon singles title; John Lennon meets Paul McCartney for the first time at a church event in Liverpool.



Music History



2020-On his 85th birthday, The Dalai Lama releases the album Inner World, a collection of Buddhist mantras and prayers set to music.

2020-Charlie Daniels dies at 83 after suffering a stroke.

2019-With 13 weeks at #1, "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X breaks the record for longest-running hip-hop song on the Hot 100. "Lose Yourself," "Boom Boom Pow" and "See You Again" all had runs of 12 weeks.

2016-In a small ceremony at Peckforton Castle in Liverpool, England, Ciara marries Russell Wilson, quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks.

2009-Alanis Morissette begins an eight-episode stint on the Showtime drama Weeds, playing obstetrician Audra Kitson.

2009-Guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker announce they are leaving Panic At The Disco. That leaves vocalist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith to continue the band.

2003-Skip Battin (bassist for The Byrds, NRPS, Flying Burrito Brothers) dies of complications from Alzheimer's disease at age 69.

1999-Folk singer Richie Havens publishes his autobiography, They Can't Hide Us Anymore.

1998-Roy Rogers, star of many Western films in which he sang, dies of heart failure at 86. The other singing cowboy of his era, Gene Autry, dies a few months later.

Forrest Gump Debuts
1994-The light-hearted drama Forrest Gump hits theaters. Aside from becoming the top-grossing film of the year in North America and winning multiple Academy Awards, the movie spawns a hit soundtrack with songs from Elvis Presley, Three Dog Night, The Doors, The Byrds, The Mamas & the Papas, Buffalo Springfield, and more.More

1991-Grunge music takes baby steps into the mainstream as the Alice in Chains album Facelift peaks at #42 in the US, and "Man In The Box" goes to #18 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

1987-Neil Young & Crazy Horse release Life, their last album under the Geffen label. With the exceptions of studio recordings "Cryin' Eyes" and "We Never Danced," the tracks are all taken from live performances.

1985-Phil Collins' "Sussudio" - a song about a girl with a funny name - hits #1. It holds the position for one week.

1979-Van McCoy, known for the 1975 disco hit "The Hustle," dies of a heart attack at age 39.

1979-The B-52s release their self-titled debut album, featuring one of their signature songs in "Rock Lobster."

1967-Pink Floyd appear on the British TV show Top Of The Pops for the first time, performing "See Emily Play."

1966-Elvis Presley's Paradise Hawaiian Style movie opens nationwide.

1965-Jackie Wilson releases "Higher And Higher."

1965-Marty Balin starts recruiting members for the band that will become Jefferson Airplane.

1964-The first Beatles' movie, A Hard Day's Night, debuts in London.

1963-Guitarist Tim Bricheno (of The Sisters Of Mercy) is born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England.

1959-John Keeble (drummer for Spandau Ballet) is born in Hampstead, London, England.

1953-Nanci Griffith is born in Seguin, Texas.

1949-Mike Shrieve (drummer for Santana) is born in San Francisco, California.

1945-Rik Elswit (lead guitarist for Dr. Hook) is born in California.

1943-Soul singer Jan Bradley, who becomes popular by covering Curtis Mayfield tunes before writing her own songs, is born Addie Bradley in Byhalia, Mississippi.

1937-Gene Chandler is born Eugene Dixon in Chicago, Illinois.

1932-Big Dee Irwin is born DiFosco T. Ervin Jr. in Harlem, New York. Recorded a popular version of "Swinging on a Star" with Little Eva.

1931-Della Reese is born Delloreese Patricia Early in the Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan.

1925-Bill Haley is born in Highland Park, Michigan.

1924-Jazz drummer Louie Bellson, famous for his work with Duke Ellington, is born in Illinois.

1911-Contralto singer LaVerne Sophia Andrews (firstborn of The Andrews Sisters) is born in Mound, Minnesota.

1865-Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, a composer who developed Dalcroze Eurhythmics to teach music to students, is born in Vienna, Austria

[Bikkie]

1495- King Ferdinand II returns to Naples

Vienna Court Music Ensemble
1498 Emperor Maximilian I orders appointment of a conductor, two bass singers and six choir boys, establishing the Vienna Court Music Ensemble; later includes Vienna Boys Choir

Battle of Otumba, Mexico
1520 -Hernán Cortés and the Tlaxcalans defeat a numerically superior Aztec force in the Battle of Otumba in Mexico

1534- European colonization of the Americas: first known exchange between Europeans and natives of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in New Brunswick

First French Amerindian Trade
1534- First act of trade between the French and Amerindians when Jacques Cartier trades items with Micmacs at Chaleur Bay [1

1543 -French troops invade Luxembourg

1550 -Traditional date chocolate thought to have been introduced to Europe

1585- King Henri III and Duke De Guise signs Treaty of Nemours: French Huguenots lose all freedoms

1600- English explorer John Mildenhall leaves Aleppo with a caravan of 600 people bound for Lahore - one of the first Englishmen to reach India overland

1647 -People's uprising against high prices and Spanish rule in Naples

Isaac Newton Graduates
1668 -Isaac Newton receives MA from Trinity College, Cambridge



Music History


2022-The only copy of Bob Dylan's newly recorded "Blowin' In The Wind" sells at auction for £1,482,000 ($1.7 million). Dylan recorded it with producer T Bone Burnett and the song was pressed to a disc in Burnett's new format, Ionic Original, which is made of aluminium but plays on a turntable.

2018-The Cure stage a 40th anniversary show in London's Hyde Park as part of the annual British Summer Time concert series. Frontman Robert Smith chose the lineup of opening acts, including Slowdive, Editors, Ride, Interpol, Goldfrapp, and The Twilight Sad.

2009-Lionel Richie got his first big break when The Commodores snagged 42 dates in the opening slot for The Jackson 5 in 1972. Thirty-seven years later on the same date, he performs The Commodores song "Jesus is Love" at a memorial service for the late Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

2006-Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett dies at age 60.

2005-Former calypso artist Arthur Edlin Frederick is one of 52 innocent people killed in the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London.

2001-Sharon becomes the first Corr to wed when she marries Gavin Bonnar, a Belfast barrister. They will have two children, Cathal Robert Gerard and Flori Jean Elizabeth.

2001-Fred Neil, a folk singer-songwriter known for writing Harry Nilsson's hit "Everybody's Talkin'," dies during a battle with skin cancer at age 65.

1998-Barenaked Ladies release their fourth studio album, Stunt. It's the Canadian band's breakthrough record in the US, where it lands at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

1998-Along with his financial partner Don Barden, Michael Jackson announces plans to build an entertainment complex in Detroit called "The Majestic Kingdom." It never materializes.

1993-Mia Zapata (lead singer of The Gits), age 27, is murdered after being accosted by a stranger outside of Seattle's Comet Tavern. The case goes unsolved for years until DNA evidence links the crime to Florida fisherman Jesus Mezquia in 2003, who eventually is sentenced to 36 years in prison.

1992-Spinal Tap cap their reunion tour with a sold-out show at Royal Albert Hall in London.More

1992-Dream Theater release their second album, Images And Words, a progressive metal landmark.

1973-Paul McCartney & Wings release "Live And Let Die."

1973-Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round In Circles" hits #1 in America.

1971-Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog of ABBA are married in Verum, Sweden (it lasts eight years).

1968-The folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary appear as the "mystery guest" on CBS-TV's What's My Line?

1968-The Yardbirds disband immediately after a gig in Luton, England. Jimmy Page begins forming what will become Led Zeppelin.

1968-The Yardbirds perform their final gig in Luton, England.

1963-Vonda Shepard is born in New York, but will be raised in California.

1962-David Rose's "The Stripper" hits #1.

1962-Spin Doctors bass player Mark White is born in New York City.

1956-A riot breaks out at a Fats Domino concert in San Jose, California, with twelve injured.

1956-The Platters release "My Prayer."

1956-With his song "I Walk The Line" climbing the charts, Johnny Cash makes his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. There, he meets his future wife, June Carter.

1950-Johnny Cash joins the US Air Force, enlisting at 18 just six weeks after graduating from high school in Dyess, Arkansas. He serves as a Morse code intercept operator and rises to the rank of Staff Sergeant before being honorably discharged in 1954 and launching his music career.

1948-Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt (guitarist for Iron Butterfly) is born in Florida.

1947-David Hodo (Village People construction worker) is born in Palo Alto, California.

1944-Warren Entner (guitarist for The Grass Roots) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1941-Jim Rodford (bass guitarist for Argent, The Kinks) is born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England.

1940-Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is born Richard Starkey in Liverpool, England. He has a run of solo hits in the '70s that includes "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph," but he doesn't tour until 1989, when he introduces his All Starr Band.

1936-Tommy Dee, known for the 1959 hit "Three Stars," a tribute to the late Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, is born in Vicker, Virginia.

1924-Mary Ford is born Iris Colleen Summers in El Monte, California.

1911-Composer Gian Carlo Menotti, known for the popular Christmas opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, is born in Cadegliano-Viconago, Italy.

[Bikkie]

1663 -King Charles II of England approves the Rhode Island Royal Charter giving royal recognition to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and freedoms to its colonists, among them Roger William

1680 -The first confirmed tornado in America kills a servant at Cambridge, Massachusetts

1693- New York City authorizes the first police uniforms in the American colonies

1709- Battle of Poltava; Russians defeat Swedes, end of Swedish empire as a major power

1716- Great Northern War: Battle of Dynekilen, a Danish-Norwegian force under Peter Tordenskjold traps and defeats Swedish force

1731 Theologian Jonathan Edwards preaches his sermon "God Glorified in Man's Dependence" in Boston, later his first published sermo

1741- Theologian Jonathan Edwards preaches perhaps the most famous of all American sermons "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" at Enfield, Connecticut, part of the Great Awakening

1758- British and Colonial assault on French forces at Fort Ticonderoga, New York
United States Declaration of Independence

1776 -Colonel John Nixon gives the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence to an assemblage of citizens in Philadelphia

1777- Independent Vermont introduces a new constitution, prohibiting slavery

1778 -George Washington headquarters at West Point for his Continental Army

1792- France declares war on Prussia

1796 -US State Department issues first US passport

1797- 1st US senator (William Blount of Tennessee) expelled by impeachment

1800- Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse gives the first cowpox vaccination in the United States to his son to prevent smallpox

1805 -American Bill Richmond knocks out Jack Holmes, Kilburn Wells, England

1816 -Frost in Waltham, Massachusetts during "year without a summer"

1822- Chippewas turn over huge tract of land in Ontario to the United Kingdom

1833- Russia and Turkey sign defense treaty

1844- nearly five years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi that the first hostile action took place in the far north in the fifth largest town in the colony of New Zealand, Kororareka.

1862-New Zealand’s first prize fight?
The boxing bout was fought in an improvised ring on the banks of the Waimakariri River near Kaiapoi after police were ejected from the scene. London prizefighter Harry Jones defeated labourer George Barton over 30 bloody bare-knuckle rounds for a purse of £100

1893-New Zealand Racing Conference meets
The New Zealand Racing Conference was formed to control the thoroughbred horse-racing in the colony.





Music History


2016-Geri Horner, Emma Bunton and Mel B of the Spice Girls announce that they are forming a new group called GEM, which is what you want. What you really, really want.More

2011-Troubadours: The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter is screened by the BBC.

2006-"Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado goes to #1 for the first of six weeks. It features the red-hot producer Timbaland, who goes back and forth with Furtado on the song as they play out a flirtation in a club. Furtado says it's a positive song, with the girl letting the guy run his best game and then deciding if he's up to her standards.

2003-A tooth from the mouth of Elvis Presley, once the property of former girlfriend Linda Thompson, goes up for auction on eBay. Along with a lock of his hair and a gold record, it fetches over $100,000.

2002-Michael Jackson unleashes a sudden tirade on the music industry, accusing several music execs of racism and calling Sony head Tommy Mottola in particular "very, very, very devilish."

2000-"The Real Slim Shady" debuts at #1 in the UK, giving Eminem his first chart-topper on the Singles chart. He doesn't reach #1 in America until two years later with "Lose Yourself."

1998-The Smithsonian and Library of Congress agree to house the music and film archives of Frank Sinatra.

1997-Weezer fan club founders Mykel Allan, 31, and her sister Carli, 29, are killed along with their younger sister, Trysta, in a car accident in Colorado on the way back from one of the band's shows. The girls, who had befriended many up-and-coming Los Angeles-based bands, are honored through many tribute songs, including Weezer's "Mykel and Carli" and Jimmy Eat World's "Hear You Me."

1992-Garth Brooks and wife Sandy welcome their first child, daughter Taylor Mayne Pearl Brooks.

1978-The Clash's Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon are arrested on drunk and disorderly charges following a concert at The Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland.

1974-David Bowie releases David Live, recorded at Tower Theater in Philadelphia. It is Bowie's first official live album.

1971-A mini-riot during a Mott The Hoople concert prompts London's Royal Albert Hall to temporarily ban rock groups from the venue.

1970 -Fantasy records releases "Cosmo's Factory", the fifth studio album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival; it is critically acclaimed and becomes their biggest seller, spawning six singles that reach the top 5 of the Billboard charts

1970-Beck is born Bek David Campbell in Los Angeles, California. He adopts the surname Hansen from his mom, former Andy Warhol protege Bibbe Hansen.

1969-Singer/actress Marianne Faithfull, girlfriend of Mick Jagger, attempts suicide with barbiturates while on the set of the film Ned Kelly (also starring Mick). She is dropped from the cast of the movie, eventually recovers, and when awaking from her coma, tells friends that "wild horses couldn't drag me away." The Rolling Stones song "Wild Horses" is built around that phrase.

1965-The Dave Clark Five's first movie, Having A Wild Weekend, opens in London. (For American audiences, it's entitled Catch Us If You Can, after their hit of the same name.)

1962-Joan Osborne is born in Anchorage, Kentucky.

1961-Toby Keith is born Toby Keith Covel in Clinton, Oklahoma. He works in the oil fields and for a rodeo company before launching his music career in his 30s. His pre-music life informs many of his songs, including "Beer For My Horses," inspired by his rodeo days.

1961-Depeche Mode founder Andy Fletcher is born in Nottingham, England.

1954- Elvis Presley ’s debut single, “That’s All Right,” was played for the very first time on Memphis’ WHBQ.

1958-The RIAA gives its first ever Gold album to the Oklahoma! soundtrack for $1 million in sales. The Gold standard for albums is changed in 1975 to reflect sales of over 500,000.

1957-Elvis Presley's "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" hits #1 in America the day before it appears in his second film, Loving You. It holds the top spot for seven weeks.

1946-Ava Gardner divorces bandleader Artie Shaw after one year of marriage. Her next husband is Frank Sinatra.

1944-Jai Johanny Johanson (drummer for The Allman Brothers Band) is born Johnny Lee Johnson in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

1935-Steve Lawrence is born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn, New York City.

1930-Italian American singer Jerry Vale is born Genaro Louis Vitaliano in the Bronx, New York City.

1914-Swing era bandleader Billy Eckstine is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known for his 1948 rendition of "I Apologize."

1908-Bandleader Louis Jordan, whose jazz and blues music leads to rock and roll, is born in Brinkley, Arkansas.

1900-Avant-garde composer George Antheil is born Georg Johann Carl Antheil in Trenton, New Jersey.

[Bikkie]

1609 – Bohemia is granted freedom of religion through the Letter of Majesty by the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II.

1701 – A Bourbon force under Nicolas Catinat withdraws from a smaller Habsburg force under Prince Eugene of Savoy in the Battle of Carpi.

1745 – French victory in the Battle of Melle allows them to capture Ghent in the days after.

1755 – The Braddock Expedition is soundly defeated by a smaller French and Native American force in its attempt to capture Fort Duquesne in what is now downtown Pittsburgh.

1762 – Catherine the Great becomes Empress of Russia following the coup against her husband, Peter III.[5]

1763 – The Mozart family grand tour of Europe began, lifting the profile of son Wolfgang Amadeus.[6]

1776 – George Washington orders the Declaration of Independence to be read out to members of the Continental Army in Manhattan, while thousands of British troops on Staten Island prepare for the Battle of Long Island.[7]

1789 – In Versailles, the National Assembly reconstitutes itself as the National Constituent Assembly and begins preparations for a French constitution.

1790 – The Swedish Navy captures one third of the Russian Baltic fleet.

1793 – The Act Against Slavery in Upper Canada bans the importation of slaves and will free those who are born into slavery after the passage of the Act at 25 years of age.

1795 – Financier James Swan pays off the $2,024,899 US national debt that had been accrued during the American Revolution.[8]

1807 – The second Treaty of Tilsit is signed between France and Prussia, ending the War of the Fourth Coalition.

1810 – Napoleon annexes the Kingdom of Holland as part of the First French Empire.

1811 – Explorer David Thompson posts a sign near what is now Sacajawea State Park in Washington state, claiming the Columbia District for the United Kingdom.

1815 – Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord becomes the first Prime Minister of France.

1816 – Argentina declares independence from Spain.

1821 – Four hundred and seventy prominent Cypriots including Archbishop Kyprianos are executed in response to Cypriot aid to the Greek War of Independence.

1850 – U.S. President Zachary Taylor dies after eating raw fruit and iced milk; he is succeeded in office by Vice President Millard Fillmore.

1850 – Persian prophet Báb is executed in Tabriz, Persia.

1860-The slave ship Clotilda was scuttled ,after arriving in Mobile, Alabama,to conceal evidence of the illegal voyage, the ship was burned and sunk in the Mobile River.

1863-First tree planted in Christchurch Botanical Gardens New Zealand.

The Albert Edward Oak is the oldest tree in the Botanical Gardens.
This tree was planted on 9 July 1863 in celebration of the marriage of Prince Albert to Princess Alexandra of Denmark. This tree is now regarded to be the beginning of the gardens that we know today.
On the same day, another Oak was planted at the intersection of Ferry Road (was then known as Sumner Road) and the East Belt (Fitzgerald Ave) by Mrs. R. Bealey, Mrs. F. Fitzgerald, Mrs. G. Bowen and Mrs. R. Hall, the wives of four of our most influential politicians in Canterbury. Sadly this Oak is no longer with us. This tree and the Albert Edward Oak were gifted to the city by William ‘Cabbage’ Wilson, a nurseryman who also served Christchurch as its first Mayor in 1868.
Prior to 1863, the gardens were mainly wetlands and sand dunes, believe it or not. I can’t imagine what it took to give us the gardens that were to “be reserved forever as a public park, and to be open for the recreation and enjoyment of the public” – as written in 1855.
The Albert Edward Oak can be found south west of the Archery Lawn, close to the Avon

1863 – American Civil War: The Siege of Port Hudson ends in a Union victory and, along with the fall of Vicksburg five days earlier, gives the Union complete control of the Mississippi River.[9]

1868 – The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing African Americans full citizenship and all persons in the United States due process of law.

1875 – The Herzegovina Uprising against Ottoman rule begins, which would last until 1878 and have far-reaching implications throughout the Balkans.

1877 – The inaugural Wimbledon Championships begins.

1893 – Daniel Hale Williams, American heart surgeon, performs the first successful open-heart surgery in United States without anesthesia.

1896 – William Jennings Bryan delivers his Cross of Gold speech advocating bimetallism at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

1900 – The Federation of Australia is given royal assent.

1900 – The Governor of Shanxi province in North China orders the execution of 45 foreign Christian missionaries and local church members, including children




Music History


2019-After years of animosity that kept Ann and Nancy Wilson apart, Heart regroup for their Love Alive tour, which kicks off with a show in St. Louis. Support acts are all women: Joan Jett, Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile and Elle King.

2017-The radio station Mansfield 103.2 in England is hijacked by a transmitter hacker who engages in some monkeyshines, saying, "I'm a w--ker, I'm a w--ker" in a Nottinghamshire accent before playing the "The Winker's Song (Misprint)" by Ivor Biggun, a paean to self-pleasure that repeats the phrase over and over.More

2012-Soul singer Linda "Kay Kay" Greenwade (of Kay Kay and the Rays) dies at age 56 after a long period of ill health, including diabetes and a brain tumor.

2011-Matt Bellamy of Muse and his fiancé Kate Hudson welcome a baby boy named Bingham. Hudson had a boy with Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson seven years earlier; she and Bellamy call off their engagement in 2014.

2006-Milan B. Williams (keyboardist for The Commodores) dies of cancer at age 58.

2003-Buzzcocks play Madison Square Garden for the first time ever in their career, opening for Pearl Jam.

2001-During an appearance on MTV's TRL, four of the Backstreet Boys announce their Black & Blue tour will be put on hold so their fifth member, AJ McLean, can enter rehab to treat alcoholism and depression.

1999-Avoiding a legal battle over whether or not they were ever legally married (they had a ceremony in Bali in 1991), Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall reach a settlement, calling their split an annulment.

LeAnn Rimes Debuts With Blue
1996-Thirteen-year-old LeAnn Rimes releases her debut album, Blue, and wows critics with the hits "Blue" and "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)."More

1995-Hootie & the Blowfish play the first-ever concert at the Meadows Music Theater in Hartford, Connecticut, drawing a crowd of 17,000.

1981-The ABC News show 20/20 runs a story called "Rappin' To The Beat," becoming the first national TV news magazine to cover rap music. "You never miss the fact there's no melody," Hugh Downs says in his introduction. "It's all beat and talk." The coverage suggests rap may be more than just a passing fad.

1978-Andy Gibb and his brothers, the Bee Gees, perform together for the first time when Barry, Robin and Maurice join him at his concert in Miami to sing his hit "Shadow Dancing," which they wrote together.

1977-Alan O'Day's "Undercover Angel" hits #1. It will hold the position for one week.

1977-Elvis Costello quits his job at cosmetics factory to pursue a music career.

1974-Rush sign a deal with Mercury Records, who are impressed by their debut album, a self-titled independent release with the track "Working Man."

1974-In Seattle, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young play a four-hour show to kick off their reunion tour (they haven't toured together since 1970). It's the first rock stadium tour - not a great fit for the band, who aren't loud or flamboyant. After the tour, they start recording an album but part ways before it's finished.

1971-Grand Funk Railroad play to a sold-out crowd of 55,000 at Shea Stadium in New York City. They have no hit singles, but are well known in the area thanks to a block-long billboard that ran in Times Square for much of the previous year.

1970-In Bloomington, Indiana, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young wrap up their tour. The group members drift apart and don't hit the road again until 1974.

1969-John Lennon makes his solo debut on the UK charts with "Give Peace A Chance."

1964-Courtney Love is born Courtney Michelle Harrison in San Francisco, California. After a tumultuous childhood, she travels the world and forms the band Hole. In 1992, she marries Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.

1962-Bob Dylan, not yet famous, records "Blowin' In The Wind" at Columbia Records' studios in New York City but doesn't release it until May 27, 1963, when it appears on his second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. It eventually becomes one of Dylan's most famous songs, but the first version most listeners hear is the hit cover by Peter, Paul and Mary, which goes to #2 in the US in August 1963.

1959-Jim Kerr (lead singer for Simple Minds) is born in Toryglen, Glasgow, Scotland.

1957-Elvis Presley's second film, Loving You, has its US premiere (Elvis does not attend since he got a special showing the night before).

1957-Marc Almond (lead vocalist for Soft Cell) is born Peter Mark Sinclair Almond in Southport, Lancashire, England.

1954-Debbie Sledge (of Sister Sledge) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1946-John "Mitch" Mitchell (drummer for the Jimi Hendrix Experience) is born in Greenwich, London, England. Before becoming a musician, he'll start his entertainment career as an actor, appearing on the children's program Jennings and Derbyshire and starring in the 1960 film Bottom's Up.

1946-Bon Scott is born Ronald Belford Scott in Kirriemuir, Scotland. He is raised in Australia, where he meets Angus and Malcolm Young and eventually becomes lead singer of their band AC/DC.

1941-Don McPherson (of The Main Ingredient) is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1929-Singer-songwriter Lee Hazlewood, known for his collaborations with Duane Eddy and Nancy Sinatra, is born Barton Lee Hazlewood in Mannford, Oklahoma.

1929-Bluegrass mandolinist Jesse McReynolds (of Jim & Jesse) is born in Carfax, Virginia.

1927-Sixties pop singer Ed Ames ("My Cup Runneth Over") is born Edmund Dantes Urick in Malden, Massachusetts.

1925-Fifties pop singer Alan Dale ("(The Gang that Sang) Heart of My Heart") is born Aldo Sigismondi in Brooklyn, New York City.

[Bikkie]

1962 Telstar, first active communications satellite developed by American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), is launched [1]

1962 -US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Christmas Island

1964 -Jesús Alou is the first San Francisco Giant in 40 years to get six hits in a game in a 10-3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field

1964 -Moïse Tshombé, leader of the Confederation of Tribal Associations of Katanga, becomes Prime Minister of the Congo

1964 The Beatles release "A Hard Day's Night", their third studio album

1965 -Beatles' "VI" album goes to number 1 and stays at number 1 for 6 weeks

1965 -Rolling Stones score their first US number 1 single "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

1967- Bobbie Gentry records "Ode to Billie Joe," which goes on to win four Grammy awards

1967 -Uruguay becomes a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works

1968 -US Major League Baseball announces it will be split into two divisions for 1969

1969- Chilean Association of Librarians created

1985-Rainbow Warrior sunk by French secret agents
A crew member died when French secret agents mined the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior in Waitemat� Harbour, Auckland.




Music History




2024-Cypress Hill team up with the London Symphony Orchestra for a concert at Royal Albert Hall. This odd pairing first happened in the 1996 "Homerpalooza" episode of The Simpsons when the Cypress Hill and LSO avatars played "Insane In The Brain" together.

2018-Cardi B and Offset have their first child together, a daughter named Kulture. Two weeks later, Cardi pulls out of a planned tour with Bruno Mars so she can spend more time with her.

2017-With nearly 2.9 billion views, "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth breaks the record for most-viewed video on YouTube, overtaking "Gangnam Style" by PSY. In August, it is overtaken by "Despacito."

2016-Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry suffers a cardiac arrest while performing with Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp, fellow members of the supergroup The Hollywood Vampires, in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. The 65 year old is rushed to Coney Island hospital, where's he's listed in stable condition.

2015-The documentary Amy is released. The film, directed by Asif Kapadia, chronicles the short life of British singer Amy Winehouse. Hard-living Winehouse won five Grammy awards for her

2008-Shazam Can Name That Tune,By simply tapping an app button on an iPhone, music fans can finally get an answer to the timeless question, "What's that song?" Shazam's free smartphone app is the first music recognition service of its kind - using a phone's microphone to listen to any song being played publicly - like in a restaurant, at a friend's house, or on TV - and identify it. And it actually works.

2006- album Back To Black. She died at the age of 27 from alcohol poisoning in 2011.

2013-Randy Travis suffers a stroke after being hospitalized days earlier with a heart condition. He lives, but loses most of his speech and singing ability. His girlfriend, Mary Davis, sticks by him and helps with his recovery. They get married in 2015.

2012-Frank Ocean releases his highly acclaimed debut album, Channel Orange, which goes on to win the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Standout tracks include "Lost" and "Thinkin About You."

2012-Slash, who left Guns N' Roses in 1996, gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Charlie Sheen, who is master of ceremonies at the event, comments, "It seems quite fitting that Slash is getting a star on the very street Axl Rose will one day be sleeping on."

2010-Roger Waters makes a surprise appearance at a benefit concert in Oxfordshire, England when he joins his onetime Pink Floyd bandmate David Gilmour for a four-song set, marking the first time since Live 8 in 2005 that they have shared the stage. Gilmour reciprocates by joining Waters for a performance of The Wall on May 12, 2011 in London.

2009-Robert Plant is officially a Commander of the British Empire after being bestowed with the title by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

2009-Shakira releases the electro-pop album She Wolf. The singer was in a bad mood when the disco-influenced title track roared out of her consciousness: "The image of the she wolf just came to my head, and when I least expected it I was howling and panting."

2008-VH1's Rock Honors pays tribute to The Who.

2007-Bad Religion release their fourteenth full-length studio album, New Maps of Hell.

2004-American Idol winner Fantasia's "I Believe" debuts at #1 but drops out of the Top 10 two weeks later. She shows staying power, though, with a million-selling debut album and a lead role in the Broadway production of The Color Purple.

2000-Coldplay release their debut album, Parachutes, in their native UK (it isn't issued in America until November 7). Featuring the singles "Yellow" and "Trouble," it becomes a global smash.

2000-A much-ballyhooed Supremes "reunion" tour, "Return To Love," which features only Diana Ross from the original group, is canceled after initial ticket sales don't match expectations.e time with her.

2016-Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry suffers a cardiac arrest while performing with Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp, fellow members of the supergroup The Hollywood Vampires, in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. The 65 year old is rushed to Coney Island hospital, where's he's listed in stable condition.

2015-The documentary Amy is released. The film, directed by Asif Kapadia, chronicles the short life of British singer Amy Winehouse. Hard-living Winehouse won five Grammy awards for her 2006 album Back To Black. She died at the age of 27 from alcohol poisoning in 2011.

2013-Randy Travis suffers a stroke after being hospitalized days earlier with a heart condition. He lives, but loses most of his speech and singing ability. His girlfriend, Mary Davis, sticks by him and helps with his recovery. They get married in 2015.

2012-Frank Ocean releases his highly acclaimed debut album, Channel Orange, which goes on to win the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Standout tracks include "Lost" and "Thinkin About You."

2012-Slash, who left Guns N' Roses in 1996, gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Charlie Sheen, who is master of ceremonies at the event, comments, "It seems quite fitting that Slash is getting a star on the very street Axl Rose will one day be sleeping on."

2010-Roger Waters makes a surprise appearance at a benefit concert in Oxfordshire, England when he joins his onetime Pink Floyd bandmate David Gilmour for a four-song set, marking the first time since Live 8 in 2005 that they have shared the stage. Gilmour reciprocates by joining Waters for a performance of The Wall on May 12, 2011 in London.

2009-Robert Plant is officially a Commander of the British Empire after being bestowed with the title by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

2009-Shakira releases the electro-pop album She Wolf. The singer was in a bad mood when the disco-influenced title track roared out of her consciousness: "The image of the she wolf just came to my head, and when I least expected it I was howling and panting."

2008-VH1's Rock Honors pays tribute to The Who.

2007-Bad Religion release their fourteenth full-length studio album, New Maps of Hell.

2004-American Idol winner Fantasia's "I Believe" debuts at #1 but drops out of the Top 10 two weeks later. She shows staying power, though, with a million-selling debut album and a lead role in the Broadway production of The Color Purple.

2000-Coldplay release their debut album, Parachutes, in their native UK (it isn't issued in America until November 7). Featuring the singles "Yellow" and "Trouble," it becomes a global smash.

2000-A much-ballyhooed Supremes "reunion" tour, "Return To Love," which features only Diana Ross from the original group, is canceled after initial ticket sales don't match expectations.

1999-Significant Other by Limp Bizkit supplants Millennium by Backstreet Boys at #1 on the US albums chart. The nu metal vs. boy band battles continue unabated on MTV's Total Request Live, as videos from the albums battle it out on the countdown.

1998-Bauhaus, who broke up in 1983, begin their Resurrection tour with a show at The Palladium in Los Angeles.

1997-Wanda Day, drummer for 4 Non Blondes, dies of a drug overdose.

1993-Bob Seger marries his third wife, Juanita Dorricott.

1989-The Monkees get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the ceremony, all four Monkees reunite for the first time - Mike Nesmith was a holdout on their reunion tour.

1987-John Hammond, who signed both Bob Dylan (in 1961) and Bruce Springsteen (in 1972) to Columbia Records, dies at 76 after suffering from a number of strokes.

1986-Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia goes into a diabetic coma, forcing the band to cancel the rest of their tour. He's in the coma for five days, and when he comes to, he has to learn how to walk and talk again. After months of rehab, he gets his faculties back and in December, and is once again on stage with his band.

1985-Playboy publishes nude photos of Madonna taken before she was famous.

1985-Tina Turner stars opposite Mel Gibson in the post-apocalyptic action flick Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Turner sings two hit songs for the movie: "One Of The Living" and "We Don't Need Another Hero.

1980-Jessica Simpson is born in Abilene, Texas. She's first known as a singer, releasing her debut single, "I Wanna Love You Forever," in 1999. She becomes a reality TV star in 2002 with the MTV series Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica, and in 2005 she enters the world of film, playing Daisy Duke in The Dukes Of Hazzard.

1979-Chuck Berry is sentenced to jail for tax evasion. He would serve four months.

1977-Queen release their "We Are The Champions"/"We Will Rock You" single in the UK, providing stadium anthems for sporting events the world over.

1977-Cher gives birth to Elijah Blue Allman, her first and only child with Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers.

1976-The Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight" hits #1 in America, where it stays for two weeks. The song is not about the US bicentennial (July 4, 1976), but about daytime lovemaking.

1976-England Dan and John Ford Coley's "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" enters the charts.

1975-Gregg Allman and Cher's famously rocky marriage almost ends in divorce after only 10 days, but Cher changes her mind three weeks later and the couple tough it out for a few more years, officially divorcing in 1979.

1975-Gladys Knight & the Pips debut their own summer variety music show on NBC TV.

1972-Nilsson releases Son of Schmilsson.

1970-Three Dog Night releases "Liar."

1970-Rascal Flatts lead singer Gary LeVox is born Gary Wayne Vernon Jr. in Powell, Ohio. His stage name comes from a Vox amplifier that was labelled "L" for "lead singer."

1969-The funeral is held for The Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones, who was found dead in his swimming pool on July 3rd. His bandmates Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman attend, but Mick Jagger and Keith Richards do not.

1969-The Temptations Show, a Motown special featuring the group, airs in syndication. They perform, among other hits, "Get Ready," "Cloud Nine," and "Runaway Child, Running Wild."

1968-Early prog-rockers The Nice are banned from London's Royal Albert Hall after burning an American flag on stage as an antiwar protest.

1968-Eric Clapton announces the breakup of the supergroup Cream, currently finishing up its last tour.

1967-Bobbie Gentry's first single, "Ode To Billie Joe," is released. It would go on to top the Hot 100 for four weeks.

1967-Kenny Rogers leaves the The New Christy Minstrels and forms The First Edition, who have a hit the next year with "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)."

1965-The Rolling Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" hits #1 in America. It stays for four weeks, becoming the biggest hit of 1965.

1965-Wilson Pickett releases "In The Midnight Hour."

1965-Peter DiStefano (guitarist for Porno For Pyros) is born in Santa Monica, California.

1965-The Kinks play the Seattle Center Coliseum in what turns out to be their last show on American soil until December 1969, as the powerful American Federation of Musicians union bans them. The group fell afoul of the union with petulant behavior, canceled concerts, and an indifference toward their audiences - at a Sacramento show on June 26 they filled their set with an extended jam of "You Really Got Me." Poor ticket sales and disputes with their management set the stage for their ill-fated American trek.

1964-Manfred Mann release a little ditty called "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," which shoots to #1 in America three months later.

1964-The Beatles return to their hometown of Liverpool for a showing of their first movie, A Hard Day's Night. They get a warm welcome, with thousands of fans turning up to see them.

1963-Martha and the Vandellas release "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave.

1962-NASA launches the Telstar 1 satellite, the first active communications satellite, inspiring the Tornadoes' instrumental hit "Telstar" later that year.

1962-Christopher "Play" Martin (of Kid 'N Play) is born in Queens, New York City.

1961-Bobby Lewis's "Tossin' And Turnin'" hits #1 for the first of seven weeks.

1959-Sandy West is born Sandy Pesavento in Long Beach, California. Together with Joan Jett, she is a founding member of the teenage all-female rock band The Runaways, playing drums. After the band splits she leaves the music industry, and dies at the age of 47 from lung cancer.

1954-Neil Tennant (lead vocalist, keyboardist for Pet Shop Boys) is born in North Shields, Tyneside, England.

1950-The nation's favorite popular music countdown, "Your Hit Parade," gets its own home on NBC TV to match its longtime radio counterpart.

1950-The Victor Talking Machine Company trademarks the phrase "His Master's Voice," which refers to the dog in their logo (Nipper) listening to a record player because he thinks it is his owner. The company later becomes the record label RCA Victor.

1949-Greg Kihn, known for his '80s hits "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" and "Jeopardy," is born in Baltimore, Maryland.

1949-Dave Smalley (lead singer, guitarist of Down By Law) is born in Oil City, Pennsylvania.

1947-Arlo Guthrie is born in Coney Island, New York.

1944J-ohn "Beaky" Dymond (of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich) is born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

1943-Jerry Miller (songwriter, guitarist for Moby Grape) is born in Tacoma, Washington.

1942-Sixto Díaz Rodríguez (better known simply as "Rodríguez") is born in Detroit, Michigan. He is the subject of the 2012 film Searching for Sugar Man.

1942-Heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (of Black Sabbath, Rainbow) is born Ronald James Padavona in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

1941-Jazz icon Jelly Roll Morton, whose "Jelly Roll Blues" was the first published jazz composition, dies at age 50.

1941I-an Whitcomb, known for the 1965 hit "You Turn Me On," is born in Woking, Surrey, England.

1936-Billie Holiday becomes the first major artist to record the classic song "Summertime," which was featured in the musical Porgy and Bess a year earlier.

1937-Singer and TV personality Sandy Stewart, known for the 1963 hit "My Coloring Book," is born Sandra Galitz in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1937-Rockabilly singer Jumpin' Gene Simmons is born in Mississippi. He begins his music career at Sun Records as an opening act for Elvis Presley.

1895-German composer Carl Orff, known for the 1937 cantata Carmina Burana, is born in Munich.

[Bikkie]

1767 - John Quincy Adams Is Born
John Quincy Adams, the sixth U.S. president, was born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree, Massachusetts.
He was the son of John Adams, the second U.S. president.
Known for his diplomacy, he served as Secretary of State and negotiated the Treaty of Ghent.
Adams returned to politics as a congressman and fought against slavery until his death.
Advertisement


1782 – British Evacuate Savannah, Georgia

On July 11, 1782, British forces evacuated Savannah, Georgia, during the final years of the American Revolution.
Royal Governor James Wright fled to Charleston, South Carolina.
The withdrawal marked the collapse of British control in the region of Georgia.
It was a significant victory for the Continental Army.


1861- Â Union Victory at the Battle of Rich Mountain
On July 11, 1861, Union troops led by General George B. McClellan defeated Confederate forces in western Virginia.
The win secured federal control over the region.
It helped pave the way for West Virginia to separate from Virginia and join the Union.

1848-The Acheron arrives to survey New Zealand waters
Captained by John Lort Stokes, the paddle steamer Acheron spent four years charting the New Zealand coastline.

1804 -– Burr Fatally Wounds Hamilton in Duel
On July 11, 1804, U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr faced former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey.
Hamilton deliberately missed his shot; Burr did not.
Burr's bullet struck Hamilton in the abdomen, damaging organs and lodging near his spine.
Hamilton died the following day.
The duel destroyed Burr's political career and legacy.

1st Individual Female Olympic Champion
1900 -Charlotte Cooper beats Hélène Prévost to become the first female Olympic tennis champion and the first individual female Olympic champion in any sport

1905 -Â Niagara Movement Holds First Meeting
On July 11, 1905, a group of African American activists, led by W.E.B. Du Bois, met near Niagara Falls, Ontario.
They formed the Niagara Movement to fight for civil rights and oppose racial segregation.
Though short-lived, it laid the groundwork for the NAACP.

1914 - Babe Ruth Makes Major League Baseball Debut
On July 11, 1914, Babe Ruth pitched in his first MLB game with the Boston Red Sox.
He allowed three runs in seven innings and got the win against the Cleveland Naps.
It marked the start of one of the most legendary baseball careers of all time

1944- Â Assassination Plot Against Hitler
On July 11, 1944, German officer Claus von Stauffenberg met Adolf Hitler with a bomb in his briefcase.
The meeting took place at Hitler's headquarters in Bavaria.
The attempt failed as the bomb was not detonated that day.
A second attempt on July 20 came closer but also failed.


1960 - "To Kill a Mockingbird" Is Published

On July 11, 1960, Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird was released.
The book tackled racial injustice in the American South.
It became a bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.
Today, it remains one of the most widely read books in U.S. schools.

1970-Last unclimbed face of Aoraki/Mt Cook conquered
Long-haired Christchurch mountaineers John Glasgow and Peter Gough became the first people known to have scaled the 2000-m Caroline Face of Aoraki/Mt Cook. They declared it a ‘triumph for the hippies’.

1972 - Honda Launches the Civic
On July 11, 1972, Honda released the first Civic model.
It was a compact, fuel-efficient car.
Its launch came just before the 1973 oil crisis, making it very popular.
The Civic became one of the world's best-selling vehicles.


1978- Â Gas Tanker Explosion Kills Over 200 in Spain
On July 11, 1978, a propane tanker exploded at a campsite in San Carlos de la Rápita, Spain.
The crash and explosion killed over 200 people and injured hundreds.
It was one of the worst camping disasters in European history.

1979 - Skylab Falls to Earth
On July 11, 1979, NASA's Skylab space station re-entered Earth's atmosphere.
Debris was scattered over Western Australia and the Indian Ocean.
No injuries were reported.
Skylab had been launched in 1973 as America's first space station.

1995 -Â Srebrenica Massacre Begins
On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces captured the town of Srebrenica.
In the following days, more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys were killed.
It became Europe's worst massacre since World War II.
The event was later ruled a genocide by international courts'

1995 - U.S. Restores Relations With Vietnam
On July 11, 1995, President Bill Clinton announced the establishment of full diplomatic ties with Vietnam.
The decision came 20 years after the Vietnam War ended.
It followed Vietnam's cooperation in locating missing American soldiers.
It marked a significant step in U.S.–Vietnam reconciliation.




Music History


2022-On just the second date on their Public Service Announcement tour, their first in 11 years, Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha tears his Achilles tendon jumping on stage. They finish the North American portion of the tour but are forced to cancel the rest of it, which is planned for 2023.

2016-Country singer Craig Morgan mourns the death of his son Jerry Greer after the 19-year-old's body is discovered the day after he goes missing while tubing on the Tennessee River. Jerry is one of four sons born to Morgan and his wife, Karen.

2014-Tommy Ramone (drummer for Ramones) dies of bile duct cancer at age 65.

2013-Charles Pope (of The Tams) dies of complications from AlzheimerÂ’s disease at age 76 in Jonesboro, Georgia.

2012-Florence Welch, lead woman for Florence + the Machine, faces ill health and a failing voice, causing the group to cancel two European concerts. She's forced to cancel on doctor's orders to avoid permanent damage to her famous contralto voice.

2011-Jewel and her rodeo star husband Ty Murray welcome their first child: Kase Townes Murray.

2011-Rob Grill of The Grass Roots dies at 67.

2009-"Boom Boom Pow," after spending 12 weeks at #1, is replaced by another Black Eyed Peas song, "I Gotta Feelin'."

2008-Barenaked Ladies' co-lead singer Steven Page is busted for cocaine possession while visiting his girlfriend's apartment in Fayetteville, New York. The charges will eventually be dropped, but the incident is a point of contention with his clean-cut bandmates and leads to his departure the following year.

2007-Rod Lauren jumps to his death from a Tracy, California hotel room. The actor-turned-singer was accused of murdering his wife, Filipino actress Nida Blanca, six years earlier but successfully fought extradition to face a murder trial in the Philippines, where the crime took place.

2005-Robin Thicke ties the knot with high-school sweetheart and Precious star Paula Patton. Their first son is born Julian Fuego Thicke on April 6, 2010, just shy of their fifth wedding anniversary.

2002-Blues singer Rosco Gordon dies at 74.

2002-Over 200 people attend the funeral for Who bassist John Entwistle in St. Edward's Church in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, England. Entwistle was found dead in his Las Vegas hotel room on June 27th.

2001-Facing a flurry of lawsuits, the file-sharing service Napster shuts down, but not before transforming the music industry away from physical product like CDs and toward digital downloads, which eventually leads to streaming.

2000-The free Back 2 Basics Tour, sponsored by Napster, kicks off with a show in Detroit. The tour runs for 24 dates and features Limp Bizkit, Cypress Hill, and Cold. The bands take some heat within the industry for working with Napster, a file sharing service that allows users to download songs for free.

2000-Metallica's battle against the peer-to-peer file sharing company Napster reaches the Senate Judiciary Committee, where the band's drummer Lars Ulrich testifies, claiming copyright infringement.

1999-Singer Helen Forrest dies of heart failure

1996-The night before a show at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin dies at age 34 after shooting heroin with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who is fired from the band a few days later (he returns to the fold in 1999). The Sarah McLachlan song "Angel" is inspired by Melvoin's death.

1996-Louis Gottlieb of The Limeliters dies at age 72.

1995-George Michael signs a two-album deal split among two labels: Virgin in the UK and Dreamworks SKG in America. As part of the deal, Sony Records is paid $40 million to release Michael from his contract; after releasing his 1990 album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, he refused to record for the label and filed a lawsuit seeking release from his contract, which he lost.

1995-Richard Ashcroft of The Verve marries Kate Radley of Spiritualized. They keep it quiet for two years, as Radley's bandmate, Jason Pierce, is also her ex-boyfriend.

1994-The Rolling Stones release Voodoo Lounge, with the tracks "Love Is Strong" and "You Got Me Rocking."

1994-At the Kansas City stop of Lollapalooza, where The Verve are the only British act on the bill, their frontman Richard Ashcroft collapses into convulsions and taken away in an ambulance after getting drunk with members of The Breeders and The Bad Seeds. That night, Verve drummer Pete Salisbury is arrested for destroying his hotel room. Says Ashcroft, "America nearly killed us."

1992-Jerry Garcia, who has a passion for painting and studied at the San Francisco Art Institute, introduces a line of neckties he designed

1991-Longtime songwriting team Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager get divorced.

1990-Steven Adler is fired from Guns N' Roses because of his drug use. He is replaced by Matt Sorum, who was previously with The Cult.

1989-Roger Christian, who wrote lyrics to the Beach Boys songs "Little Deuce Coupe" and "Don't Worry Baby," dies at 57.

1989-Miami Sound Machine lead singer Gloria Estefan releases her first solo album, Cuts Both Ways, with the hits "Don't Wanna Lose You" and "Get on Your Feet."

1981-Hubert Johnson of The Contours dies by suicide at age 40.

1979-The space station Skylab crashes to Earth after six years in space. Leading up to the event, Electric Light Orchestra take out ads in trade magazines dedicating their new single, "Don't Bring Me Down," to Skylab.

1976-Frank Sinatra marries for the fourth time, this time to Barbara Marx, former wife of the Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx.

1976-Andy Gibb marries his girlfriend Kim Reeder in Australia.

1975-Lil' Kim is born Kimberly Denise Jones in New York City. In 1995 she joins The Notorious B.I.G. in the group Junior M.A.F.I.A., establishing herself as a hard-core rapper who can go toe-to-toe with the guys. Her debut album, Hard Core, is released in 1996 on Atlantic Records; in 2001 she becomes the first female rapper to appear on a #1 hit when "Lady Marmalade" tops the chart.

1971-The first stage performance of Jesus Christ, Superstar takes place in Pittsburgh.

1970-The soundtrack to the film Woodstock hits #1 in America, helping recoup massive losses from the festival.

1970-Three Dog Night's "Mama Told Me Not To Come" hits #1 in America.

1969-David Bowie's "Space Oddity" single is rush-released to beat the moon landing, which happens nine days later.

1969-The Rolling Stones release "Honky Tonk Women."

1966-Elvis Presley begins filming his 24th motion picture, Double Trouble.

1965-Weezer bass player Scott Shriner is born in Toledo, Ohio.

1962-The Marvelettes release "Beechwood 4-5789."

1960-The Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" hits #1 in America.

1959-Guitarist Richie Sambora is born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He joins Bon Jovi soon after the band form and becomes a primary songwriter along with lead singer Jon Bon Jovi. Sambora says with the band until 2013, when he leaves in the middle of a tour for personal reasons.

1959-Suzanne Vega, known for her songs "Tom's Diner" and "Luka," is born in Santa Monica, California.

1957-Bauhaus lead singer Peter Murphy is born near Northampton, England.

1953-Singer Peter Brown ("Do Ya Wanna Get Funky with Me") is born in Blue Island, Illinois.

1951-On WJW in Cleveland, Alan Freed broadcasts his first "Moondog House Rock and Roll Party," marking the first radio show with the phrase "Rock and Roll" and giving Freed a claim on the origin of the term. More importantly, Freed plays R&B music, which introducing the sound to a new (and mostly white) audience.

1950-Film producer/record executive B.G. "Buddy" DeSylva dies in Los Angeles at age 55. He also co-wrote the Al Jolson hit "April Showers," among many others.

1950-Bonnie Pointer of The Pointer Sisters is born in Oakland, California.

1947-Jeff Hanna of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1946-Dean Martin begins his recording career mere weeks before teaming up with nightclub comic Jerry Lewis.

1946J-ohn Lawton, lead vocalist for Uriah Heep from 1976 to 1979, is born in Halifax, England.

1944-Country singer Bobby G. Rice is born in Boscobel, Wisconsin.

1937-Composer George Gershwin dies at 37 following surgery to remove a brain tumor.

1931-Singer-songwriter Thurston Harris is born in Pomona, California.

1931-Tab Hunter is born in New York City. He's best known as an actor, but has a huge hit in 1957 with "Young Love."

[Bikkie]

July 12 is a day that celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne (1690), which ensured a Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. The celebration began in the late 18th century in Ulster.

1630- New Amsterdam's governor buys Gull Island from Indians for cargo, renames it Oyster Island, later known as Ellis Island

1673- Second Battle of the James River: Dutch fleet led by admirals Cornelis Evertsen the Youngest and Jacob Binckes wins a tactical victory against an improvised English squadron led by Thomas Gardiner and captures four English ships

1679- Britain's King Charles II ratifies Habeas Corpus Act allowing prisoners' right to a court review of the justification for their imprisonment

1691 -Antonio Pignatelli elected as Pope Innocentius XII

1691- Battle of Aughrim (Aghrim) Ireland, William III beats James II

1704- Stanislaw Leszcynski becomes king of part of Poland

1705- Ottoman army officer Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī proclaims himself Bey of Tunis, founding the Husainid Dynasty (dynasty rules till 1957)

1730- Lorenzo Corsini chosen as Pope Clement XII

1771- HMS Endeavour captained by James Cook, with Joseph Banks aboard, returns from its first voyage to the Pacific after two years

1774- Citizens of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, pass a symbolic declaration of independence

1774 -Cossack leader Emilian Pugachevs army occupies Kazan

1776- Captain James Cook departs Plymouth, England helming HMS Resolution, beginning his 3rd and final trip to the Pacific

1785- First manned flight in Netherlands: Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard lifts off in his gas balloon from Noordeinde Palace in The Hague

1790- French Revolution: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy is adopted, putting the Catholic Church in France under the control of the state

1801- Second Battle of Algeciras: British fleet beats French and Spanish (six days after losing the 1st Battle of Algeciras)

1863-British forces invade Waikato
British troops invaded Waikato by crossing the Mangatawhiri Stream, which the Kingitanga (Māori King movement) had declared an aukati (a line not to be crossed).


1889-First women's trade union formed
The first women’s trade union in New Zealand emerged in the late 19th century in response to poor working conditions in the clothing industry.


2001-New Zealander wins Tour de France stage
The first stage win by a New Zealander in the Tour de France came in a team time trial. Although Chris Jenner didn't finish with the core of his Credit Agricole team, he shared in the stage win and got to stand on the podium.




Music History



2023-Sheila E. becomes the first female solo percussionist to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ringo Starr and H.E.R. join her at the ceremony.

2020-Megan Thee Stallion is shot in the foot after a party at Kylie Jenner's house. She later identifies the shooter as rapper Tory Lanez, who is convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

2010-Jewel puts on a disguise and, posing as a shy, nervous businesswoman named Karen, sings her own songs at a karaoke bar to a stunned crowd. Billed as "Undercover Karaoke," the video quickly goes viral.

2007-Rod Stewart is awarded the CBE Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

2004-Sugarland's debut single, "Baby Girl," is released. It goes to #2 on the Country chart and stays on the tally for a remarkable 46 weeks.

2001-Moisant Airport in New Orleans is renamed Armstrong International in honor of native son Louis Armstrong.

2000-London's Trafalgar Square unveils a sculpture of John Lennon, created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reutersward, which also features a handgun twisted into an unusable shape.

1998-"Battle of New Orleans" songwriter Jimmy Driftwood dies of a heart attack at age 91.

1997-The French magazine Le Figaro publishes an interview with George Harrison where he blasts modern music, taking aim at U2 and the Spice Girls.More

1992-After a European tour, Axl Rose is arrested at JFK airport in New York, charged with inciting a riot at a Guns N' Roses show in St. Louis the previous year. He gets two years' probation and a $50,000 fine.


1988-Playgirl magazine publishes their list of the 10 sexiest rockers. They are:

George Michael
LL Cool J
Bryan Ferry
Michael Hutchence of INXS
Richard Marx
John Cougar Mellencamp
Bret Michaels of Poison
Larry Mullen Jr. of U2
Robert Plant
Terence Trent D'Arby


1983-Chris Wood (flute and sax player for Traffic) dies of pneumonia at age 39.

1983-U2 guitarist The Edge marries his high school girlfriend Aislinn O'Sullivan. They welcome three daughters before separating in 1990.

1979-It's "Disco Demolition Night" at Comiskey Park, where the White Sox and Tigers are playing a doubleheader. The plan is to blow up a bunch of disco albums between games, but it goes horribly wrong when fans become unruly and rush the field, forcing the White Sox to forfeit the second game.

1979-Soul singer Minnie Riperton, known for her hit "Lovin' You," dies of breast cancer at age 31. Her daughter, Maya Rudolph, is 6 years old.

1976-R&B singer-songwriter Tracie Spencer is born in Waterloo, Iowa. Shortly after signing to Capitol Records in 1988, at age 12, she releases the hit singles "Hide and Seek" and "Symptoms of True Love."

1971-Radio stations start running a Coke commercial called "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke," sung by The New Seekers. It is later used a TV commercial showing young people from around the world singing on a hillside. The New Seekers later record a full version of the song as "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing," which becomes a huge hit.

1970-The local band Fritz opens for Janis Joplin at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in California. The lead singer in Fritz is Stevie Nicks, who is awestruck watching Joplin perform. Nicks credits Joplin for showing her how to connect with an audience from the stage.

1969-Blind Faith, a supergroup with Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, begin their US tour with a show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Their album isn't released yet, but the show is still a sellout thanks to Clapton's star power

1969-A week before the moon landing, "In The Year 2525" by Zager and Evans, a bleak sci-fi song where humankind gradually destroys itself, hits #1 in the US. It stays at #1 for six weeks.

1968-Micky Dolenz of The Monkees marries the model Samantha Juste, who is the "disc girl" on the BBC show Top Of The Pops. Dolenz, who met her on the show, wrote some of The Monkees song "Randy Scouse Git" about her. They divorce in 1975.

1967-John Petrucci, guitarist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater, is born in Long Island, New York.

1965-The Beach Boys release "California Girls." Musically, it's one of group leader Brian Wilson's favorite compositions, with an introduction that combines country and classical influences.

1963-Alan Duval of UB40 is born.

1962-The Rolling Stones make their live debut at the Marquee Club in London subbing for Long John Baldry's Blues Incorporated. The band members are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Dick Taylor, Ian Stewart and future Kink Mick Avory.

1962-Dan Murphy (former lead guitarist for Soul Asylum) is born in Duluth, Minnesota.

1960-Floyd Cramer releases "Last Date."

1956-Christian singer Sandi Patti is born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1952-Philip Taylor Kramer (bass guitarist for Iron Butterfly) is born in Youngstown, Ohio.

1952-Vera Lynn's "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" hits #1 on the Best Sellers chart in America, making her the first foreign artist to top a major chart in that country.

1952-Liz Mitchell (lead singer of Boney M.) is born in Clarendon, Jamaica.

1950-Eric Carr (drummer for KISS) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1948-Walter Egan ("Magnet And Steel") is born in Queens, New York.

1946-Jeff Christie (vocalist, bassist for Christie) is born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.

1943-Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac is born Christine Anne Perfect in Bouth, Lancashire, England.

1939-Pop singer Kenny Dino is born in Astoria, Queens, New York. Known for the 1961 hit "Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night."

1937-Bill Cosby is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He makes the Music History Calendar for his 1967 hit "Little Ole Man."

1934-Pianist Van Cliburn is born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He rises to prominence when he wins the inaugural quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow.

1928-Barbara Cowsill (mother of the family act The Cowsills) is born Barbara Russell in in Cranston, Rhode Island.

1927-Jazz trumpeter Conte Candoli is born in Mishawaka, Indiana.

1895-Oscar Hammerstein II is born in New York City. The musical composer and theater director becomes known for his collaborations with Richard Rodgers, including The King and I and The Sound of Music.

[Bikkie]

1174- William I of Scotland, key rebel in Revolt of 1173-1174, captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Henry II of Englan

1522- Hunger appeal by women of Utrecht

1558 -Battle of Gravelines: In France, Spanish forces led by Count Lamoral of Egmont defeat the French forces of Marshal Paul des Thermes at Gravelines

1568 -Dean of St. Paul's London, Alexander Nowell, perfects a way to bottle beer

1573- Haarlem surrenders after 7 months to Spanish army

1643- Battle at Roundway Down: Royalists beat parliamentary armies

1645- Aleksei Romanov succeeds his father Michael as Tsar of Russia

1657 -Oliver Cromwell constrains English army leader John Lambert

1668- Van Marco Cesti's opera "Il Pomo d'Oro" (the Golden Apple or Tomato) premieres in Vienna

1700 -Treaty of Constantinople establishes peace after Russo-Turkish war

1772 Captain James Cook begins his second voyage to the South Seas aboard HMS Resolution to search for Terra Australis (Southern Continent)

1787- US Congress adopts Ordinance of 1787 (Northwest Ordinance), establishes first organized US territory, sets requirements for statehood - guaranteeing equal status with original 13 states, outlawing slavery, and protecting civil liberties [1]

1787-the United States Congress enacted the Northwest Ordinance, establishing the Northwest Territory.

1794 -Battle of the Vosges between French forces and those of Prussia and Austria

1832- Source of Mississippi River discovered by American geographer Henry Schoolcraft

1835 -Swedish-American inventor John Ericsson files for a patent for his screw propeller design

1836 -US Patent #1 is granted for locomotive wheels after 9,957 unnumbered patents

1837- Queen Victoria is first monarch to live in present Buckingham Palace

1851 -John Loudon discovers tin on East Indian Island of Billiton

1854 -In the Battle of Guaymas, Mexico, General Jose Maria Yanez stops the French invasion led by Count Gaston de Raousset Boulbon

1854- US forces shell and burn San Juan del Norte, Nicaragua

1861- Battle of Corrick's Ford, Virginia (Carrick's Ford) - Union army takes total control of western Virginia

1862- Battle of Murfreesboro, fought in Rutherford County, Tennessee begins (Forrest's Raid), Confederate victory (US Civil War)

1863- Battle of Bayou La Fourche, Louisiana

1863- Battle of Tupelo, Mississippi (Harrisburg) [->JUL 15]

1863- New York City Draft Riot: Anti-draft protests turn violent, over 100 killed, including lynching of Blacks, 2,000 injured and 50 buildings burned; riots last for 3 days

1863 Rebellion at Morgan's, Ohio [->JUL 26]

1864- Early retreats from Washington City back to Shenandoah Valley

1865- Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the "New-York Tribune," reputedly advises his readers to "Go west, young man"

In 1930, the first FIFA World Cup kicked off in Uruguay.

In 1923, the iconic Hollywood Sign was officially dedicated in Los Angeles, California.




Music History


2011-Songwriter Jerry Ragovoy dies of a stroke at age 80. Under the pseudonym Norman Meade, he co-wrote "Time Is On My Side," made famous by the Rolling Stones.

Jimmy Buffett Releases First #1 Album
2004-Jimmy Buffett releases License To Chill, his 21st studio album. It's mostly a collection of duets with fellow country stars, including Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, and George Strait. It's also his first album to go to #1 in the US.More

2004Arthur Kane of the New York Dolls dies of leukemia at age 55.

2003--Broadway singer Eileen Rodgers dies of lung cancer at age 73.

2000-James Brown is formally charged with assaulting Russell Eubanks, an employee of South Carolina Electric and Gas, with a steak knife after Eubanks visited Brown's Beech Island estate to check on reports that he was without electricity.

1999-In support of their acclaimed synth-infused album The Soft Bulletin, The Flaming Lips embark on a "headphones tour" that combines pre-recorded material, provided to the audience through customized headsets, with the live stage show.More

1992-Jett Williams, illegitimate daughter of country legend Hank Williams, is granted partial royalties of his songs by a New York appeals court, adding to a ruling reached on July 5 that she should receive half of his estate.

1991-INXS play to a crowd of 72,000 at Wembley Stadium in London, six years to the day Live Aid was held there. It is later released as the live album and video Live Baby Live.

1989-Leon Bridges is born Todd Michael Bridges in Atlanta, Georgia, but grows up in Fort Worth, Texas. He releases his debut album, Coming Home, in 2015 and is hailed as "the second coming of Sam Cooke."

1985-The Live Aid concerts take place in Philadelphia and London to raise money for the hungry in Africa. The Beach Boys, The Four Tops, Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, Elton John, David Bowie, The Who, Queen, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan all take part.

1985-Tears for Fears bow out of performing at Live Aid, Bob Geldof's star-studded charity concert for famine relief in Africa, after two members of their band quit. The group donates concert funds to the cause, but feels the weight of Geldof's disapproval. TFF's Roland Orzabal says, "He made us feel very guilty. All those millions of people dying, it was all our fault. I felt terrible. I tell you, I know how Hitler must have felt."

1985-Piggybacking on Live Aid, top Australian acts play a benefit concert in Sydney called Oz For Africa. INXS, Little River Band and Men At Work are all on the bill.

1985-Howard Jones performs at London's Wembley Stadium as part of Live Aid. Jones sings his hit single "Hide and Seek" on Freddie Mercury's piano.

1985-David Bowie and Mick Jagger debut their video for "Dancing in the Street" at Live Aid. Bowie also performs "Heroes" at Wembley Stadium.

1984-Philippé Wynne, who was with The Spinners from 1972 to 1977, has a heart attack while performing at a nightclub in Oakland, California. Wynne, 43, dies the next day.

1984-At The Jacksons' Victory tour stop at Texas Stadium, Eddie Van Halen joins Michael Jackson on stage to play his guitar solo from "Beat It."

1974-Eric Clapton invites Todd Rundgren to play guitar during the encore of Clapton's concert at Madison Square Garden. Todd's guitar rig isn't working, so Clapton takes off his guitar, hands it to Todd, and steps aside to listen.

1974-George McRae's "Rock Your Baby" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1974-R&B singer Deborah Cox is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but grows up in Scarborough. She breaks into the music industry as a backup singer for Celine Dion in the early '90s.

1973-Bob Dylan releases Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, the soundtrack album for the Sam Peckinpah-directed movie of the same name.

1966-Ike & Tina Turner's "River Deep - Mountain High," which peaked at #88 in America, climbs to #3 in the UK, earning them a gig opening for The Rolling Stones. Their success has tragic consequences, as Ike gets more an more violent toward Tina, who endures years of abuse.

1964The Beatles release "A Hard Day's Night" in the US. The title comes from a phrase Ringo Starr came up with.

1959-Paul Anka's "Lonely Boy" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1959-The Shirelles release "Dedicated To The One I Love."

1959-The movie Hound Dog Man, starring Fabian and Dodie Stevens, goes into production.

1956-Elvis Presley releases "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" as a double-A-side single. It sells four million copies to become the top-selling single of 1956, and makes Elvis a superstar. He's soon booked on every major variety show and launches a movie career.

1954-Country singer Louise Mandrell is born Thelma Louise Mandrell in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is the younger sister of fellow singer Barbara Mandrell.

1951-Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg dies at age 76.

1942-Doo wop singer Jay Uzzell (of The Corsairs) is born in La Grange, North Carolina.

1942-Stephen Bladd (drummer for The J. Geils Band) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1935-Latin jazz percussionist Pete Escovedo (of Santana) is born in Pittsburg, California.

2013-Glee star Cory Monteith is found dead in a Vancouver hotel room after accidentally ingesting a toxic combination of heroin and alcohol. The 31-year-old actor played Finn Hudson on the popular FOX musical series.

2008-Joan Jett plays a murder victim on the "Reunion" episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Her character hosts a show called Rock 'n Talk before she meets her demise.

1996-At Riverfront Park in Nashville, Chet Atkins, Steve Earle and the Goo Goo Dolls join about 1000 other guitarists to jam on "Heartbreak Hotel" for nearly 80 minutes. They come up short in their bid to break the record for largest jam session, set in 1994 when 1,320 guitarists played "Takin' Care Of Business" in Vancouver.

1942-Roger McGuinn of The Byrds is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1897-A US patent is granted to inventor Guglielmo Marconi for transmitting electrical signals, leading to the invention of radio.

[Bikkie]

1789 – French Revolutionaries Storm the Bastille
On July 14, 1789, French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison in Paris.
Only seven prisoners were held there, but the prison symbolised royal tyranny.
This event marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
It is now celebrated every year as Bastille Day, France's national holiday.
1790 – France Celebrates the Fête de la Fédération
Exactly one year after the Bastille was stormed, France held a massive celebration.
Known as the Fête de la Fédération, it marked national unity.
It was a peaceful event attended by thousands, including King Louis XVI.


1798 – Sedition Act Becomes U.S. Federal Law
On July 14, 1798, the U.S. government passed the Sedition Act.
It made it illegal to publish "false or malicious" content against the government.
The act became known as one of the worst constitutional violations in U.S. history.

1881 – Billy the Kid Is Shot Dead
On this day, Sheriff Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid at Maxwell Ranch.
Billy the Kid's real name was Henry McCarty.
His death ended the life of one of the Wild West's most famous outlaws.

1882 – Gunfighter John Ringo Found Dead
On July 14, 1882, John Ringo, a legendary gunman, was found dead in Arizona.
He was discovered in Turkey Creek Canyon with a bullet wound to the head.
Ringo was known for his intelligence and was called a gentleman gunslinger.
His death remains mysterious, with theories of suicide and murder.


1913 – Future President Gerald R. Ford Is Born
Gerald R. Ford was born Leslie Lynch King Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska.
His father left early, and his stepfather adopted him, giving him the name Ford.
He would go on to become the 38th President of the United States


1918 – Quentin Roosevelt Killed in World War I
On this day, Quentin Roosevelt, son of Theodore Roosevelt, was shot down.
He was a U.S. pilot fighting over the Marne River in France.
He was engaged to Flora Payne Whitney and was only 20 years old.
His plane was brought down by a German Fokker aircraft.
1931 – South Dakota Faces a Grasshopper Plague
On July 14, 1931, South Dakota's governor begged the president for help.
Grasshoppers had destroyed crops across 11,000 square miles.
The infestation created one of the worst agricultural crises of the Great Depression.

1946 – Dr. Spock Publishes Landmark Childcare Book
Dr. Benjamin Spock released The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.
It transformed parenting and sold over 50 million copies.
It became one of the most influential books in American homes.
1963 – Tensions Between USSR and China Intensify
On this day, relations between China and the Soviet Union worsened.
They clashed ideologically over communism's future.
The U.S. welcomed the split between the two communist powers.
1968 – Hank Aaron Hits His 500th Home Run
Baseball legend Hank Aaron hit his 500th career home run.
He achieved the milestone in a game against the San Francisco Giants.
Aaron would go on to break Babe Ruth's record with 755 home runs.


1957 – First Arab Woman Elected to Parliament
Rawya Ateya became the first female member of parliament in the Arab world.
She was elected in Egypt and paved the way for other Arab women in politics

1953 – George Washington Carver Monument Dedicated
The George Washington Carver National Monument was dedicated in Missouri.
It became the first U.S. national monument honouring a Black American.
It stands where Carver, a famous scientist and inventor, was born and raised.

2016 – Truck Attack on Bastille Day in Nice, France
A terrorist drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.
86 people were killed, and over 400 were injured.
It was one of the deadliest attacks in modern French history.



2018-Drake breaks his own record for most entries on the Hot 100 at once when he places 27 songs on the tally following the release of his album Scorpion.

2014-Johnny Winter plays the Cahors Blues Festival in France. It's his last performance, as he dies two days later.

2013-In Switzerland, 73-year-old Tina Turner marries her longtime boyfriend, the record producer Erwin Bach. A few years later, he gives her one of his kidneys when she needs a transplant.

Vampire Weekend Cover Model Sues Band
2010-Ann Kirsten Kennis, whose Polaroid photo is on the cover of Vampire Weekend's #1 album Contra, files a $2 million lawsuit against the band, their label, and the photographer, claiming she never granted permission to use it. She later settles with the band.More

2009-The debut album by The Dead Weather, Horehound, is released, and spawns the singles "Hang You from the Heavens," "Treat Me Like Your Mother," and "I Cut Like A Buffalo."

2008-Rock Band 2 reveals that the new Guns N' Roses song "Shackler's Revenge" is to appear in the game.

2007-The album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus goes to #1, as did the first soundtrack from the Disney show Hannah Montana the previous year. Miley Cyrus, who plays Hannah on the show, is now being promoted as a singer under her real name, not just her character.

2005-Joe Harnell, a pianist and composer who worked as an accompanist and arranger for Peggy Lee and others, dies of heart failure at age 80.

2002-The Australian rock band The Vines release their debut album, Highly Evolved, earning raves from both NME and Rolling Stone, which put them on their covers and compare them to Nirvana.

1995-At what was previously a forsaken patch of land to the north of Hartford, Connecticut, Michael Bolton plays the grand opening concert at the Meadows Music Theater. Bolton, who grew up in New Haven, is good friends with the venue's promoter Jim Koplik. 90 degree heat stifles the ceremony a bit, as soon-to-be disgraced governor John Rowland has to take off his tuxedo coat when greeting Bolton onstage.

1993-The US Postal Service introduces four new stamps honoring classic Broadway musicals: My Fair Lady, Porgy and Bess, Show Boat, and Oklahoma!

1992-Aretha Franklin opens the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York by singing the US national anthem.

1992-Olivia Newton-John makes public her bout with breast cancer, which she will eventually beat.

1989-New York Family Court judge Judy Sheindlin, soon to become TV star "Judge Judy," orders Tom Jones to pay child support to model Katherine Berkery after making the singer take a paternity test. Their child, Jonathan Jones Berkery, becomes a singer.

1988-At the height of "Elvis is Alive" mania, Nashville radio station WYHY offers a million dollars to anyone who shows up at the studios with the King.

1988-Michael Jackson begins his first-ever UK tour at Wembley Stadium in London.

1987-Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds is born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Raised Mormon, he attends BYU, where he forms the band with fellow student Wayne Sermon in 2008.


1981-In France, Roxy Music's Bryan Ferry contracts a kidney infection and is flown to London after collapsing in his hotel room.

1980-Former Beatles and Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein begins a two-month jail term for income tax evasion.

1980-The combustible couple Glen Campbell and Tanya Tucker open the Republican National Convention in Detroit with a duet of the National Anthem. Campbell later admits they were "higher than the notes we were singing."
Other performers at the convention include Vicki Lawrence, Donny & Marie Osmond, and Pat Boone.

1980-Malcolm Owen (original singer for Ruts) dies of a heroin overdose at age 26.

1979-Donna Summer's "Bad Girls," a song about prostitutes, hits #1 in America.

Barry Manilow Is "Ready To Take A Chance Again" In Foul Play
1978-Foul Play, a quirky comedy thriller starring Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase, debuts in theaters. The soundtrack boasts the Barry Manilow tune "Ready To Take A Chance Again," which is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.More

1977-The BBC lifts their ban on The Sex Pistols, who appear on Top Of The Pops in a video clip performing their song "Pretty Vacant," which has become a surprise hit in the UK.

1975-R&B singer Tameka "Tiny" Cottle (of Xscape) is born in Jonesboro, Georgia. She receives a Grammy Award as a co-writer on TLC's hit "No Scrubs."

1975-Rapper Taboo (of Black Eyed Peas) is born Jaime Luis Gomez in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.

1973-Glam-rocker Gary Glitter makes his live stage debut in Mecksham, England.

1973-The Everly Brothers break up in very public fashion, fracturing in the middle of a concert at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.More

1973-Bluegrass/country guitarist Clarence White (of The Byrds) dies at 29 after being hit by a drunk driver. He was loading equipment into his car after a gig in Palmdale, California, when he was struck.

1969-Bob Dylan with The Band make a surprise appearance at Mississippi River Rock Festival.

1969-The movie Easy Rider, which opens with the heavy metal thunder of "Born To Be Wild," opens in theaters. The film stars Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper as motorcycle-riding free spirits. The soundtrack sells over 500,000 copies.

1967-The Who launch their first large-scale American tour, playing the first of 55 dates with... Herman's Hermits

1966-Tanya Donelly is born in Newport, Rhode Island. She forms Throwing Muses with her stepsister Kristin Hersh when both are 14; Donelly later forms Belly and The Breeders.

1966-Ellen Reid (keyboardist/accordionist for Crash Test Dummies) is born in Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada.

1965-Igor Khoroshev (keyboardist for Yes) is born in Moscow, Russia (then part of the Soviet Union).

1964-The Rolling Stones score their first #1 hit in the UK with their cover of Bobby Womack's "It's All Over Now."

1962-Bobby Vinton's "Roses Are Red (My Love)" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1953-Bebe Buell is born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Though she later rejects the description, she becomes one of the most famous "groupies" of all time, hooking up with a host of stars including Todd Rundgren, to whom she is married from

1972- to 1979. Rundgren brings up her daughter Liv - later revealed to be the biological child of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.

1953-Maurice Starr, creator of the boy bands New Edition and New Kids On The Block, is born Larry Johnson in Florida. Starr also produces both groups and writes many of their songs.

1952-Chris Cross (bass guitarist for Ultravox) is born in Tottenham, London, England.

1949-Music executive Tommy Mottola is born in The Bronx, New York City. Before landing a 15-year gig as head of Sony Music, Mottola starts out as a talent manager helping acts like Hall & Oates and Carly Simon secure record deals. He's also known for marrying - and divorcing - Mariah Carey.

1939-Jimmy Dorsey releases "Brazil."

1932-Country singer Del Reeves, known for the 1965 novelty hit "Girl On The Billboard" and the 1968 trucker's anthem "Looking At The World Through A Windshield," is born Franklin Delano Reeves in Sparta, North Carolina.

1926-Lowman "Pete" Pauling (songwriter, guitarist for The 5 Royales) is born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

1912-Woody Guthrie is born in Okemah, Oklahoma. He writes thousands of songs, many that remain unrecorded as lyric sheets in the Guthrie Archives.

1908-Boston-born composer William Mason dies at age 79.

[Bikkie]

971- According to legend, English saint Swithun is reburied inside Winchester Cathedral against his wishes, and a terrible storm proceeds to rain for 40 days and 40 nights

1099 -City of Jerusalem is captured and plundered by Christian forces during the First Crusade

1205 -Pope Innocent III states Jews are doomed to perpetual servitudea and subjugation due to crucifixion of Jesus

1207- King John of England expels Canterbury monks for supporting Pope's choice of Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton

1240 -A Novgorodian army led by Alexander Nevsky defeats the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva

1381- John Ball, a leader in the Peasants' Revolt, is hanged, drawn and quartered in the presence of Richard II of England

1410- Battle of Grunwald (First Battle of Tannenburg, Battle of Žalgiris), one of Medieval Europe's largest battles during Poland-Lithuanian Teutonic War. Polish King Władysław Jagiełło and Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas defeat Teutonic Ulrich von Jungingen

1500 -Albert III, Duke of Saxony defeats the Friesian rebellion

1500- Baglione family massacre at the "Blood Wedding" of Astorre Baglione and Lavinia Colonna in Perugia

1501 -Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral arrives back in Lisbon from his voyage to India, having lost six ships, during which he accidently discovered Brazil

1524 -Emperor Charles I bans German national synode

1741 -Alexei Chirikov sights land in Southeast Alaska. He sends men ashore in a longboat, making them the first Europeans to visit Alaska

1755 -French ambassador recalled from London

1779 -American troops under General A Wayne conquer Fort Stony Point, NY

1783- World's first steamboat the Pyroscaphe, built by Claude-François-Dorothée, marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans, makes its first voyage on the river Saône in France

1787 -Parliament of Paris banished to Troyes

1789- Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette, is named by acclamation colonel-general of the new National Guard of Paris

1799- The Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign

1808- French marshal Joachim Murat becomes King of Naples

1815- First flat horse race held at English race track Cheltenham on Nottingham Hill

1815 -Napoleon surrenders to Captain Frederick Maitland of HMS Bellerophon at Rochefort after his earlier defeat at the Battle of Waterloo

1823 A fire destroys the ancient Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome

1830 -Indian tribes, Sioux, Sauk & Fox, sign fourth Treaty of Prairie du Chien giving the US most of Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri

1840- Great Britain, Russia, Austria and Prussia sign Quadruple Alliance

1850 -John Wisden bowls all 10 South batsmen, North v South at Lord's

1856 -Natal forms as a British colony separate from Cape Colony

1862- CSS Arkansas vs USS Carondelet & Queen of the West engage at Yazoo River

1863 -President Davis orders service duty for confederate army

1864- Troop train loaded with Confederate prisoners collided with a coal train killing 65 and injuring 109 of 955 aboard

1867- San Francisco Merchants' Exchange opens

1869 -Margarine is patented by Hippolye Mège-Mouriès for use by the French Navy

1870 -Manitoba becomes the 5th Canadian province and the Northwest Territories are created and transferred to Canada by the Hudson's Bay Company

1870 -The last confederate state, Georgia is readmitted to the United States

1876- Baseball's first official no-hitter: George Bradley of the St Louis Brown Stockings no-hits the Hartford Dark Blues, 2-0

1888 -Bandai volcano (Japan) erupts for 1st time in 1,000 years

1898 -Camillo Golgi discovers the Golgi Apparatus (a delicate network inside cells essential for the transmission and reception of information between cells)

1900 -President Steyn/General De Law escape Brandwater Basin

1901- NY Giant Christy Mathewson no-hits St Louis, 5-0

1904 -1st Buddhist temple in US forms, in Los Angeles, California

1906 -Republic museum opens Rembrandt hall in Amsterdam

1909 -Detroit's future Baseball Hall of Fame center-fielder Ty Cobb smashes 2 inside-the-park homers to lead the Tigers to a sweep of the Washington Senators, 9-5 and 7-0

1912 -American athlete Jim Thorpe is placed in top 4 in all 10 events, for an Olympic record 8,413 points to win the Decathlon gold medal at the Stockholm Olympics, medal stripped 1913 (played pro baseball), reinstated 1982

1914 -Mexican President Victoriano Huerta flees with 2 million pesos to Europe


1915-First Gallipoli wounded arrive home
The first large group of Gallipoli wounded to return to New Zealand arrived in Wellington on the troopship Willochra as part of a draft of around 300 men.


1915 -The Austro-German forces launch an offensive along the Eastern Front

1915 -The head of German propaganda in the US, Dr Heinrich Albert, loses his briefcase on a New York City subway; an examination of its content reveals extensive network of German espionage and subversion across the US

1916 -22.22" (56.4 cm) of rain falls in Altapass NC (state record)

1916 -Boeing Company (Pacific Aero) formed by William Boeing in Seattle, Washington

1918 -World War I: Second Battle of Marne begins

1920 -Ruth ties his record of 29 HRs in a season

1921 -NY Yankees slugger Babe Ruth ties MLB record of 138 career home runs (held by Roger Connor since 1895) in 7-2 win over St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis

1922 -First duck-billed platypus publicly exhibited in the US at Bronx Zoological Park in New York City

1923 -Italian parliament accepts new constitution

1926- VPRO (Free thinking Protestant Radio Broadcast) forms

1927- Massacre in Vienna: 89 protesters are killed by the Austrian police

1929 -1st airport hotel opens at Oakland, California

Hoover Cuts Own Salary
1932 -US President Herbert Hoover cuts own salary 15%

1933-Lovelock smashes world mile record
Jack Lovelock's run at Princeton University broke Jules Ladoumegue’s record for the mile by 1.6 seconds. The race was dubbed the 'greatest mile of all time' by Time Magazine.

1933 -Wiley Post begins the first solo flight around the world, completing the journey in 7 days and 19 hours

1934 -Continental Airlines commences operations.

1936 -Dutch 2nd Chamber agree to temporarily increase defense budget

1937 -Buchenwald Concentration Camp opens

1937 -Japanese attack Marco Polo Bridge, invade China

1938- Arthur Fagg becomes the first batsman in first-class cricket history to score double centuries in both innings of a match, with 244 and 202 for Kent against Essex in Colchester, England

1939 -Clara Adams is the first woman to complete a commercial round-the-world flight from New York, lasting 16 days and 19 hours

1940- Nazi occupiers seize library of IISG Amsterdam

1940- Physicist Donald Kerst becomes the first person to accelerate electrons using electromagnetic induction, reaching energies of 2.3 MeV, when his betatron device (for particle acceleration) becomes operational in Urbana, Illinois

1941- Britain's MAUD Report edited by physicist James Chadwick approved, concludes an atomic bomb is feasible

Penicillin Development
1941 Howard Florey and Norman Heatley present freeze-dried mold cultures of penicillin





Music History


2018-"November Rain" by Guns N' Roses becomes the first '90s video to pass a billion views on YouTube. The next closest '90s video is "Zombie" by The Cranberries, at 739 million.

