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.

[Piper]

1997-US country music star
John Denver, 53, dies when
the aircraft he is flying crashes in
Monterey Bay, California.
He was the plane's only occupant.

[Piper]

1889-The first public screening of a motion
picture in New Zealand.


1915-Niuean soldiers depart for WW1.


1975-Dame Whina Cooper led the
Maori land march to parliament, a
protest against the loss of Maori
land.

[Piper]

1892-Suzane Aubert, a Catholic missionary was
appointed to a newly established order at
Hiruharama ( Jerusalem ) on the Wanganui
River.


1941-The hunt for an anarchist called
"The Graham" was ongoing, with law
enforcement deploying measures like
Lewis guns and considering a bulldozer
to break through the bush in the
Waikato.

[Piper]

1877-When George Gray
became premier;


1942-Seventeen New Zealand Coast watchers
and five civilians were executed by Japanese
forces in the Gilbert Islands ( now Kiribati )


1978-The National Army Museum in
Waiouru opened.

[Piper]

1913-The Great Strike began.

[Piper]

1927-The first successful radio trans-global transmission
sent from a sheep station in
New Zealand.

[Bikkie]

1714 - George I is crowned King of Great Britain and Ireland.

1803 - US Senate approves a treaty with France allowing the purchase of Louisiana.

1944 - US forces land in the Philippines to begin the reconquest of the islands.

1947 - The US House of Representatives’ Un-American Activities Committee begins investigating supposed Communist influence in Hollywood.

1955 - The Return of the King, the final volume of JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, is published.

1968 - Jacqueline Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis marry; US high jumper Dick Fosbury wins gold at the Mexico Olympics, and sets an Olympic record, using his then unique “Fosbury Flop” jumping style.

1972 - The Equal Pay Act passes into law. It aims to end the gender pay gap in the private sector, following the Government Service Equal Pay Act 1960 which addressed the pay gap for the public sector.

1973 - The Sydney Opera House is formally opened.

1987 - Billions of dollars are wiped off the value of New Zealand shares in the weeks following October 20, as the shockwaves of a sharp drop in New York's stockmarket ripple around the world.

[Piper]

1890-New Zealand celebrated it's first Labour
Day.

[Piper]

1934-The National Conference of Working Women, supported
by the communist party of New Zealand, was held and it's
report was approved


1951-Employers lock out wharfies for refusing to work
overtime, a dispute that became known as the 1951
Waterfront Lockout and involved 22,000 workers
over five months.


1972-The renowned poet James K.Baxter passed
away in Auckland at the age of 46.

[Piper]

1835-He Whakaputanga ( Declaration Of Independence)
Thirty four northern chiefs signed this declaration at
Waitangi asserting that authority and independence in
response to increasing European settlement.

[Piper]

1943-The 8th Brigade of the 3rd New Zealand
Division participated in the opposed landing
on Mono Island in the Solomon Islands, the
first opposed New Zealand landing since
Gallipoli.

[Piper]

1492-Christopher Columbus sighted Cuba
for the first time, claiming it for Spain.

[Piper]

1894- Wairarspa shipwreck, resulting in
121 deaths and becoming one of the
country's deadliest shipwreck

[Kb2020dope]

On this day (30th of October)

2020 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a second four-week lockdown for England

2002 Run-DMC founding member Jam Master Jay is shot and killed by a drug dealer in his recording studio in New York City

1990 George Michael releases his single "Freedom 90" with a music video starring supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford
1991

1987 "Faith," the debut album by George Michael, is released

1974 Muhammad Ali KOs George Foreman in the 8th round in "The Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire, regaining the world heavyweight boxing title using the famous "rope-a-dope" tactic

On this day 31st of October

2024 American rapper Young Thug (33) pleads guilty to street gang racketeering charges and no contest to related weapons and drug charges, ending a prolonged trial in Atlanta, Georgia; judge sentences him to time served plus 15 years of probation (i remember this, sad day. But atleast you know hes a man of his word. Respect)

2020 New Zealand Rugby Union team routs Australia 43-5 in Sydney to retain the Bledisloe Cup (2-1) for the 18th straight series; Wallabies' largest-ever defeat by All Blacks

2015 8th Rugby World Cup Final, Twickenham, London: All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter lands 4 penalties and 2 conversions as New Zealand defeats Australia 34-17

1993 Rapper Tupac Shakur is charged with aggravated assault (once again, man of his word. Respect)

Piper, thanks for the daily updates. If you fail to update im happy to fill the void on your behalf.

Thanks

[Kb2020dope]

2024 Collins Dictionary names "brat" as its word of the year for 2024 (we all know a brat)

2022 Fifth Israeli election held in under four years won by Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party, defeating sitting Prime Minister Yair Lapid. (This we a great day for the world)

2021 Novavax COVID-19 vaccine receives its first emergency use authorization in Indonesia. The first protein-based covid vaccine. (Hopefully not to many fell for it)

2021 Global death toll from COVID-19 passes 5 million according to John Hopkins, with estimates the true toll is at least twice as high. (John Hopkins seems to be quite good at changing figures and causing fear.)

1972 1st gay themed TV movie - "That Certain Summer" (72 could be the birth of woke)

1941 pearl harbour. The japs woke up the sleeping giant.

We will leave it there, anything pre ww2 doesn't excite me.

Piper, let me know once you are keen to take the reigns again.

Thanks

[Kb2020dope]

2023 Australian Erin Patterson charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder through mushroom poisoning in high profile case (funny story, she is a distant relative)

2004 George W. Bush is re-elected as President of the United States, defeating Democrat candidate John Kerry. ( He was on of the greats)

1868 Time zone: New Zealand officially adopts a standard time to be observed nationally

[Kb2020dope]

2023 George Michael inducted 38th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2021 US begins vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 years with a lower dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Hmmm i wonder why.

2020 Australia's Melbourne Cup won by Twilight Payment. Hopefully around twilight time tomorrow ill be celebrating a big payment from the tab!

Piper, when are you back mate?

[Kb2020dope]

5th day in a row, hope all is well piper.

2016 Paris Agreement on climate change becomes effective. Big mistake.

2015 Justin Trudeau sworn in as Canadian Prime Minister with a cabinet split equally between men and women. Second big mistake on this day in history.

2008 Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. Third big mistake on this day!

1993 Elton John is awarded $518,700 by Sunday Mirror for a false report on his diet. Finally something good on this day in history!

[Kickaha]

1972 1st gay themed TV movie - "That Certain Summer" (72 could be the birth of woke)

1941 pearl harbour. The japs woke up the sleeping giant.



Woke has nothing to do with being gay

Pearl Harbour was on the 7th December

[Piper]

1940-A press statement was released about the formation of the
Maori Battalion.

[Piper]

1848-The Acheron arrives to survey
New Zealand waters

[Piper]

2024 Collins Dictionary names "brat" as its word of the year for 2024 (we all know a brat)

2022 Fifth Israeli election held in under four years won by Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party, defeating sitting Prime Minister Yair Lapid. (This we a great day for the world)

2021 Novavax COVID-19 vaccine receives its first emergency use authorization in Indonesia. The first protein-based covid vaccine. (Hopefully not to many fell for it)

2021 Global death toll from COVID-19 passes 5 million according to John Hopkins, with estimates the true toll is at least twice as high. (John Hopkins seems to be quite good at changing figures and causing fear.)

1972 1st gay themed TV movie - "That Certain Summer" (72 could be the birth of woke)

1941 pearl harbour. The japs woke up the sleeping giant.

We will leave it there, anything pre ww2 doesn't excite me.

Piper, let me know once you are keen to take the reigns again.

Thanks

Hi Scooter boy. I am fine, I am looking after my wife as she has just come out of hospital after
doing a 4 month stint, after doing 3 months for the first time.
She had metal work put in her back, but that didn't work, so they took it out.
So I am spending more time looking after her.
But feel free to put some history here
I will put some when I can.
And thanks for your concern.
Have a great day.
Piper

[Piper]

1939-New Zealand's centennial Exhibition
opened in Wellington to mark the 100th of
anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi.

[Kb2020dope]

Hi Scooter boy. I am fine, I am looking after my wife as she has just come out of hospital after
doing a 4 month stint, after doing 3 months for the first time.
She had metal work put in her back, but that didn't work, so they took it out.
So I am spending more time looking after her.
But feel free to put some history here
I will put some when I can.
And thanks for your concern.
Have a great day.
Piper

Hi Piper,

Good to see you are back! Love your work.
Sorry to hear that, I hope all is well.
Happy to jump in and help out when needed but you're way better than me at this!
Keep going if you dont post for a couple of days ill jump in and update and keep it going.

All the best, cheers

[Piper]

Hi Piper,

Good to see you are back! Love your work.
Sorry to hear that, I hope all is well.
Happy to jump in and help out when needed but you're way better than me at this!
Keep going if you dont post for a couple of days ill jump in and update and keep it going.

All the best, cheers

Thanks very much

[Piper]

2004- Unknown soldier buried at National War memorial
Wellington,New Zealand.

[Piper]

1925-Tge New Zealand and South Seas
International Exhibition opened in
Dunedin.

[Piper]

1874-Cospatrick fire, which killed 470
immigrants en route to Auckland and
is considered the country's worst civil
disaster.

[Piper]

2010-The Pike River Mine disaster was a coal mining
accident that killed 29 men
Explosion happened approximately 3:44 pm.

[Piper]

1959-The cargo ship MV Holmglen sank off
the South Canterbury coast with all 15 crew
members lost.

[Piper]

1902-New Zealand held the General election.


1903-Timaru boxer Bob Fitzsimmons became
the first person to win World Professional boxing
titles in three different weight divisions.


1944-The New Zealand service rugby team was
defeated by South Africa.

[Piper]

1953-The first family planning clinic in
New Zealand was established in Remuera, Auckland.

[Piper]

1980- Kiss played at the Athletic Park
Wellington, New Zealand

[Piper]

1898-The first known pictures were taken in
New Zealand by photographer W.H.Bartlett
for entrepreneur Alfred Whitehouse.

[Piper]

1910-Freda du Flur became the first woman to successfully
climb Aoraki/Mt Cook

[Piper]

1972-First Maori Woman Cabinet Minister
Whetu Tirikatene Sullivan was sworn into
Norman Kirk's Labour government, becoming
New Zealand's first Maori Woman minister,
serving as Minister Of Tourism

[Piper]

Coronation is 65 years old today

[jellywrestler]

https://365daysofmotoring.com/the-first-organized-speedway-was-created-at-maitland-new-south-wales-australia-when-new-zealand-born-rider-johnny-s/

[Piper]

1995-The "originals" All Blacks lost to
Wales in a historic match due to a
disallowed try by Bob Deans, a
controversial moment still discussed
today.

[Bikkie]

1773-Ten crew from the Adventure killed
At Wharehunga Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound, 10 men serving on the ship accompanying James Cook's Resolution died at the hands of Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne.



1889-New Zealand’s Eiffel Tower opens
Just 8½ months after Gustave Eiffel’s famous Paris tower was officially completed in March 1889, a wooden replica Eiffel Tower opened at the 1889–90 New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in Dunedin.


Major Major's grave in Italy
1944-Major Major, mascot of 19 Battalion, dies of sickness
Major Major, No. 1 Dog, 2NZEF, a member/mascot of 19 Battalion since 1939, died of sickness in Italy. He was buried with full military honours at Rimini.

[Piper]

1642-Abel Tasman's expedition anchor near
Wainui inlet in Golden Bay, making the first
recorded European sighting and contact with
Maori, who approached in canoes before a
deadly clash the following day.


1950-Christchurch becomes New Zealand's
first international airport, a vital step for
aviation and the economy.

[Bikkie]

1843-First Auckland A and P Show
Agricultural and pastoral shows celebrating excellence in agriculture and animal husbandry became annual events in communities around New Zealand.


1879-Universal male suffrage introduced
The Qualification of Electors Act extended the right to vote (the franchise) to all European men aged 21 or over, regardless of whether they owned or rented property.


1941-HMS Neptune lost in Mediterranean minefield
In New Zealand’s worst naval tragedy, the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Neptune struck enemy mines and sank off Libya. Of the 764 men who lost their lives, 150 were New Zealanders.



In Music History

2016-Country songwriter Andrew Dorff, brother of actor Stephen Dorff, dies at age 40. Penned hits for artists such as Martina McBride ("Ride"), Kenny Chesney ("Save It for a Rainy Day"), Blake Shelton ("Neon Light") and Hunter Hayes ("Somebody's Heartbreak").

2012-Madonna gets angry at fans at a concert in Santiago, Chile, for smoking cigarettes near her against her wishes. The singer lectures the audience: "If you're going to smoke cigarettes, I'm not doing a show. You don't care about me, I don't care about you. All right? Are we going to play that game? I'm not kidding. I can't sing if you smoke." Did we mention this is out in the open air in the rain and she is about 10 feet above everybody onstage?

2003-Tori Amos makes her film debut in the Julia Roberts movie Mona Lisa Smile. In her cameo as a '50s big band singer at a wedding reception, she sings the standards "You Belong To Me" and "Murder, He Says," which also appear on the movie's soundtrack.

2000-Roebuck "Pops" Staples (of The Staple Singers) dies at age 85 after a bad fall leaves him with a concussion.

Titanic Opens In Theaters
1997-Titanic opens in theaters. It becomes the top-grossing movie of all time, with a soundtrack that sells about 15 million copies, thanks mostly to the Celine Dion hit, "My Heart Will Go On."

1996-Avenue H in Lubbock, Texas, is renamed Buddy Holly Avenue in honor of the city's hometown hero.

1993-Michael Clarke (drummer for The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers) dies of liver failure at age 47 after decades of alcohol abuse.

1985-Johnny Paycheck is drinking at a bar in Hillsboro, Ohio, when two guys recognize him and sit near him. Things get tense, and Paycheck pulls out a .22 pistol and shoots one of them, grazing his head. That man, Larry Wise, claims that Paycheck got testy after they offered him a meal of deer meat and turtle soup. Wise says Paycheck yelled, "What do you think I am, a country hick?," and shot him.

The country singer is convicted and serves 22 months in jail.

Dolly Parton Is Workin' 9 To 5
1980-9 to 5, starring Dolly Parton and featuring the classic theme song by the singer (where she uses her fingernails as an instrument), opens in theaters. Parton, in her first acting role, stars alongside Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda as disgruntled secretaries who get even with their sexist boss.

1978-The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait airs on ABC.

1976-Al Green, recently ordained as a minister, opens the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis, where he preaches most Sundays.

1968-The Friends of Distinction record "Grazin' In The Grass."

1968-Kevin Shepard (drummer for Tonic) is born in Southern California.

1967-For the second time, Joan Baez is arrested for leading a sit-in at the Armed Forces Induction Center in Oakland, California to protest the Vietnam War. She's sentenced to 45 days in prison but released after 31.

1965-Keith Moon collapses during a Who concert in Ontario.

1960-The Four Preps record "More Money For You And Me" live at North Hollywood High School.

1958-Pop singer Limahl (lead singer of Kajagoogoo) is born Christopher Hamill in Pemberton, Wigan, England.

1957-Doug Johnson (keyboardist for Loverboy) is born in New Westminster, British Columbia.

1955-Carl Perkins records "Blue Suede Shoes" two days after writing the song.

1945-Folk musician John McEuen (of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is born in Oakland, California.

1944-Alvin Lee (lead guitarist for Ten Years After) is born Graham Anthony Barnes in Nottingham, England.

1944-Zal Yanovsky (lead guitarist for The Lovin' Spoonful) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1941-Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1918-Blues singer Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd, better known as Professor Longhair, is born in Bogalusa, Louisiana.

1915-Charlie Ryan, who co-wrote and was the first to record the 1955 rockabilly hit "Hot Rod Lincoln," is born in Graceville, Minnesota.

1894-Composer/conductor Paul Dessau is born in Hamburg, Germany.

[Bikkie]

1832-New Zealand’s first cricket match
Church Missionary Society (CMS) leader Henry Williams gave the male pupils (Māori and Pākehā) of his mission school at Paihia in the Bay of Islands a rare day off.

Māori men and women congregate at Rotorua on election day, c 1908.
1893-Women vote in Māori seats for first time
Just over three weeks after New Zealand women became the first in the world to vote in a national parliamentary election, voting was held in the four Māori electorates.


Strikers' meeting in Dunedin
1913-Waterfront strike ends
The Great Strike of 1913, which had begun in late October when Wellington waterside workers stopped work, finally ended when the United Federation of Labour conceded defeat.


In Music History

2019-My Chemical Romance return after a seven-year absence with a show at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

2016-On a flight from Vietnam to South Korea, Richard Marx helps subdue a mentally unhinged passenger who starts attacking flight attendants and fellow passengers. Marx and wife Daisy Fuentes had been vacationing in Hanoi all week before boarding the chaotic four-hour flight.

2012-Rapper Fat Joe pleads guilty in federal court in New Jersey to tax evasion charges. He is charged with failing to pay taxes on over $1 million of income in both 2007 and 2008 and is expected to serve about two years.

2010-Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, winds up his VH1 reality TV show Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It by sticking a rock on the finger of Kristi Gibson, his on-and-off girlfriend of 18 years. She was not one of the 25 contestants competing for his affections on Michaels' previous reality show, Rock of Love.

2009-James Gurley (guitarist for Big Brother & the Holding Company) dies of a heart attack in Palm Desert, California, at age 69.

2006-Nearly 40 years after it was recorded, Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher is awarded 40% of the songwriting credit for "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by a London court. The judgment is reduced on appeal in 2008.

2005-Tejano pop singer René Herrera (of René & René) dies of cancer at age 70.

2004-Paula Abdul gets caught in a hit-and-run when she clips another car with her Mercedes and drives off. In March 2005, she is charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

2003-Producer/composer Charles Randolph Grean dies at age 90. Wrote the Phil Harris hit "The Thing" (1950) and arranged Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song."

1986-Thanks to its use in the movie of the same name, Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," originally released in 1961, reaches #9 in the US.

1990-JoJo is born Joanna Noëlle Blagden Levesque in Brattleboro, Vermont. She is raised in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

1980-"(Just Like) Starting Over" gives John Lennon his first #1 single as a solo artist in the UK, 12 days after his murder.

1976-Ned Washington, who co-wrote "When You Wish Upon A Star," dies at 75.

1975-Joe Walsh replaces Bernie Leadon in the Eagles. Walsh was previously a member of the James Gang.

1971-The Main Ingredient records "Everybody Plays The Fool."

1971-The live album from the Concert For Bangladesh, held six months earlier in Madison Square Garden, is released in America. The 3-disc set, which includes Bob Dylan's only performance from the 1970-1973 time period, wins the Grammy for Album of the Year.

1971-The Rolling Stones release their compilation Hot Rocks 1964–1971.

1969-Peter, Paul and Mary's "Leaving On A Jet Plane" hits #1, where it stays for one week.

1967-Joan Baez and her mother are sentenced to 45 days in prison for the singer's part in the Oakland Demonstration, where she protested the draft. They're abruptly released after serving 31 days.

1966-Chris Robinson (lead singer for The Black Crowes) is born in Marietta, Georgia. His dad, Stanley "Stan" Robinson, had a 1959 hit with "Boom-A-Dip-Dip."

1965-Wilson Pickett records "634-5789" with Booker T. & the MG's, sans Booker (with Isaac Hayes filling in for him on piano).

1962-The Osmond Brothers (later The Osmonds), minus 5-year-old Donny, make their first appearance on the Andy Williams Show.

1960-Elvis Presley's movie Flaming Star opens.

1959-Jackie Fox is born Jacqueline Fuchs in California. She gives up a promising career in mathematics when she joins The Runaways as bass player at the age of 15, rather than taking early entry into UCLA. After leaving the band, she returns to her studies, graduating from UCLA and then Harvard - where she is a classmate of Barack Obama - and goes on to work as an entertainment lawyer.

1948-Alan Parsons (of The Alan Parsons Project) is born in London, England. He starts his music career as an assistant engineer at Abbey Road Studios, where he engineers Paul McCartney's Wild Life and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

1947-Little Stevie Wright (lead singer for The Easybeats) is born in Leeds, England, but would be raised in Australia (Melbourne and Sydney).

1945-Peter Criss is born George Peter John Criscuola in Brooklyn, New York. He will become the drummer for Kiss and write their song "Beth."

1944-Bobby Colomby (drummer for Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born in New York.

1939-Soul singer Kim Weston is born Agatha Nathalia Weston in Detroit, Michigan. She signs with Motown Records in 1961.

1898-Actress and singer Irene Dunne is born in Louisville, Kentucky. Known for her Academy Award-nominated performances in the '30s and '40s, including Cimarron, Theodora Goes Wild, The Awful Truth, Love Affair and I Remember Mama.

1871-Composer/conductor Henry Kimball Hadley is born in Somerville, Massachusetts.

[Bikkie]

1620 - William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land near what is now known as Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

1835 - HMS Beagle, whose crew includes naturalist Charles Darwin, anchors in the Bay of Islands.

1846 - The first surgical operation under anaesthesia in Britain is performed at University College Hospital, London, by Robert Liston.

1891 - James Naismith, a Canadian-American gym teacher at Springfield College, publishes the first rules for the game now known as basketball and brings it to his class, which then plays the first game of basketball.

1898 - Radium is discovered by scientists Pierre and Marie Curie.

1913 - Arthur Wynne's "word-cross", the first crossword puzzle, is published in the New York World.

1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length cartoon in colour, premieres in Los Angeles.

1945 - US General George Patton dies in Germany, from injuries suffered in a car accident.

1958 - Charles de Gaulle elected first president of France's Fifth Republic.

1964 - More than 170 years of NZ whaling ends with JA Perano and Co catching last whale off Kaikōura.

1965 - International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is adopted.

1967 - Louis Washkansky, the first man to undergo a human-to-human heart transplant, dies in Cape Town, South Africa, having lived for 18 days after the transplant.

1970 - First flight of F-14 multi-role combat aircraft.

1975 - Terrorists led by Carlos the Jackal raid an Opec meeting in Vienna. More than 60 hostages are taken and two guards are killed. Siege ends two days later with no further loss of life.

1979 - An independence agreement for Rhodesia is signed in London by Lord Carrington, Sir Ian Gilmour, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Bishop Abel Muzorewa and SC Mundawarara.

1988 - A bomb explodes on board Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, killing 270.

1989 - NZ becomes the first country to set a formal annual inflation target (0-2%).

1995 - The city of Bethlehem passes from Israeli to Palestinian control.

2012 - Gangnam Style, by Korea’s Psy, becomes the first YouTube video to garner 1 billion views.

2020 - A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs, with the two planets separated in the sky by 0.1 degrees. This is the closest conjunction between the two planets since 1623.



In Music History

2019-Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" goes to #1 in America for the first time, 25 years after it was first released in 1994.

2014-With gay marriage now legal in England, Elton John marries David Furnish, exactly nine years after they were joined in a civil ceremony.

2013-After five years and 387 shows, Leonard Cohen wraps up his "Grand Tour" in Auckland, New Zealand. It's the last concert he ever plays, as he dies three years later.

2013-"The Monster" by Eminem featuring Rihanna hits #1 in America. It's the first hit co-written by Bebe Rexha, who later emerges as an artist.

2012-Lee Dorman (bassist for Iron Butterfly) dies in Laguna Niguel, California, at age 70.

2010-Amy Grant and Vince Gill wrap up their Twelve Days of Christmas Tour with the first of two shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. They return for two more shows in 2011, and in 2012 they play all their holiday shows at the Ryman, establishing their annual Christmas At The Ryman residency.

2007-Tim Burton's film adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opens in US theaters. Johnny Depp stars as the Demon Barber himself, and manages to earn the respect of critics for his singing performance on the film's soundtrack.

2005-Elton John and his partner David Furnish take part in a civil ceremony (gay marriage is not legal in England) to make their union official. Guests at the ceremony, which takes place in Windsor, England, include George Michael, Sharon Stone, and Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Nine years later, with gay marriage legal, they get married.

2001-Enrique Iglesias meets Anna Kournikova, a tennis player who is burning up the internet, at the shoot for his "Escape" video, where she plays his love interest. Their on-screen romance turns real; they begin dating and become partners, raising three kids together.

2001-The movie How High opens in theaters. The film stars Method Man and Redman as stoners who get into Harvard.

2000-The Chicago Sun-Times becomes the first newspaper to publish a story detailing R. Kelly's alleged sex crimes with underage girls.

1999-DMX releases his third album, ...And Then There Was X. Led by the singles "What's My Name" and "Party Up (Up in Here)," it goes to #1 in America, where it sells nearly 5 million copies.

1996-En route to a White House dinner with the Clintons, Tony Bennett suffers a ruptured hernia and is rushed to the hospital.

1996-Fourteen months after it was released, No Doubt's album Tragic Kingdom goes to #1 in America, where it spends nine weeks.

1996-Liz Phair and husband Jim Staskauskas welcome baby boy James Nicholas.

1992-Bluesman Albert King dies of a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 69.

1991-"Bohemian Rhapsody" goes back to #1 on the UK charts after the death of Freddie Mercury and stays there for five weeks. In America, the song gets new life the next year when it is used in the movie Wayne's World.

1989-Carlos Santana (of Santana) and his wife Debbie welcome their daughter Angelica Faith.

1988-Paul Avron Jeffreys (bassist for Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel) is killed en-route to his honeymoon when he and his wife, Rachel, become victims of the Lockerbie terrorist bombing (of Pan Am Flight 103). He was 36. The Four Tops were also slated to be onboard the plane but overslept after a late-night recording session.

1985-Dante Bonutto's Phil Lynott interview is screened. It would be the singer's last TV appearance before his death.

1979-At the San Diego Sports Arena, Linda Ronstadt holds a fundraising concert for her boyfriend, California governor Jerry Brown, who is running for president. Chicago and the Eagles also perform.

1979-Willie Nelson makes his acting debut in the Sydney Pollack film The Electric Horseman, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. He also sings five songs for the soundtrack, including the #1 country hit "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys."

The Cure Release Controversial Debut Single
1978-The Cure release their debut single, "Killing An Arab," an existential song about a man who contemplates the meaning of life after murdering an Arab on a beach. Based on the controversial title, the band faces accusations of provoking anti-Arab sentiment.

1974-Harry Chapin's "Cat's In The Cradle" hits #1 in the US, forcing fathers to consider how much time and attention they're paying to their children.

1971-Martha and the Vandellas officially disband.

1971-Fuel frontman Brett Scallions is born in Brownsville, Tennessee.

Elvis And Nixon Shake On It
1970-Music and politics collide when Elvis Presley meets President Richard Nixon at the White House. A famous photo of the two shaking hands horrifies many Elvis fans.

1970-Traffic's John Barleycorn Must Die, Judy Collins' In My Life, and the original British cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar are all certified gold.

1969-On The Ed Sullivan Show, Diana Ross appears with The Supremes for the last time, where they perform "Someday, We'll Be Together."

1968-Janis Joplin makes her solo concert debut in Memphis at an event for the Stax/Volt record label. The Stax house band Booker T. & The MG's also plays.

1966-The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" single as well as their Little Deuce Coupe and Shut Down, Vol. 2. albums are all certified gold.

1965-Gabby Glaser (guitarist, singer for Luscious Jackson) is born in New York.

1959-Chuck Berry is arrested when a 14-year-old girl he brought from Texas to work in his St. Louis club reports him to police. Berry serves 20 months in prison for transporting a minor across state lines.

1953-Soul singer-songwriter Betty Wright is born Bessie Regina Norris in Miami, Florida. Known for '70s hits like "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight is the Night."

1951-Nick Gilder is born in London, England, but will be raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

1946-Carl Wilson is born in Hawthorne, California. He becomes lead guitarist in The Beach Boys when he forms the band with older brothers Dennis and Brian.

1943-Gwen McCrae, known for the 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair," is born in Pensacola, Florida.

Guitarist Albert Lee is born in Lingen, Herefordshire, England. Worked with Jon Lord and Eric Clapton, among others.

1942-Carla Thomas, the "Queen of Memphis Soul," is born in Memphis, Tennessee, to R&B singer Rufus Thomas and his wife, Lorene.

1940-Frank Zappa is born in Baltimore, Maryland.

1940-Ray Hildebrand (of Paul & Paula) is born in Joshua, Texas.

1926-Country singer-songwriter Freddie Hart is born Frederick Segrest in Loachapoka, Alabama. Known for the 1971 hit "Easy Loving."

[Bikkie]

1807 - US Embargo Act takes effect, banning trade with Britain, France and the rest of the world.

1808 - Premiere in Vienna of Fifth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.

1895 - First X-ray, of the bones of a woman’s hands, is made by William Conrad Roentgen in Germany.

Peter Fraser's mugshot
1916-Future prime minister charged with sedition
Peter Fraser’s trial in the Wellington Magistrates’ Court was the sequel to a speech in which he attacked the government’s policy of military conscription.



In Music History

2020-Mountain guitarist Leslie West dies at 75 after suffering a heart attack.

2014-Joe Cocker dies of lung cancer at age 70 at his home in Colorado.

2012-Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood marries his girlfriend Sally Humphreys; Wood at age 65 and Humphreys at 34. Coincidentally, the world did not end on the day before, as proponents of the Mayan calendar would have it. Perhaps this bolstered their optimism?

2007-Eleven years after her death, Eva Cassidy goes to #1 in the UK with "What a Wonderful World," a duet blending her recording of the song with fresh vocals from Katie Melua.

2006-At the beginning of their last day in space for the STS-116 mission to the International Space Station, the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery is greeted by Perry Como's "(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays."

2006-The producer Swizz Beatz and his wife, the singer Mashonda Tifrere, have their first child, Kasseem Dean Jr. In 2016, Kasseem's stepmother Alicia Keys writes a song for him called "Blended Family (What You Do For Love)."

2003-Country singer Dave Dudley dies of a heart attack in Danbury, Wisconsin, at age 75.

2002-Joe Strummer of The Clash dies of a heart attack at age 50. The Clash are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a few months later.

2000-The Coen Brothers movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? hits theaters. With the song "Man Of Constant Sorrow" a centerpiece of the film, it ignites interest in bluegrass music. The soundtrack, produced by T-Bone Burnett, sells over 7 million copies in America.

1998-Singer/rapper Latto is born Alyssa Stephens in Columbus, Ohio. Raised in Atlanta, she lands her big break as the first winner of Jermaine Dupri's reality series The Rap Game. After changing her stage name from Miss Mulatto to Latto, she hits the mainstream with the pop-infused rap song "Big Energy."

Whitney Houston Stars In Waiting To Exhale
1995-Three years after her feature film debut in The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston gives her second acting performance in Forest Whitaker's romantic drama Waiting to Exhale, leading an all-African American cast that includes Angela Bassett and Dennis Haysbert.

1993-Vince Gill meets Amy Grant when she appears on his televised Christmas special, where they duet on "Tennessee Christmas." Sparks fly, but they're both married. They grow closer over the next few years and start dating in 1999 after both are divorced; in 2000 they wed.

1993-Meghan Trainor is born on the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts. She starts as a songwriter, penning tunes for Rascal Flatts and Sabrina Carpenter before landing a huge hit as a solo artist with her debut single, "All About That Bass," in 2014. In 2022 she grows an enormous following on TikTok, with videos of her song "Made You Look" earning hundreds of millions of views.

1991-Gregg Allman (of The Allman Brothers Band) makes his acting debut as a drug kingpin in the movie Rush.

1990-At the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Pearl Jam, still known as Mookie Blaylock, open for Alice in Chains. Chris Cornell comes on stage and puts Eddie Vedder on his shoulders at one point.

1989-Jordin Sparks is born in Phoenix, Arizona. At age 17, she wins the sixth season of American Idol (2007).

1988-At Wolverhampton Civic Hall in England, Morrissey makes his solo debut. It's closure for his group The Smiths, which broke up a year earlier but never made an official announcement. Anyone wearing either a Morrissey or Smiths shirt is admitted free.

1988-During an interview, Phil Collins jokes about wanting to make a film version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" with Danny DeVito and Bob Hoskins. DeVito later reads the interview and contacts Phil about actually making the movie. Hoskins also signs on (as well as Kim Basinger as Goldilocks) but the film is never made.

1985-Dennes Boon of the Minutemen is killed in a van accident in Tucson, Arizona, at age 27.

1979-Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" hits #1 on the Hot 100. It retains the top spot for two more weeks, becoming the last chart-topper of the '70s and the first of the '80s.

1979-The Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea benefit premieres at London's Hammersmith Odeon, featuring organizer Paul McCartney, The Who, Queen, and an all-star "Rockestra."

1978-Steven Tyler and Cyrinda Foxe have a baby girl named Mia.

1978-The stage version of Nilsson's musical The Point opens in London, featuring ex-Monkees Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz.

1978-Faces' drummer Kenney Jones joins The Who, replacing Keith Moon, who had died from an accidental overdose of anti-alcoholic medications two months earlier.

1976-Bob Seger earns his first Gold record with the live album Live Bullet.

1976-Isaac Hayes files for bankruptcy.

1972-Mott the Hoople's Ian Hunter writes "All The Way From Memphis" and dedicates it to two of their crew, Leee Childers and Tony Zanetta. And Memphis, Tennessee.

1972-Joni Mitchell's For the Roses album is certified Gold.

1969-John Lennon and Yoko Ono meet with Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Health John Munro to discuss drug abuse.

1968-Singer Eric Burdon leaves The Animals for a solo career.

1967-The Graduate, starring Anne Bancroft and newcomer Dustin Hoffman, premieres in US theaters. It spawns a hit soundtrack featuring songs from Simon & Garfunkel, including "Mrs. Robinson."

1967-Richey Edwards (lyricist, rhythm guitarist for Manic Street Preachers) is born in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Wales.

1966-Beatles producer George Martin and his engineer Geoff Emerick pull off one of the all-time great feats of sound editing: combining two takes of "Strawberry Fields Forever" - in different keys and tempos - to make one song. The edit is 59 seconds in, just before John Lennon sings, "Going to..."

1962-The Tornadoes' "Telstar" - an instrumental inspired by the Telstar satellite - hits #1 in the US for the first of three weeks.

The Chipmunk Song hits #1.
1958-The Chipmunks' "The Chipmunk Song" hits #1 on the Hot 100, the last Christmas song to ever top the chart.

1949-The twins Maurice and Robin Gibb are born in Douglas, Isle Of Man, and raised in Manchester, England. They join older brother Barry to form the Bee Gees.

1948-Rick Nielsen (lead guitarist for Cheap Trick) is born in Elmhurst, Illinois.

1944-Barry Jenkins (drummer for Nashville Teens, The Animals) is born Colin Ernest Jenkins in Leicester, England.

1939-Blues singer Ma Rainey - known as "The Mother of the Blues" - dies of a heart attack in Rome, Georgia, at age 53.

1939-James Gurley (guitarist for Big Brother & the Holding Company) is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1938-Country singer-songwriter Red Steagall is born Russell Steagall in Gainesville, Texas. He discovers Reba McEntire in 1975.

1930-American songwriter Charles K. Harris, known for "After The Ball," dies in New York City, at age 63.

[Bikkie]

1953-Queen Elizabeth II arrives for royal tour
For the New Zealanders who experienced it, the visit of the young Queen and her dashing husband, Prince Philip, in the summer of 1953–4 was a never-to-be forgotten event.


In Music History

2018-Miley Cyrus marries the actor Liam Hemsworth. They split up eight months later.

2015'-80s hitmaker Richard Marx marries model and TV host Daisy Fuentes. Marx was previously married to actress/dancer Cynthia Rhodes.

2009-Andre Kyles aka DJ Omega Supreme (of Organized Konfusion) dies of cancer.

2007-Jazz musician Oscar Peterson dies at age 82.

2006-English entertainer Charlie Drake dies in Twickenham, Middlesex, England, after suffering multiple strokes at age 81.

2003-Simon & Garfunkel donate a million dollars to the Children's Health Fund (started by Paul six years earlier.)

1999-Cristin Keleher, an unemployed musician in Hawaii, breaks into George Harrison's Maui home and makes herself at home, ordering pizza, drinking root beer, doing laundry, and calling her mother before authorities arrive to arrest her. She is eventually charged with breaking and entering and theft, and serves four months. "I thought I had a psychic connection with George," she says.

1997-Jackie Landry (of The Chantels) dies of breast cancer at age 56.

1996-Two weeks after his divorce from Playboy Playmate Brandi Brandt is finalized, Mötley Crüe bass player Nikki Sixx marries Baywatch star Donna D'Errico.

1996-Tony Bennett is released from a Washington, DC, hospital after an emergency hernia operation (he was stricken while preparing to perform at the White House).

1994-Dan Hamilton of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds dies of Cushing's syndrome in Los Angeles, California, at age 48.

1992-Eddie Hazel (lead guitarist for Funkadelic) dies from internal bleeding and liver failure in Plainfield, New Jersey, at age 42.

1991-James Brown sues the producers of the movie The Commitments, claiming his name and likeness were used without his permission (he loses the case five years later).

1989-Ice Cube is fired from N.W.A, who had just rose to fame with their multi-platinum record Straight Outta Compton. Cube eventually goes solo.

1987-Carly Simon marries her second husband, James Hart. They divorce in 2006; he later comes out as gay.

1985-Reno, Nevada residents James Vance, 20 and Raymond Belknap, 18, shoot themselves in a suicide pact after spending hours drinking, smoking marijuana and listening to Judas Priest's Stained Class album. A lawsuit filed by their families claims the track "Better By You, Better Than Me" contains subliminal messages encouraging the suicides, but the case is dismissed.

1978-Rod Stewart releases "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" in the US.

Cat Stevens Becomes Yusuf Islam
1977-Cat Stevens converts to Islam and changes his name to Yusuf Islam.

1972-At the Grand Funk Railroad concert in Madison Square Garden, the group's former manager, Terry Knight, brings a court order allowing him to confiscate the group's equipment, which he does at the end of the show.

1969-Elton John meets for the first time with what would become his classic team - songwriter Bernie Taupin, arranger Paul Buckmaster, and producer Gus Dudgeon - to begin work on his first solo album.

1967-John Lennon makes the first contact with his estranged father, Alf, in years: After hearing that he's taken ill, John sends him a get well note and a car so that he can visit his famous son.

1967-Jeremy Clyde of Chad & Jeremy appears on CBS-TV's My Three Sons in the episode "Liverpool Saga."

1966-Eighteen-year-old Olivia Newton-John makes her film debut in the Australian musical comedy Funny Things Happen Down Under, about a group of kids who stumble upon a formula to make rainbow-colored sheep's wool. Olivia has a minor role but sings "Christmas Time Down Under."

1966-London's premiere psychedelic hangout, the UFO club, opens on Tottenham Court Road, with Pink Floyd as the house band.

1966-With union rules ending the practice of lip-synching on British TV, the popular show Ready Steady Go! broadcasts its last show with guests, featuring The Who, Mick Jagger and Eric Burdon.

1964-After appearing on the TV show Shindig! where they perform their Christmas hit "Little Saint Nick," The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson has a nervous breakdown on a flight to Houston, where they begin a two-week tour. Wilson decides to stop performing, and Glen Campbell replaces him on the tour.

1964-Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam frontman) is born Edward Louis Severson III in Evanston, Illinois. The surname Vedder comes from his mom's maiden name.

1964-Boasting a hipper, more commercial staff of on-air DJs, Radio London, Britain's third major "pirate radio" station, begins broadcasting from MV Galaxy, a former American vessel used as a minesweeper in WWII.

1961-The Beach Boys make their live debut, performing two songs during the intermission of Dick Dale's concert at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Newport Beach, California.

1959-The Drifters record "This Magic Moment."

1958-Folk rocker Victoria Williams, known for "Crazy Mary" and "Century Plant," is born in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1957-Simon & Garfunkel (then known as Tom & Jerry) release their first single.

1956-Dave Murray (guitarist for Iron Maiden) is born in Edmonton, London, England.