2017-Aaron Carter is arrested for drunken driving and marijuana possession when he is pulled over in Cornelia, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. He is scheduled to play a show in Kansas City that evening, which he cancels, citing "transportation issues."

2016-As he's done since 1972, Alice Cooper announces he's running for president, this time with the campaign slogan "A Troubled Man for Troubled Times." His platform includes "Adding Lemmy to Mount Rushmore" and "Getting Brian Johnson back in AC/DC." He loses to Donald Trump, but gains more exposure for his song "Elected."More

2016-In what they famously describe as a "conscious uncoupling," Chris Martin (of Coldplay) and Gwyneth Paltrow officially divorce after 13 years of marriage.

Gangnam Style Shows Up On YouTube
2012-The "Gangnam Style" video is posted to YouTube; we are powerless to resist.More

2011-To celebrate the 50th anniversary of their Adult Contemporary chart, which had various names over the years, including Easy Listening, Billboard publishes its list of the top 100 Adult Contemporary songs of all time, with Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply" at #1, followed by "Lead Me On" by Maxine Nightingale and "Drift Away" by Uncle Kracker.

2010-Robbie Williams officially returns to Take That, ending a longstanding feud with Gary Barlow.

2009-45 years after he played at the Ed Sullivan Theater with The Beatles, Paul McCartney returns to the venue to appear on The Late Show With David Letterman. Earlier in the day, McCartney plays a few songs from the theater's marquee, surprising the onlookers in Manhattan.

2009-According to Billboard, since Michael Jackson's death, which occurred on June 25, 2009, American consumers have purchased more than 2.3 million of his albums.

2007-After getting favorable ratings for their unruly reality series Flavor of Love, featuring hip-hop legend Flavor Flav, VH1 decides to cash in on a bygone era of rock n' roll with a similar spectacle called Rock of Love, starring one the biggest names in hair metal: Bret Michaels of Poison.

2007-Prince gives away free copies of his latest album Planet Earth with the UK newspaper Mail On Sunday. The unconventional distribution rankles record retailers, but helps promote his run of 21 shows at the O2 Arena in London, which sell out.

2006-Sum 41 front man Deryck Whibley ties the knot with Avril Lavigne in Montecito, California. The marriage will last just over three years.

2001-Vanilla Ice opens for Insane Clown Posse at the second annual Gathering Of The Juggalos, this time in Toledo, Ohio (they aren't welcome back in Novi, Michigan, site of the first one). Once again, ICP's headline set is cut short when fans rush the stage.

2000-Paul Young, frontman with Sad Café and lead singer on the Mike + the Mechanics hit "All I Need Is A Miracle," dies of a heart attack at age 53.

1997-Sarah McLachlan releases her fourth album, Surfacing, 10 days after starting the Lilith Fair, where she's a featured performer along with other musical ladies like Sheryl Crow and Jewel. It's a slow build: By the time the hit single "Adia" is on the charts, the second Lilith Fair is under way. The album eventually sells over 8 million copies in America and another million in her native Canada.

1997-Missy Elliott releases her debut album, Supa Dupa Fly, with lead single "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)," a reworking of the Ann Peebles song "I Can't Stand The Rain." Guests on the album include Ginuwine, Busta Rhymes and Aaliyah, all artists Elliott has produced.

1996-Nickelodeon premieres the teen sitcom Kenan & Kel, with the theme song "Aw, Here It Goes" from Coolio.

1991-Warrant lead singer Jani Lane marries Bobbie Brown, the girl from the "Cherry Pie" video. They divorce two years later.

1991-Bert Convy (of The Cheers) dies of a brain tumor at age 57. The actor and singer had gone on to become a popular game show host of Super Password and Win, Lose, or Draw.

1989-Atlantic Records executive Nesuhi Ertegun, who worked with The Drifters and Bobby Darin, dies following a cancer surgery at age 71.

1989-200,000 people turn out for a free Pink Floyd concert in Venice, Italy.

1986-Columbia Records, Johnny Cash's home for 28 years, drops the singer from its roster of artists. He signs with Mercury but continues his career decline until 1994, when he releases the first of six acclaimed albums on Rick Rubin's record label.

1986-Run-DMC's Raising Hell becomes the first rap album certified Platinum.

1986-The city of El Cerrito, California, declares this day to be John Fogerty Day in honor of one of their hometown heroes.

John Travolta Wants To Strut In Saturday Night Fever Sequel
1983-The Saturday Night Fever sequel Staying Alive debuts in theaters, starring John Travolta. The Bee Gees also return for the soundtrack, introducing five new songs, including "The Woman In You."More

1982-Bill Justis of "Raunchy" fame dies of cancer at age 55.

1980-Linda Ronstadt makes a well-received dramatic debut in Joseph Papp's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance in New York's Central Park, setting off a "Pirates" fad that lasts for the next three years.

1979-Punk rocker Rick Garberson (drummer for Bizarros) dies of a presumed suicide via carbon-monoxide poisoning.

1978-Bob Dylan performs at the biggest open-air concert in history for a solo artist, playing for over 200,000 at "The Picnic at Blackbushe" at Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire, England.

1978-The Rolling Stones' Some Girls album hits #1 in America.

1973-At a festival concert in White City, London, a visibly distraught Ray Davies, newly separated from his wife, announces on stage that he's retiring from show business, leaves the concert, and checks into a local hospital for exhaustion. (A week later, he will return to the band.)

1972-Elton John lands his first #1 album in America as Honky Chateau blasts to the top thanks to the hit "Rocket Man." His next five albums also enter that orbit, going to #1.

1968-The Beatles' new enterprise, Apple, enters its new corporate headquarters on 3 Savile Row, London, later the site of their famous "rooftop concert."

1962-Héctor Angulo, a Cuban student attending the Manhattan School of Music, plays the song "Guantanamera" for Pete Seeger during the Folk Festival of the Catskills at Camp Woodland in Phoenicia, New York, where Angulo is working as a counselor for the summer. Seeger learns the song and adds it to his repertoire, introducing it to American audiences.

1959-Perry Como re-records his hit Christmas song "(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays" for his album Season's Greetings from Perry Como. This version features the Mitchell Ayres Orchestra and the Ray Charles Singers.

1958-John Lennon's mother, Julia, is killed when she's hit by a car driven by an off-duty police officer. Lennon, 17 at the time, later writes the songs "Julia" and "Mother" about her.

1956-Ian Curtis is born in Macclesfield, England. In 1976 he joins Joy Division, one of the most influential and critically acclaimed UK alternative bands. Following the singer's death in May 1980, the remaining members of the band continue to write and perform as New Order.

1956-Joe Satriani is born in Westbury, New York.

1956-Marky Ramone (drummer for The Ramones) is born Marc Steven Bell in Brooklyn, New York.

1953-Alicia Bridges is born in Lawndale, North Carolina. Known for the disco hit "I Love The Nightlife (Disco 'Round)."

1952-Eight-year-old prodigy Gladys Knight appears on the TV show Ted Mack's Amateur Hour, a precursor to shows like Star Search and American Idol. She wins the top prize of $2,000 for her performance of Nat King Cole's "Too Young."

1952-David Pack (frontman for Ambrosia) is born in Huntington Park, California.

1952-13-year-old Jimmy Boyd records "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

1952-Johnny Thunders (of New York Dolls) is born John Anthony Genzale Jr. in Queens, New York.

1952-Jeff Carlisi (guitarist for .38 Special) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1952-Popular singer Patti Page begins her summer replacement series on CBS, attempting to hold the audience in Perry Como's usual timeslot three times a week for 15 minutes.

1950-Nat "King" Cole's "Mona Lisa" hits #1 in America. Written for the film Captain Carey, U.S.A., it goes on to win the Oscar for Best Song.

1948-Thomas Delmer Pyle is born in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1974, under the name Artimus Pyle, he joins the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. His musical career with Skynyrd earns him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

1947-Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson, founder of the 13th Floor Elevators and pioneer of psychedelic music, is born.

1947-Guitarist Peter Banks, a founding member of Yes who is with the band until 1970, is born Peter William Brockbanks in Chipping Barnet, North London, England.

1946-Linda Ronstadt is born in Tucson, Arizona. Her music career starts as lead singer of the folk trio the Stone Poneys.

1945-Peter Lewis (rhythm guitarist for Moby Grape) is born in Los Angeles, California, to actress Loretta Young and writer-producer Tom Lewis.

1944-Soul singer-songwriter Millie Jackson is born in Thomson, Georgia.

1936-Country singer Tommy Dee is born in Vicker, Virginia. In 1959, he writes the hit "Three Stars" in honor of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who tragically died in a plane crash earlier that year.

1936-H. B. Barnum is born in Houston, Texas. A child star, he makes his foray into music as "Pee Wee Barnum" and later becomes a sought-after arranger for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and The Supremes.
this Event

1913-Country singer Cowboy Copas is born Lloyd Estel Copas in Blue Creek, Ohio.

1905-Dorothy Fields, co-writer of "The Way You Look Tonight," is born in Allenhurst, New Jersey.

[Bikkie]

463- Start of the Lunar Cycle of Hilarius

622 -Islamic Era begins: Muhammad and his followers begin migration from Mecca to Medina (Hijra)

1054 -The Great Schism between Western and Eastern churches begins when Roman Cardinal Humbert issues a bull of excommunication against Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, on the altar of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople

1099- Crusaders herd Jews of Jerusalem into a synagogue & set it afire

1212 -Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa [Battle of Al-Uqab]: combined Christian army defeats Almohad Muslim force in a turning point for Muslim power on Iberian peninsula

1251- The Virgin Mary gives Simon Stock a Brown Scapular (legend)

1338- The six Electors of the Holy Roman Empire signed the Agreement of Rhense confirming Emperor Louis IV.

1377 -Richard II aged 10 crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, succeeding his grandfather Edward III

1429 -Joan of Arc and the French army enter the city of Rheim

1439- Kissing is banned in England to stop the spread of the Black Death

1465- Battle at Montlhéry between Louis XI and the League of the Public Weal

1519 -Public debate between Martin Luther and theologian Johann Eck at Pleissenburg Castle in Liepzig, during which Luther denies the divine right of the Pope

1548- La Paz, Bolivia, is founded

1573- Alva demands submission of Zealand/Holland

1615- Night time naval battle off the coast of Peru between Dutch fleet led by Joris Spilbergen and Spanish fleet carrying silver, two Spanish ships sunk [1]

1618 -Captain John Gilbert patents first dredger in Britain

1661 -First banknotes in Europe are issued by the Bank of Stockholm

1672- William III becomes stadholder of Zeeland

1683 -Manchu/Chinese Qing Dynasty naval forces under commander Shi Lang defeat the Kingdom of Tungning in the Battle of Penghu near the Pescadores Islands.

1683 -Turkish troops under Kara Mustafa reach Vienna

1755- John Adams graduates Harvard

1769 -Father Junipero Serra founds Mission San Diego the 1st mission in California

1782- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio)" premieres in Vienna with Mozart conducting

1941- Joe Dimaggio goes 3 for 4, hitting in his 56th straight game

161 Battery sign at Bien Hoa base
1965-New Zealand artillery opens fire in Vietnam
Gunners of 161 Field Battery fired New Zealand’s first shots of the Vietnam War from their base at Bien Hoa, near Saigon.






Music History


2023-French fashion icon Jane Birkin, who sang with Serge Gainsbourg on the racy number "Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus," dies at 76. She's the namesake of the Birkin Bag, a symbol of luxury mentioned in many rap songs, most famously "'03 Bonnie And Clyde" by Jay-Z.

2022-Two songs from the '80s land in the US Top 40: "Master Of Puppets" by Metallica (#40) and "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush (#4). Both songs were revived by season 4 of Stranger Things, where they're used in battle against the evil Vecna

2022-Jennifer Lopez marries Ben Affleck at a quickie wedding in Las Vegas. The couple were engaged in 2002 and had a lavish ceremony planned, but they called it off. They started dating again in 2021 after Lopez' marriage to Marc Anthony and Affleck's marriage to Jennifer Garner ended.

2021-Biz Markie, the "clown prince of hip-hop," dies at 57. He's best known for his 1989 hit "Just a Friend."

2014-Blues rocker Johnny Winter dies at age 70.

2012-Jon Lord, a founding member of Deep Purple, dies at age 71 of a pulmonary embolism while suffering from pancreatic cancer.

2011-"Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO hits #1 after first appearing on the Hot 100 on February 12 at #78. Thanks to a captivating video, the song starts the "shufflin'" dance craze and spends a staggering 68 weeks on the chart (six at #1), which is longer than any other chart-topper.

2009-At the Latitude Festival, held every year in Henham Park in Suffolk, England, Noah and the Whale debut their feature-length film The First Days of Spring. The film accompanies their new record of the same name due out in August. Written and directed by lead singer Charlie Fink, the film stars model Daisy Lowe, the daughter of fashion designer Pearl Lowe and Gavin Rossdale, lead singer for the alt-rock band Bush.

2008-Billy Joel bids goodbye to Flushing, New York's iconic Shea Stadium with the first of two star-studded concerts. Sadly, this is the highlight of the Mets' season.

2008-Jo Stafford, whose "You Belong To Me" made her the first female artist to hit #1 on the UK Chart, dies of congestive heart failure at age 90.

2003-Cuban singer Celia Cruz dies of brain cancer at age 77.

Dave Matthews Band Release Busted Stuff
2002-After unfinished tracks from their shelved project The Lillywhite Sessions are leaked on the internet, Dave Matthews Band reworks the songs and release them as Busted Stuff.More

2001-Kid Rock's album Devil Without A Cause goes Diamond, selling over 10 million albums in America. His previous three albums sold maybe 50,000 copies combined, mostly in the Detroit area.

1996-The Sultan of Brunei, the world's richest man, marks his 50th birthday with a Michael Jackson concert on the Borneo Island. Jackson earns about $15 million for the performance, which is free to the 60,000 in attendance.

1996-Styx drummer John Panozzo dies at age 47 when his liver fails after years of drinking.

1995-At North Carolina's Duke University Medical Center, Wayne Osmond of The Osmonds undergoes an operation to remove a brain tumor.

1990-Trial begins for Judas Priest after they are accused of implanting subliminal messages in their song "Better By You, Better Than Me." The suit alleges that the messages caused two teenage boys to enter a suicide pact (one of the boys killed himself instantly; the other died three years later from complications related to the suicide attempt). The case is dismissed August 24 after the judge determines that the supposed subliminal message is just an accidental recording oddity.

1984-Billy Williams dies of a heart attack at age 74. His group the Billy Williams Quartet was a fixture on Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca's "Your Show of Shows" in the '50s.

1983-Twenty of the songs in the US Top 40 are by British acts, the most since 1965. The Police are at #1 with "Every Breath You Take," followed by Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue."

1982-Peter Gabriel launches the 3-day WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) festival at the Royal Bath and West showground in Somerset, England, with acts including the Drummers Of Burundi, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Tian Jin dancers from China. It's a financial disaster but artistic success; Gabriel revives it the next year and the festival carries on, branching out to many countries over the next several years.

1981-Harry Chapin dies in a car crash at age 38.

1980-Donna Summer marries Bruce Sudano, former member of Brooklyn Dreams, who appeared on her 1979 hit "Heaven Knows." Within the next two years, they welcome two daughters: Brooklyn and Amanda Sudano.

1977-Shaun Cassidy's "Da Doo Ron Ron" hits #1 in the US. The song was first recorded by the girl group The Crystals in 1963. Cassidy's version changes the line "Someboy told me that his name was Bill" to "Someboy told me that her name was Jill."

1977-Barry Manilow's Barry Manilow Live hits #1 in America.

1976-After six years, Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina decide to split up their partnership, which had three big hits in "Thinking Of You," "My Music," and "Your Mama Don't Dance."

1976-Driven by discord after Gregg Allman testified against the band's road manager, The Allman Brothers announce their breakup. Gregg records and album with his wife, Cher, and Dickey Betts forms Great Southern. The band reunites in 1978.

1972-Smokey Robinson performs his final show with The Miracles at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Washington, DC. At the end of the show, Smokey introduces his replacement, 20-year-old Billy Griffin.

1971-Live lead singer Ed Kowalczyk is born in York, Pennsylvania.

1967-Arlo Guthrie debuts "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival. The song runs 18 minutes long and tells a true (but greatly exaggerated) story about how he was arrested one Thanksgiving morning for illegal dumping. The ticket later made him ineligible for the draft, keeping him out of the Vietnam War.

Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, and Tom Paxton also play the festival this day.


1966-Tommy James and the Shondells' "Hanky Panky" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1964-Country singer Connie Smith records her debut single, "Once A Day," at RCA's Studio B in Nashville.

1962-The Beach Boys sign to Capitol Records, which has already released the group's single "Surfin' Safari."

1959-The Coasters record "Poison Ivy."

1955-Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on the national charts as "Baby, Let's Play House" enters the Cash Box country charts at #15.

1952-Stewart Copeland is born in Alexandria, Virginia. He spends his youth in Lebanon and then England. After moving back to the States to attend college, he returns to the UK to play drums for Curved Air and then The Police.

1944-Thomas Boggs (drummer for The Box Tops) is born in Wynne, Arkansas, but is raised mostly in Memphis, Tennessee.

1941-Desmond Dekker (leader of The Aces) is born in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica.

1939-Blues/R&B singer Denise LaSalle is born in Mississippi. Her first hit is "Trapped By A Thing Called Love," which tops the R&B chart and lands at #13 on the Hot 100 in 1971.

1938-Tony Jackson (bass guitarist for The Searchers) is born in Dingle, Liverpool, England.

1927-'40s and '50s pop vocalist Mindy Carson is born in New York City. She catches her big break when she wins an audition to the radio program Stairway to the Stars, landing her an eight-month gig with Paul Whiteman's orchestra.

1925-Nat Pierce, pianist and arranger for the Woody Herman band in the '50s, is born Somerville, Massachusetts.

1925-Latin jazz musician Cal Tjader is born in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents are Swedish American vaudevillians who eventually settle in San Mateo, California, when Cal is 2 years old. At 16, he wins a Gene Krupa drum solo contest with "Drum Boogie."

1911-Ginger Rogers is born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri. She begins her partnership with Fred Astaire in the 1933 RKO musical Flying Down to Rio.

[Bikkie]

1453 -Battle of Castillon: French army beats English force under John Talbot, turning point of the Hundred Years' War

1505 -Martin Luther enters a Augustinian monastery at Erfur

1585- English secret service discovers Anthony Babington's plot to murder plot Queen Elizabeth I

1603- English explorer Walter Raleigh is arrested by forces of King James I of England

1717- George Frideric Handel's "Water Music" premieres repeatedly on a barge cruising the River Thames in London

1774- Captain James Cook arrives in the New Hebrides (Vanuatu)

1791 -Members of the French National Guard under command of General Lafayette open fire on crowd of radical Jacobins at Champ de Mars, Paris, during the French Revolution, killing up to 50 people

The Raft of the Medusa
1816- "L'Argus" accidentally discovers raft holding survivors from wrecked French frigate "Méduse." After 13 days at sea only 15 of 151 remain, the rest having been cannibalised, murdered, or committed suicide. This event was made famous by Théodore Géricault’s painting "The Raft of the Medusa"


1841 -British humorous and satirical magazine "Punch" is first published; it closes in 2002
1850- Harvard Observatory takes 1st photograph of a star (Vega)
1856- The Great Train Wreck of 1856 between Camp Hill and Fort Washington, Pennsylvania kills over 60 people
1858- Recovery of the bell of HMS Lutine from ship's wreck, hung from rostrum in Lloyd's of London's Underwriting Room
1861- At Manassas, Virginia General Beauregard requests reinforcements for his 22,000 men, General Johnston is ordered to Manassas
1861- US Congress authorizes paper money

Morgan's Raid
1862 -John Hunt Morgan's confederate cavalry raid reaches Cynthiana, Kentucky

1897- 1st ship arrives in Seattle carrying gold from Yukon

1918 -Longest errorless game, Cubs beat Phillies 2-1 in 21 innings

1922 -Ty Cobb gets 5 hits in a game for record 4th time in a year

1933 After successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Lithuanian research aircraft Lituanica crashes in Germany under mysterious circumstances

1934- Babe Ruth draws his 2,000th base on balls at Cleveland

1936- NY Giants future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Carl Hubbell begins MLB record 24 game winning streak, beating Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-0 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh

1941- NY Yankee Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak ends in Cleveland

1945 -Leaders Harry Truman, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill hold their first post World War II meeting at the Potsdam Conference

1948 -US Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen encounters children in at Templehof Airport in Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, giving him the idea to drop candy in 'Operation Little Vittles'

1955 -Disneyland televises its grand opening in Anaheim, California

1959 -Paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey discovers the partial skull of a new species of early human ancestor, Zinjanthropus boisei or "Zinj" (now called Paranthropus boisei), which lived in Africa almost 2 million years ago

1963- Dave DeBusschere hits a single off Bennie Daniels, his 1st and only MLB hit

1964- Don Campbell sets a record for a turbine vehicle at 690.91 kph (429.31 mph)

1964 -Great Britain performs nuclear Test at Nevada Test Site

1967 -Jimi Hendrix quits as opening act of the Monkees' tour, after playing 7 of a planned 29 shows

1968 -The Beatles' animated film "Yellow Submarine" premieres in London

1972 -First two women begin training as FBI agents at Quantico

1974- John Lennon is again ordered to leave the US in 60 days due to a 1968 marijuana charge in the UK (he doesn't)

1974 -The Moody Blues open 1st quadrophonic recording studio in UK

1975 -Four British soldiers are killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army remote-controlled bomb near Forkill, County Armagh; attack the first major breach of a February truce

Historic Handshake in Space
1975 -NASA's Apollo 18 and Soviet Soyuz 19 make 1st US/USSR linkup in space

Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin Clash
1978- NY Yankee manager Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson fight in dug out after Jackson refuses to bunt, causing Martin to suspend him

Sebastian Coe's Record Mile
1979- Sebastian Coe runs world record 3:49 mile in Oslo

1987- 10 teens die in Guadalupe River flood (Comfort, Tx)

1987 -Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 2,500 (2,510.04) for 1st time


Sports History
1988 -Florence Griffith Joyner of the USA sets 100 m woman's record (10.49)

1988 -Four billion TV viewers watch Mandela's 70th Birthday Tribute

1988 -Highest temperature ever recorded in San Francisco, 103°F (39°C)

1989- 1st test flight of US stealth bomber

1989- Paul McCartney releases single "This One", from his album "Flowers In The Dirt

1990 -Minnesota Twins become 1st team to turn 2 triple plays in a game but lose to Boston Red Sox 1-0

1994 -Hulk Hogan beats Ric Flair to win WCW wrestling championship

1995- Forbes Magazine announces Bill Gates is the richest man in world with a net worth of $12.9 billion dollars

2013- 58 people are killed in floods in Sichuan Province, China

2013- 7 people are killed by a car bomb in Damascus, Syria

Bono Honored
2013 -U2 singer Bono is made a Commandeur of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 is shot down over Eastern Ukraine by a Buk surface-to-air missile launched from pro-Russian separatist-controlled territory, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew on board

Paddy the Wanderer, 1935
1939-Death of Paddy the Wanderer
Paddy, a ginger and brown Airedale terrier, became a national celebrity because of his exploits on the Wellington waterfront and beyond during the 1930s





Music History



2023-CMT pulls Jason Aldean's video for "Try That in a Small Town," which shows footage of urban violence and protests. A swirl of controversy follows, sending the song to #1 on August 5.

2016-Kim Kardashian posts a video on her Snapchat account of a phone call between Kanye West and Taylor Swift where Kanye recites the line, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex," from his song "Famous," and she seems OK with it. Swift responds on Instagram by posting, "Where is the video of Kanye telling me he was going to call me 'that bitch' in his song? It doesn't exist because it never happened."More

2014-The short-lived reality show LeAnn & Eddie debuts on VH1. It stars celebrity couple LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian, who made tabloid headlines after they had an affair while married to other people.

2012-The soundtrack album to the film The Dark Knight Rises is released, destined to debut at #8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It also scores #10 on the Canadian albums chart. Composer Hans Zimmer becomes an overnight sensation, frequently compared with former golden soundtrack star John Williams.

2011-Wolfmother frontman Andrew Stockdale gets wasted at the Archive Bar in Brisbane, where a local Beatles tribute band is performing. After crashing the stage and drunkenly screeching along to "Let It Be," he refuses to leave and is arrested when police arrive. He spends a night in jail and is fined $350.

2009-Gordon Waller of Peter and Gordon ("A World Without Love") dies of a heart attack at age 64.

2006-Bill Miller (Frank Sinatra's longtime pianist) dies from complications following a heart attack in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

2004-At the end of her show at the Aladdin Hotel in Vegas, Linda Ronstadt dedicates her encore, a cover of the Eagles' "Desperado," to filmmaker Michael Moore, urging fans to go see his current movie, Fahrenheit 9/11. A shocked audience reacts mostly with boos; approximately half walk out on the spot.

1996-Chas Chandler (bassist for The Animals, Jimi Hendrix Experience) dies of an aortic aneurysm at age 57.

1996-The song "Key To My Heart" by the R&B trio Choice appears in the movie Kazaam, starring Shaquille O'Neal as a 5,000-year-old genie. Choice quickly disbands but its stand-out singer, Alecia Moore, goes on to greatness as Pink.

1995-Carole King's Tapestry album is certified Diamond for sales of 10 million in the US.

1993-After two-and-a-half years, the Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion tour comes to an end at a show in Buenos Aires. It is the last time Axl and Slash share a stage until the 2016 GnR reconciliation.

1991-Fourteen years after the deadly crash of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Baton Rouge-bound aircraft, the surviving members of the band, reunited under the name "Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991," return to the Louisiana city to kick off a new tour. Shirts sold for the event read, "Baton Rouge! After 14 years! We're finally here..."

1987-Keith Richards signs a solo deal with Virgin Records.

1981-Universal Pictures releases the romantic drama Endless Love, starring Brooke Shields. The film is quickly forgotten, but the theme song, a duet by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross, spends nine weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earns Richie an Academy Award nomination for Best Song.

1979-Gary Moore leaves Thin Lizzy in mid-tour; Midge Ure replaces him as lead guitarist.

1976-Luke Bryan is born Thomas Luther Bryan in Leesburg, Georgia. After attending Georgia Southern University and working on his family's peanut farm, he moves to Nashville in 2001 and releases his first album, I'll Stay Me, in 2007.

1975-Bob Marley and the Wailers play a historic concert at London's Lyceum Theater that features the acclaimed Legend version of "No Woman No Cry."

1975-The divorce between Ringo Starr and Maureen Cox is finalized in London. Starr marries Barbara Bach in 1981

1974-In West Hampstead, London, The Moody Blues open the world's first Quadrophonic recording studio.

1971-Jarrett Cordes (aka DJ Minutemix of PM Dawn) is born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His stepfather is George Brown of Kool & the Gang.

1970-The Guess Who perform at the White House for President Richard Nixon and his royal guests, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. They do not play their hit "American Woman," as they are asked to refrain from performing it "as a matter of taste."

1968-The Beatles' fourth film, the animated fantasy Yellow Submarine, premieres in London. Although the four band members in the picture are voiced by professional actors, the band itself makes a cameo in the finale, leading movie audiences through the song "All Together Now."

1967-Jazz saxophonist John Coltrane dies of liver cancer at age 40.

1967-Jimi Hendrix plays his eighth and final show as the opening act for The Monkees, which understandably does not go well as Monkees fans want nothing to do with Hendrix.

1967-In America, The Beatles release "All You Need Is Love," John Lennon's maxim. It becomes their 14th #1 hit in that country.

1965-James Brown releases "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag." It would become Brown's first song to reach the Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten.

1963-Regina Belle is born in Englewood, New Jersey.

1963-The Muffs lead singer Kim Shattuck is born in Los Angeles.

1962-Elvis Presley releases "She's Not You."

1959-While under arrest for illegal possession of narcotics, Billie Holiday dies at age 44 at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City, where she has been since June 12. Years of drug and alcohol abuse took their toll on the singer, who suffered from cirrhosis of the liver.

1955-Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California with a parade broadcast live on ABC. Walt Disney introduces their new group of young performers, the Mouseketeers, who star in the upcoming series The Mickey Mouse Club. Annette Funicello is the breakout star

1954-The Newport Jazz Festival, the world's first such event, debuts on the tennis courts of the Newport Casino in Rhode Island.

1952-Chet McCracken (drummer for The Doobie Brothers) is born in Seattle, Washington.

1952-Pop-turned-country singer Nicolette Larson is born in Helena, Montana.

1950-Phoebe Snow is born in New York City.

1949-Mike Vale (bassist for Tommy James & the Shondells) is born.

1949-Terence "Geezer" Butler (bassist, lyricist for Black Sabbath) is born in Aston, Birmingham, England.

1948-Ron Asheton (guitarist, bassist for The Stooges) is born in Washington, D.C.

1947-Wolfgang Flur (of Kraftwerk) is born in Frankfurt, Germany.

1947-Mick Tucker (drummer for Sweet) is born in Harlesden, North West London, England.

1942-Gale Garnett, known for the 1964 folk hit "We'll Sing In The Sunshine," is born in Auckland, New Zealand, but will relocate to Canada by age 11.

1939-Charlie Barnet records "Cherokee."

1939-Spencer Davis (of The Spencer Davis Group) is born in Swansea, Wales.

1933-Mimi Hines, Broadway performer and comedienne (Funny Girl, The Prisoner of Second Avenue), is born in Vancouver, Canada.

1928-Jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, noted composer of music for Charles Schulz's Peanuts, is born Vincent Anthony Dellaglio in San Francisco, California.

1912-20-year-old Dorothy Goetz, the first wife of Irving Berlin, dies of typhoid fever in New York. They had been married less than 6 months. Berlin writes his first ballad: "When I Lost You."

[Bikkie]

447 BC Battle of Cremera: Etruscan city Veii ambushes and defeats the Roman Republican army in one of the most unexpected and dramatic defeats in Roman history

390 BC Roman-Gaulish Wars: Battle of the Allia - Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, leads to subsequent sacking of Rome

Great Fire of Rome
64 Great Fire of Rome begins under the Emperor Nero

1290 King Edward I orders expulsion of Jews from England, this edict will remain in place for 350 years

1334 Bishop of Florence blesses the first foundation stone for the new campanile (bell tower) of the Florence Cathedral, designed by artist Giotto di Bondone

1743 First half-page newspaper ad is published, in the NY Weekly Journal

1855-New Zealand's first postage stamps go on sale
These adhesive, non-perforated stamps for prepaid postage were the famous ‘Chalon Head’ design, showing Queen Victoria in her coronation robes.

1801 HMS Investigator sets off on a voyage to determine if New Holland (Australia) is one island or two, under command of Matthew Flinders, with botanist Robert Brown and artists Ferdinand Bauer and William Westall aboard

1861 -Battle of Blackburn's Ford, Virginia

1862 -Battle of Newburgh, Indiana - captured by Union forces

1863- Battle of Fort Wagner, South Carolina - Second assault


Lincoln Calls for Volunteers
1864 -US President Abraham Lincoln asks for 500,000 volunteers for military service

1855-New Zealand's first postage stamps go on sale
These adhesive, non-perforated stamps for prepaid postage were the famous ‘Chalon Head’ design, showing Queen Victoria in her coronation robe.

1896 -Indian-born K S Ranjitsinhji completes an unbeaten 154 on Test cricket debut for England in second Test against Australia at Old Trafford

Babe Ruth's becomes All Time HR Leader
1921 Babe Ruth achieves 139 home runs with a MLB record 575 feet hit to become the all-time home run leader in Major League Baseball, taking the title from Roger Connor

1921 Black Sox trial begins in Chicago

1924-Flock House youth training farm opens
The governor-general, Viscount Jellicoe, officially opened Flock House station, near Bulls. This training farm was established using surplus profits from wool sales during the First World War.

Ty Cobb's 4,000th Hit
1927 Ty Cobb's 4,000th MLB career hit

Oops, Wrong Way!
1938 Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan arrives in Ireland after a 28-hour flight, supposedly leaving New York flying for California

Elvis Records First Demo
1953 Elvis Presley pays $3.98 to make his first demo at Sun Studio in Memphis, recording "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" and reportedly gives the record to his mother as a belated birthday present.




Music History


2020-Five months after his murder, the rapper Pop Smoke goes to #1 in the US with his debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon. 50 Cent, a mentor to Pop Smoke, helped complete the album.

2018-Billy Joel plays his 100th concert at Madison Square Garden, becoming the first musician to hit that mark at the storied venue. New York State declares "Billy Joel Day" in his honor.

2014-Shakira becomes the first person to accumulate 100 million likes on Facebook.

2013-Jay-Z drops his hyphen, becoming Jay Z. Like his "retirement" in 2003, it doesn't stick - the hyphen returns with his next album, 4:44, in 2017.

2012-The Who announce of a tour to revive their rock opera Quadrophenia. The original run of the film of Quadrophenia debuted in 1979; the album in 1973. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, as the surviving members of the group, are also tapped to perform the ending song for the 2012 Olympic games in London.

2011-The romantic comedy Friends With Benefits, starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, premieres in New York City. The soundtrack includes the Semisonic tune "Closing Time," which Timberlake sings in the movie.

2001-Weezer release "Hash Pipe," the first single from Weezer (aka The Green Album). Described by frontman Rivers Cuomo as a "totally insane" song, it still gets plenty of airplay, although the title is a little too druggy for MTV, who display it as "H*** Pipe."

1998-'N Sync get a big boost in America when their "In Concert" special airs on the Disney Channel. They got the gig when their boy band rivals Backstreet Boys backed out.

1993-Rage Against The Machine protest music censorship by appearing at their Lollapalooza set in Philadelphia completely nude except for duct tape over their mouths. They refuse to play any music, and simply stand for 25 minutes with the letters PMRC written on their chests, a reference to the Parents Music Resource Center.

1992-The second edition of Lollapalooza is launched at Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View, California. The traveling festival features such main stage attractions as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.

1992-"Achy Breaky Heart," a #1 country hit from Billy Ray Cyrus, peaks at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

1991-The very first Lollapalooza music festival is held in select locations throughout North America. Bands and artists include Jane's Addiction, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nine Inch Nails, Living Colour, Ice-T, Butthole Surfers, Rollins Band, Violent Femmes and Fishbone.More

1988-Ike Turner is sentenced to one year in a Santa Monica, California, jail for six grams of crack found in his car during a traffic stop in August 1987.

1988-Christa Päffgen aka Nico (of The Velvet Underground) dies at age 49 while vacationing in Ibiza, Spain. While riding a bicycle, the German singer-songwriter suffers a heart attack and falls and hits her head, causing a severe cerebral hemorrhage.

1983-Following up on momentum from their free Central Park reunion concert, Simon and Garfunkel start a 19-city tour in Akron, Ohio.

1982-Ryan Cabrera is born in Dallas, Texas.

1980-Closer, the second and final album from Joy Division, is released just two months after the suicide of founding member and singer Ian Curtis. Its claustrophobic, synth-laden sound, combined with Curtis's nihilistic lyrics make it a defining moment in England's post-punk scene.

1978-Tony Fagenson (drummer for Eve 6) is born. His dad is record producer and bass player Don Was (of Was (Not Was)).

1978=Tony Fagenson (drummer for Eve 6) is born. His dad is record producer and bass player Don Was (of Was (Not Was)).

1975-Daron Malakian (guitarist, vocalist for System Of A Down) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1974-Reinforcing his anti-establishment beliefs, the US denies renewal of John Lennon's visa based on a drug possession conviction in England four years earlier. The matter is sorted out and an international incident averted.

1972-All six members of Sly & the Family Stone are arrested in Hollywood after police search their tour bus and find two pounds of marijuana and two vials of cocaine.

1968Gary Puckett & the Union Gap's "Lady Willpower" is certified Gold.

1968-Hugh Masekela's "Grazing In The Grass" is certified Gold.

1966-Bobby Fuller (of The Bobby Fuller Four) is found dead, soaked in gasoline, in his automobile outside of his apartment in Hollywood, California. The details of the 23-year-old singer's death are murky - it's unclear whether it was a murder, suicide, or accident - but the official cause of death is reported as asphyxia due to inhalation of gasoline.

1966-The Beach Boys release "Wouldn't It Be Nice" with "God Only Knows" on the flip side.

1964-The Rolling Stones score their first American hit when their cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" peaks at #48 on the Hot 100.

1964-The Four Seasons' "Rag Doll" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1962-Rock drummer Jack Irons (of Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1960-Brenda Lee's "I'm Sorry," recorded when she was just 15, hits #1 for the first of three weeks. It's the first of her two chart-toppers; her next single, "I Want To Be Wanted," also goes to #1.

1958-Nigel Twist (drummer for The Alarm) is born Nigel Buckle in Manchester, England.

1957-Keith Levene (of The Clash) is born Julian Keith Levene in Muswell Hill, London, England.

1955-Terry Chambers (drummer for XTC) is born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.

1954-Country/bluegrass singer Ricky Skaggs is born in Cordell, Kentucky.

1953-18-year-old Elvis Presley, a truck driver by trade, stops into Memphis Recording Service (later renamed Sun Studios), and pays $3.98 to record two songs: "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin."

1950-Glenn Hughes (leather guy in The Village People) is born in New York City.

1949-Wally Bryson (guitarist, vocalist for The Raspberries) is born in Manhattan, New York City.

1948-Phil Harris (guitarist, vocalist for Ace) is born in Muswell Hill, London, England.

1948-Cesar Zuiderwijk (drummer for Golden Earring) is born in The Hague, Netherlands.

1946-Tim Lynch (guitarist, harmonica player for Flamin' Groovies) is born in San Francisco, California.

1945-Danny McCulloch (bassist for The Animals) is born in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England.

1943-Robin McDonald (rhythm guitarist, bassist for Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas) is born in Nairn, Scotland.

1941-Country rocker Lonnie Mack is born Lonnie McIntosh in West Harrison, Indiana.

1941-Martha Reeves of Martha & the Vandellas is born in Eufaula, Alabama.

1941-Producer Frank Farian is born in Kirn, Germany. In the '70s he masterminds the dance act Boney M., with his vocals mimed by lead lip-syncher Bobby Farrell. He follows a similar formula in the '80s with Milli Vanilli, who get embroiled in scandal when it's revealed they didn't sing on their albums.

1940-Jim Kweskin, founder of Jim Kweskin Jug Band, is born in Stamford, Connecticut.

1939-Dion DiMucci, better known as Dion, is born in The Bronx, New York

1939-Brian Auger (keyboardist for Steampacket) is born in Hammersmith, London, England.

1938-Ian Stewart, an original member of The Rolling Stones who becomes an unofficial member in 1963, is born in Pittenweem, Fife, Scotland.

1935-Johnny Funches (of The Dells) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1931-Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen (percussionist, vocalist for War) is born in Wilmington, Delaware.

1929-Shock rocker Screamin' Jay Hawkins is born Jalacy Hawkins in Cleveland, Ohio.

1910-Jazz pianist Joe "Fingers" Carr is born Louis Ferdinand Busch in Louisville, Kentucky. He will eventually become an A&R man and studio pianist for Capitol Records, playing on tracks from Peggy Lee, Jo Stafford, and Tennessee Ernie Ford.

1909-Harriet Nelson is born Peggy Lou Snyder in Des Moines, Iowa. Before starring on the long-running sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, alongside husband Ozzie Nelson, Harriet works as a singe and actress under contract with RKO Studios.

2008-illy Joel plays the "Last Play at Shea" concert - the final show before Shea Stadium is closed down. Joel is joined on stage by Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and The Who's Roger Daltrey.


2014-Shakira becomes the first person to accumulate 100 million likes on Facebook.

[F5 Dave]

Have you ever posted something motorcycle related? Why just this generic Internet stuff radio stations (remember them grandad?) would report on shitty morning shows instead of playing music or likely just more adds.
Good riddance.

[Bikkie]

Have you ever posted something motorcycle related? Why just this generic Internet stuff radio stations (remember them grandad?) would report on shitty morning shows instead of playing music or likely just more adds.
Good riddance.


Yip there goes the moaner again, he sounds like a bit of a Grandad!
And yes I have posted two related motorcycle materials.
You either have not read them, or you weren't paying attention??

[Bikkie]

1333 - The Scots are routed in the Battle of Halidon Hill, a significant setback in their fight for independence from England.

1545 - Henry VIII's flagship Mary Rose sinks at Portsmouth; 73 people die.

1553 - Lady Jane Grey is deposed after nine days as English monarch and later executed.

1843 - Steamship SS Great Britain, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is launched, the first ocean- going craft with an iron hull.

1870 - France declares war on Prussia.

1903 - French cyclist Maurice Garin wins the first Tour de France.



Music History

2017-Performing barefoot as usual, singer-songwriter Barbara Weldens is electrocuted on stage at Gourdon, France and dies from cardiac arrest.

2014-Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden launch a co-headlining tour at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada.

2013-Pearl Jam play a sold-out show at Wrigley Field in Chicago, the first American stop touring behind their 10th studio album, Lightning Bolt. Seven songs in, the show is delayed by... lightning. After midnight, the band returns to the stage and plays a rousing set, as the place is still packed.

2011-Rebecca Black, the world's most ironic celebrity, cashes in on her worldwide viral Internet fame by launching her own record label, RB Records, and her first single on the label, "My Moment." The song fails to get the same attention as her breakout hit, "Friday."

2004-James Lowe and Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes, famous for their 1967 garage-psych hit "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night," sue their former label and publishing company for over one million dollars in unpaid royalties.

2002-Movin' Out, a stage musical dedicated to the songs of Billy Joel, premieres in Chicago.

2002-It's "Solomon Burke Day" in Philadelphia in honor of their native singer.

2001-Mariah Carey makes a surprise appearance on MTV's Total Request Live where she comes off as rather unhinged, rambling aimlessly and doing a striptease for the host, Carson Daly.More

2001-Soul singer Judy Clay dies at age 62 from injuries sustained in a car accident.

2000-Shel Talmy, who produced the first Who album, My Generation, puts the master tapes up for auction on eBay for $500,000. As intended, it gets the attention of the band, who buy them (for significantly less) and in 2002 release the My Generation: Deluxe Edition CD using the tapes.

1999-Lou Bega releases his debut album, A Little Bit of Mambo.

1997-Performing as Nimrod (the name of their upcoming album), Green Day play a secret show at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, where they premiere their song "Hitchin' A Ride."

1997-The Fat Of The Land by The Prodigy becomes the first album by an electronic group to hit #1 in America.

Clueless Hits Theaters
1995-Clueless debuts in theaters, reviving the teen movie genre and boosting the film career of Alicia Silverstone, who appeared in the music video for Aerosmith's "Cryin'." The accompanying soundtrack gives retro hits a modern makeover, with the pop-punk act The Muffs covering Kim Wilde's "Kids In America."More

1993-Producer Fred again is born Frederick Gibson in South London. After being mentored by Brian Eno, he produces tracks for Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, and many other popular artists. In 2019, four of his productions hit #1 on the UK Singles chart.

1990-Singer Vicki Carr helps dedicate the Nixon Presidential Library, singing in front of all four living presidents (Nixon, Carter, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush), all of which she had performed for at the White House during their terms.

1989-After finding over $40,000 in cash and checks in his cell at the Stevenson Correctional Institute in South Carolina, officials move James Brown to a cell with tighter security.

1986-Genesis have their first (and only) #1 Hot 100 hit as "Invisible Touch" tops the chart.

1985-Joan Jett calls up-and-coming heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson before his fight with Larry Sims, which Tyson wins handily. The superstitious Tyson insists on getting a call from Jett before every fight, which he does until breaking tradition for his bout against Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990 - Tyson's first loss.More

1985-The Legend of Billie Jean, starring Helen Slater and Christian Slater as teens who become accidental outlaws, debuts in theaters, boasting the hit theme song "Invincible" by Pat Benatar. The teen flick receives mixed reviews but goes on to become a cult classic, despite Benatar calling it "one of the worst movies ever made."More

1981-The mayor of Odessa, Texas, declares today Roy Orbison Day in honor of the singer. (Orbison was actually from Wink, a microscopic town about 35 miles west.)

1980-Laguna Beach, California's Vorpal Gallery opens a new exhibit featuring paintings by Joni Mitchell, John Mayall, Klaus Voorman, and Ron Wood.

1980-"It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" hits #1 in the US, giving Billy Joel his first chart-topper on the Hot 100.

1980-David Bowie begins his run as The Elephant Man in Denver. The show does well, and Bowie takes the lead in the Broadway production later that year.

1977-Steve Martin appears on The Muppet Show, where he performs "Dueling Banjos" and makes balloon animals.

1975-Country singer Lefty Frizzell dies at age 47 after years of alcohol abuse.

1975-Paul McCartney & Wings' "Listen To What The Man Said" hits #1.

1975-Orleans release "Dance With Me."

1969-Jimmy Buffett marries beauty queen Margie Washichek, who was crowned Miss USS Alabama of 1967. They divorce two years later.

1969-The Spencer Davis Group breaks up. Steve and Muff Winwood left the band in 1967, but the band continued on with less success without them before calling it quits.

1966-The theme song to The Monkees TV series is recorded at RCA studios in Hollywood. The only Monkee to participate is Micky Dolenz, who does the vocal - the rest of the musicians are session performers.

1966-Doing it his way, the 50-year-old Frank Sinatra marries the 20-year-old actress Mia Farrow in New York, causing a predictable media event. The marriage lasts just two years.

1966-Johnny Rivers records "Poor Side Of Town."

1965-The Beatles release "Help!" in the US, backed with "I'm Down." It becomes their ninth #1 hit.

1960-Kevin Haskins (drummer for Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) is born in Northampton, England.

1958-The Drifters manager George Treadwell, who owns the name, fires the group and replaces them with members of The Five Crowns. When Ben E. King joins the group a short time later, The Drifters become consistent hitmakers, scoring with "There Goes My Baby," "This Magic Moment" and "Save The Last Dance For Me."

1954-Elvis Presley releases his first single: "That's All Right" backed with "Blue Moon Of Kentucky."

1952-Allen Collins (guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd) is born Larkin Allen Collins Jr. in Jacksonville, Florida.

1948-Keith Godchaux (keyboardist for Grateful Dead throughout the '70s) is born in Seattle, Washington, but will grow up in Concord, California.

1947-Queen guitarist (and astrophysicist) Brian May is born in Hampton, Middlesex, England.

1947-Bernie Leadon (guitarist, vocalist for Eagles) is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1946-Alan Gorrie (guitarist/vocalist/bassist for The Average White Band) is born in Perth, Scotland.

1944-Commander Cody (of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen) is born George Frayne IV in Boise, Idaho.

1941-R&B guitarist/bassist Phil Upchurch is born in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to recording with Curtis Mayfield, Dee Clark, B.B. King, Michael Jackson, and others, he's known for the 1961 instrumental hit "You Can't Sit Down."

1941-Pop singer Vicki Carr is born Florencia Bisenta de Casillas-Martinez Cardona in El Paso, Texas. Her first hit is a cover of The Crystals' "He's A Rebel" in 1962.

1937-Country singer George Hamilton IV, known for the 1963 chart-topper "Abilene," is born in North Carolina.

1932-Buster Benton, guitarist for Willie Dixon's Blues All-Stars, is born Arley Benton in Texarkana, Arkansas.

1925-Sue Thompson is born Eva Sue McKee in Nevada, Missouri. Known for the '60s pop hits "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)" and "Norman.

[F5 Dave]

Yip there goes the moaner again, he sounds like a bit of a Grandad!
I used that slight on you. You can't just repeat the same thing. Try something original.
Oh. Right.

[jellywrestler]

Have you ever posted something motorcycle related? Why just this generic Internet stuff radio stations (remember them grandad?) would report on shitty morning shows instead of playing music or likely just more adds.
Good riddance.

at least the radio stations would pick out something interesting, not just read a list of forty things of and make you fall asleep....

[Bikkie]

at least the radio stations would pick out something interesting, not just read a list of forty things of and make you fall asleep....

Ah, you go to sleep reading? ( you must be a Grandad )

And if you don't like them, don't read them then!!

[Bikkie]

[QUOTE=F5 Dave;1131238392]I used that slight on you. You can't just repeat the same thing. Try something original.
Oh. Right.[/QU

[Bikkie]

An armed offenders’ squad officer watches the riot
1965-Riots rock Mt Eden prison
The disturbance followed a botched escape attempt and lasted into the next day. Prisoners took several warders hostage and fire gutted part of the prison.


World's Oldest Treaty
1654 -Anglo-Portuguese treaty is reinforced, England guarantees Portugal’s independence and receives trade concessions

1712- The Riot Act takes effect in Great Britain
1738- North America: French explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye reaches the western shore of Lake Michigan
1749- Earl of Chesterfield says "Idleness is only refuge of weak minds"
1773 -Scottish settlers arrive at Pictou, Nova Scotia (Canada)


1st East-West Crossing of North America
1793- Scottish explorer Alexander Mackenzie completes the first European east-to-west crossing of America north of Mexico

1807- Napoleon Bonaparte grants a patent for a Pyréolophore, an early combustion engine for a boat, to brothers Nicéphore and Claude Niépce


Jews to Adopt Family Name
1808- Napoleon decrees all French Jews must adopt a fixed family name

Opening of Euston Station
1837 -Euston railway station opens in London as the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR), the city's first intercity railway station


1892-Steam locomotive sets world speed record
The Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR) Company’s locomotive No. 10 established a world speed record for the narrow 3 foot 6 inch (1067 mm) gauge, averaging 68 km per hour on a two-hour run and hitting a top speed of 103 kph

1917- WW I draft lottery held; #258 is 1st drawn

1920- Dutch soccer club Sportclub Heerenveen is formed; initially known as Athleta; KNVB Cup Champions 2008–09


The Babe meets The Don
1932 -An injured Babe Ruth entertains the touring Australian cricketers in his private box at Yankee Stadium as his NY Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox 7-2; 'The Babe' meets 'The Don' (Don Bradman)


The Guinea Pig Club
1941 -The Guinea Pig Club forms, made of severely injured airmen treated by Archibald McIndoe at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, England

2003-Football Ferns achieve historic win at FIFA World Cup
The Football Ferns’ 1–0 victory over Norway at Eden Park, Auckland was the first win by a senior New Zealand team at a World Cup finals tournament.



Music History



2023-Before his show in Toronto, Post Malone meets with fan Brook Trafton, who found the one-of-a-kind "One Ring" Magic: The Gathering card, and agrees to buy it for $2 million.

2017-Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, 41, is found dead, a suicide by hanging. Bennington was close friends with Chris Cornell, who died in similar fashion two months earlier.

2016-Weed-loving rappers Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg begin their "High Road" tour with a show in West Palm Beach, Florida. Says Khalifa, "It's a joint performance."

1986-Sid and Nancy, the biopic about The Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious, premieres. Gary Oldman stars as Vicious.

1986-Santana celebrate their 20th anniversary with a massive group reunion, as all 17 current and former members play a concert in San Francisco.

1984-The NeverEnding Story debuts in US theaters, featuring a theme song by former Kajagoogoo lead singer Limahl.

1983-Duran Duran headline a charity concert at Dominion Theatre in London attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana. At the event, they meet Diana, who has proclaimed them her favorite band, for the first time.

1981-Journey release Escape, their most popular album. The ballad "Open Arms" is the highest charting single, but "Don't Stop Believin'" is the one that endures, becoming one of the biggest songs of all time.

1978-Elliott Yamin is born Efraym Elliott Yamin in Los Angeles, California.

1976-Wolfmother lead singer Andrew Stockdale is born in Brisbane, Australia.

1975-Steven Van Zandt makes his first appearance in concert with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

1972-Vitamin C is born Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey.

1970-The Carpenters appear The Dating Game, where they perform "(They Long To Be) Close To You" and each select from three suitors. They never actually go on their dates.

1969-R&B singer Roy Hamilton, who sang a popular cover of "Unchained Melody" in 1955, dies shortly after suffering a stroke at age 40.

1968-Paul McCartney's fiancee, Jane Asher, goes on the BBC TV show Dee Time and announces that she and Paul have broken off their engagement.

1968-Hugh Masekela's trumpet composition "Grazing In The Grass" hits #1 in America, knocking off trumpet player Herb Alpert's "This Guy's In Love With You."

1966-Stone Gossard (rhythm guitarist for Pearl Jam) is born in Seattle, Washington.

1965-Bob Dylan releases "Like A Rolling Stone." At 6:13, it's twice as long as the average pop song, but it nonetheless becomes Dylan's first big hit and his most popular song.

1965-The Lovin' Spoonful release "Do You Believe In Magic?" Lead singer John Sebastian wrote it after seeing a beautiful girl dancing at one of their shows.

1965-Frank Sinatra appears at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where he leaves his handprints in the cement outside.

1964-Chris Cornell (lead singer of Soundgarden, Audioslave) is born Christopher John Boyle in Seattle, Washington.

1963-Jan and Dean's "Surf City" hits #1 in America. The song is co-written by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who doesn't surf but can sure craft a melody.

1963-Ray Conniff's Concert In Rhythm and Memories Are Made Of This are certified gold.

1963-Lesley Gore releases "Judy's Turn To Cry."

1961-The Leslie Bricusse - Anthony Newley musical Stop The World - I Want To Get Off premieres in London.

1961-The Beatles, known as The Beat Brothers, get some press in the British paper Mersey Beat, which announces their first record deal.

1958-Mick MacNeil (keyboardist for Simple Minds) is born on the Isle of Barra, Scotland.

1956-Paul Cook (drummer for The Sex Pistols) is born in Hammersmith, London.

1947-Carlos Santana (of Santana) is born in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico.

1946-John Almond (of The Johnny Almond Music Machine, Mark-Almond) is born in Enfield, Middlesex, England.

1945-Tony Thorpe (guitarist, vocalist for The Rubettes) is born in Smithfield, London, England.

1945-Kim Carnes is born in Los Angeles, California.

1944-T.G. Sheppard is born William Neal Browder in Humboldt, Tennessee.

1943-John Lodge (bass guitarist for The Moody Blues) in Erdington, Birmingham, England.

1940-The industry publication Billboard combines their sales charts for the first time, including all major labels. The first #1 is Tommy Dorsey's "I'll Never Smile Again," with vocals by Frank Sinatra.

1933-"Party Doll" singer Buddy Knox is born in Happy, Texas.

[Bikkie]

I used that slight on you. You can't just repeat the same thing. Try something original.
Oh. Right.

Well, if you don't like them, don't read them then!!

[jellywrestler]

Ah, you go to sleep reading? ( you must be a Grandad )

And if you don't like them, don't read them then!!

not a grandad but of that age, is there something wrong with that?

[Bikkie]

not a grandad but of that age, is there something wrong with that?

No, no problem with that. If there was I would have said.
Hope you are not saying that you are of that age in your 60's?

[Bikkie]

Battle of Shrewsbury
1403 Battle of Shrewsbury: Army led by the Lancastrian King of England, Henry IV defeats a rebel army led by Henry "Harry Hotspur" Percy of Northumberland thus ending the Percy challenge to the throne. Also the first battle English archers fought each other on English soil.

1545 The first landing of French troops onto the coast of the Isle of Wight during the French invasion

Battle of the Pyramids
1798 Napoleon Bonaparte wins Battle of Pyramids in Egypt (Battle of Embabeh) against Mamluk rulers, wiping out most of the Egyptian army


1861 First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], the first major battle of the US Civil War is fought near Manassas, Virginia and ends in a Confederate victory

Māori prisoners captured at Wereroa pā
1865-Capture of Weraroa pā
Governor George Grey led a small force that captured a Pai Mārire (Hauhau) pā at Weraroa, near Waitōtara. The pā had long lost its strategic significance, and its small garrison had seemed willing to surrender

First Western Showdown
1865 In market square of Springfield, Missouri, Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in what is regarded as the first true western showdown

Jesse James 1st Train Robbery
1873 Jesse James and James Younger gang's 1st train robbery at Adair, Iowa

1866 Cholera epidemic kills hundreds in London

1925-Te Haahi Rātana established as church
Founded in 1918 by Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana (1873–1939), the religious movement that bore his name gave hope to many dispossessed Māori and later became a political force.

Dutch Aircraft Factory
1919 Anthony Fokker establishes his new aircraft company, the Dutch Aircraft Factory in Amsterdam



Music History


2023-At the Good Vibes festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, The 1975 frontman Matt Healy speaks out against the country's ban on homosexuality and kisses bass player Ross MacDonald in protest. The Malaysian government responds by canceling the last two days of the festival.

2023-Tony Bennett dies at 96 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was still making music at 95, when he released his last album, Love For Sale, a collaboration with Lady Gaga.

2017-The day after the suicide of lead singer Chester Bennington, Linkin Park cancel their upcoming tour and set up a tribute page on their website with resources for suicide prevention.

2016-Ivanka Trump speaks in support of her father Donald at the Republican National Convention, taking the podium as "Here Comes The Sun" plays. The estate of George Harrison, who wrote the song, Tweets: "The unauthorized use of #HereComestheSun at the #RNCinCLE is offensive & against the wishes of the George Harrison estate. If it had been "Beware Of Darkness," then we MAY have approved it! #TrumpYourself"

2015-When Drake doesn't promote Meek Mill's album on Twitter, Mill accuses him of using a ghostwriter, tweeting: "Stop comparing drake to me too.... He don't write his own raps! That's why he ain't tweet my album because we found out!"
A feud ensues when Drake releases the diss track "Charged Up," which Mill says is "Baby lotion soft."

2012-Singer-songwriter Tulisa Contostavlos is cleared of conspiring to supply Class A drugs after the notorious "Fake Sheikh" Mazher Mahmood sets up one entrapment operation too many.

2009-Brad Paisley performs at the White House, where he plays his new song "Welcome to the Future," which was inspired by Barack Obama's election. Paisley returns in 2012 to play a 4th of July concert at the White House, and in 2013 he plays an inauguration concert after Obama is re-elected.

2008-Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O premieres her new side project, Native Korean Rock, at Union Pool in Brooklyn, New York.

2006-Herbie Kalin (of The Kalin Twins) dies of a heart attack at age 72.

2005-Blues singer Long John Baldry, a huge influence on Elton John, dies of a chest infection at age 64. Baldry had a #1 UK hit with "Let The Heartaches Begin."

2004-Jerry Goldsmith, an Academy Award-winning film composer known for Chinatown, The Omen, and five of the original Star Trek films, among others, dies of colon cancer at age 75.

2002-Gus Dudgeon, frequent producer of Elton John's recordings, dies in a car accident along with his wife, Sheila, at age 59. Elton dedicates his 2004 album, Peachtree Road, to the couple.

2002-Steve Earle appears on the HBO series The Wire playing a recovering drug addict in what becomes a recurring role. He has no trouble playing the part, having struggled with addiction for much of his life.

2002-At the Peoria Civic Center in Illinois, fans riot at the third annual Gathering Of The Juggalos when police try to stop Juggalettes from taking their shirts off. Peoria joins Novi, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio on the list of cities where this Gathering is no longer welcome.

2001-Lauryn Hill tapes her MTV Unplugged special, playing new songs in a very emotional performance. It's clear that she's not going for mainstream appeal, and is not about to follow up her The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill album with another big seller.

2000-About 7,000 Insane Clown Posse fans, many in clown makeup like the group, descend on the Novi Expo Center in Novi, Michigan for the first Gathering Of The Juggalos. By the end of the Gathering, the place is sticky with Faygo soda and left in ruins - all to be expected at an ICP fete.More

1999-Charley Pride receives a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1999-MP3.com, a website that lets users download music files for free, goes public and quickly reaches a valuation of $6.9 billion. Months later, they're sued by various record companies and the RIAA. In 2001, it sells to Vivendi for $372 million.

1997-As the forerunner of a new era of women in rock, Jewel becomes the first Atlantic Records artist to grace the cover of TIME magazine.

1995-A Los Angeles judge throws out a lawsuit filed against Michael Jackson by five of the pop star's security guards, who alleged that they were fired after learning the "truth" about Jackson's nighttime visits with young boys.

"The Wall" Rises Where Berlin Wall Fell
1990-With a bevy of special guests, Roger Waters performs The Wall at the former site of the Berlin Wall, which came down eight months earlier.More

1989-The Spike Lee joint Do The Right Thing opens in theaters, introducing the Public Enemy anthem "Fight The Power," which opens the film and plays on Radio Raheem's boombox whenever he shows up.

1989-UHF, a comedy film written by and starring Weird Al Yankovic, debuts. The soundtrack features many of Yankovic's signature song parodies, as well as a few of his original songs. While the film does poorly in box office due to bad timing at the beginning of summer just before blockbuster season, the film gains a huge cult following. "UHF" stands for "Ultra High Frequency," an archaic method of television broadcast in the United States which tended to feature local, mom-and-pop stations and shoestring-budget content.

1989-Performing on the Club MTV tour at a stop in Bristol, Connecticut, Milli Vanilli's tracks go screwy when they try to lip-synch to the song "Girl You Know It's True." As the line "girl you know it's..." repeats over and over, the duo panic and scurry off stage. It is later revealed that they didn't sing on their album.

1988-In Aiken circuit court in South Carolina, James Brown pleads guilty to charges of gun possession and resisting arrest. Brown was arrested in May after leading police on a car chase.

1987-Paul McCartney records "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "Ain't That A Shame," and "Crackin' Up

Guns N' Roses Release Debut Album Appetite For Destruction
1987-Guns N' Roses release their first album, Appetite For Destruction. It's a landmark debut, featuring the hits "Welcome To The Jungle" and "Sweet Child O' Mine."More

1986-Landing on Water, Neil Young's 15th studio album, is released.

1983-Diana Ross plays a free concert in New York City's Central Park on a rainy day. She has a good attitude, claiming the rain "feels good" and saying, "It took me a lifetime to get here, I ain't going nowhere." Positive thinking cannot save the show, however, and it is stopped and rescheduled for the next day.

1981-Blake Lewis, runner-up from Season 6 of America Idol, is born in Redmond, Washington.

1979-Robert Palmer releases "Bad Case of Loving You."

1977-Linda Ronstadt, who's just released a cover version of The Rolling Stones' "Tumblin' Dice," hops onstage at the band's Tucson, Arizona concert to sing it with them.

1976-Cat Stevens' brother David gives him a copy of the Quran, leading him down a spiritual path that finds him converting to Islam the following year and changing his name to Yusuf Islam.

1973-"Mary Wilson Day" is declared in Detroit in honor of The Supremes member.

1973-Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," named for a fellow National Guard soldier who went AWOL but got caught when he came back for his paycheck, hits #1. Two months later, Croce dies in a plane crash.

1972-Korey Pingitore is born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She becomes Korey Cooper when she marries Skillet frontman John Cooper in 1997 and joins the band as a keyboardist and guitarist.

1971-Carole King's "It's Too Late" hits #1 in America.

1961-The Supremes release "Buttered Popcorn," produced by Motown boss Berry Gordy. It sells poorly, and is the last Supremes single with Florence Ballard on lead vocals.

1960-Elvis Presley receives a first degree black belt in karate.

1960-Brian Hyland appears as a guest on CBS' popular TV game show To Tell The Truth.

1958-The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" hits #1.

1958-Elvis Presley's "Hard Headed Woman" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1955-Swing entertainer Taco is born Taco Ockerse in Jakarta, Indonesia.

1955-Howie Epstein (bassist for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) is born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1953-Eric Bazilian (frontman for The Hooters) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1948-Cat Stevens is born Steven Demetre Georgiou in Marylebone, London, England. In 1977, he becomes a Muslim and changes his name to Yusuf Islam.

1946-Barry Whitwam (drummer for Herman's Hermits) is born in Prestbury, Cheshire, England.

1945-Rosie Hamlin (lead singer of Rosie & the Originals) is born in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

1945-Mike Wilsh (bassist, keyboardists for The Four Pennies) is born Michael Wilshaw in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.

1942-Kim Fowley is born in Los Angeles, California. The flamboyant writer and record producer puts together the all-female rock band The Runaways in 1975 and later goes on to write for Kiss and Alice Cooper.

1937-Plas Johnson, the sax soloist on Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme," is born in Donaldson, Louisiana.

1929-Jazz singer Helen Merrill is born Jelena Ana Milčetić in New York City.

1922-Jazz singer Kay Starr, known for the '50s chart-toppers "Wheel of Fortune" and "Rock And Roll Waltz," is born Katherine Laverne Starks on a reservation in Dougherty, Oklahoma.

1920-Isaac Stern, violinist and conductor, is born in Kremenets, Ukraine.

[jellywrestler]

No, no problem with that. If there was I would have said.
Hope you are not saying that you are of that age in your 60's?

Ask mummy or daddy to explain to you when your population paste can score a hit in real life, of course you have to aim it towards a female of the species. Ask them to explain about those too, I'd hazard a guess with your social skills that's yet to happen, so yes at the age of 63 i could have been a grandfather over half of my life ago.
Currently I have no fuck trophies to make me a grandfather, and not planning any at this stage either.

[Bikkie]

Ask mummy or daddy to explain to you when your population paste can score a hit in real life, of course you have to aim it towards a female of the species. Ask them to explain about those too, I'd hazard a guess with your social skills that's yet to happen, so yes at the age of 63 i could have been a grandfather over half of my life ago.
Currently I have no fuck trophies to make me a grandfather, and not planning any at this stage either.

Ah, so you still use the words mummy and daddy, i just say mum and dad.
And 60's isn't old to be a grandad I say late 70's and early 80's is considered to be grandad material.
And I don't get why you have to be so insulting??

[jellywrestler]

Yip there goes the moaner again, he sounds like a bit of a Grandad!



Ah, you go to sleep reading? ( you must be a Grandad )




Ah, so you still use the words mummy and daddy,
And I don't get why you have to be so insulting??

not any more they are dead as the Dodo, as for the other, saw a pattern, just turned up the volume a bit, nothing is for real on the internaughty.
You going to the cold kiwi?, sounds like we need to have a couple of laughing waters and talk bikes, or this day in history.

[Bikkie]

1298 – William Wallace, who led Scottish resistance against English rule, is defeated by Edward I’s forces at the Battle of Falkirk.

1280: The first human settlement in New Zealand by Polynesian people, known as the Māori.



1914-Maori were motorcycles produced from 1914 to 1919 by Zealandia Motor Works, London NW, to a design by A. R. Bannister from New Zealand.

The machines were intended to cope with the road conditions in New Zealand. They had a 292cc JAP engine with a variable gear mechanism built onto the drive-side crankcase. They were fitted with belt final-drive and Saxon spring-forks, and although they appeared to be conventional, they were very sturdy. To shield the rider from mud, the motorcycles were fitted with footboards.

Some 20 machines were built in England by two New Zealanders, Bannister and G Johns, but sadly all but one were lost when the first shipment met with disaster at sea in 1914 - the ship was torpedoed. [1] Further production was halted by the war.

The distributors were to be Johns, Bannister and Co. Ltd. of Gisborne, New Zealand. One machine made it to Gisborne, and was used for some years before disappearing forever, supposedly buried in an orchard. The story goes that this sole survivor was rescued from the sinking ship and put into a lifeboat. And then returned to England. And then sent to New Zealand. Where it was buried in an orchard. Uh huh.




Early imports
Motorcycles were invented when people began putting engines on bicycles in the late 1800s. The first motorised tricycle was brought to New Zealand in 1899, and by the early 1900s different motorcycle models were being brought in, mainly from England. One-off home-built motorised bicycles also began to appear around the country.

In the first decade of the 1900s, hundreds of motorcycles were imported each year. By 1915 yearly imports totalled over 2,000.


Early designs
Early models were essentially motor-assisted bicycles. Some were pedal-started, and the motor helped turn the wheels, which could still also be pedalled. On many early models the rear wheel was driven by a belt running from the engine rather than a chain drive – but the belt could slip in muddy conditions. Gears were changed using hand levers, riders did not wear helmets, and gas lamps were used for riding at night.





Music History


2024-Duke Fakir, the last surviving founder of The Four Tops, dies of heart failure at 88. He toured with the group until the year before his death.

2021-Megan Thee Stallion is one of three cover models on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, along with Naomi Osaka and Leyna Bloom. SI puts singers on the cover the next two years: Ciara in 2022 and Kim Petras in 2023.

2014-Weezer release "Back to the Shack," the lead single from Everything Will Be Alright in the End. The song finds the band reminiscing on their rise in the early '90s when they were the hot new band.

2010-Electric blues guitarist Phillip Walker, known for his 1959 hit single "Hello My Darling," dies of heart failure at age 73.

2009-At Trae Day, an event commemorating the second anniversary of the day Houston rapper Trae was presented with a proclamation by the city of Houston, and featuring performances by Rick Ross, Trae, Rich Boy, Rocko, GS Boyson, six people get shot on the campus of Texas Southern University as a gang-related shooting starts raining in the parking lot, leading to a stampede of people who are mostly running for safety.

2008-Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor foots the bill for the band's seventh studio album, The Slip, which is released digitally on their website for free with the tag, "This one's on me." Fans wanting a physical copy, however, will have to shell out their money for a limited-edition two months later. (NIN also did this four months earlier with the free digital release of Ghosts I-IV, an album made up of almost entirely instrumental, unnamed tracks).

2007-After playing a show at the Beacon Theater in New York City, Lil Wayne is arrested when police search his tour bus and find a loaded gun. Gun laws are strict in New York, and the rapper serves eight months in Rikers Island prison. In 2016, he publishes a book about the ordeal called Gone 'Til November.

2006-The Johnny Cash album American V: A Hundred Highways, released three years after his death, goes to #1, becoming his only studio album to top the chart. It's part of a series of unadorned albums produced by Rick Rubin that started with American Recordings in 1994.

2005-Eugene Record (lead singer of Chi-Lites) dies of cancer at age 64.

2003-Yellowcard release Ocean Avenue, their major-label debut album and a pop-punk landmark. It's named for Ocean Boulevard in their hometown of Jacksonville, with the name changed because it's a lot harder to rhyme "boulevard."

2002-Jazz singer Marion Montgomery dies of lung cancer at age 67. A non-smoker, the "Maybe the Morning" singer blamed her illness on the second-hand smoke she regularly ingested while working in nightclubs.


1996-The Smokin' Grooves tour, the first major hip-hop traveling festival, kicks off a 33-date trek with a show in Sacramento, California. Artists include A Tribe Called Quest, Fugees, Cypress Hill and Busta Rhymes.

1996-Donovan has to cancel a North American tour when he is denied entry to the US because of a 1966 marijuana possession conviction.

1987-Morris Albert is found guilty of plagiarizing the 1956 French composition "Pour Toi" on his hit "Feelings." Louis Gasté, the composer of "Pour Toi," is added to the writers credit.

1979-Little Richard, who has been preaching of his salvation throughout the United States, makes his famous statement, "If God can save an old homosexual like me, he can save anybody."

1977-Shaken by the deaths of his sister Rhonda and good friend Freddie Prinze, Tony Orlando says on stage at a show in Cohasset, Massachusetts, "This is my last day as a performer." He spends some time recovering, and returns to the stage in November.

1973-Larry Finnegan dies of a brain tumor at age 34. Known for the 1962 hit "Dear One."

1973-Rufus Wainwright is born to folk singers Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III in Rhinebeck, New York. He'll spend much of his childhood raised by his mother in Quebec.

1973-Daniel Jones (instrumentalist of Savage Garden) is born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, but will be raised in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

1972-The Who release "Join Together."

1971-The Doors' L.A. Woman album is certified Gold.

1969-Aretha Franklin, struggling with the breakup of her marriage, is arrested for causing a disturbance in an incident at a Detroit parking lot.

1969-Elvis Presley's NBC-TV Special soundtrack (a/k/a "The '68 Comeback Special") is certified gold.

1968-In between Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash, Stephen Stills releases the album Super Session, a collaboration with Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper.

1967-The Vanilla Fudge rock cover of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" peaks at #67 in America as the band play their first concert, supporting The Byrds at the Village Theater (later the Fillmore East) in New York City.

1967-Pat Badger (bassist for Extreme) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1963-Emily Saliers (of Indigo Girls) is born in New Haven, Connecticut.

1961-Keith Sweat is born Keith Douglas Crier in Harlem, New York.

1956-The Official UK Albums chart is published for the first time. The first #1 album on the survey is Frank Sinatra's Songs For Swingin' Lovers, featuring the pop standards "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "You Make Me Feel So Young."

1947-Don Henley of the Eagles is born in Gilmer, Texas.

1944-Supertramp vocalist/keyboard player Rick Davies is born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.

1943--Bobby Sherman is born in Santa Monica, California. He becomes a teen idol in the late '60s with a string of pop hits, including the million-selling "Little Woman."

1941-Estelle Bennett (of The Ronettes) is born in New York. Her younger sister is Ronettes lead singer Ronnie Spector.

1940-George Clinton (leader of Parliament/Funkadelic) is born in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

1940-One-hit-wonder Thomas Wayne, known for 1959's "Tragedy," is born Thomas Wayne Perkins is Batesville, Mississippi. His brother is Johnny Cash's guitarist, Luther Perkins.

1937-Hal Kemp records "Got A Date With An Angel."

1937-R&B singer Chuck Jackson is born in Latta, South Carolina, but is raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1924-Margaret Whiting is born in Detroit, Michigan, but is raised in Los Angeles, California, where her dad, Richard, composes popular tunes such as "Hooray For Hollywood" and "On The Good Ship Lollipop." Modern listeners know her for her holiday duet with Johnny Mercer, "Baby It's Cold Outside."

1922-Irving Berlin's mother dies, which results in him writing "All By Myself," "All Alone" and "What'll I Do?"

[Bikkie]

not any more they are dead as the Dodo, as for the other, saw a pattern, just turned up the volume a bit, nothing is for real on the internaughty.
You going to the cold kiwi?, sounds like we need to have a couple of laughing waters and talk bikes, or this day in history.

No, not going to the Cold Kiwi, it's cold enough here in the Hutt Valley.
Are you going?

[jellywrestler]

No, not going to the Cold Kiwi, it's cold enough here in the Hutt Valley.
Are you going?

yip heading there, the valley is providing some training with the cold, get into it

[Bikkie]

1877 First telephone and telegraph line in Hawaii is completed


1851-Maria wrecked near Cape Terawhiti
Twenty-six lives were lost when the barque Maria was wrecked near Cape Terawhiti. This provided more ammunition for Wellington settlers who were trying to convince the government of the need for a lighthouse.

1st U.S. Typographer
1829 William Austin Burt patents America's first typewriter, the typographer

Yvette Williams competes at the Helsinki Olympics.
1952-Yvette Williams leaps to gold at Helsinki
Yvette Williams (later Corlett) won the long jump to become New Zealand’s first female Olympic medallist.



Music History


2021-Morgan Wallen appears on Good Morning America to address his use of a racial slur six months earlier. He says he was "ignorant," went to rehab to address his problem, and will donate $500,000 to racial justice organizations. The amount is his estimate of his sales uplift from the controversy.

2018-The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) warns against the trend of jumping out of moving cars and dancing to Drake's "In My Feelings."More

2014-Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin gets a speeding ticket in her hometown of Wasilla. She blames her excessive speed (63mph in a 45) on Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55," which was playing on her radio. When Hagar gets word, he tweets Palin offering to cover the ticket.

2011-Amy Winehouse dies in London of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27.

2010-Kings of Leon have a strange encounter during a show in St. Louis when just a few songs into their set, they abruptly leave the stage, complaining about a flurry of bird poop coming from a flock of pigeons chilling in the rafters. The band never returns, and a full refund is made available to all concertgoers.

2009-Danny "Dirty Dan" McBride (lead guitarist for Sha Na Na) dies in his sleep at age 63.

2009-Further to Nas and Kelis squabbling over child support and divorce for the past few months, with both sides accusing each other of infidelity, Los Angeles Superior Court orders Nas to pay Kelis nearly $40,000 in monthly support, with Kelis receiving $30,471 in spousal support per month, and the couple's son receiving $9,027 per month.

2005-For the first time, Lollapalooza stays put, with the first of two shows at Grant Park in Chicago. Pixies, Billy Idol and Weezer all perform.

2003-The US National Registry of Historic Places declares Memphis, Tennessee's Sun Studios, at 706 Union Avenue, a historic landmark.

2003-In a bizarre ad placed in Variety, James Brown announces his separation from his fourth wife, Tomi Rae, by featuring a picture of the couple and their two-year-old, James Brown II, posing with Goofy at Disney World.

2002-Dire Straits play the first of three shows at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London. It's their first concert since 1992, but they perform under the name Mark Knopfler And Friends to make it clear a reunion is not forthcoming.

My Chemical Romance Release Debut Album
2002-New Jersey-based alt rockers My Chemical Romance release their vampire-themed debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. Released through the independent punk label Eyeball Records, it was produced by Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly.More

2001-Megadeth is banned from playing in Malaysia, where they have a concert scheduled in three weeks. They are forced to cancel, as authorities say their albums contain "unsuitable imagery."

2001-Three years after the death of first wife, Linda, Paul McCartney gets engaged to former model and activist Heather Mills, whom he met at a charity event in 1999. The marriage lasts six years (including a two-year separation) and produces a daughter - Beatrice Milly McCartney - and a large settlement for Mills.

2000-Mike Diamond of Beastie Boys gets mangled in a bike accident while riding in New York City, forcing the group to cancel their planned Rhyme & Reason tour with Rage Against the Machine. Diamond, who took the spill after hitting a dastardly pothole, has surgery to repair a fifth degree joint dislocation in his shoulder.

1996-Rob Collins (keyboardist for The Charlatans UK) dies in a car crash at age 33.

Fiona Apple, 18, Releases Debut Album, Tidal
1996-Fiona Apple, 18, releases her debut album, Tidal, featuring "Shadowboxer" and "Criminal." It sells over 3 million copies in America.More

1994-The International Astronomical Union names an asteroid in Mars' orbit ZappaFrank, after the musician Frank Zappa, who'd passed away from cancer the year before.

1993-Poetic Justice, starring Janet Jackson (in braids) and Tupac Shakur, opens in theaters. Jackson has been acting on TV since she was a kid, appearing regularly on Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes, but the film marks her big-screen debut.


1989-Ringo Starr debuts his All Starr Band at a show in Dallas. The band is a rotating cast of musicians who are expected to play some of their hits at every show. At this one, he gets a little help from his friends Joe Walsh ("Life In The Fast Lane," "Desperado," "Rocky Mountain Way"), Dr. John ("Candy," "Right Place, Wrong Time") and Levon Helm of The Band ("The Weight," "Up On Cripple Creek").

1984-An appeals court overturnes a ruling that the Bee Gees plagiarized a song called "Let It End" on their hit "How Deep Is Your Love." The judge agrees that there are "striking similarities" between the two songs, but believes the Bee Gees claim that they hadn't heard "Let It End," which was never released and only available as a demo sent to publishers. The case puts the onus on plaintiffs to prove that defendants had access to songs they are accused of copying.

1984-MTV broadcasts the WWF Women's Championship match live from Madison Square Garden, where Wendi Richter, managed by Cyndi Lauper, takes the title. Part of the "Rock And Wrestling Connection," it's the most-watched program in the history of MTV. Lauper returns to manage Richter the following year at the first WrestleMania.

1983-The Police's last album, Synchronicity, hits #1 in America.

1982--Dolly Parton stars as a brothel owner in the musical film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, alongside Burt Reynolds. She earns a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

1981Steve Jocz (drummer for Sum 41) is born in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. He directs music videos for the band's "Underclass Hero," "With Me," and "Screaming Bloody Murder."

1980-Billy Joel gets his first Gold record, for "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me."

1980-Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child) is born in Rockford, Illinois.

1980-Grateful Dead keyboardist Keith Godchaux, 32, dies of head injuries sustained in a car accident two days earlier. He had been on the way home from his birthday party at the time of the crash.

1979-Iran's new leader, the Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, bans rock and roll as a corruptive influence on the people, a decision that eventually inspires both the graphic novel Perseopolis and the Clash song "Rock The Casbah."

1977-Barry Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It" hits #1 in America.

1977-Before taking the stage at Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, along with their manager, Peter Grant, beat up a member of promoter Bill Graham's staff. They are later arrested and hit with a lawsuit, which is settled out of court.

1971-Chad Gracey (drummer for Live, The Gracious Few) is born in York, Pennsylvania.

1971-Dalvin "Mr. Dalvin" DeGrate (rapper for the R&B quartet Jodeci) is born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1970-Sam Watters (of Color Me Badd) is born in Camp Springs, Maryland. He follows up his Color Me Badd tenure as a hit songwriter for Kelly Clarkson ("All I Ever Wanted") and Fantasia ("When I See You"), among others.
1989-Ringo Starr debuts his All Starr Band at a show in Dallas. The band is a rotating cast of musicians who are expected to play some of their hits at every show. At this one, he gets a little help from his friends Joe Walsh ("Life In The Fast Lane," "Desperado," "Rocky Mountain Way"), Dr. John ("Candy," "Right Place, Wrong Time") and Levon Helm of The Band ("The Weight," "Up On Cripple Creek").

1988-Paula Abdul makes her first appearance on the US Albums chart when Forever Your Girl enters at #184. Sixty-four weeks later, it rises to #1, setting a record for most weeks on the chart before hitting the top spot.

1984-Vanessa Williams gives up her Miss America crown midway through her run after naked pictures of her appear in Penthouse. The controversy doesn't keep her from becoming a very popular actress and singer: in 1991 she releases her #1 hit "Save The Best For Last."

1984-An appeals court overturnes a ruling that the Bee Gees plagiarized a song called "Let It End" on their hit "How Deep Is Your Love." The judge agrees that there are "striking similarities" between the two songs, but believes the Bee Gees claim that they hadn't heard "Let It End," which was never released and only available as a demo sent to publishers. The case puts the onus on plaintiffs to prove that defendants had access to songs they are accused of copying.

1984-MTV broadcasts the WWF Women's Championship match live from Madison Square Garden, where Wendi Richter, managed by Cyndi Lauper, takes the title. Part of the "Rock And Wrestling Connection," it's the most-watched program in the history of MTV. Lauper returns to manage Richter the following year at the first WrestleMania.

1983-The Police's last album, Synchronicity, hits #1 in America.

1982-Dolly Parton stars as a brothel owner in the musical film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, alongside Burt Reynolds. She earns a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

1981-Steve Jocz (drummer for Sum 41) is born in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. He directs music videos for the band's "Underclass Hero," "With Me," and "Screaming Bloody Murder."

1980-Billy Joel gets his first Gold record, for "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me."

1980-Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child) is born in Rockford, Illinois.

1980-Grateful Dead keyboardist Keith Godchaux, 32, dies of head injuries sustained in a car accident two days earlier. He had been on the way home from his birthday party at the time of the crash.

1979-Iran's new leader, the Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, bans rock and roll as a corruptive influence on the people, a decision that eventually inspires both the graphic novel Perseopolis and the Clash song "Rock The Casbah."

1977-Barry Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It" hits #1 in America.

1977-Before taking the stage at Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, along with their manager, Peter Grant, beat up a member of promoter Bill Graham's staff. They are later arrested and hit with a lawsuit, which is settled out of court.

1971-Bluegrass-country performer Alison Krauss is born in Decatur, Illinois. She meets Union Station bandmate Dan Tyminski at a 1984 festival held by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass in America.

1971-Chad Gracey (drummer for Live, The Gracious Few) is born in York, Pennsylvania.

1971-Dalvin "Mr. Dalvin" DeGrate (rapper for the R&B quartet Jodeci) is born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1970-Sam Watters (of Color Me Badd) is born in Camp Springs, Maryland. He follows up his Color Me Badd tenure as a hit songwriter for Kelly Clarkson ("All I Ever Wanted") and Fantasia ("When I See You"), among others.

1944-Dino Danelli (drummer for The Young Rascals) is born in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1943-Singer-songwriter Tony Joe White is born in Oak Grove, Louisiana. He has a hit with 1969's "Polk Salad Annie" and pens "Rainy Night In Georgia," made famous by Brook Benton in 1970.

1942-Soul singer Madeline Bell (of Blue Mink) is born in Newark, New Jersey. She lands her first big hit in 1968 with a cover of Dee Dee Warwick's "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me."

1935-Cleveland Duncan (original tenor for The Penguins) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1933-Bert Convy is born in St. Louis, Missouri. As a member of the vocal group The Cheers, he lands a hit with the 1955 single "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots." His greater success comes as an actor and game show host of Tattletales, Super Password, and Win, Lose or Draw.

[Bikkie]

yip heading there, the valley is providing some training with the cold, get into it

What bike are you riding, are you from the Hutt Valley?

[jellywrestler]

What bike are you riding, are you from the Hutt Valley?

probably my nc750, yip belmont hills

[Bikkie]

1806-First Pākehā (European) women arrive in New Zealand.

1807-Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa and allied tribes from the west coast south of the Waikato, the southern North Island and the east coast attack Waikato and Ngāti Maniapoto, supported by Ngāti Whātua and Hauraki, in the Battle of Hingakaka, the largest battle ever fought in New Zealand, with the defenders prevailing.



Music History

2011-Dan Peek (multi-instrumentalist and vocalist for America) dies of fibrinous pericarditis in his sleep at age 60.

2001-Jimmy Eat World release their fourth album, Bleed American, featuring the tracks "The Middle" and "Sweetness." The album is re-titled Jimmy Eat World after September 11.

2001-Bob Seger's boat Lightning (named because a previous boat was struck by lightning) wins its division in the 291-mile Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race in Michigan with a time of 30 hours, 34 minutes, 42 seconds. Seger is one of 11 crew members on board.

1999-The rapper Treach (Anthony Criss) from Naughty by Nature ("O.P.P.") marries Pepa (Sandra Denton) of Salt-N-Pepa in a ceremony officiated by Reverend Run of Run-D.M.C., who says it's the first time a rapper has married two rappers. Among the guests are Salt, Queen Latifah and Vivica A. Fox. The couple divorce in 2001, with Pepa alleging abuse.

1999-On the third day of the Woodstock '99 festival on Griffiss Air Force Base, overpriced water, overflowing toilets and a Limp Bizkit performance of "Break Stuff" lead to riots, groping and injuries. Conditions deteriorate as the festival rages on, and by the final day, MTV is covering the event with the tagline "Apocalypse Woodstock."

1998-Country legend Tanya Tucker files suit against her label, Capitol Nashville, for $300,000, claiming the label has not promoted her properly.

1995-A three-night career retrospective honoring Frank Sinatra on his 80th birthday begins at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. A visibly ailing Sinatra attends but does not perform. Meanwhile, in New York City, the Empire State Building is lit with blue lights in his honor.

1987-The movie La Bamba, a somewhat fictionalized biography of Latin rock star Ritchie Valens, opens in the US. It's generally well received, especially the soundtrack by Los Lobos. Lou Diamond Phillips stars as Valens, who died in the infamous plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper; Marshall Crenshaw appears as Buddy Holly and Brian Setzer as Eddie Cochran.

1985-A stretch of Detroit's Washington Boulevard is renamed "Aretha Franklin's Freeway Of Love," in honor of her recent comeback hit.

1984-Reverend Clarence LaVaughn Franklin (Aretha Franklin's father) dies five years after being shot during a robbery attempt at his Detroit home. The incident left him in a coma until his death at age 69.

1982-Thanks to its use in the movie Rocky III, "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor hits #1 for the first of six weeks.

1978-The film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band opens in America, and it tanks hard. Savaged by critics, it becomes a legendary Hollywood flop despite appearances by Peter Frampton, Billy Preston, Aerosmith and The Bee Gees.

1977-Led Zeppelin play their last concert in America, performing at the "Day On The Green" at Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. Their tour is set to continue into August, but is cancelled when Robert Plant's son, Karac, dies two days later.

1977-At Pathway Studios in North London, Dire Straits make their first demo, which includes "Sultans Of Swing." A BBC Radio DJ plays the song, which leads to a record deal. The song becomes their first hit when it's released in 1978.

1976-Elton John's duet with Kiki Dee, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," hits #1 in the UK.

1976-The Manhattans' "Kiss And Say Goodbye" hits #1 in the US.

1973-Mary Ann "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira, of the alt Hip-Hop group Digable Planets, is born in Brazil.

1972-Bobby Ramirez, the 24-year-old drummer with Edgar Winter's White Trash, is beaten to death in a Chicago barroom brawl after a patron complains about the length of Ramirez's hair.

1971-The Raiders' "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) hits #1.


Jennifer Lopez Is Born
1969-Jennifer Lopez is born to Puerto Rican parents in The Bronx in New York City.

1968-Jimmy Drake, known as Nervous Norvus, dies from cirrhosis of the liver at age 56.

1967-In response to their friend John Hopkins being sentenced to nine months in jail for marijuana possession, The Beatles take out full-page ad in The Times of London calling for legalization of the drug. "The law against marijuana is immoral in principle and unworkable in practice," it reads.

1967-Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow LP is certified gold.

1965-Bob Dylan charts for the first time as an artist in the US when "Like A Rolling Stone" enters at #91. A handful of his songs have already been hits as covered by other artists, most notably the 1963 Peter, Paul and Mary version of "Blowin' In The Wind."

1964-Marvin Gaye records "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You." Written by the Motown team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the title comes from one of Jackie Gleason's catch phrases.

1961-Paul Geary (co-founder and drummer of Extreme) is born in Medford, Massachusetts.

1957-Pat Boone makes his acting debut in the musical comedy Bernardine. The movie also features his hit songs "Love Letters In The Sand" and "Bernardine."

1956-Ten years to the day after their act began, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis break up their wildly popular musical-comedy act after a farewell show at New York's Copacabana nightclub.

1954-The Four Aces' "Three Coins In The Fountain" hits #1.

1948-Drummer Kim Berly, of The Stampeders, is born Kimball Meyer in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

1947-Drummer Alan Whitehead, of Marmalade, is born in Oswestry, Shropshire, England.

1944-Guitarist Jim Armstrong, of Them, is born in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

1942-Bassist and singer Heinz Burt, of The Tornados, is born in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

1941-Barbara Jean Love, of the Soul group The Friends of Distinction, is born in Los Angeles, California.

1938-Artie Shaw records "Begin The Beguine."

1934-Jazz drummer Rudy Collins, who performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Cab Calloway, is born in New York City.

1921-Jazz pianist and composer Billy Taylor is born in Greenville, North Carolina. He penned the unofficial civil rights anthem "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" in 1963.

1916-Big Band vocalist Bob Eberly is born in Mechanicville, New York.

1908-Duke Ellington's innovative trumpeter Cootie Williams is born in Mobile, Alabama.

[Bikkie]

probably my nc750, yip belmont hills

You are not far away from me, I am in Naenae.

[Bikkie]

1814 – George Stephenson, of England, tests the first steam locomotive.

1871 – William Schneider, of Iowa, invents the merry-go-round.

1917 – Exotic dancer Mata Hari is sentenced to death by a French court for spying for Germany during World War I.




Music History




2009-Red's Recovery Room shuts its doors for good. Luckily, the beloved roadhouse has already been immortalized in Tom Waits' song "Filipino Box Spring Hog."

2009-World War I veteran Harry Patch, subject of the Radiohead song "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)," dies at age 111.

2003-Erik Braunn (Iron Butterfly guitarist) dies of a heart attack related to a birth defect in Los Angeles, California, at age 52.

2001-The Doors' John Densmore, Bonnie Raitt, and others are arrested in Itasca, Illinois, for demonstrating against a company which they claim destroys the rainforest.

2000-LeAnn Rimes releases the Christian-pop single "I Need You" from the soundtrack to the TV miniseries Jesus. It peaks at #11 on the Hot 100 and stays on the chart for 25 weeks.

1999-Woodstock '99 comes to a fiery conclusion as the crowd loots and burns anything they can find while the Red Hot Chili Peppers play the last set. Poor conditions and a mostly collage-age crowd swelled by testosterone and nu metal have made the riot pretty much inevitable. Remarkably, there are relatively few injuries; when police arrive, the crowd seems more than happy to leave.

1998-Jazz guitarist Tal "Octopus" Farlow dies from esophageal cancer at age 77 in New York City.

1995-Nina Simone is arrested for firing a pellet gun at noisy teenagers playing near her home in the south of France, for which she is placed on an 18-month probation and ordered to seek counseling.

1995-Country performer Charlie Rich, known for "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl," dies of a blood clot at age 62 at a motel in Hammond, Louisiana.

1995-Bone Thugs-N-Harmony release their breakthrough album E. 1999 Eternal, which sells over 4 million copies. The big hit from the set is "Tha Crossroads," which wins a Grammy for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group.

1981-Air Supply's brand of soft rock reaches its peak as "The One That You Love" hits #1 in America. The duo, which formed in Australia, specialize in "love" songs. Others include "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" and "All Out Of Love."

Beastie Boys Release Paul's Boutique
1989-After leaving Def Jam, Beastie Boys release their second album, Paul's Boutique, on Capitol Records.More

1980-Eric Carr makes his debut as Kiss drummer.

1975-A California federal judge rules that San Francisco had a right to arrest Miracles singer Smokey Robinson the previous year, even though his name only matched the alias of the criminal he was confused with.

1973-The Doobie Brothers release "China Grove." Lead singer Tom Johnston made up the story about the strange little town, and later found out that there's a real China Grove in Texas.

1970-The Carpenters' "(They Long to Be) Close to You" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1969-The Beatles work on a slew of songs for their Abbey Road album: "Sun King," "Mean Mr. Mustard," "Come Together," "Polythene Pam" and "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window."

1969-Yes release their self-titled debut album, one of the first in the progressive rock genre.

1966-"Last Train To Clarksville," the debut single by The Monkees, is recorded at RCA studios in Los Angeles. Like all of their early songs, the group doesn't play on the record. The only Monkee on the track is Micky Dolenz, who does the vocal.

1966-The Supremes release "You Can't Hurry Love."


Bob Dylan Goes Electric
1965-Dylan plugs in! At the Newport Folk Festival, Bob Dylan plays an electric set for the first time, horrifying folkies everywhere.More

1964-The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night goes to #1 in America, where it stays for 14 weeks. It is already the #1 album in the UK, where it has a 21-week run at the top.

1963-Singer Cilla Black, discovered by Beatles manager Brian Epstein at a Gerry & the Pacemakers concert, makes her first recording test for EMI.

1959-Introduced by Johnny Cash, 13-year-old Dolly Parton makes her Grand Ole Opry debut singing George Jones' "You Gotta Be My Baby." She receives three encores.

1958-Guitarist and singer/songwriter Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth) is born in Coral Gables, Florida.

1956-The Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria collides with the Swedish liner Stockholm, killing 52 instantly and sinking the Andrea Doria. On board is Mike Stoller, who becomes half of the famous Lieber-Stoller songwriting team.

1951-Verdine White (bassist for Earth, Wind & Fire) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1950-Bassist/vocalist Mark Clarke (briefly a member of Uriah Heep) is born in Liverpool, England.

1948-Folk singer-songwriter Steve Goodman is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1946-Jose "Chepito" Areas (of Santana) is born in Leon, Nicaragua.

1944-Tom Dawes, lead vocalist of The Cyrkle, is born in Albany, New York.

1943-Drummer Jim McCarty (of The Yardbirds and Renaissance) is born in Walton, Liverpool, England.

1942-Ella Mae Morse and Freddy Slacks' "Cow Cow Boogie" hits #1 in America.

1942-Bruce Woodley (of The Seekers) is born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

1941-Guitarist Manny Charlton (of Nazareth) is born in La Linea, Spain.

1934-Jazz musician and composer Don Ellis is born in Los Angeles, California.

1925-William "Benny" Benjamin (drummer for the Motown house band, The Funk Brothers) is born in Mobile, Alabama.

1828-Ignaz Bösendorfer is granted a trade license number which enables him to start a piano manufacturing company in Vienna.

1814 – George Stephenson, of England, tests the first steam locomotive.

1871 – William Schneider, of Iowa, invents the merry-go-round.

1917 – Exotic dancer Mata Hari is sentenced to death by a French court for spying for Germany during World War I.

[Bikkie]

1863-Floods kill 25 miners in Central Otago
Approximately 25 gold miners died on the Arrow diggings, north-east of Queenstown, in a series of flash floods and slips caused by 24 hours of heavy rain.



1865-Parliament moves to Wellington
The capital moved from Auckland to more centrally located Wellington on the recommendation of an Australian commission. The former Wellington Provincial Council chamber became the new home for Parliament.


Tom Heeney
1928-Kiwi boxer fights for world heavyweight title
In the midst of boxing's golden age, Gisborne-born Tom Heeney took on Gene Tunney in front of 46,000 spectators at Yankee Stadium, New York. Although he was defeated, his title bid had aroused tremendous interest in both New Zealand and the USA.


Ann Hercus
1984-Ann Hercus becomes first Minister of Women's Affairs
Ann Hercus became New Zealand’s first Minister of Women’s Affairs following the election of the fourth Labour government.

1865 The capital of New Zealand moves from Auckland to Wellington

Churchill Orders British Fleet Ready
1914 First Lord of the Admiralty (British Minister of Navy) Winston Churchill orders British fleet to remain in state of readiness as threat of war in Europe grows

DiMaggio Hitting Streak Ends
1933 -Joe DiMaggio ends 61-game hitting streak in Pacific Coast League

Babe Ruth Story
1948- "Babe Ruth Story" premieres; Babe Ruth makes his final public appearance
Baseball Record
1962 -Milwaukee Brave Warren Spahn sets home run record of 31 by a pitcher

Baseball Record
1970 -Reds catcher Johnny Bench, playing for the day in the outfield, goes 4-for-5 with seven RBIs, including three consecutive home runs off St. Louis Cardinals' Steve Carlton in a 12-5 win at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati



Music History


2024-Paris Hilton sets up the "That's Hotline," a play on her "that's hot" catchphrase, to promote her new single, "Chasin'." Calling 855-THTS-HOT gets you advice from Hilton on how to get over an ex, the theme of the song.

2024-Celine Dion makes a spectacular return with a performance of "Hymne À L'amour" from the Eiffel Tower at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. It's her first performance since 2020, when she was sidelined with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

2023-Eagles founding member Randy Meisner dies from health issues at 77. He co-wrote and sang lead on "Take It To The Limit."

2021-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison dies at 46.

2018-The Broadway musical Head Over Heels, an Elizabethan farce inspired by the music of The Go-Go's, premieres at the Hudson Theatre in New York City.More

2018-Paul McCartney plays a gig at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, where The Beatles did about 300 shows in the early '60s. At one point, he chastises the crowd for using their phones.

2017-A jury awards Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties for the use of Michael Jackson songs he produced in two Cirque du Soleil shows and the This Is It documentary. Jones filed suit in 2013, asking for $30 million.

2016-A group of 40 or so Broadway stars takes the stage on Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to sing "What the World Needs Now Is Love" in support of gun control legislation. These stars are part a group called Broadway For Orlando that was put together to record the song in honor of victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting on June 12, when 49 people were killed.More

2016-A video of celebrities performing an a cappella version of Rachel Platten's "Fight Song" is shown at the Democratic National Convention before Hillary Clinton takes the stage to accept the nomination.More

Kendrick Lamar's "Alright" Becomes Protest Anthem
2015-The first Black Lives Matter conference at Cleveland State University turns into a protest with activists chanting the chorus of Kendrick Lamar's "Alright" in defiance of police harassment.More

2015-In a field just outside of Cesena, Italy, 1000 musicians and singers play Foo Fighters "Learn to Fly" simultaneously with the dream of attracting the band to play a show in their city for the first time in nearly 20 years.

2015-Bobbi Kristina Brown, daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, dies at age 22. She is found unconscious in her bathtub, and the cause of death is eventually revealed as "immersion associated with drug intoxication."

2013-Oklahoma guitarist J.J. Cale, who wrote the songs "Call Me The Breeze" and "After Midnight," dies at age 74.

2012-Searching For Sugar Man, an Academy Award-winning documentary about Detroit Rocker Sixto "Sugar Man" Rodriguez, is released in the UK.

2011-Eric Church releases his breakthrough album, Chief, with the hits "Springsteen" and "Drink In My Hand." The album cover is his first where he's wearing his signature Aviator sunglasses.

2006-Paul McCartney's first guitar is sold at an Abbey Road Studios auction for 330,000 pounds, or about half-a-million US dollars.

2003-Limp Bizkit appear at the Hawthorne Racetrack in Chicago as part of Metallica's Summer Sanitarium tour with Deftones, Linkin Park and Mudvayne. But the crowd soon shows how they feel about frontman Fred Durst and his crew, as the band is booed and Durst is pelted with coins and bottles, leading him to launch into homophobic taunts. As a result, Limp Bizkit leaves the stage after 30 minutes and only six songs, but not before Durst challenges audience members to a fight.

2002-Beyoncé makes her film debut, playing Mike Myers' love interest, Foxxy Cleopatra, in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Her catch phrase: "I'm a whole lotta woman." Britney Spears also shows up in the film as a fem-bot who gets blown up by Myers.More

2002-A week before he is due to sign a contract with Universal South Records, Matthew West suffers a serious injury to his arm. Having accidentally locked himself in his house, West attempts to escape through a window, but his arm goes straight through the glass pane. West is rushed to hospital, where he is told he came close to severing a major artery. He will go on to fully recover from the incident.

2000-The file-sharing service Napster is ordered by a US federal judge to cease trading copyrighted music files in the next 48 hours.

1994-Motown Records releases the Boyz II Men song "I'll Make Love To You" against the group's wishes - they think it sounds too much like their earlier hit "End of the Road." In this case, the record company gets it right: the song becomes the biggest hit of 1994 in America.

1992-Kiss frontman Paul Stanley marries Pamela Bowen.

1992-Mary Wells, "Queen of Motown," dies in Los Angeles, California, at age 49 during a bout of pneumonia made worse by a cancer recurrence.

1990-Grateful Dead keyboard player Brent Mydland dies of a drug overdose at age 37.

1987-With the Cold War winding down, American export Billy Joel plays a concert in Leningrad - something that would be impossible a few years earlier. The show is released as the album KOHUEPT (Concert).

1986-Peter Gabriel hits #1 in the US with "Sledgehammer," bumping his old band, Genesis (with "Invisible Touch") out of the top spot.

1980-Singer/Guitarist/Producer Dave "Brownsound" Baksh (of Sum 41 and Organ Thieves) is born in Ajax, Ontario, Canada.

1977-While touring the US with Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant learns that his 5-year-old son, Karac, has died of a stomach virus. The tour abruptly ends, and Led Zeppelin never again play in the United States.

1976-With endless touring and recording, as well as various addictions, tearing the band apart, Three Dog Night play their last concert tonight in San Francisco, California. (The group would reunite in 1981, but that reunion would prove short-lived.)

1976-Ted Nugent's self-titled debut album is certified Gold, eventually selling over 2 million copies.

1975-The Eagles land their first #1 album when One Of These Nights hits #1 in the US. Their fourth album, it stays on top for five weeks.

1975-Van McCoy's "The Hustle" hits #1 in America.

1974-London graffiti artists hired by the Rolling Stones' management spray paint various local sites as promotion for the group's latest single, "It's Only Rock N' Roll."

1974-John Denver's "Annie's Song" is certified Gold.

1969-The 5th Dimension's two lead singers, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. are married. The duo will score their own hit in 1977 with "You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)."

1969-Brian Jones, who was a founding member of The Rolling Stones, appears on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine following his death on July 3rd.

1968-Jeannie C. Riley records "Harper Valley P.T.A."

1968-The Rolling Stones album Beggar's Banquet is scheduled for release, but withdrawn by their label, Decca, over concerns with the album cover, which shows a toilet covered in graffiti. The album is later released with a picture of an invitation on the cover.

1968-Auditioned to a sheen by their father Joe, The Jackson 5 join Motown Records, signing a one-year contract. They move from their home in Gary, Indiana, to Los Angeles, where they became huge stars, hitting #1 in the US with their first four singles

1967-Timothy Barnwell - "Headliner" of Arrested Development - is born in New Jersey.

1965-Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson marries Carol Freedman, the first of what would be four wives, in Los Angeles.

1963-Smokey Robinson & the Miracles release "Mickey's Monkey."

1961-Singer-songwriter Gary Cherone is born in Malden, Massachusetts. Best known for his work in the band Extreme, he joins Van Halen for one album: Van Halen III, released in 1997.

1960-Sam Cooke releases "Chain Gang."

1960-Hank Ballard and the Midnighters record "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go."

1952-Rosemary Clooney's "Half As Much" hits #1.

1950-Singer/keyboardist Duncan Mackay (of 10cc) is born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.

1949-Roger Taylor (drummer for Queen) is born in Dersingham, Norfolk, England.

1943-Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones is born Michael Philip Jagger in Dartford, Kent, England.

1942-Judy Garland and Gene Kelly record a cover of "For Me And My Gal" for their film of the same name.

1941-Rock singer/songwriter Neil Landon (of The Flowerpot Men and Fat Mattress) is born in Kirdford, Sussex, England.

1941-Pop/Jazz singer Darlene Love is born in Hawthorne, California.

1941-Soul singer Brenton Wood is born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, Louisiana. Known for 1967's "The Oogum Boogum Song" and "Gimme Little Sign."

1940-Singer Dobie Gray is born in Simonton, Texas.

1938-Bobby Hebb, who had a hit with "Sunny" in 1966, is born in Nashville, Tennessee.

1914-Erskine Hawkins, trumpeter and Big Band leader known for "Tuxedo Junction," is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

1895-Gracie Allen, comedic radio and TV star with partner/husband George Burns, is born in San Francisco, California (though the specific date of her birth is disputed).

[pritch]

No, no problem with that. If there was I would have said.
Hope you are not saying that you are of that age in your 60's?

It's generally considered that a generation is 25 years. Fifties is perfectly respectable for grandparents. Generations might come considerably quicker in some places but that's not respectable.

[Bikkie]

It's generally considered that a generation is 25 years. Fifties is perfectly respectable for grandparents. Generations might come considerably quicker in some places but that's not respectable.

I'm just saying you are as old as you feel. Or as someone once said to me, "You are as old as the woman you feel."
Age is just a number, there is a guy on The Breeze radio station and he is 55 and he says he is old. I have 13 years on him and I'm not old.

[Bikkie]

New Zealand memorial in South Korea, 2010
1953
Armistice ends fighting in Korean War
After lengthy negotiations, representatives of North Korea and the United Nations signed an armistice on the ceasefire line between North and South Korea.


George Bolt, circa 1943
1963
Pioneer aviator George Bolt dies
Bolt was an outstanding figure in the development of commercial aviation in this country. Among his many achievements were taking New Zealand's first aerial photographs in 1912 and delivering its first official airmail in 1919

July Revolution Begins
1830 July Revolution breaks out in Paris, opposing the laws of King Charles X
First Military Airplane
1909 Orville Wright successfully tests the Wright Military Flyer, the world's first military airplane, with a record flight of 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 40 seconds, flying approximately 64 km (40 mi) [1]


First Military Airplane
1909 Orville Wright successfully tests the Wright Military Flyer, the world's first military airplane, with a record flight of 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 40 seconds, flying approximately 64 km (40 mi) [1]





Music History




2013-At Gillette Stadium in Boston, Taylor Swift brings out Carly Simon to sing with her on "You're So Vain," which like many of Swift's hits, takes aim at a famous ex. Swift claims that backstage after the show, Simon whispered in her ear the identity of the man she was singing about in "Vain."

2009-A law enforcement official tells The Associated Press that Michael Jackson's personal doctor administered a powerful anesthetic to help him sleep, and authorities believe the drug is what killed the Pop singer.

2007-The Simpsons Movie debuts. Early in the film, Green Day sink into Lake Springfield.

2006-The company behind file-sharing service Kazaa agrees to pay record labels over $115 million in damages for piracy.

2001-Leon Wilkeson (bass guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd) dies in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, from chronic liver and lung disease at age 49.

2001-Saxophonist Harold Land dies from a stroke at age 72.

1999-Jazz trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison (of Count Basie's orchestra) dies in Columbus, Ohio, at age 83.

1996-"Wannabe" hits #1 in the UK, making the Spice Girls the first all-female group to top the chart with their debut single.

1994-Bob Seger serves jury duty in Michigan and, as the foreman in a criminal trial, finds the defendant guilty.

1993-Steve Vai's third solo album, Sex & Religion, is issued. The release is credited simply to "Vai," and is his first to feature traditional vocals, which were provided by a then-unknown Devin Townsend.

1992-Michael Jackson sues the London tabloid Daily Mirror over claims that too many plastic surgeries have left him permanently disfigured.

1990"Rockin' Robin" singer Bobby Day dies of cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 60.

1987-Rick Astley's first single, "Never Gonna Give You Up," is released in America. It climbs to #1 in March 1988, and in 2008 becomes the basis for the Rickrolling trend.

1986-Nancy Wilson (of Heart) marries screenwriter Cameron Crowe at her sister Ann's home. They remain married until 2010.

1986-At a Cure concert at The Forum in Inglewood, California, a shirtless man with a cowboy hat goes to the center of the floor section and stabs himself repeatedly with a hunting knife. He survives, and is identified as 38-year-old Jonathan Moreland. He claims he was trying to impress a girl who jilted him.

1985-At Albert's Hall in Toronto, the blind 19-year-old guitar sensation Jeff Healey joins Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert Collins on stage for a rousing jam session that gets a lot of press. Healey quickly forms The Jeff Healey Band, which gets signed to Arista Records and has a hit in 1988 with "Angel Eyes." They also appear in the movie Road House, playing the house band where Patrick Swayze's character works as a bouncer.

1985-Paul Young hits #1 with "Everytime You Go Away," a cover of a Hall & Oates song released in 1980. It's the only Hall & Oates cover ever to make the Top 40.

1984-Metallica release their second album, Ride The Lightning, via Megaforce Records. It is reissued a short time later when they sign to Elektra Records.

1984-Prince stars in the film Purple Rain. The movie, in which he plays as an upstart musician who clashes with his band, parallels his life story, but is not strictly autobiographical, and he didn't write or direct it.

1983-Madonna releases her first album. The self-titled debut doesn't burn up the charts and is derided by Rolling Stone (which calls her voice "irritating as hell"), but gets traction in dance clubs, setting the stage for her breakout second album, Like A Virgin.

1983-Metallica launch their Kill 'Em All For One tour (with co-headliners Raven) at the Royal Manor in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

1981-Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry releases her first solo album, KooKoo. Its highest charting single is "Backfired," which hits #43 in the US, but the album still sells over 500,000 copies.

1976-Later depicted in the movie What's Love Got to Do with It, Tina Turner files for divorce from her husband Ike. They have been married 16 years.

1976-John Lennon ends his four-year fight to stay in the US as a special government hearing grants him a green card (Number A-17-597-321).

1976-Bruce Springsteen sues his manager Mike Appel for fraud and mismanagement. Appel counter-sues, and the legal action keeps Springsteen from recording for about 15 months, a time Springsteen spends touring. The case eventually settles out of court.

1974-After 23 years, Dinah Shore leaves the NBC network when it cancels her morning program Dinah's Place to make room for game shows.

1974-John Denver's "Annie's Song" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1973-Thousands of people hit Watkins Glen, New York, for the "Summer Jam" one day before the music festival is scheduled to begin. The crowd is already so large and so raucous that The Band turn their sound-check into a mini-set. The Allman Brothers Band follows in similar character by rocking through "One Way Out" and "Ramblin' Man." The Grateful Dead come next with a two-set explosion. This impromptu jam tires them not at all, and the next day they still scramble psyches with two long sets.

1973-The self-titled debut by the New York Dolls is released via Mercury Records (and produced by Todd Rundgren). The album spawns such glam/proto-punk classics as "Personality Crisis," "Looking for a Kiss," "Trash," and "Jet Boy."

There's a Riot Goin' On In Chicago
1970-A free concert in Chicago becomes a riot when fans pelt the stage with rocks and bottles before Sly & the Family Stone can go on. The band titles their next album There's a Riot Goin' On.More


1968-The Rascals release "People Got To Be Free."

1968-Mama Cass Elliot releases "Dream A Little Dream Of Me."

1967-Juliana Hatfield is born in Wiscasset, Maine.

1962-Soul Asylum bass player Karl Mueller is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1958-Esso Oil (formerly Standard Oil, later Exxon), issues a report warning that listening to rock music in the car could waste gas because "the rhythm can cause a driver to unconsciously jiggle the gas petal."

1950-Paper Lace rhythm guitarist Michael "Mick" Vaughan is born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.

1949-Singer/actress Maureen McGovern is born in Youngstown, Ohio.

1944-"Ode To Billie Joe" singer Bobbie Gentry is born Roberta Lee Streeter in Chickasaw County, Mississippi.

1942-Peggy Lee records "Why Don't You Do Right?"

1940-Billboard issues its first chart detailing what records are selling the most copies. Titled "National List of Best Selling Retail Records," it's a precursor to the Hot 100 and the first to count record sales (the existing charts are for sheet music sales, jukebox play and radio plugs). It's not an exact science, as Billboard polls record stores to find out what is selling - a practice that stays in effect until the '90s, when call-a-clerk is replaced with Soundscan technology. The first chart is dominated by big band hits, with "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey (featuring Frank Sinatra on vocals) at #1 and three songs by Glenn Miller in the Top 10.

1933-Nick Reynolds of the The Kingston Trio is born in San Diego, California.

1929-Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows is born in Louisville, Kentucky.

1927-Bob Morse (of the Jazz/Pop vocal group The Hi-Lo's) is born in Pasadena, California.

1924-Italian composer/pianist Ferruccio Busoni dies.

1922-Record producer Bob Thiele is born in New York City. Co-wrote Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" under the pseudonym George Douglas.

1920-Henry D. "Homer" Haynes (of the country music parody duo Homer and Jethro) is born near Knoxville, Tennessee

[Bikkie]

Detail from suffrage petition, 1893
1893-Massive women’s suffrage petition presented to Parliament
The monster suffrage petition contained the signatures of more than 25,000 women. A dozen other, smaller petitions were also submitted around the same time.

Victory in Battle
1864 Battle of Ezra Chapel: Union forces under Major General William T. Sherman defeat Confederate Lt. General John Bell Hood near Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia


1864 Second day of the Battle of Deep Bottom Run, Virginia

1866 The metric system becomes a legal measurement system in the US

Alice In Wonderland
1951 Walt Disney releases animated musical film "Alice In Wonderland," featuring Kathryn Beaumont, J. Pat O'Malley, Ed Wynn, and Sterling Holloway and songs by Sammy Fain and Bob Hilliard




Music History



2020-The British music magazine Q publishes its last issue, ending a 34-year run.

2018-Neil Diamond stops by the command post near his home in Basalt, Colorado, to play for firefighters and rescue personnel who have been battling wildfires in the area.

2016-Marianne Ihlen, the subject of Leonard Cohen's song "So Long, Marianne," dies at 81. Before her death, Cohen sent her a letter that read, in part, "Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine." Cohen joins her in death on November 7.

2016-Katy Perry performs her songs "Roar" and "Rise" on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Before she sings, she encourages voters to support Hillary Clinton.More

2012-At a show in Gothenburg, Sweden, Bruce Springsteen plays "Jungleland" for the first time since the death of Clarence Clemons a year earlier. He dedicates the song to Clemons, whose nephew Jake earns rapturous applause after playing the famous saxophone solo.

2007-"Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's hits #1 in America two years after it was first released. "Delilah" is the runner Delilah DiCrescenzo, who lead singer Tom Higgenson was trying to impress with a song.

2004-George Williams (lead vocalist for The Tymes) dies in Maple Shade, New Jersey, at age 68.

2001-The American Airlines Center in Dallas - new home to the Mavericks (NBA) and Stars (NHL) - opens with a concert by The Eagles, with good seats reselling for about $1,500.

2000-Guitarist Jerome Smith (of KC And The Sunshine Band) dies in a construction-site accident in Miami, Florida, at age 47.

1996-Jason Thirsk (bass player for Pennywise) dies from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at age 28.

1996-Marge Ganser (of The Shangri-Las) dies of breast cancer at age 48 in Valley Stream, New York.

1995-After decades of legal wrangling, James Al Hendrix, surviving father of Jimi, is once again granted legal use of his son's name and likeness for merchandising.

1995-Guitarist Eddie Hinton dies from a heart attack in Birmingham, Alabama. He wrote the Dusty Springfield hit "Breakfast in Bed."

1993-10,000 Maniacs perform with lead singer Natalie Merchant for the last time at the birthday bash for New York radio station Z100 (Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, The Proclaimers and Terence Trent D'Arby are also on the bill). Merchant launches a successful solo career and the band soldiers on without her, bringing new lead singer Mary Ramsey into the fold.

1992-Mary J. Blige releases her debut album, What's The 411?, executive produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs. It takes the top spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart as well as #6 on the Billboard 200. Her unique blend of hip-hop and soul earns her the nickname "Queen of Hip Hop Soul."

1992-Prince trademarks the male/female symbol he has been using on various album covers and promotional materials. He later re-designs the symbol and uses it as his name.More

1992-Barenaked Ladies release their debut studio album, Gordon.

1990-Rapper Soulja Boy is born DeAndre Cortez Way in Chicago, Illinois.

1989-Anne Murray opens the Anne Murray Centre, a multimedia museum of her career, in her hometown of Springhill, Nova Scotia.

1987-The Ice-T album Rhyme Pays becomes the first hip-hop album to get a warning label for explicit lyrics.

1987-The Beatles, along with Yoko Ono, sue Nike for using "Revolution" in TV commercials. Nike authorized the song through the group's US label, Capitol, and Michael Jackson, who owns the publishing. Nike doesn't back down and continues running the ads, which anger many Beatles fans but sell a lot of sneakers. The suit is later settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

1987-Ozzy Osbourne performs "Jailhouse Rock" at Wormwood Scrubs prison in London, England. He says it's his "last good memory of the '80s."More

1986-The WFIL Studio in Philadelphia where American Bandstand was shot is entered into the US National Register of Historic Places.

1985-It's "Kingsmen Day" in Portland, Oregon, in honor of their hometown heroes who made "Louie Louie" a garage rock classic.

1979-After a show in Cleveland, Joe Perry quits Aerosmith when he gets in screaming match with Steven Tyler. He is replaced by Jim Crespo, but rejoins the band in 1984.

1979-"I Don't Like Mondays" by The Boomtown Rats, a song about a real-life school shooting in America, goes to #1 in the UK for the first of four weeks.

1976-Jacoby Shaddix (lead singer of Papa Roach) is born in Mariposa, California.

1973-Deep Purple release "Smoke On The Water" as a single in America. The song, considered an add-on to fill space on the album, first appeared in March 1972 on Machine Head. By this time, lead singer Ian Gillan has quit the band.

Summer Jam Draws Biggest Festival Crowd Ever
1973-The "Summer Jam" concert takes place at Watkins Glen racetrack in New York, outdrawing Woodstock with a crowd of over 600,000. The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Band play to the massive crowd that paid $10 a ticket - if they bought one.Mor

1973-Chicago's Chicago VI LP hits #1 for the first of five weeks in the US.

1971-George Harrison releases his song "Bangla Desh," which brings attention to the refugee crisis in that country. He performs it three days later at his Concert For Bangladesh, the first major rock fundraiser.

1970-The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger makes his acting debut in Ned Kelly, a film about the legendary Australian outlaw, which makes his debut in Kelly's own hometown of Glenrowan.

1968-The Beatles hold their "Mad Day Out," an all-day group photography session across London, which produces most of their well-known latter-day photographs, including the cover of Life and the inside gatefold of their Beatles 1967-1970 album.

1966-At the Boys Club in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, The Beach Boys perform "God Only Knows" for the first time. In September, it peaks at an underwhelming #39, but slowly swells in stature and is eventually recognized as one of the greatest pop songs ever made.

1963-Guitarist Shaunna Hall, best known for her contributions to 4 Non Blondes and George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic, is born.

1962-Singer/actress Rachel Sweet is born in Akron, Ohio. Recorded the hit "Everlasting Love" with Rex Smith.

1957-Jerry Lee Lewis makes his first national TV appearance, singing "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" on The Steve Allen Show.

1956-Gene Vincent makes his first national TV appearance, singing "Be-Bop-a-Lula" on NBC's The Perry Como Show.

1954-The Crew-Cuts' cover of "Sh-Boom" hits #1 for the first of nine weeks in the US.

1954-Elvis Presley gets his first interview through an article published in his hometown paper, the Memphis Press-Scimitar.

1954-Guitarist Steve Morse is born in Hamilton, Ohio. After forming The Dixie Dregs, he joins Deep Purple in 1994.

1951-Rosemary Clooney's "Come-On-A My House" hits #1 in the US for the first of eight weeks.

1949-Peter Doyle of The New Seekers is born in Melbourne, Australia.

1949-Drummer Simon Kirke (of Free and Bad Company) is born in Lambeth, London, England.

1949-Steve Took (of T. Rex) is born in Eltham, London, England.

1946-Folk singer Jonathan Edwards ("Sunshine") is born in Aitkin, Minnesota.

1945-Rick Wright (of Pink Floyd) is born in Hatch End, Middlesex, England.

1943-Guitarist Mike Bloomfield is born in Chicago. He plays on Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited and joins The Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

1941-Judy Garland marries her first husband, composer David Rose. They divorce in 1944.

1938-Guitarist/songwriter George Cummings (of Dr. Hook) is born in Meridian, Mississippi.

1937-Pianist/bandleader Peter Duchin is born in New York Cit

1933-The first singing telegram is sent - to popular crooner Rudy Vallee, on the occasion of his 32nd birthday.

1915-Accordionist Frankie Yankovic is born in Davis, West Virginia. No relation to fellow accordionist Weird Al Yankovic, though the parody master says his parents chose the instrument for him because "they figured there should be at least one more accordion-playing Yankovic in the world."

1901-Pop crooner Rudy Vallee is born in Island Pond, Vermont.

1750-Johann Sebastian Bach dies at age 65.

[jellywrestler]

1750-Johann Sebastian Bach dies at age 65.

at 65 was he a grandfather?

[pritch]

I have 13 years on him and I'm not old.

Agreed, yer just a young feller.

[Bikkie]

Jewels recovered from the Tasmania by Kelly Tarlton
1897
Tasmania sinks off Māhia with suitcase of jewels
On the afternoon of 28 July, the Huddart-Parker steamer Tasmania left Auckland for Dunedin via Napier, Wellington and Lyttelton. At around 11 p.m. the following night, with a strong south-east gale blowing, the ship struck rocks off Table Cape, Māhia Peninsula.

Coronation of James VI
1567 James VI is crowned King of Scots at Stirling

1862 American Civil War: Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops and detained at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C.
1864 American Civil War: Battle of Macon, Georgia (Stoneman's Raid)
1864 American Civil War: third and last day of the Battle at Deep Bottom Run, Virginia

1899 First motorcycle race at Manhattan Beach, New York

Boy Scouts Formed
1907 Sir Robert Baden-Powell forms the Boy Scouts in England

Wagner's Grand Slam HR
1915 Pirate Honus Wagner, at 41, hits a grand slam home run


Steamboat Willie
1928 Test footage is first created for Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie," featuring Mickey Mouse

Bonnie and Clyde Police Shootout
1933 Police shootout with Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow's gang in Iowa leaves one member, Clyde's brother Buck Barrow, dead and one captured; Bonnie and Clyde escape

1954 Publication of "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first volume of "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien, by George Allen & Unwin in London


Cousteau's Record Anchor
1956 Jacques Cousteau's Calypso anchors in a record 7,500 meters of water







Music History



2022-Beyoncé releases her seventh solo album, Renaissance, with the hit "Break My Soul." Like her previous six albums, it goes to #1 in America.

2021-After postponing the previous year's festival due to the coronavirus outbreak, Lollapalooza returns in full force for a four-day music event in Chicago's Grant Park. But there's a catch: Festivalgoers must provide proof of vaccinations or negative COVID tests to gain entry. Those who have tested negative but are unvaccinated also have to wear a mask.More

Katy Perry Found Guilty Of Infringement For "Dark Horse"
2019-In a unanimous verdict, a jury rules that Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" copied the electronic melody from the 2008 song "Joyful Noise" by the Christian hip-hop artist Flame. Three days later, the jury awards $2.78 million in damages, but in March 2020, a federal judge overturns the verdict on appeal.More

2016-Nearly six months after all four members of the British group Viola Beach were killed in a car accident, their self-titled debut album is released. It debuts at #1 in the UK.

2015-The Eagles play their last concert with Glenn Frey. The show takes place in Bossier City, Louisiana, the final date of their History of the Eagles tour. The set features 27 songs and two encores, closing with "Desperado." Founding member Frey dies six months later. The band continues on with his son, Deacon, in his stead.

2014-Jazz drummer Idris Muhammad, born Leo Morris, dies at age 74.

2014-After 36 years of marriage, Neil Young files for divorce from his second wife, Pegi.

2011-Gene McDaniels, known for singing the 1961 hit "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" and writing Roberta Flack's 1974 hit "Feel Like Makin' Love," dies at age 76 at his home in Maine.


2011-Chuck Berry throws out the first pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals baseball game on the same day his statue is unveiled on Delmar Boulevard in the city.

2011-At a Dallas concert, Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followill leaves the stage after complaining about the heat. He never returns, and the band cancels the rest of their tour. The incident is officially blamed on "dehydration," but Caleb's brother (and bass player) Jared later Tweets: "There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade."

2005-An anonymous bidder pays one million dollars for the original handwritten lyrics to The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" at the Hippodrome nightclub in London.

2004-Cincinnati-born singer, songwriter, and musician Huby Heard dies of a heart attack at age 53. As a keyboardist, he played with Billy Preston's group The God Squad, Leon Russell's Gap Band, and toured with The Rolling Stones.

1999-Anita Carter (of The Carter Family) dies at age 66 after years of drug treatment for rheumatoid arthritis irreparably damages her liver, kidneys, and pancreas.

1995-Les Elgart, swing jazz bandleader and trumpeter who performed the American Bandstand theme "Bandstand Boogie," dies of heart failure shortly before his 78th birthday.

1993-Eddie Guzman (drummer for Rare Earth) dies from complications of diabetes at age 49.

1990-Elton John can't find a facility in Los Angeles that will treat both his bulimia and drug and alcohol addictions, so he checks into the Parkside Lutheran Hospital in Chicago for rehab. He stays for six weeks, then takes a year off from touring and recording

1988-Pete Drake, Nashville record producer and session guitarist who played with the likes of Bob Dylan, Don Gibson, and Marty Robbins, dies of emphysema at age 55. Known for the 1964 hit "Forever" with his groundbreaking use of a talk box for the pedal steel guitar.

1987-Michigan governor James Blanchard declares today "Four Tops Day" in honor of the Motown legends.

1986-Paul Davis, known for hits like "I Go Crazy" and "Cool Night," is shot in the stomach during an attempted robbery at a Nashville hotel. He eventually recovers.

1984-Prince becomes the first person to have a #1 song and star in a #1 movie at the same time as Purple Rain tops the box office while "When Doves Cry" stays perched atop the Hot 100 for its fourth consecutive week.

1983-Country singer Ashley McBryde is born in Waldron, Arkansas. She drops out of college and starts playing bars in 2002 but doesn't break through until 2017 when she lands a record deal and releases her first single, "A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega."

1979-Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers conclude their "Lawsuit Tour" with a show at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Petty embarked on the tour to raise money for his legal battles with MCA Re

1978-The Grease soundtrack hits #1 in the US, thanks to the hits "You're the One That I Want" and "Summer Nights."

1978-Publicist Peter Meaden (former manager of The Who) dies from a barbiturate overdose at age 36 in Edmonton, London, England.

1978-Glenn Goins (guitarist, vocalist for Parliament-Funkadelic) dies of Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 24.

1978-At the Bottom Line in New York City, Television play their last show until their 1991 reunion. Only the band members know they are calling it quits.

1978-Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks release "Whenever I Call You 'Friend'."

1974-Cass Elliot of The Mamas & The Papas dies at 32 of a heart attack while on tour as a solo artist in London. Her manager, believing her death to be drug-related and trying to protect her legacy, plants a story that she choked on a ham sandwich, a narrative that persists for decades.

1973-Led Zeppelin has about $180,000 stolen from their safe at the Drake Hotel after a show at Madison Square Garden, an event chronicled in their concert documentary The Song Remains The Same.

1973-Wanya Morris (of Boyz II Men) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1972-Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)" hits #1 for the first of six non-consecutive weeks in the US.

1970-The Rolling Stones' contract with Decca expires, and the group takes the opportunity to split with notorious manager Allen Klein. Delivering one more song to the label to fulfill its obligation, the famously unreleasable "C--ksucer Blues" (aka Schoolboy Blues), they also begin the process of forming their own label, Rolling Stones Records (which features their new "tongue and lips" logo).

1968-Refusing to play in front of the country's segregated audiences, Gram Parsons leaves The Byrds on the eve of a South African tour.

1967-The Doors' "Light My Fire" hits #1 for the first of three weeks in the US. It is knocked off by the Beatles song "All You Need Is Love."

1967-Chris Gorman (drummer for Belly) is born in Buffalo, New York.

1967-The Temptations release "You're My Everything."

1966-Country singer Martina McBride is born in Sharon, Kansas.

1966-Cream make their stage debut, playing at Manchester, England's Twisted Wheel club.

1966-A US magazine targeted to teenagers called Datebook causes an uproar when they reprint some of John Lennon's interview from four months earlier in the London Evening Standard where Lennon said, "We're more popular than Jesus now." The American media jump on the quote and turns it into a major story

1966-Bob Dylan gets in a motorcycle accident and pretty much disappears for nine months, leaving a void filled with rumors speculating on his condition. He clears things up in his 2004 autobiography, where he writes: "I had been in a motorcycle accident and I'd been hurt, but I recovered. Truth was that I wanted to get out of the rat race."

1965-The Supremes begin a three-week run at the famous Copacabana night club in New York City, a prominent showcase for Motown's hottest act, which has tallied five #1 hits. During the run, they play 16 shows each week, with three on Saturdays and Sundays.

1965-The Beatles' second movie, Help!, premieres in London at the Pavilion Theatre, with none other than the Queen attending. Later, manager Brian Epstein and the group attend a post-premiere reception at the Dorchester Hotel.

1963-Capitol Records sends disc jockeys around the US a list of hot rod terms to assist DJs when talking about the latest music trend.

1961-Dick Clark presents his very first Caravan of Stars revue at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, featuring The Jive Five, The Shirelles, and Clarence "Frogman" Henry.

1959-John Sykes (guitarist for Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) is born in Reading, Berkshire, England.

1953-Patti Scialfa (Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) is born in Deal, New Jersey.

1953-Rush frontman Geddy Lee is born Geddy Lee Weinrib in Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.

1947-Carlo Paul Santanna (lead singer of Paper Lace) is born in the UK to an Italian mother and Polish father.

1946-Jazz great Charlie Parker falls asleep while smoking and sets his hotel bed on fire. He is arrested after wandering through the hotel lobby wearing nothing but socks. The incident leads to a stay at the Camarillo State Hospital (a mental institution), which inspires his song "Relaxin' at Camarillo."

1946-Neal Doughty (keyboardist for REO Speedwagon) is born in Evansville, Indiana.

1933-Randy Sparks (of The New Christy Minstrels) is born in Leavenworth, Kansas.

1887-Austro-Hungarian composer Sigmund Romberg is born Siegmund Rosenberg in Nagykanizsa, Hungary.

[Bikkie]

Cook Returns to England
1775 Captain James Cook with HMS Resolution safely returns to England at the end of his second voyage

"Eye-for-Eye" Order
1863 President Abraham Lincoln issues "eye-for-an-eye" order to shoot a rebel prisoner for every Black prisoner shot

Siege of Petersburg
1864 US Civil War, Siege of Petersburg: Union General Ambrose Burnside fails in an attack on Petersburg, Virginia, in the Battle of the Crater

1869 World’s first oil tanker, "The Charles," departs the United States for Europe carrying 7,000 barrels of oil

1870 Staten Island Ferry "Westfield" burns, killing 100

1874 Boston and Philadelphia are the first baseball teams to play outside the US in the British Isles

Dempsey vs. Fulljames
1884 Nonpareil Jack Dempsey fights George Fulljames in what is possibly the first middleweight fight with boxing gloves



Music History


2014-Guitarist Dick Wagner dies of respiratory failure at age 71. Wagner is known for his associations with Lou Reed, KISS, David Bowie, and especially Alice Cooper.

2012-Pitbull makes an appearance in Kodiak, Alaska, winner of an online contest skewed by the #exilepitbull campaign. The Miami rapper takes it in stride, enthusiastically greeting fans in the remote city before flying back to the mainland to resume his tour.

2011-U2 wrap up their 360 tour at Moncton, Canada. The final gross for the tour is $735 million, breaking the record set by The Rolling Stones on their A Bigger Bang tour, which ran from 2005-2007. Ed Sheeran sets a new mark in 2019 with $775 million on his ÷ (Divide) tour, but it takes him 255 shows to do it - U2s tour ran for 110 dates.

2010-Rapper T.I. marries Tameka "Tiny" Cottle of the R&B group Xscape in Miami Beach, Florida.

2009-"No Scrubs" songwriter Kandi Burruss, formerly of Xscape, joins the cast of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta and produces "Tardy For The Party" for co-star Kim Zolciak.

2004-While walking around London, The Isley Brothers' Ronald Isley suffers a minor stroke and is admitted to a local hospital. He recovers in a matter of just a few weeks.

2003-Sam Phillips, the record producer who launched Elvis Presley's career at Sun Records, dies of respiratory failure at age 80.

2003-When the disease SARS spreads to Toronto, it scares a lot of people away. To get visitors back, the city puts on a huge open-air concert featuring The Rolling Stones, The Guess Who, Rush, The Isley Brothers, The Flaming Lips and Justin Timberlake (who is jeered and has muffins thrown at him). About 450,000 people attend.

2002-Bruce Springsteen releases The Rising.


The Strokes Spur Rock Renaissance With Debut Album
2001-The Strokes revive garage rock with the release of their debut album, Is This It. It drops in Australia first before making its way to England and America.More

2001-Performing at OzzFest in Clarkston, Michigan, a thong-clad Marilyn Manson wraps his legs around the head of a 26-year-old security guard and grinds into him. The guard sues, claiming his head was "completely engulfed" in Manson's groin.More


Sublime Release Self-Titled Album
1996-Sublime's self-titled album is released. It's their major-label debut, and also their last, as lead singer Brad Nowell died of a heroin overdose two months earlier. The album goes on to sell over 5 million copies.More

1995-Biggie Tembo (guitarist/lead vocalist for Bhundu Boys) commits suicide at age 37 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

1993-Don Myrick (saxophonist for Earth, Wind & Fire), age 53, is fatally shot by Santa Monica policemen during a narcotics investigation when the lighter he is holding is mistaken for a weapon.

1991-"Enter Sandman" is released as a single, serving as a preview of what's to come from Metallica's Black Album. With a cover of the early Queen classic "Stone Cold Crazy" on the B-side, it reaches #16 on the Hot 100, their best showing to this point.

1986-RCA releases John Denver from his contract, possibly over his new single, "What Are We Making Weapons For?," which he recorded with the Russian singer Alexandre Gradsky. RCA had recently been acquired by General Electric, which was a top military contractor.

1982-The Ron Howard comedy Night Shift, starring Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton, debuts in theaters. The soundtrack features the song "That's What Friends Are For," performed by Rod Stewart. Written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, it becomes a huge hit four years later when Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder (aka Dionne & Friends) cover it for AIDS awareness, winning Grammys for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Song of the Year.

1977-Andy Gibb's "I Just Want To Be Your Everything," written by his brother, Barry Gibb, hits #1 in America. His next two singles, "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" and "Shadow Dancing," also hit the top spot, making him the first male solo artist with three straight #1 hits on the Hot 100.

1971-Brad Hargreaves (drummer for Third Eye Blind) is born in Marin County, California.

1969-The Beatles, producer George Martin, and the Abbey Road engineers assemble the first rough cut of the proposed Abbey Road medley. Paul McCartney, feeling that the song "Her Majesty" distracts from the flow of the medley, has it removed and orders it erased. Second engineer John Kurlander, not wanting to destroy a Beatles song, instead appends it to the end of the medley tape, adding 15 seconds of leader to make sure it's kept separate. When he finds out, Paul likes the effect so much that he leaves the ending of the album just that way.


1968-The Beatles' Apple Boutique, a psychedelic clothing store located at 94 Baker Street in London, closes after seven months of bad business practices and rampant theft. With the group and its intimates having had the pick of the remaining inventory the night before, Apple Boutique employees are instructed to simply let people in off the street to take whatever merchandise they like. The store was closed that evening for good.

1966-The Troggs' "Wild Thing" hits #1.

1966-The Beatles' Yesterday ...And Today album hits #1 in America.

1965-The Rolling Stones release their fourth US album, Out Of Our Heads.

Kate Bush Is Born
1958-Kate Bush is born in Bexleyheath, Kent, England. At 19, she releases her debut single, "Wuthering Heights," which goes to #1 in the UK.Mo

1956-11-year-old Brenda Lee records her first single, "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," at Owen Bradley Studio in Nashville.

1949-Hugh Nicholson (guitarist for Marmalade from 1970-1973) is born in Rutherglen, Scotland.

1949-R&B singer Joyce Jones (of First Choice) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1946-Jeffrey Hammond (bass guitarist for Jethro Tull) is born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

1945-Saxophonist David Sanborn, who would play as a session musician on David Bowie's Young Americans, is born in Tampa, Florida.

1942-Frank Sinatra ends his association with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra, recording the last two of over 90 songs before moving on to great acclaim as a solo star at Columbia.

1941-Paul Anka is born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

1936-Buddy Guy, a blues musician who starts his career in the '60s as the house guitarist for Chess Records, is born in Lettsworth, Louisiana. He's most successful in the '90s, when he issues a string of Grammy-winning albums with guest appearances by many of his admirers, including Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt.

1929-Christine McGuire of The McGuire Sisters is born in Middletown, Ohio.

1892-John Philip Sousa, director of the President's Own Marine Band, conducts a farewell concert at the White House the day before his discharge from the Marine Corps. Sousa became famous for his "Washington Post" march a few years earlier and wanted to explore a civilian music career.

[Bikkie]

1843
Foundation stone laid for New Zealand's first purpose-built theatre
Laying the foundation stone for the Royal Victoria Theatre on Manners St, Wellington, Alderman William Lyon welcomed the new amenity – ‘a theatre [was] a necessary concomitant of an advanced state of civilization.’

Read the full story about this Event

Columbus Discovers Trinidad
1498 Christopher Columbus is the first European to discover the island of Trinidad on his third voyage



Kilmarnock Edition
1786 "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect" by Robert Burns, also known as the Kilmarnock Edition, is published by John Wilson in Kilmarnock, Scotland

1856 Christchurch, New Zealand, is chartered as a city

First Surgery Under Kerosene Lamp
1853 First nighttime surgery performed at Lychakiv Hospital in Lemberg (now Lviv, Ukraine) using new kerosene oil lamps invented by Ignacy Łukasiewicz [1]

1843-Foundation stone laid for New Zealand's first purpose-built theatre
Laying the foundation stone for the Royal Victoria Theatre on Manners St, Wellington, Alderman William Lyon welcomed the new amenity – ‘a theatre [was] a necessary concomitant of an advanced state of civilization.’



Music History


2020-The Psychedelic Furs release Made Of Rain, their first album since 1991, the year they disbanded. The group re-formed in 2000 but didn't get around to releasing new music until 20 years later.

2019-Woodstock 50, which at one point had Miley Cyrus, Jay-Z, Santana and John Fogerty on board, is officially cancelled because of legal and logistical problems. Santana and Fogerty celebrate the anniversary with shows at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where the original Woodstock took place.

2016-Justin Timberlake accepts the Decade Award at the Teen Choice Awards, the first time the award is given out. He says, "As a former teen, who's made a few choices along the way, I'm here to tell you that you and your choices matter."

2015-Drake releases "Hotline Bling," the first single from his album Views. He doesn't rap in the song, but it still wins Grammy Awards in two rap categories, which Drake doesn't show up to accept because he feels it's really a pop song.

2010-Switchfoot perform at the 2010 Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree final arena show in Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.

2010-Alicia Keys marries the producer Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) at a ceremony on the island of Corsica. Keys is pregnant with their first child, Egypt.

2009-With Adam Yauch (MCA) diagnosed with cancer, Beastie Boys cancel their appearance at the All Points West festival at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. In tribute, Jay-Z opens his set with a cover of "No Sleep Till Brooklyn."

2004-It's "Mac Davis Day" in Lubbock, Texas, home of the songwriter who composed such classics as "In The Ghetto" and "A Little Less Conversation."

1995-Jamaica issues a commemorative series of postage stamps honoring local native and reggae legend Bob Marley.

1992-While performing his song "Don Henley Must Die" at the Austin nightclub Hole In The Wall, the psychobilly singer Mojo Nixon is surprised when Henley, who happened to be in the neighborhood, climbs up on stage and joins him on the song. In doing so, Henley shows he's not as earnestly arrogant as he's depicted in the song (sample lyric: "Poet of despair! Pumped up with hot air!").

1982-Kim Wilde visits injured soldier Michael Barnett at Woolwich Army Hospital in England on his 21st birthday. Barnett, who has Wilde's name tattooed on his arm, lost a hand in the Falklands War.

1980-The Mamas & The Papas founder and vocalist "Papa" John Phillips is arrested for possession of cocaine and running a phony prescription scam with a local pharmacy and eventually sentenced to eight years in prison (though this sentence would later be reduced to 30 days in jail and community service).

1980-The Eagles split up after Glenn Frey and Don Felder go at it on stage.

1979-Donny Osmond's wife, Debra Glenn, gives birth to their first child, Donny Jr. The couple end up having five children, all boys.

1978-Will Champion (drummer for Coldplay) is born in Southampton, Hampshire, England.

1977-The Starland Vocal Band Show, a variety series hosted by the group famous for the hit "Afternoon Delight," debuts on CBS. It lasts just six episodes.

1976-The jazzy George Benson interrupts the reign of Frampton Comes Alive! to claim the top spot on the US albums chart with Breezin', which includes his hit "This Masquerade."

1976-Orleans release "Still The One."

1971-After being denied entrance to a Who concert in New York City's Forest Hills Stadium, an ex-convict stabs and kills the security guard.

1971-The singer-songwriter era reaches its apex as James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend" hits #1 in the US.

1971-Guitarist John William Lowery is born in Grosse Point, Michigan. Better known by his stage name "John 5," he goes on to contribute to acts such as Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

1969-Elvis Presley comes to Vegas! Making his first live concert appearance since March 25, 1961, he plays the International Hotel in Las Vegas, the first of 57 shows that help revive his career and earn him $1.5 million.

1964-Country singer Jim Reeves dies at age 40 when he crashes his private plane while flying over Brentwood, Tennessee, in the midst of a violent thunderstorm. He will continue to chart after his death, with "Distant Drums" fighting the Beatles' double-sided "Yellow Submarine" and "Eleanor Rigby" for the #1 spot in the UK.

1963-Fatboy Slim is born Quentin Leo Cook in Bromley, Kent, England. An electronic music innovator, he uses samples and loops to create hits in the '90s that include "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You."

1959-Cliff Richard charts his first UK #1 hit with "Living Doll," which becomes the top-selling single of 1959 in Britain.

1958-Bill Berry (drummer for R.E.M.) is born in Duluth, Minnesota.

1957-Daniel Ash (guitarist for Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) is born in Northampton, England.

1953-Cellist Hugh McDowell (of Electric Light Orchestra) is born in Hampstead, London, England.

1951-Ray Charles gets married for the first time. His bride is Eileen Williams, a beautician from Chicago. Their union lasts just one year.

1947-Karl Green (bassist for Herman's Hermits) is born in Manchester, England.

1945-Gary Lewis, future leader of Gary Lewis and the Playboys, is born Cary Levitch. His name is changed two years later when his dad changes his name from Joseph Levitch to Jerry Lewis.

1943-Seventies singer-songwriter Lobo is born Roland Kent LaVoie in Tallahassee, Florida.

1942-Harry James records "I've Heard That Song Before."

1942-Daniel Boone, a British pop singer known for the 1972 hit "Beautiful Sunday," is born Peter Charles Green in Birmingham, England.

1931-Jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1923-Ahmet Ertegun, co-founder and president of Atlantic Records, is born in Istanbul, Turkey. Also a songwriter, he writes songs such as "Chains of Love" and "Sweet Sixteen" under the pseudonym A. Nugetre.

1918-Jazz pianist Hank Jones is born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. In addition to releasing over 60 albums, he also accompanies Marilyn Monroe as she famously sings "Happy Birthday, Mr. President," to John F. Kennedy on May 19, 1962.

1911-George Liberace, violinist and elder brother to the mononymous entertainer Liberace, is born in Menasha, Wisconsin.

1846-France's army gives legitimacy to Belgian Adolphe Sax's latest invention, the saxophone, by including it in their marching band.

[Bikkie]

1774 – British chemist Joseph Priestley identifies a gas he calls “dephlogisticated air” - later known as oxygen.

1834 – Slavery is abolished throughout the British Empire. An estimated 770,280 slaves become free.

1914 – Germany declares war on Russia at the start of World War I.

1932 – The first Mars bar, made in Slough, England, goes on sale.

1981 – Rock music video channel MTV makes its first broadcast. Video Killed The Radio Star, by The Buggles, is the first song played.




Music History



2015-Rush play their last concert, closing out their R40 Live tour with a show at The Forum near Los Angeles. It's not announced as their farewell, but the band has hinted it might be. At the end of the show, drummer Neil Peart uncharacteristically comes to the front of the stage to take a bow with his bandmates.

2014-The movie Guardians of the Galaxy opens in America, reviving '70s favorites like "Hooked On A Feeling" and "Come And Get Your Love."More

2014-The BBC screens Elvis: That's Alright Mama 60 Years On to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the recording of the song: July 5, 1954.

2012-Tony Sly (frontman for No Use For a Name) dies in his sleep at age 41. No cause of death is revealed.

2006-30-year-old Andy Richardson dies after he is beaten in the mosh pit during the Deftones' set at the Family Values tour in Atlanta.

1996-Bill Buchanan, known for a songwriting partnership with Dickie Goodman that produced the 1956 hit "The Flying Saucer," dies of cancer at age 81.

1994-The Rolling Stones politely refuse an invitation to play at the Bill Clinton White House, though they play his 60th birthday party in 2006.

1994-The Rolling Stones begin their Voodoo Lounge tour with a show in Washington, D.C. Their first tour without bass player Bill Wyman, it goes for 134 shows and finishes as the top-grossing tour of all time.
"Jeremy" Video Debuts On MTV


1994-Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley announce that they are married, having wed at a secret ceremony in the Dominican Republic 11 weeks earlier.

1992-Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" video, depicting the teen suicide described in the song, makes its debut on MTV. It goes on to win Video of the Year at the VMAs.More

1990-After writing "Blaze of Glory" for the film, Jon Bon Jovi makes his acting debut in Young Guns II, playing an inmate who gets shot.

1989-The Rolling Stones release their album Steel Wheels, which contains the hit "Mixed Emotions."

1988-Mudhoney's first-ever single is released: "Touch Me I'm Sick" b/w "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More," via Sub Pop Records.

1988-Cincinnati AM radio station WCVG changes its format, becoming the first US all-Elvis radio station. The burning love for the format dies out after a year, and on August 16, 1989, it switches to talk.

1988-Soundgarden release their second EP, Fopp, on Sub Pop Records. Its title comes from the name of an Ohio Players song, which they cover on the set.

1987-MTV Europe makes its debut. The first video shown is Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing," a song where Sting proclaims, "I want my MTV."

1987-Guns N' Roses head to Park Plaza and 450 South La Brea in Hollywood and shoot their first video, for "Welcome To The Jungle."

1985-Tom Waits releases Rain Dogs, widely considered one of his most important and innovative works. Synthesizers and samples - very common in the 1980s - are deliberately absent as Waits develops the unique approach he began on Swordfishtrombones.

1984-Jermaine Jackson appears on an episode of CBS's long-running soap opera As The World Turns.

1983-Neil Young puts together a one-time backing band called the Shocking Pinks for a rockabilly album titled Everybody's Rocking'. It's his 13th studio album.

1981--"Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield goes to #1 in America the same day MTV goes on the air. Springfield, a former soap opera star, is a great fit for the music video medium and gets a big boost from the network.

1981-MTV goes on the air, bringing music videos to the masses - at least the ones with cable.

1981-Ashley Angel (of O-Town) is born in Redding, California.

1980-Def Leppard perform their first US live gig, opening for AC/DC in New York City.

1980-George Harrison forms a movie production company called Handmade Films, which produces the films Monty Python's Life of Brian, The Long Good Friday, Time Bandits, and Shanghai Surprise.

1978-Dhani Harrison is born to George Harrison and his soon-to-be-wife Olivia. Dhani, who like his dad becomes a musician, is the couple's only child.

1976-Gladys Knight gives birth to her third child, Shanga-Ali.

1972-Elvis Presley releases "Burning Love."

1972-The Eagles release "Witchy Woman."

1971-The Sonny And Cher Comedy Hour, starring the popular duo, premieres on CBS.

George Harrison Hosts First Major Charity Concert
1971-George Harrison hosts the Concert For Bangladesh, the first major charity concert and the precursor to Live Aid. Guests include Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston and Ringo Starr.More

1970-Music video director Harold "Hype" Williams is born in Queens, New York. He breaks into directing rap videos in the early '90s with clips from Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G., and Nas before adding work with Kanye West and Jay-Z to his resume in the ensuing decades.More

1970-After two years of sitting on the shelf (namely due to shocking sex and violence scenes), the gangster movie Performance premieres in London. It features what would have been the acting debut of the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger (Ned Kelly was released first).

1969-Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys is indicted in Los Angeles for failing to perform his required community service hours, which were imposed upon him after he refused to be drafted as a conscientious objector; rather than the janitorial duty he was sentenced to at LA County Hospital, Wilson taught music classes there instead.

1966-The Chambers Brothers record "Time Has Come Today" at Columbia Records' Los Angeles studios. Overdubbed with harpsichord, the single is released with a 2:37 running time and flops. A year later, an 11-minute version appears on their album The Time Has Come which becomes an FM radio favorite. In 1968, the song is once again released as a single, this time at 4:45. This version climbs to #11 in the US.

1965-Marianne Faithfull collapses during a performance in Lancashire, England, and is taken to a hospital, canceling the remainder of her tour.

1964-It's the heyday of the harmonica, as the industry publication Billboard points out that The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Stevie Wonder have all had hits with the instrument.

1964-Adam Duritz (frontman for Counting Crows) is born in Berkeley, California.

1964-With The Beatles' album A Hard Day's Night already at #1 in America, the title track also hits the top spot, where it stays for two weeks. The film of that name - the first Beatles movie - is released in America 10 days later.

1963-Beatles Monthly magazine debuts. It publishes for six years.

1963-Coolio is born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Compton, California. He gets his stage name when a friend sees him playing guitar and says, "Who do you think you are, Coolio Iglesias?"

1960-Suzi Gardner (guitarist and vocalist for L7) is born in Sacramento, California.

1960-Public Enemy leader Chuck D is born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour in Queens, New York.

1960-Chubby Checker releases "The Twist," starting a dance craze that soon grips the nation.

1960-Aretha Franklin begins her first non-gospel recording session, an abortive attempt at jazz-pop with the Columbia label.

1959-Joe Elliot (lead vocalist for Def Leppard) is born is Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.

1958-His contract up at Sun Records, Johnny Cash leaves Memphis, moves to Los Angeles, and signs with Columbia Records.

1958-Songwriter/composer Michael Penn, brother of actor Sean Penn, is born in Greenwich Village, New York.

1953-Blues guitarist/singer Robert Cray is born in Columbus, Georgia.

1951-Tim Bachman (of Bachman-Turner Overdrive) is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1951-Guitarist Tommy Bolin (of Deep Purple and the James Gang) is born in Sioux City, Iowa.

1947-Bassist Rick Anderson (of The Tubes) is born in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1946-Boz Burrell (bass player for Bad Company) is born in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, England.

1946-Rick Coonce (drummer for The Grass Roots) is born Erik Michael Coonce in Los Angeles, California.

1943-Producer Denny Cordell is born Dennis Cordell-Lavarack in Buenos Aires. His productions include "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" and "American Girl."

1942-Fighting against phonograph records, which they fear will replace live music, the American Federation of Musicians goes on strike, forbidding their members from playing on recorded music. The strike lasts over two years, by which time it becomes clear that people will both listen to records and go to concerts.

1942-Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead is born in San Francisco, California

1942-Jimmy Dorsey records "Charleston Alley."

1934-Leadbelly is released from prison after a four-year stint for attempted homicide.

1930-Composer Lionel Bart is born in Stepney, London, England.

1779-Francis Scott Key is born in Carroll County, Maryland.

[Bikkie]

Discovery of Hudson Bay
1610 English explorer Henry Hudson enters the bay later named after him, the Hudson Bay

1665 Battle of Vågen: English warships attack a Dutch merchant and treasure fleet in neutral Bergen, Norway. English forced to retreat after suffering 421 dead and wounded.
1665 French expedition against Barbarians in Tunis and Algiers
1695 Daniel Quare receives a British patent for his portable barometer

United States Declaration of Independence
1776 Formal signing of the US Declaration of Independence by 56 people (date most accepted by modern historians)

Battle of the Nile
1798 Battle of the Nile: British Royal Navy under Admiral Horatio Nelson further decimates the French fleet

Consul for Life
1802 Napoleon Bonaparte declared "Consul for Life" after winning national referendum


1831 Ten day campaign begins, Dutch army occupies Belgium
1832 Battle of Bad Axe, Wisconsin: 1,300 Illinois militia defeat Sauk and Fox Native Americans, ending the Black Hawk War
1858 First mailboxes installed in Boston and New York City streets

1864 Saratoga Racecourse, America's oldest thoroughbred racetrack, opens its inaugural meet with four days of racing


Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
1865 Lewis Carroll publishes the children's novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

1865 -Trans Atlantic Cable being laid by SS Great Eastern between Great Britain and America snaps and is lost

1870- Tower Subway, the world's first underground tube railway, opens in London

1873 -1st trial run of San Francisco cable car, Clay Street between Kearny and Jones

1877- San Francisco Public Library opens with 5,000 volumes

1880 -British Parliament officially adopts Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

1887 -Chester A. Hodge of Beloit, Wisconsin, patents 'spur' barbed wire

Walter Johnson's First Game
1907 Legendary pitcher Walter Johnson at 19 begins his 21 year Baseball Hall of Fame playing career with Washington with 3-2 loss v Detroit

1909 Army Air Corps formed as Army takes first delivery from Wright Brothers

Back To Africa
1920 Marcus Garvey presents his "Back To Africa" program in NYC






Music History




2019-Tool put their songs on streaming services for the first time, becoming the last major artist to sit out the digital music revolution. "Our obsession with, and dream of, a world where BetaMax and Laser Disc rule has ended," frontman Maynard James Keenan says. "Time for us to move on."

2019-Skillet release their 10th album, Victorious, featuring the songs "Legendary" and "Save Me." The album is produced by the band's frontman, John Cooper, and his wife/bandmate, Korey Cooper.

2019-With a show in Hannover, Germany on the 246th date of his ÷ (Divide) tour, Ed Sheeran breaks the record for highest-grossing tour, surpassing the $735.3 million U2 earned on their 2009-2011 360 tour (they did it in just 110 shows). Sheeran finishes the tour August 26 with a final tally of $775.6 million.

2014-Weird Al Yankovic's Mandatory Fun goes to #1, giving the parody master his first chart-topping album.

Arcade Fire's Letter from The Woodlands, Texas, Sets the World's Airwaves on Fire
2010-Arcade Fire release The Suburbs, their third studio album. It's almost universally lauded by fans and critics alike, with the latter feeling that the album fully realizes the great artistic potential hinted at by Funeral and Neon Bible, the band's first two albums.More

2009-Rockabilly musician Billy Lee Riley dies of colon cancer at age 75. Known for the 1957 hit "Red Hot."

2007-Elvis Presley Enterprises announces plans to revamp Graceland, the singer's home, with a visitor's center, convention hotel, and high-tech multimedia displays.

2004-Eric Clapton bails out Cordings clothing store in London, a favorite of his since his teenage years, by purchasing a 50 percent share in the retailer.

2001-Ron Townson (of The 5th Dimension) dies of renal failure as a result of kidney disease at age 68.

1998-The Beatles are named "Favourite Recording Artist Of All Time" in a poll conducted by the UK music magazine Mojo, beating out Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Queen, and Elton John in that order.

1997-Fela Kuti, a multi-instrumentalist and pioneer of Afrobeat, dies of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, at age 58.

1992-Charli XCX is born Charlotte Aitchison in Cambridge, England ("XCX" was her screen name on chats). She's known for high-energy hits like "Boom Clap" and "Speed Drive," and for co-writing and singing the hook on Iggy Azalea's #1 hit "Fancy."

1987-David Martin (bass player for Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs and co-writer of "Wooly Bully") dies of a heart attack at age 50.

1983-Motown bass player James Jamerson dies at age 47 from a host of ailments, including cirrhosis of the liver and heart failure. Unheralded during his lifetime (he had to buy a ticket to see the Motown 25 special, Jamerson is later recognized as an integral part of the Motown sound; in 2000 he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1982-José Feliciano marries Susan Omillian in California.

1980-Olivia Newton-John's "Magic," from the Xanadu soundtrack, hits #1 in America.

1978-Boston release their second album, Don't Look Back, which like its predecessor was recorded mostly in group leader Tom Scholz' basement studio.

1975-The Eagles' "One Of These Nights" hits #1 in the US, where it stays for one week.

1973-"Papa" John Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas files suit against his former label, Dunhill, alleging $60 million in unpaid royalties.

1972-Brian Cole (bass guitarist for The Association) dies of a heroin overdose at age 29.

1971-Now down to a trio and driven by infighting, Creedence Clearwater Revival embark on their last US tour with a gig at Tulsa, Oklahoma's Assembly Center.

1970-Zelma Davis (of C and C Music Factory) is born in Monrovia, Liberia in West Africa.

1969-Bob Dylan makes a rare return to his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota, to attend his 10-year high school reunion. Accompanied by his wife, Sara, he joins classmates at the local Moose lodge before the event, and it proves awkward. He never makes it to the reunion itself, and makes no more public visits to the town.

1962-Bob Dylan makes his name change official, legally saying adieu to his birth name, Robert Zimmerman.

1962-Aretha Franklin makes her television debut, singing "Don't Cry Baby" and "Try A Little Tenderness" on American Bandstand.

1961-Pete De Freitas (drummer for Echo And The Bunnymen) is born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

1955-Butch Vig is born in Viroqua, Wisconsin. He produces Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind and forms the band Garbage in 1993.

1953-Skeeter Davis, still a member of the Davis Sisters, breaks both her arms and legs in a car crash near Cincinnati, Ohio, a crash which also kills fellow Davis "sister" Betty Jack Davis.

1951-Andrew Gold, known for the hits "Lonely Boy" and "Thank You for Being a Friend," is born in Burbank, California.

1950-Ted Turner (guitarist for Wishbone Ash) is born in Sheldon, Birmingham, England.

1944-Jim Capaldi (drummer for Traffic) is born Nicola James Capaldi in Evesham, Worcestershire, England.

1944-Jazz bassist Albert Stinson is born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1943Kathy Lennon (of The Lennon Sisters) is born in Los Angeles, California. Had hits with "Tonight You Belong to Me" and "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)."

1941-Andrew Steele (drummer for The Herd) is born in Hendon, North West London, England.

1941-Doris Kenner-Jackson (of the The Shirelles) is born Doris Coley in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

1939-Edward Patten (of Gladys Knight and the Pips) is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

1937-Garth Hudson (of The Band) is born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

1935-Country singer Hank Cochran, who co-wrote Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces," is born in Isola, Mississippi.

1921Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso dies of peritonitis at age 48. Son Enrico Caruso Jr. attributes his father's downward health spiral to an onstage injury, having being struck by a falling pillar during a production of Samson and Delilah the year before.

1910-Scottish playwright Roger MacDougall ("The Emperor Of Lancashire") is born in Glasgow.

1900-Torch singer and actress Helen Morgan is born in Danville, Illinois. She sings "Bill" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" in the original run of Show Boat in 1927.

[Bikkie]

Columbus Sails for the New World
1492 Christopher Columbus, with Juan de la Cosa as second-in-command, sets sail on his first voyage with three ships: Santa María, Pinta, and Niña from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, for the "Indies"

1527 First known letter is sent from North America by John Rut from St. John's in Newfoundland

1596 German astronomer and priest David Fabricius discovers the light variation of Mira, the first variable star

Battle of the Nile
1798 Battle of the Nile: British Admiral Horatio Nelson forces the remnants of the French fleet to surrender, concluding a decisive victory for the British, who capture or destroy 11 French ships of the line and 2 frigates

1833- HMS Beagle reaches the river mouth of the Rio Negro

1852- America's first intercollegiate sporting event takes place when the Harvard heavyweight rowing crew beats Yale by 2 lengths over 2 miles on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire

1855 -Rotterdam-Gouda railway opens

1860 -The Second Māori War begins in New Zealand

1872-Anthony Trollope begins New Zealand tour
Anthony Trollope, one of the Victorian era’s most famous novelists, landed at Bluff at the start of a two-month tour of the colon

Firestone Founded
1900 Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founded in Akron, Ohio, by Harvey Firestone


The Pamir in Wellington Harbour, 1940s
1941-Finnish sailing ship seized as war prize
Five days after its arrival in Wellington, the four-masted barque Pamir was seized in prize by the New Zealand government.



Music History


2019-Henri Belolo, who co-founded The Village People and co-wrote many of their hits, dies at 82.

2016-Ricci Martin, youngest son of Dean Martin, is found dead in his Utah home at age 62.

2016-Days after performing at Portland's Moda Center, Modest Mouse singer Isaac Brock causes a 5-vehicle accident when he falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into a pickup truck. No serious injuries are reported.

2015-Gwen Stefani files for divorce from Gavin Rossdale, her husband since 2002. She soon starts dating Blake Shelton, her co-star on the TV competition The Voice.

2014-Rosetta Hightower (lead singer of The Orlons) dies at age 70.