1955-Fats Domino records "My Blue Heaven" at J&M Studios in New Orleans.

1951-Johnny Contardo (of Sha Na Na) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1949-Adrian Belew is born Robert Steven Belew in Covington, Kentucky. The guitarist plays with Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, King Crimson, Paul Simon, Nine Inch Nails, Primus, and William Shatner.

1947-Three scientists at Bell Labs in New Jersey demonstrate the transistor, which leads to the invention of small, portable "transistor" radios. The scientists win the 1956 Nobel Prize for their work.

1947-Graham Bonnet is born in Skegness, England. He'll go on to front the rock bands Alcatrazz and Rainbow.

1946-Singer-songwriter Robbie Dupree, known for the 1980 hit "Steal Away," is born Robert Dupuis in Brooklyn, New York.

1946-Ariel Bender (guitarist for Mott the Hoople) is born Luther James Grosvenor in Evesham, Worcestershire, England.

1945-Ron Bushy (drummer for Iron Butterfly) is born in Washington, DC.

1943-Harry Shearer (aka Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap) is born in Los Angeles, California. Shearer is also known for voicing a number of characters on The Simpsons, including Principal Skinner and Ned Flanders.

1941-Folk musician Tim Hardin is born James Timothy Hardin in Eugene, Oregon. Wrote the '60s hit "If I Were A Carpenter."

1941-The Chi-Lites lead singer and primary songwriter Eugene Record is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1940-Jorma Kaukonen (guitarist for Jefferson Airplane) is born in Washington, DC.

1935-Johnny Kidd (of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) is born Frederick Albert Heath in Willesden, North London, England.

1935-R&B/jazz singer "Little" Esther Phillips is born Esther Mae Jones in Galveston, Texas. At age 14 she's discovered by Johnny Otis, a musician and talent scout, and soon lands her first hit with "Double Crossing Blues."

1929-Jazz singer/trumpeter Chet Baker is born Chesney Henry Baker Jr. in Yale, Oklahoma. He hits his stride in the '50s when he joins the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and releases his signature hit "My Funny Valentine."

1926-Harold Dorman, known for the 1960 hit "Mountain of Love," is born in Drew, Mississippi.

1689-Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier is born in Thionville, France.

Cat Stevens Becomes Yusuf Islam
1977-Cat Stevens converts to Islam and changes his name to Yusuf Islam.

[Piper]

1862-Abel Tasman's crew celebrated Christmas
with pork and wine, making the first Christmas
in New Zealand.


1769-Captain Cook's crew had a festive meal
of gannet pie ( in place of goose ) while
anchored off North Cape.


1814-The first Christian mission established
by Samuel Marsden making a significant
religious milestone on Christmas Day.

[Bikkie]

Painting of Marsden's first sermon

1914-First Christian mission established
At Hohi (Oihi) Beach in the Bay of Islands, Samuel Marsden preached in English to a largely Māori gathering, launching New Zealand’s first Christian mission.


First to climb Aoraki/Mt Cook, left to right: Jack Clarke, George Graham, Tom Fyfe

1894-First ascent of Aoraki/Mt Cook
At 1.30 on the afternoon of Christmas Day 1894, three young men became the first to stand atop Aoraki/Mt Cook, the highest mountain in the colony.



In Music History

2024-Halftime of the Christmas Day NFL game between the Ravens and Texans is the "Beyoncé Bowl," a grand spectacle that rivals Super Bowl halftime shows. Queen Bey rides in on a horse and sings an abridged version of her Cowboy Carter album, with Post Malone and Shaboozey singing their parts, and her daughter Blue Ivy showing up for a "Texas Hold 'Em" hoedown.

2024-The Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, with Williams depicted as a CGI chimp, opens in theaters. Despite the monkey business, the film covers some heavy topics, like his battles with addiction and struggles with fame.

2023-The second film adaptation of The Color Purple opens in theaters with Fantasia Barrino, who starred in the Broadway production in 2007, reprising her role as Celie, performed in the first film (1985) by Whoopi Goldberg. Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Jon Batiste and Ciara also appear in the film.

George Michael Dies
2016-George Michael dies of heart failure aged just 53 in bed at his riverside home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. He is found by his boyfriend, Australian hair stylist Fadi Fawaz.

2015-Concussion, a biographical drama starring Will Smith as a doctor who exposes the risk of traumatic brain injuries in football players, debuts in theaters. Soul singer Leon Bridges wrote the tune "So Long" for the movie.

2010-Alanis Morissette gives birth to her first child, a son named Ever Imre. Morissette married the baby's father, rapper Mario "Souleye" Treadway, earlier in the year.

2009-Tony "T-Bone" Bellamy (frontman for Redbone) dies of liver failure in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 63.

2009-Singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt dies from an overdose of muscle relaxants at age 45.

2008-Bluesman Robert Ward dies from a culmination of health issues, including two strokes, in Dry Branch, Georgia, at age 70.

2008-Eartha Kitt dies of colon cancer in Weston, Connecticut, at age 81.

2006-James Brown, age 73, dies of congestive heart failure resulting from complications of pneumonia.

Jennifer Hudson Makes Acting Debut In Dreamgirls
2006-Alongside stars like Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson makes her acting debut in the movie Dreamgirls, based on the Supremes-inspired Broadway musical.

1998-Bryan MacLean (guitarist and songwriter for Love), age 52, dies of a heart attack in a Los Angeles restaurant.

1998-Singer/actress Damita Jo dies at age 68 following a respiratory illness in Baltimore, Maryland.

1995-Dean Martin, also suffering from lung cancer, dies from acute respiratory failure due to emphysema at age 78. Las Vegas honors the legend by dimming the lights along the city's famous Strip.

1995-Eminem's daughter, Hailie Jade, is born. He mentions her in many of his songs, and in 1999 her cooing appears on his track "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" (where Em imagines killing Hailie's mother, Kim). Eminem gets her name tattooed on his arm.

1994-Green Day play Madison Square Garden in New York City. It's quite a leap for the band, which had been playing small clubs at the beginning of the year. During the show, lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong performs wearing only socks and a strategically placed guitar.

1990-Soldiers in South Carolina are treated to a concert by James Brown, who is given a furlough from the work center where he is being detained so he can play for the troops. He includes his patriotic hit "Living In America" in the set.

1984-The twins Lisa and Jess Origliasso are born in Albany Creek, Queensland, Australia. They form The Veronicas.

1982-David Bowie and Bing Crosby's "The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth," an unlikely duet broadcast five years earlier on Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas TV special, becomes an even more unlikely hit, reaching #1 in the UK.

1981-The J. Geils Band play a gig for prisoners at Boston's Norfolk Correctional Center, with lead singer Peter Wolf telling his captive audience, "We wanna be the first to buy you all a free drink on the outside."

1977-At Ivanhoe's in Huddersfield, the The Sex Pistols play their last UK gig before their split. The show is a charity benefit for firemen who are on strike.

1976-Boston's debut single, "More Than A Feeling," reaches its US chart peak at #5. When it was released, group leader Tom Scholz still had his day job working for Polaroid.

The Sting Revives Ragtime
1973-The Sting, a crime caper starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford as con men in 1930s Chicago, debuts in theaters. With Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" as its theme, the film's soundtrack goes to #1 and revives the ragtime genre.

1973-Slade, Suzi Quatro and 10cc are among the performers on the BBC Top Of The Pops Christmas special. The show's dancers do a routine with dogs to Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Get Down," leading to rumors that the "bad dog baby" in the song was Sullivan's misbehaving pooch (it isn't).

1972-Pop singer Dido is born Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong in Kensington, London, England.

1971-Noel Hogan (guitarist for The Cranberries) is born in Moyross, Limerick, England. He writes most of the music for their songs, with Dolores O'Riordan adding the lyrics.

1971-Melanie's "Brand New Key," a whimsical song about a young girl pursuing a boy with a skate key that might fit her pair, hits #1 in America for the first of three weeks.

1969-16-year-old Robbie Bachman of Winnipeg, Canada, receives his first drum kit for Christmas and begins to play along with his older brother, guitarist Randy. Just three years later, Randy asks him to join his new band, named Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

1967-Paul McCartney announces his engagement to Jane Asher (they break up eight months later without ever getting married).

1965-The Dave Clark Five's "Over And Over" hits #1.

1964-The Zombies headline Murray the K's Big Holiday Show in New York City.

1960-Twelve-year-old James Taylor gets his first guitar as a Christmas present.

1957-Shane MacGowan is born in Pembury, Kent, England, to Irish parents. In 1982 he forms The Pogues, blending Celtic music with punk. Fittingly, their most famous tune is a Christmas song: "Fairytale of New York."

1954-Up-and-coming R&B star Johnny Ace, age 25, is killed when he shoots himself backstage at a concert in Houston, possibly while playing Russian Roulette. His song "Pledging My Love" becomes a hit after his death.

1954-Annie Lennox is born in Aberdeen, Scotland. In 1980 she forms Eurythmics with her ex-boyfriend Dave Stewart, and in 1992 she releases her first solo album, Diva, with the hits "Why" and "Walking On Broken Glass."

1954-Robin Campbell (lead guitarist for UB40) is born in Birmingham, England.

1948-Country singer Barbara Mandrell is born in Houston, Texas. She would have her first #1 country hit with "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" in 1978.

1948-Merry Clayton (named for Christmas) is born in New Orleans. A backup singer by trade, she is most famous for her incendiary vocal alongside Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter." She would later appear on the Coldplay song "Up & Up."

Jimmy Buffett Is Born
1946-Jimmy Buffett is born in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He's raised in Mobile, Alabama, but his true home will always be in "Margaritaville."

1945-Soul singer Steve Mancha, of 100 Proof (Aged in Soul), is born Clyde Darnell Wilson in Walhalla, South Carolina.

1945-Noel Redding (bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience) is born David Noel Redding in Folkestone, Kent, England.

1944-John Edwards, who in 1977 replaces Philippé Wynne in The Spinners, is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1944-Henry Vestine aka The Sunflower (guitarist for Canned Heat) is born in Takoma Park, Maryland.

1943-Guitarist Trevor Lucas (of Fairport Convention) is born in Bungaree, Victoria, Australia. He learns to play the guitar to help with his dyslexia.

1937-O'Kelly Isley Jr., the eldest of The Isley Brothers, is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1934-R&B singer McKinley Mitchell, known for the 1962 hit "The Town I Live In," is born in Jackson, Mississippi.

1929-Billy Horton of The Silhouettes is born in Hickory, North Carolina.

1929-R&B singer Chris Kenner, who writes and sings the original version of "Land Of 1000 Dances," is born in Kenner, Louisiana (yes, his last name and birthplace are both Kenner).

1915-Pete Rugolo, jazz composer and arranger, is born Pietro Rugolo in San Piero Patti, Sicily, Italy, but moves to Santa Rosa, California, by age 5. Known for his work with big band leader Stan Kenton.

1913-Singer/actor Tony Martin is born Alvin Morris in San Francisco, California. A steady presence on the pop charts throughout the '40s and '50s, his biggest hits are 1940's "It's a Blue World" (#2) and 1949's "There's No Tomorrow" (#2).

1907-Jazz singer Cab Calloway is born Cabell Calloway III in Rochester, New York. He would grow up in Baltimore, Maryland.

[Bikkie]

1879-Sectarian violence in Canterbury
In Christchurch, 30 Catholic Irishmen attacked an Orange (Protestant) procession with pick-handles, while in Timaru, 150 men from Thomas O’Driscoll’s Hibernian Hotel surrounded Orangemen and prevented their procession taking place.



In Music History

2016-Pink gives birth to her second child, a baby boy named Jameson Moon. The father is the singer's motocross-star husband, Carey Hart.

2012-R&B singer Fontella Bass, known for the 1965 hit "Rescue Me," dies of complications from a heart attack at age 72.

2009-Thanks to a Facebook campaign to keep yet another X Factor winner from claiming the spot, "Killing In The Name" by Rage Against The Machine becomes the UK Christmas #1, 17 years after the song was first released. "A little dose of anarchy for the Christmas holidays is good for the soul," Rage guitarist Tom Morello says.

2003-Matthew West releases his major label debut album, Happy. The lead single, "More," tops the Christian chart.

1981-The AC/DC album For Those About to Rock We Salute You goes to #1 in America for the first of three weeks. It's their first #1 album in that country (their previous album, Back In Black, was a slow build and reached just #4), and their last until Black Ice in 2008.

1999-Curtis Mayfield, debilitated from a 1990 stage accident that left him paralyzed, dies of complications from diabetes at 57. Mayfield was a writer and producer as well as a singer. With his group The Impressions he crafted songs like "Gypsy Woman" and "People Get Ready." As a solo artist, he's best known for the 1972 Super Fly soundtrack with the ultra-funky title tune.

VW Emblems Go Missing When Beastie Boys Come To Town
1986-The Beastie Boys kick off their Licensed To Ill tour with a show at The Ritz in New York City. By the time the tour is over, Licensed To Ill will be America's first #1 rap album, and thousands of Volkswagen emblems will go missing as fans steal them to emulate Mike D's signature look.

1979-Chris Daughtry is born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. He places fourth on the fifth season of American Idol but becomes one of the show's most successful alums after forming his band Daughtry.

1973-The horror movie The Exorcist hits theaters, with a portion of the Mike Oldfield instrumental "Tubular Bells" as the theme music. A 3:18 version of the song (it's 25-minutes long on the album) is released as a single, going to #7 in the US.

1970-George Harrison becomes the first Beatle to top the Hot 100 as a solo artist as "My Sweet Lord" hits #1. The song is inspired by Harrison's spiritual journey: It evokes both the Hindu mantra "Hare Krishna" and the Christian exultation "Hallelujah."

1969-Peter Klett (lead guitarist for Candlebox) is born in Bellevue, Washington.

1968-D.A. Pennebaker's documentary Monterey Pop, which chronicles the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival (where The Who smashed their instruments and Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire) opens in theaters.

Led Zeppelin Open For Vanilla Fudge In First US Concert
1968-Led Zeppelin's first US tour begins in Denver. They're the opening act for Vanilla Fudge.

1967-The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour film debuts on BBC-TV.

1967-The Osborne Brothers release "Rocky Top." Written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, it's named for Rocky Top, Tennessee, in the Smoky Mountains. In 1982 it becomes an official state song of Tennessee.

1966-Jimi Hendrix writes the lyrics to "Purple Haze" in his dressing room between performances at London's Uppercrust Club. He claims the song is not about drugs, but inspired by a dream where he was surrounded by a purple haze.

1966-J. Yuenger (guitarist for White Zombie) is born Jay Noel Yuenger in Chicago, Illinois.

1963-Drummer Lars Ulrich is born in Gentofte, Denmark. Transfixed by seeing Deep Purple in concert at age 9, he makes music his life when he moves to America in 1980 at 17. A year later, he forms Metallica with singer/guitarist James Hetfield.

1963-The Beatles release their first hit single in the United States: "I Want To Hold Your Hand" backed with "I Saw Her Standing There." It's their first single issued by Capitol Records; within months the group becomes a Stateside sensation.

1958-Stan Freberg presents a check for $1,000 to the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California as his royalties from the first year's release of "Green Chri$tma$" (he gives all proceeds from the single charity).

1957-The Champs release "Train to Nowhere," which as the title implies, makes no impact. But DJs love the B-side, a saxy tune called "Tequila." Three months later, it's the #1 song in America.

1953-Steve Witherington (drummer for Ace) is born in Enfield, Middlesex, England.

1951-Paul Quinn (guitarist for Saxon) is born in Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

1946-Bob Carpenter (keyboardist, accordionist for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1940-Famed record producer Phil Spector is born in The Bronx, New York. He moves to Los Angeles in his teens and develops his "wall of sound" recording technique, heard on classic songs like "Be My Baby" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." He goes on to produce The Beatles' Let It Be album and also solo albums for George Harrison and John Lennon.

1937-English poet and composer Ivor Gurney dies of tuberculosis at age 47.

1935-Duke Fakir, a founding member of The Four Tops, is born Abdul Fakir in Detroit.

[Bikkie]

1836-Worst English avalanche kills 8 of 15 buried (Lewes Sussex)
1845- Ether is likely first used in childbirth by surgeon Crawford Long while his wife is giving birth in Jefferson, Georgia
1850- Hawaiian Fire Department established
1862- Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs, MS (Chickasaw Bayou)
1862- Battle of Elizabethtown, Kentucky
1867- Ontario & Quebec legislatures hold 1st meeting
1884- Netherlands recognizes King Leopold II's Congo Free State



In Music History

2023-Nelly and Ashanti get married but keep it secret - TMZ breaks the news months later after discovering the marriage certificate. The couple dated on and off from 2003-2013, then rekindled their romance early in 2023.

2016-Actress Carrie Fisher, known for her iconic role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, dies of a heart attack at age 60. The daughter of Singin' in the Rain actress Debbie Reynolds and former wife of Paul Simon (see "Hearts And Bones"), she also inspired the Blink-182 song "A New Hope": "Princess Leia where are you tonight; and who's laying there by your side."

2014-Alicia Keys gives birth to a second son, Genesis Ali Dean, with husband Swizz Beatz.

2013-Britney Spears debuts her Las Vegas show, Britney: Piece of Me, which runs for four years at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

2013-Vanessa Carlton marries John McCauley of Deer Tick in a ceremony officiated by Stevie Nicks.

2008-Delaney Bramlett (of the '70s blues-rock duo Delaney & Bonnie) dies from complications of gall bladder surgery at age 69.

2004-Hank Garland, a Nashville session guitarist who performed with Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline, dies of a staph infection at age 74.

2003Dick St. John (of the '60s pop duo Dick & Dee Dee) dies at age 63 after a fall from the roof of his home.

1999-Puff Daddy is involved in a New York City nightclub shooting that injures three people. He and his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, are arrested after fleeing the scene. Puff is put on trial for weapons possession and attempted bribery, but is found innocent in March 2001 after a six-week trial.

1989-Chuck Berry is sued by the former cook of his restaurant - The Southern Air, in Wentzville, Missouri - who claims Berry installed hidden cameras in the ladies restrooms and collected the videos. Over 200 former customers take part in a class action suit against Berry, which is eventually settled out of court.

1988-Hayley Williams is born in Meridian, Mississippi. She moves to Franklin, Tennessee when she's 13 and, two years later, signs a record deal and forms Paramore. She's still a teenager when they break out with the song "Misery Business" from their second album, Riot!, in 2007.

1986-"Reet Petite," a #6 UK hit for Jackie Wilson in 1957, goes to #1 29 years later when it is re-released, and stays at the top for four weeks. Wilson died three years earlier after being incapacitated by a heart attack.

1985-The Krush Groove Christmas party becomes the first rap show held at Madison Square Garden. A tie-in with the movie Krush Groove, the concert features performances by LL Cool J, Run-DMC, Whodini and other acts who appeared in the film. The event makes headlines for the violence that follows, as 14 people are arrested for various crimes.

1983-Rock 'n' roll singer Walter Scott (of Bob Kuban & the In-Men) is shot in the back and left floating in a cistern, where he is found four years later. James H. Williams Sr., who married Scott's second wife, JoAnn, after the singer's disappearance, is found guilty of the murder. JoAnn also receives a five-year prison sentence for hindering the prosecution.

1982-Billy Joel plays a benefit concert in Allentown, Pennsylvania as his song "Allentown" makes its way up the charts.

1981"Georgia On My Mind" composer Hoagy Carmichael dies of heart failure at age 82.

1978-The BBC comes under fire when it plays part of the Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen," which has been banned on the network, on a show called "Listen To The Banned." The educator Dr. Rhodes Boyson calls it "another sign of the declining public morality which so rightly worries the general public."

1978-Bob Luman, known for the 1960 novelty hit "Let's Think About Living," dies of pneumonia at age 41.

1978-The BBC comes under fire when it plays part of the Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen," which has been banned on the network, on a show called "Listen To The Banned." The educator Dr. Rhodes Boyson calls it "another sign of the declining public morality which so rightly worries the general public."

1975-The Faces announce their split. Rod Stewart devotes himself to his solo career and Ron Wood officially joins The Rolling Stones.

1975-The #1 song in America is "Let's Do It Again," a surprisingly lubricious song by the gospel group the The Staple Singers. The song was written by Curtis Mayfield for the film of the same name starring Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier.

1974-Bob Dylan records "Idiot Wind" and "You're A Big Girl Now."

1972-Matt Slocum (lead guitarist for Sixpence None the Richer) is born in Nashville, Tennessee.

1971-The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour begins a regular run on CBS after previously serving as a summer replacement. It stays on the air for three years.

1969-Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin II hits #1 on the American albums chart.

1969-Diana Ross & The Supremes' "Someday, We'll Be Together" hits #1 in the US, the last of their 12 chart-toppers on that tally. It's the last release by the group with Diana Ross, who is the only member to perform on the track.

1967-After establishing his career as a poet and writer, Leonard Cohen releases his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, on Columbia Records. The album doesn't sell particularly well at first, peaking at #83 on the Billboard charts, but Cohen's powerful voice and lyrics in oft-covered tracks like "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne" become highly influential.

1967-Bob Dylan releases John Wesley Harding.

1965-Davy Jones plays a junkie on the "If You Play Your Cards Right, You Too Can Be A Loser" episode of the TV series Ben Casey. Jones soon lands a lead role on The Monkees.

1964-The Supremes appear on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time, singing "Come See About Me." They would go on to appear 20 more times on Sullivan (14 with Diana Ross), more than any other rock act.

1963-London's Sunday Times names Paul McCartney and John Lennon the Outstanding Composers of 1963.

1960-Returning from Hamburg, Germany, The Beatles play a show in their hometown of Liverpool, England, with Chas Newby filling in for Stu Sutcliffe, who stays in Germany and never rejoins the band. The show gets a lot of attention, and is an early taste of Beatlemania.

1960-Ray Charles records "One Mint Julep."

1958-While attending a class at the Liverpool College of Art, John Lennon meets student Cynthia Powell, later to become his first wife.

1952-Guitarist David Knopfler is born in Glasgow, Scotland. Along with his older brother Mark, he forms Dire Straits in 1977, but leaves the band after their second album in 1980 to launch a solo career.

1951-Folk rocker Karla Bonoff is born in Santa Monica, California. Linda Ronstadt covered several of her songs for the 1976 album Hasten Down The Wind, including "All My Life, a popular duet with Aaron Neville.

1950-Terry Bozzio (drummer for Missing Persons, Captain Beefheart) is born in San Francisco, California.

1948-Larry Byrom (guitarist for Steppenwolf) is born in Huntsville, Alabama.

1947-Albert Hodges, the father of English singer-songwriter Chas Hodges (of Chas & Dave), commits suicide the day before his son's fourth birthday.

1944-Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones is born in Portsmouth, England. Along with lead singer Lou Gramm, he's the primary songwriter in the band, whose hits include "Juke Box Hero" and "I Want to Know What Love Is."

1944-Amy Beach, composer and popular concert pianist, dies of heart disease at age 77.

1943-Peter Sinfield (keyboardist, lyricist for King Crimson) is born in Fulham, London, England.

1942-Mike Heron (of Incredible String Band) is born James Michael Heron in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1941-Mike Pinder (original keyboardist for The Moody Blues) is born in Erdington, Birmingham, England.

1941-Les Maguire (pianist for Gerry and the Pacemakers) is born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England.

1940-Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler divorce after a dozen years of marriage.

1932-With 6,200 seats and a stage spanning 10,000 square feet, the world's largest indoor theater of the time, Radio City Music Hall, opens in New York City with a massive six-hour show.

1931-Scotty Moore (Elvis Presley's original guitarist) is born in Gadsden, Tennessee.

1931-Jazz pianist Walter Norris is born in Little Rock, Arkansas.

1927-Show Boat opens at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Broadway, changing the paradigm for modern musicals.

1906-Hollywood composer and pianist Oscar Levant is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

[Bikkie]

Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III lying in state, 1929
1929-'Black Saturday' in Samoa
New Zealand military police fired on Mau independence demonstrators in Apia, killing eight Samoans, including the independence leader Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III.



In Music History

2021-Dr. Dre's divorce is settled, with the rapper/producer agreeing to pay his ex wife, Nicole Plotzker-Young, $100 million. They were married from 1996-2020.

2016-Singin' in the Rain star Debbie Reynolds dies of a stroke at age 84, one day after losing her daughter, actress Carrie Fisher, to a fatal heart attack.

2015-Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister dies of cancer. He got the diagnosis two days after turning 70, and died two days later.

2014-Singer Frankie Randall, who often played piano for the Rat Pack in the '60s and entertained in Frank Sinatra's home, dies of lung cancer at age 76.

2010-Southern rocker "Mean Gene" Kelton dies at 57 when his SUV collides with a school bus in Crosby, Texas.

2009-Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (drummer and co-lead vocalist for Avenged Sevenfold) dies from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol at age 28. The coroner also notes cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) which may have contributed to his death.

2005-Barry Cowsill (of The Cowsills) is found under a wharf in the Mississippi River. Cowsill, living in New Orleans, survived Hurricane Katrina but drowned in the flooding following the storm.

2004-On his 26th birthday, John Legend releases his debut solo album, Get Lifted. The lead single is the kiss-off song "Used to Love U," but the second single, the tender ballad "Ordinary People," is the most enduring song. The album is the first released on Kanye West's GOOD Music label.

2003-Pete Townshend of The Who reveals to a London newspaper that he seriously considered suicide after a 2002 arrest for child pornography charges. The guitarist had claimed he was visiting child porn websites as research for a book dealing with his own sexual abuse as a child.

2003-Out on bail and awaiting trial on charges he molested a teenage boy, Michael Jackson proclaims his innocence on 60 Minutes, telling Ed Bradley, "I was outraged. I could never do something like that."

2002-Cambodia deports Gary Glitter and extradites him back to the UK to face a conviction in London on child pornography charges.

2002-Meri Wilson, known for the 1977 hit "Telephone Man," dies in a car crash at age 53.

1998-Suffering from alcoholism and depression, Atlanta Rhythm Section lead singer Ronnie Hammond gets in an altercation with police in Macon, Georgia, who shoot and wound the singer.

1993-Shania Twain and superproducer Mutt Lange get married. In 2001, they have a son named Eja, but divorce in 2010 after Lange takes up with Twain's best friend.

1985-Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" goes to #2 in the US, held back by Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me." Written and produced by Rick James, it charts higher than any other James composition.

1983-Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys dies after diving into very cold water from a boat slip in Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles.

1981-The cost of a two song 45-rpm single reaches $1.98 (about the same as the cost of downloading two songs today).

1979-The Kate Bush Christmas Special, also known as Kate, airs on the BBC. The singer performs songs from her first three albums and introduces the holiday tune "December Will Be Magic Again." Peter Gabriel guest stars, singing "Here Comes The Flood" and, with Bush, a duet of Roy Harper's "Another Day."

1978-Rolling Stone's annual Readers and Critics Poll both agree that The Rolling Stones album Some Girls is Album Of The Year.

1976-Bluesman Freddie King dies of acute pancreatitis and complications from stomach ulcers at age 42.

1975-Ted Nugent has a .44 Magnum gun pulled on him at a concert in Spokane, Washington, until the man is wrestled to the ground by security.

1974-Helen Reddy lands her third #1 hit in America when "Angie Baby" goes to the top.

1972-Mick Jagger visits Managua, Nicaragua, with his wife Bianca, searching for her mother after a devastating recent earthquake that claimed thousands of lives. Fortunately, Bianca's mother is fine.

1971-Max Steiner, known for composing iconic film scores for Casablanca and Gone With The Wind, among others, dies of congestive heart failure at age 83.

1971-Sha Na Na makes the big time tonight, headlining Carnegie Hall with host Keith Moon of The Who (a huge fan of the group, as it turns out).

1970-John Lennon releases "Mother."

Florida Hosts The First Major East Coast Rock Festival
1968-Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Steppenwolf and the Grateful Dead, land in Hallandale, Florida's Gulfstream Park to entertain 100,000 fans at Miami Pop Festival II, the East Coast's first major rock festival.

1968-he Beatles' ninth studio album, The Beatles (aka The White Album), hits #1 in America.

1965-Elvis Presley and his girlfriend Priscilla try LSD for the first, and last, time at his Graceland mansion.

1963-The magazine The New Yorker publishes an interview with Beatles manager Brian Epstein in their "Talk Of The Town" column about the band's upcoming Ed Sullivan gig - the first major press the group has received in the US.

1963-Teen idol Bobby Vee marries his first and only wife, Karen Bergen, in Orchard Lane, Michigan.

1963-German composer Paul Hindemith dies of pancreatitis at age 68.

1963-Merle Haggard makes his first appearance on the country chart with "Sing A Sad Song," which peaks at #19.

1962-Michel Petrucciani is born in Orange, France. Despite suffering from a genetic condition that stunts his growth and leaves him with brittle bones, he becomes a renowned jazz pianist.

1961-Jazz singer-songwriter Christine Collister is born on the Isle of Man in the UK.

1960-The Connie Francis movie Where The Boys Are is released. The movie - risqué for its time - is about four college girls on Spring Break. It leads to a whole genre of Spring Break movies and popularizes Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where it was shot, as the destination of choice.

1959-Frankie Avalon's "Why" hits #1.

1950-Alex Chilton of The Box Tops and Big Star is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1948-Joseph "Ziggy" Modeliste (drummer for The Meters) is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1947-Dick Diamonde (bass guitarist for The Easybeats) is born Dingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs in Hilversum, the Netherlands.

1946-Edgar Winter is born in Beaumont, Texas.

1944-Leonard Bernstein scores his first big hit when his musical On The Town, featuring the song "New York, New York," opens on Broadway.

1943-Chas Hodges of the duo Chas & Dave is born in North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton.

1937-French composer Maurice Ravel dies in Paris aged 62.

1932-Rockabilly singer Dorsey Burnette (of Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio) is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1921-Johnny Otis is born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes in Vallejo, California. A singer and songwriter in his own right, he also works as a talent scout and discovers several artists, including Etta James and "Hound Dog" singer Big Mama Thornton.

1914-Roebuck "Pops" Staples (The Staple Singers) is born on a cotton plantation near Winona, Mississippi.

1910-Billy Williams is born Wilfred Williams in Waco, Texas. He has a hit cover of Fats Waller's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter" in 1957.

1903-Jazz pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines is born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania.

[Bikkie]

1170 - Archbishop Thomas Becket is slain at the altar in Cathedral of Canterbury, England.

1721 - French occupy Mauritius and rename it Ile de France.

Mary Dobie's grave
1888-Tuhiata hanged for murder of Mary Dobie
Tuhiata (Ngāti Ruanui, Tītahi; known as Tuhi) was hanged in Wellington for the murder of the artist Mary Dobie at Te Namu, near Ōpunake. He wrote to the governor of New Zealand a few days before his execution, asking that 'my bad companions, your children, beer, rum and other spirits die with me'.

1890 - US troops massacre 200 Sioux men, women and children at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

1931-Floating dock breaks moorings in Wellington Harbour
Built in England, the Wellington Harbour Board’s new Jubilee Dock was 178 m long, 36 m wide and could lift ships displacing 17,000 tons.

1989 - Czechoslovak dissident playwright Vaclav Havel is elected president by parliament.

1996 - Guatemalan government and guerrilla leaders sign an accord ending 36 years of civil conflict.

1998 - In Yemen, troops fire on Islamic extremists holding 16 tourists hostage. Six hostages are killed.

2001 - Fireworks explosions spark massive fire in downtown Lima, the capital of Peru, killing 291 people.

2004 - Paramedics spray Indian beaches with bleach and vaccinate tsunami survivors, as Indonesian authorities bulldoze mass graves for thousands of corpses lining the streets and lawns of Banda Aceh.

2013 - Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher suffers a massive head injury while skiing in the French Alps.

2020 - French designer Pierre Cardin dies, aged 98.




In Music History

2016-Azealia Banks reveals that she has been sacrificing chickens for three years when she posts an Instagram video of her cleaning up the mess.

2011-Alaska: The Last Frontier debuts on the Discovery Channel. The reality-TV series centers on the Kilcher family living in the Alaskan wilderness, including Atz Kilcher, father of folk/country singer Jewel.

2011-The Nigerian government files a lawsuit against Rick Ross for cancelling a concert in Cross River State, Nigeria, the night before. Ross was scheduled to perform at the annual Calabar carnival celebration but pulled out at the last minute without citing a reason. The Cross River State government sued the rapper for breach of contract and to recover his performance fee.

2008-Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard dies at age 70 of complications from a heart attack he suffered the month before.

2004-Beyond the Sea, a musical about the life of Bobby Darin, debuts in US theaters. Darin superfan Kevin Spacey - who co-wrote, directed, and starred in the film - does his own singing. 45-year-old Spacey is a little old to be playing Darin, who was only 37 when he died.

2002-Creed play a disastrous show in Chicago, leading four fans to sue the band, claiming lead singer Scott Stapp was either medicated or drunk, and "unable to sing the lyrics of a single Creed song." Stapp denies that he was drunk and claims rolling around on stage was an "Artistic Moment." The case is thrown out of court.

1997-The singer-songwriters Aimee Mann ("Save Me") and Michael Penn ("No Myth") get married.

1985-Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley have a daughter, Alexa Ray, her name a tribute to Ray Charles. She becomes a singer like her dad.

1982-Unexpectedly (and some say inexplicably) delving into electronic music, Neil Young releases his 12th studio album, Trans. This album, along with the one that follows it (Everybody's Rockin'), causes Geffen Records to sue Young for intentionally creating music that won't sell.

1980-Folk musician Tim Hardin, who wrote the hit "If I Were a Carpenter," dies of a heroin overdose at age 39.

Time Magazine Warns Of "Sex Rock"
1975-Time magazine introduces the phrase "Sex Rock" in an article taking aim at Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby."

1975-Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane break up after living together for seven years. Slick marries the band's lighting engineer the next year.

1973-Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle" hits #1 in the US three months after he was killed in a plane crash.

1970-Glen Phillips (vocalist, guitarist for Toad The Wet Sprocket) is born in Santa Barbara, California.

1967-Dave Mason announces that he is leaving Traffic, just as the group is releasing its debut album. Unlike the other members of the group, Mason didn't want to collaborate on writing songs, setting up something of a rivalry with fellow founder Steve Winwood and prompting Mason to pursue a solo career.

1966-Gary Lewis, whose band Gary Lewis and the Playboys charted seven Top 10 hits the previous two years, enters the Army. He serves in Korea and Saigon but never sees action. Lewis is the son of Jerry Lewis, but never considered using his connections to dodge the draft. Said Gary: "I got my draft notice, and the first thing that popped into my mind was Elvis did it, I'm doing it. That's all there is to it."

1965-The Sir Douglas Quintet are busted for marijuana possession in Corpus Christi, Texas. They get probation when they appear in court with short hair, wearing suits. "I'm glad you cut your hair," the judge tells them. "I saw your pictures in the paper when you were arrested and I don't go for that stuff."

1965-Dexter Holland (lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist for The Offspring) is born Bryan Keith Holland in Garden Grove, California. He takes a break from his PhD research in molecular biology to become a punk rock star.

Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé Marry
1957-Pop singers Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé get married at the El Rancho Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. They remain married until Eydie's death in 2013.More

1951-Broadway singer Yvonne Elliman is born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

1947-Drummer Cozy Powell is born in Gloucestershire, England. He does stints in Black Sabbath and Rainbow, and also plays on albums for Whitesnake, Robert Plant, Brian May and many others. (Powell sometimes listed his date of birth as December 29, 1948, but the death register gives it as December 29, 1947.)

1946-Marianne Faithfull is born in Hampstead, London, England. Co-wrote the Rolling Stones' "Sister Morphine" while in a relationship with frontman Mick Jagger.

1943-Rick Danko (bassist for The Band) is born in Blayney, Ontario, Canada. He drops out of school at age 14 to become a musician.

1941-Ray Thomas (flautist, percussionist for The Moody Blues) is born in Stourport-on-Severn, England.

1941-Rock 'n' roller Bobby Comstock is born in Ithaca, New York. Known for a hit 1959 cover of "Tennessee Waltz" and the 1963 pop hit "Let's Stomp."

1939-Country singer Ed Bruce is born William Edwin Bruce Jr. in Keiser, Arkansas, but is raised in Memphis, Tennessee.

1931-R&B singer John "Buddy" Bailey (of The Clovers) is born in Seneca, Virginia.

1902-Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" is copyrighted.

1812-Opus 96: Violin Sonata No. 10 in G major by Ludwig van Beethoven is first performed.

1946-Marianne Faithfull is born in Hampstead, London, England. Co-wrote the Rolling Stones' "Sister Morphine" while in a relationship with frontman Mick Jagger.

1943-Rick Danko (bassist for The Band) is born in Blayney, Ontario, Canada. He drops out of school at age 14 to become a musician.

1941-Ray Thomas (flautist, percussionist for The Moody Blues) is born in Stourport-on-Severn, England.

1941-Rock 'n' roller Bobby Comstock is born in Ithaca, New York. Known for a hit 1959 cover of "Tennessee Waltz" and the 1963 pop hit "Let's Stomp."

1939-Country singer Ed Bruce is born William Edwin Bruce Jr. in Keiser, Arkansas, but is raised in Memphis, Tennessee.

1931-R&B singer John "Buddy" Bailey (of The Clovers) is born in Seneca, Virginia.

1902-Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" is copyrighted.

1812-Opus 96: Violin Sonata No. 10 in G major by Ludwig van Beethoven is first performed.

French Opera Brings "Mascot" To English Lexicon
1880-The opera La Mascotte opens in Paris, introducing the word "mascot."

[Bikkie]

Colenso's printing press
1834
Colenso arrives with a printing press
Church Missionary Society printer William Colenso arrived in the Bay of Islands on the schooner Blackbird with New Zealand’s second printing press.


Charles Darwin, c. 1880
1835
Charles Darwin leaves New Zealand after nine-day visit
Darwin's visit to the Bay of Islands on HMS Beagle was brief and unspectacular from his point of view. The Beagle's captain, Robert FitzRoy, would later serve as the second governor of New Zealand.



In Music History

Of Mice & Men Lead Singer Leaves Group
2016-Of Mice & Men lead singer Austin Carlile posts a letter on Instagram announcing he is leaving the group for health reasons.More

2012-The Birmingham Mail reports that Jim Simpson, the record industry A&R man who discovered and signed Black Sabbath, is launching a campaign to have the airport in Birmingham, England, renamed as "The Ozzy Osbourne International Airport." No word on whether the planes would play "Flying High Again" on takeoff and landing.

2011-Russell Brand files to divorce Katy Perry, citing irreconcilable differences. According to Perry, she finds out the next day when he texts her the news.

2010-Boney M lead singer Bobby Farrell dies of heart failure at age 61 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on the anniversary of Rasputin's death. The notorious adviser to the tragic Romanovs was murdered in Saint Petersburg in 1916 and was also the subject of Boney M's hit single, "Rasputin."

2006-R&B superstar Brandy is involved in a car accident on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles that kills a 38-year-old woman who is struck by her Land Rover. No criminal charges are files, and a civil suit is later settled.

2004-Levon Helm of The Band sues the ad agency BBDO for using the song "The Weight" in a commercial without his permission.

2004-Artie Shaw - bandleader, clarinetist and composer - dies from a culmination of health issues, including diabetes, in Thousand Oaks, California, at age 94.

2002-After being pulled over for driving erratically, Diana Ross is arrested in Tucson, Arizona, for driving under the influence, with a blood alcohol level reportedly twice the legal limit. She fails all sobriety tests at the scene, reportedly falling over when asked to walk a straight line. She is charged with three misdemeanor DUIs.

1999-George Harrison is nearly killed when the mentally disturbed Michael Abram breaks into his home and stabs him in the chest. Harrison's wife, Olivia, saves her husband by attacking Abram with a poker and a table lamp. George suffers a collapsed lung, but survives.

1999-Slade singer Noddy Holder is awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II, and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits is awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire).

1998-R&B singer Johnny Moore (of The Drifters) dies of respiratory failure in London, England, at age 64.