2012-Stevie Wonder announces that he will be divorcing Kai Millard Morris, his second wife of eleven years. The couple reveal that they've been living separately for two years and cite the boring "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split.

2010-Bobby Hebb ("Sunny") dies at 72.

2010-Madonna launches her "Material Girl" line of clothing, shoes, jewelry and handbags at Macy's. The line is targeted to teenage girls and based in part on some of Madonna's various looks. Assisting the 51-year-old singer with the project is her 13-year-old daughter, Lourdes.

2006-Arthur Lee (frontman for Love) dies of acute myeloid leukemia at age 61.

1999-Country legend Patsy Cline is awarded a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1996-The Bayside Boys remix of "Macarena," originally a Spanish-language dance song from Los Del Rio, hits #1 on the Hot 100, where it stays for 14 weeks.

1993-Boston Ventures, the group to whom Berry Gordy had sold Motown in 1988 for $61 million, sells the label and its holdings to Dutch conglomerate Polygram for $325 million.

1991-Pearl Jam play the club RKCNDY in Seattle. The show is filmed and used to create their first video - for the song "Alive." The audio from the show is used in the video, as the band hates the idea of lip-syncing.More

1987-After years of delays, Def Leppard's Hysteria album is released in the US.

1986-The News Of The World breaks the story that Rolling Stones's bass player Bill Wyman, 49, is dating Mandy Smith, 16, and that they had been together since she was 13. No charges are pressed against Wyman, and in 1989, the couple gets married in a union that lasts less than a year.

1985-Holly Blake-Arnstein (of the girl group Dream) is born in Tarzana, California.

1985-Tears For Fears' "Shout" hits #1 in the US for the first of three weeks. It's the English synthpop duo's second chart-topper, following "Everybody Wants To Rule The World."

1979-Talking Heads release their third album, Fear of Music. Produced by Brian Eno, it's full of one-word titles, including "Heaven," "Air" and "Drugs."

1974-Bad Company's Bad Company LP hits #1.

1971-Paul McCartney puts Wings in flight, announcing the formation of his first post-Beatles band. Members are Paul, his wife Linda, former Moody Blues singer Denny Laine on guitar, and Denny Seiwell on drums.

1971-Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy" is certified Gold.

1968-The Doors hit #1 in America for the second (and last) time when "Hello, I Love You" reaches the top for the first of two weeks. Their first #1 was "Light My Fire" in 1967.

1966-Dean Sams (keyboardist for Lonestar) is born in Garland, Texas.

1963-James Hetfield of Metallica is born in Downey, California.

1963-Ed Roland (lead vocalist for Collective Soul) is born in Stockbridge, Georgia.

1963-The Tymes' "So Much in Love" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

1963-The Beatles play The Cavern Club in Liverpool for the last time. They played the first of their 292 shows there in 1961 when they made their debut performance.

1963-The Beatles show up on a Billboard chart for the first time when "From Me to You" bubbles under on the Hot 100, reaching a peak of #116 the following week. Their US breakthrough doesn't happen until January 1964, when "I Want To Hold Your Hand" rises up the chart, hitting #1 in February.

1961-Lee Rocker, upright bass player in The Stray Cats, is born Leon Drucker in Long Island, New York.

1959-Folk group The Kingston Trio are featured on the cover of Life magazine.

1953-Ian Bairnson (guitarist for Pilot, The Alan Parsons Project) is born in Lerwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland.

1951-Johnny Graham (multi-instrumentalist of Earth, Wind & Fire) is born in Louisville, Kentucky.

1949Morris "B.B." Dickerson (bass guitarist for War) is born in Torrance, California.

1946-John York (bass guitarist for The Byrds) is born in White Plains, New York.

1941-Beverly Lee (of The Shirelles) is born in Passaic, New Jersey.

1936-Kenny Hodges (bass guitarist for Spanky and Our Gang) is born in Jacksonville, Florida.

1929-Arthur Wood (keyboardist for The Climax Blues Band) is born.

1926-Tony Bennett is born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Astoria, Queens, New York. In 1962, he will perform "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" for the first time, and it becomes his signature song.

1924-Gordon Stoker of Elvis Presley's backing group, The Jordanaires, is born in Gleason, Tennessee.

1921-Broadway lyricist/composer Richard Adler (The Pajama Game) is born in New York City. With Frank Loesser, he writes Tony Bennett's "Rags To Riches."

1920-Jazz trumpeter Charlie Shavers, who will work with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Billie Holiday, is born in New York City.

1917-Jazz trumpeter Les Elgart is born in New Haven, Connecticut.

1902-Ray Bloch, arranger and orchestra conductor for the long-running Ed Sullivan Show, is born in Alsace-Lorraine

[Bikkie]

Battle of Evesham
1265 -Battle of Evesham: English Prince Edward (later Edward I) defeats baronial forces of Simon de Montfort, who is killed and his body mutilated

English Forces Take Calais
1347 English troops under Edward III conquer Calais, becomes strategic town for the English during Hundred Years' War

Washington Becomes a Mason
1753- 21-year-old George Washington becomes a master mason

William Blake Apprenticed
1772 -English poet and artist William Blake, aged 14, is first apprenticed to engraver James Basire in London


Russian Antarctic Expedition
1821 Russian Antarctic expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen returns to Kronstadt after being the first to circumnavigate Antarctica

1830 -Plans for the city of Chicago are laid out

1845- Emigrant ship Cataraqui wrecks in Bass Strait with the loss of 400 lives; only nine survive, Australia's deadliest maritime civilian disaster [1]
Custer and Sioux Clash
1873- Indian Wars: While protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the US 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, clashes for the first time with the Sioux near the Tongue River, killing one man on each side

1923-Rail tunnel pierces the Southern Alps
The opening of the 8.5-km Ōtira tunnel completed the long-planned transalpine railway between Christchurch and Greymouth. At the time, it was the longest tunnel outside the Alps and the seventh-longest in the world

Stamps commemorating Cook Islands self-government
1965-Cook Islands achieves self-government
First included within the boundaries of New Zealand in 1901, the islands were governed by a Resident Commissioner until 1946. When they achieved self-government, Cook Islanders remained New Zealand citizens




Music History



2021-Forbes declares Rihanna the richest female musician - by far. Her $1.7 billion fortune is roughly double that of Madonna, who is #2 on the list. Most of Rihanna's earnings are from her Fenty Beauty line. In 2024, Taylor Swift passes her on the list thanks to her highly lucrative Eras Tour.

2017-"Despacito" becomes the most-watched YouTube video ever, passing the Wiz Khalifa/Charlie Puth collaboration "See You Again" with nearly 3 billion views in just seven months. The mark holds until 2020, when "Baby Shark" overtakes it.

2016-Nationwide insurance announces a new ad campaign with Brad Paisley and Rachel Platten.More

2012-Electric blues guitarist Johnnie Bassett dies of cancer at age 76.

2011-Rapper Big Sean is arrested in Lewiston, New York, after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a Wiz Khalifa concert, where he was performing. He is eventually fined $750 for second degree unlawful imprisonment.

2007-Lee Hazlewood, who wrote Nancy Sinatra's hit "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'," dies of renal cancer at age 78.

2006-John Locke (keyboardist for Nazareth, Spirit) dies of cancer at age 62.

2005-James "Little Milton" Campbell, known for blues hits such as 1969's "Grits Ain't Groceries," dies of complications following a stroke at age 70.

Coyote Ugly Introduces The Calling And A New Hit By LeAnn Rimes
2000-Coyote Ugly, about an aspiring singer-songwriter (Piper Perabo) who takes a job at a bawdy bar, opens in theaters. LeAnn Rimes, who appears in the film, anchors the soundtrack with four new songs, including the theme, "Can't Fight The Moonlight." It's one of the best-selling soundtracks of the '00s.More

1994-The Notorious B.I.G. marries R&B singer Faith Evans.

1992-Thanks to controversy generated from the song "Cop Killer," the self-titled album by Ice-T's hardcore metal group Body Count is certified Gold for sales of 500,000 in the US.

1991-Jeri Southern, a singer whose popular songs include "An Occasional Man" and "Fire Down Below," dies of pneumonia at age 64.

1990-Mariah Carey lands her first #1 Hot 100 hit when her debut single, "Vision Of Love," goes to the top. It's the first of her 14 chart-toppers... in the '90s!

1984-The Prince album Purple Rain, which also serves as the soundtrack to the film of the same name, hits #1 in the US, where it stays for an amazing 22 weeks.

1981-Marques Houston (of the R&B group Immature) is born in Los Angeles, California. As an actor, he's known for his role as Roger Evans on the '90s sitcom Sister, Sister.

1979-Led Zeppelin headline the Knebworth Festival in the UK, one of just four concerts they play in 1979. They play a second show at Knebworth a week later to meet the unprecedented demand.

1975-While vacationing on the Greek Island of Rhodes, Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant and his family are badly injured in a car accident, forcing the cancellation of an upcoming US tour. Doctors tell Plant he may never walk again, but he makes a full recovery.

1973-Maureen McGovern's "The Morning After (The Song From The Poseidon Adventure)" hits #1 in the US for the first of two weeks.

1972-The movie Super Fly is released, along with a soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield that becomes a soul music landmark, taking on the drug culture portrayed in the film with vivid commentary.

1971-The rapper Yo-Yo (Yolanda Whitaker) is born in Los Angeles. Teaming with Ice Cube, she has a hit in 1991 with "You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo."

1970-Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson marries his second wife, Barbara Charren, in Los Angeles. They divorce four years later.

1970-The Doors' Jim Morrison is arrested in Los Angeles for public drunkenness after being found lying unconscious on a resident's doorstep.

1968-The Newport Pop Festival attracts 100,000 with Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, and The Animals.

1966-The Temptations release "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep."

1964-The Kinks release "You Really Got Me" in the UK. With a distorted guitar sound accomplished by taking a razor blade to an amplifier, it becomes their first hit, spending two weeks at #1 UK in September.

1962-Paul Reynolds (lead guitarist for A Flock Of Seagulls) is born in Liverpool, England.

1959-Robbin Crosby (guitarist for Ratt) is born in La Jolla, California.

1958-Billboard combines its unwieldy system of five separate sales, jukebox, and DJ charts to make one master chart, the Billboard Hot 100. The first #1 is Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool."

1958-Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds is born in Liverpool, England.

1958-Bobby Darin has his first hit as "Splish Splash" reaches #3 in America. The song is later used on Sesame Street as a way to encourage kids to get in the tub.

1957-The Everly Brothers perform "Wake Up Little Susie" on the Ed Sullivan Show. It is one of the more controversial songs ever played on the show, as there are some questions as to what Susie and her date were doing before she fell asleep.

1956-The Platters' "My Prayer" hits #1 in America for the first of five weeks.

1952-Maire Ni Bhraonian aka Moya Brennan (of the Celtic band Clannad) is born in Dublin, Ireland.

1951-Roy Flowers (drummer for Sweet Sensation) is born in Kingston, Jamaica.

1947-Electronic musician Klaus Schulze (former drummer for Tangerine Dream) is born in Berlin, Germany.

1947-Paul Layton, bass player for The New Seekers, is born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England.

1943-David Carr (keyboardist for The Fortunes) is born in Leyton, London, England.

1942-The movie Holiday Inn premieres in New York, introducing Bing Crosby's holiday classic "White Christmas."

1941-Singer-songwriter Timi Yuro is born Rosemary Timothy Yuro in Chicago, Illinois. Known for the 1961 hit "Hurt."

1940-Larry Knechtel (keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist for Bread) is born in Bell, California.

1939-R&B singer Frankie Ford is born in Gretna, Louisiana.

1936-Bass singer Elsbeary Hobbs (of The Drifters) is born in Manhattan, New York.

1921-Jazz guitarist Herb Ellis is born in Farmersville, Texas. Along with drummer Buddy Rich, he was part of the backing band for comeback albums by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

1901-Jazz singer and trumpeter Louis Armstrong is born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He becomes a formative figure in the world of jazz, popularizing solo improvisations and scat singing. His best-known song, "What A Wonderful World," is recorded in 1967 when he's 66.

1875-Hans Christian Andersen dies of liver cancer at age 70. His stories inspired songs by Kate Bush and Sinead O'Connor.

[Bikkie]

Metro cover, June 1987
1988
Cartwright Report condemns cancer treatment
The report was triggered by the publication in Metro magazine of ‘An Unfortunate Experiment’, an article by Sandra Coney and Phillida Bunkle which alleged that cervical cancer patients at Auckland’s National Women’s Hospital were receiving inadequate treatment.

1305 – Sir William Wallace, champion of Scottish independence, is captured by the English and later executed.

1583 – Sir Humphrey Gilbert establishes the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

1620 – The Mayflower departs from Southampton, England, carrying would-be settlers, on its first attempt to reach North America. It is forced to dock in Dartmouth when its companion ship, the Speedwell, springs a leak.

1882 – Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (a forerunner of ExxonMobil) is established. The company would later grow to become the holder of all Standard Oil companies.

1884 – The cornerstone of the Statue of Liberty is laid.

1891 – The first American Express travellers’ cheque is cashed.

1925 – Plaid Cymru is formed to disseminate knowledge of the Welsh language, which is in danger of dying out.

1926 – Harry Houdini performs his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping.



Music History


2023-For the first time since 1958, country songs claim the top three spots on the Hot 100:

#1 "Try That in a Small Town" by Jason Aldean
#2 "Last Night" by Morgan Wallen
#3 "Fast Car" by Luke Combs (a cover of Tracy Chapman's song)

2022-In Orlando, Bad Bunny sets out on his first stadium tour, the World's Hottest Tour. It lives up to its name, becoming the top-grossing tour of 2022 as audiences return to concerts following the pandemic.

2021-Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga play the second of two sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It's Bennett's last performance; a week later the 95-year-old singer, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016, announces he's retiring from performing.

2017-Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road" lands at #1 on the Country chart for the 25th week, breaking the record previously held by Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise." It ends up spending 34 weeks at the top, but is overtaken the next year by "Meant to Be" by... Florida Georgia Line, which stays for 50.


2016-There are spectacular fireworks, awe-inspiring acrobats, and sensational dancers at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio, but supermodel Gisele Bundchen gets the biggest reaction when she takes a long walk across the stage to "The Girl From Ipanema," performed by the composer's grandson, Daniel Jobim.

2015-Grateful Dead alums Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann announce a new band, Dead & Company, with a surprising addition: John Mayer. Deadheads fear they'll be subjected to "Your Body Is A Wonderland," but Mayer fits right in, especially on songs like "Friend Of The Devil" and "Althea" where he sings and plays Jerry Garcia's parts.

2013-Singer/keyboardist George Duke (Frank Zappa collaborator and half of The Clarke/Duke Project with Stanley Clarke) dies from chronic lymphocytic leukemia at age 67 in Los Angeles, California.

2009-Steven Tyler of Aerosmith falls off the stage at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, suffering injuries to his head and neck, which force the rest of the band's tour to be canceled. Tyler falls when he is entertaining the crowd with a dance while a technical problem is being sorted.

2007-Proctor and Gamble, maker of Luvs brand diapers, upsets Beatles fans around the world with their licensing of the song "All You Need Is Love" for a new television ad.

2007-DNA tests prove that at least two of the twelve claimants to the estate and fortune of recently deceased soul legend James Brown are found to be legitimate. His will had already named six known children.

199-8Lars Ulrich of Metallica has his first child, a son named Myles.

1997-Yungblud is born Dominic Harrison in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. His highly expressive songs about youth culture resonate with his Gen Z cohort, and he racks up a string of #1 albums in the UK, starting with Weird! in 2020.

1996-Soul singer Wilson Pickett checks into a court-ordered rehab for cocaine addiction.

1993-Bassist Randy Hobbs (of The McCoys, Edgar Winter Group, and Montrose) dies of heart failure at age 45 in Dayton, Ohio.

1992-Jeff Porcaro (drummer for Toto) dies of a heart attack from cocaine-induced atherosclerosis at age 38 in Los Angeles, California.

1985-Sinead O'Connor, 18, signs with Ensign Records. She releases her debut album, The Lion And The Cobra, two years later.

1981-Olivia Newton-John is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

1980-Pat Benatar releases her second album, Crimes Of Passion. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is the big hit, but her Young Rascals cover "You Better Run" gets a music video that becomes the second one aired on MTV (after "Video Killed The Radio Star") when the network launches a year later.

1980-The Osmonds officially disband.

1979-Phonogram Records signs Def Leppard.

1978-The Rolling Stones' disco-flavored "Miss You" hits #1 in America, where it stays for one week, knocking Andy Gibb's "Shadow Dancing" from a seven-week run at the top.

1978-"Substitute," a cover of a Righteous Brothers song recorded by an all-girl South African group called Clout, becomes a surprise hit, reaching #2 in the UK. Just one problem: they didn't play on the song, a male group called Circus did.

1977-The Police, The Damned and The Clash play the second Mont de Marsen Punk Festival, held at a bullring in France.

1976NBC airs the 15th anniversary Beach Boys special It's OK, featuring cameos by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

1976-At a show in Birmingham, England, an inebriated Eric Clapton speaks out in favor of the right-wing National Front, repeating their slogan, "Keep Britain white," and adding, "I used to be into dope, now I'm into racism."
Clarifying his statements years later, Clapton says, "I made some fairly racial comments, but they weren't directed at any particular minority. It was a feeling of loss of identity and losing my Englishness."

1975-The first all-female hard-rock band is formed when producer Kim Fowley puts together The Runaways, featuring Joan Jett, future B
angle Michael Steele, and Lita Ford.

1975-Stevie Wonder signs the largest contract for a single artist in history: $13 million over seven years for seven albums with Tamla/Motown.

Frippertronics Introduced On New Album
1973-Brian Eno and Robert Fripp finish recording their first collaborative album, (No Pussyfooting). It is a combination of Eno's experiments with tape recorders and Fripp's "Fripptertronics" electric guitar technique, recorded in three sessions over the course of a year, starting on September 8, 1972.More

1972-Music mogul Clive Davis catches Aerosmith's act at Max's Kansas City in New York and immediately signs them with CBS Records for $125,000.

1972-'50s nostalgia picks up steam at the London Rock & Roll Show. Held at Wembley Stadium, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bill Haley, Bo Diddley, and Jerry Lee Lewis all perform.

1968-Guitarist Luther Perkins, a member of Johnny Cash's backing band, dies two days after being trapped in a house fire in Hendersonville, Tennessee, at age 40.

1965-Production is halted on the Jan & Dean movie, Easy Come, Easy Go when 17 crew members are injured in an on-set railroad accident, with Jan Berry suffering a broken leg. The film is shelved.

1964-Adam Yauch (aka MCA of the Beastie Boys) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1964-The Beach Boys record "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)."

1962-Marilyn Monroe dies of a barbiturate overdose at age 36 in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. Musically, she's known for an iconic performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend."

1961-Themetta Suggs gives birth to Chuck Berry's second child, Chuck Berry Jr.

1959-Frankie Avalon releases "Just Ask Your Heart."

1959-The Isley Brothers record "Shout."

1959-Pat Smear (guitarist for Foo Fighters) is born Georg Albert Ruthenberg in Los Angeles, California.

1959-Singer/songwriter Pete Burns (of Dead Or Alive) is born in Port Sunlight, Bebington, Chesire, England.

1957-American Bandstand goes national when it airs for the first time on ABC. The show will run for five years on the Philadelphia TV station WFIL as Bandstand. Hosted by Dick Clark throughout its national run, the show remains on network TV until 1987. The first song the kids dance to this day is "That'll Be The Day" by Buddy Holly.

1953-Singer Samantha Sang is born Cheryl Lau Sang in Melbourne, Australia.

1947-Greg Leskiw (guitarist for The Guess Who) is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1947-Guitarist/vocalist Rick Derringer (of the Edgar Winter Group and The McCoys) is born in Fort Recovery, Ohio.

1943-Country music singer/songwriter Sammi Smith is born Jewel Faye Smith in Orange County, California.

1942-Rick Huxley (bassist for The Dave Clark Five) is born in Dartford, Kent, England.

1941-Jazz drummer/percussionist Airto Moreira (of Weather Report) is born in Itaiopolis, Brazil.

1940-Singer/actress Damita Jo is born in Austin, Texas. Had a minor hit with a cover of "If You Go Away."

1926-Jazz singer/pianist Jeri Southern is born Genevieve Hering in Royal, Nebraska. Known for the 1957 hit "Fire Down Below."

[Bikkie]

1661 - The Netherlands drops its claims to modern-day Brazil, in return for the equivalent of 63 tonnes of gold from Portugal.

1825 - Bolivia declares its independence from Spain.

1926 - American Gertrude Ederle, 19, becomes first woman to swim the English Channel; Warner Brothers Studios premieres Don Juan, the first movie with sound, in New York.

1962 - Jamaica becomes independent after 300 years of British rule.

1965 - US President Lyndon B Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote.



Music History

2024-Pitbull becomes the first artist to buy the naming rights to a stadium, announcing a 10-year, $12 million deal with Florida International University in his hometown of Miami to rebrand their stadium Pitbull Stadium. As part of the deal, the rapper is allowed to host events like concerts and festivals at the venue.

2015-Hamilton, a hip-hop-infused musical based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, opens on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre six months after a sold-out Off-Broadway debut.

2012-Forbes declares Beyoncé and Jay-Z the highest-paid celebrity couple, with earnings of $78 million ($40 million for her, $38 for him). At #2 is Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady with $72 million.

2012-Composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch dies from complications after a kidney transplant at age 68 in Los Angeles, California. He wrote the music for "The Way We Were."

2005-Carlo Little (The Rolling Stones' original drummer) dies of lung cancer at age 66 in Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, England.

2004-R&B superstar Rick James dies from a culmination of health problems - including heart issues, diabetes and stroke - at age 56 in Los Angeles, California.

1998-Jazz performer Nat Gonella, founder of the big band The Georgians, dies in Gosport, Hampshire, England at age 90.

1997-In a Spinal Tap moment, U2's giant lemon they are supposed to emerge from onstage doesn't open at a show in Oslo.

Ramones Play Their Last Show
1996-At a show in Hollywood, the Ramones play their final concert.

1994-Singer/actor Domenico Modugno dies of a heart attack at age 66 in Lampedusa, Sicily, Italy.

1993-31-year-old Sheryl Crow releases her first album, Tuesday Night Music Club. It takes about a year to catch on, but eventually sells over 7 million copies.

1989-With their song "F--k tha Police" causing an uproar, Detroit police stop N.W.A's performance before they can perform the song, and escort them back to their hotel. No charges are filed, and officers tell the rappers that they just "wanted to show the kids that you can't say 'F--k the police' in Detroit."

1988-Thanks to its inclusion on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, the Contours' 1962 hit "Do You Love Me" makes another chart run, peaking at #11.

1988-More than a year after it was released, Guns N' Roses' debut album, Appetite For Destruction, goes to #1 in America.

1988-Yo! MTV Raps premieres on MTV, with Run-DMC hosting the pilot episode.

1987-Nike takes out a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times responding to the controversy over their use of The Beatles song "Revolution" in a commercial.More

1984-Eric Roberts (bassist for Gym Class Heroes) is born in Edmeston, New York.

1981-Stevie Nicks releases her first solo album, Bella Donna.

1981-Travis "Travie" McCoy (lead singer of Gym Class Heroes) is born in Geneva, New York.

1973-A devastating car accident drops Stevie Wonder down to two senses, as he temporarily loses smell and taste after the vehicle he's riding in runs into the back of a logging truck, and a log hits him in the face. He is in a coma for four days, but makes a strong recovery and returns to the studio in a few weeks.

1972-Geri Halliwell (The Spice Girls' "Ginger Spice") is born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England.

1972-Procol Harum records "Conquistador" (live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra).

1970-On the 25th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, a Concert For Peace at Shea Stadium in New York features Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Steppenwolf and Johnny Winter.

1970-At the Fillmore West in San Francisco, Christine McVie plays her first gig with Fleetwood Mac. She later becomes the band's first female member, joining her husband John in the group.

1964-Rod Stewart appears on TV for the first time when his group The Hoochie Coochie Men show up on the BBC show The Beat Room.

1960-Chubby Checker performs "The Twist" for the first time on TV when he does it on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show. The song goes to #1 and starts a huge dance craze.

1959-In balmy Los Angeles, Dean Martin records the most famous version of the holiday classic "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!." It's one of many popular Christmas songs with no mention of Christmas in the lyric.

1958-Randy DeBarge (of DeBarge) is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1951-Singer/songwriter/musician Pat MacDonald (co-founder of Timbuk3) is born in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

1946-Allan Holdsworth (guitarist for Soft Machine) is born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.

1929-Saxophonist Mike Elliott (of The Foundations) is born in Jamaica, West Indies.

1928-Andy Warhol, who makes his mark on the music world as manager for the The Velvet Underground and designer of the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers album cover, is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1921-Jazz/Blues musician Buddy Collette (tenor saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist) is born in Los Angeles, California. He became a founding member of Chico Hamilton's quintet.

[Bikkie]

Henry Tudor's Army Lands
1485 Henry Tudor's (Henry VII to be) army lands in Milford Haven, South Wales

Drake's Fleet Returns
1573 Francis Drake's fleet returns to Plymouth after a year spent raiding for Spanish treasure

Defeat of the Spanish Armada
1588 English set alight eight fireships with pitch, brimstone, gunpowder, and tar and cast them downwind towards the closely anchored vessels of the Spanish Armada, scattering the Armada
Macbeth Performed
1606 Possible first performance of Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth" takes place in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace for King James I


Kepler's Mother Arrested
1620 Astronomer Johannes Kepler's is mother arrested for witchcraft

Washington Creates Military Awards
1782 Commander of the Continental Army, George Washington, creates two Honorary Badges of Distinction and a Badge of Military Merit (now the Purple Heart). First time military awards are presented to common soldiers.

1789 US Congress creates the Department of War and the United States Lighthouse Establishment

Slavery Re-instated
1802 Napoleon orders the reinstatement of slavery in Saint-Domingue, Haiti

1820 First potatoes are planted in Hawaii

1864 Battle of Moorefield, West Virginia: Surprise Union raid kills 400 Confederates and captures 400 horses, badly damaging Confederate cavalry in the Shenandoah Valley
1879 Opening of the Openshaw Citadel, the "Poor Man's Palace," by the Salvation Army in Manchester
1882 Hatfields of southwest West Virginia and McCoys of eastern Kentucky feud, with 100 wounded or dead

1885 Five German warships anchor off Zanzibar
1888 Theophilus Van Kannel of Philadelphia patents revolving door


1903 Tommy Corcoran sets an MLB record for shortstops by recording 14 assists in Cincinnati's 4-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals

1904 Train derails on a bridge in Eden, Colorado, due to a flash flood, killing 96 people

Walter Johnson's 1st Win
1907 MLB Washington Senators' legendary pitcher Walter Johnson wins the first of his 417 career games in a 7-2 victory against Cleveland

Parliament Special train pass
1908
First train runs length of main trunk line
The 'Parliament Special' travelled over a makeshift track in the central section of the still-unfinished main trunk line. It carried MPs north to greet the American navy's 'Great White Fleet'.


MLB Pitcher
Walter Johnson
1908 The first train to travel the length of New Zealand's North Island main trunk line, the "Parliament Special," leaves Wellington for Auckland to greet the US Navy's "Great White Fleet"; passengers include Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward and members of Parliament, and the trip takes 20.5 hours
1909 Alice Ramsey (22) and three friends become the first women to complete a transcontinental automobile trip [1]

Theodore Roosevelt Nominated
1912 Progressive (Bull Moose) Party nominates Theodore Roosevelt for US President
Ruth Ties Record
1929 NY Yankees slugger Babe Ruth ties MLB record by hitting grand slams in consecutive games for the second time in a 13-1 win against the Philadelphia Athletics

1930 A large mob estimated at 2,000 people lynches two young Black men, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, in Marion, Indiana

Billy T. James, 1985
1991
Death of Billy T. James
The much-loved entertainer was just 43 when he died of heart failure.



Music History

2017-The Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society reports that a recently identified new species of ancient crocodile has been named Lemmysuchus obtusidens in honor of the Motörhead frontman.

2012-Grayson County, Texas, police respond to a call and discover country singer Randy Travis lying naked in the road and smelling of alcohol. Travis had crashed his vehicle into a construction zone just previously. In fact, there was an earlier call the same day from a convenience store owner, who said Travis had entered his store - still naked - and tried to buy cigarettes, but left when he realized he had no money. Travis is booked for DWI and resisting arrest, tying on another in a string of run-ins with the law.

2012-Madonna plays a concert in Moscow during which she expresses support for the group Pussy Riot, who have been jailed for performing their song "Mother Of God, Putin's Run" in a Moscow cathedral.

2011-Big Boi of OutKast is arrested in Miami on drug charges when police find ecstasy and Viagra in baggage with his name on it.

2011-Marshall Grant (upright bassist for the Tennessee Two, Johnny Cash's backing band) dies of an aneurysm at age 83 in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

2009-Folk singer/musician Mike Seeger (of New Lost City Ramblers) dies of cancer eight days before his 76th birthday in Lexington, Virginia.

2008-The Police wrap up their reunion tour at New York's Madison Square Garden. Their first tour since 1986, it lasts 151 shows and finishes as the third highest-grossing of all time.

2008-After dating for 10 years, Jewel and rodeo star Ty Murray marry in the Bahamas. They split up six years later.

2007-The Isley Brothers' Ron Isley begins serving a 37-month sentence for tax evasion. His request for a reduced sentence because of his health issues doesn't fly with a judge who calls him a "serial tax avoider." The IRS claims that Isley failed to pay $3.1 million in taxes.

2005-"Walking In Memphis" singer Marc Cohn is shot in the head during an attempted carjacking in Denver, Colorado. Miraculously, he makes a full recovery.More

2005-The Showtime cable TV original series Weeds debuts. The series, about a drug-dealing suburban mom, is notable for using the song "Little Boxes," by folk artist Malvina Reynolds, for its theme song. The folk song, originally released in 1962, enjoys a popular revival.

2003-The Osmonds are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

2002-Ween drummer Claude Coleman, Jr. breaks his back and pelvis in a car accident. The other members of Ween organize benefit shows to help cover Coleman's medical bills, and in December 2002, Coleman returns to his place behind the drum kit.

2001-Composer/musician/actor Larry Adler dies in London, England, at age 87.

2001-Usher puts out his third album, 8701, the title a reference to the release date. It includes two #1 hits: "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad."

1997-Garth Brooks plays a free show in New York's Central Park. It's the last Central Park show to benefit from highly inflated crowd estimates, which are stated at over 100,000. Hand counts at future shows prove that crowds at these concerts usually top out at 50,000.

1996-ZZ Top's album Eliminator is certified Diamond for sales of 10 million copies in America.

1996-A federal appeals court overturns the ruling that original Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers members Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago co-wrote the group's biggest hit, 1955's "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?," ruling that copyright claims must be filed within three years of the song's publication.

1993-Led by the single "Insane In The Brain," the West Coast rap trio Cypress Hill debut at #1 with their second album, Black Sunday. Along with Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg, it's one of just two rap albums to top the chart in 1993.

1987-At a Fleetwood Mac band meeting, Lindsey Buckingham blows up at his bandmates and quits the group, forcing them to tour without him in support of their latest album, Tango In The Night. He doesn't re-join until 1997.

1984-R&B singer Esther Phillips dies of drug-induced liver and kidney failure at age 48 in Carson, California. Known for comeback country tune "Release Me."

1981-The animated sci-fi film Heavy Metal is released. Although it shares its name with the hard-rock genre, the film isn't intended to have anything to do with music, but instead is an anthology of various stories from the comic magazine Heavy Metal. Almost as an afterthought, an all-star soundtrack is added, featuring songs by Sammy Hagar, Devo, Blue Öyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Journey, and Black Sabbath, to name a few.

1981-It's "Wolverton Mountain Day" in Arkansas in honor of the Claude King song "Wolverton Mountain," which is named after a real mountain in the state.

1979-Led Zeppelin make their last live performance in the UK.

1976-Elton John & Kiki Dee's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" hits #1 in America for the first of four weeks.

1974-J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf marries movie star Faye Dunaway in a Beverly Hills courtroom. The couple divorce in 1979.

1973-The film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar is released, based on the 1971 Broadway rock opera of the same name. Jesus is apparently a tenor.

1971-The Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" hits #1 in America for the first of four weeks.

1970-Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention release Just Another Band From L.A.

1967-Following two albums recorded as a member of the Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa releases his debut solo album, Lumpy Gravy, in which he conducts an orchestra but doesn't actually play any instruments himself in order to get around some contractual issues that cause the album to be withdrawn a few days later. It's released with numerous changes on May 13, 1968.

1966-Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses is born in Atlanta, Georgia. After suffering a brain injury from a bike accident at 16, she starts hearing noises in her head and develops a split personality she calls Rat Girl, who emerges when she writers and performs.

1965-Herman's Hermits knock "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" from the top spot in America with "I'm Henry The VIII, I Am," a "second verse, same as the first" cover of a music hall song from 1910.

1965-The Turtles release "It Ain't Me Babe."

1964-EMF songwriter/guitarist Ian Dench is born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.

1963-Beach Party, starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, opens in theaters. It's the first of many movies with a beach theme, and it features music by the surf-rock pioneer Dick Dale. Twenty-four years later, Frankie and Annette appear in Back To The Beach, where they are now parents of crazy teenagers.

1960-Jacquie O'Sullivan of Bananarama is born in Hendon, London, England.

1957-Paul Anka makes his US television debut, singing "Diana" on American Bandstand.

1957-The Quarrymen (minus new member Paul McCartney, away at Scout camp) make their debut at Liverpool's Cavern Club. Manager Alan Sytner instructs them not to play Rock and Roll, but midway through their skiffle performance, John lights into a version of Elvis' "Don't Be Cruel," which the crowd loves. The group, of course, becomes The Beatles.

1954-The Crew-Cuts' cover of "Sh-Boom" hits #1 in America.

1951-Pete Way of UFO is born in Enfield, North London.

1947-Jazz historian, occasional songwriter and the future first wife of Larry Coryell, Julie Nathanson, is born in Manhattan, New York.

1945-Bassist/songwriter Kerry Chater (of Gary Puckett & the Union Gap) is born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

1943-Pop singer Lana Cantrell is born in Sydney, Australia.

1942-B.J. Thomas is born in Hugo, Oklahoma. He lands #1 hits in America with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" and "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song."

1939-Pop singer Ron Holden is born in Seattle, Washington. Known for the 1960 hit "Love You So."

1937-Bunny Berigan records "I Can't Get Started."

1936--=Charles Pope (of The Tams) is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

1931-Herb Reed (founding member of The Platters) is born in Kansas City, Missouri.

1926-Voice actor/recording artist Stan Freberg is born in Pasadena, California.

1925-Songwriter Felice Bryant is born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Co-wrote hit songs with husband Boudleaux Bryant, including the widely covered hit "Love Hurts."

1921-Big Band trombonist Warren Covington is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[Bikkie]

70 The Tower of Antonia is destroyed by the Romans

1303 The Crete earthquake strikes with an estimated magnitude of 8, triggering a major tsunami that damages the Lighthouse of Alexandria and sweeps ships two miles inland in Egypt

Caparra Founded
1508 Spaniard Juan Ponce de León founds Caparra, the first European settlement in Puerto Rico


Uraniborg Observatory
1576 Cornerstone is laid for Tycho Brahe's observatory in Uraniborg, Denmark, which, when built, becomes the world's most advanced research institution

Galileo Demonstrates Telescope
1609- Galileo Galilei presents his telescope to the Venetian Senate in Venice, Italy


United States One Dollar Bill
1786 -US Congress unanimously chooses the dollar as the monetary unit for the United States of America

Brigham Young Leads the Mormons
1844- Brigham Young is chosen as the head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the death of Joseph Smith

Electric Pen
1876 -Thomas Edison is granted the patent for autographic printing (US Patent 180,857)

1910 -The US Army installs the first tricycle landing gear on the Army's Wright Flyer

1911- The millionth patent is filed in the United States Patent Office by Francis Holton for a tubeless vehicle tire

Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
1914 -Ernest Shackleton's ship "Endurance" leaves Plymouth, England, on the final major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration

1915-Wellington Battalion captures Chunuk Bair
The high point of the New Zealand effort at Gallipoli, the capture of Chunuk Bair underlined the leadership qualities of Lieutenant-Colonel William Malone.

First Zeppelin Round the World Flight
1929 -German airship Graf Zeppelin begins the first round-the-world flight by airship, departing from Lakehurst, New Jersey



Music History


2023-Sixto Rodriguez, a mercurial singer-songwriter whose story is told in the documentary Searching For Sugar Man, dies at 81.

2022-Olivia Newton-John dies at 73 after a long battle with breast cancer.

2020-Taylor Swift becomes the first artist to debut at #1 on both the Hot 100 and US albums chart when Folklore and its lead single, "Cardigan," both go to the top. Folklore is her seventh consecutive #1 album.

2017-Glen Campbell dies at 81 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

2013-"Cowboy" Jack Clement (writer and producer for Johnny Cash) dies of liver cancer at age 82 in Nashville, Tennessee.

2011-While on tour with Maroon 5 and Train, Gavin DeGraw is attacked by a group of men on a New York City street. He suffers a broken nose and is taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.

2007-Amy Winehouse overdoses on a mixture of alcohol, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine after a London pub crawl. Her hospitalization causes the cancellation of her first US tour. The singer refused her record company's request to enter rehab for alcohol abuse, inspiring her hit record "Rehab." She does eventually end up in a clinic, but never gets sober for good.

2004-There is a big stink when The Dave Matthews Band tour bus dumps its sewage into an Illinois river from the Kinzie Street bridge. An unfortunate group of tourists are doused with the waste, which hits their tour boat. The band was not on the bus, and their driver denied it until he was confronted with surveillance video.

2000-A class action lawsuit is filed against the major record labels, claiming that they kept CD prices high by punishing retailers who sold the discs for less than their "minimum advertised price." The case was eventually settled for $143 million, with 3.48 million claimants who bought CDs between January 1, 1995 and December 22, 2000 receiving checks for $13.86.

1999-It's a nu-metal moment at the Family Values Tour in Kansas City when Puddle Of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin sneaks backstage and slips a demo tape to Fred Durst's security guard. The Limp Bizkit leader gives it a listen and signs the band to his label, Flawless Records.

1994-The Notorious B.I.G. releases his debut solo single, "Juicy," built on a sample of the 1983 funk track "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume.

1992-Opening for Guns N' Roses at a show in Montreal, James Hetfield of Metallica is injured by the pyrotechnics, which burn the entire left side of his body. Metallica can't continue, and Guns N' Roses cut their set short after just 15 minutes when Axl Rose leaves the stage, upset over monitor problems. A near riot ensues at Olympic Stadium as fans are not pleased.

1992-Madness reunite for the first of two "Madstock" shows at Finsbury Park in London. 75,000 fans come out of the woodwork for the two shows; the reunion sticks and the band resumes touring. Madstock returns in 1994, 1996 and 1998.

1988-N.W.A., featuring Dr. Dre and Easy-E, release the Gangsta Rap classic Straight Outta Compton, which gets a lot of attention for its song "F--k Tha Police."

1987-U2 land their second American #1 as "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," from The Joshua Tree, goes to the top.

1986-After serving eight months of a five-year sentence in the Huntsville unit of the Texas State Prison, David Crosby gets out on parole. Crosby entered the facility after a series of arrests and failed attempts at drug rehab. He later says that going to prison saved his life, as it forced him to get sober.

1983-Harold Melvin and three members of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes are arrested for cocaine, marijuana, and meth possession at Caesars Boardwalk Regency Hotel Casino in Atlantic City.

Olivia Newton-John Stars In Box-Office Bomb Xanadu
1980-The fantasy musical Xanadu, starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, debuts to scathing reviews ("In a word, Xana-don't.") and inspires the Golden Raspberry Awards for the worst films of the year. But it has a killer soundtrack thanks to "Magic."

1976-JC Chasez (of 'N Sync) is born Joshua Scott Chasez in Washington, D.C.

1976-Drew Lachey (of 98 Degrees) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1975-Hank Williams Jr. nearly meets his doom when he falls 500 feet down Ajax Mountain in Montana. He survives, but with some facial scars he will often cover with a hat, beard, and sunglasses.

1975-Jazz alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley dies of a stroke at age 46 in Gary, Indiana.

1974-Richard Nixon says he will be resigning as president of the United States. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, on tour in New Jersey, announce the news from the stage before playing their anti-Nixon song "Ohio."

1973-Creed frontman Scott Stapp is born in Orlando, Florida. Raised in a very religious household, his faith informs songs like "Higher" and "My Own Prison." He goes through periods of addiction and depression as he struggles to reconcile his Christian values with rock stardom.

1970-The Stooges fire bass player Dave Alexander after he forgets how to play the songs at their Goose Lake International Music Festival performance in Michigan. It's the last Stooges show with their original lineup, as Alexander dies in 1975 at 27 after years of alcoholism.

1970-Enjoying some libations at a nearby bar before her concert at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, Janis Joplin writes the song "Mercedes Benz," which she sings that night. Joplin does just one more show before her death.

1970-Creedence Clearwater Revival releases "Lookin' Out My Back Door."

1970-Blood, Sweat & Tears' Blood Sweat & Tears 3 LP hits #1.

1969-The Beatles shoot the photo for their Abbey Road album cover at the crosswalk outside Abbey Road studios, where they are recording. Fans find many nested clues in the shot of the four band members walking in stride across the street, fuelling rumors that Paul McCartney is dead.

1966-The Beatles release Revolver, which contains the psychedelic "Tomorrow Never Knows" and the bitter "Taxman."

1966-The Beatles release "Eleanor Rigby" on a double A-side single with "Yellow Submarine."

1962-Rapper Kool Moe Dee is born Mohandas Dewese in New York City, New York.

1961-Rikki Rocket (drummer for Poison) is born Richard Allan Ream in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

1961-David Evans is born in East London. He later becomes The Edge as a member of U2.

1960-Decca Records in England refuses to release Ray Peterson's latest single, "Tell Laura I Love Her," going so far as to throw away 25,000 pressings of the teen-tragedy song, which they feel is "too tasteless and vulgar for the English sensibility." A cover by Ricky Valance proves them wrong by going straight to #1. (The grisly song, in which a stock-car driver mutters the title words before he dies, ironically only reaches #7 in America.)

1960-Brian Hyland's "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" hits #1, where it stays for one week.

1958-Bing Crosby and his second wife, Kathryn, have their first child together: Harry Lillis Crosby III (Harry is Bing's real first name). Crosby had a total of seven children - six boys and one girl.

1958-Chris Foreman (guitarist for Madness) is born in London, England.

1957-Dennis Drew (keyboardist for 10,000 Maniacs) is born in Jamestown, New York.

1956-Alister "Ali" Score (drummer for A Flock Of Seagulls) is born in Beverley, Yorkshire, England.

1953-Les Paul and Mary Ford's "Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)" hits #1 in America.

1950-Vocalist/guitarist Andy Fairweather Low (of Amen Corner) is born in Ystrad Mynach, Wales, United Kingdom. Also sang backing vocal's for The Who's Who Are You.

1949-Airrion Love (of The Stylistics) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1949-Keith Carradine, known for his starring role in the 1975 film Nashville, where he performs his song "I'm Easy," is born in San Mateo, California. In 1984 he plays the director in Madonna's "Material Girl" music video.

1944-Country/Pop singer Michael Johnson is born in Alamosa, Colorado.

1942-John "Jay" David (drummer for Dr. Hook) is born in Bayonne, New Jersey.

1941-Les Brown and his Band of Renown record "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio."

1939-Baritone singer Phil Balsley (of The Statler Brothers) is born in Staunton, Virginia.

1938-Actress/singer Connie Stevens is born in Brooklyn, New York. Had a #3 hit with "Sixteen Reasons" in 1960.

1933-Southern Soul singer Joe Tex is born Joseph Arrington Jr. in Rogers, Texas.

1932-Country singer Mel Tillis is born in Dover, Florida. Known for the hits "I Ain't Never," "Good Woman Blues," and "Coca-Cola Cowboy."

1926-Jazz trombonist Urbie Green is born in Mobile, Alabama.

1923-A fourteen-year-old clarinet player named Benny Goodman lands his first professional gig, playing for a cruise ship operating on Lake Michigan near Chicago.

1923-Blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon is born in Gurdon, Arkansas.

1921-Country singer Webb Pierce is born in West Monroe, Louisiana. Known for the popular 1955 cover "In the Jailhouse Now."

1907-Jazz musician Benny Carter is born in Harlem, New York.

1857-Composer/pianist Cécile Chaminade is born in Paris, France.

[Bikkie]

1908-US 'Great White Fleet' arrives in Auckland
Sixteen American battleships arrived in New Zealand with much pomp and ceremony.


George Nepia, 1928
1930
George Nepia plays last All Blacks test
Nepia was one of the stars of the 1924-5 All Blacks, playing in all 32 matches on the team's tour of the British Isles, France and Canada. He played the last of his nine tests in 1930, against the British Lions.

Cromwell Divides England
1655 -Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell divides England into 11 districts

Cook Reaches the Bering Straits
1778 -Captain James Cook reaches Cape Prince of Wales, Bering Strait


1790 -Robert Gray's Columbia Rediviva returns to Boston after a 3-year journey as the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe

1803- First horses arrive in Hawaii

Fulton's Steamboat Sinks
1803- Robert Fulton tests his steamboat on the River Seine in France, but it sinks

1831 First US steam engine train runs from Albany to Schenectady, NY

1841 Erie boat in Buffalo, NY, catches fire, killing 242 people
TY Cobb Family Tragedy
1905- Ty Cobb's mother, Amanda, kills her husband after mistaking him for a burglar

1907 -First Boy Scout camp concludes on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, southern England

1918- Cincinnati Reds manager Christy Mathewson suspects Hal Chase of taking bribes to fix games and suspends him for "indifferent play"



Music History

2023-Robbie Robertson of The Band dies at 80.

2021-Jason Isbell becomes the first major artist to require proof of COVID vaccination or a current negative test to attend his shows. "I'm all for freedom, but I think if you're dead, you don't have any freedoms at all," he says.

2010-Blues bassist Calvin "Fuzz" Jones dies of complications from lung cancer and a heart attack at age 84 in Southaven, Mississippi.

2008-In an interview with the Calgary Herald, Full House actor Dave Coulier claims he's the subject of his ex-girlfriend Alanis Morissette's hit 1995 song "You Oughta Know." Morissette won't confirm or deny the mystery man's identity, but tells Entertainment Weekly: "Fifty-five people can take credit for that song, and I'm always curious about why they're doing it. But Dave is the most public about it."

2007-Mark Marush, saxophonist for the Fabulous Wailers, dies.

2006-Christina Aguilera issues her first album in four years, Back To Basics. With a retro sound, it harks back to boogie-woogie of the 1940s with tracks like "Ain't No Other Man" (a tribute to her new husband) and "Candyman." It goes to #1, her first to do so since her 1999 debut.

Nickelback Release "Photograph"
2005-Nickelback release "Photograph," the first single from their album All The Right Reasons. Inspired by a drunken snapshot, the song is about Chad Kroeger's memories of growing up in a small town in Alberta.More

2003-Daron Malakian of System Of A Down plays in the annual Hollywood Stars Night celebrity baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Vexed by his teammates, he writes "Old School Hollywood," which appears on their next album, Mezmerize. One actor gets a specific mention: "Tony Danza cuts in line."

2002-Lisa Marie Presley marries actor Nicolas Cage, a union that lasts less than four months.

1997-In Sheffield, England, The Verve play their first show since their breakup two years earlier. The following month, they release their album Urban Hymns, which becomes one of the most successful in UK history.

1995-The original members of Kiss play together for the first time since 1980 when Peter Criss and Ace Frehley join the current band to record their MTV Unplugged special, which is later released as the album Kiss Unplugged. Not counting Ace Frehley's 1976 wedding, it also marks the only time the original members have performed without makeup. The appearance goes over so well that Criss and Frehley rejoin the band in 1996, replacing Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer. The subsequent outing becomes the top-grossing tour that year.

1995-Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead dies from a heart attack at age 53. His voice fills the airwaves as millions of Deadheads mourn

1994-Lynyrd Skynyrd release Endangered Species, their eight album.

1993-Lionel Richie finally divorces his first wife Brenda Harvey, who was his college sweetheart. After carrying on a secret relationship with Diane Alexander since 1986, it was only a matter of time. Richie married Alexander on December 21, 1995 and fathered two children, Miles Brockman and Sophia, before the pair split in 2004.

1991-The 5th Dimension are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

1988-Edie Brickell & New Bohemians release their debut album, Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars, the title a reference to their longshot chances of making it big. The first single is the easygoing, introspective "What I Am," which stands out from the dance music and hair metal on the charts and becomes a surprise hit.

1986-At the Knebworth Park Festival in England, Queen play their last concert with Freddie Mercury, who dies five years later. An audience of 120,000 hears them close out with "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions" and "God Save The Queen."

1985-Looking to capitalize on the success of the Motown 25 special, NBC debuts a variety series called Motown Revue, which is cancelled after a five-week run.

1983-22-year-old Thomas Reilly is shot and killed by a British soldier in Belfast. He was a friend of the band Spandau Ballet, and sold merch on their True tour. His death would inspire the band's song "Through The Barricades" and the Bananarama song "King Of The Jungle."

1978-Muddy Waters performs at the Carter White House.

1975-"Jive Talkin'" by the Bee Gees goes to #1 in the US, becoming their first disco chart-topper. It holds the position for two weeks.

1975-Composer/pianist Dmitry Shostakovich dies of lung cancer at age 68 in Moscow, Russia.

1974-Four members of the jazz-rock group Chase, including leader Bill Chase, are killed in a plane crash near Jackson, Minnesota. The group had a hit with "Get It On" in 1971.

1974-Gilbert O'Sullivan's "A Woman's Place/Too Bad" is released on the MAM label in the UK.

1972-Arion Salazar (bass guitarist for Third Eye Blind) is born in Oakland, California.

1969-Sly and the Family Stone release "Hot Fun In The Summertime."

1969-Three Dog Night releases "Easy To Be Hard."

1967-At England's National Jazz and Blues Festival in Sunberry, Jerry Lee Lewis is kicked off the stage after the overenthusiastic crowd responds to his set with a near-riot.

1963-Whitney Houston is born in Newark, New Jersey.

1963-The musical variety show Ready! Steady! Go! premieres in the UK with performances by The Searchers, Pat Boone and The Tremoloes. It becomes a showcase for top musical acts, running until 1966.

1961-The movie Come September, starring first-time actor Bobby Darin and his wife Sandra Dee, opens in theaters. The pair met on set and married after a whirlwind romance.

1959-Rapper Kurtis Blow is born Kurt Walker in The Bronx, New York.

1949-In New York, Louis Jordan records "Saturday Night Fish Fry," a #1 R&B hit for 12 weeks.

1947-Singer-songwriter Amanda McBroom is born.

1947-R&B/Soul singer Barbara Mason is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1946-Marinus "Rinus" Gerritsen (bassist, keyboardist for Golden Earring) is born in The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands.

1946-John Parry (trombonist for The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) is born.

1944-Vivian "Viv" Prince (drummer for The Pretty Things) is born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England.

1939-Billy Henderson, a founding member of The Spinners, is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1934-Country singer-songwriter Merle Kilgore is born in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Co-wrote "Ring of Fire" with June Carter Cash.

[Bikkie]

Fall of Nineveh
612 BC Fall of Nineveh to the Babylonians and the forces of Medes, leads to the sack of one of the greatest cities in the world, the destruction of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and the death of King Sinsharishkun [date approximate]

Romans Capture Jerusalem
70 Second Temple in Jerusalem set on fire by Roman army under Titus during the capture of the city (approx)

991 Battle of Maldon: English, led by Earl Byrhtnoth, confront a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon in Essex. The battle and the English defeat are immortalized in the well-known Old English poem "The Battle of Maldon."

1316 Second Battle of Athenry, Anglo-Norman victory over Gaelic clan alliance
1346 Majorcan explorer Jaume Ferrer sets sail to find the legendary "river of gold" along the West African coast and disappears without a trace

Cabot's Tales of Asia
1497 Explorer John Cabot tells King Henry VII of his trip to "Asia"

Treaty of Nonsuch
1585 English Queen Elizabeth I signs Treaty of Nonsuch: Aid for Netherlands

The Sinking of the Vasa
1628 Swedish warship Vasa sinks in Stockholm, killing 30

US Declaration Reaches London
1776 News of the United States Declaration of Independence reaches London during the American Revolutionary War


Eine kleine Nachtmusik
1787 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completes his chamber piece "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" (A Little Serenade)

1840
A race to Akaroa?
HMS Britomart arrived at Akaroa, on Banks Peninsula, a week before a shipload of French colonists landed there. The Britomart's captain raised the Union Jack to confirm the British claim to sovereignty over the area.

1876 First phone call between Brantford and Paris, Canada

Battle of the Big Hole
1877 Battle of the Big Hole: US Army led by Colonel John Gibbon fights the Nez Perce led by Chief Joseph and Looking Glass in Montana; both sides suffer heavy casualties, causing the Nez Perce to continue their long fighting retreat



Music History


2020-Split Enz hit #1 in their native New Zealand with the 40th anniversary reissue of their album True Colours, knocking off Folklore by Taylor Swift, who was born nine years after the album was first released.

2016-Chance the Rapper takes the #SoGoneChallenge, posting a video where he raps about his pregnant girlfriend (who is taking the video) over the track to Monica's 2003 hit "So Gone." It is quickly retweeted over 250,000 times and the challenge goes viral, with Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart and Dwayne Wade joining in.

2013-Singer Eydie Gorme dies six days before her 85th birthday. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Steve Lawrence, and a son, composer David Nessim Lawrence.

2013-Jody Payne (guitarist for Willie Nelson's band, The Family) dies of cardiac problems at age 77 in Stapleton, Alabama.

2012-Insane Clown Posse takes exception to the FBI naming their fans, collectively known as "Juggalos," as a criminal gang in the FBI's "2011 National Gang Threat Assessment Report." At the annual Gathering of the Juggalos event in Illinois, they announce intentions to sue the FBI. Despite this, the FBI continues to list Juggalos as an organized gang in later years.

2012-The bands Kiss and Motley Crue donate $100,000 together to the families of the victims of the Aurora, Colorado, "Dark Knight" shooting. The massacre occurred Friday, July 20 at a movie theater showing The Dark Knight Rises. James Eagan Holmes burst into the theater with guns blazing, killing 12 and wounding 58. The story rocks the United States and the ensuing trial of shooter Holmes, who was inspired by the actions of The Joker, a famed villain in the Batman franchise played by Heath Ledger, is to generate top headlines for many months yet.

2008-Soul singer/actor Isaac Hayes dies of a stroke in Shelby County, Tennesee, 10 days before his 66th birthday.

2007-Jon Foreman, frontman of Switchfoot, announces the band have left Columbia Records. Switchfoot goes on to create their own record label, lowercase people records.

2007-Laura Marling shares the stage with other Indie artists like Crystal Castles and Mystery Jets at the first-ever Underage Festival in Victoria Park, London. The festival, which grew out of a series of club nights in the Elephant and Castle district of South London, is open only to 13-17 year olds. At 17, Marling fits right in.

2006-R&B singer-songwriter Barbara George dies of a lung infection, paired with a history of liver disease and Hepatitis C, at age 63 in Chauvin, Louisiana. Known for the 1961 hit "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)."

2005-The Rolling Stones build a buzz for their A Bigger Bang tour with a surprise warm-up show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, which holds about 1,000 people. Tickets are just $10, but many had to wait in line many hours to get them after hearing rumors of the show.

2004-The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts confirms that he is undergoing treatment for throat cancer, which eventually goes into remission.

1997-Rush drummer Neil Peart loses his 19-year-old daughter Selena to a car accident. A year later, Selena's mother Jackie (Peart's common-law wife) dies of cancer, leading Peart to take a long sabbatical from the band where he rides his motorcycle across North America.

1996-Oasis play the first of two shows at Knebworth, England. One in 20 of the UK's population applies for a ticket, and the band plays to 125,000 people per night in what are the biggest gigs of the Britpop era.

1993-Ed Roberts (of Ruby & the Romantics) dies of cancer at age 57.

1987-Wilson Pickett is found guilty of threatening patrons at a New Jersey bar with a loaded shotgun after a brawl inside the club. He is given two years' probation and fined $1000.

1987-Wilson Pickett is found guilty of threatening patrons at a New Jersey bar with a loaded shotgun after a brawl inside the club. He is given two years' probation and fined $1000.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Release Debut Album
1984-Red Hot Chili Peppers release their self-titled debut album, an arduous collaboration with producer Andy Gill of the British rock band Gang of Four.

1985-While taking part in a yacht race, Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon is trapped along with five other team members after his boat capsizes. The British coast guard scrambles to rescue the stricken crew, and after repairs to its keel the vessel goes on to take third place in the 1985/86 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.

1977-Aaron Kamin (lead guitarist for The Calling) is born in Studio City, California.

1976-Elton John begins a record-breaking 10-night run of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1975-The vocal group The Manhattan Transfer debut a summer replacement series on CBS, simply called Manhattan Transfer. The variety show runs for four weeks.

1974-Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love" hits #1 in America, becoming the first song produced solo by a woman to top the chart. Flack produced it herself under the name Rubina Flake.

1974-John Denver's album Back Home Again hits #1 in America.

1972-Paul and Linda McCartney are arrested backstage in Gothenburg, Sweden, for possession of six ounces of marijuana, which was mailed to them by someone in McCartney's office who thought they would like some weed on the road. The couple are released after paying a combined fine of $1,200.

1969-Maurine Dallas Watkins - author of the book Chicago - dies from lung cancer at age 72.

1968-R&B singer Michael "Biv" Bivins (of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1968-The Who release "Magic Bus."

1968-Cream's Wheels Of Fire album hits #1 in the US.

1967-Guitarist Todd Nichols (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1966-Sandy Posey records "Single Girl."

1964-On his way to visit two injured fans in Liverpool, England, Mick Jagger is pulled over and fined 32 pounds for speeding and driving without insurance.

1964-Rapper/singer/songwriter Neneh Cherry is born in Stockholm, Sweden.

1963-Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips (Part 2)" becomes the first live recording to hit #1 in the US. It holds the position for three weeks.

1961-INXS drummer Jon Farriss is born in Perth, Western Australia. His brothers Tim and Andrew are also in the band.

1959-The four male singers in The Platters are arrested in Cincinnati for aiding and abetting prostitution. They are acquitted of the charges, but the incident strains relations with their female singer Zola Taylor and gets them removed from some playlists.

1948-R&B/Pop/Jazz singer Patti Austin is born in Harlem, New York.

1946-Mick Clarke (bass player/vocalist for the Rubettes) is born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England.

1943-Singer-songwriter James Griffin (of Bread) is born Cincinnati, Ohio.

1940-Bobby Hatfield (of The Righteous Brothers) is born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

1928-Country singer/musician Jimmy Dean is born in Plainview, Texas.

1928-Singer Eddie Fisher is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1909-Inventor Leo Fender, who founded Fender Musical Instruments, is born in Anaheim, California.

1899-Scott Joplin signs a contract for a royalty of 1% per copy, with a minimum sales price of $.25, for "The Maple Leaf Rag."

1880-Composer/violinist Clarence Cameron White is born in Clarksville, Tennessee.

[Bikkie]

Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar
3114 BC 3114-08-11 BCE is traditionally considered the start date of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, used by several pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, notably the Mayans

1093- Foundation stone for the new Norman Durham cathedral laid by Bishop William of St. Calais in England

1304- Sea Battle of Zierikzee: Franco-Holland forces defeat the Flemish fleet

1378- London's Westminster Abbey is desecrated when Robert Hauley is murdered during High Mass attempting to seek sanctuary after escaping the Tower of London. The Abbey is closed for four months. [1]
Defiance in the Hundred Years' War

1415- Henry V of England and an army of 12,000 sail from Southampton, England, bound for France on a campaign to reassert English sovereignty [1]

$100,000 Raised for Statue of Liberty
1885- $100,000 is raised in the US for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty

Green Bay Packers Founded
1919- Green Bay Packers football club is founded by George Calhoun and Curly Lambeau and is named after sponsor Indian Packing Company



Music History

2012-Geto Boys reunite at the 12th annual Gathering Of The Juggalos.

2011-Go-Go's receive the 2,444th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. It is located where the legendary punk club The Masque used to stand. Go-Go's frequently played this club during their early years.

2011-Warrant lead singer Jani Lane dies at age 47 after a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.

2009-Train get back on track, releasing "Hey Soul Sister," their first hit since "Calling All Angels" in 2003. It becomes the top-selling song of 2010 on iTunes.

2009-Lady Antebellum release "Need You Now," a song about drunk dialing. A huge crossover hit, it goes to #1 on the Country chart, #2 on the Hot 100, and sells 9 million digital downloads.

2008-Noah and the Whale debut Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down is released on the Mercury/Vertigo label. Laura Marling, who was a member of the band at the time of recording but soon left to focus on her solo career, is featured as a vocalist on the album. Fellow Indie-Folk artist Emmy the Great also contributes vocals to the album.

2008-The Canadian singer Feist appears on Sesame Street, where she turns her song "1234" into a lesson in counting. It becomes one of the most popular music segments on the show, and far more popular than the original.

2007-"Beautiful Girls," the debut single for 17-year-old Sean Kingston, goes to #1 in America, making him the first artist born in the '90s to land a #1 hit.

2006-Singer/talk show host Mike Douglas dies suddenly on his 86th birthday after a bout of dehydration in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

2004-Vanessa Williams and her basketball-player husband Rick Fox get divorced.

2003-Phish bass player Mike Gordon is arrested backstage at a Grateful Dead concert in Jones Beach after he is found taking photos of a 9-year-old girl. He is later cleared of the charges, and the girl's parents agree that it was an "unfortunate misunderstanding."

2000-Madonna gives birth to her second child, Rocco. The father is Guy Ritchie, director of the films Snatch and Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.

1999-Kiss are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1997-Backstreet Boys release their second album, Backstreet's Back, in international markets. It tops the charts in several countries, including Canada, Spain and Germany. In America, some of the songs appear on their next album, Millennium, in 1999.

1997-Sonny West, Red West, Lamar Fike and Marty Lacker, four of the biggest members of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia," recall the King in a one-time-only webchat.

1996-Mel Taylor (drummer for The Ventures) dies of lung cancer at age 62 in Los Angeles, California.

1995-Dangerous Minds, starring Michelle Pfeiffer as an inner-city schoolteacher, debuts in US theaters. The movie's soundtrack tops the Billboard albums chart thanks to its lead single, Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise."

1993-Soundgarden play the Civic Auditorium in Rapid City, South Dakota, their first show on an 8-date trek with headliner Neil Young and opener Blind Melon. These dates end up being Soundgarden's only live performances of the year.

1992-The Mall of America opens in Bloomington, Minnesota, with Ray Charles performing "America The Beautiful."

1989-Bruce Springsteen joins Ringo Starr onstage at a concert in New Jersey, where they perform "Get Back," "Long Tall Sally," "Photograph" and "With A Little Help From My Friends."

1987-LL Cool J's second album, Bigger And Deffer, goes Platinum, making him the first rap solo act to hit that mark.

1987-Rolling Stone magazine declares The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band the best album of the last 20 years.

1986-The Monkees, on a reunion tour, have an amazing six albums on the Billboard 200. The highest is The Monkees at #92.

1985-J-Boog (of B2K) is born Jarell Damonte Houston in Compton, California.

1982-Donna Summer has her first daughter, Amanda Grace Sudano, with husband Bruce Sudano.

1980-Johnny Cash sings a duet of "Jackson" with Miss Piggy on The Muppet Show. He also gets under the fur of Rowlf the dog with his song "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog."

1978-Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly of Kris Kross is born in Atlanta, Georgia. The rap duo becomes known for their hit "Jump" and for wearing their clothes backwards, a look they call "totally krossed out."

Keith Moon Shows His Dark Side In A Moment Of Lunacy1976
Keith Moon trashes a hotel room - no surprise there. But this time The Who drummer is hospitalized after beating up his room at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami

1976-With the help of some weed and tequila, Neil Young records an album's worth of songs in a single evening at Indigo Ranch Recording Studio in Malibu, California. Featuring "Pocahontas" and "Powderfinger," the album is buried by record executives until September 8, 2017, when it's released under the title of Hitchhiker.

1973-Rather than join Paul McCartney in traveling to Nigeria to record the band's latest album, Band On The Run, Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell both quit Wings, forcing Paul, wife Linda, and Denny Laine to record the album as a trio.

1973-At a dance party in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc plays a set with lots of instrumental breaks that his friend MCs over, marking what many consider the beginning of hip-hop.

American Graffiti Revives '50s Music
1973-The first big oldies revival kicks off in earnest as George Lucas' new film, American Graffiti, opens in theaters. Set in 1962, the film creates a wave of nostalgia for songs from the '50s and early '60s.More

1973-The Edgar Winter Group releases "Free Ride."

1972-The mayor of San Antonio, Texas, declares today "Cheech and Chong Day" after the popular comedy duo, although neither was born anywhere near the city.

1970-Jimmy Buffett releases his debut album, Down To Earth, a folk-rock collection that includes "The Captain and the Kid" - a song written in honor of his late grandfather. The album sells just 374 copies.

1970-DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad (of A Tribe Called Quest) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1969-Motown Records introduces their new signing, The Jackson 5, to tastemakers and industry types at a party in Beverly Hills hosted by Diana Ross. The group lives up to the hype, becoming one of the top acts of 1970.

1969-Deep Purple record "Speed King" in Studio 2 at the Aeolin Hall. It is aired six days later on Symonds On Sunday.

1968-Guitarist/singer/songwriter Charlie Sexton is born in San Antonio, Texas.

First Beatles Movie Opens In America
1964-With Beatlemania at a fever pitch, the group's first movie, A Hard Day's Night, debuts in America.

1964-The Who, temporarily known as the High Numbers, take the stage at Harrow, England's Railway Hotel, but not before lead singer Roger Daltrey is involved in a fistfight with his father-in-law just outside.

1962-Tony Bennett releases "Once Upon A Time" b/w "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." When DJs begin flipping over the record and playing the b-side, "San Francisco" climbs to #19 on the charts and eventually wins Bennett Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance.

1962-Mary Wells releases "You Beat Me To The Punch."

1962-Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1962-Bragi Ólafsson (bassist for The Sugarcubes) is born in Reykjavík, Iceland.

1958-Elvis Presley's "Hard Headed Woman" is certified Gold.

1956-Richard Goodman and Bull Buchanan, recording as Buchanan and Goodman, enter the charts with "Flying Saucer," the first song to use what's called the "Break In" technique, dropping in bits of other hit songs throughout. The song eventually peaks at #3.

1954-Singer/musician Joe Jackson is born David Ian Jackson in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England.

1954-Guitarist Bryan Bassett (of Wild Cherry) is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1952-Hank Williams' membership in the Grand Ole Opry is revoked because of his drinking problem and no-shows. He dies four months later.

1950-Eric Braunn (guitarist for Iron Butterfly) is born Rick Davis in Pekin, Illinois.

1949-Eric Carmen (of The Raspberries) is born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1948-Bill Hurd (pianist/organist for the Rubettes) is born in East Ham, East London, England.

1943-Songwriter Kenny Gamble is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Co-wrote a string of popular Soul hits with Leon Huff, including "If You Don't Know Me By Now," "Back Stabbers" and "Me and Mrs. Jones."

1943-Saxophonist Denis Payton (of The Dave Clark Five) is born in Walthamstow, North London, England.

1943-Jim Kale (bassist for The Guess Who) is born Michael James Kale in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1942-Mike Hugg (of Manfred Mann) is born in Gosport, Hampshire, England.

1942-Guy Villari (of The Regents - the original "Barbara Ann" singers) is born in The Bronx, New York.

1939-Rockabilly guitarist Ronnie Dawson is born in Dallas, Texas. He makes a name on the local scene in the '50s and '60s but becomes much more visible during the rockabilly resurgence of the '90s.

1937-Shel Talmy, who produces the first Who album and much of the early Kinks output, is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1925-Singer/talk show host Mike Douglas is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1922-Ron Grainer, composer of the "Doctor Who Theme," is born in Queensland, Australia.

[Bikkie]

3 Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on August 12, 3 BC, a popular theory for the biblical "Star of Bethlehem"

1323 Treaty of Nöteborg between Sweden and Novgorod (Russia) regulates the border for the first time1332 Battle of Dupplin Moor: Scottish dynastic conflict

King Bans Wool Exports
1336 English King Edward III bans wool export to Flanders and later grants a company of merchants a monopoly on selling wool in attempt to maximise taxes


Columbus Arrives in Canary Islands
1492 Christopher Columbus arrives in the Canary Islands on his first voyage to the New World


1658 First American police force forms in New Amsterdam
1676 First war between American colonists and Indigenous peoples ends in New England

Event of Interest
1812 Duke of Wellington's troops enter Madrid, Spain


General, Statesman and British Prime Minister
Arthur Wellesley

Robert Southey Poet Laureate
1813 Robert Southey is appointed British Poet Laureate by King George III

1816-New Zealand’s first mission school opens
The simple building measured about 10m x 6m and included an area for Māori students to sleep and a cordoned-off platform for teachers and Pākehā studen

Historic Invention
1851 American inventor Isaac Singer patents his famous sewing machine

Morgan Captures Gallatin
1862 Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and his raiders capture Gallatin, Texas

1st Antiseptic Surgery
1865 British surgeon Joseph Lister performs the first antiseptic surgery using carbolic spray on instruments and bandages

Thomas Edison's Phonograph
1877 To his amazement, Thomas Edison records himself reciting "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on his newly completed cylinder phonograph, a device that records sound onto tinfoil cylinders [1]

1879 First National Archery Association tournament in Chicago

Dolls in miniature hat boxes were reputedly sold as souvenirs during Minnie Dean's trial
1895
Winton baby-farmer Minnie Dean hanged
In 1895 Southland’s Williamina (Minnie) Dean became the first – and only – woman to be hanged in New Zealand. Her story exposed the stark realities of paid childcare and the lack of choice for many women in this period.

Spain Declares War Against the United States
1898 Peace protocol ending the Spanish–American War is signed

1st Model T Car
1908 Ford Motor Company builds its first Model T car, which Henry Ford himself tests on a hunting trip to Wisconsin and Northern Michigan

Douglass' Home Made National Shrine
1922 Dedication of Frederick Douglass' home in Washington, D.C. as a national shrine



Music History

2023-At Yankee Stadium, Jonas Brothers kick off their Five Albums, One Night tour with a 66-song setlist.

2015-Elvis Presley is granted the honor of a second postage stamp bearing his likeness (the first was introduced in 1993). This one features a black-and-white photograph by William Speer of Elvis in 1955 and is part of the Music Icon series that began in 2013.

2015-66-year-old Billy Joel becomes a father for the second time when his fourth wife, Alexis, gives birth to a baby girl, Della Rose.

2014-Lauren Bacall, the last living film star mentioned in Madonna's song "Vogue," dies at age 89.

2009-Les Paul, a popular electric guitarist whose inventions and techniques were key to the development of the instrument, dies of complications from pneumonia at age 94.

2008-The man who shot and killed John Lennon, Mark David Chapman, is denied parole for the fifth time.

2008-Metallica release "The Day That Never Comes," the lead single from their ninth studio album, Death Magnetic.

Jonas Brothers Debut At #1
2008-The Jonas Brothers' A Little Bit Longer, featuring the hit single "Burning Up," debuts at #1 in America.More

2001-Shania Twain and her husband/producer Mutt Lange welcome a baby boy, Eja (pronounced "Asia").

1999-The Kiss-produced movie Detroit Rock City, the story of fans on their way to a Kiss concert, opens nationwide.

1997-MTV debuts the Fleetwood Mac reunion concert The Dance, marking the first time the five had been on stage together since 1982.

1997-Blues guitarist Luther Allison dies of cancer at age 57 in Madison, Wisconsin.

1997-Backstreet Boys issue their self-titled debut album in America, where it goes on to sell over 14 million copies. The album was released to international markets a year earlier.

1996-In Buffalo, New York, Radiohead start a run of 13 shows opening for Alanis Morissette. They use their time to road test songs like "No Surprises" and "Paranoid Android," which appear on their next album, OK Computer.

1996-With ska booming in America, Time magazine runs an article titled "It's a Ska World After All." Sublime, No Doubt and 311 all have albums on the chart.

1994-Woodstock 2 - officially "Woodstock '94" - begins in Saugerties, New York, with Sheryl Crow, Todd Rundgren and Violent Femmes performing. The festival is a success, drawing a crowd of about 350,000.

1992-Composer John Cage dies of a stroke at age 79 in Manhattan, New York.

1991-Metallica release their fifth album, which is self-titled but commonly known as The Black Album. It goes to #1 in eight countries, including America, where it sells 16 million copies. Songs include "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters."

1989-The Rolling Stones play a surprise set at the 700-capacity Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut, 19 days before the official start of their Steel Wheels Tour.

1989-The Rolling Stones play a surprise set at the 700-capacity Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut, 19 days before the official start of their Steel Wheels Tour.More

1986-Allison Moorer and Shelby Lynne's father, Vernon Franklin Moorer, murders their mother (his wife) Lynn, then commits suicide.

1985-Singer/actor Kyu Sakamoto dies in the Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash at age 43.

1985-Neil Young releases Old Ways, his 14th studio album and one of the lowest-selling and least appreciated albums of his career.

1984-Lionel Richie performs his hit song "All Night Long (All Night)," with special lyrics written for the occasion, at the closing ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. One of his backing dancers is a young Cuba Gooding Jr.

1982-The "Performance Video" exhibition opens at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The exhibition, which explores how musicians present their work in "the shallow focal area directly in front of the video camera," includes the music videos for "Mickey" by Toni Basil and "Once In A Lifetime" by Talking Heads.

1978-After years on the road and substantial chart success, The Commodores finally get their first #1 hit with the Lionel Richie-penned ballad "Three Times a Lady," which is taken from their album Natural High. The single stays at #1 for two weeks.

1977-Three of Elvis Presley's former bodyguards (members of the "Memphis Mafia") release the book Elvis: What Happened?, which details his drug use for the first time. Four days later, Presley dies.

1974-Bad Company releases "Can't Get Enough."

1972-Alice Cooper is beloved in Britain, with "School's Out" hitting #1 in the UK for the first of three weeks.

1970-At Harvard, Janis Joplin performs what will be her final concert, ending with a version of Gershwin's "Summertime." She dies less than two months later at age 27 after overdosing on heroin.

1969-Singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram is born in Munster, West Germany.

1968-The New Yardbirds, later to be known as Led Zeppelin, begin their first rehearsal beneath a record store at 22 Gerrard Street in Westminster, London, performing a cover of the old Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio number "Train Kept A-Rollin'."

1967-Fleetwood Mac make their stage debut at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor, England, alongside such acts as Donovan, Cream, The Small Faces, and Chicken Shack, featuring a young Christine Perfect (later known as Christine McVie).

1966-At a Beatles press conference in Chicago to promote their American tour, the big topic is John Lennon's quote, "We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity." Lennon, clearly shaken by the controversy, explains: "I was pointing out that fact in reference to England - that we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion, at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down, I was just saying it as a fact."

1966-The Beatles begin the US leg of their last tour, playing a date at the International Amphitheater in Chicago, Illinois.

1963-Sir Mix-a-Lot, who likes big butts and cannot lie, is born Anthony Ray in Seattle, Washington.

1961-Roy Hay (guitarist/keyboardist for Culture Club) is born in Southend, Essex, England.

1958-On "compassionate leave" from the Army, Elvis Presley travels to Memphis' Baptist Memorial hospital to be by the side of his mother, Gladys, who is quickly deteriorating from acute hepatitis.

1958-The Crests record "Sixteen Candles."

1957-Encouraged by Roulette exec George Goldner and his recent success in England, Frankie Lymon officially leaves his group to pursue a solo career.

1957-Johnny Mathis releases his first #1 hit single, "Chances Are."

1954-Jazz guitarist/composer Pat Metheny (of the Pat Metheny Group) is born in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

1953-The Four Lads record "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)."

1950-August "Kid Creole" Darnell (of Kid Creole & the Coconuts) is born in The Bronx, New York.

1941-Pop singer Craig Douglas is born Terence Perkins in Newport, Isle of Wight, England. Known for his popular cover of Sam Cooke's "Only Sixteen."

1940-Country/Rockabilly singer Rod Bernard is born in Opelousas, Louisiana.

1940-Will Bradley records "Down The Road a Piece."

1929-Country singer-songwriter Buck Owens is born Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. in Sherman, Texas.

1927-Porter Wagoner is born in West Plains, Missouri. He becomes famous as a country singer and host of The Porter Wagoner Show, where he introduces Dolly Parton.

1926-R&B singer-songwriter Joe Jones is born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Known for the 1960 hit "You Talk Too Much."

1913-The Irving Berlin song "That International Rag" is copyrighted.

1958-On "compassionate leave" from the Army, Elvis Presley travels to Memphis' Baptist Memorial hospital to be by the side of his mother, Gladys, who is quickly deteriorating from acute hepatitis.

1958-The Crests record "Sixteen Candles."

1957-Encouraged by Roulette exec George Goldner and his recent success in England, Frankie Lymon officially leaves his group to pursue a solo career.

1957-Johnny Mathis releases his first #1 hit single, "Chances Are."

1954-Jazz guitarist/composer Pat Metheny (of the Pat Metheny Group) is born in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

1953-The Four Lads record "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)."

1950-August "Kid Creole" Darnell (of Kid Creole & the Coconuts) is born in The Bronx, New York.

1949-Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler is born in Glasgow, Scotland. The group earns a huge following in the '80s with hits like "Money For Nothing" and "Walk Of Life," but Knopfler puts them out to pasture in the '90s, preferring a less hectic lifestyle that includes scoring films like Wag The Dog and playing on albums for the likes of Nanci Griffith and Bryan Ferry.

1941-Pop singer Craig Douglas is born Terence Perkins in Newport, Isle of Wight, England. Known for his popular cover of Sam Cooke's "Only Sixteen."

1940-Country/Rockabilly singer Rod Bernard is born in Opelousas, Louisiana.

1940-Will Bradley records "Down The Road a Piece."

1929-Country singer-songwriter Buck Owens is born Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. in Sherman, Texas.

1927-Porter Wagoner is born in West Plains, Missouri. He becomes famous as a country singer and host of The Porter Wagoner Show, where he introduces Dolly Parton.

1926-R&B singer-songwriter Joe Jones is born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Known for the 1960 hit "You Talk Too Much."

1913-The Irving Berlin song "That International Rag" is copyrighted.


1975-John Walker breaks world mile record
John Walker became history’s first sub-3:50 miler, running 3:49.4 at Gothenburg, Sweden.

[Bikkie]

3114- BC August 13, 3114 BC, is the start of the Maya calendar according to the Lounsbury correlation


Eastward Hoe
1605- Controversial play "Eastward Hoe" by Ben Jonson, George Chapman, and John Marston premieres at the Blackfriars Theatre, London, landing two of the authors in prison for offending the King James I [date approximate]

Jamestown's First Days
1608 -John Smith's story of Jamestown's first days submitted for publication

Mars' South Polar Cap
1642- Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens discovers Mars's southern polar cap

French Royals Imprisoned
1792- Revolutionaries imprison French royals, including Marie Antoinette

1868- Earthquake kills 25,000 and causes $300 million of damage in Peru and Ecuador

Robert Hislop’s grave at Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland, 2014
1914
First fatal NZ casualty of the First World War
Sapper Robert Arthur Hislop was guarding the Parnell railway bridge in Auckland when he accidentally fell. He died from his injuries six days later, but it would take a century for Hislop to be officially recognized as the first New Zealand casualty of the Great War.




Music History

2024-Rocker Greg Kihn dies at 75 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. He had a hit with "Jeopardy" in 1983, and later became a novelist and also a longtime DJ on the San Francisco Bay Area radio station KFOX.

2022-Beyoncé's album Renaissance goes to #1 in America, making her the first female solo artist to have her first seven albums top the chart.

2017-David Bowie makes a posthumous appearance in the TV series Twin Peaks: The Return. The late singer, who made a cameo appearance as a deranged FBI agent in the cult classic's 1991 prequel, Fire Walk With Me, was supposed to return for the show's revival but died before filming. Director David Lynch used archive footage from the movie to bring Bowie to life in the episode.

2011-At the Indiana State Fair, tragedy strikes before a Sugarland performance when a gust of high wind blows off rigging, causing the stage to collapse on the crowd, killing five attendees and injuring dozens more. Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum, both of whom were scheduled to perform, cancel their appearances.

2009-Allen Shellenberger (drummer for Lit) dies of cancer at age 39 in Artesia, California.

2005-Francine Barker (the original Peaches of Peaches & Herb) dies after a long illness in Hyattsville, Maryland, at age 58.

2004-At the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Björk wears a dress that unfurls about 10,000 feet of fabric, which is stretched to cover the viewing area where a world map is then projected. All of this takes place while she sings "Oceania."

2003-Songwriter/producer Ed Townsend dies of a heart attack at age 74 in San Bernardino, California. He co-wrote Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."

1994-Day 2 of Woodstock '94 welcomes Irish rockers The Cranberries, who entertain the crowd with their forthcoming single "Zombie" and a rendition of the Carpenters' "(They Long to Be) Close to You." In a nod to his 1969 performance, original Woodstock veteran Joe Cocker revisits "With A Little Help From My Friends" on the more prestigious North Stage.

1993-Steely Dan, who broke up in 1981, re-form and begin a US tour at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Walter Becker explains: "We spent all the money from the last tour. We made $800 each and it's all gone now."

1993-The fantasy-comedy movie Heart and Souls premieres in US theaters. Star Robert Downey Jr. sings the US national anthem in the film, backed by B.B. King on guitar. King also performs his classic "The Thrill is Gone."

1991-Cypress Hill introduce a new strain of West Coast gangsta rap with the release of their self-titled debut album. The lead single is "How I Could Just Kill A Man," a song that deals with gang life in their stomping grounds of South Gate, California.

1990-While warming up for an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Curtis Mayfield is paralyzed when a lighting tower falls from the stage and onto his back. He remains a quadriplegic for the next nine years until his death in 1999.

1989-After floating down the Moskva River and passing Gorky Park, the Scorpions play the Moscow Music Peace Festival, inspiring their song "Wind Of Change."More

1988-Robert Smith of The Cure marries his childhood sweetheart, Mary Poole, at the Benedictine Monastery in Sussex, England. Poole appeared in the "Just Like Heaven" video and inspired the hit "Lovesong."

1982-Southern Soul singer Joe Tex dies of a heart attack at age 47 in Navasota, Texas.

1982-In response to plummeting record sales (which the industry blames on the sale of blank cassette tapes), major labels CBS, Atlantic, and Warner Brothers announce a series of major staff cuts.

1980-At his home in Woodstock, New York, Todd Rundgren and four guests are victims of an invasion when four masked men break in and strip it of anything valuable.

1977-Bachman-Turner Overdrive announce that the group is splitting up. They reunite five years later.

1975-Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play the first of five sold-out shows at The Bottom Line in New York City. The shows help establish Springsteen as a great live performer and draw national attention.
Lynyrd Skynyrd Release Debut Album

1973-Lynyrd Skynyrd release their debut album, Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd. It's an impressive set, containing the Skynyrd classics "Tuesday's Gone," "Simple Man" and "Free Bird."

1971-Saxophonist King Curtis dies at age 37 after being stabbed outside of his apartment in New York City. Known for his distinctive playing on The Coasters' "Yakety Yak."

1968-Soul singer Joe Hinton dies of skin cancer at age 38 in Boston, Massachusetts. Known for the popular cover "Funny How Time Flies Slips Away," written by Willie Nelson.

1967-A planned Joan Baez concert at Washington DC's Constitution Hall is canceled after the Daughters of the American Revolution protest her recent anti-war remarks concerning Vietnam.

1966-With some members of the media turning on The Beatles after John Lennon's comments that they are "more popular than Jesus" are published, the Texas radio station KLUE-AM holds the first "Beatles Bonfire," where people can burn their Beatles albums.

1966-The Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer In The City" hits #1 for the first of three weeks, becoming the first chart-topper with street sounds in the mix.

1966-Napoleon XIV's goofy breakup song "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-haaa" peaks at #3 on the Hot 100. It quickly drops to the bottom of the Top 40, however, as several radio stations ban the tune, fearing its lyrics might be interpreted as being insensitive to the mentally ill.

1965-The Beatles release the album Help! in the US. Along with the title track, it includes the hit "Ticket To Ride."

1965-Jefferson Airplane make their stage debut at San Francisco's new club The Matrix (3138 Fillmore). The group gets a record deal after receiving a positive review in the San Francisco Chronicle.

1964-The Supremes record "Baby Love" at Motown studios. The song is inspired by a girl who had the heart of Lamont Dozier, who wrote the song with Eddie and Brian Holland. This team of Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote most of the hits for the group.

1963-The Four Seasons sue their struggling first label, Vee Jay, for non payment of royalties and move to Mercury/Philips Records. This would be the first of a long line of incidents that would doom the label.

1963-Elvis Presley's Girls! Girls! Girls! album is certified Gold.

1959-In Nashville, Brenda Lee records "Sweet Nothin's," a song about young love, appropriate as she's just 15.

1959-Danny Bonaduce (of The Partridge Family) is born in Broomall, Pennsylvania.

1952-Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton records the original version of "Hound Dog," later popularized by Elvis Presley.

1952-Guitarist/vocalist Hughie Thomasson (of Outlaws and Lynyrd Skynyrd) is born in Tampa, Florida.

1951-Dan Fogelberg is born in Peoria, Illinois.

1949-Cliff Fish (bass guitarist for Paper Lace) is born in Ripley, Derbyshire, England.

1940-Jim Sullivan is born in San Diego, California. His 1969 album U.F.O. will become a cult favorite after he disappears into the New Mexican desert in 1975.

1940-John Stokes (bass player for The Bachelors) is born in Dublin, Ireland.

1938-Robert Johnson, famous for his song "Crossroads," where he sings about making a deal with the Devil to attain his musical prowess, is poisoned during a gig in Greenwood, Mississippi. Most accounts claim the guy who owned the club put the poison in Johnson's whiskey bottle because Johnson was having an affair with his wife. He dies three days later at age 27.

1938-Pop/R&B musician Dave "Baby" Cortez is born David Cortez Clowney in Detroit, Michigan.

1930-Guy Lombardo records "Go Home And Tell Your Mother."

1930-Pop entertainer Don Ho is born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Known for the 1966 hit "Tiny Bubbles."

1924-Vernon Dalhart's "The Prisoner's Song" becomes the first country record to sell a million copies, a milestone for public acceptance of the genre.

1921-Bluesman Jimmy McCracklin is born in St. Louis, Missouri (or Helena, Arkansas, according to some sources). Known for the hits "The Walk" and "Just Got To Know."

1919-Jazz pianist George Shearing is born in Battersea, London, England. Composer of "Lullaby of Birdland."

[Bikkie]

1784 - A Russian fur trader founds Three Saints Bay, the first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska.

1893 - France becomes the first country to introduce motor vehicle registration plates.

1945 - An official announcement of Japan's unconditional surrender to the Allies at the end of World War II is made public. A formal surrender is signed two weeks later.

1947 - Pakistan is founded after British rule ends.



Music History

2019-Matt Healy of The 1975, an advocate for LGBQ rights, ventures into the crowd and kisses a male fan on the lips during a concert in Dubai, where homosexuality is illegal. "We're all human, right?," he says upon returning to the stage.

2017-Taylor Swift wins her lawsuit against David Mueller, a DJ at KYGO in Denver who was fired after Swift accused him of groping her at a photo session before her concert there in 2013. When Mueller sued Swift in 2015, she countersued for sexual assault. Swift, who in her hour of testimony said Mueller was "grabbing my ass against my will, underneath my skirt, and refusing to let go," is awarded $1 at her request. "My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard," she says.

2017-Pantone announces a new color: a purple hue in honor of Prince named after his famous symbol (Love Symbol #2).

Tent Toilet Trend Comes To A Head
2016-Nearing the end of a summer concert season where fans have been tailgating with improvised toilets, police in Mansfield, Massachusetts, warn they will not be tolerated at the upcoming Jimmy Buffett concert.More

2016-Former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist James Woolley, who played with the band from 1991-1994, falls from a ladder at his Illinois studio and dies from resulting neck injuries at age 49.


Obama Issues First Presidential Playlist
2015-The first presidential playlists are released. Barack Obama's selections include tracks by Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and John Legend.

2014-Police raid Cliff Richard's Berkshire, England estate, looking for evidence of an alleged sexual assault from 1985. He's in Portugal, but the BBC is tipped off and has reporters waiting and helicopter overhead. Richard is later exonerated and sues the BBC for invasion of privacy.

2013-Allen Lanier (keyboardist/rhythm guitarist for Blue Öyster Cult) dies of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D) in Manhattan, New York, at age 67.

2012-John Geils, former guitarist for the semi-retired J. Geils Band, files suit against the other band members to stop them from touring under his name... since he's left the band. The irony stings like bleach in a wound! Despite this move, the remaining members of the band say they'll tour anyway.

2010-Richie Hayward (drummer for Little Feat) dies of lung disease, while also struggling with liver cancer, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, at age 64.

2007-After finding success as a songwriter in Nashville (Billy Currington's "Good Directions," Travis Tritt's "My Honky Tonk History"), Luke Bryan releases his debut album, I'll Stay Me, at age 31.

2007-Amy Winehouse checks into rehab for the first time, entering the Causeway Retreat in Osea Island, England with her husband, Blake Fielder. They both start using again as soon as they get out.

2007-The High School Musical 2 soundtrack is released, going straight to #1 US its first week, when it sells about 615,000 copies. It closes out 2007 as the second-best seller of the year, moving nearly 3 million copies. Only Josh Groban's Christmas album Noël sells more.

2002-Guns N' Roses kick off their Chinese Democracy world tour with a show in Hong Kong. The album they are touring behind doesn't show up for another six years.

2001-Michelle Branch, 18, releases her breakthrough album The Spirit Room, with the hits "Everywhere" and "All You Wanted."

2000-Rage Against The Machine play a free protest concert in Los Angeles across the street from the Staples Center, where the Democratic National Convention is being held. After the show, police fire rubber bullets and use pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

2000-Nineteen-year-old Craig David releases his first album, Born To Do It, which debuts at #1 on the UK Albums chart and becomes the fastest-selling debut album by a British male solo act.

1999-Former teen idol Leif Garrett pleads guilty to drug possession in Los Angeles and is ordered into rehab.

1998-The "A Day in the Garden" festival (which lasts three days) kicks off in Bethel, New York, where the original Woodstock took place 29 years earlier. A mix of rock legends (Pete Townshend, Stevie Nicks) and new bands (Third Eye Blind, The Goo Goo Dolls) play the event.

1994-Bob Dylan, who refused an invitation to the original 1969 festival, performs on the last day of Woodstock '94, singing "It Ain't Me Babe," "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," "Masters Of War," "Just Like A Woman," and "Highway 61 Revisited" on the main North Stage. Over on the South Stage, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong wallops fistfuls of mud at fans and incites an all-out mudfight. Bassist Mike Dirnt gets his front teeth knocked out by a security guard in the chaos.

1994-Clifton Clowers, the real-life Tennessee mountain man who was the subject of Claude King's 1964 country smash "Wolverton Mountain," dies at the ripe old age of 101, still on the mountain (which is actually spelled "Woolverton"). Clowers apparently couldn't keep suitors away from his daughters as well as the legend suggested, as he leaves behind 15 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

1992-Tony Williams (of The Platters) dies of emphysema at age 64 in Manhattan, New York.

1992-Wayne Newton, with debts of over $20 million, files for bankruptcy. Newton made millions entertaining in Las Vegas, but made some bad investments in the '80s that led to the filing.

1991-The Commitments opens in limited release in the US. The film features all four Corrs in small parts, including the youngest, Andrea, in a speaking role as Sharon Rabbitte. While auditioning for the film, The Corrs connect with future manager John Hughes who helps the group hone their sound and eventually sign a deal with Atlantic Records for their debut album, Forgiven, Not Forgotten.

1991-Tony Orlando and his wife Francine become the proud parents of their first child, Jenny Rose.

1988-Bluesman Roy Buchanan dies of an apparent suicide (though friends and family dispute this) at age 48 in Fairfax, Virginia.

1988-Robert Calvert (frontman for Hawkwind) dies of a heart attack at age 43 in Ramsgate, England.

1988-John Mellencamp becomes a grandfather at age 37 when his 18-year-old daughter Michelle gives birth to a little girl named Elexis.

1987-Guns N' Roses kick off their first North American tour at a show in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They're the opening act for The Cult.

1987-Rap trio the Fat Boys star in the movie Disorderlies, where they play caretakers hired for their incompetence.

1983-Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone fractures his skull in a fight with Seth Macklin of the band Sub Zero Construction. The fight started when Ramone spotted Macklin with his girlfriend Roxy Whitney (she thinks they have an open relationship). Ramone is rushed to the hospital and undergoes brain surgery; Macklin is arrested and charged with assault.

1981-Four years after Elvis Presley's untimely death, a Memphis judge rules that his estate is no longer financially beholden to his manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker.

1976-Nick Lowe releases his debut solo single, "So It Goes."

1974-Paul Anka's "(You're) Having My Baby" is certified Gold.

1974-Drummer Neil Peart makes his debut with Rush at a show in Pittsburgh where they are the support act for Manfred Mann and Uriah Heep.

1971-Diana Ross gives birth to a daughter, Rhonda, whose father is Motown head Berry Gordy. She is raised by Diana and her husband, Robert Ellis Silberstein, and is 12 when she learns the true identity of her father.

1970-After being found crawling along a motel hallway in San Diego, California, incoherent and "combative," Stephen Stills is arrested for possession of cocaine and barbiturates. It's another setback for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, who don't tour again until 1974.

1970-Kevin Cadogan (guitarist for Third Eye Blind) is born in Oakland, California.

1969-It's the day before Woodstock, and thousands of people show up early and camp out.

1967-Britain's new Marine Broadcasting Offences Act goes into effect, forcing all but one of the country's famous "pirate" (i.e., unlicensed) radio stations off the air. Radio Caroline remains on the air for another six months or so.

1965-Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1965-The McCoys release "Hang On Sloopy."

1965-Doo-Wop tenor Charles Fizer (of The Olympics) is shot and killed during the Watts Riot in Watts, Los Angeles, at age 25.

1964-Johnny Burnette (lead singer of The Rock and Roll Trio), age 30, drowns in a boating accident in Clear Lake, California.

1960-Classical crossover soprano Sarah Brightman is born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England.

1959-The film A Private's Affair, starring Sal Mineo, premieres in New York City. It includes the song "The Same Old Army."

1956-Washington DC disc jockey Bob Rickman forms the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Elvis Presley after reading too many news articles that make him out to be a hick and/or a threat to society.

1956-Sharon Bryant (of Atlantic Starr) is born in Westchester County, New York.

1951-Guitarist Bob "Slim" Dunlap (of The Replacements) is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1947-Maddy Prior (lead singer for Steeleye Span) is born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

1946-Bass guitarist Larry Graham (of Sly and the Family Stone) is born in Beaumont, Texas.

1945-Steve Martin is born in Waco, Texas. Best known as a comedian and actor, he's also a renown banjo player, often performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers.

1942-Lionel Morton (lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist for The Four Pennies) is born Lionel Walmsley in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.

1941-David Crosby is born in Los Angeles. With The Byrds, he takes folk-rock to new heights; with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, he sets new standards in harmony vocals. Along the way, he has lots of (mostly drug-related mishaps) and in 1986 does five months in prison.

1941-Country singer Connie Smith, known for the 1964 hit "Once A Day," is born Constance June Meador in Elkhart, Indiana.

1940-Dash Crofts (of Seals and Crofts) is born Darrell Crofts in Cisco, Texas.

1926-Jazz singer/pianist Buddy Greco is born Armando Greco in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Recorded a popular cover of "The Lady Is a Tramp."

1924-Lyricist Lee Adams is born in Mansfield, Ohio. Known for his work with composer Charles Strouse, particularly Bye Bye Birdie.

1837-German composers Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck become secretly engaged.


1985-Three years after their duet "The Girl Is Mine," Paul McCartney advises Michael Jackson to invest in publishing. Jackson makes a winning bid of $47.5 million for the rights to over 250 Lennon-McCartney Beatles songs owned by ATV publishing, which turns out to be a great investment, but kills their friendship.

[Bikkie]

1881
First woman Master of Arts in British Empire graduates
Helen Connon was the first woman in the British Empire to gain her Master of Arts degree. Her academic career started with edcuation in Dunedin, New Zealand.



The Mayflower
1620 Mayflower sets sail from Southampton, England, with 102 pilgrims

1635 First recorded north American hurricane hits the Plymouth Colony

1824 Freed American slaves establish Liberia on the West African coast through the American Colonization Society (ACS)
1827 Race riots in Cincinnati, Ohio, are spurred by the city's threat to enforce restrictive residency requirements on Black residents; over 1,000 people (more than half of the Black population) leave, many bound for Canada

Lincoln Sends Reinforcements
1861 Abraham Lincoln orders Union reinforcements be sent to Missouri

1863 Confederate submarine "CSS H.L. Hunley" arrives in Charleston on railroad cars from Mobile, Alabama, where it is built

1864 US Civil War: CSS Tallahassee captures six Yankee schooners off the New England coast



Music History


2024-Great White lead singer Jack Russell dies of lewy body dementia at 63. The group was big in the '80s, with the MTV hit "Once Bitten, Twice Shy." In the 2010s, Russell broke from the band and led a different version called Jack Russell's Great White, which remained active until months before his death.

2012-Members of the metal band Baroness are injured when their tour bus falls off the road while traveling in England. Lead singer John Baizley's left arm is shattered and his left leg broken; drummer Allen Blickle and bass player Matt Maggioni each suffer spinal fractures. Baizley manages to keep his arm and resume his duties as frontman/guitarist, but Blickle and Maggioni leave the band.

2011-Lyricist Betty Thatcher (of Renaissance) dies of cancer in Hayle, Cornwall, England, at age 67.

2009-Rock musician Jim Dickinson (frontman for Mud Boy and the Neutrons) dies after triple-bypass heart surgery in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 67.

2009-On the first UK gig of their 360 tour, U2 breaks the Wembley Stadium Attendance record when 88,000 show up. Their "claw" set design allows more fans to fit in the stadium and breaks Rod Stewart's record of 83,000 set in 1995.

2008-Music producer Jerry Wexler dies of congestive heart failure in Sarasota, Florida, at age 91. Known for reviving Aretha Franklin's career in the '60s and producing Bob Dylan's Slow Train Coming album.

2007-The Osmonds reunite for the first time in over two decades to perform their 50th anniversary concert for PBS.

2005-Sly Stone comes out of a long seclusion to visit the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, where his little sister Vet headlines with the latest version of the Family Stone.

2005-Leonard Cohen files a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that his former manager, Kelley Lynch, mismanaged his retirement funds to the tune of at least $5 million. The fraudulent activities purportedly began during the five years Leonard spent away from his career in seclusion at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center.

2004-At their Coventry Festival in the group's home state of Vermont, Phish play what they say is their last show, ending with the song "The Curtain With." The breakup proves temporary: in 2009, the band gets back together.

2000-David Bowie's wife, the supermodel Iman, gives birth to their daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones. "The couple are overjoyed," says a spokesman for Bowie. "David assisted in the delivery and he cut the umbilical cord."

2000-The estate of Jimi Hendrix acquires jimihendrix.com, which was registered in 1996 by a domainer who is using it to sell email addresses (yourname@jimihendrix.com). This is one of many cases that rules against registrants who are squatting names of famous people.

1998-Pete Townshend, Joni Mitchell and Lou Reed, along with original Woodstock acts Richie Havens and Melanie, play Day 2 of the A Day In The Garden festival in Bethel, New York, where the 1969 festival took place. Mitchell closes her set with "Woodstock."

1996-A New York women's shelter refuses to take money raised by a recent benefit concert when they learn that one of the performers was James Brown, often accused of emotional and physical abuse of women.

"Macarena" Comes To America
1995-Spanish pop duo Los del Rio release the single "Macarena" in the US. Inspired by a beautiful flamenco dancer, the song lights a fire in Miami beach clubs and spreads across the country, igniting the '90s hottest dance craze.

1995-Garbage release their self-titled debut album, adding a much-needed female voice (Shirley Manson) to the alternative rock scene. Hits from the album include "Queer" and "Only Happy When It Rains."

1992-Reggae musician Jackie Edwards dies of a heart attack in Jamaica at age 54. Penned "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me" for The Spencer Davis Group.

1992-Boyz II Men and TLC, both on the 2 Legit 2 Quit tour opening for MC Hammer, claim the top two spots in the US with "End Of The Road" and "Baby-Baby-Baby." Both songs were written and produced by Babyface, L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons.

1991-Paul Simon gives a free concert in Central Park, much as he had in 1981 with partner Art Garfunkel. It airs live on HBO and eventually becomes the album Paul Simon's Concert In The Park.

1991-Nirvana play a concert at The Roxy Theater in Los Angeles, where they invite fans to attend the shoot for their first video, "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Hundreds of fans show up at the shoot, which takes place two days later; many are turned away.More

1990-The Verve perform in public for the first time, playing the Honeysuckle pub in Poolstock, near their hometown of Wigan, England.

1989-Joe Jonas of Jonas Brothers and DNCE is born in Casa Grande, Arizona.

1984-Rock 'n Roll musician Norman Petty dies of leukemia in Lubbock, Texas, at age 57. Petty is best known as Buddy Holly's recording engineer and first manager.

1983-Paul Simon marries Carrie Fisher, famous for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars series. Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels is Simon's best man; Penny Marshall is Fisher's maid of honor. Guests include Robin Williams, Billy Joel and his wife Christie Brinkley, Randy Newman and George Lucas. The couple split up a year later, but resume their relationship in less formal terms throughout much of the '80s.

"Endless Love" Begins 9-Week Run At #1
1981-"Endless Love," a duet between Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, tops the Hot 100 for the first of nine weeks. It's the theme song from a movie of the same name, starring Brooke Shields.More

1981-Pat Benatar spends the only week of her career at #1 on the US albums chart when Precious Time takes the top spot.

1980-George Harrison becomes the first Beatle to release an autobiography when his book I Me Mine is published.

1980-An unknown rock band called Black Rose open for Hall & Oates at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland. Audience members slowly realize that the lead singer is, in fact, Cher. Black Rose play a few more shows and release an album, but call it quits by the end of the year.

1979-Led Zeppelin release their eighth and final studio album, In Through The Out Door. It's the last album released by the band while drummer John Bonham is still alive.

1978-Tim Foreman (bassist for Switchfoot) is born in Lake Arrowhead, California.

1975-Rod Stewart releases his album Atlantic Crossing.

1973-Baltimore, Maryland, declares today "Cass Elliot Day" in honor of the native singer for The Mamas & The Papas.

1972-Michael "Mikey" Graham (of Boyzone) is born in Raheny, County Dublin, Ireland.

1971-Singer Thomas Wayne dies in a car accident in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 31. Known for the 1959 Rockabilly hit "Tragedy."

1969-Three Dog Night's self-titled LP is certified gold.

1969-It's Day 1 of the Woodstock festival on Max Yasgur's 60-acre farm in Bethel, New York (the festival was originally going to be in Woodstock, New York, so they kept the name). Day 1 doesn't have the biggest names, but massive crowds make it clear that something's happening here. Artists to appear this day include Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Tim Hardin and Arlo Guthrie.

1969-On the day Woodstock begins, Bob Dylan sails on the Queen Elizabeth 2 for the Isle of Wight in England. Fed up with the "druggies" who'd been showing up at his house at all hours, he wants nothing to do with Woodstock and opts instead to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival two weeks later.

1966-Bobby Darin records "If I Were A Carpenter."

1965-The Beatles play Shea Stadium in New York - home of The Mets - marking the first time a rock band headlines a stadium in America. With Beatlemania in full force, the screaming girls drown out the band in a less-than-intimate, but very memorable performance in front of a sold-out crowd of 56,000.

1964-Proving there is room to croon during the British Invasion, Dean Martin's "Everybody Loves Somebody" knocks The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" from the #1 spot on the Hot 100.

1964-After the massive success of The Beatles' first film, A Hard Day's Night, United Artists rushes to sign up-and-comers The Dave Clark Five to a film project entitled Catch Us If You Can (which was released in the US as Having A Wild Weekend).

1960-The 12,000-seat Cobo Arena opens in Detroit. It's home to the NBA's Pistons, but also a great place to hear music. Kiss (Alive!), J. Geils Band (Blow Your Face Out) and Bob Seger (Live Bullet) all record live albums there.

1960-Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never," with a melody based on the Italian song "O Sole Mio," hits #1 in America for the first of five weeks, bumping off "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland.

1958-Buddy Holly marries Maria Elena Santiago at his childhood home in Lubbock, Texas.

1957-Notorious Californian groupie Sable Starr is born. As well as counting Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart and David Bowie among her conquests, she is the muse for Iggy Pop's 1996 song "Look Away."

1956-"Colonel" Tom Parker, actually a Dutch immigrant who merely played at being a Southern aristocrat, becomes "special adviser" to Elvis Presley, effectively taking over management duties from Bob Neal, who knew managing the King was about to become a full-time job.

1953-Perry Como's "No Other Love" hits #1.

1951-Jazz/Soul singer Bobby Caldwell is born in Manhattan, New York.

1948-Tom Johnston (frontman for The Doobie Brothers) is born in Visalia, California.

1946-Singer/songwriter/composer Jimmy Webb is born in Elk City, Oklahoma.

1942-Pete York (drummer for The Spencer Davis Group) is born in Redcar, Yorkshire, England.

1941-Country musician Don Rich (of The Buckaroos, Buck Owens' backing band) is born in Olympia, Washington.

1941-Ben Bernie records "Au Revoir, Pleasant Dreams."

1940-Mark Marush, saxophonist for the Fabulous Wailers, is born.

1939-After five directors, several script drafts, and endless casting changes, the movie musical The Wizard Of Oz premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

1933-Floyd Ashton (of The Tams) is born. Known for the UK hit "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me."

1933-Country singer Bobby Helms is born in Bloomington, Indiana. He scores two #1 hits on the Country chart, but is best remembered for the holiday favorite "Jingle Bell Rock."

1932-Pop singer Johnny Thunder is born Gil Hamilton in Leesburg, Florida.

1930-R&B singer/saxophonist Jackie Brenston is born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Sang lead on Ike Turner's "Rocket 88."

1925-Bill Pinkney (of The Drifters) is born in Dalzell, South Carolina.

1925-Jazz pianist/composer Oscar Peterson is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1909-Composer/arranger Hugo Winterhalter is born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

1901-Songwriter Ned Washington ("Wild Is The Wind," "Theme From 'The Unforgiven'") is born in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

1896-Leon Theremin - inventor of the theremin, one of the first electronic instruments - is born in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

[Bikkie]

Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell at Beijing
2008
Evers-Swindell twins defend Olympic rowing title at Beijing
While Kiwis had high expectations of their rowing squad at the Beijing Olympics, few expected identical twins Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell to successfully defend the double sculls title they had won in Athens in 2004.

British Capture Detroit
1812 General Hull surrenders Detroit and Michigan Territory to British forces under the command of Major General Sir Isaac Brock, who captures Fort Detroit with the help of Indigenous warriors led by Tecumseh

1819 Peterloo Massacre, Manchester, England: cavalry charges demonstrators, 15 people killed and 400–700 injured
1829 Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker arrive in Boston to be exhibited


British Queen Telegraphs US President
1858 Britain's Queen Victoria telegraphs US President James Buchanan for the first time via transatlantic telegraph cable; he replies, "It is a triumph more glorious, because far more useful to mankind, than was ever won by conqueror on the field of battle"

Trading Ban Between Union and Confederacy
1861 US President Abraham Lincoln prohibits Union states from trading with Confederacy


16th US President
Abraham Lincoln
1863- Chickamauga campaign of the US Civil War begins in Georgia

1864- Federal assault on 4th day of battle at Deep Bottom Run, Virginia

1864- Palace for People's Industry officially opens in Amsterdam

1923-New Zealand makes claim to Ross Dependency
A notice in the New Zealand Government Gazette gave effect to a British Order in Council, which stated that coasts of the Ross Sea would be administered by New Zealand.

Volunteers pack groceries for CORSO, 1951
1944
CORSO formed
CORSO was set up to support aid efforts in war-torn nations. It became increasingly involved in the developing world and also spoke out about poverty in New Zealand.

Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell at Beijing
2008
Evers-Swindell twins defend Olympic rowing title at Beijing
While Kiwis had high expectations of their rowing squad at the Beijing Olympics, few expected identical twins Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell to successfully defend the double sculls title they had won in Athens in 2004.


Music History

2025-"Golden" by the animated group Huntr/x goes to #1 on the Hot 100. Taken from the Netflix movie KPop Demon Hunters, it's the first K-pop song with female vocalists to top the chart.

2023-Britney Spears' third husband, Sam Asghari, files for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. They started dating in 2017 after he played her love interest in the "Slumber Party" video, and got married in June 2022. Their divorce is finalized on May 2, 2024.

Aretha Franklin Dies
2018-Aretha Franklin dies after a long battle with pancreatic cancer at age 76.

2014-To announce Syro, his first Aphex Twin album in 13 years, Richard James arranges for a blimp to fly over London with his iconic logo on one side and the year on the other. The same logo is also spraypainted on New York sidewalks.

2008-Noah and the Whale make a splash when their debut single "5 Years Time" peaks at #7 on the UK Singles Chart. It proves to be the biggest hit for the British group.

2005-Country/Bluegrass fiddler Vassar Clements (of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys) dies of lung cancer in Jamestown, New York, at age 77.

2003-The USPS unveils a new commemorative postage stamp of recently deceased composer Henry Mancini, famous for the Pink Panther theme and several other film works.

2002-Twenty-five years after the death of Elvis Presley, an album containing 30 of his #1 hits is released with "A Little Less Conversation" as a bonus track - a remix of that one went to #1 UK in June.

2000-Guitarist Alan Caddy (of The Tornados) dies at age 60 after a lifelong battle with alcoholism.

1997-A tribute concert is held in Memphis, Tennessee, remembering Elvis Presley on the 20th anniversary of his death. Daughter Lisa Marie unveils the music video "Don't Cry Daddy," a virtual duet with her father that features his original vocals from the 1969 tune along with her own.

1997-The seventh annual Lollapalooza tour comes to a close at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, with Korn, Snoop Dogg and Tool headlining. With alternative music on the wane, it's the last Lollapalooza until 2003, when a more limited version of the tour is launched.

1997-Greyson Chance is born in Wichita Falls, Texas. After finding success on YouTube, he releases his first album at age 13.

1996-With the help of Broadway star Chita Rivera, over 50,000 baseball fans at Yankee Stadium break the record for the largest group dance when they bust a move to the "Macarena," the decade's latest dance craze.

1996-In Plattsburgh, New York, Phish stage their first weekend festival, The Clifford Ball. These festivals become a tradition for the band, drawing diehard fans to remote locations to celebrate all things Phish.

1995-Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys performs live for the first time with his daughters Carnie and Wendy, recently famous for their stint in the trio Wilson Phillips.

1994-Barenaked Ladies release their second studio album, Maybe You Should Drive.

1986-At a soggy Monsters Of Rock festival at Castle Donington, England, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen gets a huge ovation when he takes the stage with the band. Twenty months earlier, Allen's left arm was severed in a car accident, and after extensive rehab and some warm-up gigs, he makes a triumphant return at the festival, playing barefoot behind a drum kit modified with electronic pedals. Scorpions and Motörhead are also on the bill, which is headlined by Ozzy Osbourne.

1980-"A Thousand Miles" singer Vanessa Carlton is born in Milford, Pennsylvania.

1977-The King is dead. Elvis Presley dies at his home in Graceland as a result of an overdose from prescription drugs.

1972-Emily Robison of the The Chicks is born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

1969-Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young perform together for the first time, playing two shows at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. Their next gig comes two days later when they take the stage at Woodstock.

1969-The Beckenham Arts Lab holds the Free Festival in Beckenham, London. One one of the performers is David Bowie, who memorializes the concert in his song "Memory of a Free Festival." The festival is largely forgotten by history, probably because it happened at the same exact time as Woodstock in the United States.

1969-It's Day 2 of Woodstock, featuring performances by the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and Santana. One memorable moment comes during The Who's set, when the activist Abbie Hoffman interrupts their set and grabs the microphone. After saying a few words about fellow activist John Sinclair, Pete Townshend hits him with his guitar.

1969-CBS premieres the sitcom The Debbie Reynolds Show, starring the Singin' in the Rain actress.

Blind Faith Album Released With Controversial Cover
1969-Eric Clapton's supergroup Blind Faith release their self-titled album. On the cover is a photo of a naked 11-year-old girl holding a model spacecraft.

1968-The Jackson 5 play their first concert, opening for Diana Ross and the Supremes at the Forum in Los Angeles.

1967-After playing a midnight show at the Tropicana in Las Vegas, Louis Armstrong heads to United Recording Studios, where he records "What a Wonderful World" in a session that ends around 6 a.m.

1966-The Monkees release their first single, "Last Train To Clarksville." It's a lighthearted-sounding song with a somber subtext: The lyric is about a guy who gets drafted into the Vietnam War and wonders if he's ever coming home.

1962-Peter, Paul, and Mary release "If I Had A Hammer."

1962-Pete Best is fired as drummer for The Beatles, replaced by Ringo Starr. The group's manager Brian Epstein does the firing by calling Best into his record shop and giving him the bad news.

1962-Stevie Wonder's first single is released: "I Call It Pretty Music (But Old People Call It The Blues)." Motown newbie Marvin Gaye plays drums on the track.

1960-Drummer Chris Pedersen (of Camper Van Beethoven and Monks of Doom) is born in Great Lakes, Illinois.

1957-Buddy Holly's group The Crickets play the first show of a six-night engagement at Harlem's Apollo Theater. They were booked due to confusion with a black group (led by Dean Barlow) that was also called The Crickets. Nonetheless, Holly and his band win over the crowd.

Madonna Is Born
1958-Madonna Louise Ciccone is born in Bay City, Michigan. Shortening her name to a mononym, she becomes the best-selling female singer of all time.

1957-INXS lead guitarist Tim Farriss is born in Perth, Western Australia.

1953-Singer James "J.T." Taylor is born in Laurens, South Carolina. He joins Kool & the Gang in 1979, leading them into a new era with hits like "Celebration" and "Cherish." He leaves for a solo career in 1988.

1949-Scott Asheton (drummer for The Stooges) is born in Washington, D.C.

1948-Barry Hay (frontman for Golden Earring) is born in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.

1946-Gordon Fleet (drummer for The Easybeats) is born in Merseyside, England.

1945-Gary Loizzo (frontman for The American Breed) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1944-Kevin Ayers (frontman for Soft Machine) is born in Herne Bay, Kent, England.

1942-R&B singer/songwriter Barbara George is born in Smithridge, Louisiana. Known for "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)" (1961).

1940-Frankie Masters records "Marching Along Together."

1938-R&B/Pop singer and actress Ketty Lester is born Revoyda Frierson in Hope, Arkansas. Known for her 1962 hit "Love Letters."

1938-Blues legend Robert Johnson dies after being poisoned by a jealous man. Like many famous musicians who died young, he was 27 when he passed.

1931-Traditional Pop/Swing singer Eydie Gorme is born in The Bronx, New York.

1922-Bandleader/pianist Ernie Freeman is born in Cleveland, Ohio. Also a session musician, he worked on hits like Dean Martin's "Everybody Loves Somebody" and Frank Sinatra's "That's Life."

1915-Al Hibbler (former singer for Duke Ellington's orchestra) is born in Tyro, Mississippi.

[Bikkie]

Francis Courts Elizabeth
1579 Francis, Duke of Anjou, visits English Queen Elizabeth I in an attempt to court her


Fulton's Trip up the Hudson
1807 Robert Fulton's steamboat Clermont begins its first trip up the Hudson River

Dutch Brigade
1808 French Emperor Napoleon asks his brother, the King of Holland Louis Bonaparte for a Dutch Brigade to fight on the French side against Spain in the Peninsular War

Darwin Climbs Campana
1834 Charles Darwin reaches the top of Campana in Chile during his voyage on the Beagle

1836 British parliament accepts registration of births, marriages, and deaths

1836 Charles Darwin leaves South America for the last time on HMS Beagle

1839-New Zealand Company ship Tory arrives
The sailing ship Tory dropped anchor in Queen Charlotte Sound to pick up fresh water, food and wood before proceeding to Port Nicholson (Wellington Harbour).

1846-Commodore Robert F. Stockton of the US Navy annexes California

1858- The first bank in Hawaii opens

1859- First airmail in a balloon takes off from Lafayette, Indiana

1862 -Confederate troops under Edmund Kirby Smith enter Kentucky

1863- Federal batteries and ships attack Fort Sumter in South Carolina

1870 -First ascent of Mount Rainier, Washington, by Hazard Stevens and P. B. Van Trump

Nino Bixio at Napier, circa 1947-1964
1942
Attack on the Nino Bixio
118 New Zealand prisoners of war died when the Italian transport ship Nino Bixio was torpedoed by a British submarine in the Mediterranean.



Music History


2019-Tool's "Fear Inoculum" enters the Hot 100 at #93, becoming the longest song ever to hit that chart. Running 10:22, it outlasts David Bowie's "Blackstar," which clocks in at 9:57. "Fear Inoculum" drops off the chart the following week.

2016-MTV's Catfish: The TV Show introduces Spencer Morrill, a Tennessee native who insists he's been in an online romance with Katy Perry for six years. He even made a ring for her out of a family heirloom. When hosts Nev and Max lure out the catfish in England and bring him face to face with the singer, he believes the real Perry sent the "imposter" as a joke.

2012-Sparkle, starring the aptly named Jordin Sparks as an aspiring singer, opens in theaters. It's the last film for Whitney Houston, who plays her mom.

2012-The first Knotfest goes down in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Curated by the band Slipknot, it features amusement park entertainment and lots of music, including performances by Deftones and Lamb Of God.

2011-"Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" by Katy Perry hits #1 on the Hot 100, making her just the second artist with five #1 singles from the same album (Teenage Dream). The other five-time chart topper: Michael Jackson's Bad.

2004-The venerable "Like A Rock" ad campaign comes to an end, as Chevy stops using the song and ends their association with Bob Seger. The 1986 song wasn't written for Chevy, but was used in the ads since 1989. Two years later, John Mellencamp's "Our Country" becomes the Silverado theme.

2004-Singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg reveals that he is battling advanced prostate cancer.

2003-The Kid Laroi is born Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard in Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia. At 17 the rapper tops the ARIA albums chart in his homeland with his debut mixtape, F*ck Love, and dominates the all-genre Billboard 200 in the US the following year.

2002-"Dilemma," a duet between Nelly and Kelly Rowland (Nelly and Kelly) hits #1 in America, where it stays for 10 weeks. It's the first hit for a Destiny's Child member outside the group.

2002-Nelly becomes the fifth artist to replace himself at #1 on the Hot 100 when "Dilemma" takes the top spot from "Hot In Herre."

2002-Hours before his wife is murdered, Jacksonville resident Justin Barber downloads the Guns N' Roses song "Used To Love Her." The song is later played at the trial as evidence, with the lyrics displayed for the jury ("I used to love her, but I had to kill her..."). Barber is convicted of first degree murder and given a life sentence.

1999-Derek Longmuir of the Bay City Rollers is arraigned on charges of possession of illegal drugs and child pornography. He is sentenced to 300 hours of community service.

1998-Santana's Carlos Santana is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1997-Liverpool, Nova Scotia, dedicates The Hank Snow Country Music Centre, a museum dedicated to its native country music legend.

1996-The ENIT Festival, organized by Perry Farrell after breaking ties with Lollapalooza, kicks off in Holmdel, New Jersey with Farrell's band Porno For Pyros headlining. It's one of the first ventures to sell tickets on the Internet, but poor planning dooms the festival and it plays just four dates.

1995-Depeche Mode lead singer Dave Gahan slashes his wrists with razor blades in a suicide attempt. He is saved when a friend comes by and calls paramedics, who take him to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he wakes up the next morning in the psychiatric ward.More

1995-Microsoft buys the rights to The Rolling Stones' 1981 smash "Start Me Up" to use as the theme for their Windows 95 rollout.

1994-Singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers is born in Pasadena, California. She acts in TV commercials before launching a solo career and forming the band Boygenius with Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker.

1993-Type O Negative release Bloody Kisses, one of the few gothic metal albums to go Platinum. It comes with a warning on the back cover: "Don't mistake lack of talent for genius."

1993-Jeff Buckley performs at the Sin-é café in New York City. A few months later, recordings from the show become his first release, an EP called Live at Sin-é.

1993-While in therapy, Jordan Chandler, the 13-year-old son of a Beverly Hills dentist, alleges that singer Michael Jackson molested him while he visited Jackson's Neverland Ranch. The resultant civil suit costs Jackson over $20 million, but no criminal charges are filed, with Jackson's lawyers claiming the family in question had previously attempted to extort the singer.

1992-Exodus release their fifth studio album, Force of Habit.

1991-Nirvana shoot their video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit." It is set to look like a deranged pep rally at "Anarchy High School," and features fans recruited at a concert two days earlier. The video is a huge hit on MTV and helps propel Nirvana into the mainstream

1990-ctress/singer Pearl Bailey dies of arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at age 72. Had a top-ten hit with "Takes Two to Tango" in 1952.

1987-Studio drummer Gary Chester dies in New York at age 62.

1987-Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C. wrap up their Together Forever tour with a show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Run-D.M.C. tell fans to stay in school and avoid drugs; Beastie Boys have cage dancers and beer.More

1987-Tom Waits releases Franks Wild Years, his ninth studio album.

1984-At the outset of his latest world tour, a fatigued Elton John announces his upcoming retirement, which, like so many before and after, deosn't take.

1980-At the Toledo Speedway Jam II in Toledo, Ohio, ZZ Top headline the show with AC/DC, Sammy Hagar and Humble Pie on the undercard. (Also advertised on the poster: 800 kegs of beer, drinking age 18 in Ohio!) It is the last time AC/DC is a support act until 2003, when they open for The Rolling Stones.

1977-It's the day after Elvis Presley is found dead, and throngs of fans come to Graceland to mourn. President Jimmy Carter releases a statement saying, in part, "Elvis Presley's death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique and irreplaceable."

1974-Paper Lace's "The Night Chicago Died" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

1974-Eric Clapton's album 461 Ocean Boulevard hits #1 in America.

1973-Paul Williams (original lead singer for The Temptations) dies of an apparent suicide in Detroit, Michigan, at age 34.

1972-Gladys Knight is a contestant on The Dating Game.

1969-Rapper Kelvin Mercer (of De La Soul) is born in The Bronx, New York.

1969-Singer/actor Donnie Wahlberg (of New Kids on the Block) is born in Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts.

1969-Woodstock moves into day three, with performances by Joe Cocker; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Blood, Sweat & Tears; and Country Joe & the Fish, who perform their famous "Fish Cheer."

1968-The Rascals' "People Got To Be Free" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

1968-The Doors' third album, Waiting For The Sun, hits #1 in America thanks to the hit "Hello, I Love You." They recorded the song after scraping plans to put a Jim Morrison poetry piece called "Celebration of the Lizard" on the entire first side.

1967-Gary Puckett and the Union Gap records "Woman, Woman."

1966-Vocalist/bassist Jill Cunniff (of Luscious Jackson) is born in New York City.

1965-Drummer Steve Gorman, a founding member of The Black Crowes, is born in Muskegon, Michigan. His time with the band ends in 2015; in 2019 he publishes a tell-all memoir called Hard To Handle. His pick for their best album: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion from 1992.

1964-Alt rock/country singer Maria McKee is born in Los Angeles, California.

1960-The Beatles start their run at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany, honing their skills with four-hour sets where they play lots of R&B covers along with their original songs.

1958-Belinda Carlisle, lead vocalist for The Go-Go's, is born in Los Angeles, California.

1955-Colin Moulding (bassist for XTC) is born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.

1950-The Weavers' "Goodnight Irene" hits #1.

1949-Sib Hashian (drummer for Boston) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1947-Rock/soul musician Gary Talley (of The Box Tops and Big Star) is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1944-Folk rocker John Seiter (of Spanky and Our Gang) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1933-Pop singer Mark Dinning is born in Manchester, Oklahoma.

1932-Jazz pianist/composer Duke Pearson is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

1919-Jazz singer Georgia Gibbs is born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Known for the 1950 hit "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake."

1917-The Original Dixieland Jass Band (shortly after changing "Jass" to "Jazz") makes the first recording of the standard "Tiger Rag."

1915-Leo Frank, the murderer of Mary Phagan, is kidnapped from his prison in Milledgeville, driven to Marietta, and lynched. This inspires the musical Parade.

1909-Trumpeter/bandleader Larry Clinton is born in Brooklyn, New York.

[Bikkie]

293- BC The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded, initiating the institution of Vinalia Rustica (grape harvest festival)

440 -St Sixtus III ends his reign as Catholic Pope

1201- The city of Riga is founded

1217- First historical record of Scottish scholar Michael Scot, signs and dates his translation of al-Bitruji's "On the Sphere" in Toledo, Spain

Dome of Florence Cathedral
1418- Competition is announced to design the dome of Florence Cathedral, with main competitors Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi (supported by Cosimo de' Medici)

1826 -Scottish explorer Alexander Gordon Laing travels across the Sahara and becomes the first European to reach the fabled trading city of Timbuktu; he is murdered near there a few weeks later

1835 -Last Pottawatomie Indians leave Chicago

US Exploring Expedition
1838- United States Exploring Expedition headed by Charles Wilkes departs for the Pacific Ocean and Antarctica

1840 -American Society of Dental Surgeons is founded in New York

1840- French colony established in Akaroa, South Island of New Zealand
1846- General Stephen W. Kearny's US forces capture Santa Fe, New Mexico

1862- Sioux Indians begin an uprising in Minnesota; it is later crushed

1864- Battle of Petersburg: Battle of Weldon Railroad, day 1 of a 3-day battle

1864- Sixth day of battle at Deep Bottom Run, Virginia: Confederate assault
1868- French Astronomer Pierre Janssen discovers helium in solar spectrum during eclipse

Some members of the Atalanta Club, c. 1892
1892
First women's cycling club in Australasia formed
Soon after the development of the modern bicycle, Australasia's first women's cycling club was formed in Christchurch.


First Labour Government
1904 Chris Watson resigns as Prime Minister of Australia and is succeeded by George Reid

Japan's Gift of Friendship
1909 Mayor of Tokyo Yukio Ozaki presents Washington, D.C. with 2,000 cherry trees, which President William Howard Taft decides to plant near the Potomac River


Dick Arnst on the Whanganui River
1910
Champion rower Dick Arnst wins world title race on Zambezi River
Former top cyclist Dick Arnst had become world sculling champion in 1908. After two successful title defences at home, the muscular Arnst raced in a more exotic setting – on the Zambezi River.

Edward Te Whiu's execution led to calls to end capital punishment
1955
20-year-old hanged for murder
Edward Te Whiu was one of the last four people executed in New Zealand. He admitted to killing 75-year-old widow Florence Smith, but his underprivileged background and childlike mental state led some to question the appropriateness of the death penalty.

Infantrymen in Vietnam, 1969
1971
Deadline for Vietnam pull-out announced
Prime Minister Keith Holyoake’s statement in Parliament that New Zealand’s combat force would be withdrawn before the end of the year coincided with a similar announcement by the Australian government.




Music History


2017-Taylor Swift wipes clean her social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, personal YouTube). Three days later, she begins posting video of a snake to tease her scathing song "Look What You Made Me Do," which is released on August 25.

2012-Pop singer-songwriter Scott McKenzie dies at age 73 in Los Angeles, California, after a two-year struggle with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

2011-During a severe storm, high wind and heavy rain cause a stage to collapse while Chicago band Smith Westerns are performing. Four are killed and over 70 injured. Organizers decide to cancel the festival, where Eminem, Face to Face and Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform.

2004-Film score composer/conductor Elmer Bernstein dies of cancer in Ojai, California, at age 82.

2003-Singer/bass player Tony Jackson (of The Searchers) dies from a combination of health issues - including diabetes, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver - in Nottingham, England, at age 65.

1999-Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos launch their 5 1/2 Weeks Tour in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It's sponsored by MP3.com, a hot tech company that lets users download songs for free. Morissette gets stock in the company as part of the deal.

1998-After getting dropped by Jive and releasing two independent albums, Kid Rock issues Devil Without A Cause, his first album with Lava Records. It sells 11 million copies, making the rumpled rap-rocker a huge star.

1998-Korn release their biggest album, Follow The Leader, which includes "Freak On A Leash" and "Got The Life."

1992-Frances Bean Cobain is born to Courtney Love and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain.

1991-Billy Preston is arrested on charges of battery after allegedly attacking a 16-year-old prostitute once Preston discovered he was a transvestite. The keyboardist and singer is eventually given five years probation.

1986-Bon Jovi release their third album, Slippery When Wet, which catapults them to the top with the hits "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "Livin' On A Prayer." Seasoned from years of touring, the group is ready for the big crowds and quickly become a top live draw.

1984-After years toiling in clubs, Red Hot Chili Peppers release their self-titled debut album.


1982-The Beatles' hometown of Liverpool, England, renames some streets in honor of the band members. There is John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, George Harrison Close, Ringo Starr Drive, and even Sutcliffe Street (in honor of original bass player Stu Sutcliffe).

1979-Chic's "Good Times" hits #1 in America as disco still has some dance. It holds the top spot for one week.

1979-Nick Lowe marries Johnny Cash's stepdaughter, country singer Carlene Carter, in Los Angeles. The wedding is reenacted in Lowe's video for "Cruel To Be Kind." The pair get divorced in 1990.

1978-The Temptations' Melvin "Blue" Franklin is shot four times in the hand and leg during an attempted carjacking in Los Angeles, but survives.

1977-Elvis Presley's funeral is held at Graceland, where 150 guests are invited inside and about 75,000 fans pay their respects outside.

1973-Diana Ross' "Touch Me In The Morning" hits #1, where it stays for one week.

1973-Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" hits #1 on the country chart.

1973-Jazz drumming legend Gene Krupa plays what is to be his last live show, a gig with the Benny Goodman Quartet in New York City.

1973-Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" hits #1 on the country chart.

1971-Electronic musician Richard David James (best known as Aphex Twin) is born in Limerick, Ireland.

1969-Jimi Hendrix closes out Woodstock with an early morning performance of "Hey Joe." The festival headliner, he was supposed to play the previous night, but when it ran long, he ended up taking the stage on a Monday morning. His set includes a scorching rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."

1969-Local upstart band Rush see Led Zeppelin perform in Toronto. In 1974, when Rush get airplay in America with the song "Working Man," radio stations field lots of calls asking if it's a new Led Zeppelin song.

1969-While filming the violent gangster movie Ned Kelly in Australia, Mick Jagger is hit in the hand by a stray bullet from an old gun being used as a prop.

1969-Rapper Everlast is born Erik Francis Schrody in Valley Stream, New York.

1968-MC Eric/Me One (of Technotronic) is born Eric Martin in Cardiff, Wales, UK.

1965-Herman's Hermits lead singer Peter Noone interviews Elvis Presley in Honolulu, where Elvis is filming his movie Paradise, Hawaiian Style.

1962-The Beatles perform at the 17th annual fete for the Birkenhead, England, Horticultural Society at the local Hulme Hall, a gig notable as the first time Ringo Starr will play onstage with the band. Ringo had prepared for two hours with the group beforehand.

1958-Domenico Modugno's "Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu (Volare)" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

1957-Ron Strykert (lead guitarist for Men at Work) is born in Victoria, Australia.

1955-Pete Seeger testifies before the House Un-American Activities Committee, where he is asked if he has performed for communists. Seger replies: "I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion, and I am proud that I never refuse to sing to an audience, no matter what religion or color of their skin, or situation in life. I have sung in hobo jungles, and I have sung for the Rockefellers, and I am proud that I have never refused to sing for anybody."

1950-Dennis Elliott (drummer for Foreigner) is born in Peckham, London, England.

1949-Ralph Flanagan records "You're Breaking My Heart" with vocalist Harry Prime.

1945-Sarah Dash is born in Trenton, New Jersey. She finds fame as a member of the R&B vocal group Labelle before going solo with the disco hit "Sinner Man" (1978). She also becomes a sought-after session performer, most notably with The Rolling Stones and Keith Richards.

1945-R&B singer Barbara Harris (of The Toys) is born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

1943-Carl Wayne (lead singer for The Move) is born Colin David Tooley in Winson Green, Birmingham, England.


1939-Pop singer Johnny Preston is born in Port Arthur, Texas.

1937-The first FM (frequency modulation) radio station in the US, Boston's WGTR (later WAAF), is granted its construction permit by the FCC.

1925-Sonny Til (lead singer for The Orioles) is born in Baltimore, Maryland.

[Bikkie]

Coronation of Edward I
1274 Edward I is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey after returning from the Ninth Crusade

Surrender of Richard II
1399 King Richard II of England surrenders to his cousin Henry Bolingbroke at Flint Castle after promising to abdicate if his life was spared

Maximilian I
1493 Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I becomes Archduke of Austria on the death of his father and co-ruler Frederick III

1504 Battle of Knockdoe, the bloodiest battle of medieval Ireland, is fought in Galway between two Anglo-Irish lords: Gearoid Fitzgerald, Lord Deputy, defeats Ulick Finn Burke

Queen of Scots Assumes Throne
1561 Mary Queen of Scots arrives in Leith, Scotland to assume the throne after spending 13 years in France

1665 World's "most mysterious book", a codex known as the Voynich manuscript, written in an unknown script, is sent by a rector of Prague University to a Jesuit scholar (now in Yale University Library and still undeciphered) in 1666

Salem Witch Trials
1692 Five more people—George Jacobs, Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John Proctor, and John Willard—are hanged for allegedly practicing witchcraft as a result of the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts Bay Colony


Jacobite Rising
1745 Jacobite Rising 1745: Bonnie Prince Charlie raises his standard at Glenfinnan, Scotland, igniting the second Jacobite rebellion

Battle of Blue Licks
1782 Battle of Blue Licks: 50 Loyalists and 300 Indigenous warriors ambush and rout 182 Kentucky militiamen, including Daniel Boone, in Kentucky County, Virginia, in one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War


Frontiersman and Explorer
Daniel Boone
Banneker Criticizes Jefferson on Slavery
1791 Benjamin Banneker sends a copy of his Almanac and writes a letter to Thomas Jefferson criticizing his pro-slavery stance and requesting justice for African Americans using language from the Declaration of Independence

1793 Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, then the US capital, has its first fatality and lasts until November, killing around 5,000 people

1853
E.G. Wakefield elected to Parliament
The originator of the New Zealand Company was elected to the House of Representatives as the member for Hutt six months after arriving in the colony. He had been quick to lobby for the introduction of responsible government.

Gold Discovered in California
1848 New York Herald is the first major eastern newspaper to report the discovery of gold in California

James Stellin memorial plaque, Scots College, Wellington
1944
Kiwi pilot's sacrifice saves French village
As his damaged Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber rapidly lost height, Pilot Officer James Stellin struggled to avoid crashing into Saint-Maclou-la-Brière, a village of 370 people. He succeeded, but at the cost of his own life. The villagers gave him a hero’s funeral and have honoured his memory ever since.

New Zealand soldiers killed in Afghanistan
2012
Three New Zealand soldiers killed in Afghanistan
At approximately 9:20 p.m. local time, a Humvee taking a patrol member to see a doctor at Romero base in Bamiyan province was destroyed by an improvised explosive device.



Music History

2016-Former music mogul Lou Pearlman, creator of 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, dies at age 62 while serving a 25-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana, Texas. In 2008, he was convicted of conspiracy and money laundering related to a massive Ponzi scheme.


2013-The phrase "bro-country" appears for the first time, used by Jody Rosen in a New York magazine story to describe the Florida Georgia Line song "Cruise." Rosen crowns Luke Bryan king of the genre, which he describes as "music by and of the tatted, gym-toned, party-hearty young American white dude."

Lady Gaga Drops Debut Album, The Fame
2008-After two years performing in the New York City club scene, 22-year-old Lady Gaga releases her debut album, The Fame, a look at how fame is all about attitude. Thanks to the hits "Just Dance" and "Poker Face," it makes her famous worldwide, not just in her mind.

2008-Dave Matthews Band saxophonist/arranger LeRoi Moore dies at 46 after being injured in an ATV accident in Charlottesville, Virginia.

2006-Drake makes his professional debut with a 30-minute set at the Kool Haus in Toronto opening for Ice Cube. It earns him $100.

2003-MTV debuts the reality series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, following the recent marriage of Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey. The show is a hit thanks to Jessica's "dumb blonde" antics and lasts three seasons, after which the couple promptly divorce

2001-Betty Everett, the first to have a hit with "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)," dies at 61.

1991-At CNE Stadium in Toronto on the last date of the Operation Rock & Roll tour, Judas Priest lead singer Rob Halford's motorcycle entrance goes horribly wrong and he hits a metal beam, breaking his nose and spraining his neck. He completes the show up is taken to a hospital immediately afterward.

1990-Leonard Bernstein conducts his final concert, playing Benjamin Britten's "Four Sea Interludes" and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood in Massachusetts.

1989-Lou Reed breaks his ankle after a soundcheck in Cleveland, and is forced to cancel the remainder of his tour.

1989-Rapper Lil' Romeo is born Percy Romeo Miller Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1988-Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" is named the most-played song in the first 100 of the jukebox.

1984-Singer Kirsty MacColl marries the producer Steve Lillywhite. In 1987, she sings on The Pogues Christmas classic "Fairytale Of New York," which Lillywhite produces. They have two children together before divorcing in 1994.

1983-Having been sporadic since it was originally shut down in 1968, "pirate radio" station Radio Caroline makes its comeback on board the ship Ross Revenge in the North Sea's international waters. Six years to the day later, it would be shut down again.

1981-Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant meet at an electronics shop in London and start talking synthesizers. They form Pet Shop Boys, and five years later land their first hit with "West End Girls."

1980-"The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow becomes the first rap single certified Gold.1979-Dorsey Burnette (of Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio) dies of a massive coronary in Canoga Park, California, at age 46.

1977-A year after her group Labelle call it quits, Patti LaBelle releases her self-titled debut album, introducing one of her signature songs, "You Are My Friend."

1976-Multi-instrumentalist and Arcade Fire co-founder Régine Alexandra Chassagne is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1973-They aren't quite the Sonny and Cher power couple, but Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge get married. They divorce in 1980.

1972-The Midnight Special debuts on NBC. At first just a one-off special presentation, the next year it is launched as a regular show, with Wolfman Jack serving as announcer. The first performance is "Slippin' Into Darkness" by War.

1972-Chicago's LP Chicago V hits #1.

1969-Crosby, Stills and Nash appear on the Dick Cavett Show, giving a first-hand account of the Woodstock festival that took place over the weekend. Joni Mitchell, who skipped the festival to make sure she could keep her appearance on the show, performs a song she wrote about it called "Woodstock."

1969-Cleanup begins at Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, where the Woodstock festival has finished up. Bulldozers are used to wrangle the trash into a pit, where it is burned.

1967-Ringo Starr and his wife, the former Maureen Cox, welcome their second son, Jason.

1967-The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" hits #1, where it stays for one week.

1966-Country singer Lee Ann Womack is born in Jacksonville, Texas.

1957-Debbie Reynolds' "Tammy" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

Pat Boone Leads The Revolt Against Musical Delinquents
1957-In a "Special Music Report," Newsweek puts Pat Boone on the cover with the tagline, "His Refreshing Song Fills The Air."

1951-John Deacon (bassist for Queen) is born in Oadby, Leicester, England.

1948-Elliot Lurie (lead guitarist, vocalist for Looking Glass) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1948-Country/pop singer Susan Jacks (of The Poppy Family) is born Susan Pesklevits in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

1947-George Newsome (original drummer for The Climax Blues Band) is born in Stafford, Staffordshire, England.

1945-Deep Purple lead singer Ian Gillan is born in Chiswick, London, England.

1943-Edwin Hawkins, who with his choir records "Oh Happy Day," the first traditional gospel song to cross to the pop charts, is born in Oakland, California.

1943-Pop singer Don Fardon (of The Sorrows) is born Donald Maughn in Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

1943-Rock 'n roller Billy J. Kramer (of Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas) is born William Howard Ashton in Bootle, Lancashire, England.

1940-Johnny Nash is born in Houston, Texas. As a teen, he performs regularly on Arthur Godfrey's variety show and lands a series of minor hits, but he makes his biggest mark in the '70s with the reggae hits "I Can See Clearly Now" and "Stir It Up" (written and later recorded by Bob Marley).

1940-Roger Cook (co-lead vocalist of Blue Mink) is born in Fishponds, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England.

1939-Dick Jurgens records "Day Dreams Come True At Night."

1939-Ginger Baker (drummer for Cream) is born Peter Edward Baker in Lewisham, South London, England.

1918-Songwriter Irving Berlin, still a Sergeant in the US Army, debuts his WWI-themed musical Yip Yip Yaphank, at New York's Century Theatre.

1911-Variety calls Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band" the "song sensation of the century."

[Bikkie]

The Battle For Western Civilisation
480 BC Battle of Thermopylae: In one of history's most famous last stands, 7,000 warriors from an alliance of Greek states led by Leonidas I block the pass of Thermopylae for a week against an invading Persian army under Xerxes I, estimated at 120,000 to 300,000 strong [date is approximate]

The Golden Hind
1578 Francis Drake renames his flagship the "Pelican" to the "Golden Hind" in honor of his patron, Sir Christopher Hatton

1612 Nine of the ten "Pendle witches" are found guilty at trial of charges including murder, witchcraft, and talking to dogs and are hanged at Gallows Hill in Lancaster, England
1619 Slavery begins in mainland British colonies of North America when the first known African captives (approximately 20) land at Point Comfort, Virginia, before being sold or traded into servitude [1]
1641 England and Scotland sign the Treaty of Pacification

1741 Alaska is first sighted by a Russian expedition led by Danish explorer Vitus Bering


Washington Prepares to Fight Cornwallis
1781 George Washington begins moving his troops south to fight Cornwallis

Battle of Fallen Timbers
1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers: Major General "Mad Anthony" Wayne defeats a joint British-Native American force at Fallen Timbers, Ohio in the final battle of the Northwest Indian War


1904-First use of kiwi as unofficial national symbol?
The New Zealand Free Lance printed a J.C. Blomfield cartoon in which a plucky kiwi morphed into a moa as the All Blacks defeated Great Britain 9–3 in the first rugby test between Motherland and colony. This may have been the first use of a kiwi to symbolise the nation in a cartoon.

Great White Fleet
1908 America's Great White Fleet arrives in Sydney, Australia, greeted with a tremendous welcome; 221 American sailors desert to stay in Australia

Johnson's Sets AL Record
1912 Washington Senators' future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson wins an AL-record 15th consecutive game, beating the Cleveland Naps 4-2; in the nightcap, Carl Cashion no-hits the Naps 2-0 in 6 innings

Ship on calm sea with hills and houses in the background
1940
Turakina sunk by German raider in Tasman
It was the first naval battle in the Tasman Sea. The New Zealand Shipping Company freighter Turakina was intercepted and sunk by the Orion nearly 500 km off the Taranaki coast with the loss of 36 lives. Twenty survivors were taken prisoner.

1977The Voyager 2 space probe is launched, carrying with it a "Golden Record" of sounds and images representing Earth.



Music History

2024-At the Democratic National Convention, a DJ plays songs for every state as they announce their roll call votes for eventual nominee Kamala Harris. Songs include "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys for Massachusetts, "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers for Nevada, and "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen for New Jersey. Lil Jon shows up to personally perform "Turn Down For What" for Georgia.

2020-Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali dies of pancreatic cancer at 68.

2018-The RIAA certifies the Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 at 38 million units, making it the best-selling album of all-time in America, besting Michael Jackson's Thriller by 5 million (another Eagles album, Hotel California, is third with 26 million). Worldwide, Thriller is by far the biggest selling album.

2016-The Tragically Hip play their final concert, calling it quits at a show in lead singer Gord Downie's hometown of Kingston, Ontario. Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in December 2015.

2016-Tom Searle of the band Architects dies of skin cancer at age 28.

2016-Former 3 Doors Down guitarist Matt Roberts is found dead in a Wisconsin hotel room at age 38, presumably from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

2012-A Green Day version of the video game Angry Birds is released, featuring Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool as green pigs. Players can unlock a new Green Day song from the 10th level of the game.

2011-Jazz singer Ross Barbour (of The Four Freshmen) dies of cancer in Simi Valley, California, at age 82.

2009-Keyboardist/bassist Larry Knechtel (of Bread) dies of a heart attack in Yakima, Washington, at age 69.

2005-On what would have been Phil Lynott's 56th birthday, a concert is held in Dublin featuring Thin Lizzy members Brian Downey, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. Eric Bell, the original lead guitarist with Thin Lizzy, and Gary Moore share the lead on the classic "Whiskey In The Jar."

1999-In Somerset, England, Fatboy Slim marries the BBC DJ Zoe Ball. They get lots of tabloid attention before separating in 2016.

1997-The "Hank Williams Memorial Lost Highway" is dedicated in Alabama, where the singer was born. The 50-mile stretch on Interstate 65 starts at his childhood home of Georgiana and ends in Montgomery, the site of his grave. The ceremony takes place in Montgomery (the state capitol), with Hank Williams Jr. on hand to speak.

1995-After a lengthy press-fueled feud culminates in simultaneous singles releases, Blur's "Country House" beats Oasis' track "Roll With It" to the #1 spot in the UK. Oasis go on to enjoy worldwide mainstream success, while Blur later veer from the Britpop sound, developing an artier, more experimental style – heavily inspired by Pavement.

1992-Demi Lovato is born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1992-Sting marries Trudie Styler at their estate in Wiltshire, England. The couple first met in 1977 when Sting was a struggling musician and Trudie was trying to make it as an actress.

Following "Cop Killer," Ice-T Wears A Police Uniform On Rolling Stone Cover
1992-Embroiled in controversy over his song "Cop Killer," Ice-T doubles down by appearing in a police uniform on the cover of Rolling Stone
Spin Doctors Release Pocket Full of Kryptonite

1991-Spin Doctors release their debut album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite. It sells over 5 million copies thanks to the hits "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" and "Two Princes."More

Prince Releases Graffiti Bridge
1990-Prince releases his album Graffiti Bridge, which contains the tracks "Thieves In The Temple" and "New Power Generation."

1988-Soundgarden play Capitol Lake Park in Olympia, Washington as part of Capitol Lake Jam. Also on the bill: Nirvana.


1988-At the Monsters Of Rock festival at Castle Donington, England, two fans are killed during a set by Guns N' Roses, whose frontman Axl Rose had implored the crowd, "Don't f--kin' kill each other." With the ground wet and a record crowd of 107,000 at the festival, the surge of bodies during the set causes the two fans to be trampled or crushed to deat

1987-Metallica play a secret show at The 100 Club in London. Two days later, they play Donington Park at Castle Donington as part of the massive Monsters of Rock Festival, headlined by Bon Jovi.

1983-Taco's cover of the Irving Berlin song "Puttin' On the Ritz" reaches #9 on the Hot 100, making the 95-year-old Berlin the oldest living songwriter ever to land a Top 10 on that tally.

1981-Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott appears at Kingston Crown Court where he is fined £200 for possessing cocaine.

Bob Dylan Releases Slow Train Coming
1979-Bob Dylan, a recent convert to Christianity, releases the faith-driven album Slow Train Coming.More

1979-Rod Stewart and his first wife, Alana Hamilton, have a baby girl. Kimberly Stewart grows up to become an actress and model.

1977-The Emotions hit #1 in the US with the disco track "Best Of My Love" for the first of five weeks. Two years earlier, the Eagles hit #1 with a song with the same title.

1973-The Rolling Stones release "Angie."

1970-Creedence Clearwater Revival's LP Cosmo's Factory hits #1.

1972-Stax Records commemorates the seventh anniversary of the 1965 Watts riots with a star-studded benefit concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. More than 100,000 fans show up to hear Isaac Hayes, The Bar-Kays, The Staple Singers, and Kim Weston, among others, perform at what becomes known as Black Woodstock.

1970-Nu-metal pioneer Fred Durst (frontman for Limp Bizkit) is born in Gastonia, North Carolina.

1969-Frank Zappa shuts down his Mothers of Invention - he will resurrect the band a few months later.

1969-Andy Williams' LP Happy Heart is certified gold.

1967-The New York Times reports on a pioneering method of noise reduction created by Dolby Labs which makes home recording on blank cassette tapes possible.

1966-Pantera guitarist Darrell Abbott, aka Dimebag Darrell, is born in Ennis, Texas.

1952-Folk rocker John Hiatt is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1952-Country singer/guitarist Rudy Gatlin (of The Gatlin Brothers) is born in Olney, Texas.

1952-Doug Fieger (lead singer for The Knack) is born in Oak Park, Michigan.

1949-Thin Lizzy leader Phil Lynott is born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England.

1948-Robert Plant is born in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. Best known at Led Zeppelin's lead singer, he wins the Album of the Year Grammy for Raising Sand, his 2007 collaboration with Alison Krauss.

1947-Trombonist James Pankow (of Chicago) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1946-Ralf Hutter (lead singer, keyboardist for Kraftwerk) is born in Krefeld, Rhine Province, Germany.

1944-Jon Povey (keyboardist for The Pretty Things) is born in London, England.

1944-Blues drummer "Uncle John" Turner (of Johnny Winter's backing band) is born in Beaumont, Texas.

1942-Soul superstar Isaac Hayes is born in Covington, Tennessee.

1941-Space rock musician Dave Brock (of Hawkwind) is born in Isleworth, Middlesex, England.

1940-In exile in Mexico, Leon Trotsky is attacked with an ice pick by Stalinist agent Jaime Ramón Mercader del Río. Trotsky dies of brain injuries the next day in a Mexican hospital. His assassination is immortalized in The Stranglers' song "No More Heroes."

1940-John Lantree (bass guitarist for The Honeycombs) is born in Newbury, Berkshire, England.

1939-Orrin Tucker records "Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny, Oh!"

1935-Country singer/songwriter Justin Tubb is born in San Antonio, Texas, to Texas Troubadour Ernest Tubb.

1934-Country/rock musician "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow (of The Flying Burrito Brothers) is born in South Bend, Indiana.

1931-Paul Robi of The Platters is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1931-Jazz drummer Frank Capp is born in Worcester, Massachusetts.

1926-Jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1924-Jazz vocalist Joya Sherrill is born in Bayonne, New Jersey. Known for "I'm Beginning to See the Light" with Duke Ellington's orchestra.

1923-Country singer Jim Reeves is born in Galloway, Texas. Known for the 1957 hit "Four Walls."

1920-In Detroit, what will become WWJ (950 AM) becomes the first radio station in America to start broadcasting.

1882-Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" debuts in Moscow.

[Bikkie]

1521 - Pope Leo X excommunicates German reformer Martin Luther.

1643 - Dutch mariner Abel Tasman discovers Tonga in the Pacific.

1861- Dr. Charles Knight was appointed the first Director of Meteorological Stations in New Zealand. His appointment marked the founding of the New Zealand Meteorological Service – this country’s oldest continuous scientific institution.

1915
New Zealanders attack Hill 60
Hill 60 was the last offensive action fought by the New Zealanders during the Gallipoli campaign. The ‘abominable little hill’, as it was dubbed by Brigadier-General Andrew Russell, saw bitter fighting between New Zealand and Ottoman troops in late August 1915.

1936 - Edward VIII is proclaimed Britain's king following the death of his father, George V.

1944 - New Zealand and Australia sign the Canberra Pact, an undertaking to co-operate on international matters, especially in the Pacific.

1954 - First atomic submarine, USS Nautilus, is launched in United States.
Queen Street, Auckland, c. 1960
1958
Auckland pedestrians begin 'Barnes Dance'
Auckland became the first New Zealand city to introduce the ‘Barnes Dance’ system, which stopped all traffic at intersections, allowing pedestrians to cross in any direction at the same time.



Music History

2022-Police in Ohio raid the home of "Because I Got High" singer Afroman looking for evidence of kidnapping and drug trafficking. He isn't charged, and uses the surveillance footage in the video for his song "Lemon Pound Cake," zeroing in on a moment when an officer looks down to discover the cake in the kitchen.

2021-Don Everly of The Everly Brothers dies of a heart attack at 84.

Ozzy, Bonnie Tyler, Sing For Eclipse
2017-During a historic solar eclipse, Bonnie Tyler sings "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" while Ozzy Osbourne performs "Bark At The Moon."More

2015-When the Westboro Baptist Church, famous for their anti-gay demonstrations, stage a protest before a Foo Fighters concert in Kansas City, the band responds by driving a truck in front of the demonstrators and Rickrolling them by blasting Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up."

2013-Sid Bernstein (music promoter for The Beatles and manager for The (Young) Rascals and Tony Bennett) dies in Manhattan, New York, at age 95.

2012-With 623,000 digital copies sold, Taylor Swift's hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" becomes the single with the most digital sales for a female artist.

2012-Lynyrd Skynyrd release Last of a Dyin' Breed, their 14th studio album. Guitarist John Lowery, better known by stage name "John 5," contributes to a couple of the tracks.

2011-Rod Stewart's becomes a grandfather for the first time when his daughter Kimberly gives birth to her own daughter, Delilah Genoveva del Toro (the result of a liaison with actor Benicio del Toro).

2009-Doo-wop/R&B singer Johnny Carter (of The Dells and The Flamingos) dies of lung cancer in Harvey, Illinois, at age 75.

2008-Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have their second child: a son named Zuma Nesta Rock.

2005-The Rolling Stones kick off their A Bigger Bang tour at Fenway Park in Boston (they played a warm-up show at a theater in Toronto on August 10). The tour lasts over two years and sets a record, taking in over $558 million over 144 dates (U2's 360 tour, which ends in 2011, breaks this record).

2005-Electronic music pioneer Robert Moog, who invented the Moog synthesizer, dies of a brain tumor in Asheville, North Carolina, at age 71.

1998-Terence Trent D'Arby, not heard from since his 1995 album Vibrator, posts on his website: "I am a holographic representation in the third dimension of what was requested by your souls that one of your favourite artists be. I sent a portion of my soul to embody as an artist called Terence Trent D'Arby to favour that request." He later explains that he is using a new name: Sananda Maitreya, which came to him in a dream.

1997-Be Here Now, the hotly anticipated third album from Oasis, is launched to mixed reviews. Critical opinion is initially overwhelmingly positive but is later revised as the public find the album bloated and derivative. Britpop is beginning to fall out of favor, and despite entering the albums chart at #2, sales are much lower than expected.

1996-Rick James gets out of jail after serving two years of a five-year sentence for holding a woman hostage during a drug binge.

1994-John Denver crashes his 1963 Porsche into a tree near his home in Aspen, Colorado, exactly one year after a previous arrest for driving while impaired.

1993-John Denver blows a .14 when his Porsche is pulled over in Aspen, Colorado, where the legal limit is .10. He pleads guilty to driving while impaired and is sentenced to 28 hours of community service, which includes performing a benefit concert for the Tipsy Taxi service.

1993-Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is raided by police after a child who stayed there comes forward with allegations of molestation. Jackson lets police strip search him, which he finds very humiliating. No charges are filed, but Jackson will later deal with more allegations.

1993-For one week, standards outsell rap as the soundtrack to the hit romantic comedy Sleepless In Seattle knocks Cypress Hill's Black Sunday off the top of the Billboard 200.

1993-Elton John's longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin marries his third wife, Stephanie Haymes.

Alice In Chains Release Facelift
1990-Alice in Chains release their debut album, Facelift, one of the first grunge albums to gain widespread popularity.

Hey Alright! Jane's Addiction Release Ritual de lo Habitual
1990-Jane's Addiction release the alternative rock touchstone Ritual de lo Habitual, which frontman Perry Farrell describes as filled with "sex and violence and joy and happiness."

1988-Country singer Kacey Musgraves is born in Golden, Texas. She writes her first song, "Notice Me," at age 8 for her elementary school graduation.

1987-The film Dirty Dancing is released. In November, the soundtrack goes to #1 in America, where it sells over 11 million copies.

Midnight Oil Release Diesel And Dust
1987-Midnight Oil release their sixth album, Diesel and Dust, inspired by their tour of indigenous communities in the Australian Outback. The single "Beds Are Burning" - a demand to give Aboriginal Australians back their rightful land - is the band's breakthrough hit in the US.

1987-Metallica release The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited.

1986-Eric Clapton's son Conor is born. Four years later, Conor dies in a tragic accident, prompting Clapton to write "Tears In Heaven."

1984-Pop singer/actress Melissa Schuman (of Dream) is born in San Clemente, California.

1982-Bono of U2 marries his high school sweetheart Alison Stewart at the Guinness Church of Ireland. The couple will have four children.

1980-R&B singer Kelis is born Kelis Rogers in Harlem, New York City.

1976-Lynyrd Skynyrd, Todd Rundgren, 10cc and The Rolling Stones play the Knebworth festival in England.

1976-The first punk festival in Europe takes place at a bullfighting ring in the small town of Mont de Marsen in France. Acts include Eddie And The Hot Rods, The Damned, and Brinsley Schwarz.

1971-Electronic/rock musician Liam Howlett (of The Prodigy) is born in Braintree, Essex, England.

1971-Inmate George Jackson is shot dead in a bizarre escape attempt at San Quentin prison, prompting the Bob Dylan song "George Jackson."

1969-James Brown opens the first two of his Gold Platter restaurants in Macon, Georgia. The soul food eateries, with dishes served on replica gold records, are envisioned as a franchise opportunity for black owners. The enterprise fails a short time later.

1967-System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian is born in Beirut, Lebanon.

1966-The Beatles play under a tarp at Busch Stadium on a rainy evening in St. Louis. It's rather unpleasant, leading to their decision to stop doing concerts and focus on studio work.

1966-Jim Morrison is a no-show for The Doors set at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. They play the first set without him, then get him at his apartment, where he is tripping on acid. When they play "The End," he improvises Oedipal lyrics: Father... I want to kill you Mother... I want to f--k you This gets them fired, but provides the final lyric that goes into the song when they record it for their first album.

1965-The Rolling Stones album Out Of Our Heads hits #1 in the US, supplanting Beatles VI.

1965-Barry McGuire releases "Eve Of Destruction."

1961-Elvis Presley's LP Something For Everybody hits #1.

1961-Patsy Cline records "Crazy."

1957-Kim Sledge (of Sister Sledge) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1954-Drummer Steve Smith (of Focus and Journey) is born in Whitman, Massachusetts.

1952-Punk rocker Joe Strummer (of The Clash) is born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey.

1952-Rock bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (of Deep Purple) is born in Cannock, Staffordshire, England. He has a brief stint as Black Sabbath's frontman in the mid-'80s.

1947-Carl Giammarese (lead vocalist/guitarist for The Buckinghams) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1941-Pop singer Jackie DeShannon is born Sharon Lee Myers in Hazel, Kentucky.

1941-Keyboardist Tom Coster (of Santana) is born in Detroit, Michigan. He composed "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)" with Carlos Santana.

1939-Country singer Harold Reid (of The Statler Brothers) is born in Staunton, Virginia. He co-wrote many of the group's hits, including "Bed of Rose's" and "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine."

1938-Singer-songwriter Ernie Maresca, who penned several Dion hits, is born in The Bronx, New York City.

1938-Fats Waller records "Ain't Misbehavin'."

1938-Kenny Rogers is born in Houston, Texas. His most famous song, "The Gambler," is released when he is 40.

1928-Jazz trumpeter Art Farmer is born in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

1904-Jazz pianist/bandleader Count Basie is born in Red Bank, New Jersey

[Bikkie]

1485 – England’s King Richard III is killed at the Battle of Bosworth, ending the War of the Roses.

1642 – English Civil War begins when King Charles I brands Parliament and its soldiers as traitors.

1851 – The US-built America beats a fleet of British yachts in a race around England’s Isle of Wight to win a trophy that became known as America’s Cup.

1864 – First Geneva Convention adopted “for the amelioration of the condition of the wounded in armies in the field”. The organisation formed becomes known as the International Committee of the Red Cross.

1922 – Irish revolutionary Michael Collins is killed in an ambush in County Cork, by republican rebels.

1950 – Althea Gibson becomes the first African-American tennis player on the US women’s tour.

1969 – New Zealand’s first Young Farmer of the Year competition is won by Gary Frazer, of Canterbury.

2004 – Two Edvard Munch paintings, including a version of The Scream, are stolen at gunpoint from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway.

2010 – All 33 Chilean miners trapped deep underground for 17 days are found alive.



Music History

2020-"WAP" by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion hits #1 in America, becoming the most sexually explicit song ever to top the tally. It's bumped off two weeks later by a wholesome slice of K-pop: "Dynamite" by BTS.

2018-Vampire Weekend lead singer Ezra Koenig and his girlfriend, Rashida Jones, have a son, Isaiah. His grandfather is Quincy Jones, Rashida's dad.

2016-Legendary jazz harmonicist Toots Thielemans dies in Brussels, Belgium, at age 94.

2012-Presidential candidate Mitt Romney becomes yet another Republican candidate admonished for misappropriating music at his events, after Dee Snider of Twisted Sister protests his use of the band's songs. There is a long history of bands squaring off against Republican campaigns appropriating their music.

2012-Rap star LL Cool J hears his alarm go off in his Los Angeles home and rushes downstairs to confront an alleged burglar named Jonathan Kirby. One broken nose, jaw, and rib later, Cool J has subdued the intruder and police are on their way to take the suspect into custody. No word on whether LL quoted one of his own songs, "Mama Said Knock You Out," during the altercation.

2011-Lindsay Lohan sues Pitbull, along with Ne-Yo and DJ Afrojack, for referencing her in the song "Give Me Everything (Tonight)" ("Hustlers move aside, so I'm tiptoeing, keep flowin', I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan"). The judge rules in Pitbull's favor, citing the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech and creative expression.