1995-Clarence "Satch" Satchell (saxophonist, guitarist for The Ohio Players) dies of a brain aneurysm at age 54.

1993-Songwriter Mack David dies at age 81. Known for his work on Disney films, such as Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland, and for hits like Duke Ellington's "I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So" (1939).

1991-Doo wop singer Richard Blandon (of The Dubs, The Paragons) dies in New York at age 57.

1991-Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa have their second child, daughter Jessica Rae.

1986-Ellie Goulding is born in Herefordshire, England.

1978-Iron Maiden have their first recording session, laying down a demo at a studio in Cambridge, England, in the first of a two-day session they get on the cheap because nobody else wants studio time over New Year's Eve weekend. The demo gets the attention of DJs and club owners, earning the band a huge UK following in 1979 and eventually a record deal with EMI.

1978-R&B singer Tyrese is born Tyrese Darnell Gibson in Watts, Los Angeles, California. He catches his break singing the slogan "Always Coca-Cola" for a 1994 Coke commercial.

1978-Emerson, Lake And Palmer publicly announce their breakup.

1974-Bob Dylan records "Tangled Up In Blue," "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts," and "If You See Her, Say Hello."

1969-Peter, Paul and Mary's "Leaving On A Jet Plane" is certified Gold.

1969-Psychedelic rockers The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band announce they're breaking up.

1969-Jay Kay (lead singer of Jamiroquai) is born Jason Luis Cheetham in Wangford, Suffolk, England.

1968-Peter Tork leaves The Monkees, paying $160,000 to buy out his contract.

1968-Frank Sinatra records "My Way."

1967-The Beatles' "Hello Goodbye" becomes their 15th #1 single in the US.

1967-Songwriter Bert Berns - known for penning a string of '60s hits, including "Piece of My Heart," "Hang on Sloopy" and "Twist and Shout" - dies of a heart attack at age 38.

1963-The Beatles win Group and Record Of The Year ("She Loves You") in British music newspaper New Musical Express' annual year-end poll.

1962-Eighteen-year-old Brenda Lee's house in Nashville catches fire and burns to the ground; Lee injures herself slightly rushing back into the house to save her poodle, Cee Cee, but the pet unfortunately dies later from smoke inhalation.

1957-Bing Crosby's album Merry Christmas claims the #1 spot from Elvis Presley's Elvis' Christmas Album, but Elvis returns to the top spot a week later.

1956-Country singer Suzy Bogguss is born in Aledo, Illinois. She starts her career in 1985 by performing at a Tennessee amusement park called Silver Dollar City, soon-to-be renamed Dollywood.

1951-Chris Jasper (of The Isley Brothers) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1948-Kiss Me Kate, Cole Porter's musical adaptation of Shakespeare's classic play The Taming Of The Shrew, opens on Broadway at the New Century Theatre.

1947-Rock musician Jeff Lynne (of Electric Light Orchestra, The Traveling Wilburys) is born in Shard End, Birmingham, England.

1946-Punk rock icon Patti Smith is born in Chicago.

1946-Clive Bunker (drummer for Jethro Tull) is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

1945-Davy Jones (of The Monkees) is born in Manchester, England.

1942-Frank Sinatra performs as a solo act for the first time, playing to a crowd of screaming teenage girls at the Paramount Theater in New York City.

1942-Michael Nesmith (of The Monkees) is born Robert Michael Nesmith in Houston, Texas.

1940-Perry Ford, of The Ivy League, is born Brian Pugh in Lincoln, England. The vocal trio, made up of session singers, was first heard on The Who's 1965 hit "I Can't Explain."

1939-Felix Pappalardi (bassist, vocalist for Mountain) is born in the Bronx, New York.

1937-John Hartford - bluegrass, folk and country musician - is born John Harford in New York City, New York. On the advice of record producer Chet Atkins, he would add the 't' to his name.

1937-Folk singer-songwriter Noel "Paul" Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary) is born in Baltimore, Maryland.

1934-Del Shannon of "Runaway" fame is born Charles Weedon Westover in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

1931-Country singer Skeeter Davis, known for the 1962 crossover hit "The End of the World," is born Mary Frances Penick in Dry Ridge, Kentucky. She performs as part of the duo The Davis Sisters in the '40s before going solo in the '50s.

1928-R&B and rock 'n roll icon Bo Diddley is born Ellas Otha Bates in McComb, Mississippi. He grows up on the South Side of Chicago, where he and his friends perform music on street corners.

1865-The author, journalist and poet Rudyard Kipling is born in Bombay, Imperial India. The Joni Mitchell song "If" is based on his poem of the same name.

1536-Italian lutenist/composer Alessandro Piccinini is born in Bologna.

[Bikkie]

1853-Grey leaves New Zealand after first term as governor
During his first term as governor, George Grey was praised for ending the Northern War and obtaining land from Māori, but he angered settlers by delaying the implementation of a constitution that would have given them some political power.

Poster for the Gathering, 1996/97
1996
First Gathering dance festival held
On New Year’s Eve around 4000 people made their way to the remote location of Canaan Downs, Tākaka, to take part in the first Gathering, a two-day festival for electronic dance music fans.



In Music History

2022-Anita Pointer of The Pointer Sisters dies of cancer at 74.

2018-Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show dies at 81.

2017-Britney Spears wraps up her Vegas show Britney: Piece of Me, after four years. It's her last concert for a while; a subsequent residency is cancelled, and she refuses to perform under the terms of her conservatorship, which has been controlled by her father since 2008.

2017-Rabbi Shmuley Boteach places an ad in the Washington Post claiming that Lorde is an anti-Semite because she cancelled a concert in Israel in protest over the treatment of Palestinians.

2016-Taking the stage in Times Square to ring in the new year, Mariah Carey gets through "Auld Lang Syne" but then stops singing and narrates the technical problems to the crowd as the backing track plays on.

Mötley Crüe Play What They Claim Is Their Final Concert
2015-Mötley Crüe play what they claim is their last show: a New Year's Eve concert in Los Angeles complete with Nikki Sixx's flamethrower bass and Tommy Lee's drum roller coaster.

2015-Natalie Cole dies of heart failure at age 65. The singer (daughter of Nat King Cole) battled health problems for much of her life; drug use led to hepatitis C, and in 2009 she had a kidney transplant.

2014-Six months after divorcing salsa singer Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez officially drops her married name (Muñiz).

2009-Blues singer Earl Gaines dies at age 74, after his declining health forces him to cancel a European tour.

2008-At halftime of the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, 40,148 fans perform the "Y.M.C.A." dance while the Village People perform, establishing a Guinness World Record. It is the most memorable part of the game, which Oregon State wins 3-0 over Pittsburgh.

2002-Phish jump back in the pond with a concert at Madison Square Garden, their first show since going on hiatus in October 2000.

2000-Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson marries actress Kate Hudson in Aspen, Colorado. Their seven-year marriage includes the birth of their son, Ryder.

1997-Floyd Cramer, pianist and forerunner of the "Nashville sound," dies of lung cancer at age 64. He played piano as a session musician on Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel."

1996-Queen Elizabeth II announces that Paul McCartney will be knighted - these announcements are traditionally made on New Year's Eve.

1994-Rod Stewart plays a free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, drawing a crowd estimated at 3.5 million (the fireworks help goose that number). Guinness declares it the largest free rock concert ever.

1991-Ted Nugent, who often donates meat from his kills to charity, serves about 200 pounds of venison courtesy of the Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger program at a Detroit soup kitchen, telling clients, "I kill it, you grill it."

1991-After 62 years, Radio Luxembourg, Europe's oldest commercial radio station, goes off the air for good.

1985-Rick Nelson dies in a plane crash at age 45. A child star on The Ozzie and Harriet Show, he became a teen idol as a singer, charting 36 hits on the Top 40.

Def Leppard Drummer Loses An Arm
1984-Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen loses an arm when he crashes his Corvette. He continues with the band, using computer aids and relying more on his feet.

1982-E Street Band guitarist Miami Steve and/or Little Steven Van Zandt marries Maureen Santora at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Little Richard officiates, Bruce Springsteen is the best man, and Percy Sledge sings "When A Man Loves A Woman" during the reception.

1980-At the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, bass player Kathy Valentine plays her first show with The Go-Go's, establishing the lineup that in 1982 becomes the first all-girl band to land a #1 album in America.

1980-Bruce Springsteen plays an epic show at the Nassau Coliseum lasting 4 hours, 38 minutes and covering 38 songs. The best we can tell, it's the longest Springsteen show ever.

1978-Bill Graham's Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco closes its doors for good after the Grateful Dead play their 48th concert there. Also on the bill: The Blues Brothers.

1978-The Runaways play their final show at Cow Palace, near San Francisco. The all-female hard-rock band have been through several line-up changes, but are finally torn apart through conflict between Joan Jett, who wants to take the band in a glam-rock direction, and Lita Ford who wishes to stay in the hard-rock genre. The band formally split the following April.

1978-Bauhaus play their first show, performing at the Cromwell Public House in Wellingborough, UK.

1975-Casablanca Records' single release party for Donna Summer's debut single, "Love To Love You Baby," features a life-size cake in the shape of the singer, flown in all the way from Los Angeles to New York (it's also Summer's 23rd birthday).

1975-Elvis Presley sets a new single-show solo record at a concert in Pontiac, Michigan, which earns $800,000.

Buckingham And Nicks Get Fleetwood Mac Offer
1974-Having lost guitarist Bob Welch, Fleetwood Mac make an offer to Lindsey Buckingham, but he comes as a package deal with his girlfriend, Stevie Nicks.More

1973-AC/DC makes their live debut at the Chequers Bar in Sydney, Australia.

1973-Journey, formed by ex-Santana members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon, make their live debut at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Rolie handles the lead vocals; Steve Perry doesn't join the group until 1977.

1972-Dick Clark begins a new holiday tradition as his first New Year's Rockin' Eve concert is broadcast on NBC; guests include Three Dog Night and Al Green.

1972-Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block is born in Needham, Massachusetts. He joins NKOTB just before turning 13.

1971-The Band plays at the New York Academy of Music with a full horn section. The following year, the show is issued as the double album Rock of Ages.

1971-David Clayton-Thomas and Fred Lipsius play their last show with Blood, Sweat & Tears at a concert in Anaheim, California. Clayton-Thomas goes on to a solo career.

1970-Paul McCartney sues to dissolve The Beatles partnership and breaks ties with Allen Klein, whom the other three members have chosen to manage their affairs. The case drags on for years until the partnership is finally dissolved in a 1975 private agreement.

1969-Jimi Hendrix's new group, Band of Gypsys, make their concert debut at the Fillmore East ballroom in New York City. The show is later released as the album Band Of Gypsys.

1969-A BBC TV special declares John Lennon Man Of The Decade on the same day that Rolling Stone names him Man Of The Year and New Musical Express quotes him as saying he's thinking of leaving The Beatles.

1968-Billboard magazine reports that this year, for the first time, US total music sales have topped one billion dollars.

1967-Sonny and Cher are suddenly disinvited to appear at tomorrow's Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, after publicly backing the "Sunset Strip Rioters," teenagers protesting the city's new curfew.

1966-The Monkees' "I'm A Believer," written by Neil Diamond, hits #1 in America. The song stays at the top for seven weeks.

1965-Alf Lennon, John's estranged father, releases "That's My Life (My Love And My Home)," a single designed to ride the coattails of John's success and his recent song "In My Life." John Lennon instructs manager Brian Epstein to make sure it is blackballed in the UK.

1963-Scott Ian (guitarist, backing vocalist for Anthrax) is born Scott Ian Rosenfeld in Queens, New York.

1963-The Kinks make their stage debut at the Lotus House Restaurant in London.

1962-John Phillips and Michelle Gilliam, who form The Mamas & The Papas in 1965, are married. Their marriage falls apart in 1968 around the same time the group implodes. They're officially divorced in 1970.

1961-The Beach Boys perform live for the second time, appearing on a bill with Ike & Tina Turner at the Ritchie Valens memorial dance in Long Beach, California. They earn $300 for their efforts.

1959-Paul Westerberg (lead singer, guitarist for The Replacements) is born in Minnesota.

1956-The BBC premieres its new musical variety show Cool For Cats.

1955-The first version of "Unchained Melody," recorded by Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra, is named the top-selling single of 1955 by Billboard. Baxter's version was featured in the movie Unchained; The Righteous Brothers have a huge hit with the song in 1965.

1952-When his original guitarist has a stroke just before a New Year's Eve gig, popular St. Louis boogie-woogie pianist Johnnie Johnson hires a 26-year-old hairdresser named Chuck Berry for his group The Sir John's Trio.

1951-Fermin Goytisolo (percussionist for KC and the Sunshine Band) is born in Cuba.

1951-Tom Hamilton (bass player for Aerosmith) is born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He co-writes the hits "Janie's Got A Gun" and "Sweet Emotion."

1948-Donna Summer, the "Queen of Disco," is born LaDonna Adrian Gaines in Boston, Massachusetts. She earns her new surname when a record label misprints her married name, Sommer, as Summer.

1947-Roy Rogers marries Dale Evans. They'll pen the famous Western tune "Happy Trails" just a few years later.

1947-Burton Cummings (lead singer, keyboardist for The Guess Who) is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1943-Pete Quaife (original bass guitarist for The Kinks) is born Peter Alexander Greenlaw Quaife in Tavistock, Devon, England.

1943-John Denver is born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. in Roswell, New Mexico.

1942-Andy Summers (guitarist for The Police) is born Andrew James Somers in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. The self taught guitarist, renowned for his use of modern electronic effects, is also a talented photographer and publishes several books of behind-the-scenes shots of the band recording and performing.

1940-After forming the rival company BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.), radio stations in the United States stop playing music licensed by ASCAP (the American Society of Publishers and Composers) in a dispute over fees. The boycott lasts 10 months, with stations filling airtime with non-ASCAP songs, mostly older tunes in the public domain.

1930-Blues and folk singer Odetta is born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Alabama. Named the "Queen of American folk music" by Martin Luther King Jr., Odetta sings "O Freedom" at the 1963 March on Washington.

1928Classic pop singer Ross Barbour (of The Four Freshmen) is born in Columbus, Indiana.

1920-Actor Rex Allen, who has a country hit with "Don't Go Near the Indians" in 1962, is born near Willcox, Arizona.

1912-Twelve-year-old Louis Armstrong fires his stepfather's pistol during a New Year's Eve celebration and is sent to the New Orleans Home for Colored Waifs, where his musical training begins. He joins the band and takes up cornet, astounding instructors by learning solo on "High Society."

1905-The composer Jule Styne is born Julius Kerwin Stein in London.

[Bikkie]

1859
New Zealand’s first lighthouse lit
Pencarrow Head lighthouse, at the entrance to Wellington Harbour, was lit for the first time amid great celebration.


Last meeting of the Legislative Council, December 1950
1951
Legislative Council abolished
The Legislative Council was New Zealand's Upper House, to which members were appointed, not elected. It ceased to exist on New Year's Day 1951.



In Music History

2019-Pegi Young, Neil Young's wife from 1978-2014, dies of cancer at 66. Pegi sang backup for Neil and released three solo albums.

2013-For the first time in 41 years, the New Year rings in without Dick Clark, who passed away in 2012. Clark, host of American Bandstand amongst many years of entertainment in TV and radio, hosted Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve from 1972 until 2012, even making video phone-ins from his hospital bed while recovering from a stroke in his later years. The show continues with many memorial tributes to Clark, as his protégé Ryan Seacrest takes over as the new host.

2013-Patti Page, a pop and country singer who had a huge hit with "Tennessee Waltz," dies at age 85, suffering from both heart and lung disease.

2012-During celebrations in Times Square, Lady GaGa shares a kiss with New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg just after the ball drops.

2011-Shania Twain gets married for the second time, this time to Frédéric Thiébaud, the ex-husband of Twain's former best friend Marie-Anne Thiébaud, who had an affair with Twain's first husband, Mutt Lange, leading to their divorce.

2011-Hugh Laurie, a blues artist and actor best known for his role on the TV drama House, wins the fourth Golden Mouth Organ Award on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Laurie earns the award by playing "Oh! Susanna."

2011-An 84-year-old Chuck Berry collapses on stage in Chicago at a New Year's Day concert. He makes a full recovery.

2010-Chris Cornell tweets that Soundgarden, split since 1997, are getting back together.

2007-Country singer Del Reeves - known for the 1965 novelty hit "Girl on the Billboard," among others - dies of emphysema at age 74.

2006-Flavor Flav's reality show, Flavor of Love, premieres on VH1. The series lasts for three seasons. Flav is one of the founding members of the pioneering rap group Public Enemy.

2006-Guitarist/songwriter Bryan Harvey (of House of Freaks) is murdered in his home along with his wife and two young daughters. The crime is part of the Richmond spree murders, a series of deadly home invasions in Virginia perpetrated by Ricky Javon Gray and his nephew Ray Joseph Dandridge over the course of a week.

2005-Ne-Yo earns his first #1 hit as a songwriter when "Let Me Love You," performed by Mario, seizes the top spot for the first of nine weeks. Billboard ranks the song as the eighth most successful single of the decade.

Gavin DeGraw Lands Top 10 Hit With One Tree Hill Theme
2005-Gavin DeGraw's "I Don't Want To Be," the theme song to the popular teen drama One Tree Hill, peaks at #10 on the Hot 100 in the midst of the show's second season.


2004-Charles Aznavour is named a Commander in the French Legion of Honor.

2003-Aretha Franklin sings the National Anthem when Michigan's first female governor, Jennifer Granholm, is sworn into office.

2002-56-year-old Eric Clapton marries the 25-year-old American graphic designer Melia McEnery, who will be the mother to three of his children: Julie Rose, Ella, and Sophie. It's a surprise wedding that takes place at St. Mary Magdalen church near London, where his 16-year-old daughter Ruth and 6-month-old Julie Rose are getting baptized. After the baptism, the vicar turns around and marries the couple to the astonishment of the 20 guests.

2000-George Harrison is informed that he will be able to play guitar again following knife injuries to his hand during Michael Abram's recent home invasion.

2000-George Harrison is informed that he will be able to play guitar again following knife injuries to his hand during Michael Abram's recent home invasion.

1997-Noah Kahan is born in the tiny town of Strafford, Vermont, the setting for his 2022 breakout hit "Stick Season."

1997-Townes Van Zandt, a long-suffering alcoholic, dies of a cardiac arrhythmia after hip surgery at age 52.

1995-Blues singer-songwriter Ted Hawkins dies of a stroke at age 58.

1991-Buck Ram - producer, songwriter, and arranger - dies in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 83. Produced all recordings by The Platters.

1990-The Clearwater, Florida, radio station WKRL becomes the first "All Led Zeppelin" station, kicking off the format flip with 24 straight hours of "Stairway To Heaven." The all-Zep rotation lasts two weeks, after which they become more of a traditional Classic Rock station (they also switch their call letters to WXTB).

1990-Ween release their debut full-length album, GodWeenSatan: The Oneness, on Twin/Tone records. The album contains 26 songs, some of which had appeared on the six cassette tapes the band had self-released in the late '80s.

1984-Blues musician Alexis Korner dies of lung cancer in London, England, at age 55.

1980-Cliff Richard becomes just the third rock act honored with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) designation, following The Beatles and Elton John.

1976-Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant walks for the first time following his horrible car accident in Greece the previous year.

1975-Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham officially join Fleetwood Mac, bringing with them the songs "Rhiannon" and "Landslide."

1972-Three Dog Night become the first rock band to ride on a float in the Rose Bowl parade. Three of their hits (including "Joy To The World") play on a loop as they traverse the route.

1972-Carole King's album Music, her follow-up to Tapestry, hits #1 in America.

1968-The Berkeley, California, swamp-rockers The Golliwogs change their name to Creedence Clearwater Revival.

1968-Al Stewart moves into a basement flat, number 10 Elvaston Place. One of his visitors is Yoko Ono, who records "The Snow Is Falling" there.

Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound Of Silence" Hits #1
1966-Simon & Garfunkel reunite after a reworked version of their song "The Sound Of Silence" hits #1 in the US.

1967-As a thank you to the citizens of San Francisco who helped raise bail money for two of their members who were jailed the previous day during a parade, the Hells Angels stage a concert at Golden Gate Park with performances by the Grateful Dead and Big Brother & the Holding Company (lead singer: Janis Joplin). The event is christened "The New Year's Wail."

1966-The Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass album Whipped Cream and Other Delights kicks off 1966 with its sixth week at #1 in America. It falls off the next week but returns for two more weeks in February. By the end of the year, Alpert's albums spend a total of 18 weeks at the top spot, more than any other act, including The Beatles.

1964-The Beach Boys begin the new year with a 7-hour session at Western Recorders in Hollywood, where they record "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "The Warmth Of The Sun."

Top Of The Pops Debuts With The Beatles at #1
1964-BBC-TV premieres a new musical variety show entitled Top Of The Pops, kicked off by The Rolling Stones' "I Wanna Be Your Man," followed by lip-synced performances from Dusty Springfield, The Dave Clark Five, The Hollies and The Swinging Blue Jeans.

1962-The Beatles and The Tremeloes both audition for Decca Records, with The Beatles performing 15 songs at the label's studio in London. Decca signs The Tremeloes but passes on The Beatles, reasoning that "guitar groups are on the way out."

1962-The romantic comedy If A Man Answers, starring real-life husband and wife Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee, debuts in US theaters. Darin writes and performs the hit title theme.

1959-For the first time, ABC-TV's teen dance program American Bandstand leads the US daytime television ratings.

Johnny Cash Plays To A Captive Audience At San Quentin Prison
1959-Johnny Cash plays one of his first jailhouse shows when he performs at San Quentin prison in San Rafael, California. Among those in the captive audience is Merle Haggard, who is serving time for burglary.

958-Grandmaster Flash is born Joseph Saddler in Barbados. The name "Flash" came about because he had a friend named Gordon, so one of their buddies called him Flash so they would be "Flash Gordon," like the sci-fi superhero.

1956-Carl Perkins releases "Blue Suede Shoes."

1955-Joan Weber's "Let Me Go Lover" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1953-Hank Williams dies of a heart attack in the back seat of a Cadillac while traveling to a concert in Ohio. He was 29.

1951-This being the Prohibition Era, performers are required to carry a "Cabaret Card" to play clubs in New York State. Charlie Parker's card is revoked because of drug charges against him, which makes it very difficult for him to earn a living.

1950-Morgan Fisher (keyboardist for Mott The Hoople) is born Stephen Morgan Fisher in Mayfair, London, England.

1942-Joe McDonald (lead singer of Country Joe & The Fish) is born in Washington, DC, but will grow up in El Monte, California.

1941-James West (lead vocalist for The Innocents) is born.

1940-W2XDG in New York becomes the first licensed FM station and begins broadcasting from the Empire State Building.

1923-Jazz vibraphonist Milt "Bags" Jackson is born in Detroit, Michigan. He is discovered by famous jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.

1900-Bandleader Xavier Cugat is born with the impressive moniker Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeu in Girona, Spain.

[Bikkie]

1938
First official airmail flight to San Francisco
The first official New Zealand airmail to the United States left Auckland for San Francisco on Pan American Airways’


In Music History

2019-Daryl Dragon of Captain & Tennille dies at 76.

2017-Arnold Schwarzenegger sends off Carnie Wilson on the first episode of The New Celebrity Apprentice, introducing his new firing line, "You're terminated. Hasta la vista, baby."

2014-Jay Traynor of Jay & the Americans dies at age 70.

2010-Kesha's first single, "TiK ToK," hits #1 on the Hot 100, where it stays for nine weeks, making it the longest-running chart-topper of 2010.

2008-With talk of a Kinks reunion in the air, the band's guitarist, Dave Davies, takes to the Internet to share his feelings: "It would be like a poor remake of Night Of The Living Dead."

2003-Pop singer Edward Farran (of The Arbors) dies of kidney failure at age 74.

2000-Jazz cornet and trumpet player Nat Adderley dies of complications from diabetes at age 68.

"Chocolate Salty Balls" Hits #1 In The UK
1999-"Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)" from the TV series South Park hits #1 in the UK.

1997-Randy California, the guitarist for Spirit and composer of the song "Taurus" that Led Zeppelin borrowed for the intro of "Stairway To Heaven," drowns at age 45 while rescuing his 12-year-old son from a rip current in Molokai, Hawaii.

1985-Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones marries his second wife, Jo Karslake, in Buckinghamshire, England, with guests Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, and the other members of the Stones (except Mick).

1993-With "The Last Song" charting at #24, Elton John logs his 23rd consecutive year with a song in the US Hot 100, breaking Elvis Presley's record. Elton's streak started in 1970 with "Border Song" and continues into 2000 with "Someday Out Of The Blue," stretching the new record to 31 years.

1981-David Lynch of The Platters dies of cancer at age 51 in Long Beach, California.

1981-Kelton "Little Drummer Boy" Kessee (drummer for Immature) is born in Los Angeles, California. He gets his first drum kit at age 6.

1978-Two months after quitting the band, Ozzy Osbourne rejoins Black Sabbath. The reunion doesn't last long: He's kicked out of the band the following year.

1975Doug Robb (lead singer for Hoobastank) is born in Agoura Hills, California.

1975-Suzi Quatro lands the cover of Rolling Stone magazine with the headline, "Suzi Quatro flexes her leather." With a string of UK hits under her cowhide, she's ready to conquer her home country (born and raised in Michigan), but fails to break through. The magazine does get the attention of Happy Days producers, who cast her on the show as Leather Tuscadero.

1975-US District Court judge Richard Owen allows John Lennon and his counsel access to his FBI files in his ongoing deportation case, on Lennon's suspicion that the deportation attempt is politically motivated.

1974-Country singer and actor Tex Ritter (father of actor John Ritter) dies of a heart attack in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 68. His first of many hits was 1944's "I'm Wastin' My Tears on You."

George Harrison's Solo Album Starts 7-Week Run At #11971
George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, his first album released after the breakup of The Beatles, begins a seven-week run at the top of the US albums chart.

1969-The Beatles begin work on what becomes their Let It Be album and accompanying film. The project is filled with tension as the band quarrels over the songs and the direction of the band. Both the film and the album are eventually released after the band breaks up.

1969-Police confiscate a shipment of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album Two Virgins at Newark airport, deeming the cover, which shows the couple naked, to be pornographic.

1965-Elvis Presley's soundtrack LP Roustabout hits #1.

1962-A scheduled appearance by The Weavers on the Tonight Show with host Jack Paar is canceled after the folk group refuses to sign a statement denying any involvement with the US Communist Party.

1955-In Memphis, the funeral is held for Blues star Johnny Ace, who accidentally shot himself on December 25, 1954. His pallbearers include Junior Parker and Roscoe Gordon.

1954-Eddie Fisher's "Oh! My Pa-Pa" hits #1 in the US.

1954-Glenn Goins (singer, guitarist for Parliament, Funkadelic) is born in Plainfield, New Jersey.

1950-Sam Phillips opens the Memphis Recording Service, which he later renames Sun Studio. Among the artists to record there is Elvis Presley, who gets his start recording with Phillips.

1946-Chick Churchill (keyboardist for Ten Years After) is born Michael George Churchill in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England.

1843-The opera Der Fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) by Richard Wagner premieres in Dresden.

1941-The Andrews Sisters release "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."

1936-Country singer-songwriter Roger Miller - known for crossover hits like 1964's "King of the Road" - is born in Fort Worth, Texas.

1930-Pop singer Julius La Rosa - known for '50s hits like "Anywhere I Wander" and "Eh Cumpari" - is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1926-The first edition of the legendary British music magazine Melody Maker is published, promising news and information for "all who are interested in the production of popular music."

1905-Composer Michael Tippett - known for the 1955 opera The Midsummer Marriage, among many other notable works - is born in Cornwall, England.

[Bikkie]

1930
First New Zealand-made 'talkie' screened
Coubray-tone news, the work of the inventive Ted Coubray, had its first public screening at Auckland's Plaza Theatre.



In Music History

2021-Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers dies at 78.

2019-Lifetime airs the first installment of the six-part series Surviving R. Kelly, which documents the singer's alleged sex crimes. John Legend is among those speaking out against Kelly in the series.

2017-Janet Jackson gives birth to her first child, a baby boy named Eissa Al Mana, at age 50. The father is the singer's husband, Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Mana.

2014-Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers dies of complications from lung disease at age 74.

2008-Britney Spears suffers from a mental breakdown in Beverly Hills, where she refuses to hand over her sons Jayden James and Sean Preston to their father, Kevin Federline. Britney is eventually taken to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center via ambulance and is admitted as a "special needs" patient.


Britney Spears Gets A Quickie Wedding
2004-Britney Spears marries her childhood friend Jason Alexander (not the actor) at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.

DMB Debuts "I Did It" On Napster
2001-The Dave Matthews Band become the first major artist to release a song on Napster when "I Did It" debuts on the controversial file-sharing platform.

1997-Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm publish an article called "Nitric Oxide And Inflammation: The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind" in the journal Nature Medicine. The article deals with the detection of mucosal inflammation, and while we can't speak to its medical efficacy, it does reveal a trend of biomedical researchers using Bob Dylan song titles and lyrics in their articles. The Swedish scientists had a friendly bet going to see how many Dylan references they could inject into their published work; a later study reveals hundreds of medical articles that had borrowed from Dylan, with the most popular song being "The Times They Are A-Changin'.

1995-Canadian news anchor Byron MacGregor, who reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 with his version of "Americans," dies of complications from pneumonia in Detroit, Michigan, at age 46.

1989-The Arsenio Hall Show debuts in syndication, bringing a spate of contemporary musical acts - including many hip-hop artists - to late night during its five-season run. Highlights include Mariah Carey's national TV debut in 1990, and a 1992 appearance by Bill Clinton, who uses his airtime to win over young voters on this way to the White House.

1987-The second class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is announced, and it includes the first woman: Aretha Franklin. The Coasters, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, Clyde McPhatter, Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, and Jackie Wilson also enter.

1981-David Bowie finishes his Broadway run as the title character in the play The Elephant Man.

1980-Mellow rocker Kurt Vile is born in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.

1980-R&B singer and pianist Amos Milburn dies after a series of strokes in Houston, Texas, at age 52. He is known for the 1953 hit "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer."

1976-American interest in The Bay City Rollers peaks as their song "Saturday Night" hits #1 for one week, which is good enough to get their faces on cereal boxes.

1974-Bob Dylan begins a 6-week tour in Chicago with The Band, who do double duty: backing Dylan and then playing their own set. In July, the double album Before The Flood is released, featuring highlights from the shows.

1970-Davy Jones announces he's leaving The Monkees, essentially dissolving the group, which had dwindled to a duo.

1970-Melody Maker names Al Stewart's Love Chronicles its folk album of the year.

1970-B.J. Thomas' "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" hits #1 in the US for the first of four weeks.

1970-Four days after learning that their movie Let It Be will be released in theaters, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr meet at Abbey Road Studios and record "I Me Mine" for the film and soundtrack.

1967-The Bee Gees set sail from Australia, where they've been living the past nine years, and head to England, the land of their birth, where they arrive five weeks later.

1967-Declaring himself a conscientious objector, The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson refuses to be sworn in after receiving an induction notice from the US Army.

1964-A month before The Beatles make their iconic live debut in the US on the Ed Sullivan Show, Americans get their first look at the Fab Four when Jack Paar shows a film clip of the band performing "She Loves You" on his TV show'

1957-Fats Domino records "I'm Walking."

1956-Elvis Presley plays a show at the Von Theater in Booneville, Mississippi, where he is advertised as "The Folk Music Fireball."

1946-Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones is born in Sidcup, Kent, England.

1945-Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield, and later, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, is born in Dallas, Texas. As a solo artist, he has a hit with his 1970 single "Love The One You're With."

1943-Songwriter and musician Van Dyke Parks, known for his work with The Beach Boys, is born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

1926-Beatles producer George Martin is born in London. He signs the group to EMI in 1962 and his expertise as an arranger helps shape the band's unique sound. Upon Martin's death in 2016, Paul McCartney states: "If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George."

1916-Maxene Andrews of The Andrew Sisters is born in Mound, Minnesota, to a family that already includes older sister LaVerne and will welcome younger sister Patty in two years.

1909-Victor Borge - pianist, conductor and comedian - is born Borge Rosenbaum in Copenhagen, Denmark.

1900-Lawyer turned composer Maurice Jaubert is born in Nice, France.

1843-The opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti and Giacomo Ruffini premieres in Paris.

[Bikkie]

1869 - Te Kooti is defeated at Ngatapa, Poverty Bay. He and his followers escape, though about 120 are later captured and executed. Te Kooti and his key lieutenants seek sanctuary with Tuhoe in the Urewera Ranges.

1896 - Utah enters the Union as the 45th state of the United States.

1936 - US Billboard magazine prints first popular music chart.

1948 - Burma (now Myanmar) becomes an independent republic.

1951 - North Korean and Communist Chinese forces take Seoul, South Korea.

1958 - Sir Edmund Hillary's team become the first to reach the South Pole overland since Robert Falcon Scott in 1912, and the first to do so in motor vehicles.

1960 - French author Albert Camus dies in a car accident, aged 46.

1964 - Pope Paul VI begins the first visit by a pope to Jerusalem.

1965 - Poet TS Eliot dies, aged 76.

2007 - Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

2010 - The world's tallest building, Dubai's Burj Khalifa, opens.

2016 - Robert Stigwood, Australian impresario who produced the Saturday Night Fever and Grease films and soundtracks, dies aged 81.



In Music History

2020-Mariah Carey becomes the first artist to top the Hot 100 in four different decades when "All I Want For Christmas Is You" stays at #1 for a third week.

2013-Rob Caggiano, longtime lead guitarist for the band Anthrax, announces he's quitting the band. The split is affirmed by all members as amicable, with Caggiano hinting that he'd like to work on other projects.

2013-Sammy Johns, who wrote and recorded "Chevy Van," dies at age 66.

2012-Bryan Ferry, 66, marries Amanda Sheppard, 29. Sheppard dated Ferry's son Isaac for a short time.

2011-Gerry Rafferty, who had a huge solo hit with "Baker Street" and was also a member of Stealers Wheel, dies at age 63.

2011-Grady Chapman of The Robins dies at age 81.

2010-After a concert in Paris, Marilyn Manson (40) proposes to his girlfriend, the actress Evan Rachel Wood (22). She accepts but they never get married and Wood later alleges abuse.

2007-Nikki Bacharach, daughter of popular composer Burt Bacharach and actress Angie Dickinson, commits suicide at age 40 after a lifelong battle with Asperger's syndrome. She was the inspiration for her dad's 1969 song "Nikki."

1991-Nirvana sign with Geffen Records. In September, their album Nevermind is released.

1986-After a long battle with addiction, Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott dies at age 36.

1979-Due to renewed interest in The Beatles, the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, reopens to the public. The club had been an important stepping stone for the band, as they played a residency there early on.

1975-Elton John's "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" hits #1 in the US. The Beatles' original, released in 1967 on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, wasn't released as a single.

1973-Neil Young kicks off his Time Fades Away tour in Madison, Wisconsin with Linda Ronstadt his opening act. Ronstadt is used to playing clubs, but wins over crowds at arenas throughout the tour with her mighty pipes. The following year, she releases her breakthrough album Heart Like A Wheel.

1973-The Allman Brothers Band publicly announce Lamar Williams as their replacement for recently deceased bassist Berry Oakley.

1972-Yes releases "Roundabout."

1970-The Who's Keith Moon accidentally runs over his chauffeur, Neil Boland, killing him. Apparently, Moon's car was under attack from some unruly teenagers, and when Boland jumped out to get them to move, Moon, in a panic, got behind the wheel to drive the car away himself. Unfortunately, the crowd had since pushed Boland under the car.

1968-Jimi Hendrix spends the night in a Swedish jail after trashing a hotel room, reportedly during a fight with his bandmate Noel Redding.

1967-The Doors break on through with their eponymous debut album. The Doors is a hit with listeners and critics alike and produces the single "Light My Fire," which quickly hits #1 in the US.

1966-Deana Carter is born in Nashville. Her dad is country guitarist Fred Carter, Jr.

1965-Leo Fender sells Fender Guitars to CBS for $13 million.

1965-Portishead lead singer Beth Gibbons is born in Devon, England.

1965-David Glasper of Breathe is born in Wales.

1964-Bobby Vinton's "There! I've Said It Again" hits #1 in the US for the first of four weeks.

1962-Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins is born in Grangemouth, Scotland.

1962-Peter Steele, the 6' 8" leader of the doom-rock band Type O Negative, is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1960-Marty Robbins' "El Paso" hits #1 in the US despite running a shocking 4:40.

1960-R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe is born in Decatur, Georgia. In 1980, he befriends Peter Buck, a store clerk at Wuxtry Records in nearby Athens who shares his weird taste in music. They quickly bring Mike Mills and Bill Berry into the fold and just one year later release their debut single, "Radio Free Europe."

1957-Louis Jordan records "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out."

1957-Elvis Presley reports for his pre-induction Army physical in Memphis.

1957-On NBC's Steve Allen Show, former heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis introduces the world to singer Solomon Burke, who performs Louis' song "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide."

1957-Patty Loveless is born Patty Lee Ramey in Pikeville, Kentucky. Her professional surname takes inspiration from her former married name, Lovelace.

1956-Bernard Sumner of New Order is born in Manchester, England.

1955-Talk Talk leader Mark Hollis is born in London.

1954-A young truck driver named Elvis Presley pays to record two songs at the Memphis Recording Service. It's his second visit, and this time MRS head Sam Phillips gets his number and later calls him to record for his Sun label.

1946-Arthur Conley, famous for his hit "Sweet Soul Music," is born in Georgia.

1942-Jazz guitarist John McLaughlin is born in Doncaster, England.

1936-Billboard magazine publishes their first "Hit Parade," which ranks songs based on sales and airplay. The first #1: "Stop! Look! Listen!" by Joe Venuti & his Orchestra.

1932-NBC begins airing The Carnation Contented Hour (named for the sponsor, Carnation Milk), which features performances by top musical acts. The show runs for 19 years.

1926-Songwriter Irving Berlin marries Ellin Mackay, heiress to the Postal Telegraph Cable Company. They remain married until her death in 1988.

[Bikkie]

1554- Great fire in Eindhoven, Netherlands
1593 -William Louis of Nassau becomes governor/viceroy of Drenthe
1638- Petition in Recife Brazil leads to closing of their 2 synagogues
1649 -Francesco Cavalli's opera "Giasone" premieres in Venice (the most popular opera of the 17th century)

1836- Davy Crockett arrives in Nacogdoches, Texas, to aid the revolution

Ford's $5 Day
1914- Industrialist Henry Ford announces his $5 minimum per-day wage, doubling most workers pay from $2.40 for a 9hr day to $5 for an 8hr day




In Music History

2019-The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne marries Katy Weaver in his hometown of Oklahoma City. The wedding itself takes place inside a plastic bubble like the one Coyne uses to surf crowds.

2017-Babymetal guitarist Mikio Fujioka dies from injuries resulting from a December 30 fall from an observation deck.

2016-Guns N' Roses confirm that Slash and Duff McKagan, who have not performed with the band since 1993, will join them for their headline set at Coachella. They later announce a full tour with Slash and McKagan.

2015-Good Charlotte's Benji Madden marries actress Cameron Diaz. Nicole Richie and Drew Barrymore are among the bridesmaids.

2010-Record producer Willie Mitchell, who ran Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, dies of a cardiac arrest at age 81.

2009-Sam "The Bluzman" Taylor dies of complications from heart disease in Islandia, New York, at age 74.

2005-Amerie releases "1 Thing."

2005-Danny Sugerman, second manager for The Doors who wrote a number of books about the band, dies of lung cancer at age 50.

2004-Ray Davies of The Kinks is shot in the leg when he pursues two men who snatched his girlfriend's purse. He sings about it on his 2018 track "The Big Guy."

2003-Little Richard guest stars on the "Special Edna" episode of The Simpsons.

Billie Joe Armstrong Arrested For DUI
2003-Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong is arrested for drunk driving in Berkeley, California, after he is caught speeding in his BMW convertible and blows a .18.More

2002-With the Pittsburgh Steelers down 24-7 in a playoff game against the Cleveland Browns, they play "Renegade" by Styx, which fires up the crowd and impels them to a comeback win. The song becomes a regular feature at Steelers home games, played in the second half when the team needs a boost.

1998-Ken Forssi (original bassist for Love) dies of a brain tumor in Tallahassee, Florida, at age 54.

1998-In the Ally McBeal episode "Cro-Magnon," a thirty-something Ally is reminded of her ticking biological clock when she hallucinates a baby dancing to the tune of Blue Swede's "Hooked On A Feeling." By the end of the episode, Ally relents and grooves along with the tot

1998-Sonny Bono (of Sonny & Cher) dies in a skiing accident in Nevada, near South Lake Tahoe, California, at age 62. An advanced skier, he goes off course to do some "tree skiing" when he crashes and dies. His wife and two children are with him on the slopes, but don't witness the accident.

1997-Johnny Cash plays Coyote, Homer Simpson's imaginary guru, on The Simpsons. Coyote tells Homer to buy more material possessions.

1991-Madonna's "Justify My Love," a new song included on her compilation album The Immaculate Collection, goes to #1 in America, her ninth topper on the tally. The song, co-written by Lenny Kravitz, gets a lot of attention thanks to its video, which was banned by MTV and subsequently released on home video.

1981-DJ/producer Deadmau5 is born in Niagara Falls, Canada. His birth name is Joel Zimmerman; he takes the name Deadmau5 (pronounced "Deadmouse") as his chatroom handle after claiming to find a dead mouse in his computer.

1980-"Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang becomes first rap song to hit the Top 40 when it reaches #37 on the chart.

Disco Rules With The Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack
1979-The double-album soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever reaches sales of 25 million worldwide, making it the best-selling LP in history.


1979-Jazz double bassist Charlie Mingus dies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in Cuernavaca, Mexico, at age 56.

1976-Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot and killed by police in Los Angeles after he brandishes an unloaded rifle (some claim it was an air gun) after becoming despondent.

1975-The Wiz premieres at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. An adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with an all-black cast, it stars future disco diva Stephanie Mills ("Never Knew Love") as Dorothy. In 1978, the production is turned into a movie starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.

1974-Bruce Springsteen performs "Rosalita" for the first time at a concert at Joe's Place in Boston. The song becomes a live favorite that Bruce often plays as an encore.

1974-The Carpenters' compilation album The Singles 1969-1973 hits #1.

1969-Marilyn Manson is born Brian Hugh Warner in Canton, Ohio. Contrary to the urban myth, Warner does not start his entertainment career playing Paul on The Wonder Years (that would be Josh Saviano). After a stint as a music journalist, he teams up with guitarist Scott "Daisy Berkowitz" Putesky and reinvents himself as Marilyn Manson i

1968-Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits album is certified gold.

1967-In order to avoid the draft, folk singer Jesse Winchester moves to Canada.

1966-Kate Schellenbach (drummer for Luscious Jackson) is born in New York City, New York.

1965-The Supremes record "Stop! In The Name Of Love" at Motown studios in Detroit. Soon after, they embark on the first Motown revue tour in Europe.

1963-Leonard Chess, co-founder of Chess records, tells Billboard magazine, "As it stands today, there's virtually no difference between rock and roll, pop and rhythm and blues. The music has completely overlapped."

1963-Grant Young (drummer for Soul Asylum) is born in Iowa City, Iowa.

1960-Phil Thornalley, "Torn" songwriter and producer of The Cure's Pornography album, is born in Worlington, near Mildenhall, Suffolk, England.

1950-Chris Stein (guitarist for Blondie) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1949-George "Funky" Brown (drummer for Kool & the Gang) is born in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1941-Carmen Miranda records "Chica Chica Boom Chic."

1940-The FCC hears the first demonstration of FM radio.

1932-Blues singer Johnny Adams, known for the '60s hits "Release Me" and "Reconsider Me," is born Laten John Adams in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1929-R&B singer Wilbert Harrison - who wrote the 1962 hit "Let's Stick Together," later known as "Let's Work Together" by Canned Heat - is born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1923-Record producer Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records (which launched careers for Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash), is born in Florence, Alabama.

1875-Paris' Palais Garnier, one of the most famous opera houses in the world, is inaugurated. Fourteen years previously, Parisian workers attempting to lay the concrete foundations of the opera house uncovered a vast swampy lake. That lake swirling beneath the building and its surrounding cellars inspire Gaston Leroux to write The Phantom of the Opera in 1910.

1649-The opera Giasone by Francesco Cavalli premieres in Venice.

[Bikkie]

1661- The Fifth Monarchists unsuccessfully attempt to seize control of London

1681- First recorded boxing match is organized by Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle, between his butler and his butcher

1690 -Joseph I, later Holy Roman Emperor and son of Emperor Leopold I, becomes King of the Romans and King in Germany

1720- The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings

1745- Bonnie Prince Charlies' Jacobite army draws close to Glasgow

1773- Massachusetts slaves petition legislature for freedom

1781- Battle of Jersey: Major Francis Peirson and his men defeat invading French troops

1784- Turkey and Russia sign a treaty in Constantinople

1960-New Zealand's first official TV broadcast
Broadcast from Shortland St in central Auckland, New Zealand’s first official television transmission began at 7.30 p.m.



In Music History

2024-Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan earns his Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt after 20 years of training.

2019-Kanye West debuts his weekly Sunday Service series at his home in Calabasas, California. The event, teased on social media by wife Kim Kardashian, features gospel-soul takes of Kanye's hits with the rapper's celebrity pals rounding out the congregation.

2017-Netflix launches a reboot of the '70s TV series One Day At A Time, this time with a theme song by Gloria Estefan and centered on a Cuban family. Estefan later appears on the show, playing Rita Moreno's sister.

2012-Wiz Khalifa is sued for $2.3 million over his hit song "Black and Yellow." Max Warren, who raps under the name "Maxamillion," claims Khalifa, his producers, and his label stole the song from him. In the lawsuit, Warren states that the idea for the song was taken from his copyrighted 2007 song "Pink and Yellow." Khalifa claims he's never heard of Warren or his music.

2012-NRBQ drummer Tom Ardolino dies of complications from diabetes at age 56.

2009-Ron Asheton (guitarist for The Stooges) is found dead of an apparent heart attack in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at age 60.

2007-"Sneaky Pete" Kleinow (pedal steel guitarist for The Flying Burrito Brothers), suffering from Alzheimer's, dies in Petaluma, California, at age 72.

1999Jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani dies at age 36. Born with a debilitating genetic condition, he became a top performer in his native France.

1999-Photographed by Annie Liebowitz, the Backstreet Boys appear in a print campaign with milk mustaches to promote the beverage.

1998-11-year-old Zac Hanson becomes the youngest songwriter ever nominated for a Grammy when Hanson's debut hit, "MMMbop," is considered for Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

1996-Eazy-E's posthumous single "Just Tah Let U Know" hits #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

1993-Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman leaves the group after 30 years of service. "I left because I didn't see anything new happening in the future," he says. "I realized if we played for another 10 years I'd still be playing 'Jumpin' Jack Flash,' 'Honky Tonk Women,' 'Street Fighting Man' until we packed up."

1993-Lucky Thirteen, a Neil Young compilation album with four previously unreleased tracks, hits stores. It's his second compilation album, with the first being the Decade triple album released in 1977.

1993-Jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie dies of pancreatic cancer in Englewood, New Jersey, at age 75.

1992-Steve Gilpin (vocalist for MI-sex) dies after a severe car accident leaves him in a coma in Southport, Queensland, Australia, at age 42.

1987-In Australia, Elton John has throat surgery to remove a lesion on his vocal chords, forcing him to cancel his upcoming US tour. It's good news: the lesion isn't cancerous and he makes a full recovery.

1986-Following a suicide attempt and an alcohol-fueled nervous breakdown, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford finally goes to rehab. He gets out a month later, completes the Turbo album with the band, and manages to stay sober.

1986-Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner is born in Sheffield, England.

1980-Georgeanna Tillman (of The Marvelettes) dies of lupus and sickle cell anemia a month shy of her 36th birthday.

1979-The Bee Gees' "Too Much Heaven" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1979-Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 album hits #1 in America.

1977-KISS' Rock And Roll Over album is certified Platinum.

A Talkbox Of Fun On Frampton Comes Alive
1976-Peter Frampton's live double album, Frampton Comes Alive!, is released. Powered by his trusty talkbox sound, it becomes one of the best-selling live albums in history.

1975-Pink Floyd begin recording their album Wish You Were Here after abandoning an earlier concept of an album recorded entirely with household objects.

1973-Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" hits #1 on the Hot 100. Listeners wonder just who the mystery man with the apricot jacket (high fashion!) is.

1968-Gibson patents their "Flying V" electric guitar.

1964-The Rolling Stones begin their first headlining UK tour. Opening act: The Ronettes.

1964-Mark O'Toole (bass player for Frankie Goes To Hollywood) is born in Liverpool, England.

1959-Neil Simpson (bass player for Climax Blues Band) is born in Stoke-on-Trent, England. At age four, he receives a toy guitar featuring a picture of The Beatles.

1959-Kathy Sledge (of Sister Sledge) rounds out the R&B group when she's born the youngest of the five sisters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1958-Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" hits #2, where it stays for four weeks before dropping down. It is held out of the top spot all four weeks by "At The Hop" by Danny & the Juniors.

1958-Danny and the Juniors' "At The Hop" hits #1 for the first of seven weeks.

1957-Elvis Presley makes his third and final appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, where he performs seven songs in three segments, including "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel" and "Heartbreak Hotel." He is only seen from the waist up, leaving viewers to speculate as to what the screams in the audience are about.

1956-Lonnie Donegan's cover of "Rock Island Line" enters the UK charts, eventually selling over three million copies and kicking off the national skiffle craze.

1953-Malcolm Mitchell Young (guitarist for AC/DC) is born in Glasgow, Scotland.

1951-Blues singer Kim Wilson (of Fabulous Thunderbirds) is born in Detroit, Michigan, but will be raised in Goleta, California.

1947-Sandy Denny is born Alexandra Denny in London. She becomes lead singer of Fairport Convention and the only guest vocalist to appear on a Led Zeppelin song ("The Battle Of Evermore").

1946-Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett is born Roger Keith Barrett in Cambridge, England. He's the band's leader in their early years but suffers from mental illness that leads to erratic behavior and his ouster in 1968. The band moves forward with Roger Waters and David Gilmour at the helm.

1940-Van McCoy is born in Washington, D.C. Known for the 1975 disco hit "The Hustle," he also writes a string of '60s hits, including "Giving Up" (Gladys Knight & the Pips and, later, Donny Hathaway) and "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" (Jackie Wilson).

1937-R&B singer-songwriter Doris Troy is born Doris Elaine Higginsen in The Bronx, New York.

1935-Nino Tempo is born Antonino LoTempio in Niagara Falls, New York. In 1963, he scores a #1 hit on the pop charts with "Deep Purple," a duet with his sister, April Stevens.

1934-Country musician Bobby Lord is born in Sanford, Florida, but is raised in Tampa. His biggest hit on the country chart is "Without Your Love" (1956) at #10.

1924-Bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs (The Bluegrass Boys, The Foggy Mountain Boys) is born near Boiling Springs, North Carolina.

1838-Romantic composer Max Bruch is born in Cologne, Germany.

[Bikkie]

Guy Menzies’ aeroplane at Harihari
1931
Bumpy landing for Tasman’s first solo flyer
Australian Guy Menzies’ flight from Sydney ended awkwardly when he crash-landed in a swamp at Harihari on the West Coast.



In Music History

2020-Rascal Flatts announce they are breaking up following a farewell tour slated for June. They don't get the chance, as the tour is cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2020-Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart dies of brain cancer at 67.

2013-Justin Bieber fans are the target of an online trolling campaign. Members of the image board 4chan claim to be implementing an awareness campaign to encourage the pop star to say "no" to drugs. The campaign's premise is "Cut for Bieber," and fans are encouraged to cut themselves and post photos of the damage online accompanied by the #CutForBieber tag on Twitter. Several hoax accounts post results in "response," but it appears no actual Bieber fans fall for the ploy. Earlier in October, a similar troll campaign called "Bald for Bieber" fizzled out, too. That one encouraged fans to shave their heads for the pop star based on the false rumor that he had cancer.

2013-Seattle hip-hop artist Freddy E dies at age 22 of an apparent suicide.

2013-R&B singer Sam Pace (of The Esquires) dies at age 68.

2012-"The One That Got Away" from Katy Perry's album Teenage Dream hits #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, making the album the first in history with seven #1s on that tally.

2012-Beyoncé and Jay-Z have their first child: a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter.

2011-Ed Sheeran releases what will be his final independent EP, No.5 Collaborations Project, in the UK. The EP goes on to reach #2 on the UK's iTunes chart, despite Ed having no label.

2011-Bobby Robinson, who did production work for Gladys Knight & the Pips and Elmore James, dies at age 93.

2009-At the People's Choice Awards, Carrie Underwood is the night's big winner, taking home the Favorite Female Singer, Country Song ("Last Name") and Favorite Star Under 35 Awards. Rascal Flatts takes the award for Favorite Group.

2006-Pink marries the motocross rider Carey Hart in Costa Rica.

2004-Chris Robinson (of The Black Crowes) and actress Kate Hudson's son, Ryder Russell, is born.

1999-Rod Stewart and the supermodel Rachel Hunter announce the end of their eight-year marriage.

1997-David Bowie's 50th birthday bash takes place at New York City's Madison Square Garden in the form of a charity concert benefiting Save the Children. Bowie's famous pals - including Sonic Youth, Lou Reed, Robert Smith, Billy Corgan, and Foo Fighters, among others - pay tribute with renditions of the singer's tunes. Bowie closes out the event with his 1969 hit "Space Oddity."

1992-Debbie Gibson makes her Broadway debut, playing Eponine in Les Miserables. It's the beginning of a long stage career for Gibson, who goes on to perform in productions of Grease and Beauty and the Beast.

1981-Eagles Live is certified Platinum; it is 13 years until the next Eagles album is released.

1980-R&B singer Larry Williams dies at age 44 of a gunshot wound to the head in what's eventually deemed a suicide, though some speculate he was murdered. Known for a string of enduring rock 'n roll hits from the mid-'50s, including "Bony Moronie" and "Short Fat Fannie."

1980-Led Zeppelin's In Through The Out Door is certified Platinum; it is the last Zep album issued while drummer John Bonham is alive.

1980-Doo-wop singer Carl White (lead vocalist for The Rivingtons) dies of acute tonsillitis in Los Angeles, California, at age 48.

1974-Carly Simon and James Taylor welcome their first child, Sally Taylor.

1973-Sean Paul is born Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques in Kingston, Jamaica.

1972-Bread's soft rock classic "Baby I'm-A Want You" is certified Gold.

1972-The St. Cleve Chronicle reports that a "Major Beat Group" will put music to the epic poem "Thick As A Brick," written by 8-year-old Gerald Bostock. The Society for Literary Advancement and Gestation (SLAG) had disqualified Bostock's poem from their competition, citing an "extremely unwholesome attitude towards life, his God and Country.

1971-The film Performance, starring Mick Jagger, premieres in London two years after its completion.

1970-Max Yasgur, whose farm in upstate New York hosted the original Woodstock Festival, is sued for $35,000 in property damages by neighboring farmers.

Charley Pride Plays The Grand Ole Opry
1967-Charley Pride becomes the first African American solo singer to perform at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville. He is invited to perform at the venerable country music mecca after the success of his hit "Just Between You and Me," which makes it to #9 on the Country music chart.

1964-Blues musician Cyril Davies (of Blues Incorporated) dies of endocarditis, an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, at age 31, a year after contracting pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of the lungs.

1963-Gary U.S. Bonds sues Chubby Checker, claiming that Checker's "Dancing Party" is essentially a rewrite of Bonds' hit "Quarter To Three." The case is settled out of court.

1959-Go-Go's guitarist/bassist Kathy Valentine is born in Austin, Texas.

1956-Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made of This" hits #1 in America for the first of six weeks, proving there's still room for crooners in the rock era.

1955-Marian Anderson is the first African-American singer to appear at the Metropolitan Opera. Her performance as Ulrica in Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera breaks barriers for black artists in the States.

1954-Muddy Waters records "Hoochie Coochie Man" at Chess Records in Chicago. It becomes a blues standard, with a feral energy that influences a new sound that's emerging: rock and roll.

1950-Ernest Tubb makes his first appearance at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

1950-Gene Autry's "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," based on a children's book written in 1939, hits #1 on the Billboard singles chart.

1948-Kenny Loggins is born in Everett, Washington, but eventually settles with his family in Alhambra, California.

1946-Andy Brown (drummer for The Fortunes) is born in Birmingham, England.

1946-Magazine magnate Jann Wenner, most famous for his work with Rolling Stone and for his role in establishing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is born in New York City.

1945-Dave Cousins (lead singer for The Strawbs) is born David Joseph Hindson in Hounslow, Middlesex, England.

1944-Michael McCartney is born in Liverpool, England. As "Mike McGear," he forms a band called The Scaffold, but he's best known as the younger brother of Paul McCartney.

1943-Country singer Leona Williams is born Leona Belle Helton in Vienna, Missouri. She writes the Merle Haggard hits "Someday When Things Are Good" and "You Take Me For Granted."

1942-Pop singer Danny Williams is born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

1939-Lefty Baker (guitarist, vocalist for Spanky & Our Gang) is born Eustace Britchforth in Roanoke, Virginia.

1938-Rory Storm (lead singer of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes) is born Alan Caldwell in Liverpool, England.

1937-Paul Revere (keyboardist for Paul Revere & the Raiders) is born Paul Revere Dick in Harvard, Nebraska.

1936-Jazz double-bass and cello player Eldee Young (Young/Holt Unlimited, The Ramsey Lewis Trio) is born Chicago, Illinois.

1930-Country musician Jack Greene, known for the 1966 hit "There Goes My Everything," is born in Maryville, Tennessee.

1924-George Gershwin finishes work on "Rhapsody In Blue."

1899-Composer and pianist Francis Poulenc is born in Paris, France.

1842-The opera Stabat Mater by Gioacchino Rossini premieres in Paris.

[Bikkie]

1863
Haast begins West Coast expedition
In January 1863, geologist Julius von Haast led an expedition in search of an overland route from the east to the west coast of the South Island.



In Music History

2024-21 Savage releases the official trailer for his movie American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, starring Donald Glover and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas from Stranger Things). There is no film: It's later revealed to be a marketing ploy to promote his American Dream album, which drops four days later and debuts at #1.

2021-Morgan Wallen releases Dangerous: The Double Album, with the hit "7 Summers." It debuts at #1 in America and stays there for 10 weeks, the longest run at the top since Drake's Views in 2016.

2021-Seventeen-year-old Olivia Rodrigo, known as an actress on various Disney shows, releases her debut single, "Drivers License," a heart-rending song that tops the charts in many territories, including America, where it stays at #1 for eight weeks.

2018-The college football national championship game stages a halftime show for the first time, with Kendrick Lamar taking the stage. Georgia is up 13-0 at the break, but Alabama comes back to win 26-23.

Blackstar Is Released Two Days Before David Bowie Dies
2016-David Bowie's Blackstar album is released on his 69th birthday. When Bowie dies two days later, it becomes clear that his ruminations on mortality are his parting words.

2015-Gospel singer Andraé Crouch dies of complications from a heart attack at age 72.

2014-Reather Dixon Turner of The Bobbettes dies at age 69.

2013-Enigmatic pop icon David Bowie releases the single "Where Are We Now?," from his upcoming album The Next Day. The date of the release also coincides with his birthday. It is his first release in over a decade.

2013-Twenty One Pilots release their breakthrough album, Vessel.

2012-Blues singer Dave Alexander, who sometimes recorded as Omar Shariff, dies at age 73.

2012-Rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard's FBI file is released. The report details nine arrests for the rapper, and says his group Wu-Tang Clan is "heavily involved in the sale of drugs, illegal guns, weapons possession, murder, carjacking and other types of violent crime."

2004-George Harrison's estate sues Dr. Gilbert Lederman of Staten Island University Hospital for $10 million, alleging he forced a dying Harrison to sign souvenirs for him.

2002-Fabian is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7065 Hollywood Blvd.

1997-Chuck D guest stars on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio episode "Rap," to face off against Phil Hartman's Bill McNeal, who is convinced rap music will destroy society.

Elvis Stamp Goes Into Circulation
1993-Shortly after midnight on what would have been Elvis's 58th birthday, a 29-cent stamp with his image is officially dedicated at a Graceland ceremony.

1991-Jeremy Delle, a 15-year-old student at Richardson High School in Texas, shoots himself in his English class. When Eddie Vedder reads about it, he writes the song "Jeremy" about Delle and other young people who have committed suicide in schools.

1991-Steve Clark of Def Leppard dies of an accidental drug overdose at age 30.

1989-Richard Marx marries Dirty Dancing actress Cynthia Rhodes, subject of his song "Right Here Waiting." They divorce in 2014.

1981-Linda Ronstadt makes her Broadway debut alongside Rex Smith and Kevin Kline in the revival of The Pirates of Penzance, which runs for 787 performances.

1980-Prince makes his national television debut, performing "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Why You Want To Treat Me So Bad" on the NBC variety show Midnight Special.

1979-Rush are named Canada's Official Ambassadors Of Music by the Canadian government.

1974-Kiss sign their first recording deal, with Casablanca Records.

1972-Dennis Coffey becomes the first white performer on Soul Train, performing his hit "Scorpio."

1969-Jeff Abercrombie of Fuel is born in Tennessee.

1968-Stax Records releases Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" and Sam & Dave's "I Thank You." Both are very successful, but neither artist scores another hit (Redding had died about a month earlier).

1967-R. Kelly is born Robert Sylvester Kelly in Chicago. He performs with the groups MGM (Musically Gifted Men) and Public Announcement before releasing his solo debut, 12 Play, in 1994, featuring the #1 hit "Bump N' Grind."

1966-Rubber Soul becomes The Beatles' seventh #1 US album. It stays at the top for six weeks.

1966-The last episode of Shindig on ABC features The Who and The Kinks.

1966-Mother Love Bone frontman Andrew Wood is born in Columbus, Mississippi.

1960-Harry Gifford dies at his London home, aged 82. He co-wrote "When I'm Cleaning Windows" with Fred Cliffe & George Formby.

1960-Eddie Cochran records "Three Steps To Heaven," which turns out to be his final recording session and his only #1 hit single in the UK.

1957-Rock and roll comes to Australia when Bill Haley, LaVern Baker and The Platters kick off a tour at Newcastle Stadium that continues on to West Melbourne Stadium and Sydney Stadium. It's the first rock stadium show, pre-dating the Beatles Shea Stadium concert by eight years.

1955-Loverboy frontman Mike Reno is born Joseph Michael Rynoski in New Westminster, Canada.

David Bowie Is Born
1947-David Jones is born in London. At age 18, he changes his name to David Bowie (after the Bowie knife) to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees.

1947-Terry Sylvester of The Hollies is born.

1946-The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger is born in Los Angeles.

1943-Marcus Hutson of The Whispers is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1943-Lee Jackson of The Nice is born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

1940-Jerome "Little Anthony" Gourdine of Little Anthony & the Imperials is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1937-Shirley Bassey is born in Cardiff, Wales. Known for recording several of the James Bond themes in the '60s and '70s.

1935-The King is born: Elvis Aaron Presley

[Bikkie]

1900 -Founding of Lazio Football Club: On January 9, 1900, nine young athletes founded Società Podistica Lazio in Rome's Prati district, initially as a running club. The club later expanded to include football in 1901. source: sslazio.it

1901- Millionaires' Dinner and U.S. Steel Formation: On January 9, 1901, steel magnate Charles M. Schwab hosted the "Millionaire's Dinner" at the Hotel Schenley in Pittsburgh, bringing together 89 wealthy individuals to discuss the formation of U.S. Steel, a consolidation of major steel companies into a single corporation. source: en.wikipedia.org

1902- Discovery Expedition reaches Cape Adare: On January 9, 1902, the British National Antarctic Expedition, led by Robert Falcon Scott aboard the ship Discovery, arrived at Cape Adare in Victoria Land, Antarctica. The crew conducted a brief landing and examined the remains of Borchgrevink's camp before continuing their journey along the Victoria Land coast. source: en.wikipedia.org

1903- Wind Cave National Park established: Wind Cave National Park, located in South Dakota, was established on January 9, 1903, as the seventh national park in the United States. source: nps.gov

1905- Bloody Sunday: Spark of the 1905 Russian Revolution: On 9 January 1905, following the Bloody Sunday massacre on 5 January, widespread unrest and strikes erupted across Russia, marking the beginning of the 1905 Russian Revolution.

1907 George Pardee concludes gubernatorial term in California: George Pardee served as the 22nd Governor of California from 1903 to 1907. His term concluded on January 9, 1907. source: en.wikipedia.org

1909- First pilot's licenses issued in France: On January 9, 1909, France issued its first pilot's licenses, marking a significant development in aviation history. source: en.wikipedia.org

1913- Birth of Richard Nixon: Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, was born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California. source: archives.gov

1915- Woman's Peace Party Established: The Woman's Peace Party was established at an organizational convention held in Washington, D.C., on January 9–10, 1915. The gathering was attended by more than 100 delegates representing women's organizations from around the United States. Jane Addams was elected President of the new organization. source: britannica.com

1917- Battle of Rafa in World War I: On January 9, 1917, British forces captured the Ottoman garrison at El Magruntein, near Rafa, marking the completion of the Sinai Peninsula's recapture. The Desert Column, including the ANZAC Mounted Division and Imperial Camel Corps Brigade, faced strong resistance but succeeded after intense fighting. British casualties were 487, with 71 killed; Ottoman losses included 200 killed and 1,434 captured. source: en.wikipedia.org

1919 -Freikorps Deployment in Berlin: On January 9, 1919, the Freikorps, a paramilitary organization composed of World War I veterans, were deployed in Berlin. The Freikorps were mobilized to suppress the Spartacist uprising, a left-wing revolt aimed at establishing a socialist government in Germany. Their deployment marked a significant escalation in the use of paramilitary forces to maintain order during the volatile post-war period. source: en.wikipedia.org

1920 -Tragic shipwreck of the Treveal: On January 9, 1920, the ship Treveal sank, resulting in a significant loss of life. The incident highlighted the dangers of maritime travel during this period and led to discussions on improving safety regulations.

1921- First Battle of İnönü in Greco-Turkish War: The First Battle of İnönü occurred on January 9, 1921, during the Greco-Turkish War. Turkish forces successfully repelled Greek troops, marking a significant turning point in the conflict and boosting Turkish morale



In Music History

2013-At the People's Choice Awards, One Direction win Favorite Album (Up All Night) and Favorite Song ("What Makes You Beautiful"). Katy Perry gets Favorite Music Video ("Part of Me"), Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Pop Artist, and Favorite Music Fan Following for her fan club, the Katycats.

2012-The White Stripes frontman Jack White appears on the History Channel show American Pickers. In the episode, White buys a stuffed elephant head for the sticker price of $12,500.

Steve Jobs Announces The iPhone
2007-John Mayer joins Steve Jobs onstage at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco to introduce Apple's latest invention: the iPhone.

2006-The Phantom of the Opera becomes the longest-running Broadway show when it marks its 7,486th performance at the Majestic theater, breaking the record held by Cats, another Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

2005-Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil marries Lia Gerardini at a ceremony in Las Vegas officiated by MC Hammer, who shared a house with Neil on the reality show The Surreal Life. Among the guests are his bandmates Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx, and basketball star Dennis Rodman. It's Neil's fourth marriage.

2005-D'Angelo is arrested for drunk driving in his Richmond, Virginia, hometown. He is also charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. The reclusive singer hasn't toured since 2000 and doesn't do so again until 2012.

2004-Miley Cyrus makes her movie debut in Tim Burton's Big Fish, playing 8-year-old Ruthie. She's credited as "Destiny Cyrus."

2003-MC Hammer and Vince Neil star in the first season of The Surreal Life on the WB network.

2002-MTV Cribs tours Mariah Carey's New York penthouse in a special one-hour episode. The pop star, who shows off her personal salon and department-store-sized closet, also demonstrates an elliptical workout in stilettos and enjoys a chaste bubble bath.

1999-Just seven months after hitting the top spot with his debut, DMX' second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, goes to #1 in America.

1991-Sinead O'Connor is named Worst-Dressed Woman of 1990 in Mr. Blackwell's annual list.

1984-Van Halen release their sixth album, 1984, which finds Eddie Van Halen playing synthesizer as well as guitar. It's their most popular album, reeling in new fans with radio-friendly songs like "Jump" and "I'll Wait" while feeding their faithful with rockers like "Panama" and "Hot For Teacher." Lead singer David Lee Roth leaves the next year, replaced by Sammy Hagar.

1981-Jazz drummer Cozy Cole, known for the 1958 hits "Topsy" and "Topsy II," dies of cancer at age 71.

1980-At The Fast Lane in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen takes the stage with the cover band Atlantic City Expressway to perform his song "The Promised Land." The group's lead singer is a 17-year-old high school kid named John Bongiovi, who later forms the band Bon Jovi.

1979-The Bee Gees perform "Too Much Heaven," the #1 song in America, at the Music For UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, and also donate royalties from the song to the charity. Other performers include Donna Summer, Rod Stewart and John Denver. It airs on NBC the next night, and later, a soundtrack album is released.

1978-A.J. McLean of Backstreet Boys is born in West Palm Beach, Florida.

1973-Lou Reed marries a cocktail waitress named Betty. Not much is known of this union, but apparently it doesn't last very long.

1968-Carl Bell of Fuel is born in Kenton, Tennessee.

1967-Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell is born in Santa Clara, California.

1967-Dave Matthews is born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He eventually settles in Charlottesville, Virginia, and forms The Dave Matthews Band.

1965-The Beatles' Beatles 65 jumps from #98 to #1 on the Billboard albums chart in one week. The group has two other entries in the Top 10 as well: A Hard Day's Night (#6) and The Beatles' Story (#7).

1963-Charlie Watts joins The Rolling Stones, replacing Tony Chapman as their drummer.

1963-Eric Erlandson of Hole is born in Los Angeles, California.

1962-Sam Cooke releases "Twistin' the Night Away."

1960-Patsy Cline becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

1951-Crystal Gayle ("Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue") is born in Paintsville, Kentucky. She's the younger sister of country singer Loretta Lynn.

1950-David Johansen, lead singer of New York Dolls, is born in Staten Island, New York.

1948-Paul King of Mungo Jerry is born in Dagenham, Essex, England.

1947--Frank Sinatra records the Irving Berlin ballad "Always."

1944-James Patrick "Jimmy" Page is born in Heston, Middlesex, England. He is a session musician in England before forming The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin.

1943-Scott Walker is born in Hamilton, Ohio. In the '60s, he has a number of UK hits as a solo artist and as a member of The Walker Brothers, who aren't actually brothers.

1943-Kenneth "Wally" Kelly, tenor vocalist in The Manhattans, is born in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1941-Singer Roy Head is born in Three Rivers, Texas. Known for the 1965 soul song "Treat Her Right."

1941-Joan Baez is born in Staten Island, New York. An unrelenting activist, she lends her voice and music to the Civil Rights Movement, leads protests against the Vietnam War, and fights to abolish the death penalty.

1898-Music hall star Gracie Fields is born Grace Stansfield at Rochdale, Lancashire, England.

1839-Composer John Knowles Paine is born in Maine.

[Bikkie]

Bishop Pompallier
1838
Catholic missionaries arrive in Hokianga
French Bishop Jean Baptiste François Pompallier arrived in Hokianga. His party celebrated their first mass three days later.


Ellen Dougherty, c.1895
1902
World's first state-registered nurses
Ellen Dougherty was one of the world’s first state-registered nurses. Grace Neill, Assistant Inspector in the Department of Asylums and Hospitals, advocated state registration of trained nurses, which was introduced by the Nurses’ Registration Act 1901.


Laura Hood and Dorothy Moncrieff wait for their husbands
1928
Pioneer aviators vanish over the Tasman
New Zealanders George Hood and John Moncrieff disappeared during a ‘gallant if somewhat ill-organised attempt’ to complete the first flight across the Tasman Sea.




In Music History

2025-Sam Moore, one of the soul men in the duo Sam & Dave, dies at 89.

2023-Jeff Beck dies at 78 after coming down with bacterial meningitis.

2019-In light of the Surviving R. Kelly miniseries, Lady Gaga pulls her 2013 R. Kelly collaboration, "Do What U Want," from streaming services and issues a statement supporting his accusers.

2018-Motörhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clark dies of complications from pneumonia at age 67.

2017-Buddy Greco dies in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 90. Greco was a jazz singer who recorded several hit songs across all genres, his most popular being a cover of "The Lady is a Tramp." He also palled around with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and was considered one of the Rat Pack's "mascots."

2016-Justin Bieber claims the top three spots on the UK singles chart, making him the first artist to do so. The songs:

#1: "Love Yourself"
#2: "Sorry"
#3: "What Do You Mean?"

2011-Margaret Whiting, a popular singer who duetted with Johnny Mercer on the seasonal favorite "Baby It's Cold Outside," dies at age 86.

2009-Fergie marries actor Josh Duhamel in Malibu, California. They split up eight years later.

2008-Panic! At The Disco announce they will be dropping their "!" with the release of their next album, Pretty. Odd.

2006-The High School Musical soundtrack is released. It sells 6000 copies its first week, but after the movie airs on January 20, it does a lot better, eventually selling over 4 million, making it the #1 album of 2006.

2003-British and Dutch police recover 500 Beatles master tapes missing since they were stolen from Abbey Road studios about 30 years earlier.

1999-The Sopranos debuts on HBO. Bruce Springsteen's guitarist, Steven Van Zandt, plays Silvio Dante, a character he modeled on his relationship with Bruce: Unlike most of Tony Soprano's inner circle, Silvio doesn't want to be the boss.

1997-James Brown gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1995-Rory Gallagher plays his last concert, in the Netherlands. Five months later he dies of complications from a liver transplant.

1985-Chris Isaak releases his debut album, Silvertone. The LP is named after his three-piece backup band.

1979-Chris Smith, the half of Kris Kross known as "Daddy Mac," is born in Atlanta. The duo has a #1 hit in 1992 with "Jump."

1979-Richard Carpenter of the Carpenters enters the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, to treat an addiction to quaaludes. He takes a year off after his treatment.

1978-Shinedown frontman Brent Smith is born Knoxville, Tennessee. He's the main songwriter in the band, delivering emotionally charged tunes like "Second Chance" and "A Symptom of Being Human."

1976-C.W. McCall's "Convoy" hits #1 in the US amid fascination with trucker culture and CB radios.

1969-Frustrated by a film crew recording the Let It Be sessions and plans his bandmates are making for a concert he wants no part of, George Harrison quits The Beatles, writing in his diary: "Got up. Went to Twickenham. Rehearsed until lunchtime. Left The Beatles. Went home." He is lured back a few days later with assurances that the concert would be cancelled and his wishes respected.

1964-Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies is born in Winnipeg, Canada. His super-deep voice powers their big hit, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm."

1956-Folk singer Shawn Colvin is born in South Dakota. Her song "Sunny Came Home" (about a woman who burns her house down) wins the Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1998.

1955-Rock guitarist Michael Schenker (of Scorpions and UFO) is born in West Germany.

1953-Pat Benatar is born Patricia Andrzejewski in Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York. Classically trained as a vocalist, she uses her exceptional range to soar into the choruses of hits like "Love Is A Battlefield" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." A fixture on MTV, she becomes one of the biggest stars of the '80s.

1953-Perry Como's "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" hits #1 in the US.

1949-The vinyl record format war heats up as RCA introduces the 45-RPM, 7-inch record. It eventually replaces the 78-RPM record for "singles" - one song on each side. The format takes off in the early years of the rock era.

1948-Donald Fagen of Steely Dan is born in Passaic, New Jersey.

1946-Aynsley Dunbar (drummer for Journey, Whitesnake, and Jefferson Airplane) is born in Liverpool, England.

1945-Rod Stewart is born in London, England. He joins the Jeff Beck Group from 1967-69 and Faces from 1969-75, but makes his biggest impact as a solo artist.

1944-Frank Sinatra Jr. is born Francis Wayne Emmanuel Sinatra to legendary crooner Frank Sinatra and first wife, Nancy Barbato Sinatra, in Jersey City, New Jersey. The name Emmanuel is an homage to Frank Sr.'s friend Manie Sacks, then head of Columbia Records.

1943-Jim Croce is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" hits #1 in July 1973, but Croce is killed in a plane crash just two months later. In the wake of his death, his song "Time In A Bottle" goes to #1.

1939-Scott McKenzie ("San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)") is born Philip Wallach Blondheim in Jacksonville, Florida, but is raised in North Carolina.

1939-Actor Sal Mineo is born in New York City. His music connection is on the operatic stage, where he played in NBC Opera Theatre's 1954 production of Richard Strauss' Salome and directed Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium in 1972.

1935-Ronnie Hawkins, whose group The Hawks is a precursor to The Band, is born in Huntsville, Arkansas.

1927-Johnnie Ray is born in Hopewell, Oregon. He becomes one of the most popular performers of the '50s, his career waning with the rise of rock and roll.

1927-Singer/violinist Gisele MacKenzie is born in Winnipeg. She finds popularity as a guest on several TV shows throughout the '50s, including The Jack Benny Program and Your Hit Parade.

1924-Jazz drummer Max Roach is born in North Carolina.

1917-Jerry Wexler is born in New York City. As a producer and executive with Atlantic Records, he plays a key role in the success of Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin and Wilson Pickett.

1915-Bandleader Buddy Johnson is born in Darlington, South Carolina.

1910-The French conductor Jean Martinon is born in Lyon, France.

[Bikkie]

Painting of Ruapekapeka pā, 1846
1846
Ruapekapeka pā occupied by British and Māori forces
The battle at Ruapekapeka (‘the bats’ nest’), a sophisticated pā built by the Ngāpuhi chief Kawiti, ended the Northern War. Debate soon raged as to whether the fortress had been deliberately abandoned or captured.



In Music History

2016-In the day after David Bowie's passing, his music videos on VEVO are viewed 51 million times, shattering the previous record of 36 million held by Adele after she released "Hello." Most of the views are for Bowie's last two videos, "Lazarus" and "Blackstar," which portend his death.

2013-Jimmy O'Neill, a DJ who hosted the TV show Shindig!, dies at age 73.

2013-Re/Create, a charity event to aid victims of 2012's Hurricane Sandy, holds a celebrity clothing auction. Among the items auctioned off are duds donated by music celebrities, including an autographed pair of Yeezy II sunglasses from Kanye West, a WeSC jacket Skrillex wore to the 2012 Grammys, a Mugler bag donated by Lady Gaga, and a Sue Wong evening gown from Kelly Osbourne.

2009-Bruce Springsteen wins Best Song from a Motion Picture for "The Wrestler" at the Golden Globe Awards. Mickey Rourke wins for Best Actor in a Drama for his work on the film.

2005-Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden dies of cancer at age 66.

2003-Mickey Finn, who helped supply the beat of glam rock as the drummer for T. Rex, dies at age 55.

2000-After serving half of his four-month sentence for possession of child pornography, Gary Glitter is released from a British jail.

1999-Peter Tork of The Monkees guest stars as a bandleader on the "Best Man" episode of The King of Queens.

1999-Pop singer Miss Toni Fisher, known for the 1959 song "The Big Hurt," dies of a heart attack at age 68.