2011-Nick Ashford, half of the husband-and-wife songwriting/production team Ashford & Simpson, dies of complications from throat cancer at age 70.

2011-Jerry Leiber, half of the Leiber & Stoller songwriting team, dies of cardio-pulmonary failure in Los Angeles, California, at age 78. The pair wrote hits for Elvis Presley, The Coasters and The Drifters.

2006-Bruce Gary (drummer for The Knack) dies of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Tarzana, California, at age 55.

2004-Bandleader Al Dvorin, who coined the phrase "Elvis has left he building," dies in a car accident near Ivanpah, California, at age 82. He organized the King's concerts for 22 years, starting in 1955.

2003-An Elvis impersonator in Norway named Kjell Bjornestad sets a new world record by doing 26 hours of Elvis songs.

2002-Jimmy Buffett's first Cheeseburger In Paradise restaurant, named for his 1978 song, opens in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1998-With Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley in the audience, Jim Carrey joins Elton John on stage at a show in Anaheim, California, where the pair duet on "Rocket Man." After a reasonably straight rendition, Carrey sits at the piano and smashes his head into the keys.

1997-Twelve-year-old Georgia Lee Moses is found dead in South Petaluma, California. Tom Waits hears her story and is inspired to write "Georgia Lee," the thirteenth track on Mule Variations.

Stand By Me Released In Theaters, Reviving The Song
1986-The movie Stand By Me is released in theaters. It's based on a novella by Stephen King called The Body, but director Rob Reiner decides to name it after the famous song to play up the friendship storyline and keep it from sounding like a slasher film.

1995-Dua Lipa is born in London to parents who immigrated there from Kosovo. Her family moves to Kosovo when she's 11, but Dua convinces them to let her return to London on her own at 15, where she finishes high school and launches her music career.

1992-Madonna begins filming her "Erotica" video at The Kitchen in New York City.

1987-Madonna hits #1 in the US with her Spanglish ("Quien es esta nina?") hit "Who's That Girl." It's the title song to a movie starring Madonna that doesn't fare nearly as well.

1985-Rick Nelson and Fats Domino begin filming the PBS special Rockin' With Rick And Fats, which will turn out to be Nelson's last television appearance before his untimely death in a plane crash.

1981-"Girls On Film" hits #5 in the UK, giving Duran Duran their breakthrough hit in Britain. It does not chart on its US release, but surges in popularity after its music video goes into heavy rotation on MTV. The clip, directed by Godley and Creme, has to be heavily edited for TV as it was only intended to be played in nightclubs and features adult themes and nudity.

1978-Jeff Stinco (lead guitarist for Simple Plan) is born Jean-Francois Stinco in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1975-Win, Lose or Draw is the fifth studio album and sixth overall by American rock group the Allman Brothers Band. Produced by Johnny Sandlin and the band themselves, it was released in the United States by Capricorn Records.

1973-Howie Dorough of Backstreet Boys is born in Orlando, Florida.

1972-Alt rocker Paul Doucette (of Matchbox Twenty) is born in North Huntington, Pennsylvania.

1970-Elton John signs with Uni, a division of MCA, as a solo act.

1970-Derek & the Dominos begin recording their famous album, Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs. The band features Eric Clapton, who in an attempt to lay low, downplays his involvement.

1970-Bread's "Make It With You" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

The Beatles Last Photo Shoot
1969-The Beatles participate in their final photo shoot, which is held on the lawn of John Lennon's home at Tittenhurst Park in Sunninghill, England. Photos from the session are used on the front and back covers of their Hey Jude compilation album.

1968-In the middle of recording "Back In The U.S.S.R.," Beatles drummer Ringo Starr gets frustrated, leaves the session, and takes a vacation to Sardinia. Paul McCartney takes his place on drums to complete the track. When Ringo returns, he's welcomed back with flowers on his drum kit.

1967-Layne Staley of Alice In Chains is born in Washington State.

1966-Wu-Tang Clan rapper GZA (aka The Genius) is born Gary Grice.

1964-Martha and the Vandellas record "Dancing In The Streets."

1964-The Supremes Finally Hit #1
After three years without a big hit, The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" hits #1 in the US, the first of five consecutive chart-toppers.

Tori Amos Is Born
1963-Myra Ellen Amos is born to a religious family in Newton, North Carolina. She changes her name to Tori and becomes an alt-rock icon of the '90s with empowering tunes about women, right-wing politics, and religious oppression.

1963-R&B/Soul singer James DeBarge (of DeBarge) is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1961-Bangles drummer Debbi Peterson is born in Los Angeles.

1961-Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears is born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.

1958-Guitarist Ian Mitchell (of Bay City Rollers) is born in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. He is just 17 years old when he joins the band in 1976.

1958-Vernon Reid is born in London. He is raised in Brooklyn and forms the band Living Colour - he is the guitarist and a primary songwriter.

1957-Country singer-songwriter Holly Dunn is born in San Antonio, Texas.

1955-Saxophonist and songwriter Alan Wilkinson is born in Ilford, England.

1949-Country musician Sam Neely is born in Cuero, Texas. Known for a string of minor hits in the '70s, including the cover "I Fought the Law."

1948-Guitarist David Marks is born in New Castle, Washington. When he is 7, his family moves to Hawthorne, California across the street from the Wilson family, which forms The Beach Boys. Marks joins the band in 1961, but is replaced two years later by Al Jardine.

1947-Singer Donna Jean Godchaux, the only female member of the Grateful Dead, is born in Florence, Alabama. Born Donna Jean Thatcher, she marries keyboard player Keith Godchaux, who also joins the Dead, in 1970.

1946-Gary "Mutha" Withem (keyboardist for Gary Puckett & the Union Gap) is born in San Diego, California.

1945-Ron Dante is born Carmine Granito in Staten Island, New York. Heard but rarely seen, Dante is the voice of the studio groups The Archies ("Sugar, Sugar") and The Cuff Links ("Tracy").

1938-Count Basie records "Jumpin' At The Woodside."

1938-America's most famous dancing partners, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, appear together on the cover of Life magazine.

1938-Rock singer/guitarist Dale Hawkins is born in Gold Mine, Louisiana.

1936-Chuck Brown is born in North Carolina. He would relocate to Washington, DC and pioneer the go-go sound, best heard on his hit "Bustin' Loose."

1926-Jazz tenor vocalist Bob Flanigan (of The Four Freshmen) is born in Greencastle, Indiana.

1917-Bluesman John Lee Hooker is born in Coahoma County, Mississippi.

1906-The Victor Talking Machine Company introduces the first "internal horn" record player, the first practical unit for home use. It sells for $200 (about $4000 adjusted for inflation).

[Bikkie]

1305 ‒ Scottish independence leader William Wallace is executed in London for high treason.

1939-Writer Robin Hyde dies in London
The journalist, poet and novelist, born Iris Wilkinson, was one of New Zealand's finest inter-war writers. Troubled by depression, illness and poverty, she took her own life in London.

1839 ‒ Hong Kong is taken by the British in a war with China.

1920-New Zealand's first female Olympian
Violet Waldron was New Zealand’s first female Olympian, and part of New Zealand’s first Olympic team of four. She competed in freestyle swimming in the 1920 Antwerp Summer Olympics.

1920 ‒ Violet Waldron, 15, becomes New Zealand's first female Olympian, in a 100m freestyle heat at the Antwerp Games.

1926 ‒ Film idol Rudolph Valentino dies in a New York hospital, aged 31.

1938 ‒ England hit 903-7 declared against Australia at The Oval, with Len Hutton scoring 364.

1939 ‒ New Zealand poet and writer Robin Hyde takes her own life in London, aged 33; the Soviet Union and Germany sign a non-aggression pact.

1942 ‒ 40,000 people are killed as German planes bomb Stalingrad.

Advertisement for the NZ Shipping Company
1947
Assisted immigration resumes after war
The first draft of 118 British immigrants arrived in Auckland on the New Zealand Shipping Company liner Rangitata. They were among 77,000 men, women and children who arrived from Great Britain under the assisted immigration scheme between 1947 and 1975.

1947 ‒ British immigrants arrive in Auckland on the Rangitata liner under an assistance scheme that resumed after World War II.

1973 ‒ Botched bank robbery in Stockholm resulted in a hostage situation, and, over the course of a six-day standoff, the captives formed an unlikely bond with their captor, giving rise to the term ‘’Stockholm syndrome’’.



Music History


2024-Sabrina Carpenter releases her sixth album, Short n' Sweet. With the hits "Espresso" and "Please Please Please," it's a musical breakout for the former Disney actress, putting her in league with other actress-turned-singers like Ariana Grande and Olivia Rodrigo.

2023-The first Republican debate opens with a clip of Oliver Anthony singing "Rich Men North Of Richmond," his takedown of venal and incompetent politicians in Washington, with the candidates asked, "Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now?" "It was funny seeing my song in the presidential debate, because I wrote that song about those people," Anthony says.

Taylor Swift Releases Lover
2019-Taylor Swift releases Lover, an upbeat album that stands in contrast to her previous release, the serpentine Reputation.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Soundtrack Hits #1
2014-The Guardians Of The Galaxy soundtrack, an awesome mix of '70s hits, goes to #1 in America, where it stays for two weeks.

2013-In an interview with AARP Magazine, Linda Ronstadt reveals she has Parkinson's disease, which ended her singing career in 2009.

2008-Madonna starts her Sticky & Sweet Tour (supporting her album Hard Candy) with a show in Cardiff, Wales. Her first excursion under her Live Nation contract, it breaks the record she set on her 2006 Confessions Tour for biggest-selling tour by a solo artist: the 85 dates earn about $408 million, second only to The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour at $558 million.

2007-Brian May of Queen gets a degree from London's Imperial College. It's not one of those honorary degrees either - he earned a PhD in astrophysics. He would have gotten it sooner, but he was busy being a rock star.

2008-Erykah Badu joins My Morning Jacket during their performance in Dallas to perform her song "Tyrone."

2005-Bay City Rollers' lead singer Les McKeown is arraigned on cocaine possession and distribution charges in London. He is eventually acquitted of the intent to distribute.

2000-Kenny Loggins is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1999-Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers marries his third wife, Patti Arnold, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

1996-The movie She's The One, with a soundtrack by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, opens in theaters. Jennifer Aniston and Edward Burns, who star in the film, appear in the video for "Walls."

1995-Industrial/techno musician Dwayne Goettel (of Skinny Puppy) dies of a heroin overdose in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at age 31.

1994-For no apparent reason the British duo The KLF burn £1 million on the Isle of Jura in Scotland.

Jeff Buckley's Only Album, Grace, Is Released
1994-Jeff Buckley's first and only album, Grace, is released to critical acclaim.

1993-News of Michael Jackson's child molestation investigation is finally made public by the Los Angeles police.

1993-Testifying in court against his former Guns N' Roses bandmate Steve Adler, Duff McKagan is asked about "the spaghetti incident," referring to a time when Adler may or not have eaten McKagan's leftover pasta. The band finds this hilarious and names their next album The Spaghetti Incident.

1992-The British boy band Take That release their debut album, Take That & Party, which stays on the UK albums chart for over a year.

1991-A month before their Nevermind album is released, Nirvana wow the crowd at the Reading Festival in England with a set capped by a Kurt Cobain headlong dive into Dave Grohl's drum kit. The next year, Nirvana headline the festival.

1990-David Rose (leader of David Rose & His Orchestra) dies of natural causes in Burbank, California, at age 80.

1989-Ric Ocasek of The Cars marries the model Paulina Porizkova. They met when she starred in the video for the Cars hit Drive.

1987-At a 20th anniversary "Summer Of Love" celebration concert in Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angel Camp, California, featuring the Grateful Dead, a man who escaped from a drug treatment facility shoots a policeman and is then shot dead.

1980-The Heatwave Festival, known as the "New Wave Woodstock," goes down at Mosport Park near Toronto. Performers include Elvis Costello, The B-52s, The Pretenders, and Talking Heads, who debut songs from their upcoming album, Remain In Light, and introduce a new touring band that includes keyboard player Bernie Worrell and guitarist Adrian Belew.

1980-David Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" hits #1 on the UK chart.

1978-The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas is born in New York City. His parents are business mogul John Casablancas, founder of Elite Model Management, and Jeanette Christiansen, a Danish model who was crowned Miss Denmark of 1965. In 2001, Julian's band reinvents guitar rock with their debut album, Is This It.

1978-Steve Martin's "King Tut" is certified Gold.

1975-Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds' "Fallin' in Love" hits #1 in the US, where it will stay for one week.

1974-John Lennon claims to see a UFO from his New York apartment. He describes it as an archetypal flying saucer, surrounded by lights with a red one on top. In his next album, Walls and Bridges, he includes this note in the booklet: "On the 23rd August 1974- at 9 o'clock I saw a U.F.O. - J.L."

1973-With salsa music hot in New York City, the label Fania Records showcases its acts at a concert in Yankee Stadium that draws a crowd of 63,000. Willie Colón, Johnny Pacheco and Larry Harlow are among the performers.

1970-Lou Reed plays his last gig with The Velvet Underground at the club Max's Kansas City in New York. His father brings him home to Long Island and puts him to work in his accounting firm, where he stays for two years before signing a solo deal.

1969-Johnny Cash's album Johnny Cash At San Quentin, the soundtrack to a documentary of the same name featuring Cash performing at the prison, hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1969-The Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" hits #1 in America for the first of four weeks.

1967-The Beatles record "Your Mother Should Know" at Chappell Recording Studios in London. It's their last session before the death of their manager, Brian Epstein, who passes away four days later.

1966-The Beatles play Shea Stadium for the second time. This one doesn't sell out, as they have been playing other shows in the area.

1963-In the UK, The Beatles release "She Loves You," which becomes the best-selling UK single of all time, a record that isn't broken until 1977, when Paul McCartney releases "Mull Of Kintyre."

1962-John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell at the Registrar office in Liverpool with Paul McCartney as best man. His wedding night is spent playing a gig with The Beatles at the nearby Riverpark Ballroom.

1961-Dean DeLeo (guitarist for Stone Temple Pilots) is born in Newark, New Jersey.

1954-Perez Prado records "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White."

1951-Rock musician Mark Hudson (of The Hudson Brothers) is born in Portland, Oregon. He also co-wrote several Aerosmith songs, including the 1993 hit "Livin' On The Edge."

1951-Rock vocalist Jimi Jamison (of Survivor) is born in rural Mississippi. Also known for singing and co-writing the theme for the action series Baywatch.

1949-Rick Springfield is born Richard Lewis Springthorpe in South Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia. Before becoming a pop star, he plays Dr. Noah Drake on the soap opera General Hospital.

1946-Keith Moon (drummer for The Who) is born in Wembley, London, England.

1946-Rock singer Jim Sohns (of The Shadows Of Knight) is born in Chicago, Illinois. The band is known for their popular 1966 cover of Them's song "Gloria."

1942-Doo-wopper Tony "Spaghetti" Micale (lead singer for The Reflections) is born in The Bronx, New York. Known for the 1964 hit single "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet."

1942-Songwriter/producer Roger Greenaway is born in Fishponds, Bristol, Gloucestershire. Known for collaborations with Roger Cook, including "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)," which started out as a Coca-Cola jingle.

1941-Pete Shannon (bass player for The Nashville Teens) is born in Antrim, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

1936-R&B singer Rudy Lewis (of The Drifters) is born Charles Rudolph Harrell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1917-Country/Western swing musician Tex Williams is born Sollie Paul Williams in Ramsey, Illinois. Known for the 1947 novelty song "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)."

1913-Bob Crosby, Dixieland bandleader and swing singer (of the Bob-Cats), is born in Spokane, Washington. He is one of seven siblings, one of them another famous entertainer: Bing Crosby.

1912-Song-and-dance man Gene Kelly is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1899-Dwight Hamilton Baldwin, manufacturer of the Baldwin Piano, dies in Cincinnati, Ohio, at age 78.

[Bikkie]

1878-Wellington steam-tram service opened
The governor, the Marquess of Normanby, formally opened the new service, which was said to be the first in the southern hemisphere.

✈️1932: Amelia Earhart Took Off from Los Angeles
The female aviator embarked on a groundbreaking non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Newark, aiming to set a women's transcontinental airspeed record. Flying her Lockheed Vega 5B, Earhart completed the journey in just under 20 hours, overcoming challenging weather conditions and mechanical issues. This achievement not only set a new record but also cemented her status as a pioneering aviator.



Music History


2021-Thirty years after appearing as a baby grasping for a dollar bill on Nirvana's Nevermind album cover, Spencer Elden sues the band and others associated with the photo shoot, claiming it caused him "extreme and permanent emotional distress."

2019-Billie Eilish ends a 19-week run at #1 for "Old Town Road" when "Bad Guy" claims the top spot on the Hot 100.

2016-Jeanne Martin, ex-wife of the late Dean Martin, dies of cancer at age 89. She married the singer in 1949, and gave birth to three children, including Dean Paul Martin, in addition to raising four more from Dean's first marriage. They divorced in 1972.

2014-Doo-wop singer Tommy Gough (of The Crests) dies of throat cancer at age 74.

2013-"Royals" by Lorde goes to #1 on the Alternative chart, making her the first female solo artist to top that tally since Tracy Bonham did it in 1996 (five months before Lorde was born) with "Mother Mother."

2013-The Civil Wars, the folk duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White, hit #1 in America with their self-titled sophomore album, but split up without ever performing songs from the set.

2012-Country singer Randy Travis continues his string of calamitous arrests, this time for a brawl at a church in Texas where he was purportedly fighting over a woman. The incident leads to him being cited for assault, giving him another citation to add to his collection. It's still a cheaper hobby than baseball cards.

2010-Teenage Dream, Katy Perry's second major-label album, is released. It goes to #1 in the US, where the first five singles, starting with "California Gurls," all top the Hot 100.

2008-Barenaked Ladies frontman Ed Robertson emerges unscathed after he crashes his Cessna 206 float-plane near Bancroft, Ontario. Three other passengers, including wife Natalie, are also miraculously uninjured. The Transportation Safety Board is unable to determine the cause of the crash, but clears Robertson of any wrongdoing.

2008-Leona Lewis and Jimmy Page perform during the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the National Stadium (also known as the Bird's Nest). The duo perform the Led Zeppelin classic "Whole Lotta Love."

2007-During a routine medical exam in Gainesville, Florida, Bo Diddley complains of dizziness and nausea and is admitted to a local hospital, where he is diagnosed as having had a heart attack. The rock legend had suffered a stroke only a few months earlier.

2007-Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere & the Raiders opens Mark Lindsay's Rock And Roll Cafe in his native Portland, Oregon. The restaurant closes the next year.

2005-Hal Kalin (of the Kalin Twins) dies after a car accident in Charles County, Maryland, at age 71.

2003-Dick Peterson from The Kingsmen joins 753 other guitarists to perform "Louie Louie" for a charity fundraiser in Tacoma, Washington.

1999-Big Band trombonist Warren Covington dies at age 78 in New York City.

1999-18-year-old Christina Aguilera releases her self-titled debut album, which includes three #1 hits: "Genie in a Bottle," "What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)." It ushers in a new era of teen pop alongside her former Mickey Mouse Club star, Britney Spears.

1998-53-year-old Ingrid Pedersen announces that she is the long-lost illegitimate half-sister of John Lennon, explaining that she kept her secret for so many years as a way of protecting her now-deceased adoptive parents.

1998-Composer/conductor Gene Page dies after a long illness in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, at age 58. Page did arrangements for The Supremes, Whitney Houston and Barbra Streisand and many others. He also scored the 1972 Blaxploitation flick Blacula.

1998-Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats and Live Aid fame begins hosting a show on the London radio station XFM. In his first broadcast, he announces (incorrectly) that Ian Dury has died.

Windows 95 Starts Up With Brian Eno
1995-Microsoft launches the Windows 95 operating system. The start-up music is composed by Brian Eno, a pioneer in ambient music who in 1978 released an album designed to soothe travelers at airports (Ambient 1: Music for Airports).

1991-Randy Newman wins his first Emmy, taking Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics for his work on Cop Rock, a spectacular flop that was cancelled long before the ceremony.

1990-Sinéad O'Connor refuses to perform at the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey until they agree not to play the US national anthem before the show.

1990-Led by Donald Fagen of Steely Dan and his girlfriend Libby Titus, the first "New York Rock & Soul Revue" is held in Southampton, New York. The second Revue results in the popular live album The New York Rock and Soul Revue: Live at the Beacon, featuring Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and Phoebe Snow.

1989-The Who perform a special 20th anniversary charity concert of their rock opera Tommy at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, featuring guests Elton John (as the Pinball Wizard), Patti LaBelle (as the Acid Queen), Steve Winwood (as the Hawker), Phil Collins (as Uncle Ernie), and Billy Idol (as Cousin Kevin).

1983-Jerry Lee Lewis' fifth wife, Shawn Michelle Stevens, dies of a methadone overdose at The Killer's home in Nesbit, Mississippi, although several journalists suspect foul play. The couple had only been married three months. Lewis' fourth wife had died an accidental death only a year earlier.

1981-Mark David Chapman, who murdered John Lennon, is sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He is repeatedly denied parole.

1981-The Rolling Stones release Tattoo You. The big hit from the album is "Start Me Up," which they first recorded with a reggae rhythm in 1977. That version was scrapped, but they rocked it up for Tattoo You with better results.

Rock 'N' Roll High School Hits Theaters
1979-The Ramones' movie Rock & Roll High School opens in theaters. The title song becomes one of their classics, and the film gains a cult following.

1978-Jazz trumpeter Louis Prima dies in New Orleans, Louisiana, at age 67, three years after a traumatic cerebral hemorrhage left him in a coma.

1977-Country legend Waylon Jennings is arrested for cocaine possession in New York City by federal agents, an event which will inspire his song "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got out of Hand?" The charges are later dropped.

1976-British composer Michael Head dies at 76.

"(You're) Having My Baby" Hits #1 Despite NOW Protest
1974-Paul Anka's "(You're) Having My Baby" hits #1 for the first of three weeks despite condemnation from feminist groups

1972-Many Brits get their first look at Roxy Music and their bedazzled frontman Bryan Ferry when they perform their song "Virginia Plain" on Top Of The Pops.

1969-John Lennon writes, rehearses, and records a song about his recent heroin withdrawal entitled "Cold Turkey," where he also puts into practice his recent introduction to "primal scream" therapy. Fans and critics are shocked and appalled by the emotionally raw recording, a prelude to his eventual Plastic Ono Band album.

1969-Folksinger Arlo Guthrie's film Alice's Restaurant, based on his hit song of the same name, premieres in both Los Angeles and New York.

1967-Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, drives his Lincoln Continental (not a Rolls Royce, as is often thought), into the swimming pool at the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan, to celebrate his 21st birthday, earning the entire band a lifetime ban from the chain.

1967-John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi when they attend his lecture at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, London. They later travel to India and study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi, an experience that informs many of their songs on The White Album.

1964-Taking him up on his telegram invitation to help out in any way he can in America, Beatles manager Brian Epstein meets Elvis Presley manager "Colonel" Tom Parker for the first time when they have lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

1963-Stevie Wonder's album Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius goes to #1, making him, at 13, the youngest solo artist ever to top the albums chart.

1961-Mark Bedford (bass guitarist for Madness) is born in Islington, London, England.

1959-The Browns' "The Three Bells" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1956-Elvis Presley records the ballad "Love Me Tender" on a soundstage in Hollywood where he's filming the movie of the same name.

1956-Buddy Holly is in the audience when Little Richard plays the Cotton Club in Lubbock, Texas.

1955-R&B singer Jeffrey Daniel (of Shalamar) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1951-Danny Joe Brown (lead singer of Molly Hatchet) is born in Jacksonville, Florida.

1951-Michael Derosier (former drummer for Heart) is born in Canada.

1948-Composer Jean-Michel Jarre is born in Lyon, France. Forerunner of electronic and ambient music.

1947-Jim Fox (drummer for the James Gang) is born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1945-Malcolm "Molly" Duncan (tenor saxophonist for The Average White Band) is born in Montrose, Scotland.

1945-Ken Hensley (multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for Uriah Heep) is born in Hertfordshire, England.

1944-Folk rocker Jim Brady (of The Sandpipers) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1943-John Cipollina (lead guitarist for Quicksilver Messenger Service) is born in Berkeley, California.

1943-Frank Sinatra's "In The Blue Of Evening" hits #1 in America.

1942-Jimmy Soul, known for the 1963 chart-topper "If You Wanna Be Happy," is born James Louis McCleese in Weldon, North Carolina.

1942-Carl Mann, known for rockabilly versions of Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa" and The Platters' "Twilight Time," is born in Huntingdon, Tennessee.

1942-Marshall Donald Thompson (of The Chi-Lites) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1941-Doo-wop singer Ernest Wright (of Little Anthony & the Imperials) in Brooklyn, New York.

1938-David Freiberg (vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1938-Mason Williams is born in Abilene, Texas. Aside from becoming a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Saturday Night Live, he also works as a guitarist and composer.

1924-Louis Teicher (of the piano-playing duo Ferrante & Teicher) is born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

1915-Blues singer Wynonie Harris is born in Omaha, Nebraska. He'll land his first R&B chart-topper in 1945 with "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well."

1905-Blues musician Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup is born in Forest, Mississippi.

[Bikkie]

Cook's First Voyage
1768 Captain James Cook departs from Plymouth, England, bound for the Pacific Ocean on his first voyage aboard the Endeavour

Captain Webb Conquers English Channel
1875 Captain Matthew Webb makes the first recorded and unassisted swim across the English Channel in 21 hours and 45 minutes

1908 Allan Winter wins the first $50,000 trotting race in the US

1910 Yellow Cab is founded

1912 First time an aircraft recovers from a spin

1916-New Zealand soldier executed
After being found guilty of desertion, 28-year-old Private Frank Hughes was killed by a firing squad in Hallencourt, northern France. He was the first New Zealand soldier executed during the First World War.

1st US Female Olympic Champion
1920 Ethelda Bleibtrey leads an American medal sweep at the Antwerp Olympics in the women's 100 m freestyle with a world record of 1:13.6, becoming the first US female Olympic champion

1920-First flight across Cook Strait
Captain Euan Dickson completed the first air crossing of Cook Strait, flying a 110-hp Le Rhone Avro from Christchurch to Upper Hutt with the first air mail between the South and North Islands.

Walter Nash visits a tornado-damaged house in Frankton
1948
Killer twister hits Frankton
Three people were killed, 80 injured and about 150 buildings destroyed or badly damaged by New Zealand’s deadliest recorded tornado. The damage was estimated at more than £1 million (equivalent to $77 million in 2020).


Music History


2018-During her Reputation tour, Taylor Swift headlines a concert at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, where Tim McGraw and Faith Hill join her onstage for a performance of her seminal country hit "Tim McGraw."

2018-Neil Young and Daryl Hannah get married in a secret ceremony in Atascadero, California. It's Young's third marriage, her first.

2016-Kanye West begins his Saint Pablo Tour with a concert in Indianapolis. During the show, West performs on a floating stage that hovers about 15 feet over the audience.More

2013-'N Sync reunite to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards, where group member Justin Timberlake accepts the Video Vanguard Award. It's their first performance since 2004; they don't perform again until 2024, when they make a surprise appearance at one of Timberlake's concerts.

Skillet Sizzles With Awake Album
2009-Skillet's Awake album debuts at #2 on the US albums chart, tying with Underoath's Define The Great Line and Casting Crowns' The Altar and the Door for the highest-charting Christian rock album. The album also features their first Hot 100 entry: "Awake and Alive."

2009-Chris Brown is sentenced to five years probation and six months hard labor for assaulting Rihanna in February 2009 the night of the Grammy awards. Brown is also ordered to stay away from her for the next five years and undergo a full year of domestic violence counseling.

2008-The Verve release Forth, their first album since Urban Hymns in 1997. It proves to be their last.

2007-While singing his 1968 hit "Fire" on stage in Lewes, England, Arthur Brown catches on fire after wearing his customary tinfoil hat with a small fire burning in the center.

2007-The Veronicas' fashion line for Target is released in Australia. "It's a bit punk princess, mixed with rock 'n' roll,'' says Lisa Origliasso.

2006-Longtime Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton misses his first gig in 24 years after being diagnosed with throat cancer.

Aaliyah Dies In Plane Crash
2001-After shooting the music video for "Rock The Boat" in The Bahamas, 22-year-old Aaliyah dies in a plane crash along with eight others when the overloaded aircraft goes down shortly after takeoff.

2000-Composer Jack Nitzsche dies after a cardiac arrest in Hollywood, California, at age 63. Aside from playing keyboard for The Rolling Stones in the '60s, he co-wrote the 1983 hit "Up Where We Belong" from the romantic drama An Officer and a Gentlemen.

1998-Fugees member Lauryn Hill releases her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It becomes the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.

1995-Dutch rock 'n roller Arnie Treffers (of Long Tall Ernie & the Shakers) dies of lung cancer in Westeremden, Groningen, Netherlands, at age 48. Had an international hit in 1977 with "Do You Remember."

1994-Jimmy Buffett swims to safety after crashing his seaplane while trying to take off in Nantucket.

1994-Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin reunite in a London studio to record the concert that becomes the MTV special Unledded.

1994-Billy Joel is officially divorced from the model Christie Brinkley. Their marriage lasted nine years.

Snoop Dogg Involved In Fatal Shooting
1993-Snoop Doggy Dogg drives his Jeep Cherokee to Woodbine Park in Los Angeles, where his passenger, McKinley Lee, shoots and kills a rival gang member. Both are tried for murder but found not guilty in 1996.More

1992-Mary J. Blige releases "Real Love," her first Top 10 hit on the Hot 100.

1989-Chicago mayor Richard Michael Daley declares today "Pops Staples Day" in honor of the native musician and leader of The Staple Singers.

1988-Metallica issue their fourth studio album, ...And Justice For All, featuring "One" and "To Live Is To Die."

1987-Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil suffers a mustard-related injury when he angrily breaks a jar of Gulden's before a show in Rochester, New York (he wanted Frenchie's). The show is cancelled, and Neil is airlifted to Baltimore, where surgeons work to repair nerve and tendon damage in his hand.

1984-Menudo, the Puerto Rican boy band with the ever-changing lineup, release their 16th studio album, Evolucion. The album introduces their new 12-year-old singer, Ricky Martin.

1979-Bandleader Stan Kenton dies days after having a stroke in Los Angeles, California, at age 67. Known for hits with June Christy and a popular version of "Laura," named for the 1944 film-noir of the same name.

1979-The Knack's "My Sharona" hits #1 in the US for the first of six weeks.

1977-California governor Jerry Brown appoints singer and longtime environmental activist Helen Reddy to the state's Parks Commission.

Boston Blast Off With Blockbuster Debut Album
1976-Boston release their self-titled debut album, which despite being mostly recorded in Tom Scholz' basement studio, becomes one of the best-selling debuts of all time.

1976-Frankie Avalon's summer replacement variety series, Easy Does It, debuts on CBS.

1975-Bruce Springsteen releases his third album and big breakthrough: Born to Run.

1973-Butch Trucks, drummer for The Allman Brothers Band, crashes his car while driving in Macon, Georgia, breaking his leg in the process. This happens within sight of the spot where Duane Allman had died in a crash two years earlier.

1973-Todd Rundgren puts on a free concert at Wollman Rink in Central Park, where he records the song "Sons Of 1984" for his upcoming album, Todd. The audience is given lyric sheets so they can sing along in the chorus.

1973-The Stories' "Brother Louie" hits #1 in the US for the first of two weeks.

1970-At Plymouth Guildhall in England, Emerson, Lake & Palmer perform for the first time. They play to a far larger audience four days later at the the Isle Of Wight Festival.

1967-Jimmy Page's band The Yardbirds play the Village Theatre (later the Fillmore East) in New York City, where their opening act, Jake Holmes, plays his song "Dazed And Confused." Later with Led Zeppelin, Page releases a very similar song with the same title.

1970-Country singer Jo Dee Messina is born in Holliston, Massachusetts.

1970-The little-known 23-year-old singer Elton John plays his first live show in the United States, co-headlining with the singer/songwriter David Ackles at The Troubadour in West Hollywood. The show gets rave reviews, giving him a huge career boost in America.

1967-Jimmy Page's band The Yardbirds play the Village Theatre (later the Fillmore East) in New York City, where their opening act, Jake Holmes, plays his song "Dazed And Confused." Later with Led Zeppelin, Page releases a very similar song with the same title.

1967-After a two-year bout with stage fright, Beach Boys founder and resident genius Brian Wilson returns to playing live with the band.

1967-Jeff Tweedy (frontman for Wilco) is born in Belleville, Illinois.

1966-Public Enemy DJ Terminator X is born Norman Lee Rogers. In the late '90s, he joins the family business raising African black ostriches on a farm in North Carolina.

1963-Digital Underground leader Greg Jacobs is born in New York City. He assumes various personas in the group, most famously Shock G and Humpty Hump. Digital Underground become one of the most comically joyful and musically inventive acts of their time. At one point, Tupac is a member, learning the ropes from Jacobs.

1962-Little Eva, who takes care of Carole King and Gerry Goffin's daughter, takes their song "The Loco-Motion" to #1 in America.

1962-Vivian Campbell, who would replace the late Steve Clark as guitarist for Def Leppard, is born in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

1961-Billy Ray Cyrus is born in Flatwoods, Kentucky. The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer is also known as dad to Hannah Montana alum Miley Cyrus.

1958-The Elegants' "Little Star," an adaptation of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," hits #1 in America.

1956-Matt Aitken of the songwriting team Stock Aitken Waterman is born in Coventry, England. Among their hits: "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley.

1954-Rock singer/songwriter Elvis Costello is born Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus in Paddington, London, England. He would adopt his stage surname from his dad, who performed as Day Costello.

1952-Geoff Downes (keyboard player/songwriter for Asia and Yes) is born Stockport, Cheshire, England.

1951-Rob Halford, the hell-bent-for-leather frontman of Judas Priest, is born in Sutton Coldfield, England.

1950-Willy DeVille (of rock band Mink Deville) is born William Paul Borsey Jr. in Stamford, Connecticut. Known for "Storybook Love," a collaboration with Mark Knopfler that served as the theme to the 1987 movie The Princess Bride.

1949-Gene Simmons (of Kiss) is born Chaim Weitz in Haifa, Israel, to Nazi concentration camp survivor Flora Klein and her carpenter husband, Feri.

1942-Walter Williams (of The O'Jays) is born in Canton, Ohio. He would go on to be a spokesman for multiple sclerosis, an illness he was diagnosed with in 1983.

1941-Skinnay Ennis records "Don't Let Julia Fool Ya."

1941-Christopher Augustine (drummer for Every Mother's Son) is born in New York. Known for the 1967 hit "Come on Down to My Boat."

1933-Jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter is born in Newark, New Jersey. Known for several compositions for Miles Davis, including "Prince of Darkness," "Footprints" and "Sanctuary."

1918-Composer Leonard Bernstein is born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Known for his work on Broadway smashes West Side Story, Peter Pan and On the Town, among others.

[Bikkie]

1346 – English forces under Edward III win the Battle of Crecy in France, one of the most overwhelming victories in history.

1429 – As part of Charles VII’s campaign to drive the English from French soil, Joan of Arc and her soldiers reach the outskirts of Paris, but the assault ultimately fails.

Cross-section of telegraph cable
1866
Telegraph line laid across Cook Strait
After two bungled attempts and near disaster at sea, the installation of the first communications cable between the North and South Islands of New Zealand was completed. A simple copper telegraph cable was laid on the sea floor from Whites Bay, north of Blenheim, to Lyall Bay on Wellington’s south coast.


1883 – The volcano Krakatoa in Indonesia begins to erupt; 36,000 people are killed by the eruption and resulting tsunami.
Tūkāroto Matutaera Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Tāwhiao

1894
Death of second Māori King
Tāwhiao had led his people through the traumatic period during and after the wars of the 1860s. He was succeeded by his son Mahuta.

First New Zealand Coat of Arms
1911
New Zealand Coat of Arms warranted
On this day King George V signed the Royal Warrant assigning the first New Zealand Coat of Arms. The Warrant was published in the New Zealand Gazette on 11 January 1912.

1920 – The 19th Amendment becomes part of the Constitution of the United States, giving women the right to vote.

1936 – Anglo-Egyptian Treaty establishes Egypt as a sovereign state after 50 years of British occupation.

1939 – The first televised Major League baseball game, between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York, is broadcast.

1959 – British Motor Corporation introduces the first Mini, designed by Alec Issigonis.


Music History


2023-Sean "Diddy" Combs makes a $1 million donation to the Earn Your Leisure fund to help foster financial literacy, then in a show of support for HBCU's, gives the Jackson State University football team another million. Diddy's alma matter is the HBCU Howard University.

Unsigned Singer Debuts at #1 With Working-Class Anthem "Rich Men North Of Richmond"
2023-Oliver Anthony becomes the first artist with no chart history to debut at #1 in America when "Rich Men North Of Richmond," recorded outdoors in one take with his dogs nearby, shoots to the top.

2022-After Jason Aldean's wife Brittany posts a makeup video on Instagram with the caption, "I'd really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase," Maren Morris, an advocate for transgender rights, flames her with a Tweet, writing, "Zip it, Insurrection Barbie." The feud raises tensions between conservative members of the country music community and those with more progressive views like Morris.

2020-Katy Perry welcomes her first child, daughter Daisy Dove Bloom. The father is her partner, actor Orlando Bloom.

2019-Ed Sheeran wraps up his ÷ (Divide) tour with a show at Chantry Park in Ipswich, England, near his hometown of Framlingham. The tour started on March 16, 2017 and set the record for highest-grossing tour, earning $775.6 million over 255 shows. After two-and-a-half years on the road, he's ready for a rest. "This is my last gig for probably 18 months," he tells the crowd.

2017-The first annual LOVELOUD Festival goes down in Orem, Utah, with performances by Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees and Walk The Moon. Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds founded LOVELOUD to support the LGBTQ+ community.

2016-Ann Wilson's husband is arrested for assault after getting physical with Nancy Wilson's 16-year-old twin sons, causing a rift between the Heart sisters, who finish their tour using separate dressing rooms and avoiding contact.

2014-Kate Bush, who hasn't toured since 1979, returns to the stage for a series of 22 shows at the Eventim Apollo in London. Titled Before The Dawn, it's an elaborate production with acting, a puppeteer, and an illusionist. The shows earn rave reviews and, the next week, eight of her albums return to the Top 40 of the UK albums chart.

2009-Hit songwriter Ellie Greenwich dies from a heart attack at age 68 after a bout of pneumonia.

2007-The Rolling Stones wrap up their A Bigger Bang tour at the O2 Arena in London. The tour lasted two years and sets a new record with a gross of $558 million.

2006-Taylor Hicks' "Do I Make You Proud?" drops out of the Hot 100 after just eight weeks, establishing a new record for the shortest stay on the chart for a #1 hit. A little perspective: "London Bridge" by Fergie is the 2006 #1 with the next-fewest weeks on the chart, with 21.

2005-A post office in Los Angeles is officially renamed after singer Ray Charles due to its close proximity to the studio where he recorded later in life.

2004-"Gloria" singer Laura Branigan dies from a cerebral aneurysm in East Quogue, New York, at age 52.

2002-Herman's Hermits original lead singer Peter Noone files an unsuccessful lawsuit against the group's drummer Barry Whitwam, attempting to block him from touring with new musicians under the group name.

2000-Allen Woody (bass guitarist for The Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule) dies in Queens, New York, from an indeterminate cause at age 44.

2000-De La Soul's Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, their first album in four years, debuts at #9 on the Billboard 200 chart and #3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

1996-Delegates at the Democratic National Convention take a break to do the "Macarena," including First Lady Hillary Clinton, who's rocking the dance's hand motions from the crowd.

1995-Ronnie White (of The Miracles) dies after a battle with leukemia at age 56 in Detroit, Michigan. White had also lost his first-born daughter to the disease when she was 9 years old.

1995-Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" hits #1 in the US after being used in the movie Batman Forever. "I owe my career to Joel Schumacher," Seal says, referring to the film's director.

1994-Scottish singer/songwriter Frankie Miller suffers a brain hemorrhage while in New York, lapsing into a five-month coma that eventually forces him into physical therapy to regain his motor skills.

1994-Hole play the Reading Festival in England, their first concert following two tragedies: the suicide of Kurt Cobain (husband of Hole frontwoman Courtney Love) in April, and the death of their bass player, Kristen Pfaff, from a heroin overdose in June. Pfaff's replacement is Melissa Auf der Maur.

1993-Apple Records wins the bidding for a rare recording of the Beatles playing "Kansas City" and "Some Other Guy" at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1962, paying £16,000 for the acetate disc.

1983-The film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, starring David Bowie, opens in New York City.

1981-Folk singer Lee Hays (bass vocalist for The Weavers) dies from diabetic cardiovascular disease at age 67 in Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New York. Hays penned a farewell poem wishing for his ashes to be mixed with his compost pile. That wish was fulfilled.

1981-The mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Marion Dewar, declares today "Paul Anka Day" in honor of its Paul Anka.

1980-Cheap Trick bass player Tom Peterson leaves the group, citing burnout. He returns for their 1988 Lap Of Luxury album, featuring their comeback song "The Flame."

1978-The Canada Jam festival goes down in the Great White North (Bowmanville, Ontario), with The Doobie Brothers, The Village People, Triumph, and Kansas on the bill.

1978-Frankie Valli's "Grease," the title track to the blockbuster film, hits #1 in America.

1977-Kiss play the first of three nights at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The shows are compiled for their Alive II album, released in October.

1976-Steven Tyler of Aerosmith appears on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Annie Leibovitz took the photo, which shows the frontman haggard and bleary after just two hours sleep. Leibovitz got the shot by showing up at his hotel at 6 a.m.

1974-As part of As part of Women's Equality Day, the National Organization of Women give Paul Anka their "Keep Her In Her Place" award for his song "(You're) Having My Baby."

1973-Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers record "Mellow My Mind," "Speakin' Out," "World on a String," "Tired Eyes," and "Tonight's the Night." All five recordings are included on the final cut of Tonight's the Night.

1973-10cc make their stage debut at the Palace Lido on England's Isle of Man.

1973-At the Hilton in Las Vegas, Bobby Darin plays his final concert. The singer dies on December 20.

1972-Looking Glass' "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

1972-Nilsson's novelty song "Coconut" peaks at #8 on the US pop chart, where it will stay for one week.

1970-The five-day Isle of Wight festival kicks off in England, boasting a very impressive lineup, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Miles Davis, Emerson, Lake And Palmer, The Doors, The Who, Spirit, The Moody Blues, Chicago, Procol Harum, Sly and the Family Stone, Free, and in his last concert appearance in England, Jimi Hendrix.

1970-After an all-night jam, The Allman Brothers' Duane Allman asks Eric Clapton if he can attend the recording sessions for his new group, Derek & the Dominos. Clapton agrees, only on the condition that Allman also play on the sessions.

1969-Elvis Presley cracks himself up during his concert in Las Vegas when he changes a lyric to "Are You Lonesome Tonight," singing, "Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair?"More

1969-No Doubt drummer Adrian Young is born in Long Beach, California.

1968-Mary Hopkin releases "Those Were The Days" in the US.

1968-In America, The Beatles release the Paul McCartney-penned "Hey Jude" with John Lennon's "Revolution" on the B-side. It hits #1 a month later and stays for nine weeks, longer than any other song in 1968.

1968-Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." is certified gold.

1967-Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billy Joe" hits #1 in America for the first of four weeks. The song looks at how quickly we move on to the next thing, as Billie Joe's demise quickly becomes old news.

1967-The Beatles follow their favorite new lecturer, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, to University College in Bangor, North Wales, along with Mick Jagger and his girlfriend Marianne Faithfull. After his lecture the group holds a press conference to announce that they've become his disciples in the "Spiritual Regeneration Movement" and officially renounced the use of all drugs.

1966-Shirley Manson is born in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she forms the band Angelfish. Their video for "Suffocate Me" gets the attention of the Americans Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker, who convince her to join their new band, Garbage.

1966-Dan Vickrey (lead guitarist for Counting Crows) is born in Walnut Creek, California.

1963-British singer Cilla Black makes her concert debut, opening for The Beatles at the Odeon in Southport, Lancashire, England.

1960-Jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis is born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, to a family of musicians. He played sax and miscellaneous percussion on Sting's 1985 solo debut, The Dream of the Blue Turtles.

1958-English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams dies in London, England, at age 85. Known for compositions like "A Pastoral Symphony" and "The Lark Ascending."

1952-Rock guitarist Billy Rush (of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes) is born.

1949-Pop singer Bob Cowsill (of The Cowsills) is born in Portsmouth, Virginia, though the family band will be born out of Newport, Rhode Island.

1948-Motown songwriter Valerie Simpson (half of the Ashford & Simpson team) is born in The Bronx, New York.

1942-Maureen "Moe" Tucker (drummer for The Velvet Underground) is born in Levittown, New York.

1942-Singer Vic Dana is born in Buffalo, New York. Known for '60s hits like "Little Altar Boy," "I Will," and a popular cover of "Red Roses for a Blue Lady."

1942-Drummer Chris Curtis (of The Searchers) is born Christopher Crummey in Oldham, Lancashire, England. After a move to Liverpool at age 4, he meets bandmate Mike Pender in primary school.

1940-Rocker Nik Turner (of Hawkwind) is born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

1939-Doo-wop singer Fred Milano (of The Belmonts) is born in New York City. Belmont Avenue, the Bronx street where he grew up, inspired the group's name.

1936-Duke Elllington music, Helen McKay sings "Here's Looking At You" as part of a test transmission for the BBC television service, making it the first song ever broadcast on television.

[Bikkie]

1904-Foundation stone for Victoria University’s first building laid
Victoria College (now Victoria University of Wellington) was founded in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's 60th jubilee. Until the opening of the Kelburn building in 1906, classes were taught in rented rooms.

1911-Pawelka's last prison break
Joseph Pawelka’s escape from Wellington’s Terrace Gaol was the last of three bold but seemingly effortless prison escapes he made over a period of 18 months.

1859 First successful oil well drilled near Titusville, Pennsylvania, by Edwin Drake

1869 The first international boat race is held on the River Thames; Oxford beats Harvard

1881 Hurricane hits Florida and the Carolinas, killing about 700

Krakatoa: The World’s Mightiest Explosion
1883 Krakatoa volcano, located west of Java in Indonesia, erupts with a force of 200 megatons of TNT, killing approximately 36,000 people


Music History


2024-The bellicose brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher announce an Oasis reunion tour, ending a 15-year hiatus. "The guns have fallen silent," the press release reads. "The stars have aligned."

2018-Weird Al Yankovic receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the ceremony, he tells the crowd, "My name is gonna be walked on, spit on, and let's face it ... urinated on for generations to come. That's a legacy, my friends."

2017-Kendrick Lamar wins Video of the Year for HUMBLE. at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Taylor Swift debuts her video for "Look What You Made Me Do."More

2013-To celebrate the band's 40th anniversary, Alabama reunites for Alabama & Friends, a tribute album with some of the group's biggest hits sung with contemporary country artists like Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and Jason Aldean.

2011-In Italy, Phoenix lead singer Thomas Mars marries the director Sofia Coppola - the couple already have two daughters together. Phoenix contributed a song to Coppola's 2003 film Lost in Translation and appear in her 2006 movie Marie Antoinette.

2008-Election '08 fever begins as the Democratic National Convention hits Denver and brings Kanye West, Rage Against The Machine, John Legend and many more to town.

2003-Janis Ian marries her girlfriend, Nashville defense lawyer Patricia Snyder, in Toronto, one of the few places where gay marriages are legal.

2002-Queens Of The Stone Age release their third album, Songs For The Deaf, touted as being so heavy even deaf people can hear it. The drummer is Dave Grohl, taking some time away from Foo Fighters.

1996-Pearl Jam release their fourth album, No Code, which debuts at #1 in the US.

1995-Big Dee Irwin dies of heart failure in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 63. Recorded a popular version of "Swinging on a Star" with Little Eva.

1992-John Lennon's original written lyrics for "A Day In The Life" fetch $87,000 at a Sotheby's auction.

1992-The Heights, a drama series about a group of working-class youths struggling to form a rock band, premieres on the FOX network. Produced by Aaron Spelling, the short-lived show spawns a #1 single with its theme song, "How Do You Talk To An Angel."

1991-Pearl Jam release their debut album, Ten, which launches them to stardom and puts them in the forefront of the Seattle grunge movement.

1990-35-year-old Stevie Ray Vaughan dies in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin, following a concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theater where earlier in the evening he appeared with Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, and his older brother, Jimmie Vaughan.

1989-Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses is arrested at the Phoenix airport after urinating on the floor of the plane, apparently upset at having to wait to use the bathroom. His publicist explains that it was Izzy's "way of expressing himself."

1989-The BCM Summer Dance Festival kicks off at the Tempodrom in Berlin. The 3-day festival brings together a number of American acts, including the up-and-coming hip-hop groups Stetsasonic, EPMD and UTFO, along with disco mainstays The Village People and R&B legend Bobby Womack.

1988-Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut album races to #1 in the US as her song "Fast Car" peaks at #6.

1988-As baby boomers soak up the soothing sounds of Kenny G, Yanni and Enya, Billboard introduces the New Age Albums chart. The first #1 is Cristofori's Dream by the pianist David Lanz.

1988-20-year-old Kylie Minogue becomes the youngest female artist to land a #1 album in the UK when her debut, Kylie, claims the top spot. Her record stands until 2003, when 18-year-old Avril Lavigne goes to #1 with Let Go.

1987-With the jury deadlocked, a judge declares a mistrial in the case against Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, who was charged with distributing harmful material to minors because he included a surreal poster of penis art in the band's 1985 album Frankenchrist - the first time a musician has been prosecuted for album art. The trial is a costly one for the Dead Kennedys, who break up soon after.

1986-R&B singer Mario is born Mario Dewar Barrett in Baltimore, Maryland.

1986-Tina Turner receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1982-George Strait makes his movie debut in The Soldier, where he performs his song "Fool Hearted Memory" in a honky tonk as a brawl breaks out. The song becomes the first of Strait's 44 #1 Country hits.

1979-Jon Siebels (guitarist for Eve 6) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1977-Jackson Browne plays the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. His performances of "Running On Empty" and "The Load Out/Stay" from the show are released on the album Running on Empty.

1977-Jimmy Buffett marries his second wife, Jane Slagsvol, of Columbia, South Carolina, who had co-written two of his songs, "Something So Feminine About A Mandolin" and "Kick It In Second Wind." They remain married today.

1977-Rapper Mase is born Mason Durell Betha in Jacksonville, Florida. Known for "Feel So Good" and "Lookin' at Me" from his 1997 solo debut, Harlem World.

1970-The second day of the Isle of Wight Festival is notable primarily for its lack of big names. It does see an early appearance from Supertramp, whose debut album was released just four weeks earlier.

1970-The sci-fi musical Toomorrow, starring newcomer Olivia Newton-John as a pop singer whose band gets abducted by aliens, debuts in theaters. The film is meant to be a vehicle for the title group, but flops, pushing Newton-John towards a solo career.

1970-No Doubt bass player Tony Kanal is born in London to Indian parents.

1967-The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein dies of an accidental overdose (Carbitral mixed with alcohol) in London, England, at age 32.

1966-The Association release "Cherish."

1965-Elvis Presley meets The Beatles for the first time when the Fab 4 are brought to The King's Los Angeles mansion. They hang out, talk music and have a little jam session. John Lennon would later say, "If it hadn't been for him, The Beatles would be nothing."

Julie Andrews Debuts In Mary Poppins
1964-Disney releases Mary Poppins, a Sherman Brothers musical featuring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It's the first movie role for Andrews, who is already a Broadway star. Her portrayal of the title character earns her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

1962-Gospel singer Yolanda Adams is born in Singapore to American parents. She will be raised in Houston, Texas. Known for her 1999 Grammy-award-winning album, Mountain High... Valley Low.

1956-Glen Matlock (original bass guitarist for The Sex Pistols) is born in Paddington, London, England.

1955-Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame" hits #10 in the US, becoming the first R&B song to hit the Top 10 on the Pop chart. Three weeks later, Pat Boone's cover hits #1.

1953-Alex Lifeson (guitarist for Rush) is born Aleksandar Zivojinovic in Fernie, British Columbia, Canada, to Serbian immigrant parents. He is raised in Toronto, Ontario.

1949-Country rock musician Jeff Cook (of Alabama) is born in Fort Payne, Alabama.

1945-Malcolm "Duke" Allured (drummer for Showaddywaddy) is born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England.

1944-Rocker Tim Bogert (bassist/vocalist for Vanilla Fudge) is born John Voorhis Bogert III in Richfield, New Jersey.

1942-Daryl Dragon, the Captain of Captain & Tennille, is born in Los Angeles. His father is the conductor Carmen Dragon.

1939-Operatic tenor Allan Jones records "I'm Falling In Love With Someone."

1937-Pop singer Tommy Sands is born in Chicago, Illinois. Known for the 1956 hit "Teen Age Crush."

1937-Phil Shulman (of Gentle Giant) is born in The Gorbals, Glasgow, Scotland.

[Bikkie]

Horse in Race Against a Train
1830 The first American-built locomotive, "Tom Thumb," races a horse-drawn car from the Stockton and Stokes stagecoach company from Baltimore to Ellicott Mills; due to mechanical problems, the horse wins!

Britain Abolishes the Slave Trade
1833 Britain's Slavery Abolition Act gains royal assent

1837 Pharmacists John Lea and William Perrins manufacture Worcestershire sauce
1840 Nine Jewish prisoners are released from Damascus jails
1845 Scientific American magazine publishes its first issue

1st Photograph of a Tornado
1884 First known photograph of a tornado is taken near Howard, South Dakota

World Record 300m
1920 Ethelda Bleibtrey leads an American medal sweep in the Antwerp Olympics women's 300 m freestyle with a world record swim of 4:34.0

Babe Ruth Starts Streak
1921 Babe Ruth starts a streak of hitting an extra-base hit in nine consecutive games




Music History


2020-Katy Perry releases her sixth album, Smile. It's bundled with the video game Katy's Quest, which she is seen playing in the video for the title track.

Beyonce And Rihanna Have VMA Moments
2016-At the MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé wins Video of the Year for "Formation." In support of the Black Lives Matter movement, she brings four mothers of shooting victims with her onto the red carpet. By the end of the evening, Bey (along with her production designer, choreographer, director, cinematographer and editor) has eight trophies.More

2011-Beyoncé reveals her pregnancy during the MTV Video Music Awards, setting Twitter on fire.

2009-Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein dies of what is ruled as an accidental overdose at age 36 in his New York City apartment. This comes nearly a year after AM and his friend Travis Barker survived a fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of four others.
Oasis Call It Quits

2009-After the latest in a series of incidents between feuding brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, Oasis finally split, with Noel walking out for good. "It is with some sadness and great relief... I quit Oasis tonight," he says. "People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer."

2009-Three days before the release of their second studio album, The First Days of Spring, Noah and the Whale lead singer Charlie Fink's brother Doug announces that he will leave the band to pursue a career in medicine. In a 2011 interview, Charlie says that Doug is still the one he consults first on matters concerning the band. "He can always see where I'm going, even when something is embryonic and sounds like madness."

2005-To promote their new line of fall denim, the Gap recruits seven artists to cover their favorite songs on a commercial that airs during the MTV Video Music Awards. Joining Alanis Morissette, who sings Seal's "Crazy" in the clip, are Keith Urban, Joss Stone, Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child), Jason Mraz, John Legend, and Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd.More

2005-For the second time in two years, Art Garfunkel is arrested for marijuana possession.

2004-A woman claims to be badly injured by Rick Springfield's butt when he ventures into the audience as part of his show in Syracuse, New York. Her lawsuit is the butt of many jokes but is a real pain in the ass for the singer. The case isn't decided until 2015, when a jury rules in Springfield's favor.

2004-Lou Rawls is awarded an honorary doctorate from Ohio's Wilberforce University in recognition of his charity work with the United Negro College Fund and his "lifelong service to the education of historically disadvantaged populations."

2003-Britney Spears and Madonna share a big, juicy kiss during the opening performance of the MTV Video Music Awards. Madonna then plants one on Christina Aguilera, but we only get a glimpse of it because the director cuts to a shot of a thunderstruck Justin Timberlake in the audience.

2001-Mary J. Blige releases her fifth studio album, No More Drama.

2001-Weezer release "Island In The Sun," the second single from Weezer (aka The Green Album). It's a very tranquil song for the band, a stark contrast from the first single, "Hash Pipe." It becomes the most-licensed song in their catalog, showing up in The Simpsons, The Sopranos, and Trolls Band Together.

2001-With nu-metal still alive and well, Puddle Of Mudd release their debut album, Come Clean. It sells over 3 million copies thanks to the hits "Blurry," "Control," and "She Hates Me."

1998-The Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall In Love opens in theaters. Named after Lymon's famous song, the film stars Larenz Tate, Halle Berry and Vivica A. Fox.

1998-The movie Studio 54, about the legendary New York Disco, opens starring Ryan Phillippe and Mike Myers as the club's owners.

1998-Pearl Jam's video for "Do The Evolution," their first since "Jeremy" in 1992, debuts on MTV. The band does not appear in the video, which is animated by Todd McFarlane.

1997-In Leeds on the U2 Popmart tour, Bono responds to George Harrison's comment, "Bono and his band are so egocentric," by holding up a middle finger and saying, "This one's for you George!"

1996-Isaac Hayes officially protests the use of Sam and Dave's classic "Soul Man" (which he wrote) by the Bob Dole US Presidential campaign (which had renamed it "I'm A Dole Man").

1993-At a charity concert held at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, Natalie Merchant plays her first gig after leaving 10,000 Maniacs.

1986-Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine is born in London.

1986-The anti-corporate-pollution benefit concert Get Tough On Toxics is held in Long Beach, California, featuring members of Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Neil Young.

1984-The Egyptian poet Abdul Rahim Mansour dies.

1984-With over one million ticket sales in only two months, the Jacksons' reunion tour, entitled Victory, becomes the most successful concert tour of all time.

1982-George Strait lands his first #1 Country hit with "Fool Hearted Memory," a song from his second album, Strait From The Heart, which also contains his famous cover of "Amarillo By Morning." Strait quickly becomes the biggest hitmaker in country music, with 17 #1 hits by the end of the decade.

1982-Country singer LeAnn Rimes is born Margaret LeAnn Rimes in Jackson, Mississippi.

1981-Guy Stevens (music producer/manager) dies of a prescription drug overdose in South London, England, at age 38. He produced The Clash's third album, London Calling.

1981-Country singer Jake Owen is born Joshua Ryan Owen in Winter Haven, Florida. Arriving with him is fraternal twin brother, Jarrod.

1971-John Denver's first hit, "Take Me Home Country Roads," peaks at #2 on the Hot 100, held back by the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" Denver's song, which endures as a singalong favorite, is about West Virgina, but he had never been there - the lyric was inspired by postcards his co-writer Bill Danoff received from a friend who lived in that state.

1970-The third day of the Isle of Wight Festival includes performances from Procol Harum, Rory Gallagher's trio Taste and Chicago. Although appearing on the bill and in the programme, Mungo Jerry decide not to play when the show overruns to such an extent they would be playing in the early hours of the morning.

1969-Paul and Linda McCartney have their first child: a daughter named Mary, named after Paul's mother.

1968-At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, overzealous police in riot gear brutally beat protestors who are demonstrating against the Vietnam War. The Doors, Graham Nash and Chicago all write songs about it.

1967-In San Francisco, Grateful Dead, along with Janis Joplin's group Big Brother & the Holding Company, play the funeral of a Hell's Angel killed after being hit by a car.

1965-Bob Dylan plays "Desolation Row" for the first time at the Forest Hills Music Festival in Queens, New York.

1965-Shania Twain is born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

1965-Mel Carter's signature tune "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" peaks at #8 on the Hot 100.

1965-The Rolling Stones sign with Decca records and ink a management contract with Allen Klein.

1964-The Beatles smoke pot for the first time, supplied by Bob Dylan, who joins the band after one of their concerts in New York state. Dylan is surprised they haven't tried it before, as he thought they sang "I get high" in their song "I Want To Hold Your Hand," when it was really "I can't hide."

Dylan, Joan Baez and Mahalia Jackson Join MLK at the March On Washington
1963-At the March On Washington, where Martin Luther King, Jr. gives his "I have a dream" speech, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Odetta and Mahalia Jackson sing for equal rights.

1961-Joe Dowell's "Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn)" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

1960-A 17-year-old Barry White completes his four-month prison term for stealing 300 tires from a Cadillac dealership. Having heard Elvis sing "It's Now Or Never" in prison, he leaves determined to make music his life.

1955-Fourteen-year-old Emmett Till is murdered by two white men in Money, Mississippi, for talking to a white woman. His story later inspires Bob Dylan's "The Death of Emmett Till" and Emmylou Harris' "My Name is Emmett Till."

1951-Wayne Osmond (of The Osmonds) is born in Ogden, Utah.

1951-Dave Hlubek (lead guitarist for Molly Hatchet) is born in Jacksonville, Florida.

1949-Martin Lamble (drummer for Fairport Convention) is born in St John's Wood, London, England.

1948-Danny Seraphine (original drummer for Chicago) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1943-Ann "Honey" Lantree (drummer and singer for The Honeycombs) is born in Hayes, Middlesex, England.

1943-Actor/singer David Soul is born David Richard Solberg Jr in Chicago, Illinois. Soul played "Hutch" to Paul Michael Glaser's "Starsky" in the '70s crime series, Starsky & Hutch.

1942-Ken Andrew (original drummer for Middle of the Road) is born in Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland.

1937-Vocalist John Perkins (of The Crew-Cuts) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Known for the hit 1954 cover of The Chords' "Sh-Boom."

1931-Drummer Clem Cattini (of The Tornados) is born Stoke Newington, North London, England.

1925-Country singer Billy Grammer is born in Benton, Illinois. Known for his chart-crossing 1959 hit, "Gotta Travel On."

1925-Song-and-dance man Donald O'Connor is born in Chicago, Illinois. Known for starring in Singin' in the Rain with Gene Kelly.

1904-Swing/Jazz musician Ernie Fields is born in Nacogdoches, Texas. Raised in Oklahoma, he would be known as bandleader to Tulsa-based Royal Entertainers.

1890-Poet and composer Ivor Gurney is born in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England.

[Bikkie]

1533 – The last Incan emperor, Atahuallpa, dies by strangulation at the hands of Francisco Pizarro’s conquistadors.

1842 – The First Opium War ends with the Treaty of Nanking, confirming the ceding of Hong Kong to Britain.

1882 – English cricketers lose to Australia on English soil for the first time. A mock obituary in the Sporting Times declares the death of English cricket, saying its ashes will be taken to Australia.

1885 – The first motorcycle, built in Germany by Gottlieb Daimler is patented.

1895 – A meeting of breakaway northern rugby clubs in a hotel in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, marks the birth of rugby league.

1914 – A New Zealand expeditionary force captures German Samoa during World War I. It continued to be under New Zealand control until independence in 1962.

1930 - The last 36 residents of the Scottish island of St Kilda are evacuated, ending 4000 years of human occupation.

1949 – The Soviet Union detonates its first atomic bomb.


Music History

2021-Lee "Scratch" Perry, a transgressive reggae musician who produced albums for Bob Marley, The Clash, and many others, dies at 85.

2013-Fergie and her husband Josh Duhamel have their first child: a boy named Axl. She says the name came to her in a dream where she was watching Axl Rose perform.

2011-Delta bluesman David "Honeyboy" Edwards dies of congestive heart failure in Chicago, Illinois, at age 96.

2009-Two months after Michael Jackson's death on what would have been his 51st birthday, 13,597 people in Mexico City perform the Thriller dance, establishing a new Guinness World Record.

2006-Rockabilly singer/songwriter Jumpin' Gene Simmons dies after a long illness in Tupelo, Mississippi, at age 73.

2005-Hurricane Katrina pounds New Orleans. One of the victims is Barry Cowsill of The Cowsills, who dies by drowning at age 50. Fats Domino, 77, survives after he is rescued from his home in the Ninth Ward.

2004-"Hey Ya!" wins Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards, one of four wins for Outkast on the night. The show also marks the first red carpet appearance for Jay-Z and Beyoncé as a couple.

2004-Jet take home the award for Best Rock Video for "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" at the MTV Video Music Awards and perform the song live during the strangely un-hosted ceremony at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

2002-Enrique Iglesias and the tennis star Anna Kournikova show up as a couple for the first time when they attend the MTV Video Music Awards, where Eminem takes Video Of The Year for "Without Me."

2002-Pepsi pull their commercial with Ludacris after Bill O'Reilly blasts the rapper on his show The O'Reilly Factor for "peddling antisocial behavior." Luda does just fine: His next three albums go to #1 and he lands a role in the Fast & Furious franchise.

1999-HBO premieres Cher: Live In Concert From Las Vegas. The singer performed at the sprawling MGM Grand Las Vegas, the second largest hotel in the world (by number of rooms).

1998-Country/rockabilly musician Charlie Feathers dies of complications from a stroke-induced coma in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 66. Known for '50s hits like "Peepin' Eyes."

1995-Junior M.A.F.I.A. release their debut album, Conspiracy. The group is led by The Notorious B.I.G. and also features newcomer Lil' Kim, one of the few female rappers to be part of a group. Two hits emerge from the album: "Player's Anthem" and "Get Money."

1995-The US Internal Revenue Service places a lien on Aretha Franklin's home for $600,000 in back taxes.

1994-During the Meat Puppets set opening for Stone Temple Pilots at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, the famous DJ Howard Stern joins them on stage to jam on "Lake of Fire."

Oasis Starts Britpop Invasion With Definitely Maybe
1994-Oasis release their debut album, Definitely Maybe. The record goes on to sell over a million copies in the US, spearheading a second British Invasion, but for now the band remain unknown outside of the UK.

1993-Liam Payne of One Direction is born in Wolverhampton, England. After the band's 2016 split he releases a successful solo album in 2019 but is plagued by addiction and mental health issues, leading to his death in 2024 at 31 when he falls from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

1990-After soundcheck for her concert in Saratoga Springs, New York, Sinead O'Connor dons a disguise and joins protesters outside the venue. The hubbub is over her concert from a week earlier when she asked that the National Anthem not be played before her performance.

1986-Madonna stars in the movie Shanghai Surprise, which bombs at the box office and is pilloried by critics. The film is produced by George Harrison's production company, HandMade Films. He says of the star, "She doesn't have a sense of humor, which is unfortunate, because it was a comedy."

1980-David Desrosiers (bassist for Simple Plan) is born in Sept-Îles, Quebec, Canada.

1980-TV star Valerie Bertinelli goes to a Van Halen concert in Shreveport, Louisiana, and finagles her way backstage to meet Eddie Van Halen, whom she considers a "cutie." It's a love connection: They get married less than a year later and have a son, Wolfgang, in 1991. They split in 2001 and finalize their divorce in 2007.

1980-UB40 release their seminal debut, Signing Off. It climbs to #2 in the UK, becoming the first reggae album to reach those heights. In 2010, to mark the group's 30th anniversary and Signing Off's far-reaching influence, the band performs the record in its entirety during a series of intimate concerts across the UK.

1976-Bluesman Jimmy Reed dies of respiratory failure in Oakland, California, at age 50. Known for hits like "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" (1956) and "Bright Lights, Big City" (1961).

1976-At a concert in Santa Monica, California, Neil Young joins Firefall on stage, who are opening for Spirit. When the headliners take the stage, Spirit's bass player asks Young to join them, but when he does, Spirit's frontman Randy California pushes him off the stage to the horror of his bandmates, who stop playing and leave.

1976-The British music magazine Sounds publishes letters responding to Eric Clapton's racist rant at his Birmingham concert earlier in the month. "Own up, half your music is black," one of them states. "You are rock music's biggest colonist."
This particular missive includes a call to action with an address to join Rock Against Racism, "A rank and file movement against the racist poison in rock music." Rock Against Racism soon becomes a viable movement, holding a series of concerts and festivals in support of tolerance.

1975-Kyle Cook (lead guitarist for Matchbox Twenty) is born in Frankfort, Indiana.

1970-R&B singer Carl Martin (of Shai) is born in Lafayette, Louisiana. Known for the 1992 hit "If I Ever Fall in Love."

1970-The Isle of Wight Festival hits its stride on Day 4 (of 5), with performances by Miles Davis, The Doors and The Who. Joni Mitchell's set is interrupted by a hippie named Yogi Joe who has to be removed by security. It also features Emerson, Lake And Palmer in only their second live performance, which is later released as the album Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.More

1970-Edwin Starr's "War" hits #1 for the first of three weeks. According to Starr, the song isn't specifically about the Vietnam War, but deals with gang violence and other domestic disputes.

1969-Bob Seger divorces his first wife after only ten months of marriage.

1969-Singer/bassist Me'Shell NdegéOcello is born Michelle Lynn Johnson in Berlin, Germany. She is raised in Washington, DC.

1966-The Beatles play their last paid concert, wrapping up their tour at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Jaded by poor sound systems and the rigors of the road, they turn their attention to studio work.

1966-The variety show Hullabaloo airs its final episode, with Lesley Gore, Paul Anka and Peter and Gordon making appearances.

1964-Roy Orbison releases "(Oh) Pretty Woman."

1964-In a clear case of rock and roll being saved by the British Invasion, Billboard magazine notes that guitar sales are the highest they've been since the advent of Elvis Presley.

1962Elvis' 10th movie, Kid Galahad, opens in US theaters, featuring the King as an amateur boxer. Charles Bronson also stars.

1958-Michael Jackson is born in Gary, Indiana.

1958-The first of Alan Freed's Big Beat revues is held at Brooklyn, New York's Fox Theatre, featuring Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and his Comets, Frankie Avalon, The Elegants, Bobby Freeman, and Jimmy Clanton.

1956-Underground rocker GG Allin is born in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He famously declares that he will end his life by committing suicide on stage, but ends up dying of a heroin overdose in 1993.

1946-Ella Fitzgerald records "It's A Pity To Say Goodnight."

1945-Rock musician Chris Copping (of Procol Harum) is born in Middleton, Lancashire, England.

1943-Jazz/rock musician Dick Halligan (of Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born in Troy, New York.

1942-Sterling Morrison (guitarist for The Velvet Underground) is born Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. in East Meadow, New York.

1935-Controversial singer and co-founder of the West Coast Pop Experimental Art Band Bob Markley is born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1927-Country singer Jimmy C. Newman is born near Big Mamou, Louisiana. Known for the 1957 hit "A Fallen Star."

1924-Jazz/R&B vocalist Dinah Washington is born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

1920-Jazz saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker is born in Kansas City, Kansas. He is raised in Kansas City, Missouri.

[Bikkie]

1682 ‒ William Penn leaves England to sail to the New World.

1903-Four killed by Rotorua geyser
Guide Joseph Warbrick and three tourists were killed instantly when the Waimangu geyser erupted unexpectedly.


Kawarau Falls Dam, 1925
1926
Kawarau Falls dam becomes operational
Hundreds attended the opening ceremony for a dam above the Kawarau Falls which was to temporarily block the outlet from Lake Wakatipu and hopefully expose gold-bearing rock to prospectors.



Music History

2020-Lady Gaga is the big winner at MTV Video Music Awards, taking Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (her Ariana Grande collaboration "Rain On Me") and the Tricon Award, formerly the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. With the coronavirus lockdown still in place, two new categories are awarded: Best Music Video From Home ("Stuck with U" by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber) and Best Quarantine Performance (CNCO: Unplugged at Home).

2019-Tool release Fear Inoculum, their fifth studio album and first in 13 years. Their previous album was 10,000 Days in 2006.

2016-The Go-Go's complete their final tour, playing their last show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

2015-Taylor Swift and Kanye West make peace when Swift presents him with the Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs, where West famously interrupted Swift six years earlier. The truce doesn't last: In February 2016, West raps, "I made that bitch famous" in his song "Famous," invoking Swift's ire.

2015-Wilko Johnson, known for his work in the band Dr. Feelgood, returns to the stage after beating cancer when he performs at the Rye Jazz Festival in East Sussex, England.

2005-Rihanna, 17, releases her first album, Music Of The Sun. The lead single is the hit "Pon De Replay," which draws on her Bajan heritage with Caribbean rhythms.

2004-Björk releases Medúlla, an album made up almost entirely of human voices.

1997-After 11 weeks on top, "I'll Be Missing You," a tribute to "The Notorious B.I.G." by his producer/label boss Puff Daddy, cedes the top spot to "Mo Money Mo Problems," a posthumous single by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff.

1996-Liam Gallagher flies to America to rejoin his Oasis bandmates on the (What's the Story) Morning Glory? tour. The band played the first four shows with brother Noel taking vocal duties after the capricious singer watched their MTV Unplugged performance from the wings, claiming to be suffering from a throat infection.

1995-Sterling Morrison (guitarist for The Velvet Underground) dies of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Poughkeepsie, New York, the day after his 53rd birthday.

1995-James Taylor and ex-wife Carly Simon perform together for a benefit concert at Martha's Vineyard. It's their first time in 16 years that they have shared a stage.

1993-Billy Joel is the first musical guest on David Letterman's first show after moving to CBS.

1992-Nirvana headline the Reading Festival in England. On the bill is L7, whose frontwoman Donita Sparks throws a (used) tampon into the crowd.

1989-Bebe Rexha is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1989-Never do business with family: Billy Joel fires his manager, who is also his ex-wife's brother. Joel sues him for $90 million, setting off a series of acrimonious court battles.

1988-Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen (percussionist/saxophonist/vocalist for War) collapses onstage during a performance in Solano County, California. He dies of a brain aneurysm at age 58.

1988-Danzig, fronted by former Misfits lead singer Glenn Danzig, release their self-titled debut album, produced by Rick Rubin. The song "Mother" becomes a minor hit when it is re-released five years later.

1980-Barclay James Harvest perform "A Concert For The People" next to the Berlin Wall to an audience of approximately 250,000.

Notting Hill Riots Inspire The Clash
1976-The Notting Hill riots take place as black youth clash with police at the Notting Hill Carnival in England. Members of The Clash are present, and the event inspires them to write "White Riot" as a call for white people to protest with the same furor.

1975-The disco-riffic "Get Down Tonight" by KC & The Sunshine Band goes to #1 in America, the first of five chart-toppers for the group.

1974-Pop singer/songwriter Rich Cronin (of LFO) is born in West Roxbury, Massachusetts.

1972-John Lennon and Yoko Ono play two benefit concerts (an afternoon and evening show) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They're Lennon's only full concerts in his post-Beatles career.

1971-The Beach Boys release Surf's Up.

1970-Jimi Hendrix rocks the Isle of Wight Festival in his last British concert appearance. The show is plagued by technical problems, with the guitarist's amplifier picking up signals from the security radios. Other artists appearing onstage include Free, Joan Baez and The Moody Blues. The festival closes with a dawn performance by Richie Havens, who also opened at Woodstock.

1969-The Birmingham band Earth changes its name when lead singer Ozzy Osbourne announces on stage that the band's new name is Black Sabbath. The band had played "N.I.B.," "The Wizard," "Black Sabbath," and "Warning."

1969-Santana release their self-titled debut album, with standout tracks "Evil Ways" and "Soul Sacrifice."

1969-It's the first day of the two-day Isle of Wight Festival. Performers include Bob Dylan, the Moody Blues and The Who. This is the second Isle of Wight Festival - it goes on again next year, but doesn't return until 2002.

1963-Trance DJ/record producer Paul Oakenfold is born in London, England.

1959-The Miracles release "Bad Girl."

1958-Martin Jackson (drummer for Swing Out Sister) is born in Manchester, England.

1953-Horace Panter (bassist for The Specials and General Public) is born Stephen Graham Panter in Croydon, Surrey, England.

1950-Micky Moody (guitarist for Whitesnake) is born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England.

1941-Comic singer George Formby's film Spare A Copper is released in Sweden.

1939The influential British DJ John Peel is born (John Robert Parker Ravenscroft).

1935-"Papa" John Phillips, leader of The Mamas & The Papas, is born in Parris Island, South Carolina, raised in Alexandria, Virginia. He's the primary writer in the group, penning hits like "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'." He also co-writes the Beach Boys hit "Kokomo."

[Bikkie]

1841 - The Sophia Pate is wrecked on a sandbar at the entrance to Kaipara Harbour; 21 people die.

1888 - Jack the Ripper's first victim, prostitute Mary Ann Nichols, is found murdered in London.

1894 - New Zealand introduces compulsory arbitration for disputes between employers and unions.

1897 - Thomas Edison receives a patent for his movie camera, the Kinetograph.

1939 - Nazi leader Adolf Hitler signs an order to attack Poland.

1968 - West Indies’ Garfield Sobers becomes the first cricketer to score six sixes off one over in first-class cricket, in Swansea, Wales.

1974 - NZ prime minister Norman Kirk dies suddenly, aged 51.

1997 - Diana, Princess of Wales, is killed in a car crash in Paris, aged 36. Her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and the car's driver, Henri Paul, also die.

2005 - Nearly 1000 people drown or are crushed to death in Bag



Music History


2019-Ellie Goulding marries the art dealer Caspar Jopling at York Minster Cathedral in a wedding attended by Katy Perry, James Blunt, Princess Eugenie, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

Van Morrison Plays On Cyprus Avenue
2015-On his 70th birthday, Van Morrison plays two shows on Cyprus Avenue in Belfast, inspiration for his song "Cyprus Avenue."

2014-Survivor lead singer Jimi Jamison dies from a heart attack aged 63.

2014-The Raskins, who have paid $1 million to join Mötley Crüe on tour, are accosted by members of the headliner's road crew who come on stage and spray them with urine during their set at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, according to a lawsuit filed by the band.

2012-Eddie Van Halen, of Van Halen lead-guitar fame, is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery on his digestive system to correct a severe bout of diverticulitis. Tour dates with Van Halen are rescheduled as he recovers.

2012-Entertainer Max Bygraves dies after a battle with Alzheimer's disease in Hope Island, Queensland, Australia, at age 89.

2010-Papa Roach release their first live album, Time for Annihilation. Alongside nine live tracks, the record contains five new studio tracks.

2009-Lil Wayne signs Nicki Minaj to his Young Money Label, also home to Drake. It's a good signing. As Wayne predicts, she becomes a star, breaking out in 2010 with a host of collaborations and a #1 debut album, Pink Friday.

2004-Green Day release the title track of their new album American Idiot as a single three weeks before the album is issued. Both the song and the album are wildly successful and highly acclaimed, with each nominated for multiple Grammy Awards (winning for Best Rock Album). American Idiot later becomes a successful stage musical.

2001-Aaliyah's funeral is held at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Manhattan, New York, six days after her death in a plane crash in The Bahamas. Hundreds of weeping fans march alongside the singer's casket, which is carried by a horse-drawn carriage to a private service with Gladys Knight, Lil' Kim, Sean Combs, Timbaland, and Missy Elliott in attendance. After the service, 22 doves are released in her memory, representing each year of her life.

1994-R. Kelly, 27, marries 15-year-old Aaliyah at the Sheraton hotel in Rosemont, Illinois (her age on the marriage certificate is listed as 18). The marriage is annulled when Aaliyah's family finds out, and few details emerge as neither party will talk about it publicly. Kelly, who produced Aaliyah's debut album Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, which was released before their wedding, tells GQ in 2016: "I can tell you I loved her, I can tell you she loved me, we was very close."

Dixie Chicks Release Fly
1999-Led by the hit single "Ready To Run," the Dixie Chicks release their second major-label album, Fly.

1992-Prince extends his contract with Warner Bros. in a deal reported as being worth $100 million, but worth far less in reality.

1987-MTV debuts Club MTV, their contemporary and far more lascivious version of American Bandstand.

1985-The serial killer Richard Ramirez is captured in Los Angeles and later convicted for 13 murders. At one of the crime scenes, he left behind an AC/DC hat. The media dubbed him the "Night Stalker," and speculated that the band's song "Night Prowler" compelled him to kill, an assertion that is never substantiated, but unfairly links the killer to AC/DC, which is horrified by the association.

1980-Karen Carpenter (of the Carpenters) marries her first and only husband, a California real estate developer named Thomas Burris. She files for divorce the following year.

1978-The Grateful Dead perform "Shakedown Street" live for the first time ever at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.

1976-George Harrison is found guilty of "subconscious plagiarism" in a bizarre lawsuit that leaves songwriters baffled.

1974-The final Partridge Family episode airs on ABC, starring the musical family.

1973-The Rolling Stones release Goat's Head Soup.

1971-Seeking payment of back royalties, The Rolling Stones sue both their former manager Andrew Loog Oldham and their ex-publisher, Allen Klein.

1971-John Lennon leaves England to start a new life with his wife, Yoko, in New York City. He never returns to England.

1970-Singer/songwriter Debbie Gibson is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1969-Acoustic rocker Jeff Russo (of Tonic) is born. Composer for the FX series Fargo.

1968-Jefferson Airplane headline the first Isle of Wight Festival, a one-day event that grows to two days the following year and five in 1970.

1963-Keyboardist/pianist Larry Waddell (of Mint Condition) is born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Wrote the group's gold-certified single "What Kind of Man Would I Be" (1996).

1960-Tony DeFranco (of The DeFranco Family) is born in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.