1998-Nike debuts its "I Can" commercial, introducing the British band The Verve to a wide American audience with the song "Bitter Sweet Symphony." The song becomes the band's only hit in the States, which is bittersweet because they had to sign away royalties to the song to get the publishing rights to the string sample.

1996-Kenny G's Breathless becomes the first album of mostly instrumental tracks certified Diamond for sales of 10 million in America.

1995-Sean McDonnell (lead singer, guitarist for Surgery) dies at age 30, four days after suffering a severe asthma attack.

1994-Diana Ross makes Mr. Blackwell's Worst-Dressed List. Blackwell refers to her as "a Martian meter maid."

1992-Nirvana's Nevermind album hits #1 in America, unseating Michael Jackson's Dangerous.

1992-Nirvana make their first appearance on Saturday Night Live. They leave a mark: after performing their hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit," they play "Territorial Pissings" for their second song, then trash their instruments and anything else they can find on stage.

1992-Paul Simon becomes the first international artist to perform in Johannesburg, South Africa, since the lifting of the UN boycott. Simon had violated the UN ban by traveling to South Africa years earlier to find musicians for his Graceland album.

1971-Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers is born in Kingston upon Thames, England.

1971-Mary J. Blige is born in New York City. The "J." stands for Jane.

1967-Jimi Hendrix records "Purple Haze" at De Lane Lea Studios in London.

1964-The Whisky-a-Go-Go opens at Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, and quickly becomes a vital music venue. Some of the early acts to play the Whiskey include The Animals, The Doors and Otis Redding.

1964-Billboard publishes its first Country and Western Albums chart. Johnny Cash gets the first #1 with Ring of Fire.

1963-Despite warnings that a marriage would shatter his image as a teen idol, Frankie Avalon marries former beauty queen Kay Diebel. The union is successful and welcomes eight children, starting with Frankie Jr. in September.

1958-Vicki Peterson, who along with her sister, Debbi, forms The Bangles, is born in Los Angeles.

1949-Dennis Greene, singer with The Kingsmen and Sha Na Na, is born in New York City.

1946-Naomi Judd is born Diana Ellen Judd in Ashland, Kentucky. She and daughter Wynonna form the country duo The Judds and release their first album, Why Not Me, in 1984.

1942-Clarence Clemons, the saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, is born in Virginia.

1933-Country singer Goldie Hill is born in Texas. She lands a contract with Decca Records and releases her #1 hit "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes" in 1953.

1924-Bluesman Slim Harpo is born James Isaac Moore in Lobdell, Louisiana.

1895-Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ, is born in Evanston, Illinois.

[Bikkie]

Queen Elizabeth II speaking in Parliament, 1954
1954
Queen Elizabeth II opens Parliament
A crowd of 50,000 greeted Queen Elizabeth II, resplendent in her coronation gown, when she opened a special session of the New Zealand Parliament in its centennial year.


In Music History

2023-Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis, dies of cardiac arrest at 54.

Proud Mary Movie Irks Fogerty
2018-The movie Proud Mary opens in theaters with the tagline, "killing for the Man every night and day." John Fogerty is not pleased, tweeting his disapproval.

2014-Beautiful: The Carole King Musical opens on Broadway. It wins a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and is nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical.

2013-The 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow used by Freddie Mercury until his death in November 1991 is sold at an auction for £74,000 to a Russian businessman. It comes with a box of Kleenex Mansize tissues left in the car by the Queen frontman.

2013-Black Sabbath, complete with their newly reunited original frontman Ozzy Osbourne, announce the upcoming release of the album 13, the first Black Sabbath album in 18 years (since 1995's Forbidden).

2012-Lou Reed and John Cale of The Velvet Underground sue the Andy Warhol Foundation for licensing the iconic banana logo Warhol created for the band to third parties.

Vampire Weekend Release Contra With Unwitting Cover Girl
2010-Vampire Weekend release their second album, Contra, which goes to #1 in America. The cover girl is an unwilling subject, leading to a lawsuit.

2004-Randy VanWarmer, who had a hit in 1979 with "Just When I Needed You Most," dies of leukemia at age 48.

2003-While awaiting emergency surgery for a strangulated intestine, Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees dies unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 53.

2002-Saturday Night Live skewers the uproar over the rumor that 'N Sync will be appearing in the latest installment of the Star Wars franchise, Attack of the Clones. The skit features an over-the-top cameo by the boy band, including Jimmy Fallon as Justin Timberlake, singing their hit "Bye Bye Bye" and a Star Wars-themed ballad about being a "Jedi knight in these Jedi days."

2002-Adam Ant, suffering from manic depression, is arrested after bringing a starter pistol to a London pub and threatening to shoot customers. He left to get the pistol after some patrons were poking fun at him for his clothing.

Britney Spears Releases Debut Album
1999-Britney Spears releases her first album, ...Baby One More Time.

1998-The 13th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York. Inductees include the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas & The Papas, Lloyd Price, Santana, and Gene Vincent.

1995-The 10th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York. Inductees include The Allman Brothers Band, Al Green, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Martha and the Vandellas, Neil Young, and Frank Zappa.

1993-At the eighth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Cream, Ruth Brown, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Frankie Lymon & the teenagers, Etta James, Van Morrison, and Sly & the Family Stone are welcomed into the hall. Cream reunite on stage, but Morrison skips the ceremony, becoming the first living inductee to do so.

1993-Zayn Malik, the first One Direction member to go solo, is born in East Bowling, Bradford, England.

1992-The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and wife Jerry Hall have their third child, Georgia May Ayeesha.

1991-"I Touch Myself" by Australian new wave girl group Divinyls hits #1 on the Australian ARIA chart, #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #10 on the UK charts. This is a landmark event, as the song deals very frankly with female libido and sexual desire - not just as the passive object of a male.

1990-Bob Dylan plays the longest show of his career, performing 50 songs over four hours and 20 minutes at the club Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut. One of the songs in his set is "Dancing In The Dark," the only time Dylan covers a Bruce Springsteen song.

1981-The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) donates several rock albums to the Library of Congress, including Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and KISS' Alive!

1977-Stephen Stills and Neil Young's album Long May You Run is certified Gold.

1974-Melanie Chisholm - also known as Mel C or "Sporty Spice" of The Spice Girls - is born in Whiston, England.

1974-Steve Miller's "The Joker" hits #1 in the US, leaving many to wonder what exactly is the "pompatus of love."

1974-Jim Croce's album You Don't Mess Around with Jim, the one with "Time In A Bottle" and "Operator," hits #1 in America three months after his death in a plane crash.

1971-Janis Joplin's album Pearl is released, three months after her death from a heroin overdose. It goes to #1 and yields her only chart-topping single, "Me And Bobby McGee."

1970-Raekwon aka "The Chef" of Wu-Tang Clan is born Corey Quontrell Wood in Staten Island, New York.

1970-Zack de la Rocha, the lead singer and lyricist of Rage Against The Machine, is born in Long Beach, California. He uses his platform to draw attention to causes like the military-industrial complex ("Bulls On Parade") and police brutality ("Killing In The Name") while pushing musical boundaries by merging rock with rap.

Led Zeppelin Release Debut Album
1969-Led Zeppelin's self-titled debut album is released in America.More

1968-The Supremes play a trio of nuns on the Tarzan episode "The Convert."

1968-The Doors' album Strange Days is certified gold.

1965-Rob Zombie is born Robert Cummings in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He works as a production assistant for the popular children's series Pee-Wee's Playhouse before forming the band White Zombie.

1965-NBC debuts the variety show Hullabaloo!, their answer to ABC's Shindig!. The first episode features The New Christy Minstrels, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Zombies (introduced by Jack Jones), and Woody Allen.

1963-Steve Lawrence's "Go Away Little Girl," written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, hits #1 in the US.

1959-Per Gessle of Roxette is born in Sweden.

1959-Berry Gordy, who had a hit as a songwriter with "Lonely Teardrops," launches the Tamla Record Company with $800 he borrowed from his family. A year later, he changes the label's name to Motown Records.

1957-Elvis Presley records "All Shook Up," "Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do," "I Believe," and "Tell Me Why."

1955-A teenaged Etta James releases her first single, the #1 R&B hit "The Wallflower," re-titled from the scandalous-sounding "Roll With Me, Henry."

1955-NRBQ drummer Tommy Ardolino is born in Springfield, Massachusetts

1954-Felipe Rose (The Indian from The Village People) is born in New York City. An original member, he's with the group until 2017, when Victor Willis (the cop) assumes control and brings in a new lineup.

1951-Big Star guitarist Chris Bell is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1946-Jazz musician George Duke is born in San Rafael, California.

1945-Singer Maggie Bell of Stone the Crows is born in Glasgow, Scotland.

1944-Cynthia Robinson of Sly & the Family Stone is born in Sacramento, California.

1941-Blues musician Long John Baldry is born in England.

1939-William Lee Golden of The Oak Ridge Boys is born in Brewton, Alabama.

1930-Glenn Yarbrough of the folk group The Limeliters is born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1928-Soul singer Ruth Brown is born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Known for her huge voice, Brown is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

1926-Country singer Ray Price is born in Texas.

1906-Country blues performer Mississippi Fred McDowell is born in Rossville, Tennessee. The Rolling Stones cover his "You Gotta Move" on their 1971 album, Sticky Fingers.

1905-Country singer Tex Ritter is born Woodward Maurice Ritter in Murvaul, Texas. He becomes the first artist to sign with Capitol Records.

1723-The opera Ottone by George Frideric Handel premieres in London.

[Bikkie]

1890
'Torpedo Billy' Murphy wins world featherweight boxing title
By defeating Irishman Ike Weir at San Francisco, Murphy became the first New Zealander to win a world professional boxing title.



In Music History

2025-SZA appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, where she breaks down her 2017 song "Drew Barrymore." She tells the host that she inspired the song and was a big influence on her because Drew embraced her imperfections and was "unapologetically yourself."

2023-Iggy Azalea launches an OnlyFans account to promote her upcoming album Hotter Than Hell and post photos that are too racy for Instagram. The album never materializes, but Azalea becomes a top earner during her run on the platform, which lasts about a year.

2022-"Baby Shark" becomes the first video to reach 10 billion views on YouTube.

2022-Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes dies of cancer at 78.

2011-Ed Sheeran announces he has been signed to Atlantic Records.

2009-Season 8 of American Idol debuts, with songwriter Kara DioGuardi added as a fourth judge.

2008-Over five months after its release, Amy MacDonald's This Is The Life album reaches the top of the UK albums chart.

2003-British police arrest The Who guitarist Pete Townshend as part of their "Operation Ore" sting operation to crack down on child pornography. Townshend admits to having indecent images of children, but insists that he was doing research for an upcoming book dealing with his own experience with sexual abuse. He is placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.

1986-Ozzy Osbourne is taken to court by the parents of John McCollum, a depressed teenager who shot himself while listening to Ozzy's song "Suicide Solution." The parents claim that their son was driven to suicide by Ozzy's song. The court later throws the case out.

Frankie Gets Banned
1984-The BBC bans the Frankie Goes to Hollywood song "Relax" due to sexual content. The controversy generates tremendous interest in the song, which reaches #1 in the UK the following week.

1979-Donny Hathaway commits suicide at age 33 by jumping from the balcony of his 15th floor room at the Essex House hotel in New York City.

1978-The Police start recording their debut album, Outlandos d'Amour. Their budget is just £1,500, which drummer Stewart Copeland borrowed from his brother, entertainment executive Miles Copeland III.

1978-Elvis Presley's cover of "My Way" is certified Gold.

1979-The YMCA files a lawsuit against Village People for their hit single "Y.M.C.A.," claiming the song is defaming to the organization. The suit is not only dropped, but the Y.M.C.A. adopts the song as their nonofficial commercial jingle after seeing the huge popularity boost the group brings them. Later, the US Navy recruits Village People to try to work similar magic for Navy recruitment.

1976-Seven employees of Brunswick Records and Dakar Records are tried on charges of withholding more than $184,000 in artist royalties. The case is eventually thrown out, but the reputations of the defendants are irreparably damaged.

1976-Bic Runga is born Briolette Kah Bic Runga at Christchurch, New Zealand.

1973-Carly Simon's album No Secrets, featuring the hit single "You're So Vain," hits #1 in America.

1973-Eric Clapton returns to the stage for the first time in about 18 months, playing the first of two all-star shows at the Rainbow Theater in London. Recorded as Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert, it also features Pete Townshend (of The Who); Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Ric Grech and Rebop Kwaku Baah (of Traffic); and Ronnie Wood (of Faces). Townshend helped set up the shows to get Clapton out of his drug-induced depression. A highlight of both shows is Clapton performing on "Layla."

1972-Aretha Franklin performs the first of two concerts at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles that are recorded for her live album Amazing Grace, which sells over 2 million copies when it is released in June. Film footage is also shot, but the documentary doesn't appear until 2019, after Franklin's death.

1970-John Lennon and Yoko Ono have their hair cut and donate it to a charity auction.

Johnny Cash Plays Folsom Prison
1968-Johnny Cash plays two shows for inmates at Folsom Prison in California. Unlike his previous prison concerts, they are recorded and packaged into his acclaimed live album At Folsom Prison.

1968-Dr. K.C. Pollack of the University of Florida audio laboratory reports that tests have determined rock and roll concerts cause noise damage in teenagers' ears.

1965-Bob Dylan records "Farewell, Angelina," a landmark song in the evolution of his surrealist songwriting process. The recording, however, doesn't see the light of day until it's released on The Bootleg Series Volume 1-3: Rare & Unreleased over 25 years later.

1963-A pre-famous Bob Dylan appears in a British television play called The Madhouse on Castle Street, playing an itinerant musician. No recording exists, but Dylan supposedly played "Blowin' In The Wind" during the show, marking the first broadcast of the song.

1962-Country singer Trace Adkins is born in Sarepta, Louisiana. His many hits include "You're Gonna Miss This" and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk."

1962-Gene Chandler releases "Duke Of Earl."

1961-Suggs aka Graham McPherson (lead singer of Madness) is born in Hastings, Sussex, England.

1958-Marty Robbins' #1 country hit "The Story of My Life" peaks at #15 on the Hot 100. It's the first hit from Burt Bacharach and Hal David, who become one of the most prolific and renowned songwriting duos of the '60s and '70s.

1954-Trevor Rabin (guitarist for Yes) is born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Rabin is also a noted film composer with over 40 scores to his credit, including Remember the Titans (2002) and National Treasure (2004).

Occult Rocker Jinx Dawson Born
1950-Jinx Dawson, practitioner of the dark arts and frontwoman of the metal band Coven, is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1947-John Lees (founder of Barclay James Harvest) is born in Oldham, Lancashire, England.

1941-Glenn Miller makes the vocal group The Modernaires a part of his band. The quartet soon adds a female member, Paula Kelly, and appears on some of Miller's most popular songs, including "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "That Old Black Magic."

1938-Allan Jones records "The Donkey Serenade."

1927-Country singer-songwriter Liz Anderson is born in Roseau, Minnesota. Aside from her own hit "Mama Spank" (1964), she pens hits for other artists, including Merle Haggard ("(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers") and her own daughter, Lynn Anderson ("If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)").

1909-Jazz trombonist Quentin "Butter" Jackson is born in Springfield, Ohio. He starts his music career playing with Cab Calloway and later the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

1887-Comic singer Sophie Tucker is born Sonya Kalish in the Ukraine. She settles in Hartford, Connecticut, and sings at her family's restaurant for tips.

[Bikkie]

Bob Fitzsimmons
1891
Bob Fitzsimmons wins world middleweight boxing title
Fitzsimmons knocked out Jack Dempsey in New Orleans to become the second New Zealander to hold a world boxing title.

Trilobite limestone found by Malcolm Simpson
1948
14-year-old finds New Zealand’s oldest fossils
In 1948, a 14-year-old Nelson schoolboy discovered the oldest fossils ever found in New Zealand.



In Music History

2014-Bruce Springsteen appears on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, where he performs a reworked version of "Born To Run" titled "Gov. Christie Traffic Jam." In the song, Springsteen mocks a scandal where New Jersey governor Chris Christie's staff shut down parts of a road to retaliate against a mayor who didn't endorse him. "You're killing the working man who's stuck in the Governor Chris Christie Fort Lee, New Jersey, traffic jam," Springsteen sings.

2012-Little-known Lana Del Rey takes heaps of social media abuse for her lethargic performance on Saturday Night Live. She gets retribution when her Born To Die album, released two weeks later, earns her a global fanbase.

2008-Daughtry creates an uproar when he bad-mouths American Idol, saying the show is on the "decline." Randy Jackson refutes Daughtry's comment, but the show later suffers yet another season of declining ratings.

2002-Jon Bon Jovi makes the first of his 10 appearances on the TV series Ally McBeal playing Victor Morrison, a plumber who becomes Ally's boyfriend.

2000-Nashville-based country fan magazine Music City News closes its doors after 37 years of publication.

2000-We learn the paternity of Melissa Etheridge's two children when Rolling Stone reports that David Crosby is the surrogate father.

1999-Jerry Hall files for divorce from Mick Jagger, who contests it, claiming they were never actually married. Hall claims adultery, as the Brazilian model Luciana Morad is pregnant with Jagger's baby.

1998-After a three-year legal battle, Shirley Bassey is cleared of charges brought against her by her longtime assistant, Hilary Levy, who claimed Bassey slapped her and used an anti-semitic slur against her.

1997-The Beach Boys guest star on the "Karate Kid Returns" episode of the ABC sitcom Home Improvement.

1992-Tommy Page sings at Stephanie Tanner's birthday party on the Full House episode "Crushed."

1992-Jerry Nolan of The Heartbreakers and New York Dolls dies from a stroke at age 45 while being treated for meningitis and pneumonia.

1992-R. Kelly and Public Announcement release the album Born Into The 90's, with the hits "She's Got That Vibe" and "Honey Love."

1989-The soundtrack to the film Dirty Dancing reaches sales of ten million copies, which is now known as Diamond certification. The movie was set in 1963, and the soundtrack contained songs from that era along with new ones like "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," which were written for the film.

1984-Madonna makes her first appearance on American Bandstand. When asked by Dick Clark about her ambitions (blonde or otherwise), the singer replies: "To rule the world."

1980-Rush release Permanent Waves, their seventh studio album. "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" help make it their first to reach the Top 5 on the US albums chart, where it peaks at #4. The album represents a new direction for the band, with songs becoming denser and more radio friendly, setting the stage for the upcoming Moving Pictures.

1978-At the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, The Sex Pistols lead singer, Johnny Rotten, ends the show by telling the crowd, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Goodbye." It is their final concert until their 1996 reunion.

1978-Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album hits #1 for a record 31st week on the US chart.

1978-Player's "Baby Come Back" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1977-David Bowie releases Low, the first of three albums produced with the help of Brian Eno in which Bowie explores electronic music. Much of the album is instrumental.

1975-Joe Walsh's album So What is certified Gold.

1973-Elvis Presley's "Aloha From Hawaii" special is the first concert featuring just one performer to be broadcast live via satellite. Australia, Japan and other nearby countries see it live, while most other territories watch it later on tape delay. The concert is released as a double album later in the year.

1972-Paul Simon releases his second solo album, Paul Simon. It contains his first Garfunkel-less hits, "Mother and Child Reunion" and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard."

1970-John Lennon's erotic "Bag One" lithographs are exhibited publicly in London (and removed by Scotland Yard two days later).

1970-At the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, The Supremes play their last concert with Diana Ross, who introduces her replacement, Jean Terrell. Ross performs with the group just once more: at the Motown 25 TV special in 1983.

1969-Deep Purple record "Hey Bop A Re Bop" at the BBC; this alternative version of "The Painter" is not released until 2000 on the Remastered The Book Of Taliesyn.

1969-Dave Grohl (of Nirvana, Foo Fighters) is born in Warren, Ohio.

1968-LL Cool J is born James Todd Smith in Bay, New York. His stage name stands for Ladies Love Cool James.

1968-Martin Luther King, Jr. visits Joan Baez and other inmates at the Santa Rita Jail who are serving time for protesting the Vietnam War. Baez has long supported King, performing at his March On Washington in 1963 and joining his movement to peacefully desegregate Mississippi schools in 1966.

Tribes Gather For A "Human Be-In"
1967-Upwards of 25,000 people turn up at Golden Gate Park for "A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In" - a prelude to the Summer of Love.

1966-David Jones issues his first recording under the name "David Bowie." Jones changed his last name to Bowie in order to avoid confusion with the Monkees' Davy Jones. The single is called "Can't Help Thinking About Me" and is credited to David Bowie and the Lower Third.

1965-Richard Walters, better known as Slick Rick, is born in London, England. He's one of the first acts signed to Def Jam Records and becomes a rap legend upon the release of his 1988 solo debut, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick.

1960-United States Army Corporal Elvis Presley (53310761) receives a promotion to Sergeant.

1959-Geoff Tate (lead singer for Queensryche) is born in Stuttgart, West Germany.

1959-Chas Smash (of Madness) is born Cathal Joseph Smyth in London, England.

1957-Elvis Presley records "Wearin' That Loved On Look," "You'll Think of Me," and "I'm Movin' On."

1950-The Andrews Sisters' "I Can Dream, Can't I?" hits #1.

1948-Tim Harris (original drummer for The Foundations) is born in England.

1948-T-Bone Burnett is born Joseph Henry Burnett III in St. Louis, Missouri. A guitarist, songwriter and producer, he wins an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "The Weary Kind " from the 2009 movie Crazy Heart.

1938-Jack Jones is born in Hollywood, California, to actor Allan Jones and actress Irene Hervey.

1938-Allen Toussaint is born in New Orleans, where he makes a mark as a piano player, producer and songwriter. He plays on "Lady Marmalade" and writes "Southern Nights."

1938-Country singer Billie Jo Spears is born in Beaumont, Texas. Her first hit is "Mr. Walker It's All Over" in 1969.

1936-Soul singer Clarence Carter is born in Montgomery, Alabama.

1936-Harriet Hilliard records "Get Thee Behind Me Satan."

1931-Caterina Valente is born to Italian parents in Paris, France.

1929-Country singer Billy Walker is born in Ralls, Texas. Known for the 1962 hit "Charlie's Shoes."

1917-Jazz trumpeter Billy Butterfield is born in Middletown, Ohio. In 1940, he plays a legendary solo on Artie Shaw's hit rendition of "Stardust."

1908-Russ Columbo is born Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolfo Colombo in Camden, New Jersey.

1676-Italian composer Francesco Cavalli dies at age 73.

[Bikkie]

1535 - Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church in England.

1559 - Elizabeth I is crowned in Westminster Abbey.

1649 - French court leaves Paris at outbreak of Fronde Rebellion.

The rules of basketball way in 1892. Southland Times are published on this date.

1970
Vietnam War protesters greet US Vice-President
United States Vice-President Spiro Agnew’s three-day visit to New Zealand sparked some of the most violent anti-Vietnam War demonstrations seen in this country.


In Music History

2024-Elton John wins an Emmy for his Farewell From Dodger Stadium live special, completing his EGOT collection. He won his first Grammy in 1987 ("That's What Friends Are For"), his first Oscar in 1994 ("Can You Feel The Love Tonight" from The Lion King) and a Tony in 2000 for scoring Aida.

2018-Gospel star Edwin Hawkins dies of pancreatic cancer at age 74. With his Northern California State Youth Choir, he recorded an album at his church to raise money to send them on a trip. When the radio station KSAN got a copy, they started playing "Oh Happy Day," a hymn he arranged. This led to a record deal, the choir was renamed The Edwin Hawkins Singers, and the song became the first traditional gospel tune to become a pop hit, reaching #4 in America and #2 in the UK.

Dolores O'Riordan Dies
2018-Cranberries lead singer Dolores O'Riordan dies in London at 46 years old.

2015-Kim Fowley dies of bladder cancer in Hollywood, California. The self-styled "Lord of Garbage" and founder of The Runaways was an infamous eccentric and was often sighted in his later days walking the Las Vegas strip with a cane, and his hair dyed green.

2011-Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian marries Meat Loaf's daughter, Pearl Aday.

2011-Bluesman Fred Sanders Jr. dies of lung cancer at age 71.

2010-Charlie Daniels is rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke. Daniels recovers and is released from the hospital two days later.

2009-In Tupelo, Mississippi, Darius Rucker, once a headliner with his pop band Hootie & the Blowfish, joins Brad Paisley's tour, where he is third on the bill behind Paisley and Dierks Bentley. It's Rucker's first tour as a country artist; he's willing to do "everything the new guy does" to make it happen.

2005-Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera and Tim McGraw participate in a benefit for victims of the tsunami in Southern Asia.

2003-In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lou Rawls is arrested on one count of battery against his girlfriend.

1998-James Brown is admitted to a South Carolina hospital for addiction to painkillers. He's released a week later.

1994-Harry Nilsson, known by the mononym Nilsson, dies of heart failure at age 52, nearly one year after suffering a massive heart attack.

1994-Ska music bubbles under in America as Billboard publishes a cover story called "Hunt for 'Next Big Thing' Unearths Ska Underground." Bands like No Doubt, Reel Big Fish and Sublime soon break through with ska-inflected sounds.

1994-Counting Crows are the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, performing "Mr. Jones" and "Round Here." The appearance sparks sales of their debut album and sends radio stations scrambling to add the songs to their playlists. Despite this breakthrough appearance, the band is never asked back for the show.


1993-Prolific lyricist Sammy Cahn, known for enduring tunes like "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," dies of heart failure at age 79.

1992-Appearing on Entertainment Tonight, Brenda Lee criticizes the selections for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, noting the lack of female talent - such as The Shirelles, Dionne Warwick, and Connie Francis. She calls them "the women who pioneered rock and roll" and points out that they're just as important as the men.

1992-Johnny Cash, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Booker T. & the MG's, The Isley Brothers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Sam & Dave, and The Yardbirds are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

New "Give Peace A Chance" To Protest Gulf War
1991-On the United Nations deadline for Iraq to remove troops from Kuwait, a new version of "Give Peace A Chance" is released, with contributions from Iggy Pop, Tom Petty, LL Cool J and dozens of others.

1988-DJ/producer Skrillex is born Sonny Moore in Los Angeles.

1982-Harry Casey (the KC in KC and the Sunshine Band) is badly injured in a head-on collision in Hialeah, Florida. After a long rehab, he returns to action and lands another hit in 1984 with "Give It Up."

1981-Phil Collins plays "In The Air Tonight" on Top of the Pops with a paint can and brush nearby as props, seemingly a reference to the painter with whom his first wife cheated on him.

1981-Pitbull is born Armando Pérez in Miami. His high-energy, Latin-flavored rap finds an audience with his 2004 debut album M.I.A.M.I., but he goes international with his 2009 hit "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)."


Stevie Wonder Rallies For MLK Day

1981-Stevie Wonder leads a rally in Washington to get Martin Luther King's birthday declared an official holiday. He performs his song "Happy Birthday," written for King, which becomes a rallying call for the movement.

1977-Leo Sayer's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" hits #1.

1977-The Eagles' Hotel California album hits #1, taking over the top spot from Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life.

1974-With '50s nostalgia trending, Happy Days premieres on ABC with "Rock Around The Clock" as its theme song.

1974-Brownsville Station's "Smokin' In The Boys' Room" is certified Gold.

1972-Don McLean's "American Pie" hits #1 US for the first of four weeks. The single runs 8:36 - you have to flip the 45 over to hear all of it.

1971-George Harrison releases "My Sweet Lord" in the UK.

1971-Chase records "Get It On."

1969-Elvis Presley records "A Little Bit of Green" and "Gentle On My Mind."

1967-The Buckinghams record "Don't You Care."

1967-Lisa Velez (of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam) is born in Hell's Kitchen, New York City.

1967-Mick Jagger does as he's told and sings "let's spend the night together" as "let's spend some time together" when The Rolling Stones appear on the Ed Sullivan Show. Jagger rolls his eyes derisively when he sings the altered line.

1967-The film The Fastest Guitar Alive, starring Roy Orbison and Sheb Wooley, premieres in New York City.

1965-The Who's first single, "I Can't Explain," is released in the UK.

1965-Bob Dylan records "Maggie's Farm" in Studio A at Columbia Recording Studios.

1964-The King and I soundtrack album is certified gold.

1961-The Supremes sign with Motown Records. Along with Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, there is a fourth member, Barbara Martin, who leaves a year later. All except Martin are under 18 (Ross is 16) and need parental consent, which is granted after label boss Berry Gordy and his sister, Esther, win over their parents.

1958-Elvis Presley records "Hard Headed Woman," "Trouble," "New Orleans," "King Creole," and "Crawfish."

1952-Cellist Melvyn Gale (of Electric Light Orchestra) is born in London, England.

1948-Ronnie Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist, guitarist, and driving force) is born in Jacksonville, Florida.

1942-The Glen Gray Orchestra records "It's the Talk of the Town."

1941-Captain Beefheart is born Don Vliet in Glendale, California.

1936-Edward "Sonny" Bivins of The Manhattans is born in Macon, Georgia.

1930-Blues guitarist Earl Hooker is born in Quitman County, Mississippi.

1909-Jazz drummer Gene Krupa is born in Chicago, Illinois.

[Bikkie]

Cover of WAAF recruitment booklet
1941
Women's Auxiliary Air Force founded
The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) was formed to enable the Royal New Zealand Air Force to release more men for service overseas during the Second World War.



In Music History

2021-Renowned producer Phil Spector, 81, dies after getting coronavirus in prison, where he was serving time for killing the actress Lana Clarkson in 2003.

2019-At the Forum in Los Angeles, the surviving members of Soundgarden play their first show together since Chris Cornell's passing as part of the star-studded I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell concert.

2018-Eminem is questioned by the Secret Service about lyrics in his song "Framed," where he imagines Ivanka Trump murdered in the trunk of his car. Agents determine he is not a threat; Eminem later raps about it on his song "The Ringer": "Agent Orange just sent the Secret Service to meet in person."

2016-Alanis Morissette debuts her advice column for The Guardian, answering a plight from a woman on the brink of an emotional affair.

2016-Bruce Springsteen begins The River Tour with a show in Pittsburgh. His 1980 album The River is the centerpiece of the tour, played start to finish at many stops. The tour is the year's most successful, grossing over $268 million.

2015-Puddle of Mudd frontman Wesley Scantlin is arrested at the Denver International Airport after he takes a baggage carousel for a joyride into a restricted area. A local fan bails him out, but the band is still hours late for their performance, and an angry promoter tells the audience he will never book the act again.

2014-Toni Tennille files for divorce from husband Daryl Dragon. The Captain & Tennille duo had been married for 39 years.

2008-Radiohead is slated to perform a free gig at a small record store in London, but nearly 1,500 fans turn up, forcing the band to move the show to a nearby club.

2002-A section of Interstate 80 in California is renamed the "Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway."

1999-The inaugural ball for Minnesota Governor (and former professional wrestler) Jesse Ventura goes down at the Target Center in Minneapolis. America play "Ventura Highway," and Warren Zevon does "Werewolves Of London" with Ventura, wearing his trademark bandana and feather boa, howling along on stage.

Jamaican Police Maica Mistaica, Shoot At Jimmy Buffett's Plane
1996-Jamaican police mistake Jimmy Buffett for a drug smuggler and shoot at his seaplane (the Hemisphere Dancer) after it lands in the water. Bono of U2 is on board with his family, along with Island Records head Chris Blackwell.

1992-Eric Clapton goes acoustic, recording Eric Clapton Unplugged for MTV. The album wins six Grammy Awards, including Record Of The Year.

1991-The Byrds, LaVern Baker, John Lee Hooker, The Impressions, Wilson Pickett, Jimmy Reed, and Ike and Tina Turner are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the sixth class. The event is overshadowed by news that America has launched airstrikes on Iraq, starting the Persian Gulf War.

1988-George Harrison hits #1 with "Got My Mind Set On You," becoming the act with the longest time between #1 hits - it was 24 years since "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)." The Beach Boys break this record when "Kokomo" hits #1 in November.

1988-Tina Turner performs at Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro to a sell-out crowd of 180,000, setting a new record for attendance at a performance by a solo artist.

1981-The TV series Harper Valley P.T.A., inspired by the Jeannie C. Riley song and the 1978 movie of the same name, debuts on NBC. Barbara Eden, who played scandalous single mom Stella Johnson in the movie, reprises her role. The show lasts two seasons.

1980-Paul McCartney packs about half a pound of marijuana in his luggage, which lands him 10 days in a Tokyo jail upon arrival. He had the weed in New York and wanted to bring it with him to smoke on tour, saying, "This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet, so I thought I'd take it with me."

1979-Cher's divorce from Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers becomes final.

1979-Roger Miller sings a medley of songs on The Muppet Show. He also sings "In the Summertime" in a patch of musically skilled watermelons and drops the bombshell news that he, like the all-chicken cast of Vet's Hospital, once suffered from "Cluckitis."

1979-Aaliyah is born Aaliyah Haughton in Brooklyn, New York.

1975-Paul McCartney and Wings arrive in New Orleans to begin sessions on their Venus and Mars album at Allen Toussaint's Sea Saint studios. They stay through Mardi Gras.

1975-Jazz musician Paul Beaver (of Beaver and Krause) dies at age 49.

1975-Sly and the Family Stone fail to attract much notice with their eight-show, six-night "comeback" bid at Radio City Music Hall.

1973-Bruce Springsteen performs at Villanova University, Philadelphia, to an audience of 25 people. His concert had not been advertised due to a strike by Villanova's school newspaper The Villanovan.

1973-Gospel singer Clara Ward (leader of The Famous Ward Singers) dies at age 48 after suffering two strokes.

1972-David Seville (real name: Ross Bagdasarian), who created The Chipmunks, dies of a heart attack at age 52.

1971-At a press conference in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis Presley pleases the conservative crowd when he says, "I don't go along with music advocating drugs and desecration of the flag. I think an entertainer is for entertaining and to make people happy."

1970-John Lennon's "Bag One" exhibit at the Arts Gallery in London is closed down by Scotland Yard. The original Lennon lithographs in the exhibit are ruled obscene. Eight prints are confiscated.

1969-Aretha Franklin's attorney calls police in Ocala, Florida to let them know the woman who has been performing there as Franklin - quite convincingly - is a fake. The imposter, Vickie Jones, is arrested but set free when it becomes clear she was coerced into the scheme by an unscrupulous promoter. She becomes a popular live draw when news of her arrest, and how she can believably sing like Aretha, gets out.

1968-Blue Cheer release their debut album, Vincebus Eruptum. Considered a high-water mark of psychedelic music, it's also a formative influence on the heavy metal genre.

1965-The Guess Who release their debut album, Shakin' All Over.

1964-The musical Hello, Dolly! opens on Broadway, starring Carol Channing in the title role. The show is a huge hit, and a recording of the title song by Louis Armstrong goes to #1 in May, knocking The Beatles out of the top spot.

1962-Paul Webb (bassist for Talk Talk) is born in Essex, England.

1962-Maxine Jones (of En Vogue) is born in Paterson, New Jersey.

1959-Sade is born Helen Folasade Adu in Ibadan, Nigeria. She moves to England with her mother when she's 4, and after studying fashion design in London, she forms the band Sade in 1982. Their first album, Diamond Life, is released in 1984 and includes the hit "Smooth Operator."

1957-Little Richard records "Lucille."

1957-The Cavern Club, where The Beatles cut their teeth, opens in Liverpool, England.

1950-Damo Suzuki (lead singer of the German band Can) is born Kenji Suzuki in Japan.

1948-John Carpenter, horror film director and composer, is born in Carthage, New York. Known for Halloween, The Thing, and Christine.

1944-Country pop singer Jim Stafford is born in Winter Haven, Florida. His first charting hit is "Swamp Witch" in 1973.

1943-Ronnie Milsap is born in Robbinsville, North Carolina. He becomes country music's first successful blind singer, starting with his first chart-topper, "Pure Love," in 1974.

1942-Billy Francis (keyboardist for Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show) is born in Mississippi.

1942-Kay Kyser records "A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Gal)."

1942-Electric blues guitarist Barbara Lynn, known for the 1962 R&B hit "You'll Lose A Good Thing," is born Barbara Lynn Ozen in Beaumont, Texas.

1939-Ray Phillips (of The Nashville Teens) is born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, South Wales.

Benny Goodman Brings Jazz To Carnegie Hall
1938-Clarinetist Benny Goodman, who many call an improvisational genius, breaks through cultural barriers to play the first-ever jazz concert at Carnegie Hall.

1934-Bob Bogle (lead guitarist, bassist for The Ventures) is born in Oklahoma.

1932-Duke Ellington records "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got that Swing)."

1929-Jazz drummer G.T. Hogan is born in Galveston, Texas.

1908-Broadway entertainer Ethel Merman is born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann in Astoria, Queens.

1853-Italian guitarist Matteo Carcassi dies in Paris.

[Bikkie]

Extract from the Act published in the Taranaki Herald
1853
New Zealand Constitution Act comes into force
Governor Sir George Grey issued a proclamation to bring the New Zealand Constitution Act (UK) 1852 into operation, establishing a system of representative government for the colony.



In Music History

2015-olice are called to the Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas in the wee hours of the morning, where a fight involving The Weeknd is raging. The R&B singer is arrested after allegedly punching a cop who tries to intervene.

2015-Smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy: "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson (with vocals by Bruno Mars) goes to #1 and stays for an amazing 14 weeks, making it the biggest hit of 2015. Hanging around the chart at #36 is "Riptide" by Vance Joy, which also mentions the actress Michelle Pfeiffer in the lyric.

2012-Johnny Otis, the bandleader and talent scout who discovered Etta James, dies at age 90.

2011-Don Kirshner (promoter behind The Monkees, The Archies) dies of heart failure at age 76.

2008-After stopping off at a local shop in London on her way home from visiting her husband, who remains in prison, Amy Winehouse blows off some steam and attacks a photographer, which leads to the singer being escorted away by the police.

2008-Gene Simmons is the third contestant fired by Donald Trump on Season 7 of The Celebrity Apprentice.

2006-Kristen Hall announces she is leaving Sugarland. According to a statement by fellow bandmates, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, Hall chose to quit so she could "stay home and write songs."

2001-After failing to convince his bandmates to take a year off so they can all pursue side projects, bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica. He is eventually replaced by Robert Trujillo.

2000-Garth Brooks is named the 1990s' Artist of the Decade at the American Music Awards, having sold more than 95 million albums, more than any other American recording artist.

1996-David Bowie, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Jefferson Airplane, Little Willie John, Pink Floyd, The Shirelles, and The Velvet Underground are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1993-Aretha Franklin, Michael Bolton, Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, and Diana Ross perform at President Bill Clinton's inauguration ceremonies.

1992-The movie Juice opens in theaters, starring Tupac Shakur, Queen Latifah and Cindy Herron of En Vogue.

1992-Mick Jagger attends the premiere of his film Freejack at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

1990-The Fifth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include Hank Ballard, Bobby Darin, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, The Kinks, The Platters, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Who.

1986-Olivia Newton-John gives birth to her daughter, Chloe. The father is her husband Matt Lattanzi, who co-starred with Olivia in Xanadu.

1976-Earth, Wind and Fire's album Gratitude hits #1 in America.

1974-Singer Dino Martin (not to be confused with his more famous father, Dean) is arrested on suspicion of possession and sale of firearms. He is arraigned and released the next day on $5,000 bail.

1972-Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee, is renamed "Elvis Presley Blvd."

1971-Kid Rock is born Robert James Ritchie in Romeo, Michigan.

1971-Halftime entertainment at Super Bowl V in Miami comes courtesy of the Southeast Missouri State Marching Band. Marvin Gaye does the national anthem.

1970-R&B singer Billy Stewart dies in a car accident in North Carolina at age 32.

1970-Nina Simone's "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" peaks at #76, where it will stay for one week.

1968-Elvis Presley records "U.S. Male."

1967-London's Daily Mail newspaper carries an article about potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire, inspiring John Lennon to mention it in "A Day In The Life."

1960-Berlin bassist John Crawford is born in California. He's the main songwriter in the group, penning tracks like "The Metro" and "No More Words."

1959-Susanna Hoffs is born in Los Angeles, California. She forms the Bangles after answering an ad placed by the sisters Debbi and Vicki Peterson.

1956-Paul Young ("Everytime You Go Away") is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

1955-Country rocker Steve Earle is born in Fort Monroe, Virginia.

1949-Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones guitarist) is born in Welwyn Garden City, but raised in nearby Hatfield, England.

1945-R&B singer William Hart (of The Delfonics) is born in Washington, D.C.

1944-French singer-songwriter Françoise Hardy is born in Paris.

1943-'60s singer Chris Montez is born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez in Los Angeles, California.

1942-Cassius Clay is born in Louisville, Kentucky. Later changing his name to Muhammad Ali, he becomes a champion boxer and one of the world's most famous athletes. His clever, boastful raps during interviews and other public appearances influence hip-hop, and he becomes an icon of the genre. He is also one of the first athletes to make music: his cover of "Stand By Me" is a minor hit in 1964.

1941-Gene Krupa records "Drum Boogie."

1927-Eartha Kitt is born in North, South Carolina.

1920-Jazz composer George Handy is born George Joseph Hendleman in New York City.

1913-Jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Vido Musso is born in Carini, Italy.

1712-English composer John Stanley is born in London.

[Bikkie]

1871 - While Prussian guns bombard Paris, the Reich is formed when William I of Prussia is crowned the first emperor of Germany.

1913 - Greek and Turkish naval forces battle off Tendos Isle.

1968 - United States and Soviet Union agree on draft treaty to control nuclear weapons.



In Music History

2016-Glenn Frey dies at age 67. Years in the fast lane took a toll on Frey, who suffered from a host of ailments. Frey founded the Eagles, and along with Don Henley, led the group throughout their career. He had a successful solo career while the group was on hiatus, reaching #2 with "The Heat Is On" in 1985.

2015-John Legend and Common perform "Glory" (from the movie Selma) at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, to celebrate Martin Luther King Day and honor the march King led from the bridge to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.

2015-Dallas Taylor, former Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young drummer, dies of complications from pneumonia and kidney disease in Los Angeles, California, at age 66.

2009-A wide range of top musicians including Mary J. Blige, U2, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, will.i.am, James Taylor, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Usher and Stevie Wonder, perform at a concert in Washington, DC, to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.

2008-Amid casting sessions for American Idol, Clay Aiken makes his Broadway debut in New York City in Monty Python's Spamalot.

1996-Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson.

1991-Three teenagers are killed at an AC/DC concert at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah when they are crushed in the crowd. The band learns of the tragedy a few songs later; they complete the show at the request of the fire marshal.

1990-Eric Clapton plays the first of an 18-night concert run at Royal Albert Hall in London.

1989-The Fourth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include Dion, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder.

1987-Steve Winwood marries Eugenia Grafton.

1985-USA Today readers select Cleveland, Ohio, as their choice for the permanent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1983-Samantha Mumba, known for her hit debut single "Gotta Tell You" (2000), is born in Dublin, Ireland.

1980-Famous Southern-rock record label Capricorn files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

1980-Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager are sentenced to 3 ½ years in jail on charges of tax evasion, which soon brings the legendary disco to an end.

1978-Warren Zevon releases his most popular album, Excitable Boy, filled with outlandish story songs like "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner" and "Werewolves Of London." It's co-produced by Jackson Browne.

1978-Neil Sedaka is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1977-President Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Concert takes place the night before the swearing-in, featuring performances by Linda Ronstadt and Aretha Franklin, among others. John Lennon and Paul Simon are among those spotted in the crowd.

1977-Michael Tierney is born in Sydney, Australia. He and his brother, Andrew, along with next-door neighbor schoolmates Phil Burton and Toby Allen form the Australian boy band Human Nature while they are students at Hurlstone Agricultural High School in Sydney.

1975-Barry Manilow's "Mandy" hits #1 in America. The song was written as "Brandy" but changed to avoid confusion with the Looking Glass hit "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)."

1975-Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago officially declares today Bobby Vinton Day as a tribute to the artist.

1974-Free's Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, Mott The Hoople's Mick Ralphs, and King Crimson's Boz Burrell unite to form the band Bad Company.

1973-At The Forum in Inglewood, California, The Rolling Stones perform a benefit concert for the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua, where Mick Jagger's wife Bianca is from. The show raises $400,000.

1971-Korn frontman Jonathan Davis is born in Bakersfield, California. With a talent for bagpipes and beatboxing, he brings a unique sound to the band. Many of their songs deal with his childhood traumas in a rather visceral way, including "Mr. Rogers" and "Daddy."


Iconic Coke Commercial Is Born
1971-The McCann-Erickson advertising agency takes a meeting with British songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway to record a Coca-Cola commercial with the group the New Seekers, which becomes "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing."

1970-DJ Quik is born David Marvin Blake in Compton, California.

1969-Former Beatles drummer Pete Best wins a defamation suit against his former group. Best sued over remarks Ringo made in an interview implying that he was kicked out of the band because of drug use.

1969-Neil Young records "Cowgirl in the Sand."

1968-At a White House luncheon to discuss the rise in urban crime, Eartha Kitt gets into a notorious spat with First Lady Claudia Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson, declaring, "Vietnam is the main reason we are having trouble with the youth of America. It is a war without explanation or reason." Although accounts of the entire argument differ, Kitt is subsequently blackballed in America.

1968-Joan Baez is released from jail after serving 31 days for a protest where she and other antiwar demonstrators blocked the entrance to the Armed Forces Induction Center in Oakland, California. "Jail is really peanuts," she tells reporters. "It's nothing for people like us."

1966-Lyricist Fred Wise dies aged 50 in New York, the city of his birth.

1965-Paul Simon drops out of law school to pursue music full-time.

1960-Johnny Preston's "Running Bear" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1956-Tom Bailey (lead vocalist for Thompson Twins) is born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England.

1953-Brett Hudson is born in Portland, Oregon, the youngest in The Hudson Brothers lineup.

1948-The Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour debuts on the Dumont network, a spinoff of Major Bowes' popular radio series. Teresa Brewer and Pat Boone, among others, are discovered via the program.

1944-New York City's Metropolitan Opera House holds its first Jazz concert, featuring Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden.

1944-"Legs" Larry Smith (drummer for Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band) is born in Oxford, England.

1943-English composer/keyboardist Dave Greenslade is born in Woking, Surrey, England.

1941-David Ruffin (of The Temptations) is born in Meridian, Mississippi. He takes the lead on the hits "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud To Beg."

1941-Country/pop singer Bobby Goldsboro is born in Marianna, Florida.

1939-Louis Armstrong records "Jeepers Creepers," a song he sings to a horse in the movie Going Places.

1928-Dmitri Shostakovich's opera The Nose premieres at the Maliy Opera Theatre in Leningrad.

[Bikkie]

1845-Hōne Heke cuts down the British flagstaff - again
The first Māori to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, Ngāpuhi chief Hōne Heke Pōkai soon became disenchanted with the consequences of colonisation.


Strongman mine memorial
1967-Nineteen killed in Strongman mine explosion at Rūnanga
Nineteen men were killed when an explosion ripped through the Strongman coal mine at Rūnanga. An inquiry found that safety regulations had not been followed and a shot hole for a charge had been incorrectly fired.



In Music History

2017-3 Doors Down, Toby Keith and Sam Moore are among the performers at President Donald Trump's inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

2013-Steve Knight (keyboardist for Mountain) dies of complications from Parkinson's disease in New York, at age 77.

2012-The documentary Searching for Sugar Man premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Malik Bendjelloul, the film traces the seemingly unbelievable-but-true musical career of Sixto Rodríguez.

2010-At the trial of Matt Baker, a Texas man accused of killing his wife in 2006, his former mistress Vanessa Bulls testifies against him, claiming he sent her an email with these lyrics from the The All-American Rejects song "Dirty Little Secret": I'll keep you my dirty little secret Don't tell anyone or you'll be just a little regret Baker is convicted of murder.

2009-The blind guitarist Jeff Healey wins Entertainer Of The Year at the Maple Blues Awards in Toronto thanks to his debut album, See The Light, which includes the hit "Angel Eyes."

2008-John Mayer makes a special visit backstage to meet Miley Cyrus during her Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds Tour in Las Vegas.

2008-John Stewart (of The Kingston Trio) dies of a massive stroke, or possible brain aneurysm, at age 68. Wrote the Monkees hit "Daydream Believer."

2008-Charlie Daniels is inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Marty Stuart and Connie Smith.

2007-Denny Doherty of The Mamas & The Papas dies of kidney failure at age 66 after surgery for a stomach aneurysm.

2006-Wilson Pickett dies of a heart attack at age 64.

2004-VH1 goes on a mission to bring '80s bands back together with the series Bands Reunited, successfully reanimating A Flock of Seagulls, Scandal, The Alarm, and in this first episode, Berlin. Extreme and New Kids On The Block don't reunite for the show but do a few years later.

2002-The Strokes make their first appearance on Saturday Night Live, where they sing "Last Nite" and "Hard To Explain" from their debut album, Is This It.

2000-Josh Clayton-Felt of School of Fish dies from aggressive testicular cancer.

1998-Carl Perkins dies at age 65 after suffering three strokes over the last two months.

1994-The Ninth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include The Animals, The Band, Duane Eddy, The Grateful Dead, Elton John, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Rod Stewart. Axl Rose performs "Come Together" at the ceremony with Bruce Springsteen - it is Axl's last public appearance until 1998.

Return Of The Mac For Clinton's Inauguration
1993-Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks return to Fleetwood Mac to perform Bill Clinton's campaign song, "Don't Stop," at his inauguration ceremonies.

1992-Rapper Mac Miller is born Malcolm McCormick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His 2011 debut album Blue Slide Park goes to #1 in America despite being independently distributed.

1990-Reba McEntire makes her acting debut fending off snake-like monsters in the horror flick Tremors, starring Kevin Bacon.

1982-Bad Religion release their first full-length studio album, How Could Hell Be Any Worse?

1977-Charlie Daniels and The Marshall Tucker Band perform at President Jimmy Carter's inauguration ceremonies.

1974-Two Miami shows featuring Bob Dylan and The Band prove so popular that they cause a nine-mile-long traffic jam. Many ticket holders only get to see half of the show(s).

1974-Al Wilson's "Show And Tell" hits #1.

1973-The Bobby Darin Show, starring the singer, debuts on NBC. It is canceled in April.

1971-Alan Passaro, a member of the Hells Angels biker gang who stabbed 18-year-old Meredith Hunter to death during a concert by The Rolling Stones at their Altamont Speedway concert in Livermore, California on December 6, 1969, is acquitted of murder after 17 days of testimony in which the jury sees footage of the documentary Gimme Shelter that shows the stabbing. The Hells Angels were hired as security at the concert, and when Hunter brandished a gun, Passaro killed him. The Stones kept playing, unaware that a fan had been killed.

1971-John Wozniak (lead singer of Marcy Playground) is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1971-The Beatles' "Helter Skelter" is played at Charles Manson's murder trial as evidence. Manson claimed the song was about an impending race war, and led to murderous acts.

1970-The Easy Rider soundtrack, featuring "Born To Be Wild," "If 6 Was 9" and "Ballad of Easy Rider," is certified Gold.

1969-R&B singer Trey Lorenz is born Lloyd Lorenz Smith in Florence, South Carolina. He starts his music career as a backing singer for Mariah Carey and gains notoriety when they team up on the duet "I'll Be There."

1967-The Beatles start recording "A Day In The Life," leaving a placeholder in the middle section that is later filled with Paul McCartney's "Woke up, fell out of bed" part, taken from another song he was working on.

1967-Lesley Gore shows up on the Batman TV series, playing Catwoman's sidekick, Pussycat. She sings her new single "California Nights" on the show.

1966-Simon & Garfunkel release "Homeward Bound."

1966-The documentary A Boy Called Donovan airs on British TV. The film follows the singer Donovan as he goes to parties and makes music. In one scene, one of his associates is seen smoking marijuana, which is kind of shocking. This makes Donovan a target for the London drug squad, who make him their first high-profile bust when they arrest him in June for possession of marijuana. Members of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are later victims.

1963-Caron Wheeler (lead singer of Soul II Soul) is born in Acton, London, England.

1961-The night before John F. Kennedy's inauguration, Frank Sinatra throws a star-studded gala to eradicate the Democratic Party's $2 million campaign debt. With the help of Peter Lawford, fellow Rat Packer and husband of JFK's sister Patricia, Sinatra enlists elite entertainers for the evening, including Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte, Gene Kelly, Ethel Merman, and actors Laurence Olivier, Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, and Bette Davis.

1959-Arbitron ratings reveal that ABC's American Bandstand is now the nation's most popular daytime show.

1959-The Platters' "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is on top of the Billboard Pop Chart.

1957-Pat Boone performs at the inaugural ball for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1957-Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" hits #2 on the Hot 100, the highest he ever gets on the tally.

1957-Mickey Virtue (keyboardist for UB40) is born in Birmingham, England.

1957-Elvis Presley records "It Is No Secret," "Blueberry Hill," "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," and "Is It So Strange."

1957-Johnny Cash appears for the first time on national TV when he appears on The Jackie Gleason Show.

1953-Marty Robbins makes his stage debut at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry.

1953-Desi Arnaz Jr. is born to Hollywood powercouple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, stars of the wildly popular sitcom I Love Lucy. The birth is a pop culture milestone as the couple's fictional counterparts, Lucy and Ricky, welcome "Little Ricky" at the same time (a smart, but controversial, decision to write Ball's pregnancy into the show). Shortly after, Desi Jr. appears on the very first cover of TV Guide. He goes on to form a band with Dean Martin's son Dean Paul and schoolmate Billy Hinsche (Dino, Desi & Billy).

1952-Dewey Bunnell (of America) is born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

1951-Martha Davis (lead singer of The Motels) is born in California.

1949-Robert Palmer is born in Batley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He lands his breakthrough singing on the Alan Brown Set's 1969 single "Gypsy Girl."

1948-Harvey Hinsley (guitarist for Hot Chocolate) is born in Northampton, England.

1947-Original Deep Purple lead singer Rod Evans is born in Buckinghamshire, England.

1946-Dolly Parton is born in Sevier County, Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children. In 1967, she gets a big break when country star Porter Wagoner brings her on to co-host his popular TV variety show; Parton writes the song "I Will Always Love You," later a huge hit for Whitney Houston, as a heartfelt goodbye when she sets out on her own.

1944-Laurie London, known for the 1958 hit single "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," is born in Bethnal Green, East London, England.

1944-Shelley Fabares is born in Santa Monica, California. She becomes famous as daughter Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show, on which she performs the hit song "Johnny Angel."

1943-Janis Joplin is born in Port Arthur, Texas.

1942-Michael Crawford is born Michael Patrick Smith in Salisbury, England. He originates the title role in the Broadway musical The Phantom of the Opera.

1939-Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers is born in Chicago, Illinois, the younger brother of future bandmate Don.

1908-Comedian and cornet player Ish Kabibble is born Merwyn Bogue in North East, Pennsylvania. He borrows his stage name from the novelty song "Isch ga-bibble," a play on a Yiddish expression meaning "I should worry?"

[Bikkie]

1957
Scott Base opens in Antarctica
Captain Harold Ruegg, Administrator for the Ross Dependency, opened Scott Base, New Zealand’s permanent Antarctic research station, during a ceremony on Ross Island.



In Music History

2025-President Donald Trump joins The Village People on stage when they headline the Liberty Ball, part of his inauguration festivities - their song "Y.M.C.A." was a staple at his rallies. Billy Ray Cyrus, Nelly and Jason Aldean also take the stage; other acts performing at inauguration events include Kid Rock, Rascal Flatts, Gavin DeGraw, Parker McCollum and Carrie Underwood, who sings "America the Beautiful" without a backing track at the swearing-in ceremony when there's a technical glitch.

2023-Marshall Tucker, a blind piano tuner from South Carolina whom The Marshall Tucker Band was named for, dies at 99.

2022-Meat Loaf dies at 74. His 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell is one of the best-selling albums of all time; its 1993 sequel, Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, contains the #1 hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)."

2021-Garth Brooks sings "Amazing Grace" at the inauguration of Joe Biden at the request of incoming First Lady Jill Biden. Brooks explains his performance is not a political statement, but "a statement of unity."

2021-At Joe Biden's inauguration, Lady Gaga sings the national anthem and Jennifer Lopez belts out "This Land Is Your Land" before he is sworn in. At night, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Demi Lovato, and Tim McGraw all perform on a socially distanced concert special capped by a massive fireworks display on the National Mall as Katy Perry sings, of course, "Firework."

2021-On his last day in office, President Donald Trump pardons Lil Wayne, who pleaded guilty to weapons charges. Days before the election, the rapper was photographed with Trump and tweeted his support.

Ozzy Releases Toy Bat With Removable Head
2019-Marking the 37th anniversary of that time he bit the head off a bat, Ozzy Osbourne's official store releases a plush bat with a detachable head.

2016-Mamma Mia, here we go again! The Swedish pop quartet ABBA reunite for the first time in eight years to celebrate Mamma Mia! The Party, a restaurant inspired by the long-running musical.

2015-Edgar Froese (drummer for Tangerine Dream) dies of a pulmonary embolism at age 70 in Austria.

2013-Bob Engemann (of The Lettermen) dies of complications from heart bypass surgery at age 77.

Etta James Dies
2012-Etta James dies at age 73 of leukemia complications.

Tiffany Inadvertently Outs A New Kid
2011-Appearing on the Bravo show Watch What Happens Live, Tiffany talks about dating Jonathan Knight of New Kids on the Block in the '80s, and inadvertently outs him, saying, "He became gay later."

2009-Bon Iver release Blood Bank, a four-track EP and follow-up to the hugely-successful For Emma, Forever Ago. The song "Woods" is sampled by Kanye West on his track "Lost in The World."

Beyonce Sings "At Last" For Obamas, Angers Etta James
2009-Beyoncé serenades Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, at the Neighborhood Ball as the couple shares their first dance together as president and first lady of the United States. The choice of song, Etta James' signature hit "At Last," throws the blues singer into a fit of rage aimed at Beyoncé.

2009-David "Fathead" Newman, a jazz and R&B saxophonist who played alongside Ray Charles, dies at age 75 of complications from pancreatic cancer.

2009-Kid Rock, Kanye West and Fall Out Boy perform at President Barack Obama's inauguration, playing the Youth Ball, which is broadcast live on MTV. Obama headlines, making a speech where he hypes the crowd with his "Yes We Can" slogan. Rock and West later throw their support to the next president: Obama's ideological opposite, Donald Trump.

High School Musical Debuts On Disney
2006-The TV movie High School Musical premieres on the Disney Channel, creating a teen and tween sensation and the biggest album of 2006.

2001-With the debut Lifehouse album climbing the charts, lead singer Jason Wade marries his longtime girlfriend, Braeden.

1999-Bill Albaugh (drummer for the psychedelic pop group The Lemon Pipers) dies at age 53.

1998-With the release of their debut single, "I Want You Back," *NSYNC emerges as a rival to Backstreet Boys, who are taking America by storm.

1998-Bob McBride (lead singer for Lighthouse) dies of heart failure at age 51.

Dawson's Creek Debuts With Hit Theme Song From Paula Cole
1998-Dawson's Creek, a coming-of-age drama following a group of North Carolina teens, debuts on The WB with Paula Cole's hit "I Don't Want To Wait" as its theme song.

1997-French electronic duo Daft Punk release their debut album, Homework in the UK (it is released in America on March 25). The record is a big hit in Europe but only reaches #150 in the USA. Both members, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, are music producers who use recording technology to combine house music with synthpop.

1996-Tori Amos makes her Saturday Night Live debut, performing "Caught A Lite Sneeze" and "Hey Jupiter" from her third album, Boys For Pele.

1993-At the Triangle Ball, the first gay and lesbian inaugural ball, Melissa Etheridge, k.d. lang and Janis Ian come out publicly, declaring that they are gay and in same-sex relationships.

America Learns The Electric Slide
1990-After being revived by a Washington DJ, "The Electric Boogie" by Jamaican singer Marcia Griffiths peaks at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, as the "Electric Slide" line dance craze sweeps the nation.

1988-The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan, and The Supremes are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the third class. Mike Love of The Beach Boys gives a Ricky Gervais-at-the-Golden Globes-style speech, insulting many in attendance. Diana Ross skips the ceremony over a spat with fellow Supreme Mary Wilson.

1986-Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) is born in Sydney, Australia, raised in Perth. His parents are both from Africa, where impalas (a spry kind of antelope) are found - the name reflects the wild but controlled nature of his music. Outside of Tame Impala, he does production work for many artists, including Lady Gaga ("Perfect Illusion"), Gorillaz ("New Gold") and Dua Lipa ("Houdini").

1986-After years of campaigning to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a federal holiday, Stevie Wonder commemorates the occasion with a star-studded concert celebration in Washington, D.C.

1985-Country singer Brantley Gilbert is born in Jefferson, Georgia. His 2009 debut album, Modern Day Prodigal Son, puts him on the map with the hit "Country Must Be Country Wide," and he quickly becomes one of the biggest names in country music, known for high-energy performances and blue-collar hits like "Bottoms Up" and "What Happens In A Small Town."

1984-Metallica's second single, "Jump in the Fire," is released.

Pyromania Induces Def Leppard Hysteria
1983-Def Leppard release their third album, Pyromania. Like their previous effort, High 'n' Dry, it's produced by Mutt Lange, who does the Gunter Glieben Glauten Globen on "Rock of Ages."

1983-Kenny Loggins falls off the stage while making his entrance at a concert in Provo, Utah. The house lights are dimmed, so the crowd doesn't see it. The audience is stunned to learn that Loggins is being taken to the hospital, where he is treated for broken ribs. The show is rescheduled, and while recovering, Loggins writes the song "Footloose" with Dean Pitchford, providing the title track for the movie.

Ozzy Osbourne Bites The Head Off Of Bat
1982-While performing at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa, Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a bat.

1981-Fifty-two American hostages are freed after being held in Iran for 444 days, ending a tense political crisis. The Kool & the Gang song "Celebration," which is climbing the charts, provides the soundtrack, matching the mood. On February 7, the song hits #1 and stays for two weeks.

1979-Linkin Park drummer Rob Bourdon is born in Calabasas, California.

"Margaritaville" Introduced On Buffett Album
1977-Jimmy Buffett releases his seventh studio album, Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes, which features his signature song "Margaritaville." Peaking at #8, the tropical-themed track remains his highest entry on the Billboard Hot 100.


1975-Bob Dylan releases Blood on the Tracks, which contains the tracks "Tangled Up In Blue" and "Idiot Wind."

1973-Jerry Lee Lewis makes his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, telling the crowd at the end of his set: "Let me tell ya somethin' about Jerry Lee Lewis, ladies and gentlemen; I am a rock 'n' rollin', country-and-western, rhythm 'n' blues-singin' mothaf---er."

1971-The Roots drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is born in Philadelphia. He takes on projects as a music historian, winning an Oscar for his 2021 documentary Summer Of Soul.

1971-Diana Ross marries Bob Silberstein (Robert Ellis Silberstein) at a ceremony in Las Vegas. It's the first marriage for Ross, who dated Motown chief Berry Gordy for years. One of the first high-profile interracial couples, they get divorced in 1976 after having three children together, including Tracee Ellis Ross, star of the TV series Black-ish.

1969-Elvis Presley records "In The Ghetto."

1969-James Brown performs at Richard Nixon's Inaugural Ball, even though he endorsed Nixon's opponent, Hubert Humphrey. Nixon is wildly unpopular in the black community, but Brown stands by him, supporting him in his successful 1972 re-election campaign.

1968-John Fred and His Playboy Band's "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" hits #1. The song is a takeoff on The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds."

1968-Roughly three months after the death of Woody Guthrie, a tribute concert is put on in the folk hero's name by Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, the Band, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Odetta, and Richie Havens at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

1967-Arthur Conley records "Sweet Soul Music."

1965-The Rolling Stones and The Kinks both make their debut on ABC's Shindig! along with guests Dave Clark Five, Petula Clark, Bobby Vee, Bobby Sherman and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

1965-Alan Freed, who brought black music to a white audience as a DJ and concert promoter in Cleveland and New York, dies at age 41 of cirrhosis. Caught up in the Payola scandal, Freed's brother says he "died of a broken heart because they took his microphone away."

1964-The Beatles' first American album is released: Meet the Beatles! The first two tracks are the hits "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There."

Dick Dale Launches Surf Music Craze With "Let's Go Trippin'"
1962-Dick Dale's guitar instrumental "Let's Go Trippin'" hits #60, becoming the first Surf Rock song to chart. Many groups, including The Beach Boys, subsequently cover the song.

1958-Elvis Presley receives his draft notice, which allows him a 60-day deferment to finish his film King Creole.

1958-Seventeen-year-old Ricky Nelson's debut album, Ricky, hits #1 in America.

1952-Paul Stanley of Kiss is born Stanley Harvey Eisen in Queens, New York.

1952-Judas Priest bass player Ian Hill is born in West Bromwich, England.

1948-Mel Pritchard (drummer for Barclay James Harvest) is born in Oldham, Lancashire, England.

1947-George Grantham (drummer for Poco) is born in Cordell, Oklahoma.

1945-Eric Stewart (guitarist for The Mindbenders, 10cc) is born in Droylsden, Lancashire, England.

1942-Kay Kyser and His Orchestra record "Who Wouldn't Love You."

1935-Country singer Buddy Blake Cunningham, known for the 1950s songs "Please Convince Me" and "Right Or Wrong," is born in Jackson, Mississippi.

1931-Vocalist/pianist Earl Grant is born in Idabel, Oklahoma. Known for '50s singles "The End" and "Ebb Tide."

1926-Pianist/composer David Tudor is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1923-Country signer Slim Whitman is born in Tampa, Florida.

1922-Trumpeter Ray Anthony (of the Glenn Miller Orchestra) is born in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania.

1885-Folk and blues musician Leadbelly is born Huddie William Ledbetter in Mooringsport, Louisiana.

[Bikkie]

Model of a Harrison refrigerator
1859
Ice comes to Nelson
Enjoying a cold drink on a hot afternoon was not always as simple as adding ice from the freezer to water from the refrigerator. At one time the ice made a much longer journey.


‘Professor’ Thomas Baldwin in later life
1889
American daredevil parachutes from balloon
‘Professor’ Thomas Baldwin landed safely by parachute from a balloon floating high above South Dunedin.


Australian Prime Minister John Curtin signs the Canberra Pact, watched by Australian Minister of External Affairs H.V. Evatt
1944
New Zealand and Australia sign the Canberra Pact
The Canberra Pact was an undertaking by the two countries to co-operate on international matters, especially in the Pacific.



In Music History

2023-Beyoncé plays a private show in Dubai, her first full concert in four years, for a reported $24 million. Her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy joins her on "Brown Skin Girl," the first live performance of the song.

2017-"Raindrop... drop-top..." the Atlanta rap trio Migos hit #1 in America with the meme-worthy "Bad and Boujee."

2014-Against Me! release the album Transgender Dysphoria Blues, their first since lead singer Laura Jane Grace came out as transgender. The album began as a concept piece about a transexual prostitute back when Grace was still presenting as a man (Tom Gabel). The personal implications became clear when she came out and her bandmates figured out what was going on. Two of the four members of the band - drummer Jay Weinberg and bass player Andrew Seward - quit before it is completed, but the album earns strong reviews and Grace becomes a leader in the fight for transgender rights.

Metallica Head To Therapy In Some Kind Of Monster
2004-The warts-and-all Metallica documentary Some Kind of Monster makes its debut at the Sundance Film Festival.

2002-Peggy Lee dies of complications from diabetes and a heart attack at age 81.

Dolly Parton Inspires Meme Challenge
2020-Ever the trendsetter, Dolly Parton creates a viral meme that shows off four sides of her personality, as represented by LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Tinder. Celebrities like Oprah, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Garner, and Miley Cyrus join in on the fun with their own versions.

1999-Blues singer/pianist Charles Brown, known for "Driftin' Blues" and "Merry Christmas Baby," dies of congestive heart failure at age 76.

1997-Elvis Presley's controversial manager Colonel Tom Parker dies at age 87.

Pat Boone Goes Metal
1997-Pat Boone releases the album In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, where he covers various hard rock classics, including "Stairway To Heaven," "Enter Sandman" and "Crazy Train."

1996-Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia (of Cannibal and the Headhunters) dies of an AIDS-related illness at age 49.

1993-French singer Noël Rota aka Helno (of Les Negresses Vertes) dies of a heroin overdose at age 29.

1989-Kid 'N Play's soon-to-be-gold debut album, 2 Hype, which was released three months earlier, debuts at #96 on the Billboard 200 chart.

1987-The Second Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include The Coasters, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, B.B. King, Clyde McPhatter, Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, Big Joe Turner, Muddy Waters, and Jackie Wilson.

1984-Bon Jovi release their self-titled debut album. The first track is "Runaway," the group's debut single and first to get airplay. It was written by frontman Jon Bon Jovi, who recorded it with session musicians before the band formed.

1984-Jackie Wilson dies at 49. He has been incapacitated since suffering a heart attack on stage in 1975.

1984-"Owner Of A Lonely Heart" by Yes goes to #1 in America, an uncharacteristic hit for the prog-rockers and their only Top 10.

1983-Lamar Williams (the bassist who replaced Berry Oakley in The Allman Brothers Band) dies of lung cancer, possibly from exposure to Agent Orange during his service in the Vietnam War, at age 34.

1982-B.B. King donates his entire record collection to the University of Mississippi's Center for the Study of Southern Culture. The 20,000-record collection includes 7,000 discs King aired as a disc jockey at Memphis' WDIA in the '50s.

1979-Lynyrd Skynyrd reunite at the Volunteer Jam in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the first time the band have played since the 1977 plane crash that killed three of their members. Lynyrd Skynyrd perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" alongside The Charlie Daniels Band.

1979-Lynyrd Skynyrd reunite at the Volunteer Jam in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the first time the band have played since the 1977 plane crash that killed three of their members. Lynyrd Skynyrd perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" alongside The Charlie Daniels Band.

1978-The soundtrack album to Saturday Night Fever hits #1 in the US and stays there for an astonishing 24 weeks.

1976-Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice" of Spice Girls) is born in Finchley, North London.

1974-Bob Dylan meets future president Jimmy Carter at a gathering in Georgia, where Carter is serving as governor. "Carter has his heart in the right place," Dylan would later say. "He has a sense of who he is."

Hippies Gather At The Trips Festival
1966-The first Trips Festival, a three-day event, begins at the Longshoreman's Hall in San Francisco. It's a landmark event in the evolution of psychedelic music.

1966-George Harrison marries Pattie Boyd in Surrey, England, with Paul McCartney as best man. The couple met on the set of The Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night. Eric Clapton would later fall in love with Pattie, inspiring the song "Layla."

1965-The Animals are forced to cancel a show at New York City's famous Apollo Theater after US Immigration officials force the group to leave the country.

1959-The Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley" is certified Gold.

1957-Filming begins on Elvis Presley's second movie, Loving You.

1957-An unknown singer named Patsy Cline wins on CBS' Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts program with a rendition of the song "Walking After Midnight."

1956Rob Brill (drummer for Berlin) is born in California.

1950-Billy Ocean is born Leslie Sebastian Charles in Trinidad and Tobago. At age 10 he moves to London with his family. He first charts in 1976 with "Love Really Hurts Without You," but he really breaks through with "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)" in 1984, kicking off a run of hits that includes "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" and "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going."

1945-Peter Kircher (drummer for Status Quo) is born in Folkestone, Kent, England.

1944-Chris Britton (lead guitarist for The Troggs) is born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England.

1942-Count Basie records "One O'Clock Jump."

1942-Country singer-songwriter Mac Davis is born in Lubbock, Texas. He writes "In The Ghetto" and "A Little Less Conversation" for Elvis Presley.

1942-Edwin Starr is born Charles Edwin Hatcher in Nashville, Tennessee. He grows up in Cleveland but launches his career in Detroit, eventually joining Motown, where he has big hits with "Twenty-Five Miles" and "War."

1941-Opera singer Placido Domingo (of The Three Tenors) is born in Madrid, Spain.

1941-Richie Havens is born in Brooklyn, New York. His music career takes off when he performs as the opening act at Woodstock in 1969.

1938-Lupine disc jockey Wolfman Jack is born Robert Weston Smith in Brooklyn, New York. In the 1960s he blasts rock 'n roll to the masses from a high-powered border blaster signal at XERF-AM in Mexico.

1936-Blues guitarist Snooks Eaglin is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1923-Frank Virtue, of the rock and roll band The Virtues, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1917-Jazz pianist Billy Maxted is born in Racine, Wisconsin.

1834-Peter Dodds McCormick, the man who is best known for the patriotic tune, "Advance Australia Fair", is born in Glasgow, Scotland. Though his date of birth is usually given as being on an unknown date in 1834, this is a little off. Twenty-two years later, he would emigrate to Sydney, Australia, where in 1878, he would compose his famous tune, as well as many other patriotic songs, most of which were Scottish tunes. A little side note, one of Peter's siblings, most likely a brother, was credited as having invented the life jacket.

[Bikkie]

Plan for Wellington, 1840
1840
European settlers arrive in Wellington
The New Zealand Company's first settler ship, the Aurora, arrived at Petone to found the settlement that would become Wellington.


Thomas McGrath
1863
Slave trader competes in Wellington Anniversary Regatta
Slave trader Captain Thomas McGrath skippered the winning whaleboat in a race on Lambton Harbour which carried a £10 prize



In Music History

2021-In their hometown of Oklahoma City, Flaming Lips pull off the first COVID-protected space bubble concert, with audience members enclosed in plastic bubbles like the kind frontman Wayne Coyne often uses to walk over the crowd.

2020-Neil Young, born in Canada but a resident of California since 1966, finally becomes a US citizen.

2018-Neil Diamond announces that he's retiring from concert touring because he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

2013-Shakira and Spanish soccer star Gerard Pique welcome their first child, baby boy Milan.

2012-Seal and Heidi Klum, who got married in 2005 and had four kids together, announce they are separating.

2008-British tabloid The Sun posts video they claim is of Amy Winehouse smoking crack. The 24-year-old singer has been in and out of rehab, and is clearly in ill health. The video was apparently taken by a guest at her home.

2004-Famed New York nightclub the Bottom Line closes the doors forever at its Greenwich Village location. Opened nearly 30 years previously by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowski, the club is forced to close after failed negotiations with its landlord, New York University.

2002-Bad Religion release their 12th full-length studio album, The Process of Belief. It is their first recording with Brett Gurewitz on guitar since 1994's Stranger Than Fiction and their debut with current drummer Brooks Wackerman. It's also their first studio album released on Epitaph Records since 1993's Recipe for Hate.

2001-Chubby Checker guest stars on Fox's Ally McBeal in the episode "Mr. Bo."

2000-Robbie Williams reaches #53 on the Hot 100 with "Angels," the highest the British superstar will ever place on the American chart.

1997-Scottish singer Billy MacKenzie (of The Associates) commits suicide at age 39 by overdosing on prescription drugs.

1997-Pop singer Ron Holden, known for the 1959 hit "Love You So," dies of a heart attack at age 57 in Rosarito Beach, Mexico.

1994-Rhett Forrester (former lead singer of Riot) is shot and killed during an attempted carjacking in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 37.

1991-Sting releases his third full-length studio album, The Soul Cages.

1989-Gene Simmons of Kiss and his girlfriend, the Playboy model Shannon Tweed, welcome their first child, a boy named Nicholas.

1989-Metallica's first music video, for "One," makes its debut. Running 7:44, it incorporates footage from the 1971 war movie Johnny Got His Gun.

1987-Pennsylvania State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer, who had been found guilty of accepting bribes, pulls out a gun and kills himself at a press conference, inspiring the Filter song "Hey Man Nice Shot."

1985-Singer/songwriter Orianthi Panagaris is born in Adelaide, Australia. She was slated to be Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his This Is It concert series.

1985-In his annual list of the Worst-Dressed Women, designer/fashion critic Mr. Blackwell names Cher the Worst of 1984, writing that she "has little or less respect for being a woman." Cyndi Lauper comes in at #4 ("looks like the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake"), and rounding out the list in a tie for #10 are Dee Snider of Twisted Sister ("a car crash in a whorehouse) and Prince ("a toothpick wrapped in a purple doily").

1984-What goes better with football than Barry Manilow? The "Mandy" singer performs the national anthem at Superbowl XVIII in Tampa, Florida. Disney handles the halftime show.

1983-Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders and Ray Davies of The Kinks have a daughter, Natalie Rae Hynde. They following year, Hynde marries Jim Kerr of Simple Minds.

1982-Alabama releases "Mountain Music."

1981-Pop singer/actress Willa Ford is born Amanda Lee Williford in Ruskin, Florida. She performs as Mandah but to avoid confusion with Mandy Moore, she settles on a variation of her surname.

John And Yoko Appear On Rolling Stone Cover In Photo Taken Day Of John's Death
1981-The John Lennon tribute issue of Rolling Stone is published with the famous Annie Leibovitz photo of a naked Lennon embracing a fully-clothed Yoko Ono. Lennon's full interview is not published by the magazine until 2010.

1977-Wings' album Wings Over America hits #1 in the US.

1977-Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" hits #1 in America.

1977-Singer-songwriters James Taylor and Carly Simon celebrate the birth of their second child, son Ben Taylor. Ben later becomes a singer-songwriter, and sometimes has both his mother and father tour with him, and on occasions, his older sister, Sally.

1974-Carly Simon's album Hotcakes is certified Gold.

1972-Don McLean's album American Pie hits #1 in the US, where it stays for seven weeks. It's a hasty ascent for McLean, whose previous album stalled at #111.

1972-In an interview with Melody Maker, David Bowie says, "I'm gay and I always have been."

1971-The Joe Cocker film Mad Dogs and Englishmen, featuring performances by Cocker, Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, and others, premieres in London.

1969-Billy Preston arrives at Apple Studios, where he helps The Beatles complete the Let It Be album. Preston gives them a musical jolt but more importantly provides a buffer for their infighting - George Harrison had quit the group 12 days earlier.

1968-Apple Corps (home of the boutique and the label) opens its offices at 5 Wigmore Street, Marylebone, London.

1967-Breaking with a British television tradition, The Rolling Stones refuse to appear on the revolving stage during the finale of ITV's Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

1966-After a rare snowstorm in Memphis, Elvis Presley and his cohorts build a snowman outside of his Graceland mansion.

1965-Guns N' Roses drummer Steve Adler is born Michael Coletti in Cleveland, Ohio.

1965-D.J. Jazzy Jeff (of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince) is born Jeffrey Allen Townes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he meets Will Smith.

1963-The Drifters record "On Broadway."

1963-Gerry & the Pacemakers record "How Do You Do It."

1962-Gene Chandler makes his television debut with a performance on American Bandstand.

1960-INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence is born in Lane Cove, a suburb of Sydney.

1960-Sam Cooke leaves the tiny Keen label to sign with RCA Records.

1959-Buddy Holly makes his last recordings alone with an acoustic guitar in his Greenwich Village apartment. Songs include "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," "That's What They Say," "What to Do," "Learning the Game" and "That Makes it Tough." The rough versions are overdubbed and released after his death.

1952-Teddy Gentry (bassist for Alabama) is born in Fort Payne, Alabama.

1949-Nigel Pegrum (drummer for The Small Faces, Uriah Heep) is born in North Wales.

1949-Steve Perry is born in Hanford, California. He becomes Journey's lead singer in 1977, debuting on Infinity, their fourth album. His songwriting chops and instantly identifiable vocals help Journey become one of the top bands of the '80s. He and the band part ways in 1998 when Perry develops a hip condition that keeps him from touring.

1940-Addie "Micki" Harris (of The Shirelles) is born in Passaic, New Jersey.