1957-Gina Schock (drummer for The Go-Go's) is born Regina Ann Schock in Baltimore, Maryland.

1957-Glenn Tilbrook (guitarist/lead singer for Squeeze) is born in Woolwich, London, England.

1955-Folk rocker Anthony Thistlethwaite (of The Waterboys) is born in Lutterworth, England.

1948-Guitarist Rudolf Schenker (founder of Scorpions) is born in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany.

1945-Bob Welch (guitarist for Fleetwood Mac) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1945-Van Morrison is born George Ivan Morrison in Bloomfield, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1945-Violinist Itzhak Perlman is born in Tel Aviv, Israel (then British Mandate of Palestine).

1939-Frank Sinatra records "All Or Nothing At All," one of his first big hits.

1939-Jerry Allison (drummer for The Crickets) is born in Hillsboro, Texas. Co-wrote the Buddy Holly hits "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue."

[Bikkie]

1943-Eleanor Roosevelt visits Auckland
It was near the end of the US First Lady’s surprise visit to New Zealand to meet American forces based in the country, inspect the work of the US Red Cross – whose grey uniform she wore throughout her seven-day stay – and study the contribution of New Zealand women to the war effort.

Historic Publication
1773- "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" by American slave Phillis Wheatley published in the UK - first known book of poetry published by a Black woman

Haydn Quartets
1785- Mozart publishes his 6th String Quartet, Opus 10 in Vienna

1797- 2nd National Meeting in Hague

1798- 1st US bank robbery: the Bank of Pennsylvania at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia robbed of $162,821

1798- Britain signs treaty with Nizam of Hyderabad, India

1799- Bank of Manhattan Company opens in NYC (forerunner to Chase Manhattan)

1943-Eleanor Roosevelt visits Auckland
It was near the end of the US First Lady’s surprise visit to New Zealand to meet American forces based in the country, inspect the work of the US Red Cross – whose grey uniform she wore throughout her seven-day stay – and study the contribution of New Zealand women to the war effort.



Music History


2023-Jimmy Buffett dies at 76 from a rare form of skin cancer that was detected four years earlier but he didn't disclose to the public.

2013-Singer/bassist Joe Kelley (of Shadows of Knight) dies of lung cancer in Winfield, Illinois, at age 67. Known for the 1966 hit cover of Them's "Gloria."

2012-Lyricist Hal David dies of a stroke in Los Angeles, California, at age 91. Known for collaborations with Burt Bacharach, including "What the World Needs Now is Love" (1965) and "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" (1969).

2012-Geoff Tate, late of the band Queensryche, announces plans to get a "new Queensryche" together. Pledging their support are Rudy Sarzo (formerly of Quiet Riot), Bobby Blotzer (formerly of Ratt), Glen Drover (formerly of Megadeth), Kelly Gray and Randy Gane (formerly of Myth). There's still some question as to whether they'll actually be able to call the band Queensryche, since Tate is still wrapped up in lawsuits with the other three members over his firing in the same year and the use of the name.

2011-While boarding a Southwest flight from Oakland to Burbank, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong is forced off the flight after giving some lip to a flight attendant who asked him to pull up his sagging pants. Armstrong doesn't take kindly to the request, and eventually he and his traveling companion are booted from the flight. Armstrong takes to Twitter, writing, "Just got kicked off a southwest flight because my pants sagged too low!" The tweet is quickly re-tweeted by his followers, forcing Southwest to release a statement apologizing for the incident.

2010-Apple launches a social media network called Ping, which is integrated into its iTunes software. A rare flop for the company, it closes two years later.

2010-Curt Smith of Tears for Fears makes his first of three appearances on the TV series Psych, where the main character, Shawn Spencer, is a huge fan.

2008-Country singer Jerry Reed dies of complications from emphysema in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 71.

2006-While on trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson, Phil Spector marries his fourth wife, Rachelle.

Westlife Games The First UK Download Chart
2004-Under pressure to account for download sales, the Official Charts company releases its first UK Download Chart. The boy band Westlife claims the #1 spot with a live release of their 1999 song "Flying Without Wings."

2000-The last remaining original member of The Platters, Herb Reed, is awarded a court injunction against a group using the same name but containing no actual original members.

1992-Alabama releases "I'm in a Hurry (and Don't Know Why)."

Mötley Crüe Release Dr. Feelgood, Their Most Popular Album
1989--Newly sober Mötley Crüe release their fifth album, Dr. Feelgood, which goes to #1 and becomes their best seller. The debaucherous bunch draw on their exploits for subject matter: the title track is about their drug dealers; "Kickstart My Heart" tells the story of bass player Nikki Sixx' near-fatal overdose.More

1988-The Rock N' Roll Cuisine cookbook is published, with 95 recipes from various musicians. Selections include Yoko Ono's "Dream Soup" (sunshine in a bowl), Cher's "Boyfriend Approved Macaroni Salad," Mick Jagger's shrimp curry and Weird Al Yankovic's peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

1984-Tina Turner completes her comeback as "What's Love Got To Do With It" hits #1 in America.

1984-Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman is born in Hollywood, Florida.

1983-Encouraged by his wife, Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits releases Swordfishtrombones, the first album the songwriter produced himself. The album represents a significant break from mainstream norms, both musically and lyrically.

1981-Hall & Oates release the Private Eyes album, which contains two #1 hits: the title track and "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)."

1980-At the Hollywood Bowl, Fleetwood Mac end a 9-month tour. Lindsey Buckingham announces it will be the last Fleetwood Mac show for "a long time." He's right: the band doesn't play live again for over two years.

1979-"You Light Up My Life" singer Debby Boone marries Gabriel Ferrer, son of Rosemary Clooney and actor Jose Ferrer.

1978-Steven Tyler of Aerosmith marries the model Cyrinda Foxe, who is pregnant with his baby (daughter Mia). They divorce in 1987.

1978-After two years together, Emilio Estefan and Gloria Fajardo of Miami Sound Machine get married on Gloria's 21st birthday.

1977-Rush release their fifth album, A Farewell to Kings. The album's epic "Xanadu" and "Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage" satisfy Rush's cult following, while the shorter and more radio-friendly "Closer to the Heart" find favor with general audiences in both the US and the UK.

1976-West Coast musical impresario Lou Adler and his right-hand man, Neil Silver, are kidnapped in Los Angeles by a couple who ransom them for $25,000. The couple are caught within the week, but an accomplice flees and is never caught.

1972-The O'Jays' "Back Stabbers" is certified Gold.

1971-After their successful summer-replacement series, Sonny And Cher begin their fall TV variety series on CBS.

1970-The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb marries Linda Gray, the former Miss Edinburgh, on his 24th birthday (he claims he picked the date so he wouldn't forget their anniversary). The couple have five children, including Stephen, who plays guitar in his dad's band.

1967-A young guitarist named Boz Scaggs joins The Steve Miller Band, the blues band led by his childhood friend, Steve Miller.

1967-The Beatles meet up at Paul McCartney's house in London to decide what to do following the death of their manager, Brian Epstein. They decide to be their own managers, and McCartney takes the lead on most business decisions. With hefty responsibilities outside of music, things get tense and the group breaks up two years later.

1965-James Brown breaks out some sweet dance moves on the TV show Shindig!, where he performs his hit "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag."

1962-Tommy Roe's "Sheila," which he wrote when he was just 14, hits #1 in America for the first of two weeks.

1957-A young Jimi Hendrix catches Elvis Presley's performance at Seattle's Sicks Stadium.

1957-Gloria Estefan is born Gloria Fajardo in Havana, Cuba. Raised in Miami, she joins Miami Sound Machine in 1977 and marries their leader, Emilio Estefan, a year later. She becomes a formative figure in Latin pop, crossing over to an English-speaking audience with hits like "Conga," "Anything For You" and "Coming Out Of The Dark."

1952-Ray Charles signs to Atlantic after leaving Swingtime Records; the label takes him in a harder R&B direction than the crooner-style pop and West Coast blues he had been recording.

1950-Peter Hewson of Chicory Tip is born in Gillingham, Kent, England.

1949-Russ Field (guitarist for Showaddywaddy) is born James Lewis Russell Field in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England.

1946-Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees is born in Douglas, Isle of Man. He is raised in Manchester, England.

1946-Greg Errico (drummer for Sly & the Family Stone) is born in San Francisco, California.

1944-Soul singer Archie Bell is born in Henderson, Texas.

1941-Diane Ray, known for her 1963 hit "Please Don't Talk to the Lifeguard," is born in Gastonia, North Carolina.

1935-Country singer Conway Twitty is born Harold Lloyd Jenkins in Friars Point, Coahoma County, Mississippi.

1931-Country singer Boxcar Willie is born Lecil Travis Martin in Sterrett, Texas.

1927-Doo-wop singer Tommy Evans (of The Drifters) is born. He's part of the lineup that releases the 1957 hit "Fools Fall in Love."

[Bikkie]

31BC – Octavian’s Roman fleet wins the battle of Actium, off the west coast of Greece, decisively defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

1666 – The Great Fire of London breaks out in Pudding Lane, near London Bridge. It burns for five days, destroying large parts of the city, but claims few lives.

1792 – Mobs in Paris slaughter three Catholic bishops, more than 200 priests, and prisoners believed to be royalist sympathisers.


s Day – 2 September
Isitt signing the Japanese surrender treaty on board the USS Missouri
1945
Air Vice-Marshal Isitt accepts Japanese surrender
Air Vice-Marshal Leonard Isitt added New Zealand’s signature to the Instrument of Surrender between the Allied powers and Japan.


Peter Snell wins the 800 m at the Rome Olympics, 1960
1960
Golden hour for Kiwi runners in Rome
New Zealand sport enjoyed one of its greatest days in Rome’s Olympic Stadium. Peter Snell won the 800 m and Murray Halberg won the 5000 m.


New Zealand rowing eight team, Munich, 1972
1972
New Zealand’s rowing eight wins gold
In 2008 the well-known sports writer Joseph Romanos chose the victory of the 1972 rowing eight as the best team performance by New Zealanders at an Olympic Games.


Sixteen members of a football team, all women, standing and crouching in two rows, plus one man. The women are all wearing white trouser suits. In front of them are two silvers cups decorated with ribbons.
1975
First New Zealand representative women’s football team wins Asian Cup
In their first outing on the international stage, the New Zealand women’s football team won the invitational Asian Cup tournament in Hong Kong, beating Thailand 3–1 in the final.

Ivan Mauger
1979-Ivan Mauger wins sixth world speedway title
As well as a record six individual world titles between 1968 and 1979, including three in a row from 1968 to 1970, Mauger also won the long track world championship three times between 1971 and 1976.




In Music History

2011-T.I. is arrested just days after serving an 11-month sentence at the US Penitentiary in Arkansas. Under his probation agreement, the rapper was allowed to provide his own transportation from Arkansas to a halfway house in Atlanta. However, prison officials objected to his vehicle of choice - a luxury SUV motor coach - and took him back into custody for violating his parole.

2009-Shinedown lead singer Brent Smith is fat shamed on the Today show by host Kathy Lee Gifford, who says, "I thought he was Meat Loaf." He gets through their performance of "Second Chance" but is hurt by the comment. A few years later Smith uses it as motivation to quit drinking and start an intense fitness regimen that gets him in excellent health.

2008-Rage Against The Machine, in Minneapolis to protest the Republican National Convention, are blocked by police, who refuse to let them perform. Rage goes into the crowd and does two songs using a megaphone; riots ensue.

2008-At the GQ "Men of the Year" Awards, Lily Allen manages to drink herself into oblivion, insults her co-host Sir Elton John and ends the night by leaking news of her brother's recent engagement in London.

1998-Sandra Denton (aka Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa) gives birth to a daughter named Egypt. The father is Naughty by Nature rapper Treach.

Michael Jackson And Lisa Marie Presley Go Topless
1995-Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" becomes the first song to debut at #1 on the Hot 100. In the video, Jackson and his wife, Lisa Marie Presley, appear topless.

1995-The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opens in Cleveland, with opening ceremony performances by Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Al Green, The Allman Brothers Band, Booker T. & the MG's, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, The Pretenders, John Fogerty, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, George Clinton, The Kinks, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, The Animals' Eric Burdon, and Boz Scaggs.

1994-Hootie & the Blowfish make their first of several appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman. They are still well under the radar at this point, but take off a few months later.

1993-Stone Temple Pilots win Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards for "Plush." Also at the ceremony, Snoop Doggy Dogg is arrested for his role in a shooting a week earlier. He posts bail and is found innocent in 1996.

"Jeremy" Wins Big At The VMAs1993
Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" video wins four awards, including Video of the Year, at the MTV Video Music Awards. Pearl Jam responds by not making any more videos until 1998.

1989-N.W.A.'s "Express Yourself" debuts at #45 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming their second single to reach that chart.

Paula Abdul Hits #1 With "Cold Hearted"
1989-Thanks to a saucy Flashdance-inspired video directed by David Fincher, Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted" goes to #1 in America.

1988-The Human Rights Now! tour to benefit Amnesty International kicks off with a show at Wembley Stadium in London. Performers on the 20-date trek are Youssou N'Dour, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman and Sting. It is Springsteen's last tour with the E Street band until 1999.

1987-Sonny Bono announces his run for mayor of Palm Springs, California, after running into zoning problems with his restaurant there. He wins and later becomes a congressman.

1986-Debbie Gibson, a 16-year-old high school student from Long Island, signs to Atlantic Records, which is impressed by the many songs she has written and demoed in her home studio.

1982-Fleetwood Mac kick off their Mirage tour in Atlanta. Their opening act is Men at Work, whose debut album Business as Usual is racing up the charts in America. Two weeks after the tour ends in October, Men At Work get their own tour as headliners.

1978-Teddy Pendergrass plays a midnight "For Women Only" concert at Avery Fisher Hall in New York to promote his album Life Is A Song Worth Singing. It's ladies only in the crowd, and they are treated to white chocolate and lollipops. It proves very popular and more women-only shows are held to capitalize on Pendergrass' appeal to the opposite sex.

1978-George Harrison marries Olivia Arias.

1976-Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five become the first rap act to play a theater when they do their first major gig, performing at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. They introduce various DJ techniques along with rap interplay and choreography.

1975-Soul/R&B singer Tony Thompson (lead singer for Hi-Five) is born Waco, Texas. He would be raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1971-Grateful Dead have their former manager, Lenny Hart, arrested for embezzling $70,000 from the group's coffers.

1969-R&B singer K-Ci Hailey (of Jodeci) is born in Monroe, North Carolina.

1966-Fear Factory guitarist and co-founder Dino Cazares is born in El Centro, California.

1958-Jerry Augustyniak (drummer for 10,000 Maniacs) is born in Sloan, New York.

1957-Pete Seeger plays "We Shall Overcome" at the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee as part of its 25th anniversary celebration. On hand is Martin Luther King, Jr., who gives the closing speech at the celebration. The song becomes ingrained with the civil rights movement as King and Seeger fight for equality.

1957-Steve Porcaro (keyboardist for Toto) is born in Hartford, Connecticut.

1956-Fritz McIntyre (keyboardist for Simply Red) is born in Birmingham, England.

1956-Elvis Presley records "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again," "Long Tall Sally," "Old Shep," "Paralyzed," "Too Much," and "Anyplace Is Paradise."

1953-American composer John Zorn is born in New York City. As a child, he shows an eccentric fascination with sound and avant-garde music that prompts his parents to get him psychologically evaluated.

1951-Mik Kaminski (violinist for Electric Light Orchestra) is born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.

Prolific Keyboardist Billy Preston Is Born
1946-Billy Preston is born in Houston, Texas. He is raised in Los Angeles, California. Aside from being a sought-after session musician for acts like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, the affable performer with the gap-toothed grin becomes a star in his own right with a number of funky hits throughout the '70s.More

1946-Rocker Marty Grebb (of The Buckinghams) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1943-Soul/R&B singer Joe Simon is born in Simmesport, Louisiana. Known for the Grammy Award-winning song "The Chokin' Kind" (1969).

1943-R&B singer Rosalind Ashford (of Martha and the Vandellas) is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1940-Teen idol Jimmy Clanton is born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Known for the swamp pop/R&B hits "Just a Dream" (1958) and "Venus in Blue Jeans" (1962).

1939-R&B singer Bobby Dickey (of James & Bobby Purify) is born in Tallahassee, Florida.

1939-Soul singer Sam Gooden (of The Impressions) is born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1934-Russ Columbo dies when his friend's antique gun accidentally fires and strikes him in the eye. The 26-year-old singer's friends and family hide the news from his ailing mother, fearing the shock will kill her. Through an elaborate scheme of writing fake letters and using old recordings to simulate live broadcasts, it appears that Columbo is alive and well, but busy. The subterfuge lasts until her death a decade later.

1925-Hugo Montenegro, orchestra leader and film composer, is born in New York City.

1925-Pianist Russ Conway is born Trevor Herbert Stanford in Bristol, England. Known for hit instrumental singles like "Side Saddle" and "Roulette," both released in 1959.

[Bikkie]

1939-New Zealand declares war on Germany
Alongside Britain and Australia, New Zealand was one of the first countries to become involved in the global conflict precipitated by Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939.

1958-Surgeon Brian Barratt-Boyes at work
First open-heart surgery in New Zealand
Pioneering heart surgeon Brian Barratt-Boyes performed the surgery using a heart-lung bypass machine. The procedure, at Green Lane Hospital in Auckland, was carried out on an 11-year-old girl with a hole in her heart.



Music History

2022-At Wembley Stadium, a brigade of stars including Paul McCartney, Kesha, and Nile Rodgers join Foo Fighters in a tribute concert for their drummer, Taylor Hawkins, who died six months earlier.

2017-Steely Dan co-founder and guitarist Walter Becker dies of esophageal cancer at 67.

2013-Trisha Yearwood appears on TLC's genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? The country singer discovers an English ancestor was a criminal before he immigrated to America.

2007-Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance marries Mindless Self Indulgence bassist Lyn-Z backstage at Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution festival.

2007-Rockabilly singer Janis Martin dies of cancer in Durham, North Carolina, at age 67. Known for her version of the pop/country song "Love Me to Pieces."

2004-Songwriter Roquel "Billy" Davis (also known as Tyran Carlo) dies in Detroit, Michigan, at age 72. Co-wrote many R&B/soul hits, including Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops."

2001-When thousands more fans than expected show up for a free System Of A Down concert in a Los Angeles parking lot, authorities won't let the band take the stage and a riot ensues; their equipment is trashed and six are arrested. The show was to celebrate the release of their album Toxicity the following day.

1994-R&B singer Major Lance dies of heart disease in Decatur, Georgia, at age 55. Known for the 1963 hit "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um," written by Curtis Mayfield.

1991-Rush release their 14th studio album, Roll the Bones.

1991-Ike Turner is released from prison after serving 14 months for cocaine possession.

1990-George Michael releases his second solo album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Looking to avoid the pitfalls that overwhelmed him after his debut Faith, Michael refuses to tour in support of the album and won't appear in the music videos.

1982-Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak throws the US Festival "for a few thousand friends" in hopes of uniting people through music and technology. A crowd of at least 200,000 shows up in the blistering heat of San Bernardino, California, for three days of music, tech-geekery, and dust... a whole lot of dust. Fleetwood Mac, performing for the first time in two years, headlines a bill that also includes The Police and the Grateful Dead.

1982-Culture Club's "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?" is released in the UK. The critics are not kind; Smash Hits calls it "fourth division reggae."

1977-The Grateful Dead, with support acts The Marshall Tucker Band and New Riders Of The Purple Sage, headline a show at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, that lasts 11 hours and sets an American non-festival record for a ticketed concert with 107,019 in attendance. That record stands until 2024 when it's broken by George Strait.

1973-Pop singer Jennifer Paige is born Jennifer Paige Scoggins in Marietta, Georgia.

1972-The Temptations sing, "It was the 3rd of September, that day I'll always remember" in their song "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone."

1970-The Dave Clark Five call it quits after ten years.

1970-Canned Heat frontman Alan Wilson commits suicide at age 27 via barbiturate overdose. A litany of other rock artists soon die at the same age, including Jimi Hendrix two weeks later.

1969-The 30th Elvis Presley movie, the '20s period piece The Trouble With Girls (And How To Get Into It), is released.

1968-Ringo returns to The Beatles after quitting in frustration during the White Album sessions. He finds his drum kit covered in flowers.

1968-Sly & the Family Stone beat out The Chambers Brothers to win Showcase '68, a TV talent show kind of like American Idol but with professional acts.

1967-A young Swedish singer named Anni-Frid Lyngstad wins a talent-show contest on the TV program Hyland's Corner with her group the Anni-Frid Four. She would later become famous as one of the two female lead singers of ABBA.

1965-Lou Christie records "Lightnin' Strikes" in New York City, with session player Ralph Casale improvising the thunderous guitar solo.

1963-Jonathan Segel of Camper Van Beethoven is born in Marseilles, France, but would be raised in Davis, California, and Tucson, Arizona.

1963-Frank Sinatra sells 2/3 of his record label, Reprise, to Warner Brothers, which assumes operation.

1960-Perry Bamonte (keyboardist/guitarist for The Cure) is born in London, England.

1955-Steve Jones (lead guitarist for The Sex Pistols) is born in Hammersmith, London, England.

1952-Leroy Smith (keyboardist for Sweet Sensation) is born in Kingston, Jamaica.

1948-Donald Brewer (drummer and co-lead singer for Grand Funk Railroad) is born in Flint, Michigan.

1947-Eric Bell (original guitarist for Thin Lizzy) is born in East Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1945-Mike Harrison (lead singer of Spooky Tooth) is born in Carlisle, Cumbria, England. Known for the 1969 song "Better By You, Better Than Me," later covered by Judas Priest.

1945-George Biondo (bass guitarist for Steppenwolf) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1942-Al Jardine of The Beach Boys is born in Lima, Ohio.

1934-Bluesman Freddie King is born in Gilmer, Texas. He is raised in Chicago's South Side.

1933-Country singer Tompall Glaser (of The Glaser Brothers) is born Thomas Paul Glaser in Spalding, Nebraska.

1925-Country singer/songwriter Hank Thompson is born in Waco, Texas. Inspired the Thomas Cobb novel Crazy Heart and the 2009 film of the same name, starring Jeff Bridges.

1915-Memphis Slim is born John Len Chatman in Memphis, Tennessee.

[Bikkie]

1863
The wreck of the Delaware
Soon after leaving Nelson for Napier, the Delaware was wrecked in what is now known as Delaware Bay. Accounts of the incident often focus on the heroism of Hūria Mātenga, one of five local Māori who helped the crew get ashore.

Damaged car in Christchurch, September 2010
2010
7.1 earthquake rocks Canterbury
The earthquake which struck at 4.35 a.m. on a Saturday morning was felt by many people in the South Island and southern North Island. There was considerable damage in central Canterbury, especially in Christchurch, but no loss of life.


Wreckage of the Walter Fletcher FU-24 at Fox Glacier
2010
Fox Glacier plane crash
On 4 September 2010 a plane crashed soon after taking off from Fox Glacier airstrip, killing all nine people on board. The Walter Fletcher FU-24 was piloted by 33-year-old Chaminda Senadhira and carried four skydiving instructors and four skydivers who were touring the West Coast on a Kiwi Experience bus trip.




Music History

2023-Diana Ross makes a surprise appearance at Beyoncé's Los Angeles show to wish her a happy 42nd B'Day. After singing her hit "Love Hangover," Ross leads the crowd in "Happy Birthday."

2023-Gary Wright, known for his 1975 hit "Dream Weaver," dies at 80 after a battle with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.

2023-Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies of liver failure at 56.

2014-All is well in Seattle as the Super Bowl champion Seahawks play the first game of the season, with local band Soundgarden performing during the pregame.

2012-Imagine Dragons release their debut album, Night Visions, which takes off thanks to bombastic rockers like "Radioactive" and "Demons."

2009-The-Dream and Christina Milian elope in Las Vegas; they separate three months later, though the split is not made public until July 2010.

2007-The Bob Dylan "biographical" movie, I'm Not There: Suppositions On A Film Concerning Dylan, premieres at the Venice (Italy) Film Festival.

2004-Simon Cowell's music competition show The X Factor debuts in the UK. It quickly becomes a star-making machine, with Little Mix, Leona Lewis, Olly Murs and One Direction emerging from the show. The American version of The X Factor debuts in 2011; their biggest success story is Fifth Harmony.

2002-Kelly Clarkson beats Justin Guarini to become the first winner of American Idol.

2001-System Of A Down release Toxicity, a classic of the Armenian folk-metal genre that sells over 3 million copies.

1997-Accepting the award for Best New Artist, 19-year-old Fiona Apple rages against the machine, saying: "This world is bulls--t. And you shouldn't model your life about what you think we think is cool, what we're wearing, and what we're saying."More

1996-At the MTV Video Music Awards, Van Halen, who recently parted ways with lead singer Sammy Hagar, appear on stage with their founding frontman David Lee Roth for the first time in 11 years to present an award. The reunion is short lived - a month later they announce Gary Cherone (formerly of Extreme) as their new lead singer. Roth releases a statement saying, "I was an unwitting participant in this deception." Van Halen release one album with Cherone before reuniting with Roth in 2007.

1991-Country singer Dottie West, 58, dies five days after getting in a car accident on her way to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.

1986-Gregg Allman is arrested in Belleview, Florida, when a police officer sees his 1985 Trans Am weaving on Route 441. He blows a .27 (legal limit: .10) and is charged with drunken driving and driving with an expired license. Allman is sentenced to five days in jail and ordered to do community service, which he serves by playing a drug-and-alcohol-free graduation party for area high schools. He does his time in January 1987, a month before his aptly titled solo album I'm No Angel is released.

Steve Miller Works His Magic
1982-"Abracadabra" by the Steve Miller Band hits #1 in the US, giving the veteran rocker his third chart-topper.

1981-Beyoncé Knowles is born in Houston, Texas. She finds fame as the lead singer of the '90s girl group Destiny's Child before becoming Queen Bey.

1980-Pop singer Dan Miller (of O-Town) is born in Laconia, New Hampshire.

1976-"You Should Be Dancing" by the Bee Gees goes to #1 in America. The next year, it is used in the Saturday Night Fever scene where John Travolta clears the dance floor.

First Fleetwood Mac Album With Buckingham And Nicks Hits #1
1976-Fleetwood Mac's self-titled album makes #1 a year after its release, knocking off Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive. It's the band's first album with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

1972-John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear on Jerry Lewis' muscular dystrophy telethon.

1971-At a Bruce Springsteen show at the Student Prince in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the E Street Band comes together when sax player Clarence Clemons joins the band on stage for the first time, a story recounted in the song "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out."

1970-The Rolling Stones release Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!

1969-The Youngbloods, a rare rock band scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, are scratched. Carson says it's because they were being disrespectful; the band says they were slated to play two songs: a new one and their hit "Get Together," but when the show went long, the producers nixed the new song, so they walked.

1968-"Street Fighting Man" by The Rolling Stones is banned in Chicago and some other cities as local officials fear it will incite riots.

1968-The Beatles play to a live audience for the first time in two years when they record promotional films for "Hey Jude" and "Revolution" at Twickenham Studios in front of an audience of about 100. It goes so well, they decide to make a documentary, which becomes Let It Be.

1965-While The Who shop for a guard dog, their van and $10,000 worth of equipment is stolen.

1964-The Animals play America for the first time with a show at New York's Paramount Theatre.

1960-Kim Thayil (lead guitarist for Soundgarden) is born in Seattle, Washington. He would be raised near Chicago in Park Forest, Illinois.

1958-Jerry Butler & the Impressions make their national TV debut on American Bandstand.

1957-Jerry Lee Lewis files for divorce from his second wife (he marries cousin Myra three months later, before it's final.)

1952-Gladys Knight & the Pips form at a birthday party for Gladys' brother Bubba.

1952-Martin Chambers (drummer for The Pretenders) is born in Hereford, England.

1951-Frank Sinatra plays Vegas for the first time, performing at the Desert Inn hotel and casino. In 1959, with his "rat pack," he becomes a top draw in the city.

1944-Gene Parsons (multi-instrumentalist for The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers) is born in Morongo Valley in California's Mojave Desert.

1942-Glady's Knight's brother Merald "Bubba" Knight, who joins her backing group The Pips, is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

1940-Soul singer Sonny Charles (of Sonny Charles & The Checkmates, Ltd.) is born Charles Hemphill in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

1892-Composer Darius Milhaud is born in Marseilles, France. Taught jazz pianist Dave Brubeck at Mills College in Oakland, California.

[Bikkie]

1698 – Russian Tsar Peter the Great imposes a tax on beards.

1877 – Oglala Sioux chief Crazy Horse is fatally bayoneted by a United States soldier after resisting confinement in Nebraska.

1939 – “Where she goes, we go. Where she stands, we stand.” From his sickbed, NZ Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage declares support for Britain and opposition to Nazi Germany.

Michael Joseph Savage on the campaign trail, 1938
1939
Prime minister declares New Zealand’s support for Britain
When New Zealand declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage was recovering from an operation for colon cancer. Acting Prime Minister Peter Fraser issued a statement in his place

1957 – Jack Kerouac’s On the Road is first published, in New York.

1960 – Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) wins the light heavyweight gold medal at the Rome Olympics.

1972 – Palestinian terrorists storm the Olympic Village apartment of Israeli athletes in Munich, killing two and taking nine hostage. In an ensuing airport shootout, the hostages are killed, along with five terrorists and a policeman.

1975 – An assassination attempt against US President Gerald Ford is foiled when a Secret Service agent wrests a gun from Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a follower of jailed cult leader Charles Manson.

1976 – The Muppet Show, created by Jim Henson, is first screened, on Britain’s ITV.

1990 – Jane Campion’s film An Angel at My Table, based on the autobiographies of Janet Frame, screens at the Venice Film Festival, where it wins the Grand Special Jury prize.

1997 – Death of Mother Teresa, 87, who worked with India’s poor.

2018 – UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirms that two Russian military intelligence officers carried out a novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury, Wiltshire.



Music History

2024-Linkin Park release "The Emptiness Machine," their first song without frontman Chester Bennington, who died by suicide in 2017. It's the debut of their new lead singer, Emily Armstrong, who quickly wins over fans with her Bennington-like passion.

2020-Metallica become the first act with #1 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart in four different decades when their live version of "All Within My Hands," recorded with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, takes the top spot.

2018-Fleetwood Mac perform on the show Ellen, debuting their new lineup with Neil Finn and Mike Campbell replacing Lindsey Buckingham, who has been booted.

2014-Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton open a bed and breakfast called The Ladysmith in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. It can be seen in Blake's video for "Sangria."

2014-Pop singer Simone Battle (of G.R.L.) dies of an apparent suicide in Los Angeles, California, at age 25.

2012-Joe South, whose songs include "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden" (Lynn Anderson) and "Hush" (Deep Purple), dies of heart failure at 72.

2008-The first Fender Stratocaster set alight on stage by Jimi Hendrix is auctioned. The guitar sells for $575,000 to collector Daniel Boucher - less than the $1 million predicted. It is one of only two guitars definitively burned by Hendrix - the other was at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

2007-Influential blogger Perez Hilton declares himself "obsessed" with the unsigned artist Eric Hutchinson, earning the singer 3,000 new MySpace friends and serious industry buzz, leading to a deal with Warner Bros. Records.

2000-Tori Amos gives birth to a baby girl, Natashya Hawley. The father is Amos' husband, Mark Hawley, an English sound engineer.

1998-Nu metal emerges as Korn's album Follow The Leader hits #1 in America. The next year, albums by Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine claim the top spot, as does Korn's next release, Issues.

1998-R&B singer Sonny Knight dies at age 64 in Maui, Hawaii, two years after suffering a stroke. Known for the 1956 hit "Confidential."

1992-Following in the tradition of Billy Joel and David Bowie, John Mellencamp marries a supermodel: Elaine Irwin.More

1991-Guitarist C.C. DeVille is kicked out of Poison after he sabotages their performance at the MTV Video Music Awards by playing "Talk Dirty To Me" instead of "Unskinny Bop" as planned. DeVille rejoins the band five years later.

1990-B.B. King receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1989-Soundgarden release Louder Than Love, the first grunge album on a major label (A&M).

1987-American Bandstand airs on network TV for the last time. ABC picked up the show in 1957, and throughout its run on the network, Dick Clark was the host. The show continued another year in syndication and aired one season on the USA network in 1989.

1984-British group The Animals hit #1 in America with "The House Of The Rising Sun," a folk song set in New Orleans about either a brothel or a prison.

1981-Soft Cell hit #1 in the UK with an electronic cover of "Tainted Love," a song originally released by the American soul singer Gloria Jones in 1964. The song also charts in America, reaching #8 in July 1982. It's the only hit for the duo in the States, but they have many more in their native UK.

1978-Joe Negroni of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in New York City at age 37.

1976-Garry Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd falls asleep at the wheel of his new Ford Torino and hits a tree and a house. The incident inspires their song "That Smell."

1972-Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway's duet "Where Is The Love?" is certified Gold.

1971-While Wishbone Ash are on stage at an outdoor concert in Austin, Texas, hot dog vender Francisco Carrasco is shot dead. The tragedy inspires the song "Rock 'N' Roll Widow."

1969-Country blues singer Josh White dies during a surgery to replace heart valves in Manhasset, New York, at age 55. Known for the 1944 hit "One Meat Ball."

1969-Rock guitarist Dweezil Zappa is born Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa in Los Angeles, California, to singer/songwriter Frank Zappa and his wife, Gail.

1968-Brad Wilk (drummer for Rage Against The Machine) is born in Portland, Oregon.

1968-Tiny Tim sues Bouget Records, his first label, for releasing some of his early recordings without permission.

1967-The Beatles start recording "I Am The Walrus" for their Magical Mystery Tour album. Sound effects and sundry overdubs, including a bit from a BBC radio broadcast, are added later.

1966-John Lennon flies to Germany for his role in the movie How I Won the War - the only major non-documentary film he ever appears in. His character wears glasses that he would use as the basis for his distinctive eyewear.

1966-R&B singer Terry Ellis (of En Vogue) is born in Houston, Texas.

1957-Elvis Presley, flush from his new fame, gives his mother, Gladys, his pink 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood.

1957-Elvis Presley records "Treat Me Nice" and "Blue Christmas."

1949-Rock guitarist Dave "Clem" Clempson (of Humble Pie) is born in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England.

1946-Folk rocker Loudon Wainwright III is born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to Life magazine columnist/editor Loudon Wainwright Jr. and his yoga teacher wife, Martha.

1946-Rock drummer Buddy Miles (of The Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys) is born George Allen Miles Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska. His grandmother calls him "Buddy" after jazz drummer Buddy Rich.

1946-Dean Ford (lead singer for Marmalade) is born Thomas McAleese in Coatbridge, Scotland.

Freddie Mercury Is Born
1946-Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is born as Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar (a set of islands off the coast of Africa).

1945-Folk rocker Al Stewart is born in Glasgow, Scotland. He is raised in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England.

1945-Boudleaux Bryant and Felice Scaduto get married. The couple become one of the most successful songwriting teams in pop music, with over 700 songs published, including "Wake Up Little Susie" and "Bye Bye Love."

1941-John Stewart (of The Kingston Trio) is born in San Diego, California. Wrote The Monkees' #1 hit "Daydream Believer."

1936-Blues guitarist Willie Woods (of Junior Walker & The All Stars) is born.

1912-Experimental composer John Cage is born in Los Angeles, California. Known for his composition "4'33," in which musicians were present but did not play their instruments. Instead, environmental sounds provided the music for the piece.

1791-Opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer is born Jacob Liebmann Beer near Berlin,

[Bikkie]

1522 – Juan Sebastian Del Cano (or Elcano) completes the first circumnavigation of the world. His was the only one of Ferdinand Magellan’s five ships to make it back to Spain.

1901 – United States President William McKinley is shot in Buffalo, New York, by an anarchist. He dies eight days later.

1915 – A prototype tank nicknamed Little Willie rolls off the assembly line in England.

1916 – A Piggly Wiggly store opens in Memphis, Tennessee, as the first true self-service grocery, offering many features that became common to supermarkets.

1948-New Zealand citizenship established
The British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 (the order of the terms showed their relative importance) gave New Zealand citizenship to all current residents who had been either born British subjects or later naturalised

1966 – South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, who oversaw the introduction and application of apartheid laws, is stabbed to death.

1994 – Irish prime minister Albert Reynolds and Gerry Adams, leader of the IRA-allied Sinn Fein, commit to peaceful settlement in Northern Ireland.

1997 – An estimated 2.5 billion people watch global television broadcasts of Princess Diana’s funeral.

2007 - Italian lyric tenor Luciano Pavarotti dies aged 71.

2017 – Catalonia’s parliament passes a law to allow a referendum on independence from Spain.

2019 – Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, first as prime minister, then as president, dies at age 95.



Music History


2024-Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens in theaters with a soundtrack that revives the '70s songs "MacArthur Park," "Tragedy" and "Margaritaville." Other songs in the film include "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx and "Svefn-G-Englar" by Sigur Rós.

2019-The Highwomen, a country supergroup comprising Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby, release their self-titled debut album. The group's name is a reference to The Highwaymen, which formed in 1985 with the lineup of Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson.

2013-Soul musician/arranger Bobby Martin dies after a sudden illness in San Diego, California, at age 83. Worked with Philadelphia soul songwriters/producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff.

2011-Bandleader/arranger Wardell Quezergue, known as the "Creole Beethoven," dies of congestive heart failure in Metairie, Louisiana, at age 81.

2011-PJ Harvey becomes the first artist to win the Mercury Prize twice when her album Let England Shake earns the prestigious award. Her first win was in 2001 for Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.

2007-Operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti (of The Three Tenors) dies of pancreatic cancer in Modena, Italy, at age 71.

2005-The Rolling Stones release their album A Bigger Bang. It sells just a million copies in America (modest by Stones standards), but the accompanying tour breaks the record for highest-grossing tour, earning $558 million.

2002-With Ian Astbury on lead vocals and Stewart Copeland on drums, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors perform their first concert as "The Doors of the 21st Century." The show is part of the Harley-Davidson Open Road Tour at the California Speedway in Fontana.

2001-Britney Spears dons a snake to debut her new single, "I'm A Slave 4 U," at the MTV Video Music Awards.

1997-Elton John sings a new version of "Candle In The Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral. This rendition, which replaces "Goodbye Norma Jean" with "Goodbye England's Rose," becomes the best-selling single of all time in the UK.

1995-Joan Jett sings the National Anthem before the Baltimore Orioles game against the California Angels. The game marks Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken's 2,131st consecutive game, breaking the record held by Lou Gehrig. Jett, a huge Orioles fan and friend of Ripken, watches the rest of the game alongside a host of baseball legends, including Willie Mays and Joe DiMaggio.

1994-Bad Religion release their eighth full-length studio album, Stranger Than Fiction, their only gold record in the United States and last recording with founding guitarist Brett Gurewitz until his return seven years later.

1990-Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revival) dies from an AIDS-related tuberculosis infection in Scottsdale, Arizona, at age 48. He contracted HIV from blood transfusions.

1989-After initially refusing to play it, MTV gives Neil Young's "This Note's For You" the Video of the Year award at the MTV Video Music Awards.

1989-A week into their gig as opening act on The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels tour, Living Colour wins MTV Video Music Awards for Best Group Video, Best Stage Performance and Best New Artist. Mick Jagger presents the group with the trophies backstage at their show in Pittsburgh.

Lenny Kravitz Debuts With Let Love Rule
1989-Just as mainstream pop is about to welcome grunge music with its murky guitars and bleak outlook on society, newcomer Lenny Kravitz challenges the negativity with a simple, funk-styled message: Let Love Rule.

1989-Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil punches Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin in the face during the MTV Video Music Awards.

1988-Elton John cleans house in what amounts to the greatest garage sale ever. A hoard of his belongings - over 2,000 pieces - are auctioned off at Sotheby's in London, bringing in $6.2 million. The giant boots he wore in the film Tommy go for $20,000.

1988-New Kids On The Block release their breakout album, Hangin' Tough. The LP goes to #1 in America and spawns five hit singles, including the chart-topping title track and the #3 entry "You've Got It (The Right Stuff)."

1987-At the Starwood Ampitheater in Nashville, Lynyrd Skynyrd reunite for a tour to mark the 10th anniversary of the plane crash that killed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines.

1987-At the Starwood Ampitheater in Nashville, Lynyrd Skynyrd reunite for a tour to mark the 10th anniversary of the plane crash that killed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines.

"Venus" Hits #1 For Second Time
1986-Bananarama's cover of "Venus" hits #1 in the US, bringing the English pop trio international fame. The song marks the group's first collaboration with the up-and-coming production team Stock, Aitken and Waterman.

1978-Rapper Foxy Brown is born Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand in New York City, New York.

1976-Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis reunite after 20 years on Lewis' Labor Day Telethon to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Frank Sinatra surprises Lewis by bringing out Martin.

1974-George Harrison launches his Dark Horse record label.

1974-Nina Persson (lead singer for The Cardigans) is born in Jönköping, Sweden.

1971-Dolores O'Riordan (lead singer for The Cranberries) is born in County Limerick, Ireland.

1969-R&B singer Macy Gray is born Natalie Renée McIntyre in Canton, Ohio.

1969-Dance-pop artist CeCe Peniston is born Cecilia Veronica Peniston in Dayton, Ohio, but would be raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Known for the 1991 hit "Finally."

1968-Eric Clapton records the guitar solo for The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

1961-Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, guitarist and songwriter of a-ha, is born in Oslo, Norway.

1960-Sam Cooke's daughter Tracy Samie is born.

1943-Roger Waters of Pink Floyd is born George Roger Waters in Great Bookham, Surrey, England. A founding member of the group, he takes creative control starting with their 1979 masterpiece The Wall, alienating his bandmates along the way. He leaves in 1985 and is gobsmacked when they soldier on without him, led by David Gilmour.

1942-Trombonist/tuba player Dave Bargeron (of Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born in Athol, Massachusetts.

1889-"April Showers" composer Louis Silvers is born in New York City.

[Bikkie]

1813 ‒ United States gets its nickname, Uncle Sam. The name is linked to Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the US army.

1868 ‒ Prussian soldier of fortune Gustavus von Tempsky is killed during an assault on Titokowaru's south Taranaki pā. He had been a folk hero for many settlers.

1892 ‒ First heavyweight championship boxing match under Marquess of Queensberry rules, with the combatants wearing gloves: Jim Corbett beats John L Sullivan.

1909 ‒ New Zealand's heaviest gold nugget on record is found, on the West Coast. It weighs 3.09kg.

1921-Springboks play New Zealand Māori for first time
A South African journalist was outraged when white spectators supported the New Zealand Māori rugby team playing the touring Springboks at Napier.

1940 ‒ Three hundred German bombers raid London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing known as The Blitz.

1962 ‒ Isak Dinesen, the Danish writer, dies aged 77.

1977 ‒ US President Jimmy Carter signs a treaty to give Panama control over the Panama Canal from the year 2000.

1979 ‒ Cable network ESPN debuts.

1986 ‒ Bishop Desmond Tutu becomes archbishop of Cape Town, two years after winning the Nobel peace prize for his opposition to apartheid.

1996 ‒ Actor and hip-hop recording artist Tupac Shakur is shot in Las Vegas. He dies several days later.

1999 ‒ An earthquake strikes outside Athens, Greece, killing 143 people.



Music History

2020-Lily Allen marries David Harbour (Hopper on Stranger Things) at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, with an Elvis impersonator presiding.

2019-Thanks to an appearance in the Netflix show Someone Great where Gina Rodriguez gets tipsy and sings it to get over a breakup, "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo goes to #1 in America nearly two years after it was first released.

2018-Country singer Kathy Mattea ends a six-year recording hiatus when she releases the folk album Pretty Bird, featuring covers of Joan Osborne's "St. Teresa," Mary Gauthier's "Mercy Now," and Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe." It also debuts a new voice from the husky-throated singer, whose vocal problems forced her to learn to tap into her lower register.

2018-Rapper Mac Miller dies at 26 of an apparent drug overdose.

2018-Lenny Kravitz releases his 11th studio album, Raise Vibration, which features guest vocals from the late Michael Jackson on the single "Low." Kravitz collaborated with the King of Pop on Jackson's track "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" from the posthumous album Michael.

2010-The xx take home the 2010 Mercury Prize.

2008-While performing the song "Morning Glory" at the V Festival in Toronto, Noel Gallagher of Oasis is attacked by a concert-goer who rushes the stage and pushes him into his monitor. The band continues the show, but Gallagher is taken to a hospital that night to treat injuries to his ribs. He suffers a fractured rib and ligament damage, which forces the cancellation of several Oasis concerts.

2008-MTV makes up for trotting out a lethargic Britney Spears to open their previous year's Video Music Awards by giving her three awards for "Piece Of Me." Kanye West also debuts "Love Lockdown" on the show.

2003-Warren Zevon dies of cancer (peritoneal mesothelioma) in Los Angeles, California, at age 56.

2001-The movie Rock Star, starring Mark Wahlberg as the lead singer of a tribute band who ends up joining his favorite group, hits theaters. A number of musicians have roles in the film, including Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind and Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe, whose song "Colorful" Wahlberg lip-synchs at the end of the film.

2001-Ryan Adams shoots the video for his song "New York, New York" with the World Trade Center in the background. Four days later, the buildings are destroyed in terrorist attacks; when the video is released, it is dedicated to the victims.

2001-Michael Jackson plays the first of two concerts at Madison Square Garden as part of his 30th anniversary tribute. Performers honoring Jackson include Slash, 'N Sync and Britney Spears. The concerts are edited and aired as a special on CBS.

2000-Rage Against The Machine bass player Tim Commerford interrupts the MTV Video Music Awards when he climbs up the backdrop on stage, baffling the crew as well as Limp Bizkit, who are accepting the Best Rock Video award for "Break Stuff." Rage was nominated in the category for "Sleep Now in the Fire."

1999-Pop singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is born in Los Angeles, California, to filmmaker JJ Abrams and producer Katie McGrath. The "I Love You, I'm Sorry" singer builds a following during the COVID-19 pandemic by livestreaming shows from her childhood bedroom over Zoom.

1996-Rap star Tupac Shakur is shot five times in a drive-by following a boxing match in Las Vegas. He dies six days later at age 25.

1994-Weezer release their breakthrough single, "Buddy Holly," named for the rock and roll icon on what would have been his 58th birthday. It's featured on the band's debut album, Weezer (aka The Blue Album).

1994-Fifteen-year-old Brandy releases her self-titled debut album, which goes on to sell over 4 million copies and establish her as an R&B star. Hits from the album include "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby."

1988-INXS, the new sensation from Australia, are the big winners at the MTV Video Music Awards, taking five trophies, including Video Of The Year, for "Need You Tonight/Mediate." The songs are separate tracks on the album but combined for the video; the "Mediate" part is an homage to Bob Dylan's 1965 "Subterranean Homesick Blues" film.

1988-Barry Sadler is shot while riding in a Guatemala City taxi (he will die from his injuries 14 months later).

Pink Floyd Release First Album Without Roger Waters
1987-In the UK, Pink Floyd release A Momentary Lapse of Reason, their first album without founding member Roger Waters.

1987-Michael Jackson releases "Bad," the title track to his first album since Thriller. The song was supposed to be a duet with Prince, but the Purple One turned down the offer.

1986-Mike Nesmith joins the other three Monkees on stage during their reunion tour concert in Los Angeles.

1985-Ringo Starr becomes the first Beatles grandfather when his son Zak's child is born.

1985-"St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" hits #1 in the US. David Foster and John Parr wrote the song for the film St. Elmo's Fire, but they wrote it about Rick Hansen, who went around the world in his wheelchair raising money for spinal cord research on his "Man In Motion" tour.

1985-For the first time in the Rock Era, the top three songs on the Hot 100 were all written for movies:

#1: "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" by John Parr
#2: "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis & the News (from Back to the Future)
#3: "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner (from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)
1984-With most of her family (including her parents) on the road with The Jacksons' Victory tour, 18-year-old Janet Jackson elopes with James DeBarge from the group DeBarge. The marriage ends eight months later.

1984-INXS play the first of two concerts in Guam, a small island in the Pacific that rarely draws major acts. The stop follows a three-month US tour and precedes their tour of Japan.

1978-Keith Moon of The Who dies at age 32 after overdosing on medication that is supposed to help him overcome his alcoholism.

1975-The Guess Who perform their final concert (before the inevitable reunion), in Montreal.

1970-Chad Sexton (drummer/percussionist for 311) is born in Lexington, Kentucky.

1963-Eric "Eazy-E" Wright (member of N.W.A., founder of Ruthless Records, executive producer) is born in Compton, California.

1957-Sam Cooke releases "You Send Me."

1956-Songwriter Diane Warren, whose many hits include Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" and Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time," is born in Van Nuys, California.

1953-Benmont Tench (keyboardist for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) is born Benjamin Montmorency Tench III in Gainesville, Florida.

1951-Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) is born in Akron, Ohio.

1949-Disco queen Gloria Gaynor is born Gloria Fowles in Newark, New Jersey.

1946-Disco/soul singer Alfa Anderson (of Chic) is born in Augusta, Georgia.

1936-Buddy Holly is born. He lives just 22 years but influences many of the biggest stars of the '60s, including The Beatles. Don McLean's "American Pie" is about his death.

1935-Country/pop singer Ronnie Dove is born in Herndon, Virginia. Known for a popular cover of Wanda Jackson's "Right or Wrong."

1920-Guitarist Al Caiola, a frequent session musician in the '50s, is born in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1914-Jazz composer/pianist Graeme Bell is born in Richmond, Victoria, Australia.

[Bikkie]

.
1504 ‒ Michelangelo's statue of David is unveiled in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

1664 ‒ The Dutch surrender New Amsterdam to the British, who rename it New York.

1862-First Albertland settlers arrive in Auckland
The Matilda Wattenbach brought 352 Nonconformist (non-Anglican Protestant) immigrants from England. Another 315 landed from the Hanover a week later, and six more immigrant ships had arrived by 1865.

1855 ‒ British and French troops capture Sevastopol from the Russians, effectively ending the Crimean War.

1900 ‒ A hurricane kills more than 6000 people in Galveston, Texas.

1906 ‒ Janet Meikle becomes the first person in New Zealand killed in a crash caused directly by a car when her 8hp De Dion Bouton goes over a bank on the family farm, 5km from Timaru.

1941 ‒ The German army begins an 872-day siege of Leningrad, Russia.

1943 ‒ Allied Commander Dwight D Eisenhower announces Italy's surrender in World War II.

SEATO leaders in Manila, 1966
1954
New Zealand signs Manila Pact
The South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty, or Manila Pact, aimed to contain the spread of communism in the region. The South-East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was the institutional expression of this treaty

1957 ‒ Althea Gibson becomes the first African American to win the US Open tennis title, beating Louise Brough, 6-3, 6-2.

1966 ‒ First episode of the sci-fi series Star Trek airs on US TV.

1968 ‒ Arthur Ashe wins the first men's US tennis title of the Open era, beating Tom Okker in five sets. Ashe was still an amateur so Okker takes the US$14,000 winner's cheque.

1974 ‒ US President Gerald Ford pardons his predecessor, Richard Nixon.

2006 ‒ Australian motorsport legend Peter Brock dies in a crash during a rally near Perth.

2008 ‒ Swimmer Sophie Pascoe wins her first Paralympic medal, a silver, at the Beijing Paralympics.

2022 ‒ Queen Elizabeth II dies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. Her son Charles, Prince of Wales, ascends the throne upon her death as Charles III.



Music History


2020-McDonald's introduces the Travis Scott Meal: a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Sprite, and fries with BBQ sauce. It's the first McOffering named after a celebrity since 1992, when the McJordan appeared on the menu.

2019-Mitski, burned out from years on the road and increasing pressure from her rising popularity, wraps up her Be The Cowboy tour with a show in Central Park where she says it will be her "last show indefinitely." She returns to music in 2021 and gets a fresh jolt of fame as her music permeates TikTok over the next few years.

2017-Troy Gentry of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry dies in a helicopter crash en route to a gig in Medford, New Jersey. He was 50.

2017-Forty-one years after it was recorded, Neil Young's Hitchhiker is finally released. It features the first recorded versions of "Pocahontas" and "Powderfinger."

2016-Prince Buster, a Jamaican native who popularized ska music in England, dies at age 78.

2010-Rich Cronin (of LFO) dies of a stroke while battling leukemia in Boston, Massuchusetts, at age 36.

2007-Lynyrd Skynyrd are inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

2002-Gordon Lightfoot undergoes an emergency stomach operation in a suburban Toronto hospital.

2001-Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real" remix tops the Hot 100 for the first of five non-consecutive weeks. The pop singer gets some urban street cred with the help of guest rapper Ja Rule.

2001-Kylie Minogue releases the single "Can't Get You Out Of My Head," with a "la la la" chorus that does indeed burrow into the brain. A global smash, it's her first big hit in America since "The Loco-Motion" in 1988.

1997-Cornershop release When I Was Born for the 7th Time, their third studio album. It contains the hit song "Brimful of Asha."

1994-Chris Cornell and Kim Thayil accept the Best Metal/Hard Rock Video Award at the MTV Video Music Awards for Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" clip, beating out Aerosmith ("Cryin'"), Anthrax ("Black Lodge"), and Rollins Band ("Liar").

1994-At the MTV Video Music Awards, Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (MCA), in character as "Nathanial Hornblower," rushes the stage when R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" beats "Sabotage" for Best Direction. It's the first such intrusion at the VMAs.More

Rev Up The Bone Machine
1992-Tom Waits' album Bone Machine drops a sonic avalanche of apocalyptic percussion sounds, snarls, and deathly wails - and fans love him for it.More

1989-Rapper Keith "Cowboy" Wiggins of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five dies at age 28 from a crack cocaine addiction.

1989-Rapper Keith "Cowboy" Wiggins of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five dies at age 28 from a crack cocaine addiction.

1988-Bad Religion return with their third album, Suffer - their first full-length in five years and one of their best selling albums of all time. Suffer sees the return of the classic How Could Hell Be Any Worse? lineup, now a five-piece featuring Greg Graffin (vocals), Brett Gurewitz (guitar), Greg Hetson (guitar), Jay Bentley (bass) and Pete Finestone (drums).

1987-Rush bring back Peter Collins, producer of Power Windows, for Hold Your Fire. Featuring Top Five singles "Time Stand Still" and "Force Ten," Power Windows goes Gold but is the first Rush album in nine years to fail to reach the Billboard Top 10 or to achieve Platinum status in the US.

1980-Eric Hutchinson ("Rock and Roll," "OK, It's Alright With Me") is born in Takoma Park, Maryland.

1979-Pink is born Alecia Moore in Abington, Pennsylvania. She becomes a huge pop star with soul-baring songs like "Family Portrait" and party jams like "Raise Your Glass." Highly athletic, she's also the first major singer to do aerial routines while performing, which she incorporates into her act in 2004.

1978-David Bowie releases his second live album, Stage. The album was recorded at concerts in Philadelphia, Providence and Boston.

1976-Riding the wave of his Frampton Comes Alive! album, Peter Frampton gets invited by President Gerald Ford to spend the day at the White House.

1972-Neil Young's girlfriend, the actress Carrie Snodgrass, gives birth to his first child, a son Zeke, who has cerebral palsy. His next child, Ben, also has the condition.

1966-American Bandstand host Dick Clark guests on ABC-TV's Batman.

1965-An ad appears in Variety looking for "Four Insane Boys, Ages 17-21" to star in a new TV show: The Monkees.

1960-Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann is born in Bon Air, Virginia. With her group 'Til Tuesday, she has a hit with "Voices Carry," and later embarks on a successful solo career.

1960-David Steele (bassist for Fine Young Cannibals) is born in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.

1958-David Lewis (lead singer/guitarist for Atlantic Starr) is born.

1956-Elvis Presley first appears on the cover of TV Guide.

1956-Eddie Cochran signs a contract with Liberty Records.

1954-The DJ Alan Freed makes his move from Cleveland to New York, where he begins broadcasting his "Alan Freed Rock 'n' Roll Show" on WINS. The first white DJ to play black music, Freed brings R&B music to a wider audience in New York, and the sound quickly goes mainstream with the rise of Elvis and the popularization of rock music.

1947-Ben Orr (lead singer/bassist for The Cars) is born Benjamin Orzechowski in Lakewood, Ohio.

1946-Dean Daughtry (keyboardist for Atlanta Rhythm Section) is born in Kinston, Alabama.

1945-Kelly Groucutt (bassist and co-lead vocalist for Electric Light Orchestra) is born Michael William Groucutt in Coseley, Staffordshire, England.

1945-Pop singer Cathy Jean Giordano (of Cathy Jean & the Roommates) is born in Brooklyn, New York. Known for the 1961 hit "Please Love Me Forever."

1942-Brian Cole (bass guitarist for The Association) is born in Tacoma, Washington.

1935-The Hoboken Four, featuring a 19-year-old Frank Sinatra, appear on NBC's popular radio program Major Bowes and His Original Amateur Hour. They sing the Mills Brothers song "Shine" and earn the most votes in the history of the show, with 40,000 people calling in.

1934-Country singer Bill Parsons is born in Crossville, Tennessee. Known for his association with Bobby Bare, who was the real voice on the 1959 hit "The All American Boy," which was mistakenly credited to co-writer Parsons.

1933-Playback singer Asha Bhosle is born in Imperial India. She goes on to record more songs than anyone in history, mostly for Bollywood films.

1932-Country singer Patsy Cline is born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia, to Hilda, a 16-year-old seamstress, and Sam, a 43-year-old blacksmith.

1897-Jimmie Rodgers is born in Meridian, Mississippi. Known as "The Singing Brakeman" because of his early railroad job, he becomes one of the first country music stars.

1841-Composer Antonin Dvorak is born near Prague, Czech Republic (then part of Bohemia in the Austrian Empire).


1994-Nearly four months after tying the knot in a secret ceremony in the Dominican Republic, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley make their first public appearance as a married couple at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Jackson infamously plants a sloppy smooch on his bride.

2016-Lance Bass of *NSYNC hosts Finding Prince Charming on the Logo network, the first all-gay dating show.

Ally McBeal Premieres
1997-The first episode of the legal dramedy Ally McBeal airs on FOX. Vonda Shepard, an unknown singer, catches her big break when she sings the theme song "Searchin' My Soul." Shepard also becomes a series regular, playing a lounge singer who gives voice to Ally's troubles through music at the end of each episode.

1993-Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) appear on stage together for the first time, performing at Club Lingerie in Los Angeles. They play "Pennyroyal Tea" and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"

1990-The New Kids On The Block cartoon series makes its debut. Lasting just one season on ABC, the animated New Kids travel the world and face challenges like getting to concerts on time.

Chuck Berry Does The Duck Walk
1955-In an attempt to hide the wrinkles in his suit, Chuck Berry does the duck walk for the first time.

[Bikkie]

1087 – The English king William I (the Conqueror) dies from an injury suffered while attempting to capture the town of Mantes in France.

1543 – Mary Stuart is crowned Queen of Scots, aged nine months.

1776 – The Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia changes the name United Colonies to United States of America.

1861– Sally Louisa Tompkins is commissioned a cavalry captain; the only woman to be commissioned in the Confederate army.

1888 – Chile annexes Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the South Pacific.

1942 – A Japanese floatplane drops bombs on an Oregon forest, in the first and only air attack on the US mainland during World War II.

1948 – The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is formed in North Korea, claiming authority over the entire Korean peninsula.

1950 – First use of a TV laugh track, by US sitcom The Hank McCune Show.

1956 – Elvis Presley first appears on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1971 – Prisoners seize control of the maximum-security Attica prison near Buffalo, New York, beginning a siege that ends up claiming 43 lives.

1976 – Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong dies aged 82; New Zealand establishes its first centralised electronic database under the Wanganui Computer Act.

1976-Wanganui Computer legislation enacted
The establishment of New Zealand’s first centralised electronic database through the Wanganui Computer Centre Act focused attention on the state’s ability to gather information about its citizens.

1982-Bomb damage to the Wanganui Computer Centre.

1990 – American tennis player Pete Sampras defeats Andre Agassi at the US Open to capture his first of 14 Grand Slam singles titles.

2003 – Edward Teller, pioneer in molecular physics who was dubbed the father of the H-bomb, dies at 95.

2010 – NSW Parliament passes a bill giving same-sex couples the right to adopt.

2015 – Elizabeth II becomes Britain’s longest-reigning monarch at 63 years and seven months, beating the record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.

2016 – North Korea says it has tested a nuclear warhead launched from a missile. It was recorded as a 5.3 magnitude quake by monitors in the US, Europe, China and Japan.

2022 – King Charles III gives his first speech to Britain as its new monarch, vowing to carry on the “lifelong service” of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died a day earlier.




Music History


2019-Kelly Clarkson's daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, debuts. Every episode starts with "Kellyoke," where Clarkson sings a cover of a popular song.

2014-Who doesn't like a free gift? Apparently, about 500 million iTunes users who create an uproar when U2's latest album, Songs of Innocence, shows up sans charge and sans permission in their personal libraries.

2014-Vance Joy releases his debut studio album, Dream Your Life Away, four days after its release in his native Australia.

2008-Donny and Marie Osmond kick off what is supposed to be a six-week residency at the Flamingo hotel and casino in Las Vegas, but the show proves so popular, their run stretches for 11 years, coming to an end in 2019.

2008-Former Raspberries lead and solo star Eric Carmen is arrested in his hometown of Cleveland on DUI charges. He will be sentenced to six months in jail but will only serve 30 days.

2007-Britney Spears opens the MTV Video Music Awards with a listless lip-synch where she appears dazed and confused. Over the next few months, she loses custody of her kids and is involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility.

2007-During a performance by Alicia Keys at the MTV Video Music Awards, Tommy Lee and Kid Rock get in a fight, prompting presenter Jamie Foxx to decry the "white on white violence."

2007-Rock guitarist Hughie Thomasson (of The Outlaws and Lynyrd Skynyrd) dies of a heart attack in Brooksville, Florida, at age 55.

2006-"SexyBack," the lead single from Justin Timberlake's second solo album, FutureSex: LoveSounds, hits #1 in America, where it stays for seven weeks. Timbaland and Nate "Danja" Hills are the producers - they're red hot, coming off Nelly Furtado's #1 "Promiscuous."

2005-Despite numerous fan protests, the City of Liverpool, England, declares its intention to go ahead and demolish Ringo Starr's birthplace on Madryn Street, which the famous drummer lived in until the age of 5.

2004-Ernie Ball, who developed many innovative guitar accessories, dies at age 74.

2004-The Oxford English Dictionary adds the word bootylicious, defined as "(of a woman) sexually attractive."

2003-Simon & Garfunkel make it official, announcing plans to reunite and tour for the first time in 20 years. They get more per ticket than any other tour that year: $136.90. They donate $1 million to The Children's Health Fund at the end.

2003-Bob Markley, who co-founded the West Coast Pop Experimental Art Band, dies at 68.

2003-John Mayer releases his second studio album, Heavier Things. The title is a response to some critics who believed his previous songs were too soft. The album debuts at #1 in the US and includes his enduring hit "Daughters."

2002-Peter Tetteroo (lead singer for The Tee Set) dies from liver cancer in Delft, Netherlands, at age 55.

2000-Duets, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis, is released at the Toronto Film Festival. The film is a critical and box-office flop, but Paltrow and Lewis's duet cover of "Cruisin'" reaches #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

1996-Bluegrass singer/songwriter Bill Monroe dies at age 84 in Springfield, Tennessee, several months after suffering a stroke.

1995-Kyuss perform their last-ever show, at Festa Dell Unita, in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

1994-Green Day play a free concert at the Hatch Shell in Boston. A few songs into their set, many in the crowd cross the line from moshing to rioting, and police order an end to the show. With their album Dookie climbing the charts, the band has been playing to exuberant crowds, which causes problems when casual fans find themselves engulfed in mosh pits.

1992-During a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Nirvana plays "Lithium," ending in a grand finale where bassist Krist Novoselic tosses his instrument high into the air. When he tries to catch it, he misses, and the bass whacks him in the head. Still, it's a pretty awesome performance.

1992-Nirvana's feud with Guns N' Roses reaches a tense climax when Axl Rose threatens Kurt Cobain backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards.

1990-Following Freedom, his much-lauded return to form, Neil Young releases Ragged Glory. His 18th studio album, the garage rock classic is also one of his most balls-out productions to date, and not what one would generally expect from a 45-year-old man late into a long musical career.

1989-The boy band Take That forms when Robbie Williams, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Howard Donald are chosen at auditions in Manchester, England, to join Gary Barlow.

1988-It's the finale of a 4-day "garage sale" where Elton John cleans house, which in his case looks like a high-end Hoarders. Among the items sold are the boots he wore in the movie Tommy and his Statue of Liberty stage costume that the 41-year-old feels he has outgrown. The take is $6.2 million.

1982-Coming off the monstrous success of Moving Pictures, Rush releases Signals, their ninth studio album. It features "Subdivisions," a song that becomes a regular part of their live repertoire. The album hits platinum status only two months after release.

1982-The Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short To Box With God, which is based on the Book of Matthew, is revived at the Alvin Theatre in New York with Al Green and Patti LaBelle in the cast.

1979-Two years after converting to Islam, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) enters into an arranged marriage with Fauzia Ali. The couple raise five children, strictly adhering to the Muslim faith.

1978-The Rolling Stones release "Beast Of Burden."

1978-A Taste Of Honey's "Boogie Oogie Oogie" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1975-The TV series Welcome Back, Kotter debuts on ABC. The theme song, written by John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful fame, goes to #1 in America in 1976. Kotter also gives John Travolta, who plays a high school delinquent on the show, his big break; he goes on to star in Saturday Night Fever and Grease.

1975-Paul McCartney and Wings begin their historic 13-month world tour. US performances will be recorded as the double LP Wings Over America. The group plays to over two million fans total during the course of the tour.

1973-Following up on his plan to use the concert audience for the background vocals on the left stereo channel for his song "Sons Of 1984," Todd Rundgren records the crowd at a show in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, which is disrupted because of a pot bust. The right channel vocals came from a show in New York.

1971-John Lennon releases Imagine in the US.

1970-Elvis Presley kicks off his first concert tour in nine years at a show in Phoenix, Arizona.

1970-Rapper Dray (of Das EFX) is born Andre Weston in Teaneck, New Jersey. Featured on Ice Cube's 1993 hit, "Check Yo Self."

1967-Sam and Dave release "Soul Man."

1967-The Spider-Man animated series debuts on ABC. The iconic theme song inspires a range of covers from the Ramones to Aerosmith to Michael Buble.

1966-James Darren's TV series Time Tunnel premieres on ABC.

1957-Paul Anka's "Diana" hits #1, where it stays for one week.

1956-Elvis Presley makes the first of three contracted appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan had previously announced he would never have such an act on, but ratings prevailed and Sullivan offered Elvis a record $50,000 for the three shows. Charles Laughton hosts, filling in for an ailing Sullivan as Elvis performs "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "Ready Teddy" and "Hound Dog" but is shot from the waist up only to avoid scandal. The show draws a staggering 54 million viewers.

1955-Seeburg introduces their latest jukebox, which not only holds a record 100 singles but is also capable of playing the same number of EPs.

1954-Rising young star Elvis Presley performs at the opening of Memphis' Lamar-Airways shopping mall, and, afterward, meets audience member Johnny Cash for the first time.

1952-Dave Stewart, who forms Eurythmics with Annie Lennox in 1980, is born in Sunderland, England. A relentless collaborator, he co-writes songs for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers ("Don't Come Around Here No More"), Celine Dion ("Taking Chances"), Mick Jagger ("Old Habits Die Hard") and many others.

1950-John McFee (guitarist, violinist for The Doobie Brothers) is born in Santa Cruz, California.

1948-Pamela Des Barres, perhaps the most famous groupie of all time, is born. She boasts liaisons with Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger and Keith Moon, and even joins a band made up of groupies, The GTO's, in 1969. In 2013 she starts her own fashion label: "Groupie Couture."

1947-Freddy Weller (guitarist for Paul Revere and the Raiders) is born Wilton Frederick Weller in Atlanta, Georgia. Co-wrote Tommy Roe's 1970 hit, "Jam Up and Jelly Tight."

1946-Bruce Palmer (bassist for Buffalo Springfield) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1946-Two months after making her TV debut on the BBC's Cabaret Cartoons, 13-year-old Petula Clark begins hosting her first television series, titled Petula Clark.

1946-Trevor Leslie Oaks (guitarist for Showaddywaddy) is born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England.

1946-Soul singer Inez Foxx is born in Greensboro, North Carolina.

1946-Doug Ingle (vocalist/organist for Iron Butterfly) is born in Omaha, Nebraska.

1945-R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp is born Dione LaRue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known for early-'60s hits like "Mashed Potato Time" and "Slow Twistin" (the latter with Chubby Checker).

1942-Soul singer Luther Simmons (of The Main Ingredient) is born. Known for the 1972 hit, "Everybody Plays the Fool."

1941-Otis Redding is born Otis Ray Redding Jr. in Dawson, Georgia. He would be raised in nearby Macon.

1941-Duffy Power is born Raymond Leslie Howard in Fulham, London, England. The blues/rock 'n roll singer is known for his covers of hits like Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover" and The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There."

1940-Joe Negroni (of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is born in New York City, New York.

1926-Jake Carey (bass singer for The Flamingos) is born in Pulaski, Virginia.

1926-The Radio Corporation of America, later known as RCA, launches its new radio network, the National Broadcasting Company (later known as NBC).

[Bikkie]

1898 - Empress Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary is assassinated by an Italian anarchist in Geneva.

White Island, 1934
1914
Eruption on Whakaari (White Island) kills 10 people
On 10 September 1914, 10 miners working on Whakaari (White Island) were killed when part of the crater wall collapsed, causing a landslide

1939 - German Army gains complete control of western Poland; Canada declares war on Germany.

1963 - Twenty black students enter public schools in Birmingham, Tuskegee and Mobile, Alabama, following a standoff between federal authorities and Governor George C. Wallace, who resisted integration.

1967 - Gibraltar electorate votes to retain link with Britain rather than to return to Spanish sovereignty.

1972 - The United States vetoes a UN Security Council resolution that calls for immediate cessation of military operations in Middle East.

1977 - Convicted murderer Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant, is the last person executed by the guillotine in France.

Staff at the Auckland City Art Gallery just before the opening of Te Maori
1984
Te Maori exhibition opens in New York
The landmark Te Maori exhibition was a milestone in the Māori cultural renaissance. Featuring traditional Māori artwork, it toured the United States between 1984 and 1986 before returning to New Zealand for a nationwide tour in 1987.

1989 - Hungary decides to allow about 7000 East German refugees to leave for West Germany.

1999 - Three bombs explode in apartment buildings in Moscow and Volgodonsk, in southern Russia, killing at least 229 people and sparking speculation of a terrorist campaign in Russia.

2009 - Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi brushes off questions about any possible resignation over his sex scandal, saying he has been the country's best premier ever.

2010 - A special commission says hundreds of sex abuse victims have come forward in Belgium with harrowing accounts of molestation by Roman Catholic clergy that reportedly led to at least 13 suicides and affected children as young as 2.



Music History

2020-Alicia Keys performs "Lift Every Voice And Sing" at the NFL season opener between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. The league has ordered the song, considered the "Black national anthem," played before every game in Week 1. The NFL cracked down on players who refused to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" after Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the song in 2016, a stance that is out of touch with the Black Lives Matter movement.

2019-John Cooper of Skillet releases the graphic novel Eden, which follows the band's adventure through a dangerous post-apocalyptic world to find a mysterious paradise.

2018-John Legend, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice all win Emmys for their work on the NBC special Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, earning all three EGOT. Only 12 other people had previously won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Legend's Oscar came from "Glory"; his Tony for production work on Jitney.

Craig David Makes A Comeback
2015-Craig David breaks his hiatus with a guest slot on BBC Radio 1Xtra during a takeover by spoof garage and grime collective Kurupt FM, made popular by the BBC mockumentary People Just Do Nothing (also featuring grime MCs Big Narstie, Stormzy and MC Vapour). The session goes viral and helps launch David's comeback alongside the rising grime scene.More

2013-Apple announces iTunes Radio, a streaming service that is essentially a competitor to Pandora, creating radio stations based on a particular song, artist or genre.More

2011-"Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 goes to #1 in America. It's their first song written with help from outside writers (Benny Blanco, Shellback and Ammar Malik), a move that gives them a second wind and a string of hits that includes "Payphone," "One More Night" and "Animals."

2010-Delta bluesman Foster "Mr. Tater" Wiley dies in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 63.

2010-Linkin Park release their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns, an apocalyptic-themed concept album that finds the rap-rockers exploring electronic rock on singles like "The Catalyst" and "Waiting For The End."

2009-Nine Inch Nails completes its Wave Goodbye Tour at Los Angeles' Wiltern Theater, with Trent Reznor declaring that the band is done performing live for "the foreseeable future." The band maintains its hiatus for roughly four years, returning on July 26, 2013, with their Twenty Thirteen Tour.

2008-Abingdon Street in Peoria, Illinois, is designated "Fogelberg Parkway" after their native son Dan Fogelberg. The street is where the events of his song "Same Old Lang Syne" took place.

2001-Jo Dee Messina releases "Bring On The Rain," which becomes an anthem of grief and resilience after the terrorist attacks the next day.
Michael Jackson Plays New York City The Night Before September 11

2001-The second of two star-packed Michael Jackson 30th anniversary celebration concerts is held at Madison Square Garden, with performances by Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Usher. Just hours later, New York City is attacked by terrorists.

1999-Standin' On The Corner Park opens in Winslow, Arizona. Inspired by the city's famous mention in the Eagles song "Take It Easy," the park features a statue of a man with a guitar standing on the corner. The park quickly becomes a popular photo op for folks passing through Winslow.

1996-Neil Peart employs some jazz-influenced traditional drum grips on Rush's 16th studio album, Test for Echo. It's the last album the band releases before the death of Peart's daughter, followed ten months later by the passing of his wife, leads the band to take a six-year recording hiatus.

1996-Blues guitarist Lee Baker (of Lee Baker & The Agitators) is murdered at age 53, along with his elderly aunt, in Memphis, Tennessee.

1990-Starring a young rapper named Will Smith, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debuts on NBC. Smith hones his acting skills during his six seasons on the show, which features guest appearances by his musical partner, DJ Jazzy Jeff.

1988-Guns N' Roses, on tour as the opening act for Aerosmith, hit #1 in America for the first of two weeks with "Sweet Child O' Mine."

1984-Matthew Followill (lead guitarist for Kings Of Leon) is born Cameron Matthew Followill in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1981-After their show in Copenhagen, Iron Maiden announce that lead singer Paul Di'Anno will be leaving the band. He's replaced by Bruce Dickinson, who leads the band to new heights, starting with their 1982 album The Number Of The Beast.

1975-PBS airs the special The World Of John Hammond, celebrating the Columbia Records executive who signed Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to the label. Dylan performs three songs in tribute.

1974-Randy Newman releases Good Old Boys, a concept album about a Redneck in the Deep South.

1973-The BBC, predictably, bans The Rolling Stones' single "Star Star," better known as "Starf----r."

1972-At the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, The Doors, who have continued as a trio since the death of Jim Morrison in July 1971, play their last concert. Their final song is "Light My Fire," the last song Morrison performed before his death.

1970-B.B. King plays for inmates at Cook County Jail in Chicago. The show is released the following year as the album Live at Cook County Jail.

1968-Rapper Big Daddy Kane is born Antonio Hardy in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Known for 1988's "Ain't No Half-Steppin'."

1966-Miles Zuniga (guitarist/vocalist for Fastball) is born in Laredo, Texas.

1966-Robin Goodridge (drummer for Bush) is born in Crawley, West Sussex, England.

1966-The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1966-The Beatles' Revolver hits #1 in America despite a firestorm over John Lennon's comments that the group is "more popular than Jesus now."

1963-While traveling in London, John Lennon and Paul McCartney encounter Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who worked as a promoter for The Beatles earlier in the year. Oldham invites them to The Stones rehearsal, where Lennon and McCartney complete a song they were working on, "I Wanna Be Your Man," and give it to The Stones, which they use as their second UK single.

1962-The BBC bans Bobby "Boris" Pickett's Halloween novelty single "Monster Mash," finding it in poor taste. However, in 1973 the radio giant lifts the ban, sending a re-release of the holiday favorite to #3.

1960-David Lowery (lead singer for Cracker) is born in San Antonio, Texas.

1958-Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama and Shakespears Sister is born in Dublin, Ireland.

1956-Johnnie Fingers (keyboardist for The Boomtown Rats) is born John Peter Moylett in Ireland.

1955-Chuck Berry's first hit, "Maybellene," reaches its peak chart position of #5 in the US.

1951-Pete Tolson (guitarist for The Pretty Things) is born in Bishops Stortford, Herts, England. David Bowie covered the group's "Don't Bring Me Down" for his 1973 album, Pin Ups.

1950-Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry is born Anthony Joseph Perry in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He leaves the band at their drug-soaked nadir in 1979 but returns in 1984. The band returns to glory with their 1987 album Permanent Vacation.

1949-Barriemore Barlow (drummer/percussionist for Jethro Tull) is born in Birmingham, England.

1946-Don Powell (drummer for Slade) is born in Bilston, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England. He would become interested in drums as a Boy Scout.

1945-José Feliciano is born José Montserrate Feliciano García in Lares, Puerto Rico. Known for the Christmas classic "Feliz Navidad."

1942-Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night is born in Buncrana, Donegal, Ireland.

1937-Country singer Tommy Overstreet is born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He would be raised in Texas. His first hit was "Gwen (Congratulations)" in 1970.

1991-Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is released as a single, forever changing the musical meaning of the word "Alternative."

[Bikkie]

1880
Rail tragedy on the Remutaka incline
Four children were killed and 13 adults injured when two rail carriages were blown off the tracks by severe winds on a notoriously exposed part of the Remutaka incline railway. This was the first major loss of life on New Zealand’s railways.

Sign over nugget declares Hon Roddy Nugget 99ozs, 12 dwts, 12 grs. Worth 400 pounds
1909
New Zealand's heaviest gold nugget purchased
New Zealand’s heaviest gold nugget on record was found at Ross on the West Coast. Weighing 3.09 kg, the nugget was named the 'Honourable Roddy' after the minister of mines, Roderick McKenzie.

The Southern Cross at Wigram, Christchurch
1928
First trans-Tasman flight touches down
Australian pilots Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm crossed the Tasman in a Fokker tri-motor named the Southern Cross, covering 2670 km in 14 hours 25 minutes.


Music History

2022-The TV series Monarch, starring Trace Adkins as (fittingly) a country singer, debuts on Fox. Susan Sarandon plays his wife and Beth Ditto of The Gossip is one of his daughters. It's cancelled after one season.

2014-Songwriter Bob Crewe dies at age 83 in Scarborough, Maine, four years after suffering a brain injury from a fall. A prolific hit-maker, he was known for songs like "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

2014-Cosimo Matassa, who recorded Little Richard and Fats Domino at his New Orleans studio, dies at age 88.

2012-Johnny Perez (drummer, songwriter for the Sir Douglas Quintet) dies at age 69 of complications from cirrhosis of the liver.

2009-Punk musician Jim Carroll dies of heart attack in Manhattan, New York City, at age 60.

2007-Singer/keyboardist Willie Tee dies of colon cancer at age 63.

2003-Jewel cancels her North American tour after Terome "T-Bone" Hannon, her bassist of three years, dies suddenly of a brain aneurysm at age 39.

2001-The Strokes' debut album, Is This It, drops on vinyl in the US. It contains the song "New York City Cops," an anthem against police brutality. The defiant track is removed from the forthcoming CD release in light of the terrorist attacks and the valiant response of the NYPD.

2001-Most radio stations simulcast news after terrorists attacks in America bring down the World Trade Center. Music proves vital when the healing begins.

2001-As Gerard Way watches in horror from the Manhattan ferry as the World Trade Center's Twin Towers collapse, he realizes life is too short to not follow his dream. Shortly after, he starts his own band: My Chemical Romance.

2001-Amid the chaos of terrorist attacks, PJ Harvey wins the Mercury Prize (an annual award given to the best album from the UK and Ireland) for Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. She recalls: "It was very strange, particularly since we were in Washington. I woke up to people hammering on the door, saying the Pentagon was on fire – which we could see from our hotel. Sadly I didn't I feel at all present in terms of winning the Mercury Prize. And it was an honor for me to receive it."

2001-On the afternoon of the terrorist attacks against the country, a group of US senators and congressmen gather on the Capitol steps to sing Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." The song is invoked many times in the following days.

2000-Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow release a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" as a duet. The single reaches #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for a week and also appears in the 2000 film Duets, which stars the pair.

1987-Actor/musician Lorne Greene, known for his starring role on the western TV series Bonanza, dies of complications from pneumonia in Santa Monica, California, at age 72.

1987-Reggae musician Peter Tosh is shot and killed at age 42 during a robbery in his home.

1982-John Mellencamp becomes the first male solo artist with a #1 album (American Fool) and two Top 10 singles, all at the same time ("Hurts So Good" at #8; "Jack & Diane" at #4).

1982-Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl" reaches its chart peak of #32 on the Hot 100. It's the only Top 40 hit for the eccentric singer, who releases over 60 albums in his lifetime. His daughter, Moon Unit Zappa, plays the Valley Girl in the song.