1931-Clyde McCoy and His Orchestra record "Sugar Blues."

1931-Sam Cooke is born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He grows up in Chicago, where at six years old he forms the group the Singing Children with his siblings.

1924-Jazz trombonist J.J. Johnson is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1917-Jazz reed player Albert "Pud" Brown is born in Wilmington, Delaware, but grows up in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1889-The Columbia Phonograph Company is formed in Washington, DC. The record label eventually morphs into the Columbia Broadcast System, better known today as CBS.

[Bikkie]

1855
Massive earthquake hits southern North Island
The magnitude 8.2 earthquake had a profound impact on the development of Wellington city.


Start of the Wellington to Lyttelton yacht race
1951
Tragic centennial yacht race begins
Twenty yachts left Wellington for Lyttelton in a race to celebrate Canterbury's centenary. The fleet ran into a severe southerly storm and only one yacht officially finished the race. Two others were lost, along with their 10 crew members.



In Music History

2024-Melanie, known for her #1 hit "Brand New Key" and her Woodstock-inspired "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)," dies at 76.

2024-German Producer Frank Farian, creator of the lip-synch acts Boney M. and Milli Vanilli, dies at 82.

2018-Trumpet player Hugh Masekela, one of the most popular musicians in his native South Africa, dies at 78 after a battle with prostate cancer. In 1968, he had a #1 US hit with "Grazing In The Grass."

2017-Bobby Freeman, who had hits with "Do You Want To Dance" and "C'mon And Swim," dies of a heart attack at 76.

2015-Pop singer Mandy Moore and alt rocker Ryan Adams announce their split after nearly six years of marriage, with Moore filing the divorce proceedings. She later accuses him of psychologically abusive behavior that derailed her music career.

2010-Powered by the single "TiK ToK," Kesha's debut album, Animal, hits #1 in America.

2007-David "Disco D" Shayman, a hip-hop record producer and composer who rose to prominence with 50 Cent's "Ski Mask Way," commits suicide at age 26.

2001-Jack Johnson releases his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales, which sells over a million copies and establishes him as a leading light in the mellow surf-rock movement.

2000-Britney Spears guest stars on The Simpsons in the episode "The Mansion Family," where she presents the award for Springfield's oldest man.

1999-Eagle-Eye Cherry's debut single, "Save Tonight," peaks at #5 on the Hot 100.

Spice World Opens In America
1998-The Spice Girls movie Spice World hits theaters in America.

1997-"Louie Louie" composer (and original performer) Richard Berry dies of heart failure at age 61.

1997-Tori Amos performs at a benefit concert for RAINN (The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. As a rape survivor, the cause is close to Tori's heart (she wrote her debut single, "Me And A Gun," about her rape experience).

1996-In America, Tori Amos releases her third album, Boys For Pele, with 18 tracks she wrote and produced herself. Pele is the Hawaiian volcano goddess; the "boys" represent the men in Amos' life whose fire she has stolen.

1996-The TV series Moesha, starring Brandy as a high-school student in California, debuts on UPN, where it runs for six seasons.

1991-The Albuquerque, New Mexico, radio station KLSK FM plays the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway To Heaven" over and over for 24 hours to inaugurate a format change to classic rock. It plays more than 200 times, eliciting hundreds of angry calls and letters. Police show up with guns drawn after a listener reports that the DJ had apparently suffered a heart attack, later because of suspicion that - this being eight days into the Gulf War - the radio station had been taken hostage by terrorists dispatched by Zeppelin freak Saddam Hussein. Weirdest of all, lots of listeners don't move the dial: "Turns out a lot of people listened to see when we would finally stop playing it."

1990O-riginal Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins, a survivor of their 1977 plane crash, dies of pneumonia - a complication of paralysis caused by a 1986 car accident.

1988-Seattle producer Jack Endino oversees the first recording session of an unknown, unnamed grunge band soon to be called Nirvana. The session takes place at Reciprocal Recording, where many of the genre's pioneers - including Soundgarden, Mudhoney, and Green River - cut their seminal albums. Nirvana returns to the studio a few months later to work on their debut album, Bleach.

1988-The California Raisins' "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" peaks at #84 on Billboard's Hot 100.

1988-At age 16, Tiffany becomes the youngest female singer with a #1 album in the US when her self-titled debut tops the chart.

Rock Hall Inducts First Class
1986-The first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame include Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.

Boy George And Annie Lennox Make Cover Of Newsweek
1984-Boy George and Annie Lennox appear on the cover of Newsweek under the headline, "Britain Rocks America - Again."

1981-Orchestral composer Samuel Barber dies of cancer at age 70. Barber won the Pulitzer Prize for Music twice: first for the 1956 opera Vanessa and then for his 1962 Concerto for Piano and Orchestra.

1979-Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys divorces his wife Marilyn (one-time member of the Honeys and mother of Wendy and Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips).

1978-Terry Kath (singer and original guitarist for Chicago) dies at age 31 when he accidentally shoots himself in the head.

1977-Carole King's Tapestry sets a new record: 302 weeks on the Billboard albums chart.

1970-Judy Collins is refused permission to sing testimony at the infamous "Chicago 7" trial.

1969-Elvis Presley records "Suspicious Minds" at American Sound, a small studio in Memphis. The song is a huge comeback hit for Elvis and gives him his last #1 in America.

1966-Police arrest Jim Morrison for kissing a young woman, but the charges are really just a way for them to get to the bottom of a suspected murder that supposedly occurred weeks before.

1965-Petula Clark's "Downtown" climbs to #1 on the Hot 100, making her the first UK female singer to reach the summit on the US singles chart since Vera Lynn in 1952.

1964-The Temptations release "The Way You Do The Things You Do."

1962-Tony Bennett records "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

1961-Nina Simone's "Trouble in Mind" peaks at #92, where it will stay for one week.

1960-The Paradons record "Diamonds And Pearls."

1959-The "Winter Dance Party" tour gets underway with a show at the Million Dollar Ballroom in Milwaukee. Before the tour is over, headliners Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper are killed in a plane crash.

1959-Earl Falconer (bass player for UB40) is born in Meriden, Warwickshire, England.

1957-Bill Haley & his Comets attend the Australian premiere of their movie Don't Knock The Rock while on tour there.

1955-Reggie Calloway (of the R&B duo Calloway) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1954-Richard Finch (composer and former bass guitarist for KC & The Sunshine Band) is born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but is raised in Hialeah, Florida.

1953-Robin Zander (lead singer of Cheap Trick) is born in Beloit, Wisconsin.

1950-Danny Federici (organist, accordionist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) is born in Flemington, New Jersey.

1950-Bill Cunningham (original bass guitarist/keyboardist for The Box Tops) is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1948-Anita Pointer (of The Pointer Sisters) is born in Oakland, California.

1940-Pop singer Joe Dowell is born in Bloomington, Indiana, but grows up in Bloomington, Illinois.

1938-Eugene Church (lead singer of the Fellows) is born in St. Louis, Missouri. Known for the 1958 R&B hit "Pretty Girls Everywhere."

1910-Jazz guitarist Jean "Django" Reinhardt is born in Belgium.

[Piper]

41 AD-Roman Emperor Caligula is
assassinated by his own guard.


1848-James Marshall finds gold
at Sutter's Mill in California, trigging
the Gold Rush.


1895-Hawaii's Monarchy ends when
Queen Eili'uokalani was forced to abdicate
the throne to the Republic of Hawaii.


1908-The first installment Robert
Baden-Powell's scouting for Boy's is
released, starting the international
scout movement.


1935-The first bear can's are sold
by the Gottfried Krueger Brewing
company in Richmond, Virginia.

[Bikkie]

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns


Dick Tayler collapses after winning the 10,000 m
1974
First day of competition at Christchurch Commonwealth Games
The opening ceremony of the ‘Friendly Games’ had featured performances by schoolchildren and a Māori concert party. Next day, Canterbury runner Dick Tayler ensured the success of the Games with a surprise victory for the host nation in the 10,000 m track race.



In Music History

2024-Eric Church and Morgan Wallen join a group of investors in purchasing Field & Stream magazine, which they both read growing up. They relaunch the brand and bring back print editions, which stopped publishing in 2020.

2016-Neil Young performs "Till the Morning Comes" live for the first time in his career while playing a private concert for French billionaire Édouard Carmignac. Young does the song as a medley with "Cripple Creek Ferry."

2003-Thanks to a raft of Grammy nominations, Norah Jones' debut album Come Away With Me goes to #1 in America 11 months after it was released. It stays on top for three weeks, then returns the week of March 15 after winning the Grammy for Album of the Year.

2003-Billy Joel crashes his Mercedes while driving in Long Island, New York. The singer later says that he was in a "mental fog" around this time, caused by relationship issues and a lingering depression after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

2003-Clarence Carter and Eddie Floyd are inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

2001-Celine Dion gives birth to her first child, son René-Charles. To spend more time raising him, she stops touring, and in 2003 takes a residence at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that runs through 2007.

2000-D'Angelo releases his second album, Voodoo. Like his first album, Brown Sugar in 1995, it combines real instruments with digital production techniques to form the sound of neo-soul. It's a triumph, but D'Angelo soon falls from view and doesn't put out another album until 2014.

1999-The Rolling Stones begin their No Security tour in Oakland, California.

1994-R. Kelly releases the single "Bump N' Grind."

1991-Paul McCartney appears on the second season of MTV's Unplugged, including some Beatles songs in his set. In June, he becomes the first artist to release his performance as an album.

1990-In Rio De Janeiro, Eurythmics play their last concert until their 1999 reunion. "Dave [Stewart] and I had got quite heartily sick of each other," Annie Lennox explains. "And I say that in an affectionate way."

1990-The Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley guest stars on NBC's Cheers in the two-part episode "Finally!"

1989-Performing in Columbus, Georgia, Bobby Brown is arrested under the city's anti-lewdness act when he brings a girl on stage and simulates sex with her. Brown finishes the show about an hour later after he is booked and pays a $652 fine.

1987-Neil Diamond sings the US national anthem at Superbowl XXI in Pasadena, California. Halftime entertainment is Disney's "Salute to Hollywood's 100th Anniversary."

1986-Albert Grossman, manager to Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin, dies of a heart attack at age 59.

1985-Prince releases "Take Me With U," the last single from Purple Rain.

1984-John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, donates $375,000 to Liverpool's Strawberry Field, an orphanage which served as the inspiration for the Beatles song "Strawberry Fields Forever."

1980-The BET network goes on the air, providing a showcase for music videos by Black artists.

1980-Paul McCartney is released and deported from Japan after spending nine days in a Tokyo jail. He was arrested at the airport when customs officials found 219 grams of marijuana in his luggage.

1980-Alicia Keys is born Alicia Augello Cook in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York. Her background as a classically trained pianist influences her stage name. "It's like the piano keys," she explains, "And it can open so many doors." Her first album, Songs In A Minor, featuring her own compositions, goes to #1 in 2001.

1978-Bob Dylan's Renaldo and Clara, a semi-documentary of his famous Rolling Thunder Revue tour, premieres in Los Angeles.

1976-New Orleans R&B singer Chris Kenner, struggling with alcoholism, dies of a heart attack at age 46.

1975-"Please Mr. Postman" hits #1 in America for the second time when The Carpenters' version goes to the top. The song was a #1 for The Marvelettes in 1961.

1971-Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane welcome a baby girl they name "God." Her name is later changed to "China," and as "China Kantner" she becomes a VJ on MTV.

1969-Nina Simone's "Ain't Got No; I Got Life" peaks at #94, where it stays for one week.

1964-Phil Spector appears as a panelist on Britain's Juke Box Jury program. Earlier in the day, he calls famous English producer Joe Meek to arrange a meeting. Meek accuses Spector of stealing his ideas and hangs up the phone so hard he breaks the receiver.

1963-Cilla Black makes her stage debut at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.

1958-Gary Tibbs (bass guitarist for Adam & The Ants, Roxy Music) is born in Northwood, London, England.

1957-Edmund Sylvers of The Sylvers is born in Memphis.

1956-Andy Cox (guitarist for Fine Young Cannibals) is born in Birmingham, England.

1950-Michael Cotten (of The Tubes) is born in Kansas City, Missouri.

Etta James Is Born
1938-Blues singer Etta James, known for the enduring ballad "At Last," is born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California.

1929-Singer/actress Elizabeth Allen is born Elizabeth Ellen Gillease in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1925-Jazz pianist Barbara Carroll is born Barbara Carole Coppersmith in Worcester, Massachusetts.

1915-Folk singer Ewan MacColl is born James Henry Miller in London. In 1957 he takes an hour to write "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" for a play his mistress is appearing in and, 15 years later, it becomes a #1 hit for Roberta Flack.

1913-Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski is born.

1909-The opera Elektra by Richard Strauss premieres at the Dresden Hofoper.

1897-Blind Willie Johnson, known best for "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," is born in Pendleton, Texas

[Bikkie]

1844
Governor FitzRoy arrives in Wellington to investigate Wairau incident
Faced with demands for revenge after 22 settlers were killed in an incident in the Wairau Valley, Governor Robert FitzRoy decided that Māori had been provoked by the unreasonable actions of the Europeans.


Minister of Internal Affairs Allan Highet
1984
Floods devastate Southland
A record one-day total of up to 84.8 mm of rain caused extensive surface flooding in the streets of Invercargill, Riverton, Ōtautau, Tūātapere and Bluff.



In Music History

2026-The Eagles compilation Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 becomes the first album to go Quadruple Platinum, certified at 40 million units.

2024-The RIAA certifies "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey at 18x Platinum, making it the best-selling song of all time in America. It was certified at just 5x Platinum in 2013, but picked up steam as it became a streaming favorite across generations. Newer songs like Post Malone's "Sunflower" are soon certified higher, but "Don't Stop Believin'" stands as the top song from before the streaming era.

2022-Spotify complies with Neil Young's request to remove his music from the service. Young's issue is with the Spotify podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, which he feels is spreading false information about vaccines. Joni Mitchell also removes her music, but Spotify stands tall for Rogan, whose subscriber count grows considerably in wake of the controversy. Young returns to Spotify two years later.

2019-Composer Michel Legrand, who won an Oscar for "The Windmills Of Your Mind," dies at 86.

2019-Miranda Lambert gets married for a second time, tying the knot with police officer Brendan Mcloughlin in a secret ceremony. Lambert, whose first marriage was to Blake Shelton, breaks the news on social media on February 16.

2018-Fleetwood Mac perform at the Musicares benefit in Radio City Music Hall, where they are honored. It's Lindsey Buckingham's last performance with the group; three months later he is ousted, replaced by Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.

2017-Kylie Minogue successfully blocks Kylie Jenner's application to trademark the name "Kylie."

2015-Chris Brown postpones his Between the Sheets tour on judge's orders to stay put in California due to a probation violation earlier in the month. The rapper tells Twitter followers that he must complete his last 100 hours of community service before he can embark on the 26-city tour of the US with Kendrick Lamar.

2015-Blink-182 announce Tom DeLonge's resignation, the same day that bandmates Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker slam DeLonge in a tell-all Rolling Stone interview. They claim the vocalist/guitarist will only communicate with them via email or through his manager, and his constant flakiness has kept them from recording new music. Barker adds: "It's hard to cover for someone who's disrespectful and ungrateful."

2015-Nick Jonas lands a recurring role on Scream Queens, a horror anthology series from Glee creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck. The cast also includes Ariana Grande as a recurring guest star.

2014-Justin Timberlake is a big winner at the Grammy Awards, winning three of his seven nominations: Best R&B Song for "Pusher Love Girl," Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Holy Grail," and Best Music Video for "Suit & Tie" (the latter two with Jay Z).

2013-Funk guitarist Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (of The Ohio Players) dies at age 69.

2011-Wilco announce the launch of their own label, dBpm Records. The band state the label will put out all future Wilco releases "and more."

2011-Gladys Horton (lead singer of The Marvelettes) dies at age 66 after a series of strokes.

2010-Lady Antebellum release their second album, Need You Now, which goes to #1 in America, where it sells over 4 million copies. The title track becomes the first country song to make a big impact on the pop chart since "Not Ready To Make Nice" by Dixie Chicks in 2007. Both groups later change their names, becoming Lady A and The Chicks.

2008-Weezer's Rivers Cuomo takes part in the Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra charity soccer match benefiting the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation in Carson, California.

2006-Garth Brooks' Double Live album, released in 1998, becomes the first live album certified Double Diamond by the RIAA for sales of over 20 million in America.

2004-Britney Spears, Pink and Beyoncé star as Roman gladiators sent to fight to the death by emperor Enrique Iglesias in a lavish Pepsi commercial. Instead of fighting, they sing "We Will Rock You" and drink soda.

Billie Eilish Wins Big At Grammys
2020-Billie Eilish, 18, wins big at the Grammys as the death of Kobe Bryant and an internal scandal cast a cloud on the ceremony.

1998-In a big surprise upset at the American Music Awards, rapper Puff Daddy loses in all five categories in which he is nominated for an award.

1998-Edwin McCain releases "I'll Be."

1997-ZZ Top, James Brown and The Blues Brothers perform at the Super Bowl XXXI halftime show in New Orleans.

1992-Presidential candidate Bill Clinton appears on the news program 60 Minutes with his wife, Hillary, who in response to a discussion about her husband's infidelity, says, "I'm not sitting here – some little woman standing by my man like Tammy Wynette."

1991-At the second Rock in Rio festival, Norwegian pop trio a-ha draw a crowd of 198,000, breaking the world record for paid attendance at a rock concert - and is snubbed by the press.

The Phantom Of The Opera Makes Its Broadway Debut
1988-Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster musical The Phantom of the Opera debuts on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre two years after a successful run on London's West End.

1986-Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins is left paralyzed from a car accident that kills his female companion. He can't play with the re-formed band the next year, but chooses his replacement: Randall Hall.

1980-Prince performs on American Bandstand, where he's interviewed on national TV for the first time. Host Dick Clark has a hard time getting more than a few words out of him. When he asks how many instruments Prince plays, he pauses before answering, "a thousand."

1977-Ginger Alden, who was Elvis Presley's fiancée at the time of his death, claims that Elvis proposed to her on this day.

1977-Opening for Bob Seger at a show in Tampa, Florida, Patti Smith falls off the stage, tumbling into the orchestra pit 15 feet below. She suffers a head injury and breaks her back, leaving her in traction. During her extensive rehab, she starts working on her next album, Easter.

1977-Original Fleetwood Mac lead guitarist Peter Green is committed to a mental hospital after threatening an accountant with an air rifle. The accountant was trying to deliver a royalty check, which Green insisted he didn't want.

1975-The BBC airs the David Bowie documentary Cracked Actor. At the time of filming, Bowie was addicted to cocaine and the footage shows Bowie's fragile mental state.

1974-Ringo Starr's "You're Sixteen" hits #1 in America.

1974-The Doobie Brothers begin their first European tour with a show at the Rainbow Theatre in London.

Elton John Releases Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player
1973-Elton John issues his sixth studio album, Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player, in America. It features two of his most popular songs: the '50s flashback "Crocodile Rock" (Elton's first #1 hit in America) and the Vietnam War-inspired "Daniel."

1970-The Ourimbah rock festival, Australia's first, opens to an audience of 11,000. The festival results in 26 arrests.

1970-Gospel musician Kirk Franklin is born in Fort Worth, Texas.

Bridge Over Troubled Water Released
1970-The Simon & Garfunkel album Bridge Over Troubled Water is released, with the title track simultaneously issued as a single.

1970-John Lennon writes and records "Instant Karma" all in one day, calling in Phil Spector to produce the song.

1968-At the University of Southampton, Pink Floyd play their first gig without founding member Syd Barrett, who never returns to the band. The 22-year-old Barrett is an early acid casualty, no longer able to contribute to the group.

1966-Eric Burdon of The Animals handles lead vocals at Manfred Mann's London concert, filling in for Paul Jones, who is recovering from a car accident.

1963-DJ Jazzie B (of Soul II Soul) is born Trevor Beresford Romeo in Hornsey, London, England.

1963-The Rooftop Singers' "Walk Right In" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1963-Dionne Warwick lands her first solo hit when her debut single, "Don't Make Me Over," peaks at #21 on the Hot 100. It also marks the beginning of her longtime collaboration with songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

1963-Andrew Ridgeley is born in Windlesham, Surrey, England. He meets George Michael in high school and together they form the duo Wham!.

1960-Charlie Gillingham (keyboardist for Counting Crows) is born in Torrance, California.

1958-R&B singer-songwriter Anita Baker is born in Toledo, Ohio, but is raised by foster parents in Detroit, Michigan.

1958-Norman Hassan (percussionist, trombonist for UB40) is born in Birmingham, England.

1955-Eddie Van Halen is born in Amsterdam. His family eventually settles in Pasadena, California, where he forms Van Halen with his brother, Alex, and quickly becomes one of the most acclaimed and influential guitarists in rock history.

1953-Lucinda Williams is born in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

1951-Big Star bass player Andy Hummel is born to former Miss America (1947) Barbara Walker Hummel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He is raised in Memphis, Tennessee.

1951-David Briggs, who replaces Ric Formosa as lead guitarist for Little River Band, is born in Melbourne, Australia.

1949-Derek Holt (guitarist for Climax Blues Band) is born in Stafford, England.

1948-Laurence "Corky" Laing (drummer for Mountain) is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1947-Actress/singer Grace Moore dies in a plane crash in Copenhagen at age 48. Her life inspires the 1953 movie So This Is Love, starring Kathryn Grayson.

1945-Ashley Hutchings (bass guitarist for Fairport Convention) is born in Southgate, England.

1943-Jean Knight is born Jean Caliste in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1943-Thom Bell, whose productions for The Stylistics, The Delfonics, and The Spinners helped define the Philadelphia Soul sound, is born in Kingston, Jamaica.

1934-R&B pianist Huey "Piano" Smith is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1934-Formerly home to burlesque shows, The Apollo Theater in Harlem becomes a music venue, christening their new format with a jazz variety show featuring mostly black performers, including the Benny Carter Orchestra and Mabel Scott.

1932-Country singer Claude Gray, dubbed The Tall Texan, is born in Henderson, Texas. Known for the 1960 hit "Family Bible."

1923-Broadway and film star Anne Jeffreys is born Anne Carmichael in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

1922-Pianist/vocalist Page Cavanaugh is born in Cherokee, Kansas. He notches a number of hits in the 1940s, including "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," as part of The Page Cavanaugh Trio with guitarist Al Viola and bassist Lloyd Pratt.

1913-Composer Jimmy Van Heusen, who teams with lyricist Sammy Cahn to write a number of hits, including "Come Fly With Me" for Frank Sinatra, is born Edward Chester Babcock in Syracuse, New York.

1908-Violinist Stephane Grappelli, who forms the jazz group Quintette du Hot Club de France along with guitarist Django Reinhardt, is born in Paris, France.

1790-The Mozart opera Cosi Fan Tutte opens at the Burgtheater in Vienna.

[Bikkie]

1340 - Edward III of England declares himself king of France, a claim that leads to the Hundred Years' War.

1731 - Death of Bartolomeo Cristofori, Italian harpsichord manufacturer generally credited with the invention of the piano.

1880 - American inventor Thomas Edison receives a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.



In Music History

2024-Max Martin breaks Beatles producer George Martin's record for most #1 hits as a producer when "Yes, And?," which he helmed for Ariana Grande, becomes his 24th chart-topping production. His first was "...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears in 1999.

2018-A little over a year after leaving Fifth Harmony, Camila Cabello goes to #1 in America with "Havana," a celebration of the city where she was born.

2018-Huey Lewis loses his hearing before a concert in Dallas. He does the show singing way out of pitch and is later diagnosed with Ménière's disease, a rare condition that causes his hearing to come and go.

2015-Taylor Swift's Twitter and Instagram accounts are hacked, resulting in bogus tweets to her 51 million followers (the fourth-largest Twitter account). Swift takes to Tumblr, where she posts: "Hackers gonna hack hack hack hack hack." She also assures fans that no nude photos exist.

2014-The day after winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album for The Heist, Macklemore takes to Instagram, where he posts a screenshot of his text to Kendrick Lamar, whose good kid, m.A.A.d city was one of the nominees. The Seattle rapper texted: "I wanted you to win. You should have. It's weird and sucks that I robbed you." Macklemore takes some flak for the post, which many feel is disingenuous (Drake calls it "wack"). Lamar is more charitable. "Macklemore is a genuine dude," he says. "However it panned out, I wish him much success." On his 2016 track "Light Tunnels," Mac recounts these events.

2014-Pete Seeger dies at age 94.

2014-Billy Joel begins his residency at Madison Square Garden, where he plays once a month as long as there is demand.

2013-A fight breaks out after Frank Ocean accuses Chris Brown of taking his parking space at a Los Angeles recording studio. Brown throws a punch at Ocean, and threatens to shoot him, allegedly shouting: "We can bust on you too!"

2002-Koko Taylor collapses during a private function at her club, Koko Taylor's Celebrity, in Chicago, Illinois, after failing to take her diabetic medication. Doctors also discover arterial blockage in her heart.

2001-"Independent Women Part I" by Destiny's Child tops the US Hot 100 for the 11th consecutive week, a record for an all-girl group.

1991-At the Speakeasy club in Los Angeles, Dr. Dre roughs up Dee Barnes, the female host of a rap music TV show called Pump It Up. Dre, who was upset over a segment on the show, later reached a settlement with Barnes, who filed a $22.7 million lawsuit.

1991-With American troops fighting in the Gulf War, Whitney Houston does a stirring version of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. Her performance is lip-synched, but so well received that it is released as a single, charting at #20. This version is re-released in 2001 following the September 11 attacks.

1990-Soundgarden become the first grunge band to make the Billboard albums chart when Louder Than Love shows up at #168 (Phil Collins is at #1 with ...But Seriously). It peaks at #108 in March.

1985-Bruce Springsteen wraps up the first leg of his Born in the U.S.A. tour with a show at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The next day, he flies to Los Angeles, rents a car, and drives to A&M Recording Studios, where he takes part in the "We Are The World" sessions.

1984-At the peak of his popularity, Michael Jackson films an ad for Pepsi that goes horribly wrong when some stray pyro sets his hair on fire.

1984-The movie Silkwood opens in theaters. Cher is nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as a worker at a plutonium processing plant.

1980-At the Gaumont theater in Southampton, England, AC/DC play their last show with Bon Scott. The electrifying frontman dies on February 19 after a night of excessive drinking.

1979-Keith Morris (vocals), Gregg Ginn (guitar), Chuck Dukowski (bass) and Brian Migdol (drums) play live for the first time under the Black Flag moniker in Redondo Beach, California.

1976-Glam rocker Gary Glitter announces his retirement and begins traveling the world, spending time in Paris, Thailand, and New Zealand before a 1977 bankruptcy forces him back into action.

1976-David Bowie sues his former attorney, Michael Lippan, for unfair business practices and withholding of funds. Bowie claims Lippan took a 15% fee instead of the customary 10% and adds that after his dismissal, Lippan withheld $475,000 from the musician.

1973-Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" hits #1 in America, where it stays for one week.

1972-The New Seekers' "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing," originally a Coke commercial, is certified Gold.

1972-Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson dies from heart failure and diabetes complications in Evergreen Park, Illinois, at age 60.

1971-David Bowie arrives in the United States for the first time, not to perform, but to do a series of interviews. He creates a stir by wearing a dress to many of the appearances.

1970-Mark Trojanowski (Sister Hazel drummer) is born.

1968-Mike Patton (lead singer of Faith No More) is born in Eureka, California.

1962-Joey Dee and the Starliters' "Peppermint Twist" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1962-Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love" is certified gold.

Twist Party Packs The Cow Palace
1962-With "The Twist" at #1 in America, two San Francisco DJs sell out the Cow Palace in San Francisco with a "Twist Party" headlined by Chubby Checker.

1961-Margo Timmins (lead vocalist of Cowboy Junkies) is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is one of six children, including brothers Michael and Peter, who become her bandmates.

1961-Gillian Gilbert (New Order keyboardist) is born in Whalley Range, Manchester, England.

1956-21-year-old Elvis Presley releases "Heartbreak Hotel," which becomes his first #1 hit in America.

1951-Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy drummer) is born in Dublin, Ireland.

1951-Seth Justman (The J. Geils Band keyboardist) is born in Washington, D.C.

1948-Kim Gardner (of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke) is born in Dulwich, London, England.

1946-Nedra Talley (of The Ronettes) is born in New York City.

1944-Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason is born in Birmingham, England.

1944-Rocker Kevin Coyne is born in Derby, England.

1944-The Siege of Leningrad ends, a harsh military operation undertaken by Germany under Hitler's command to attempt to seize the Russian city. The Decemberists would later commemorate this event with their song "When The War Came."

1931-Rudi Maugeri (of The Crew-Cuts) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1930-Bobby "Blue" Bland is born Robert Calvin Brooks in Barretville, Tennessee.

1919-Ross Bagdasarian is born in Fresno, California. Using the stage name David Seville, he would create the The Chipmunks.

1918-Elmore James is born Elmore Brooks in Richland, Mississippi.

1918-Lyle "Skitch" Henderson is born on a farm near Halstad, Minnesota. As a pianist and composer, he will work with the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby.

1916-Swing jazz pianist Milt Raskin is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1895-Film producer, record executive and occasional lyricist Buddy DeSylva is born George Gard DeSylva in New York. He co-wrote the Al Jolson hit "April Showers."

1895-Composer Harry Ruby ("A Kiss to Build a Dream On") is born in New York City.

1885-Pop composer Jerome Kern ("The Way You Look Tonight") is born in New York City.

1756-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is born in Salzburg, Austria.

[Bikkie]

1827
D'Urville sails through 'French Pass'
In a feat of navigational daring – and after several attempts – the French explorer Jules Sébastien César Dumont d’Urville sailed the Astrolabe from Tasman Bay through the narrow ‘French Pass’ into Admiralty Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.


William Hardham
1901
Hardham wins Victoria Cross in South Africa
Wellington blacksmith William Hardham served in South Africa with the fourth New Zealand contingent. He was the only New Zealander awarded a Victoria Cross during the South African War.



In Music History

2023-Miley Cyrus' alone-but-happy anthem "Flowers" grows to #1 in the US, where it stays for a total of eight weeks.

2018-Shakira's El Dorado wins the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop album, making her the first female performer to receive two trophies in that category. The first was for her 2001 live album, MTV Unplugged.

2016-Two founding members of Jefferson Airplane, lead singer Signe Anderson and guitarist Paul Kantner, die on the same day, both at 74. Anderson left the group in 1966 after recording their first album - she was replaced by Grace Slick.

2014-At a press conference, all four members of Mötley Crüe sign a "cessation of touring agreement" preventing them from ever touring again after 2015. It prevents nothing: they kick off their next tour in 2022.

2009-Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd and Vision keyboardist) dies of a heart attack in his Orange Park, Florida home.

2008-Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix confirms drummer Dave Buckner has left the band. A statement released by the frontman says: "For y'all that don't know, we had to split with Dave, our drummer. It was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do. He's taking this time to get his life together. We are still friends and still talk on a regular basis."

2005-Traffic drummer Jim Capaldi dies of stomach cancer at age 60.

2005-Members of the "Free Fiona" movement protest outside Sony headquarters in New York City, encouraging the label to release Fiona Apple's long-delayed third album, which shows up in October. As part of the campaign, members also mailed apple-related items (foam apples, pictures of apples) to Sony.

2004-James Brown, 70, is arrested on charges of domestic violence after he's seen pushing his fourth wife, Tomi Rae Hynie, to the floor. He's fined and released from jail the next day after pleading no contest. Brown also faced assault charges from his third wife, Adrienne Rodriguez, in the '80s and '90s.

2004-Mel Pritchard, drummer for the British prog rock band Barclay James Harvest, dies of a heart attack at age 56.

2001-Ray Charles sings "America The Beautiful" at Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa. The Backstreet Boys sing the US national anthem, and halftime performers include Aerosmith, 'N Sync and Britney Spears.

1999-Shakira makes her American TV debut on The Rosie O'Donnell Show in an episode guest hosted by her good friend Gloria Estefan. She sings an English version of her song "Inevitable," which is considered for her first English-language single but bumped for "Whenever, Wherever," which she wrote with Estefan.

1997-A day before his 16th birthday, Jonny Lang's major-label debut album, Lie To Me, is released.

1996-Diana Ross performs at the Superbowl XXX halftime show in Tempe, Arizona.

1996-Chris Isaak guest-stars in the Friends episode "The One After the Superbowl," where he plays Phoebe's date, Rob Donnen.

Four British Acts Make Modern Rock Top 10
1995Four British acts make the Top 10 of the US Modern Rock chart, where homegrown acts typically dominate:

#5 "Love Spreads" - The Stone Roses
#6 "Everything Zen" - Bush
#7 "Live Forever" - Oasis
#9 "Sour Times" - Portishead

1994-Latin pop singer/rapper Maluma is born Juan Luis Londoño Arias in Medellin, Colombia. His breakthrough sophomore album, Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy (2015), showcases his dual personality as a pretty boy who sings romantic ballads and a dirty boy who sings reggaeton songs with seductive lyrics. "Borro Cassette," "El Perdedor," and "Sin Contrato" all reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Latin Songs chart.

1991-At the American Music Awards, Gloria Estefan performs live for the first time since a tour bus accident 10 months earlier where she seriously injured her back. She debuts her new single, "Coming Out Of The Dark," which is inspired by her recovery.

1990-Aaron Neville performs the US national anthem at Superbowl XXIV in New Orleans, Louisiana. Halftime entertainment is a salute to the city, with local marching bands performing along with Pete Fountain, Irma Thomas and Doug Kershaw.

1986-The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after liftoff, killing the seven crew members on board. The disaster inspires a lyric in the Prince song "Sign O' the Times":

Silly, no? When a rocket ship explodes and everybody still wants to fly.

1985-Jimmy Buffett opens his first Margaritaville retail store, named for his 1977 hit, in Key West. It sells beach-inspired apparel like Caribbean Soul t-shirts and flip-flops.

1985-Lionel Richie hosts the American Music Awards, where he wins five of the eight awards he's nominated for, including Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. He can't slow down: After the show, he heads to A&M Recording Studios to record "We Are The World," which he wrote with Michael Jackson.

1985-J. Cole is born Jermaine Cole on an American military base in Frankfurt, Germany. He's raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 2009 he becomes the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label.

1984-Thanks to a ban by the BBC, "Relax," the debut single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, hits #1 in the UK. In America, the #1 song is "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" by Yes. Both songs are produced by Trevor Horn, making him the first producer with #1s simultaneously in both territories with different acts.

1984-The legendary Nina Simone tells NME she was forced to record her 1978 album Baltimore under duress when she was kidnapped by five men and held in a basement for three days without food or water. She retracts the statement later.

1984-Def Jam Records release their first single: "It's Yours" by T La Rock and Jazzy Jay. The rap label becomes wildly successful, attracting Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Kanye West and many other big-name artists.

1983-English pop singer Billy Fury, known for hit singles like 1961's "Halfway to Paradise," dies of a heart attack at age 42. Fury's heart was damaged when contracted rheumatic fever as a child.

1982-Jackson Browne's second child - a son named Ryan - is born. The mother is Lynne Sweeney, an Australian model and Browne's second wife. Ryan becomes a musician, performing in the band Sonny & the Sunsets.

1980-Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys is born in Jamestown, New York. He is just 13 when he joins the boy band in 1993.

1978-By request, Ted Nugent carves his autograph into the arm of a fan using his bowie knife.

1978-The Doobie Brothers star in the first of a two-part episode of What's Happening! where they teach the kids why bootlegging is bad.

1977-Buzzcocks release the their EP Spiral Scratch on their own independent label, distributing it at live shows, via mail order and at record stores around their stomping grounds of Manchester, England. It sells over 15,000 copies, proving it's possible to succeed without a major label and leading a wave of DIY UK punk bands.

1977-Joey Fatone (of 'N Sync) is born in Brooklyn, New York, where he grows up in the Bensonhurst neighborhood.

1976-R&B singer Raphael "Tweet" Brown (of Next) is born in Minnesota.

1969-Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amour."

1968-Rakim, of the hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, is born William Michael Griffin Jr. in Wyandanch, Long Island, New York.

1968-Jim Morrison (of The Doors) is arrested after threatening a security guard at an adult movie theater.

1968-During their tour in Australia, members of The Who and The Small Faces, among others, are escorted off their flight from Adelaide to Essendon for drinking beer on the plane, being rowdy, and using "very bad language." Two of the flight's four attendants are said to be in tears.

1968-DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill is born Lawrence Muggerud in Queens, New York. He also produces House Of Pain, including their hit "Jump Around."

Sarah McLachlan Born
1968-Sarah McLachlan is born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. She breaks through in 1997 with her fourth album, Surfacing, which includes the hits "Adia" and "Angel." That year, she launches the Lilith Fair with a full roster of female singer-songwriters.

1966-Brian Poole announces his departure from The Tremeloes.

1965-The Who make their UK TV debut when they appear on the show Ready Steady Go! to promote their single "I Can't Explain."

1959-Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin perform together in Vegas for the first time, joining forces at the Sands hotel. They become regular performers at the venue, often joined by fellow "rat pack" members Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.

1956-Elvis Presley makes his TV debut on the Dorsey Brothers Stage Show, where he sings "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Heartbreak Hotel."

1955-The "Top 10 R&B Show" package tour kicks off its 42-date, 60-day national excursion in New York City, featuring The Clovers, Faye Adams, The Charms, Joe Turner, The Moonglows, Lowell Fulson, and The Bill Doggett Trio.

1955-Twelve-year-old Aretha Franklin gives birth to her first child, a son named Clarence.

1953-Derek Bentley is hanged for the murder of Police Constable Sidney Miles, who on November 2, 1952, was shot dead on a Croydon rooftop by 16-year-old Christopher Craig. Christopher Craig, too young to be executed, was paroled in 1963. The murder and trial later become the topic of the Ewan MacColl song "Ballad Of Derek Bentley."

1946-Rick Allen (keyboardist for The Box Tops, The Gentrys) is born in Little Rock, Arkansas.

1943-Brian Keenan (drummer for Manfred Mann, The Chambers Brothers) is born in New York.

1943-Dick Taylor (lead guitarist for The Pretty Things) is born in Dartford, Kent, England.

1936-Country singer Bill Phillips, known for the 1966 hit "Put It Off Until Tomorrow," is born in Canton, North Carolina.

1929-Clarinettist/vocalist Acker Bilk is born Bernard Stanley Bilk in Pensford, Somerset, England.

1927-Jazz tenor saxophonist Ronnie Scott is born Ronald Schatt in Aldgate, England.

1927-Jean Goldkette and His Dancing Orchestra records "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover."

1923-Ivo Robic is born in Garešnica, Croatia.

1900-Composer Michael Head is born Michael Dewar Head in Eastbourne, England.

1878-Hymn composer William Matthew Golden is born William M. Golding in Mississippi to James Golding and Camella Hood Golding.

[Bikkie]

Auckland Anniversary Day regatta
1842
Auckland's first Anniversary Day Regatta
Auckland’s Anniversary Day commemorates the arrival of Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson in the Bay of Islands in 1840.

Hobson Arrives in NZ
1840- First Governor of New Zealand and co-author of the Treaty of Waitangi Captain William Hobson arrives in the Bay of Islands, NZ

The Raven
1845- American writer Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" is first published in The Evening Mirror newspaper (New York City)

Compromise of 1850
1850 -Senator Henry Clay drafts the Compromise of 1850 to defuse tensions between slave states and free states over territories won during the Mexican–American War

1856- Victoria Cross is established to acknowledge valor in the face of the enemy (United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries)

1860 -American College established in Rome by Pope Pius IX
1861 -US state of Kansas admitted to the Union as the 34th state
1863- Bear River Massacre: American soldiers slaughter hundreds of Native Americans at the confluence of the Bear River and Beaver Creek in present day Idaho
1872- Francis L Cardoza elected State Treasurer of South Carolina

Custer Battlefield Monument
1879- Custer Battlefield National Monument established in Montana



In Music History

2015-Shakira gives birth to her second child, baby boy Sasha, with Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique.