1981-Charles Kelley of the trio Lady A is born in Augusta, Georgia. His brother is the singer Josh Kelley.

1977-David Bowie joins Bing Crosby to record the crooner's Merrie Olde Christmas special. Bowie refuses to sing "Little Drummer Boy" with Crosby, so his part is rewritten as "Peace On Earth." Crosby dies a month later before the show airs, and the duet becomes a Christmas classic, growing even more popular when MTV starts playing the clip a few years later.

1977-Jon Buckland (lead guitarist for Coldplay) is born in Islington, London, but he would be raised in Pantymwyn, North Wales.

1977-Rapper Ludacris is born Christopher Brian Bridges in Champaign, Illinois. In his teens, he moves with his mother to Atlanta, Georgia, where he makes his mark in music.

1975-Brad Fischetti (of LFO) is born in New York City, New York.

1974-WROV-AM in Roanoke, Virginia, starts playing the The Doobie Brothers album cut "Black Water" in honor of a local tributary of the same name. The resounding response from listeners prompts a single release two months later, and in March 1975, the song becomes a #1 hit.

1973-Bruce Springsteen releases his second album, The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle.

1971-Richard Ashcroft (lead singer for The Verve) is born in Billinge Higher End, Wigan, England.

1971-The Jackson 5 cartoon series, called The Jackson 5ive, debuts on ABC. Each episode shows various adventures with animated versions of the group, along with Michael's pet mice Ray and Charles, and his snake Rosie. The cartoon runs from 1971-1973.

1968-The Beatles record most of "Glass Onion," John Lennon's song about fans who suss out hidden messages in his lyrics.

1967-In Hampshire, England, The Beatles begin filming Magical Mystery Tour, their third movie.

1967-Frank Sinatra, who is playing at the Sands casino in Las Vegas, gets in a fight when he is denied credit as part of a policy put in by the new owners. He breaks two teeth in the altercation and soon takes his talents (and money) to Caesar's Palace.

1967-Crooner Harry Connick, Jr. is born Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1965-Electronica musician Moby is born Richard Melville Hall in Harlem, New York City.

1965-The Beatles' Help! album hits #1 in America and stays for nine weeks.

1962-At Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles record their first British singles: "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You."

1962-Neil Sedaka marries his wife, Leba.

1960-Tommy Sands marries Nancy Sinatra (they divorce five years later).

1958-LaVern Baker records "I Cried A Tear."

1958-Lloyd Price records the original, uncensored version of "Stagger Lee."

1957-Jon Moss (drummer for Culture Club) is born in Wandsworth, South London, England.

1953-Tommy Shaw of Styx is born in Montgomery, Alabama.

1945-Dennis Tufano (original lead singer for The Buckinghams) is born Dennis Stanley Joseph Tufano in Chicago, Illinois.

1943-Mickey Hart (one of the drummers for Grateful Dead) is born Michael Steven Hartman in Brooklyn but would be raised in Long Island, New York.

1935-Composer Arvo Pärt is born in Paide, Järva County, Estonia. Created the tintinnabuli style of composition.

1896-Folklorist Francis Child, known for his collection of Child Ballads, dies at age 71.

[Bikkie]

1814 -Battle of North Point is fought near Baltimore during the War of 1812

1824 -Moreton Bay Penal Settlement established at Redcliffe, Queensland, with about 30 convicts (modern Brisbane, Australia) [1]

1829 -Greek War of Independence ends after 8 years and 6 months

1846- HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, the British expedition searching for a Northwest Passage led by John Franklin, become trapped by ice near King William Island; all eventually perish [1]

1847- Mexican–American War: the Battle of Chapultepec begins

1848- Switzerland becomes a Federal state

1862- Battle of Harpers Ferry, Virginia: Stonewall Jackson's Confederate force attacks and later captures the Union-held town

1885 -Highest football score recorded in any first-class soccer match: Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord in Scotland

1895- Annie Londonderry [Annie Kopchovsky] arrives in Chicago to complete the first round-the-world trip by a woman on a bicycle in 15 months and collects her $10,000 prize


Music History

2022-The Jennifer Hudson Show debuts in syndication. The first guest on the daytime talk show is Simon Cowell, a judge when Hudson competed on American Idol.

2017-Stevie Wonder, Demi Lovato and Dave Matthews are among the performers at the "Hand in Hand" telethon, which benefits victims of hurricanes Harvey and Irma.More

2016-The #HotInHerreStreamingParty hashtag takes off as Nelly fans try to help him out of a $2.4 million tax debt by repeatedly streaming his hit "Hot In Herre." Based on an estimated Spotify royalty of $0.007 per stream, it will take about 342,857,142 listens to play off the debt.

2014-Joe Sample (pianist of The Jazz Crusaders) dies of mesothelioma at age 75.

2013-Ray Dolby (sound engineer who invented the noise-reduction system which bears his name) dies of leukemia in San Francisco, California, at age 80.

2012-After years of mainstream popularity, considerable airplay, and being nominated for numerous awards, Matchbox Twenty finally get their due on the charts with a #1 debut on the Billboard albums chart. North is their first top-charting album and their fifth studio album in the 16 years the band has been together.

2011-Suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Glen Campbell performs "It's Your Amazing Grace" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Campbell's memory is shot, but on stage he's able to perform, reading the lyrics from a teleprompter. He had just started his Goodbye Tour, which continues for more than a year, until his condition deteriorates to the point where he can no longer perform.

2011-Ed Sheeran's debut album, +, is released in the UK, where it tops the albums chart.

2010-Lady Gaga wears a dress made of raw meat to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, where she wins Video Of The Year for "Bad Romance."More

2009-The Christian rock band Skillet charts on the Hot 100 for the first time when their single "Awake and Alive" ekes in at #100. The track is from their hit crossover album Awake, which debuts at #2 in the US.

2008-Metallica release Death Magnetic, produced by Rick Rubin.

2007-Led Zeppelin announce a reunion concert, with 18,000 tickets priced at $255 each doled out in an online lottery. At least a million registrations come in for the show, which is scheduled for November 26 but postponed to December 10 when Jimmy Page breaks his finger.

2007-R&B singer Bobby Byrd (member of The Famous Flames with James Brown) dies of cancer near Atlanta, Georgia, at age 73.

2006-Britney Spears gives birth to her second child, Jayden James Federline, born just 363 days after her first son, Sean. In ensuing years, the kids enjoy many lavish joint birthday parties.

2006-Justin Timberlake releases his second solo album, FutureSex: LoveSounds. Impelled by the lead single "SexyBack," it goes to #1 in the US and sells over 9 million copies.

2006-Toby Keith makes his first appearance on Stephen Colbert's talk show. Despite their political differences, they become good friends, and in 2015 Colbert inducts Keith into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

2006-Marianne Faithfull announces she has breast cancer (seven weeks later she says she has made a "full recovery").

2003-Johnny Cash dies of complications from diabetes in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 71. One of the biggest stars of the '60s and '70s, he made some of his most memorable music near the end of his life with a set of back-to-basics albums produced by Rick Rubin, including American IV: The Man Comes Around, which wins the CMA for Album Of The Year posthumously.

2000-Lynyrd Skynyrd release Christmas Time Again, their first Christmas album.

2000-LL Cool J popularizes the phrase "GOAT," meaning the Greatest Of All Time, with the release of his eighth album, G.O.A.T., where he claims that title. The album lives up to its billing, going to #1.

1998-Lauryn Hill's solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill debuts at #1 in the US.

1998-Green Day frontman Billie Armstrong's second child with wife Adrienne is born: son Jakob Danger.

1995-Lenny Kravitz releases his fourth studio album, Circus. The lead single, "Rock and Roll Is Dead," is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

1993-Garbage find their lead singer when they see Shirley Manson in the video for "Suffocate Me" by her band Angelfish on MTV's alternative music showcase 120 Minutes. In a leap of faith, she moves from Scotland to Wisconsin to join Garbage, pairing her visceral lyrics and understated delivery with the band's progressive musical textures.

1993-Kelsea Ballerini is born in Mascot, Tennessee.

1987-The syndicated TV series Showtime at the Apollo makes its debut. During its 1093-episode run, hosts include Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Lawrence, Sinbad, Steve Harvey, and Mo'Nique.

Prince Gives Rare Interview In Rolling Stone
1985-Rolling Stone publishes their interview with Prince, who has not spoken to the press in three years. He remains elusive, but explains why he made up stories in his early years to appease and confound reporters: "I used to tease a lot of journalists early on, because I wanted them to concentrate on the music."More

1979-The ABC news program 20/20 runs the special "The Elvis Cover-Up," which alleges that Elvis Presley's death was linked to prescription drugs. When his doctor, George Nichopoulous, is brought to trial, evidence shows that Elvis had prescriptions for about 10,000 doses of drugs just in the year he died (1977).

1978-Ruben Studdard is born in Frankfurt, Germany, where his father is stationed with the US Army, but grows up in Birmingham, Alabama. He goes on to win Season 2 of American Idol.

1977-Paul McCartney's son, James, is born.

1977-B.T. Express perform for US President Jimmy Carter at the White House.

1975-Pink Floyd release the album Wish You Were Here.

1974-Country singer Jennifer Nettles (of Sugarland) is born in Douglas, Georgia.

1970-The Woody Guthrie tribute concert takes place at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Performers include Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Richie Havens and Joan Baez.

1969-The Rolling Stones release Through The Past, Darkly.

The Monkees TV Show Debuts1966
The Monkees TV show makes its debut, with four actors chosen to portray a pop band based on The Beatles. While The Monkees are a fictional band, they become very real and eventually play on their own recordings instead of studio musicians.

1966-Singer/pianist Ben Folds is born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

1966-The Roger Miller Show, starring the country singer, debuts on NBC with guests Bill Cosby and Wes Harrison. The show lasts just one season.

1960-Nina Simone's "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out" peaks at #93, where it will stay for one week.

1957-Film composer Hans Zimmer is born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Known for award-winning scores for The Lion King (1994), Gladiator (2000) and The Dark Knight (2008), to name a few.

1957-Larry Williams records "Bony Maronie."

1956-Barry Andrews (keyboardist for XTC) is born in West Norwood, London, England.

1952-Neil Peart is born near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In 1974, he joins Rush, becoming both their drummer and lyricist.

1952-Folk rocker Gerry Beckley (of America) is born in Fort Worth, Texas.

1948-Giving up her job at the Tupelo Garment Company in Mississippi, Gladys Presley and her husband Vernon move to Memphis with their son, Elvis.

1946-Blue Cheer singer/bassist Dickie Peterson is born in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Barry White Is Born
1944-R&B singer Barry White is born Barry Eugene Carter in Galveston, Texas. He is raised in South Central Los Angeles.More

1943-Singer Maria Muldaur, known for her 1973 hit "Midnight At The Oasis," is born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato in Greenwich Village, New York City.

1943-Frank Sinatra starts his film career when he signs a 7-year contract with RKO Pictures.

1938-Soul/gospel singer Judy Clay is born Judith Grace Guions in St. Pauls, North Carolina.

1931-Country singer George Jones is born in Saratoga, Texas.

[Bikkie]

122 – Building begins on Hadrian’s Wall, in northern England.

335 – The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is consecrated in Jerusalem.

1586 – Anthony Babington and fellow conspirators go on trial for attempting to seize the throne of England for Mary Queen of Scots by plotting to murder Elizabeth I.

1933
New Zealand's first woman MP elected
The Labour Party’s Elizabeth McCombs became New Zealand’s first female Member of Parliament, winning a by-election in the Lyttelton seat caused by the death of her husband, James McCombs.



Music History


2024-At a Boston show, Jane's Addiction lead singer Perry Farrell, upset over sound levels, takes a swing at guitarist Dave Navarro and has to be forcibly removed from the stage. The show abruptly ends and the band cancel the rest of their tour.

2019-Lizzo, Cardi B and Jennifer Lopez play strippers in the movie Hustlers, which also features Usher as a patron. It's the film debut for Cardi, who was an exotic dancer before launching her music career.

2019-Eddie Money dies of esophageal cancer at 70.

2018-Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin get married at a New York City courthouse. They keep it a secret for months, and don't have a ceremony until September 30, 2019.

2015-REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath, who wrote their hits "Ridin' the Storm Out" and "Take It On The Run," dies at age 65.

2013-Hozier releases "Take Me to Church," the lead single from his self-titled debut album.

2013-After winning a landmark lawsuit, The Village People lead singer Victor Willis regains the copyright to 33 songs he co-wrote for the band. Willis is the first songwriter to go public with his case, which deals with a 1978 law that reverts copyrights to songs back to their original owners 35 years after. Like many songwriters, Willis had signed away the rights to his songs.

2011-The B-52s play their first ever show in Idaho, finally performing their song "Private Idaho" in the state that inspired it.

2011-After an eight-year absence, Anthrax release their 10th studio album, Worship Music. Joey Belladonna, who hasn't been with the band since 1992, returns to handle lead vocals.

2010-John Mayer shuts down his Twitter account with 3.7 million followers. Once an avid Tweeter, Mayer has shied away from social media after oversharing in a Playboy interview. He does eventually return to Twitter, but in moderation. "It does rewire your brain," he says.

2009-When Taylor Swift wins for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West comes on stage and commandeers the microphone, explaining that Beyoncé deserved the award for her "Single Ladies" video. When Beyoncé does win for Video of the Year later that night, she brings Taylor on stage to finish her speech.

2009-Katy Perry and Russell Brand meet at the MTV Video Music Awards, which Brand is hosting. The pair begin dating soon after.

2008-Come Dancing, a musical devoted to the music of The Kinks, opens in London.

2005-Jimi Hendrix's boyhood home in Seattle is saved from destruction after his estate and the city agree to renovate the building and turn it into a community center.

2003-Dave Clark Five lead singer Mike Smith suffers a tragic fall from a ladder at his home in Spain, leaving him without any movement in three limbs. He would remain a near-quadriplegic until his death in 2008 from pneumonia, a complication of the original injury.


Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous Hits Theaters
2000-Almost Famous is released in theaters across the US. The film is a semi-autobiographical account of writer and director Cameron Crowe's time spent interviewing rock bands for Rolling Stone in the '70s, when he was just a teenager. The film centers around a fictional band called Stillwater, and rather than being based on one band in particular, Stillwater feels like every '70s arena band rolled into one.

Elton John's "Candle In The Wind '97" Released
1997-Elton John's rewritten version of "Candle In The Wind" that he played at Princess Diana's funeral a week earlier is released as a single. It sells a record 600,000 copies the first day in Britain alone, where it becomes the best selling single of all time. Worldwide, it sells over 30 million copies, second only to "White Christmas."

1996-Tupac Shakur, age 25, dies six days after being shot while riding in a car driven by his label boss, Suge Knight. No arrests are made in the case.

1995-Rapper Playboi Carti is born Jordan Terrell Carter in Atlanta. With a range of vocal techniques, including his signature "baby voice," he becomes a go-to guy for features, with guest spots on tracks by Tyler The Creator, Camila Cabello, Travis Scott and many others.

1994-The Notorious B.I.G. releases his debut solo album, Ready to Die. It's the first album issued on Sean Combs' Bad Boy label.


1993-Max Weinberg, drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, begins his new job as bandleader for NBC-TV's new show Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

1993-Niall Horan of One Direction is born in Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland.

1991-Alice Cooper plays Freddy Krueger's father in the movie Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.

1990-Eddie Vedder does some surfing, writes some lyrics, and adds his vocals to three instrumental tracks recorded by the guys he would later join in Pearl Jam. The songs become "Alive," "Once" and "Footsteps."

1988-N.W.A founder Eazy-E releases his debut solo album, Eazy-Duz-It.

1986-"Take My Breath Away," the big, synthy ballad from the movie Top Gun, goes to #1 in America. It's by the group Berlin, but lead singer Terri Nunn is the only band member to perform on the song, which causes friction in the group that leads to their breakup a year later. The song was written and produced by Giorgio Moroder, who also contributed the Kenny Loggins hit "Danger Zone" to the film.

1986-The Communards hit #1 in the UK with their cover of "Don't Leave Me This Way," an American #1 for Thelma Houston in 1977. Their version becomes the top-selling UK single of 1986.

1984-Patti LaBelle makes her feature-film debut in the Norman Jewison drama A Soldier's Story, a WWII-era mystery about the murder of a Black sergeant near a segregated Army base in Louisiana. For her role as blues singer Big Mary, LaBelle wrote and performed the tune "Pourin' Whiskey Blues."


First-time Producer Kate Bush Releases The Dreaming
1982-After co-producing her previous release, Never For Ever, British singer-songwriter Kate Bush returns as sole producer with The Dreaming.

1980-The TV series Solid Gold premieres. Like its genre-mates American Bandstand and Soul Train, the show consists of Top-40 music (mostly recorded) in a studio with a dance stage and floor. A feature of the show is a specialty crew of "Solid Gold dancers" who bump and grind to the tunes. Dionne Warwick is the host for the first season, but the show rotates through numerous hosts during its course. The show runs almost eight seasons before discontinuing in 1988.

1979-ABBA starts their first and only tour of North America with a show at the Edmonton Sports Arena.

Fiona Apple Is Born
1977-Fiona Apple is born in Manhattan to singer Diane McAfee and actor Brandon Maggart.More

1976-Bob Dylan releases Hard Rain.

1976-Lynyrd Skynyrd release their first live album, One More from the Road. It's the only live album the band releases before a 1977 plane wreak ends the original lineup and puts the band out of commission entirely for fourteen years.

1975-The Isley Brothers' LP The Heat Is On hits #1.

1975-Janis Ian's "At Seventeen," a song about dealing with unrealistic standards of beauty (not typical hit song material at the time), peaks at #3 on the Hot 100 for the first of two weeks.

1973-The New York Dolls perform "Trash" and "Personality Crisis" on The Midnight Special television program.

1971-Paul McCartney and wife Linda welcome a daughter: Stella Nina McCartney. Stella, who will grow up to be a fashion designer, joins older sister Mary and half-sister Heather (Linda's daughter from a previous marriage).

1971-Deep Purple write "Highway Star" on the way to show in Portsmouth, UK, where they play it that night.

1969-At the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival, host Kim Fowley starts a rock tradition when he asks the crowd to hold up lighters for Eric Clapton and John Lennon.

1969-John Lennon introduces the Plastic Ono Band at the Rock and Roll Revival Show in Toronto. The set is later released as the Live Peace In Toronto 1969 album. Basically a supergroup with revolving members headed by John and Yoko, they are credited for the single "Give Peace A Chance."

1968-Clarence Carter's "Slip Away" is certified gold.

1967-Jane's Addiction drummer Steve Perkins is born in Los Angeles.

1967-Joe Tex records "Skinny Legs And All."

1965-Ringo Starr becomes a dad for the first time when his son Zak Starkey is born. Zak becomes a drummer like his dad, performing and recording with Oasis, The Lightning Seeds, and most notably, The Who.

1965-The ill-fated variety program The Steve Lawrence Show, starring the big band singer and featuring guest star Lucille Ball, debuts on CBS-TV.

1965-The Beatles release "Yesterday" in the US. An acoustic Paul McCartney composition with a melody that appeared to him in a dream, it becomes their 10th #1 hit.

1964-Murray The K's latest rock and roll show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre ends after 10 days, featuring Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas, The Shangri-Las, and Jay and the Americans.

1963-Shirley Ellis records "The Nitty Gritty."

1963-Graham Nash of The Hollies falls out of their touring van after a Scottish gig, leaning on an unlocked door and tumbling out at 40 mph. Thirty-six years later to the day, he breaks both legs in a boat accident off the coast of Hawaii.

1962-Frank Sinatra begins filming the movie Come Blow Your Horn, adapted from the hit Neil Simon play.

1961-Dave Mustaine is born in La Mesa, California. The first lead guitarist in Metallica, he's fired from the band because of drug use in 1983 before their debut album is released, but he has writing credits on four of the tracks. Soon after, he forms Megadeth, becoming their frontman and main songwriter.

1960-A movement to ban Ray Peterson's new single "Tell Laura I Love Her" begins in the UK when it is feared that the song's powerful story of a stock-car driver who dies young while racing for his girl's love will inspire a "death cult" amongst teens.

1960-The FCC bans "payola," the controversial practice of paying DJs for playing songs, as a result of the scandal involving, among others, Dick Clark and Alan Freed.

1959-Elvis Presley meets his future wife Priscilla Beaulieu at a party at his house in Germany, where he is serving in the US Army. They hit it off that night, with Elvis playing her some songs on guitar.

1958-Cliff Richard makes his TV debut, performing "Move It" on the UK show Oh Boy!

1957-R&B singer Joni Sledge (of Sister Sledge) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1954-Doo-wop singer Den Hegarty (of Darts) is born in Dublin, Ireland.

1952-Rocker Don Was is born Donald Fagenson in Detroit, Michigan.

1952-Jo Stafford's "You Belong To Me" hits #1.

1944-Peter Cetera (bassist/vocalist for Chicago) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1943-Ray Elliot (keyboardist/saxophonist/flautist for Them) is born in Belfast, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland.

1941-David Clayton-Thomas is born in England. He would grow up in Canada and become the lead singer in Blood, Sweat, Tears, bringing with him their biggest hit, "Spinning Wheel."

1939-Saxophonist/composer Dave Quincy (of Manfred Mann) is born in the UK.

1925-Jazz singer Mel Tormé, aka The Velvet Fog, is born in Chicago, Illinois. He would begin his professonal music career at age 4, singing "You're Driving Me Crazy" with the Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra.

1922-Blues singer Charles Brown is born Tony Russell Brown in Texas City, Texas.

1922-Peruvian soprano Yma Sumac is born Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chávarri del Castillo in Callao, Peru.

1918-Actor/singer Dick Haymes is born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Co-starred in the 1945 musical State Fair and recorded a string of duets with swing singer Helen Forrest during WWII.

1911-Bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe is born near Rosine, Kentucky, becoming the youngest of eight children in the Monroe family.

1874-Composer/painter Arnold Schoenberg is born in the Leopoldstadt district of Vienna, Austria.

1814-Francis Scott Key is inspired to write "The Star Spangled Banner" during the British attack of Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814, and the courageous defense made by American force.

[Bikkie]

1741 – George Frideric Handel finishes the composition Messiah.

1812 – Napoleon Bonaparte enters Moscow and Russians set fires in city.

1814 – Francis Scott Key writes a poem that becomes the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.

1938
Social Security Act passed
The cornerstone of the first Labour government’s welfare programme, the Social Security Act overhauled the pension system and extended benefits for families, invalids and the unemployed.

Māori language petition being delivered to Parliament
1972
Te taenga mai o te petihana reo Māori – Arrival of the Māori language petition
On 14 September 1972, a petition was delivered to Parliament which challenged politicians to prioritise saving te reo Māori.


Music History


2018-Carrie Underwood releases her sixth studio album, Cry Pretty, which debuts at #1 in the US. The title track was inspired by the country singer's heartache over a series of traumatic events in her life, including three miscarriages.

2018-Verve Records throws a launch party at the Rainbow Room in New York City to celebrate the release of Tony Bennett and Diana Krall's album Love Is Here To Stay. After the duo performs their rendition of "Fascinating Rhythm," Guinness World Records adjudicator Alex Angert announces Bennett - who first recorded the tune under the stage name Joe Bari over 68 years earlier - is now the title holder for "the longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single."

2017-Fergie and actor Josh Duhamel announce their separation after eight years of marriage. The pair, who share a 4-year-old son, Axl, secretly split months earlier.

2014-A life-size statue of Amy Winehouse is unveiled in Camden Town, London to honor the singer.

2013-John Legend marries the model Chrissy Teigen in Lake Como, Italy. She often serves as his muse, including on his songs "All Of Me" and "You & I (Nobody in the World)." They started dating in 2006.

2007-The Beatles-inspired movie Across The Universe opens in theaters.

2006-Marianne Faithfull announces she's undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

2005-Tim Foreman, bassist of Switchfoot, speaks out against Copy Protection that Sony have placed on the band's album Nothing Is Sound. Foreman provides fans with a detailed workaround on Switchfoot's message board, although the forum posting is later deleted by Sony.

2005-Britney Spears gives birth to her first child, Sean Federline.

2004-The seven-member Canadian band Arcade Fire release their debut album, Funeral. It gets lots of positive press and sells very well over the next decade as the band make a steady rise.

2004-Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears for Fears reunite with the album Everybody Loves A Happy Ending. Their collaboration ended on a sour note in 1989 after the release of their third album, The Seeds Of Love.

2004-Megadeth return after a two-year hiatus with The System Has Failed. This was originally intended to be a solo album by the band's founder Dave Mustaine, but due to contractual obligations owed to his publishing company, it had to be billed as a Megadeth album.

2003-The Australian band Jet release their debut album, Get Born, which includes the hit "Are You Gonna Be My Girl," used in a popular iPod commercial. The band is part of a wave of young rock acts with a back-to-basic sound that includes The Strokes and The White Stripes.

2003-Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers undergoes surgery for a triple heart bypass in Liverpool.

2003-Jet release their debut album, Get Born, on Elektra Records. Leading the Australian invasion of the early 2000's with bands like The Vines, the album would go on to sell well over three million copies. The title is lifted from the lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

2002-Saxophonist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams dies in New York City at age 87. Known for the 1949 hit "The Hucklebuck."

2002-After dating for seven years, Gwen Stefani of No Doubt and Gavin Rossdale of Bush get married at St. Paul's Covent Garden in London. They divorce in 2016.

Clear Channel Radio Comes Up With List Of Songs To Avoid
2001-Program directors at Clear Channel Communications, the largest owner of radio stations in the United States, begin circulating a list of songs that might be considered offensive in light of the September 11 attacks.

2000-Paul Simon, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and the Eagles' Don Henley and Glenn Frey perform at the joint VH1/Rolling Stone fundraiser for Al Gore.

1998-MTV debuts Total Request Live, a countdown of the Top 10 fan-requested music videos, hosted by Carson Daly. By the end of its 10-year run, the show is a cultural phenomenon.

1998-Blues/jazz singer Johnny Adams dies at age 66 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after a long battle with prostate cancer.

1995-Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' "Getting Better" fetch $249,000 at Sotheby's in London.

1994-The Temptations are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7060 Hollywood Blvd.

1993-Sixteen years after releasing his landmark album Bat Out Of Hell, Meat Loaf issues the sequel, Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, again with songs written by Jim Steinman. The first single, "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)," tops the charts in many territories, including the US.

1991-Paula Abdul lands her sixth (and final) #1 US hit with "The Promise of a New Day."

1989-Cuban bandleader/musician Pérez Prado dies of a stroke in Mexico City, Mexico, at age 72.

1988-Muni Long (pronounced "money long") is born Priscilla Renea Hamilton in Gifford, Florida. She writes hits for Fifth Harmony ("Worth It") and Rihanna ("California King Bed") before breaking through as an artist with the song "Hrs And Hrs" in 2022.

1987-American Bandstand becomes the longest-running entertainment show in America.

1985-The TV series The Golden Girls debuts on NBC. Its theme song is "Thank You for Being a Friend," written by Andrew Gold but sung by a jingle singer named Cynthia Fee. Gold's version was released in 1978 and reached #25 in the US.

1984-At the very first MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna performs "Like A Virgin" in a white wedding gown accessorized by her famous "Boy Toy" belt.

1983-Amy Winehouse is born in Southgate, London, England. Her 2006 album Back To Black is hailed as a masterwork and makes her quite famous, but all the attention exacerbates her drug and alcohol addictions, and she dies of alcohol poisoning in 2011.

1982-Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, dies the day after suffering a stroke at the wheel and driving her car off a cliff. The 52-year-old former actress garnered acclaim in the 1956 musical comedy High Society alongside Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. She was also one of many stars name-checked in Madonna's "Vogue."

1979-It's "Kenny Rogers Day" in Los Angeles as the singer gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6666 Hollywood Blvd.

1979-The film version of Quadrophenia, The Who's 1973 rock opera about growing up mod in London, premieres at the Toronto Film Festival.

1977-Cheryl Lynn appears on the Gong Show, where she wows the judges with her version of "You Are So Beautiful." This earns her a deal with CBS Records, which issues "Got To Be Real" as her first single. The disco track is her only big Hot 100 hit, but she becomes a regular on the R&B chart.

1976-Bob Dylan's TV special Hard Rain airs.

1974-Eric Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff," a song written by Bob Marley, hits #1 on the Hot 100. It is Clapton's only #1 on that tally, either as a solo artist or with one of his bands (Cream, The Yardbirds, Derek & the Dominos...)

1973-Rapper Nas is born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York.

1973-Donny Osmond's "The Twelfth Of Never" is certified Gold.

1970-Stevie Wonder marries his first wife, the Motown demo singer and songwriter Syreeta Wright (their collaborations include Stevie's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" and The Spinners' "It's A Shame"). They divorce in 1972.

1970-Craig Montoya (bassist for Everclear) is born in Spokane, Washington.

1969-Genesis take the stage for the first time, playing at the cottage owned by leader Peter Gabriel's former Sunday School teacher.

1968-Rolling Stone reports that The Who's Pete Townshend is working on a "rock opera" about a boy who is deaf, dumb, and blind. This ends up being their album Tommy.

1968-Roy Orbison loses two of his three sons - Roy Jr. (age 10) and Tony (age 6) - when his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, burns down. Orbison was on tour in Europe at the time.

1968-The Archies Saturday morning cartoon TV show debuts.

1967-The Rolling Stones part ways with their longtime manager Andrew Loog Oldham. The group assumes management duties themselves.

1964-The Bing Crosby Show sitcom, starring the title singer, premieres on ABC (it lasts one season).

1963-Pete Seeger, who has been blacklisted from network TV after being found in contempt by the the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1955, agrees to appear on the ABC variety show Hootenanny but refuses when the network asks him to sign a loyalty oath.

1959-Morten Harket, lead singer of the synthpop group a-ha, is born in Kongsberg, Norway.

1955-Keyboardist/saxophonist Steve Berlin (of Los Lobos) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1955-Little Richard records "Tutti Frutti" in New Orleans for Specialty Records. Originally "Tutti Frutti, Good Booty," a female lyricist at the label rewrites it to take out the prurient references.

[Bikkie]

1776 – British forces occupy New York City during the American Revolution.

1914 – First trenches dug, by Allied and German forces, on the Western Front.

1916 – Tanks used for the first time in war, by the British at the Somme.

1969
First steel produced from local ironsand
New Zealand Steel’s Glenbrook mill, near Waiuku, south of Auckland, produced iron and steel from local ironsand (titanomagnetite) for the first time. In 2020 ironsand and coal were being used to produce about 650,000 tonnes of steel a year.


Lyttelton crowd farewells the Rangatira on its last ferry crossing
1976
Lyttelton–Wellington ferry service ends
The last sailing of the Rangatira brought to an end more than 80 years of regular passenger ferry services between Lyttelton and Wellington.


Music History

2020-Sotheby's holds the first-ever auction of hip-hop memorabilia, which includes a set of Tupac Shakur's love letters ($75,600), Slick Rick's eye patch ($25,200), and Salt-N-Pepa's jackets ($23,940). The marquee item is the plastic crown Notorious B.I.G. wore on his last photo shoot, which sells for $594,750.

2019-The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek dies at 75.

2014-Barbra Streisand appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing selections from her duets album with the host standing in for her various duet partners. It marks her first late-night interview since 1967, when she appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.

2013-Jackie Lomax (hand-picked by The Beatles to be Apple Records' first big vocal star, but that never happened) dies of cancer while visiting near Liverpool, England, at age 69. Known for the 1968 single "Sour Milk Sea."

2013-Doo-wopper Bobby Mansfield (lead singer of The Wrens) dies in The Bronx, New York, at age 76. Known for the 1955 hit "Come Back My Love."

2012-TobyMac's sixth album, Eye On It, debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200, becoming just the third contemporary Christian album to top that tally. The previous chart-toppers were both in 1997: Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle and You Light Up My Life – Inspirational Songs by LeAnn Rimes.

2010-In Toronto, Roger Waters begins his The Wall Live tour, a new production of the show he made famous with Pink Floyd in 1980.

2010-Calypso/soca musician Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell dies at age 60 in Montserrat, West Indies, after a two-year battle with cerebral cancer.

2009-Kid Cudi releases his debut album, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day. Contributors include Kanye West, Common, and MGMT. The first single is the languid "Day 'N' Nite."

2008-Rick Wright (keyboardist for Pink Floyd) dies of cancer in London, England, at age 65.

2007-At 17 years and one month old, Soulja Boy boy becomes the youngest artist to write, produce and perform a #1 Hot 100 hit when "Crank That" goes to the top. The record was previously held by Debbie Gibson, who was 17 years and 9 months old when "Foolish Beat" went to #1 in 1988.

2004-Guitarist/songwriter Johnny Ramone (of The Ramones) dies of prostate cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California, at age 55.

2003-The rapper Eve's sitcom Eve debuts on the UPN network, where it runs for three seasons.

2003-Johnny Cash is buried in the Cash family cemetery in Hendersonville, Tennessee, next to his wife, June Carter Cash. Among the mourners at the private ceremony: Al Gore, Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow.

2003-Madonna's first children's book is published in 42 languages in more than 100 countries. The release of The English Roses by Callaway Editions and Penguin Group, in association with various publishers around the world, is touted as the largest simultaneous worldwide release of a book in history.

2001-Incubus play the first of two shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, becoming the first major act to perform in New York City following the September 11 attacks.

2000-For the first time since learning he has Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), country singer Chris LeDoux returns to the stage while he awaits the necessary liver transplant.

Marilyn Manson Release Mechanical Animals With Controversial Cover
1998-Marilyn Manson release their third album, Mechanical Animals. Target, Walmart and some other retailers refuse to stock it because of the cover, which depicts the group's frontman in naked female form.

1998-Brandy and Monica, who have been lighting up the chatrooms on AOL, perform their duet "The Boy Is Mine" at the MTV Video Music Awards amid rumors that the young divas have serious beef. Clearing things up, their managers issue a statement saying: "The fact is that Brandy and Monica did interviews together, had their picture taken together, had adjoining dressing rooms, sat together at the show, and held hands and prayed together prior to going on stage to perform."

1998-Coolio is arrested in Lawndale, California, and cited for driving on the wrong side of the road with an expired license. He is also charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana. His trouble with the law doesn't hurt his TV career, as he makes frequent appearances on shows like Fear Factor and Hollywood Squares.

1998-Coolio is arrested in Lawndale, California, and cited for driving on the wrong side of the road with an expired license. He is also charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana. His trouble with the law doesn't hurt his TV career, as he makes frequent appearances on shows like Fear Factor and Hollywood Squares.

1993-Steamboat Springs, Colorado, names their "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge" after the singer.

1986-John Farnham's "You're The Voice" is released in Australia, where it becomes an institution, sung wherever fighting spirit is needed. In America is barely makes a ripple, charting at #82 in 1990.

1983-Huey Lewis & the News release the album Sports, which sells over 7 million copies and includes five hit singles: "I Want a New Drug," "Walking On A Thin Line," "The Heart of Rock 'n Roll," "Heart And Soul," and "If This Is It."

1982-At the Los Angeles Forum, Queen play their last American concert with Freddie Mercury, who dies nine years later. Michael Jackson joins the band backstage before the show. On Queen's subsequent tours with Mercury, they skip America.

1980-David Bowie debuts on Broadway in The Elephant Man.

1979-Led Zeppelin's album In Through The Out Door hits #1 in the US, displacing Get The Knack by The Knack. It stays on top for seven weeks, but ends up being their swan song when drummer John Bonham dies a year later.

1976-Pop singer Ivette Sosa (of Eden's Crush) is born in Edison, New Jersey. Known for the 2001 hit "Get Over Yourself."

1973-The protest singer Victor Jara is brutally murdered in Chile under orders by the country's new dictator, Augusto Pinochet. The incident inspires Calexico's 2008 track "Victor Jara's Hands."

1973-Helen Reddy's "Delta Dawn" hits #1 in America, where it stays for one week.

1972-John Lennon and Yoko Ono release Some Time In New York City in the UK.

1972-Constant touring and cocaine take their toll on Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, who collapses after the band's show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Sabbath cancel the rest of their shows for the year so they can all rest and recover.

1970-Spiro Agnew, Vice President of the US, claims that "The youth of America are being brainwashed into a drug culture of rock music, movies, books and tabloid newspapers."

1969-Before taking the stage with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at the The Big Sur Folk Festival in California, Stephen Stills gets in a sloppy fistfight with a heckler railing them for their profligate lifestyle. The festival is raising funds for Joan Baez' Institute For The Study Of Nonviolence.

1969-Ed Sullivan releases "The Sulli-Gully."

1969-DJ Kay Gee (of Naughty by Nature) is born Keir Gist in East Orange, New Jersey.

1968-Jim Morrison collapses during Jefferson Airplane's set at a concert in Amsterdam, forcing The Doors, who are sharing the bill, to go on as a trio.

1965
Ford offers factory-installed 8-track tape players in its Mustang, Thunderbird and Lincoln models. This marks the first time 8-track players are widely available, so you can only get the tapes in auto parts stores or Ford dealers. The players have a tendency to chew up the tapes, leading to 8-track roadkill as drivers throw the tangled tapes out their windows.

1965-Frankie Avalon guest stars on The Patty Duke Show in the episode "A Foggy Day In Brooklyn Heights."

1962-The Four Seasons' "Sherry" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

1960-Mitch Dorge (drummer/percussionist for Crash Test Dummies) is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1946-Ola Brunkert (session drummer for ABBA) is born in Orebro, Sweden.

1945-Austrian composer/conductor Anton Webern is killed outside his home by a US Army soldier during the Allied occupation of Austria. The soldier, wracked with guilt, would die of alcoholism in 1955.

1945-Lee Dorman (bass guitarist for Iron Butterfly) is born Douglas Lee Dorman in St. Louis, Missouri.

1941-Signe Anderson, the original lead singer of Jefferson Airplane, is born in Seattle, Washington. She is raised in Portland, Oregon.

1941-Les Braid (bassist/keyboardist for The Swinging Blue Jeans) is born William Leslie Braid in West Derby, Liverpool, England.

1940-Rock 'n Roller Jimmy Gilmer (of Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) is born in Chicago, Illinois, but would be raised in Amarillo, Texas. Known for the 1963 hit "Sugar Shack."

1938-Motown songwriter Sylvia Moy ("Uptight (Everything's Alright)," "It Takes Two") is born in Detroit.

1933-Pop singer Pat Barrett (of The Crew-Cuts) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Known for the 1954 hit "Sh-Boom," a cover of the Chords' song.

1928-Jazz alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley is born in Tampa, Florida. Known for the 1966 hit "Mercy Mercy Mercy."

1924-Cabaret singer/pianist Bobby Short is born in Danville, Illinois.

1903-Country singer Roy Acuff is born in Maynardville, Tennessee. Along with Fred Rose, he founded the Acuff-Rose music publishing company and signed Hank Williams and Roy Orbison, among others.

[Bikkie]

1498 – Tomas de Torquemada, first Grand Inquisitor of Spain, dies.

1620 – English colonists set sail for America on the Mayflower.

1630 – Massachusetts village of Shawmut changes name to Boston.

1810 – Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest, launches the Mexican War of Independence with the issuing of his revolutionary tract calling for the end of 300 years of Spanish rule, redistribution of land and racial equality.

1847 – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust buys the English playwright’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon for £3000.

1857 – The song Jingle Bells is copyrighted by James Lord Pierpont of Boston.

1905 – The Original All Blacks – the first fully representative NZ national rugby team to tour the northern hemisphere – begin their tour with a 55-4 win over Devon.

1905
'Originals' kick off All Black tradition
The first fully representative New Zealand rugby team to tour the northern hemisphere was known as the ‘Originals’. They won 34 of their 35 matches and popularised both the haka and the ‘All Blacks’ nickname.

1908 – Buick Motor Company head William Crapo Durant creates General Motors.

1932 – Mohandas Gandhi begins a hunger strike in protest at Britain’s decision to separate India’s electoral system by caste



Music History

2014--At a pop-up shop in New York City that re-creates the Central Perk coffee shop from the TV show Friends, Danny Wilde and Phil Solem of The Rembrandts reunite to perform the show's theme song. The event marks the 20th anniversary of the show's first episode.

2011Bluesman Willie "Big Eyes" Smith dies following a stroke at age 75.

2010-Country singer Justin Townes Earle is arrested in Indianapolis after storming offstage and trashing a green room. Reports say Earle was also intoxicated and he allegedly punched a woman backstage. Earle is forced to pay $200 in damages to the venue but is released from jail on a $150 bond.

2009-Mary Travers (of Peter, Paul and Mary) dies of leukemia in Danbury, Connecticut, at age 72.

2008-Motown songwriter/producer Norman Whitfield dies from diabetic complications in Los Angeles, California, at age 68. Co-wrote the hits "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," among many others.

2006-65-year-old Bob Dylan becomes the oldest person to top Billboard's Albums chart when Modern Times goes to #1.

2006-After their triumph with "Hard Rock Hallelujah" at Eurovision, Finland's leading monster Rock band Lordi record a live concert DVD Bringing Back The Balls To Stockholm in neighboring Sweden. Naturally, the band perform in (and are cheered in) English.

2003-Joss Stone, 16, releases her debut album, a covers collection called The Soul Sessions. The first single is "Fell In Love With A Boy," her take on "Fell In Love With A Girl" by The White Stripes.

2003-Sheb Wooley (known for the 1958 novelty song "Purple People Eater") dies of leukemia in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 82.

1998-Lou Reed plays at a White House reception for Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel.

1994-Producer/singer/songwriter Thomas Kaye (composer for Jay & the Americans, Three Dog Night) dies of an overdose of painkillers in Warwick, New York.

Janet Jackson poses topless for Rolling Stone
1993-Janet Jackson appears shirtless on the cover of Rolling Stone. Her arms are in the air, with her boobs supported by a pair of hands that belong to her husband, Rene Elizondo.

1992-Nick Jonas of Jonas Brothers is born in Dallas, Texas.

1989-Three days before the Rhythm Nation 1814 album is released, Janet Jackson debuts a 30-minute film of the same name featuring videos for three of the songs, ending with a stunning dance sequence for the title track. The film, which follows two young aspiring musicians who get caught up with drug dealers, wins the Grammy for Best Long Form Music Video (Janet Jackson's first Grammy) and sells over 200,000 copies on home video.

1988-Phil Collins lands his first leading role in a film, playing real-life criminal Buster Edwards in the box-office bomb Buster. Musically, the movie isn't a bust, with two #1 hits on the soundtrack: "A Groovy Kind Of Love" and "Two Hearts."

Kate Bush Unseats Madonna With Hounds Of Love
1985-Kate Bush's album Hounds Of Love surpasses Madonna's Like A Virgin for the #1 spot on the UK chart. Featuring the hit single "Running Up That Hill," it's the second chart-topper for the British singer-songwriter.

1984-The TV series Miami Vice makes its debut with a two-hour episode that includes a scene featuring the Phil Collins hit "In The Air Tonight."

1979-Flo Rida is born Tramar Lacel Dillard in, you guessed it, Florida (Carol City, to be exact).

1979-"Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang is released. It becomes the first rap song to chart on the the Hot 100.

1978-The Stranglers headline an open-air gig at Battersea Park, over Peter Gabriel, who is one of the day's special guests. During a rendition of their early classic "Nice and Sleazy," a group of strippers join The Stranglers on stage.

1978-Boston's second album, Don't Look Back, hits #1 in America. Their self-titled debut sold over 17 million, but never hit the top spot.

1977-Marc Bolan of T. Rex dies in a car accident at age 29.

1977-Talking Heads release their debut album, Talking Heads: 77, featuring their first chart hit, "Psycho Killer," a song written four years earlier at the Rhode Island School of Design.

1974-Bob Dylan records "Meet Me In The Morning."

1972-Former Herd and Humble Pie guitarist Peter Frampton plays his first solo gig, opening for The J. Geils Band in New York.

1972-Three Dog Night's "Black And White" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

1970-Jimi Hendrix jams with Eric Burdon and War at the London club Ronnie Scott's two days before his death. It's the last time he would play music.

1970-After eight straight years, The Beatles are finally knocked from their perch as England's top act in the Melody Maker fan poll... by Led Zeppelin.

1969-Elastica frontwoman Justine Frischmann is born in London. With the hit single "Connection," hers is one of the few female voices heard during the Britpop movement.

1968-Salsa artist Marc Anthony is born Marco Antonio Muñiz in New York City.

1968-The composer Michael Carr, co-writer of "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)," dies in London at age 67.

1965-The Dean Martin Show makes its debut, with Martin using his hit "Everybody Loves Somebody" as the theme song. The popular variety show runs until 1974 and introduces us to a group of backup dancers called The Golddiggers. Martin coins a new nickname for guest Frank Sinatra when he refers to his pal as "Chairman of the Board."

1964-The musical variety show Shindig! premieres in America on ABC with performances by Sam Cooke and The Everly Brothers.

1963-Currently the #1 song in the UK, The Beatles' "She Loves You" is released by the tiny Swan label in America, but the Stateside public has no idea who the group is, and the single fails to chart. When Capitol releases "I Want To Hold Your Hand," Beatlemania ensues and the song hits #1. A re-released "She Loves You" single follows it to the top.

1963-Richard Marx is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1963-The Beach Boys release their third album, Surfer Girl. Five of the tracks have the word "surf" in the title.

1960-Johnny Burnette records "You're Sixteen."

1959-Dick Clark's first "Caravan of Stars" tour opens in New York, featuring The Coasters, The Drifters, Lloyd Price, LaVern Baker, Duane Eddy, Paul Anka and Annette Funicello.

1959-Vicki Blue (Victory Tischler-Blue) is born in Newport Beach, California. In 1977 she joins The Runaways after bassist Jackie Fox leaves, and plays on their fourth album. After the breakup of the band, Blue goes on to forge a career as an actress: playing Cindy in the 1984 mockumentary movie This is Spinal Tap.

1954F-rank Reed (lead singer for The Chi-Lites) is born in Omaha, Nebraska.

1950-Country singer David Bellamy (of The Bellamy Brothers) is born in Darby, Florida.

1948-Ron Blair (original bassist for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) is born in San Diego, California.

1948-Rock drummer Kenney Jones (of The Small Faces and The Who) is born in Whitechapel, East London, England.

1944-R&B singer Betty Kelly (of Martha and the Vandellas) is born in Attalla, Alabama.

1942-Bernard Calvert (bass guitarist/keyboardist for The Hollies) is born in Brierfield, Lancashire, England.

1941-Joe Butler (drummer/vocalist for The Lovin' Spoonful) is born on Long Island, New York.

1925-Guitarist Charlie Byrd is born in Suffolk, Virginia. He helps bring bossa nova to America with his 1962 album, Jazz Samba, a collaboration with Stan Getz.

1925-Bluesman B.B. King is born Riley B. King near Berclair, Mississippi.

[Bikkie]

1941
Flogging and whipping abolished
As well as (temporarily) doing away with capital punishment for murder, the Crimes Amendment Act 1941 abolished judicial provision for flogging and whipping.

1943- Load of "ammunition in transit" explodes at Norfolk Naval Air Station

1943- World War II: Soviet city of Bryansk is liberated from Nazi control

1944 -British Prime Minister Winston Churchill travels to US

1944- Dutch begin railroad strike against German occupiers

1944- Operation Market Garden: In the largest airborne operation of WWII, Allied paratroopers land in the Netherlands in a failed attempt to capture the Arnhem bridge over the Rhine

1947- Jackie Robinson is named Rookie of the Year by Sporting News

1947- James Forrestal sworn in as first US Secretary of Defense

1948- KCOP TV Channel 13 in Los Angeles/Hollywood, CA (IND) begins broadcasting

1948- WLS TV Channel 7 in Chicago, IL (ABC) begins broadcasting

1949- 128 die as fire engulfs Canadian passenger steamer Noronic in Toronto

1949- North Atlantic Treaty Council meets for the first time

1949- Third Cannes Film Festival: "The Third Man," directed by Carol Reed, wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1949- WFAA TV Channel 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting

1950- San Francisco 49ers (formerly AAFC) play their first NFL game and lose 21-17

1951- Romanian bishop A. Pacha of Timisoara sentenced to 18 years

1952- "I Am an American Day" and "Constitution Day" are renamed "Citizenship Day"

1953- Ernie Banks becomes the Chicago Cubs' first African American player

Lord of the Flies
1954 "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding is published by Faber and Faber in London

Marciano KOs Charles
1954- In a quick rematch at Yankee Stadium, NYC, Rocky Marciano knocks out Ezzard Charles in the eighth round to retain his world heavyweight boxing title

Heavyweight Boxing Champion
Rocky Marciano

Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion
Ezzard Charles
1955- Future MLB Hall of Famer Baltimore Oriole Brooks Robinson goes 2-4 in his first game

1956- Black students enter Clay Elementary School in Kentucky

1956 -Television is first broadcast in Australia

1956 -Yankees clinch pennant number 22 with Mantle's 50th home run of the year

1957- KETV TV Channel 7 in Omaha, NB (ABC) begins broadcasting

1957 -Thailand military coup under Marshal Sarit Thanarat

1957 -The North East Humanists group is founded in Newcastle upon Tyne

1958 -US performs a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1959- Scott Crossfield completes the first powered flight in the X-15

1959 -Transit 1A, the first navigational satellite, launches but fails to orbit

1959 -Typhoon kills 2,000 in Japan and Korea

1960- Cuba nationalizes US banks

1961- "Car 54, Where are You?" premieres on US TV
Tarkenton's 1st Game
1961 -Fran Tarkenton plays his first NFL game against the Chicago Bears, coming off the bench to lead the Vikings to a 37-13 victory and becomes the only QB to throw four touchdown passes in his first career game


NFL Quarterback
Fran Tarkenton
1961- Minnesota Vikings' first NFL game; beat Chicago Bears 37-13

Happy Days
1961 -Samuel Beckett's "Happy Days" premieres in NYC

1961- USSR performs a nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeastern Kazakhstan
1962 Justice Department files first suit to end segregation in public schools
1962- US space officials announce selection of nine new astronauts
1963 -"The Fugitive," starring David Janssen, premieres on ABC TV
1963 -Train strikes makeshift bus full of migrant workers, killing 32

Bewitched
1964- American sitcom "Bewitched," starring Elizabeth Montgomery, premieres on ABC TV

Baby Love
1964 -Motown Records releases The Supremes' single "Baby Love"; written and produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team, it becomes their second consecutive #1 record


Music History

2022-Yellowcard, who broke up in 2017, regroup to play Riot Fest in Chicago. They quickly learn that a new generation has discovered them, so they make the reunion permanent and tour the following year to bigger crowds than they've ever had.

2014-Country singer George Hamilton IV dies at age 77. A fixture on the country chart throughout the '60s and '70s, he hit #1 with "Abilene" in 1963.

2013-Country/rockabilly singer Marvin Rainwater dies of heart failure in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Known for late-'50s hits "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird" and "Whole Lotta Woman."

2012-With nine days left in The Beach Boys 50th anniversary reunion tour, lead singer Mike Love announces that he and band member Bruce Johnston will continue touring under the group name without the other three current members: Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks. Squabbles ensue, and after tour, Wilson and Love, who are cousins, have no further contact.

2011-Huey Lewis & the News play at the 54th Monterey Jazz Festival in California.

2009-Avril Lavigne and Sum 41's Deryck Whibley go their separate ways after being married since 2006.

2007-Barry Manilow pulls out of an appearance on The View when he refuses to be interviewed by conservative co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

2006-Rock guitarist Al Casey dies at age 69 in Phoenix, Arizona. Often worked with Lee Hazlewood ("The Fool," "Surfin' Hootenanny") and Duane Eddy (for whom he wrote the early hit "Ramrod").

2003-Smashing Pumpkins frontman and Zwan leader Billy Corgan presents a multimedia poetry performance in his Chicago hometown, opening the Poetry Center of Chicago's 31st Annual Reading Series at the Art Institute of Chicago's Rubloff Auditorium.

2000-The governor of Georgia inducts Trisha Yearwood into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

1999-It is announced that rap entrepreneur Percy Miller (Master P) has signed an NBA contract with the Toronto Raptors. He appears in some preseason games but is cut before the regular season.

1999-Eminem's mother, Debbie Mathers-Briggs, files a lawsuit against him, claiming that his allegations in the press and on records that she was an unfit mother have ruined her life, as she can no longer get a job or a line of credit. In his song "My Name Is," Eminem raps: "I just found out my mom does more dope than I do." The case is eventually settled for $25,000.

1999-Traditional pop singer Frankie Vaughan dies of heart failure in Oxford, England, at age 71.

1997-Fleetwood Mac begin their first tour in 20 years at the Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut. The tour produces a live album called The Dance.

1996-Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise release their debut album, Blackwater Surprise, featuring the song "Once Upon a Time."

1996-Three years after bursting into the musical consciousness with their debut Undertow, Tool release their second album, Ænima. It opens at #2 in the US and eventually sells over 3 million copies.

1994-Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots marries his first wife, Janina Castaneda. The STP song "Sour Girl" is about her.

1983-Star Search debuts on CBS. Hosted by Ed McMahon, the TV talent competition introduces scores of future superstars, many from the music realm, including Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Alanis Morissette, Jessica Simpson, Christina Aguilera, Tiffany, LeAnn Rimes, Usher, Aaliyah, and Destiny's Child.

1991-Instead of releasing a double album, which they decide would be too expensive for fans, Guns N' Roses issue both Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II on the same day.

1991-MC5 lead singer Rob Tyner has a heart attack in the driveway of his home in Berkley, Michigan and dies at age 46.

1989-Singer Natalie Cole marries music producer and arranger Andre Fischer. Cole files for divorce less than three years later citing "irreconcilable differences."

1984-"Missing You" by John Waite hits #1 in America. "There were quite a few women in my life at the time, and it all came sort of floating to the top," he tells Songfacts of the inspiration.

1983-Howard Jones' debut single, "New Song," is released in the UK, where it will go on to chart at #3.

1983-Vanessa Williams, who later becomes a popular actress and lands a #1 hit with "Save The Best For Last," becomes the first Black woman crowned Miss America. She gives up the title the next year after naked photos of her appear in Penthouse.

1982-Pink Floyd's seminal double album The Wall makes it to the big screen as a feature-length musical. Few expected the sprawling concept album to be turned into a feature film, but the band's celluloid collaboration with director Alan Parker and animator Gerald Scarfe becomes a surprise box office hit and a cult classic.

1980-Bette Midler's Divine Madness movie, based on one of her concerts the previous year, premieres in Los Angeles.

1979-Chuck Comeau (drummer for Simple Plan) is born Charles-André Comeau in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1978-Queen stage a bicycle race with 65 naked models at Wimbledon stadium in England to provide the video and cover art for their "Bicycle Race" single.

1976-Pop singer Maile Misajon (of Eden's Crush) is born in Long Beach, California.

1975-Mayor Stephen Juba of Winnipeg, Canada, declares today "Guess Who Day" in honor of its native sons.

1974-Bob Dylan records "Shelter From the Storm" and "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go."

1970-Vin Rock (of Naughty by Nature) is born Vincent Brown in East Orange, New Jersey.

1969-Tiny Tim announces his forthcoming marriage to "Miss Vicki" Budinger, which would break records for TV viewership when the ceremony is broadcast on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. The two are separated three years later and divorce in 1977.

1968-Rapper Lord Jamar (of Brand Nubian) is born Lorenzo Dechalus in New Rochelle, New York.

1968-5th Dimension's "Stoned Soul Picnic" is certified Gold.

1968-The Supremes record "Love Child."

1967-Appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Doors are asked to change the line "Girl, we couldn't get much higher" in their hit "Light My Fire" to "Girl, we couldn't get much better." Lead singer Jim Morrison agrees, then sings the offending line anyway, angering the host and earning a lifetime ban from the show.

1967-Keith Moon of The Who rigs his bass drum to explode at the end of "My Generation" during the group's appearance on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, but he doesn't realize that the stage crew has already set the charge. The resulting explosion cuts Moon's leg, singes Pete Townshend's hair, and startles fellow guests Bette Davis and Mickey Rooney.

1964-Charles Finley, who owns the Kansas City Athletics baseball team, pays The Beatles $150,000 to play a show at his Municipal Stadium. The Beatles add their version of "Kansas City" to the setlist, marking their only American performance of the song.

1962-Arthur Alexander releases "Anna (Go to Him)," which is later covered by The Beatles.

1962-R&B/gospel singer BeBe Winans is born Benjamin Winans in Detroit, Michigan.

1960-The Everly Brothers record "Walk Right Back."

1956-The BBC bans Bill Haley's new single "Rockin' Through The Rye," based on the 17th-century Scottish tune "Comin' Through The Rye," to avoid offending its Scots listeners.

1955-The Perry Como Show moves to NBC-TV, expanding from three 15-minute programs per week to one hour-long variety show on Saturday night.

1955-Pat Boone banks his first #1 on the US Pop charts when "Ain't That A Shame" hits the top spot. Some folks think it's a shame that his sterilized version is far more popular than Fats Domino's original, but Boone's cover draws lots of attention to Domino and earns the New Orleans singer substantial royalties.

1955-After DJs keep complaining that Les Paul's "Magic Melody" single ends abruptly, Capitol Records releases the shortest single of all time, Les Paul's "Magic Melody Part 2," which is merely the final two notes of the old "shave and a haircut" tag. Released only as a promo, it lasts exactly one second.

1952-Frank Sinatra does his last recording session for Columbia Records. His next musical move is signing to Capitol Records, where he teams up with arranger Nelson Riddle and revives his career with swinging hits like "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Witchcraft."

1950-Fee Waybill (lead singer/songwriter for The Tubes) is born John Waldo Waybill in Omaha, Nebraska.

1940-R&B singer LaMonte McLemore (of The 5th Dimension) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1931-RCA Victor unveils its new invention, the 33 1/3 rpm long-playing or "LP" record, at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York. However, the company badly overprices the record players themselves, leading the new format to lie dormant for years until Columbia revives it in 1948.

1929-Jazz saxophonist Sil Austin is born in Dunnellon, Florida. Known for his signature tune, "Danny Boy."

1926-Jazz organist/bandleader Brother Jack McDuff is born Eugene McDuffy in Champaign, Illinois.

1926-Rock 'n Roller Bill Black is born in Memphis, Tennessee. He would later play slap bass in Elvis Presley's early trio, The Blue Moon Boys, before fronting his own Bill Black's Combo.

1923-Country musician Hank Williams is born Hiram King Williams in Mount Olive, Butler County, Alabama.

[Bikkie]

1937-First state house opened in Miramar
Most of the Labour Cabinet helped the first tenants move into 12 Fife Lane in Miramar, Wellington. Even Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage carried a cumbersome dining table through a cheering throng.

1938- Despite losing a doubleheader (4-3, 8-7) to the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park III, the New York Yankees clinch their 10th AL pennant

1938- The Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers 2-0



Music History


2013-Roger Pope (frequent drummer for Elton John) dies of cancer in Southampton, England, at age 66, just hours after marrying his longtime companion, Sue Tresidder.

2012A-nnie Lennox, formerly of the bands The Tourists and Eurythmics, gets hitched to her third husband, a London doctor named Mitch Besser.

2011-At the Austin City Limits festival, Awolnation lead singer Aaron Bruno does a little crowd surfing, using a boogie board to actually surf on top of the crowd before performing their apropos hit "Sail."More

2008-The Village People get a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at 6529 Hollywood Blvd.

2006-Willie Nelson's tour bus is stopped near Lafayette, Louisiana, and Nelson, along with four members of his band, are arrested for possession of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

2005-Dashboard Confessional donates proceeds from its Toronto show to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

2004-The Fugees reunite for a concert hosted by the comedian Dave Chappelle on a corner in Brooklyn. Other performers at the show, which is later released as the film Dave Chappelle's Block Party, include Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and The Roots.

2004-Britney Spears marries her fiance, dancer Kevin Federline, at a private home in Los Angeles. The 27 guests are told it's an engagement party and are surprised to learn it's an actual ceremony, which lasts five minutes. It is Spears' second marriage in nine months; they divorce less than three years later.

2002-Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson perform at the Adopt-A-Minefield Benefit Gala in Los Angeles. They do separate sets but share the stage for "God Only Knows," a song McCartney once called "the greatest song ever written."

2001-Tori Amos releases Strange Little Girls, a concept album where she sings from the perspective of the female characters in songs written by males, including Eminem's "'97 Bonnie And Clyde," Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold," The Beatles' "Happiness Is A Warm Gun," and The Stranglers' "Strange Little Girl."

2000Alex Warren is born Alexander Warren Hughes in Carlsbad, California. After building a fan base on TikTok as part of the collective Hype House, he elevates from influencer to pop star with his 2025 song "Ordinary," a #1 hit in many countries, including America.

2000-Papa Roach release their breakthrough single, "Last Resort." The track goes on to top the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.

1998-On the Grand Ole Opry, Jett Williams pays tribute to her late father, Hank Williams, who would have been 75 the day before. Daughter salutes father by performing "Your Cheatin' Heart," a song released after his death on New Year's Eve, 1952. "He never sang the song on the Opry. He never sang it live," Williams tells the audience.

1997-Jump blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon dies of throat cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 77.

1992-Earl Van Dyke, keyboardist for Funk Brothers, Motown's in-house band, dies of prostate cancer at age 62.

1985-The Gladys Knight/Flip Wilson sitcom Charlie And Company premieres on CBS.

Genesis Release "Abstract" Album Abacab
1981-Genesis release their "abstract" album, Abacab, in the UK.More

1981-The Doors Greatest Hits album is certified Platinum.

1980-The 10th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix' untimely death is marked by a multimedia event, featuring Experience members Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, held at the Paradise Club in Amsterdam.

1979-Greg Arama (bass player for The Amboy Dukes) dies in a motorcycle accident at age 29.

KISS Members Release Simultaneous Solo Albums
1978-The albums Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss all hit stores on the same day.More

1971-The ill-fated Bobby Sherman sitcom Getting Together premieres on ABC-TV.

1968-The Beatles pause their Abbey Road Studios recording sessions for "Birthday" so that they can run back to Paul McCartney's house and watch the British-television premiere of the 1956 American film The Girl Can't Help It, featuring Little Richard and Fats Domino. Suitably inspired, they return to the studio after the viewing and complete the song that night.

1967-Ricky Bell (of Bell Biv DeVoe) is born in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.

1967-The Beatles journey to the Raymond Revue bar in London to film the notorious "striptease" scene in Magical Mystery Tour. Accompanying stripper Jan Carson is The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, playing a song called "Death Cab For Cutie."

1967-The Beach Boys release Smiley Smile, a stripped-down version of their unreleased album Smile that includes "Good Vibrations."

1966-Ian "Spike" Spice (drummer for Breathe) is born in England. Known for the 1988 hit "Hands to Heaven."

1964-The James Bond movie Goldfinger, with a theme song by Shirley Bassey, is released.

1962-Synthpop singer Joanne Catherall (of The Human League) is born in Sheffield, England.

1961-Bobby Vee's "Take Good Care Of My Baby," written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, hits #1 for the first of three weeks

1960-The Tab Hunter Show premieres on NBC-TV (it lasts one season)

1960-Teen idol Frankie Avalon turns 21, making him an adult and therefore eligible to claim the over $600,000 he earned while underage.

1959-The first "Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars" tour kicks off with Lloyd Price, Duane Eddy, Paul Anka, Bobby Rydell, The Coasters and more.

1957-The Big Record, CBS-TV's answer to American Bandstand, premieres with host Patti Page and guests Billy Ward & the Dominoes and Tony Bennett.

1956-Rock shows are banned at the US Naval Station in Newport, Rhode Island, after a fight breaks out during a Fats Domino concert.

1955-Keith Morris (frontman for Black Flag and Circle Jerks) is born in Hermosa Beach, California.

1955-CBS-TV's popular variety show Toast Of The Town is renamed what many people had been calling it all along, The Ed Sullivan Show.

1952-Dee Dee Ramone (Ramones bassist/songwriter) is born Douglas Glenn Colvin in Fort Lee, Virginia; he's raised in Berlin, Germany.

1949-Kerry Livgren (songwriter/guitarist/keyboardist for Kansas) is born in Topeka, Kansas.

1947-The first-ever country music presentation is held at Carnegie Hall, featuring Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff.

1946-Alan "Bam" King (lead guitarist for Ace) is born in Kentish Town, London, England.

1945-Blind Willie Johnson, singer of "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," dies at 48 years old from malarial fever.

1940-Singer/actor Frankie Avalon is born Francis Thomas Avallone in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1929-Jazz/pop singer Teddi King is born Theodora King in Boston, Massachusetts. Known for the mid-'50s singles "Mr. Wonderful," "Married I Can Always Get" and "Say It Isn't So."

1899-The Copyright Office receives Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag."

1587-Francesca Caccini, composer and performer in the early Baroque era, is born in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.


1970-Jimi Hendrix is found dead in his basement. He had taken nine pills of the barbiturate Vesparax, that along with alcohol, caused a fatal overdose.



18 SEPTEMBER
Featured Events
2009After completing her set at a concert in Minneapolis, Lucinda Williams marries her manager, Tom Overby, on stage. After exchanging vows, they do an encore, starting with "Happy" by The Rolling Stones.

Billie Holiday Gets A Stamp
1994The United States Postal Service issues the Billie Holiday stamp to honor the singer.More

The Coming-Of-Grunge Movie Singles Is Released
1992-Cameron Crowe's film Singles hits theaters in the US. While at first glance, the movie could be seen as an epilogue to all those teen angst films of the '80s with the cast of offbeat and quirky rebels and outcasts moving through early adulthood with no less angst than before, it quickly proves to be much more than a post-adolescent coming-of-age flick. Pearl Jam and Soundgarden appear.More

1983-Kiss make their first public appearance without their trademark make-up when they show up on MTV to promote their new album - and single - "Lick It Up."

1978-WKRP in Cincinnati, a TV series about a radio station that switches format from easy listening to rock, makes its debut on CBS. It lasts four seasons, enjoying support from real radio professionals who recognize the quirky characters (incompetent general manager Arthur Carlson, disheveled morning jock Johnny Fever) in their co-workers.

[Bikkie]

1777 - Americans defeat a British force at the First Battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the American War of Independence.

1796 - George Washington gives his farewell address as US president.

1881 - James Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, dies of wounds inflicted by an assassin.

1893 - NZ becomes the first self-governing country to grant all women the right to vote.

1939 - Lord Haw-Haw (William Joyce) becomes radio host of Reichsrundfunk Berlin.

1955 - Argentina's President Juan Peron is ousted.

1957 - Nevada the site of first-ever underground nuclear explosion.

1984 - China and Great Britain announce their agreement to transfer Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997.

1970 - The Mary Tyler Moore Show premieres.



Music History

2016-Tom Waits and wife/collaborator Kathleen Brennan, along with John Prine, receive the PEN Lyric Award Prize, given in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

2014-James Blunt marries Sofia Wellesley, granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington, at a private ceremony in Majorca, Spain.

2012-The Dave Matthews Band sees their album Away From the World debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. This continues the band's unbroken winning streak of six #1 albums on the Billboard 200.

2012-Fiona Apple is arrested when her tour bus is stopped in the West Texas town of Sierra Blanca, the same place where Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg were previously busted. Border patrol agents find four grams of hash on the bus, which Apple says is hers. She spends a night in jail before being released on bail.

2009-Roc Raida (of X-Ecutioners) dies of a heart attack at age 37, weeks after sustaining a Krav Maga-related injury.

2009-Arthur Ferrante, half of the piano-playing duo Ferrante and Teicher, dies at age 88.

2008-Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM are seriously injured when the plane they are riding in hurtles off the end of a runway in South Carolina and hits a highway embankment.More

2008-Ten years after getting arrested for lewd behavior in a Los Angeles public bathroom, George Michael is arrested on drug charges in a restroom north of London. "I want to apologize to my fans for screwing up again, and to promise them I'll sort myself out," the singer says. "And to say sorry to everybody else, just for boring them."

2006-Saxophonist Danny Flores (writer of The Champs' "Tequila") dies of complications from pneumonia at age 77.

2005-Fergie, along with her group The Black Eyed Peas, appears on the "Viva Las Vegas" episode of Las Vegas, where she meets the show's star, Josh Duhamel. They get married in 2009.

2004-Country singer Skeeter Davis, known for the 1962 crossover hit "The End of the World," dies of breast cancer at age 72.

2003-Jazz saxophonist Frank Lowe dies of lung cancer at age 60.

2003-A week after his death at the age of 71, country legend Johnny Cash is bestowed with artist, song and album of the year awards at the Americana Music Awards ceremony in Nashville. Cash wins Song of the Year for his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" and Album of the Year for American IV: The Man Comes Around, the fourth in a series produced by Rick Rubin.

2003-Australian country singer Slim Dusty, real name David Gordon Kirkpatrick, dies of kidney and lung cancer at age 76.

Rock Music Returns with The Strokes, The Vines and The White Stripes
2002-No-frills rock music comes back into fashion with the emergence of The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Hives, and Jet. Rolling Stone heralds the trend with a cover featuring The Vines and the headline "Rock Is Back!"Mor

2000-MTV2 previews Radiohead's album Kid A by playing a vinyl copy from start to finish with a camera pointed at the record player.

2000-It's "Kenny Chesney Day" in the singer's hometown of Luttrell, Tennessee. Chesney returns to Gibbs High School, where the faculty tells stories about his exploits.

1999-The Dixie Chicks become the first country group to top the Billboard albums chart when Fly debuts at #1.

1998-Fabian marries his third wife, Andrea (a former Miss Pennsylvania and Miss West Virginia).

1997-Christian singer-songwriter Rich Mullins dies in an automobile accident in Illinois while en route to a benefit concert at Wichita State University in Kansas. Mullins, age 41, was thrown from the vehicle and hit by an oncoming semi-trailer truck.

1997-The pitch-correction software Auto-Tune hits the market and soon becomes ubiquitous in recording studios, especially after Cher hits #1 with her Auto-Tuned "Believe."

1997-The VH1 show Storytellers airs live for the first time with an episode featuring Elton John from the House of Blues in New Orleans.

1996-George Benson gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1994-Frankie Kennedy (flautist/tin whistle player for Altan) dies of cancer (Ewing's sarcoma) in Belfast, Ireland, at age 38.

1993-Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas is robbed at gunpoint outside a West Hollywood restaurant.

1991-Michael Jackson is a guest voice on The Simpsons, where he plays a mental patient Homer befriends named Leon Kompowsky.

1990-Eddie Vedder is selected as lead vocalist of what will become Pearl Jam after Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard and Mike McCready hear his demo tape where he added vocals to three instrumental tracks the band had recorded.
Janet Jackson Introduces the Rhythm Nation

1989-Janet Jackson releases her groundbreaking album Rhythm Nation 1814. It contains seven Top 5 hits and a message imploring young people to come together and stand up for education and equality.

1988-Erasure release "A Little Respect."

Grateful Dead Score A Top 10 Hit
1987-The Grateful Dead hit #10 on the US Hot 100 with "Touch Of Grey," the only hit song for the band.

1987-Michael Jackson's duet with Siedah Garrett, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," hits #1, becoming the first of five singles from the Bad album to top the chart.

1985-Frank Zappa, John Denver and Dee Snider of Twisted Sister testify at a Senate hearing where the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) argue for a ratings system on music. The musicians explain that this is censorship, but the PMRC wins a victory and warning labels are ordered on albums containing explicit lyrics.More

1984-At a whistle-stop in Hammonton, New Jersey, campaigning president Ronald Reagan praises singer Bruce Springsteen, saying: "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams come true is what this job of mine is all about."

This leads to widespread criticism in the press because Springsteen's recent hit, "Born In The U.S.A.," is in fact a bitter cry of outrage at how poorly the United States treats its veterans, which Reagan had apparently mistaken for a straight-forward patriotic anthem - an easy mistake to make if you listen to the chorus only and not the lyrics.

1981-Thanks to MTV airplay for the lead single "Start Me Up," the Rolling Stones album Tattoo You goes to #1 in America, where it stays for nine weeks. It's their last #1 album in the US.

1981-Simon & Garfunkel reunite for a free concert in New York's Central Park.

1979-James Taylor, Jackson Browne, The Doobie Brothers, Graham Nash and Bonnie Raitt perform at Madison Square Garden for the first of five "no nukes" concerts.

1973-Gram Parsons of The Byrds dies at age 26 after taking a shot of liquid morphine in his room at Joshua Tree Inn. Parsons had been recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, but relapsed during his trip to Joshua Tree National Park. "He was clean and took a strong shot," his friend Keith Richards says. "It's the one mistake you don't want to make."

1971-The Jackson 5's Goin' Back To Indiana TV special airs on ABC.

1970-Diana Ross, after leaving The Supremes, gets her first #1 solo hit with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

1968-Barbra Streisand transitions from Broadway to the big screen in her first film role as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. The singer, who originated the part on stage, wins the Oscar for Best Actress, sharing the title with Katharine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter.

1966-Herb Alpert performs for Princess Grace Kelly at her Monaco palace.

1964-Country singer Trisha Yearwood is born Patricia Lynn Yearwood in Monticello, Georgia.

1963-Ann-Margret lends her voice to an episode of The Flintstones, where she appears as "Ann-Margrock."

1960-Chubby Checker's version of "The Twist" goes to #1 in America, while the original version by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters reaches its peak chart position of #28. Checker's version tops the chart again in 1962.

1958-Elvis Presley sails for West Germany with the US Army.

1958-Lita Ford is born in London. She joins the all-female rock group The Runaways as a teenager and has a hit with "Kiss Me Deadly" in 1988.

1956-Singer/actor Rex Smith is born in Jacksonville, Florida. He makes his Broadway debut in 1978 playing Danny Zuko in Grease, a role John Travolta makes famous in the movie.

1952-Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers is born in New York City.

1951-Record producer/musician Daniel Lanois is born in Hull, Quebec. Produced albums for an array of artists, including Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, and Emmylou Harris, and for bands like U2 (notably The Joshua Tree).

1947-Percussionist Ray Cooper is born Raymond Cooper in Watford, England.

1947-Rocker Lol Creme (of 10cc) is born Laurence Neil Creme in Prestwich, England.

1945-Musician/songwriter David Bromberg is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but would be raised in Tarrytown, New York. Co-wrote "The Holdup" with George Harrison in 1972.

1945-R&B singer Freda Payne is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1943-"Mama" Cass Elliot is born Ellen Naomi Cohen in Baltimore, Maryland. The name Cass comes from her father, who calls her "the mad Cassandra." She becomes Mama Cass when she joins The Mamas & The Papas in 1965. After landing a string of hits with the group, she launches a solo career in 1968 and becomes a regular on TV talk and variety shows as both a guest and host. She has her own nightclub act when she dies from a heart attack in 1974 at 32.

1940-Blue-eyed soul singer Bill Medley (of The Righteous Brothers) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1940-Singer/songwriter Paul Williams is born in Omaha, Nebraska. A TV fixture in the '70s and '80s, he also writes many popular songs, including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song," the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun," and David Bowie's "Fill Your Heart."

1934-Brian Epstein (Beatles manager) is born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England.

1931-Pop/R&B singer Brook Benton is born Benjamin Franklin Peay in Lugoff, South Carolina.

1921-R&B singer Billy Ward (of The Dominoes) is born Robert L. Williams in Savannah, Georgia.

[Piper]

1946-The first Cannes
Film Festival is held.


1963-Villie Jean King, 28,
beats Bobby Riggs,55, in
three sets in a battle -of-
the-sexes tennis match


1977-The US TV series
Happy Days features an
episode where the characters
vist Los Angeles.Fonzie goes
water skiing and jumps over a shark.
This gave rise to the phrase*jumping
the shark,* to mark the point when
a TV show starts to yo downhill.

[Piper]

1937-J.R.R.Tolkien's The
Hobbit is published in
London.


1996-John F.Kennedy Jr, 35,
and Caroline Bessette, 30, are
married at Cumberland Island,
Georgia.


1998-US sprinter Florence
Griffith Joyner,38, who won
three gold medals at the 1988
Olympic Gamee, dies
of an epileptic seizure.


2004-Rock band Green Day
release their album American
Idiot in the US.

[Piper]

1888-National Geographic
publishes its first issue,
without photos.


1988-New Zealand
equestrian Mark Todd, riding
Charisma, wins gold in the
three day event at the Seoul
Olympic Games, repeating
their fear at the Los Angeles
Olympic four years earlier.


1989-Baywatch, starring
David Hasselhoff and later
Pamela Anderson, debuts on
NBC


1984-Sitcom Friends debuts
on NBC


2004-Lost debuts on ABC

[Piper]

1994-The movie The
Shawshank Redemption is
released.


2003-Crime series NCIS
premiers on CBS


2009-Modern Family
premieres on ABC

[Piper]

1977-The Love Boat is first
broadcast on ABC.


1991-Children's author Dr.
Seuss ( Theodor Geisel )
dies aged 87.


2007-The Big Bang Theory
premieres on CBS

[Piper]

1975-Pink Floyd's album
Wish You Were Here hits No 1
in the US charts and goes on to
sell 13 million copies.


2013-Oracle Team USA
makes a sensational
comeback to defend the
America's Cup by defeating
Team New Zealand 9-8 in San
Francisco Bay.
At one stage New Zealand, skipped
by Dwan Barker , held an 8-1 lead
over Australian helmsman
Jimmy Spittle's boat.

[Piper]

1986-Bobby Ewing ( Patrick Duffy )
returns to Dallas, with his death attributed
to his wife Pam's bad dream, erasing
all of the previous season.

[Piper]

1941-First Catholic institution, for boys
opened in Auckland, NZ.

[Piper]

1891-US author German
Melville, who wrote Moby Dick,
dies aged 73


1968-Tge Beatles' single Hey
Jude goes to No.1 in the US
charts and stays there for nine
weeks

[F5 Dave]

Why are you posting this meaningless drivel?..

I'm not young, buts it's old person stuff and who fucking cares?


I mean fuck. A Catholic institution in 1941. Jesus fuck me chist backwards on a bicycle in a lesbian nunary.

What is wrong with you?

[Piper]

1954-The movie A Star Is
Born, starring Judy Garland
and James Mason, premieres.


1982-First broadcast of the
comedy series Cheers, starring
Ted Danson and Shelley Long,
on NBC TV.

[Piper]

Why are you posting this meaningless drivel?..

I'm not young, buts it's old person stuff and who fucking cares?


I mean fuck. A Catholic institution in 1941. Jesus fuck me chist backwards on a bicycle in a lesbian nunary.

What is wrong with you?


There is nothing wrong with me!, and nobody else seems to worry except you.
And if you don't like it, Don't read it then!
And I thought you were a bit overdue with your 2 cents worth!
Have a good day,I know I am!

[Piper]

1955-James Dean, 24 , is
killed in a car crash in Cholane,
California, when the Porsche he
is driving collides with a Ford
Tudor sedan at an intersection.
The driver of the other vehicle
survived.
Dean was the first actor to be
posthumously nominated for
Best Actor Academy Awards -
for East Of Eden and Giant.

[Piper]

1986-New Zealand's Labour
Government introduces a
Goods and Services Tax ( GST ),
adding 10 per cent to the cost
of most goods and Services.

[Piper]

1923-the first final of New Zealand's premier football
competition ,the Chatham Cup, was held with seacliff from Otago defeating Wellington YMCA 4-0 at Athletic Park
Wellington.


1941-saw New Zealand pilot Carlyle Everiss
sacrifice his life to save a Scottish village.

[Piper]

1888-The New Zealand Natives ruby team
played it's first game in the United Kingdom,
an event significant for being the first to wear
the Silver Fern and an all-black uniform.


1950-was a day to remember in
Wellington,NZ, with crowds
swarming around Evans Bay to
glimpse a moment of aviation
history.
They watched as the Tasman
Empire Airlines Ltd ( TEAL )
Solent flying boat Ararangi
took off for Sydney becoming
the first ever international flight
from the capital.

[Piper]

1917-New Zealand soldiers began
their attack on Gravenstafel Spur
during World War1, resulting in over
300 casualties on what considered
one of the "darkest days" in New Zealand

[Piper]

1866-Maungatapu murders Burgess
Kelly, and Levy were hanged in Nelson
after being convicted of the notorious
Maungatapu murders.
Joseph Sullivan, the fourth member of
the "Burgess gang," received a life
sentence after turning Queen's
evidence.


1936-Jean Batten's departure from
Kent, England, on her solo flight to
New Zealand.

[Piper]

1769-James Cook's ship, the Endeavour, sighted
New Zealand when it's cabin boy, Nicholas Young,
spotted land.

[Piper]

1917-Felix Graf Von Luckner, a
German WW1 officer shown as
the "Sea Devil" for his exploits as
captain of the SMS Seeadler raider,
was imprisoned in New Zealand.

[Piper]

1941-Dairy farmer Stanley Graham killed seven
people in Kowhitirangi on the South Island's West Coast.
One of New Zealand's longest manhunts ended when
Graham was shot on the evening of 20 October.
He died of his wounds the following day

[Piper]

1822-Battle of Matakitaki Pa
During the Musket Wars, Napuhi
led by Hongi Hika, armed with
muskets from England, attached
Wakato Maori


1917-Passchendaele and New love
Brothers.
During the attacks at Passchendaele,
which began around this time, brothers
Charles, Edwin, and Leslie New love were
all killed in action.