201-5Rod McKuen, songwriter, poet, and composer, dies during a bout of pneumonia at age 81. Frank Sinatra's 1969 A Man Alone album was a compilation of McKuen's songs, including "Love's Been Good To Me."

2015-Suge Knight, former bodyguard-turned-record producer, is the alleged perpetrator in a hit-and-run which leaves his friend Terry Carter dead and actor Cle Denyale Sloan injured. Knight was filming the upcoming N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton when he reportedly fled the scene after an argument and plowed into the victims. Knight's lawyer confirms the incident, but refuses to say more as he's "waiting for a preliminary investigation for more information."

2014-Johnny Allen, a pianist and arranger for Motown and Stax Records, dies of complications from pneumonia at age 96. In 1971 he, along with Isaac Hayes, won a Grammy Award for his arrangement of the "Theme From Shaft."

2013-Kenneth Hodges (bass guitarist for Spanky & Our Gang) dies of pneumonia at age 76.

2011-Former teen stars Tiffany and Debbie Gibson team up to star in the movie Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid, which airs on the Syfy network.

2008-Prog rock band The Mars Volta release their album The Bedlam in Goliath. As a promotion, the band also gives away a CD-vinyl single, a special format with an optical side readable in CD players and a vinyl side that plays on a turntable for about three minutes. Both sides contain a cover of Pink Floyd's "Candy and a Currant Bun." The Bedlam in Goliath debuts at #3 on the Billboard 200.

2002-In Colorado Springs, Linkin Park launch the first Projekt Revolution festival, which runs every year through 2004, then returns in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Artists to play the festival over the years include Korn, My Chemical Romance, and Chris Cornell.

1995-Ken Jensen (drummer for D.O.A.), age 29, dies of smoke inhalation while trying to escape a house fire.

1994-Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) is injured and her 14-year-old son is killed in a California auto accident.

1989-Billy Joel sings the US national anthem at Superbowl XXIII in Miami.

1985-The "We Are The World" soloists, including Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross and Bob Dylan, stumble into the morning light after an all-night recording session with producer Quincy Jones.

1983-Stevie Nicks marries Kim Anderson in a union she later describes as "a terrible, terrible mistake."

1982-Adam Lambert is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. After making his mark on American Idol, he goes on to a successful solo career and becomes the frontman for Queen.

1981-Blues guitar prodigy Jonny Lang is born Jon Langseth, Jr. in Fargo, North Dakota.

1979-16-year-old Brenda Spencer opens fire on Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego, California, from her home across the street, killing two adults and injuring nine kids. When asked why she did it, she replies, "I don't like Mondays," which the Boomtown Rats use as the title for a song about the incident.

1997-The Paul Simon musical The Cape Man opens on Broadway. It lasts only 68 performances.

1977-Rose Royce's "Car Wash" hits #1 in America.

1970-Elvis Presley releases "Kentucky Rain."

1970-Johnny Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash is certified Gold.

1969-The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour debuts on CBS. A homey variety show with Steve Martin on board as a writer, it lasts three seasons and draws impressive ratings. Campbell, who had been a regular guest on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, gets even more exposure later in 1969 when he stars in the John Wayne movie True Grit.

1969-Peggy Lee records "Is That All There Is."

1964-The Beatles record German versions of their hits "She Loves You" ("Sie Liebt Dich") and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" ("Komm gib mir deine Hand").

1962-Peter, Paul and Mary sign with Warner Brothers Records.

1962-Marcus Vere (of Living In A Box) is born in the UK.

1961-Eddie Jackson (bassist for Queensryche) is born in Robstown, Texas.

1953-Louie Perez (drummer, lyricist for Los Lobos) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1949-Tommy Ramone (drummer for Ramones) is born Tamas Erdelyi in Budapest, Hungary, but is raised in Queens, New York.

1947-David Byron of Uriah Heep is born David Garrick in Epping, England.

1942-Claudine Longet is born in Paris. The French singer is the subject of the Rolling Stones song "Claudine."

1936-James Jamerson, the bass player in Motown's house band The Funk Brothers, is born in South Carolina. His distinctive grooves form the bedrock of many hits released on the label; good examples of his work are "My Girl" by The Temptations and "Where Did Our Love Go" by The Supremes.

1933-R&B singer Ron Townson (of The 5th Dimension) is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1917-Singer/actor John Raitt, known for his roles in the stage musicals Carousel and Oklahoma!, among others, is born in Santa Ana, California.

1862-Composer Frederick Delius is born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.

1728-The Beggar's Opera by John Gay premieres in London.

Bob Dylan Meets Woody Guthrie
1961-Five days after arriving in New York from Minnesota, Bob Dylan meets his ailing folk hero, Woody Guthrie, tracking him down in East Orange, New Jersey. Dylan pays tribute with "Song To Woody," which appears on his first album the following year.

[Bikkie]

Constitutions of Clarendon
1164- English King Henry II passes the Constitutions of Clarendon, attempting to restrict power of the papal clergy in England - only Thomas Beckett objects, the beginning of their quarrel

1349- Gunther of Schwarzburg chosen German anti-king

1467- Battle at Velke Kostolany: Hungarian king Mátyás Corvinus beats Bratrici

1487- Bell chimes invented

1522- Duke of Albany takes captured French back to Scotland

1544- Adrian van Goes becomes land advocate of Holland

1592- Ippolito Aldobrandini elected Pope Clement VIII

1607 Massive flooding in England destroys around 200 square miles of coastline and results in approximately 2,000 casualties




In Music History

Star-Filled FireAid Concerts Aid Victims of LA Wildfires
2025-A parade of stars including Stevie Wonder, Olivia Rodrigo and Katy Perry perform at the FireAid benefit concerts in Los Angeles to raise money for victims of the California wildfires, which left 29 dead and destroyed thousands of homes. The concert is held at two venues and runs for six hours.More

2016-David Bowie's Blackstar album hits #1 in America, 20 days after his death. It's Bowie's first #1 album in the States.

2015-Record producer Suge Knight is arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of murder the day after he was involved in a hit-and-run that killed his friend Terry Carter and injured actor Cle Denyale Sloan. Knight was on the set of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton when he allegedly argued with the two men, then followed them to a burger joint where he ran them down in the parking lot. Witnesses claim he even backed over the victims with his truck before leaving the scene, but Knight's lawyer insists he was fleeing for his own safety.

2014-Poison lead singer Bret Michaels introduces his new line of cologne: Roses & Thorns. Because every rose has its thorn.

2013-Patty Andrews (lead singer of The Andrews Sisters) dies at age 94. She was the youngest and last surviving member of the group of singing sisters.

2002-Freddy Fender is released from a San Antonio, Texas, hospital after successfully recovering from kidney transplant surgery.

2000-Backed by drummers, bagpipers, and sign language interpreters, Faith Hill sings the National Anthem at Super Bowl XXXIV, which the Rams win over the Titans. Like Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl performance, it goes over so well that it's released as a single, charting at #118.

1999-In Deerfield Beach, Florida, Cake play the Bar Mitzvah of superfan Mitchell Schop, who wrote them a letter with the request. The next day they start their world tour with a show in Orlando, supporting their album Prolonging The Magic and the hit single "Never There."

The Debut Single And Album From Britney Spears Both Hit #1
1999-America is abuzz with Britney Spears, whose debut single "...Baby One More Time" goes to #1 as her album also reaches the top.

1996-Eazy-E's posthumous album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton is released. It debuts at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

1994-Natalie Cole sings the US national anthem at Superbowl XXVIII in Atlanta, Georgia. Halftime is country, with Clint Black, The Judds and Travis Tritt among the performers.

1993-The Eazy-E EP 5150 Home 4 tha Sick, his first recording since the end of N.W.A., debuts at #70 on the Billboard 200 chart.

1989-Exodus releases their third studio album, Fabulous Disaster.

1989-With Steven Adler in rehab, Don Henley fills in on drums for Guns N' Roses when they play "Patience" at the American Music Awards. Axl Rose had recorded vocals for Henley's song "I Will Not Go Quietly," which appears later in the year.

1989-Singer Samantha Fish is born in Kansas City, Missouri.

1988-Robbie Robertson of The Band appears on Saturday Night Live, making his first live TV appearance in 12 years.

1988-Two years after a cover of Nanci Griffith's "Love At The Five And Dime" gave Kathy Mattea her first hit, she lands her first #1 on the Country chart with another Griffith tune: "Goin' Gone."

1988-INXS land their first and only US #1 with "Need You Tonight."

1984-Kid Cudi is born Scott Mescudi in Cleveland, Ohio. His first two albums take off but send him into a swirl of drug abuse and depression. He becomes one of the first hip-hop stars to openly discuss his struggles with mental health.

1982-Country blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins dies of esophageal cancer at age 69.

1980-New Orleans bluesman Professor Longhair dies of a heart attack at age 61.

1979-Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand's duet "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" becomes the first 12-inch single certified Gold by the RIAA.

1978-Journey release Infinity, their fourth album but first with lead singer Steve Perry. With the singles "Wheel In The Sky" and "Lights," it takes the band away from their progressive rock sound and squarely into pop, where they thrive for the next 10 years.

1973-Kiss play their first concert, performing at the Popcorn Club in Queens, New York. They wear makeup onstage, but not the look they become known for.

1972-British soldiers open fire on 26 unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest march in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in 14 deaths. The incident inspires Paul McCartney to write "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" (Wings' debut single) and gives rise to the U2 song "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

1971-Neil Young performs "The Needle and the Damage Done" at UCLA's Royce Hall. The song is recorded and released on the Harvest album a year later.

Beatles Rock The Rooftop
1969-The Beatles stage their famous rooftop concert on the roof of Apple Records in London. After performing a few songs, including "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down," the police shut them down as a large crowd gathers. It is The Beatles' last public performance.

1968-Cilla Black's BBC show Cilla debuts, adding another Britgirl to the UK television lineup. Unlike the shows of Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, and Lulu, Cilla has longevity, lasting until 1976. This series makes her one of the most popular television personalities in the UK until her death in 2015.

1968-Bobby Goldsboro records "Honey," a song written by Bobby Russell. It becomes one of the biggest hits of 1968, spending five weeks at #1 in the US.

1961-The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" hits #1 in America. It's the first big hit for the songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

1961-Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller announce that they are forming their own independent production company.

1959-Jody Watley is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1958-Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" enters the UK chart at #1, the first single ever to do so.

1956-Elvis Presley records "Blue Suede Shoes," "My Baby Left Me," "One-Sided Love Affair," and "So Glad You're Mine."

1956-Billy Lee Riley records "Red Hot."

1952-Steve Bartek (lead guitarist for Oingo Boingo) is born in Garfield Heights, Ohio.

1951-Marv Ross (guitarist for Quarterflash) is born in Oregon.

1951-Phil Collins is born in Chiswick, London, England. Before embarking on a solo career in 1980, he is the drummer and lead singer for Genesis.

1949-William King (multi-instrumentalist for Commodores) is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

1947-Steve Marriott (frontman of The Small Faces, Humble Pie) is born in Manor Park, London, England.

1942-Marty Balin (vocalist for Jefferson Airplane/Starship) is born Martyn Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1941-Joe Terranova (baritone/bass singer of Danny & the Juniors) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1938-Country singer Norma Jean is born in Wellston, Oklahoma. She is a regular singer on The Porter Wagoner Show from 1961-1967. Her replacement: Dolly Parton.

1936-German jazz pianist Horst Jankowski is born in Berlin.

1921-Jazz pianist Bernie Leighton is born in West Haven, Connecticut.

1917-The Original Dixieland Jazz Band records "The Darktown Strutters' Ball."

1911-Jazz trumpeter Roy Eldridge is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

[Bikkie]

1921-New Zealand's first regular airmail service begins
Piloted by Captain Euan Dickson, the first flight of the Canterbury Aviation Company’s new airmail service left Christchurch at 8 a.m., carrying several hundred letters to Ashburton and Timaru into the teeth of a south-westerly gale.



In Music History

2021-Capping a massive bender, Morgan Wallen yells the n-word at his (white) drinking buddy outside his home. It's caught on video, and when it's released two days later, Wallen is dropped from most radio stations and banished from playlists on major streaming services. The controversy earns him a surge in streams and sales, keeping his Dangerous: The Double Album, which debuted at #1 in America on January 23, at the top for a total of 10 weeks.
2017-Deke Leonard of Man dies at age 72.

2017-John Wetton of King Crimson and Asia dies at age 67 after a battle with cancer.

Grease Gets The Live Musical TV Treatment
2016-Fox airs a live version of Grease, the hit Broadway musical-turned-movie, starring Julianne Hough.More

2015-Neo soul singer D'Angelo makes his debut appearance on SNL, performing "Really Love" and "The Charade" from his latest album, Black Messiah. His band, the Vanguard, wear T-shirts with the slogans "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe" in reference to the controversial deaths of unarmed black men Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of white policemen in 2014. The singer also dons a hooded sweatshirt as a nod to Trayvon Martin, who suffered a similar fate in 2012.

2010-The Record Academy honors Leonard Cohen with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. During his acceptance speech, Cohen comments on his surprise at receiving a Grammy, joking that he "was always touched by the modesty of [the Recording Academy's] interest in my work."

2009-Dewey Martin (drummer for Buffalo Springfield) dies at age 68. The cause of death is unknown, but he had been suffering from health problems for the last few years.

2008-Britney Spears' family helps orchestrate an intervention that lands her in the psychiatric ward of UCLA's hospital. She's taken by ambulance, which gets a police escort and draws a frenzy of media attention. The next day, her father is named as her conservator, as a court rules that Britney cannot care for herself. She is released a few days later and starts getting her life back together. Later in February, her saga is detailed in Rolling Stone; she appears on the cover with the headline, "Britney Spears: Inside An American Tragedy."

2001-After Barry Mason, who co-wrote the Tom Jones hit "Delilah," tells The Sun that the song was inspired by a woman named Delia from Llandudno in North Wales, the UK newspaper asks readers to help track her down. The search is aborted when Mason's ex-wife - who co-wrote the song - calls in to explain that "Delia" does not exist, and that the name came from the story of Samson and Delilah.

1999-Cher sings the national anthem at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami; Stevie Wonder performs at the halftime show.

1998-The Bruce Springsteen "Come Together" benefit concert, organized for the family of a New Jersey police officer killed in the line of duty, turns into an impromptu E Street Band reunion that also features Southside Johnny and other Jersey musicians.

1993-Michael Jackson performs with 3,500 local children at the Superbowl XXVII in Pasadena, California.

1993-With just 45 minutes to kickoff, Garth Brooks threatens to cancel his national anthem performance at Super Bowl XXVII when the NFL reneges on its promise to debut the video for his controversial protest anthem "We Shall Be Free."

1989-Two months after his death, Roy Orbison's album Mystery Girl is released. Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Bono and George Harrison all contributed to the album; the lead single, "You Got It," gives Orbison his first US Top 10 hit since 1964 with "(Oh) Pretty Woman."

1988-Herb Alpert performs the US national anthem at Superbowl XXII in San Diego, California; Chubby Checker performs at the halftime show.

1985-John Fogerty plays his first live show in years, performing with Albert Lee and Booker T. Jones at the A&M Soundstage in Hollywood. It harkens a return for Fogerty, who two weeks earlier released Centerfield, his first album in 10 years.

1982-Singer Helena Paparizou is born in Borås, Sweden.

1981-Justin Timberlake is born in Memphis, Tennessee. After doing time in The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, he makes his mark in the boy band 'N Sync before launching his solo career.

1978-Greg Herbert, a 30-year-old saxophonist with Blood, Sweat & Tears, dies of an accidental drug overdose. He's discovered in his hotel room the following day.

1977-Claudine Longet is convicted of misdemeanor criminal negligence in relation to her shooting and killing Vladmir Sabich in March the previous year; she is given a slap on the wrist.

1976-The Ohio Players' "Love Rollercoaster" hits #1 in America. The scream in the instrumental section is rumored to be the sound of a woman being killed in the studio, an urban legend that persists for decades.

1972-Joan Baez's album Any Day Now is certified Gold.

1971-Mahalia Jackson's funeral is held at Chicago's Great Salem Baptist Church. Over 40,000 mourners attend the open-casket service, which features a closing version of "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" performed by Aretha Franklin. Famous mourners include Coretta Scott King, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Sammy Davis Jr.

1971-The Jackson 5 are given the key to their hometown of Gary, Indiana, by Mayor Robert Pastrick.

1970-In New Orleans, the Grateful Dead are arrested for possession of LSD and barbiturates, an incident which would inspire one of their most famous songs, "Truckin'." (Apparently the band had run afoul of mob interests in Texas, and the mob alerted the NOPD. This explains lines like "Houston, too close to New Orleans" and "Set up, like a bowling pin.")

1970-Slim Harpo, a blues singer who was an influence on The Rolling Stones and many other acts, dies at age 46.

1970-"Whole Lotta Love" reaches #4 in the US, the highest Led Zeppelin will ever chart on the Hot 100. Most of their songs, including "Stairway To Heaven," are not released as singles.

1970-The Jackson 5's debut single, "I Want You Back," hits #1 in America. It's the first of four consecutive chart toppers for the group, which is fronted by 11-year-old Michael Jackson.

1969-Bobby Darin walks off the set of The Jackie Gleason Show when he is not allowed to perform his song "Long Line Rider," which deals with prisoner abuse.

1969-Billy Preston signs with Apple Records.

1968-The American Breed's "Bend Me, Shape Me" is certified Gold.

1967-While in Sevenoaks, Kent, England, John Lennon visits an antique shop and buys an 1843 circus poster that inspires The Beatles song "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite."

1966-Al Doughty, bassist for the British alt rock band Jesus Jones, is born Alan Jaworski in Plymouth, Devon, England.

1966-At Western Recorders in Hollywood, Brian Wilson records "Caroline, No" without the other Beach Boys. The song appears on the group's Pet Sounds album, but the single is released under his name.

1964-Prolific music video director Sophie Muller is born in St Pancras, London, England. She'll get her start in the music biz directing several promos for the Eurythmics and their lead singer Annie Lennox before bringing her talent to a wide array of acts, including Sade, No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, Sarah McLachlan, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Birdy, Garbage, Radiohead, Kings of Leon, and many more.More

1963-Neil Young, 17, plays his first show, performing at a country club in Winnipeg.

1959-17year-old Bob Dylan (known as Robert Zimmerman) sees Buddy Holly perform at the Duluth Armory in Minnesota. Three days later, Holly dies in a plane crash.

1956-John Lydon is born in London. As Johnny Rotten, he fronts The Sex Pistols, a band that helps define British punk. When they break up in 1978 he forms Public Image Ltd., known for their songs "Rise" and "This Is Not a Love Song."

1956-Elvis Presley signs with the William Morris Agency in order to make himself available to film studios.

1951-Phil Manzanera (lead guitarist of Roxy Music) is born Philip Geoffrey Targett-Adams in London, England.

1951-Harry Wayne Casey, founder of KC and the Sunshine Band, is born in Opa-locka, Florida. He leads the way into the disco era, first by writing and producing the 1974 George McCrae hit "Rock Your Baby," and then with a string of KC hits, including "Get Down Tonight" and "I'm Your Boogie Man."

1946-Terry Kath, co-founder and guitarist of (Chicago), is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1944-Electric blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite is born in Kosciusko, Mississippi.

1928-Chuck Willis, known for his rendition of "C.C. Rider," is born in Atlanta.

1923-Broadway and film star Carol Channing is born in Seattle, Washington. Her breakout role comes in 1949 when she plays Lorelei Lee in the Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and introduces the popular tune "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend."

1921-Italian tenor Mario Lanza is born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He takes his stage name from his mother's maiden name: Maria Lanza.

1892-Singer and entertainer Eddie Cantor is born Edward Israel Iskowitz in New York City. He catches his break when he lands a contract with the popular theatrical revue Ziegfeld Follies.

1882-Peter Dawson, famed Australian bass-baritone who made popular recordings of "Advance Australia Fair," "Waltzing Matilda," and "Song Of Australia," is born in Adelaide, South Australia, to Scottish parents Thomas and Alison Dawson.

1797-Austrian composer Franz Schubert is born in Vienna.

[Bikkie]

Painting of Nelson, 1841
1842
New Zealand Company settlers arrive in Nelson
The Fifeshire arrived in Nelson with immigrants for the New Zealand Company's first settlement in the South Island.


Ornate building with people walking around beautiful grounds with native trees and ponds.
1901
World’s first government tourism department established
On this day the Railways Department’s Tourist Office was established as an independent Department of Tourist and Health Resorts – the first dedicated central government tourist department in the world.

Janet Mackenzie
1922
Correspondence School founded
Janet Mackenzie became the first teacher in what was to become the Correspondence School for Back-block Children


Trevor Chappell bowls underarm to Brian McKechnie
1981
Trevor Chappell bowls underarm
Trans-Tasman sporting relations hit a new low at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when Australian captain Greg Chappell ordered his brother Trevor to bowl the final delivery of a 50-over cricket international against New Zealand underarm (along the ground).



In Music History
2017-In a post on Instagram that is liked over 8 million times in 24 hours, Beyoncé reveals she is pregnant with twins.

2016-Skillet's 2009 track "Monster" goes double platinum with more than 2.6 million sales and streams, making it the biggest digital single in Christian music history.

2015-Katy Perry headlines a bonkers Super Bowl halftime show with a giant lion (for "Roar"), backup dancers in shark and beachball costumes, and performances by Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott.

2013-The documentary Sound City is released in theaters. Directed by Dave Grohl, it tells the story of Sound City Studios, where his group Nirvana made their Nevermind album. Tom Petty, Rick Springfield, Stevie Nicks and a host of other stars appear in the film to share their memories of recording there.

2009-Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform at the Bridgestone halftime show during Super Bowl XLIII between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

2007-Italian-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti, who twice won the Pulitzer Prize for the '50s operas The Consul and The Saint of Bleecker Street, dies at age 95.

2007-Wayne Fontana, famous for fronting Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, pours gasoline on the car of a bailiff sent to collect a debt, and sets the vehicle on fire. At his hearing in November, Fontana shows up dressed as Lady Justice, complete with sword and scales. The judge is not amused, sentencing him to 11 months in prison, and stating: "He has come dressed as a fool and he wants to act like a fool - I hope they give him a prison uniform at Nottingham Prison to keep him warm."

2007-Forced to do a press conference to promote his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, Prince answers the first question with a guitar lick, then turns the event into a concert, leaving reporters stunned.

Janet Jackson's Wardrobe Malfunctions At Super Bowl
2004-Justin Timberlake punctuates the Super Bowl halftime show by tearing away part of Janet Jackson's costume, revealing her right breast to a massive audience that quickly reaches for their TiVos for a replay. Both artists blame it on a "wardrobe malfunction," but while Jackson gets blacklisted, Timberlake is welcomed back by the music industry and the NFL after a series of apologies.

2003-Latin-jazz percussionist Mongo Santamaria dies after suffering a stroke at age 85.

2000-The Christian rock band Skillet release their third studio album, Invincible. It's the band's first release without founding member Ken Steorts, who is replaced by Kevin Haaland on guitar.

1994-Harry Styles of One Direction is born in Cheshire, England.

Tori Amos Confronts Two-Faced Cornflake Girls On Under The Pink
1994-Tori Amos releases her second album, Under The Pink, featuring the hit single "Cornflake Girl."More

Green Day Bring Punk Out of the Basement With Dookie
1994-Green Day release their major-label debut album, Dookie, bringing punk rock out of the basement with songs like "Basket Case" and "When I Come Around." At night, they play a gig at Slim's in San Francisco with The Dead Milkmen.

1989-Paul Robi (of The Platters) dies of cancer at age 57 in Los Angeles, California.

1988-After an arduous year of touring and recording, The Cars officially disband. The return in 2011 for an album and tour, but part ways for good soon after.

1987-Journey wrap up their Raised on Radio tour with a show in Anchorage, Alaska. It's their last tour with Steve Perry, who makes one more album with the band, Trial by Fire, in 1996.

1986-Diana Ross weds Norwegian businessman Arne Naess in Geneva, Switzerland.

1986-Dick James, co-founder of DJM Records and the Beatles' publishing company Northern Songs, dies of a heart attack at age 65.

1985-The Eagles' Glenn Frey makes his acting debut in an episode of NBC's Miami Vice that is based on his song "Smuggler's Blues."

1983-Journey release their eighth album, Frontiers. It sells 6 million copies and spawns the hit singles "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully," but has the misfortune of being released while Michael Jackson's Thriller is red hot; it holds Frontiers at #2 for nine weeks.

1982-Bill Murray is the first guest on Late Night with David Letterman, hosted by an irreverent comedian with funny teeth. He sings the hit song "Physical," doing an aerobic routine along with his performance.

1979-Jason Isbell is born in Green Hill, Alabama. He joins Drive-By Truckers in 2001, then leaves to start a solo career in 2007.

1979-Blondie hits #1 in the UK with "Heart Of Glass," the first of their six #1 hits in Britain. Three months later, the song tops the US chart.

1976-Cher, married to Gregg Allman and pregnant with his child, launches a new variety show with her ex-husband Sonny Bono called The Sonny And Cher Show on CBS. It runs through 1977.

1975-Big Boi (of the hip-hop duo OutKast) is born Antwan André Patton in Savannah, Georgia.

1975-For her seventh birthday, Lisa Marie Presley meets her favorite singer, Elton John, a gift arranged by her father.

1975-Neil Sedaka's "Laughter In The Rain" hits #1.

1974-Guitarist Eric Bell leaves Thin Lizzy due to ill health brought on by alcohol abuse.

1973-Gladys Knight & the Pips leave Motown's Soul label for a new career at Buddah.

Neil Young Releases Harvest
1972-Neil Young releases the album Harvest, with the hit "Heart of Gold

1971-The Love Story soundtrack album, featuring the popular title theme from Francis Lai & His Orchestra, is certified gold.

1969-Patrick Wilson (drummer for Weezer) is born in Buffalo, New York. He starts drum lessons at age 15 after seeing Van Halen in concert.

1969-Tommy James & the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1968-Lisa Marie Presley is born in Memphis, Tennessee. She is the first and only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.

1967-Frank Sinatra and daughter Nancy Sinatra record "Somethin' Stupid."

1966-The Young Rascals record "Good Lovin'."

1965-James Brown records "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" at the Arthur Smith Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's Brown's first recording to feature Jimmy Nolen on guitar, who becomes known for his distinctive "chicken scratch" lead guitar playing.

1964-Jani Lane of Warrant ("Cherry Pie") is born in Akron, Ohio.

The Beatles Get Their First US #1
1964-The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hits #1 in the US as Beatlemania takes hold.

Indiana Governor Bans "Louie Louie"
1964-Indiana Governor Matthew Walsh bans the Kingsmen's version of "Louie Louie," calling it "pornographic" and making (literally) a federal case out of it.

1963-Linda Scott appears on Arthur Godfrey's Sounds Of New York TV special on CBS.

1963-Paul Simon graduates from New York City's Queens College.

1962-Shelley Fabares debuts her hit single "Johnny Angel" on The Donna Reed Show episode "Donna's Prima Donna." Fabares plays daughter Mary Stone on the sitcom.

1962-Elvis Presley releases "Good Luck Charm" b/w "Anything That's Part Of You."

1958-Elvis Presley records "My Wish Came True," "Doncha' Think It's Time," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck."

1956-Exene Cervenka of the band X is born Christine Cervenka in Mokena, Illinois, outside of Chicago.

1956-The Roxy Theater in New York City presents The Rock and Roll Ice Revue, billed as "the hottest production ever staged on ice."

1951-Rich Williams (guitarist for Kansas) is born in Topeka, Kansas.

1951-Fran Christina (drummer for The Fabulous Thunderbirds) is born in Texas.

1950-Mike Campbell (lead guitarist for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) is born in Panama City, Florida.

1949-RCA introduces the 45 RPM record. It's 7 inches wide and plays at a faster speed than the traditional 33-1/3 for 12-inch albums. The format takes off, and 45s become known as "singles."

1948-Rick James is born James Ambrose Johnson Jr. in Buffalo, New York. After stints in a few different bands and a few different jails, he signs with Motown Records in 1977 and develops a funk sound that powers hits like "Super Freak" and "Give It To Me Baby."

1947-Israeli singer Mike Brant is born Moshé Michaël Brand in Famagusta, Cyprus.

1944-Tommy Duffy (bass guitarist for Lindisfarne) is born in England.

1940-Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra records "Too Romantic" and "The Sky Fell Down."

1939-Jazz pianist Joe Sample (of The Crusaders) is born in Houston, Texas.

1939-Bluegrass musician Del McCoury is born in York, Pennsylvania.

1938-Jimmy Carl Black (drummer, vocalist for Mothers of Invention) is born James Carl Inkanish, Jr. in El Paso, Texas.

1937-Ray "Eye Patch" Sawyer (of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show) is born in Chickasaw, Alabama.

1937-Don Everly of The Everly Brothers is born Isaac Donald Everly in Brownie, Kentucky. Two years later, brother Phil is born.

1934-Bob Shane (of The Kingston Trio) is born Robert Castle Schoen in Hilo, Hawaii.

1825-Francis Child, publisher of The Child Ballads, is born in Boston.

[Bikkie]

Department of Social Security head office, 1939
1939
Welfare plan gets baptism of fire
A massive fire destroyed the nearly completed three-storey Social Security building. Just seven weeks later, a replacement building was opened by Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage.

Read the full story about this Event
Filbert Bayi holds off John Walker to win the 1500 m
1974
'The greatest middle distance race of all time'
The men’s 1500-m final was run on the last day of the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. Tanzanian Filbert Bayi ran the first 800 m in an astonishing 1 minute 52.2 seconds, conserved energy on the third lap, and held off 22-year-old New Zealander John Walker to set a new world record of 3:32.16.



In Music History

2025-The Beatles win the Best Rock Performance Grammy for "Now And Then," the first Grammy-nominated song made with help from AI, which was used to create John Lennon's vocal. It's their fourth post-breakup Grammy, matching their total from when the band was active.

2025-On her fifth rodeo getting nominated for the Album Of The Year Grammy, Beyoncé finally wins for Cowboy Carter. The other big winner is Kendrick Lamar, who wins five awards for "Not Like Us," including Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Music Video.

2019-Marshmello performs a virtual concert inside the online game Fortnite that is seen by an estimated 10 million gamers. To pull it off, he is rigged to a body-motion suit that transfers his movements to the screen. It's the first large-scale integration of a concert within a video game.

2011-Leonard Cohen's first grandchild is born to proud parents Lorca Cohen, Rufus Wainwright and "deputy dad" Jorn Weisbrodt. Little Viva Katherine, named after Wainwright's mother, the folk singer Kate McGarrigle, is born only a year after Cohen reportedly remarked on childhood to both Lorca and Rufus: "You know, it's pretty much the only amazing thing there is."

The White Stripes Break Up
2011-The White Stripes split up after six albums, ending their run as one of the most successful rock duos.

2007-Joe Hunter, who played piano in the Motown house band The Funk Brothers, dies at age 79.

2007-The Spinners founding member Billy Henderson dies of complications from diabetes at age 67 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

2004-Exodus return after a 12-year hiatus with their sixth studio album, Tempo of the Damned.

2002Paul Baloff, who sang on Exodus' 1985 debut album, Bonded Blood, dies of a heart attack at age 41.

1999-Freddy Fender is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1996-Gene Kelly, one of the most famous dancers of his time, dies at age 83. Kelly was also an accomplished singer, known for crooning the title track of Singin' In The Rain.

Bill Murray Wakes Up To "I Got You Babe"... Again
1993-Bill Murray can't stop waking up to the Sonny and Cher song "I Got You Babe" in the movie Groundhog Day.

1993-Willie Nelson settles his $17 million tax debt with the US Internal Revenue Service by paying them $9 million in cash and assets already seized. Some of the cash was raised through sales of his 1991 album The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories, released specifically to fund his payout.

1992-Todd Rundgren has his third child, a son named Rebop.

1985-"I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner begins a two-week run at #1 in the US, the first song with a gospel choir to top the chart. The song was written by Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones and inspired by the woman who would later become his wife: Ann Dexter-Jones.

1980-The Specials hit #1 in the UK for the first time with "Too Much Too Young," but they're busy touring America, where their ska sound has yet to find much of an audience.

1979-Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols, out on bail after being accused of killing his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, dies of a heroin overdose at age 21.
Shakira Is Born

1977-Shakira is born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll in Barranquilla, Colombia. At 13, she gets a record deal with Sony Music – the first step on her path to becoming a worldwide superstar.

1976-Lynyrd Skynyrd release Gimme Back My Bullets. It's their fourth album, following Nuthin' Fancy and preceding Street Survivors, which is their last release before a fatal plane crash ends the original lineup.

1975-Billy Mohler, best known as a member of The Calling, is born in Laguna Beach, California.

1975-Stevie Wonder's daughter Aisha (heard crying at the beginning of "Isn't She Lovely") is born. Aisha is Wonder's first child, born to Yolanda Simmons.

"The Way We Were" Hits #1
1974-Barbra Streisand scores her first #1 when "The Way We Were" hits the top spot.

1973-Elvis Presley meets Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas. The two exchange gifts, and Ali later says, "I felt sorry for him because he didn't enjoy life the way he should. He stayed indoors all the time. I told him he should go out and see people."

1973-NBC debuts The Midnight Special rock variety show, its response to ABC's popular In Concert series. The first host: Helen Reddy.

1973-Emerson, Lake and Palmer keyboard player Keith Emerson injures his hands when a rigged piano explodes prematurely during a San Francisco gig, leaving him with minor cuts and a broken fingernail.

1971-The Point!, an animated fable written by pop star Nilsson, makes its debut on ABC's Movie of the Week.

1968-After cycling through a number of band names (including Bag 'O Nails and Navy Blue), Ian Anderson's group plays the Marquee Club in London as Jethro Tull, a name that sticks. Their agent suggested the name; Jethro Tull is the inventor of the seed drill.

1966-Robert DeLeo, who will form Stone Temple Pilots along with his brother Dean and lead singer Scott Weiland, is born in Montclair, New Jersey.

1963-The Beatles begin their first British tour at the Gaumont in Bradford. They're listed last on the bill, which includes The Honeys, The Kestrals, The Red Price Orchestra and 16-year-old Helen Shapiro.

1963-Eva Cassidy is born in Washington, D.C. She is raised in Maryland.

1959-At the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper play their last show as part of the "Winter Dance Party" tour. Admission: $1.25. The last song of the night: The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace.

1957-Dale Hawkins records "Susie Q."

1957-Fats Domino makes an appearance on The Perry Como Show, singing his hits "Blue Monday" and "Blueberry Hill."

1956-The Coasters sign with Atlantic Records.

1949-Ross Valory, bass player with Journey and the Steve Miller Band, is born in San Francisco.

1948-Al McKay (of Earth, Wind & Fire) is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1947-Peter Lucia (of Tommy James & the Shondells) is born in Morristown, New Jersey.

1946-Howard Bellamy (of the country duo The Bellamy Brothers) is born in Darby, Florida.

1942-Graham Nash is born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. After founding The Hollies in 1962, he leaves in 1968 to make more newsworthy music, which he does with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

1940-Alan Caddy (guitarist of The Tornados, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) is born in Chelsea, London, England.

1937-Guy Lombardo and His Orchestra record "Boo Hoo."

1932-Jazz musician Arthur Lyman, known as "The King of Lounge Music," is born in Kauai, Hawaii.

1927-Jazz saxophonist Stan Getz is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1912-Burton Lane, known for composing the music for the Broadway productions of Finian's Rainbow (1947) and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965), is born Morris Hyman Kushner in New York City.

1900-The opera Louise by Gustave Charpentiers (his most famous composition) premieres in Paris.

1525-Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is born in the town of Palestrina near Rome.

[Bikkie]

Headline from Wellington Independent, 11 February 1868
1868
Killer storm sweeps the country
An ex-tropical cyclone swept south across the country from Saturday 1st. By the time it moved away on Tuesday 4th, more than 40 people had died.

Ruins of the Napier nurses’ home following the earthquake
1931
Deadly Hawke's Bay earthquake
When the earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, struck at 10.47 a.m., many buildings in central Napier and Hastings collapsed.



In Music History

2021-TJ Osborne of the Brothers Osborne comes out as gay in an interview with Time, making him the first openly gay country artist signed to a major label.

2019-In Atlanta, 21 Savage is arrested in an immigration crackdown and detained for nine days. It's revealed that he was born in England and has been living as an undocumented immigrant since his visa expired in 2006. During his detention he watches the Grammy Awards, where he's nominated for Record Of The Year for his Post Malone collaboration "Rockstar." He finally gets his green card in 2023.

2018-Lady Gaga cancels the remainder of her Joanne tour, citing severe pain caused by fibromyalgia. She later reveals the cause to be a psychotic break, telling Rolling Stone, "I completely crashed. It was really scary."

2015-Former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight is rushed to the hospital after pleading not guilty in his connection with a fatal hit-and-run just days before. His friend Terry Carter was killed in the incident and actor Cle Denyale Sloan was injured during an altercation over the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton. Knight faces charges of murder and attempted murder, along with two counts of hit-and-run.

Phil Spector Kills Lana Clarkson
2003-Phil Spector is charged with murder after police are called to his 33-room mansion in Alhambra, California, and discover the actress Lana Clarkson dead from a gunshot wound.

2013-Beyoncé invigorates the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show with a performance that reunites Destiny's Child.

2001-Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me," based on an Eddie Murphy routine about what to do when you get caught cheating, goes to #1 in America.

1997-David Bowie releases the electronica-influenced album Earthling, including the Grammy-nominated song (Best Male Rock Vocal Performance) "Dead Man Walking," and the paranoia-tinged track "I'm Afraid Of Americans," featuring Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

1994-Tori Amos charts on the Hot 100 for the first time with "God" from her sophomore solo album, Under The Pink. It peaks at #72.

1990-Sean Kingston is born Kisean Anderson in Miami. His pop-reggae sound gets the attention of producer J.R. Rotem, who signs him to his label and issues his first single, "Beautiful Girls," in 2007. The song goes to #1 and leads to a run of hits that lasts through 2013, but in 2025 Kingston is convicted of wire fraud after exploiting his celebrity to steal luxury goods.

1989-"Wild Thing" by Tone Loc becomes the first rap single certified Platinum, with sales of over a million.

1986-The Firm release Mean Business, their second and final album.

1981-At The Who concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London, Pete Townshend drinks four bottles of brandy onstage, and instead of playing, mouths off to the crowd. His bandmates just keep playing without him. Months later, Townshend gets treatment for his alcoholism but turns to drugs, once again putting his life in danger. In early 1982, he rehabs again and finally gets sober.

1980-Studio 54 throws one last bash with A-list regulars Diana Ross, Andy Warhol and Richard Gere before the owners, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, go to jail for tax evasion.

1979-"Y.M.C.A." by The Village People goes to #2 in America, where it stays for three weeks, unable to overtake fellow disco stalwarts "Le Freak" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" In many other territories, including Australia, Canada and the UK, the song goes to #1.

1979-20 years after the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Del Shannon and The Drifters perform a tribute show in Clear Lake, Iowa, where Holly's last concert took place.

1979-The Blues Brothers' album Briefcase Full of Blues hits #1 in the US - not bad for two comedians (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) who formed the duo for Saturday Night Live.

1978-The TV-movie Dead Man's Curve, the first to deal with the tragic Jan & Dean story, premieres on ABC.

1978-Harry Chapin, who has started an organization to fight hunger called World Hunger Year, meets with US President Jimmy Carter to discuss the project.

1977-Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee is born Ramon Rodriguez in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1976-David Bowie opens his US tour with a new persona: The Thin White Duke. He's dressed in a black-vested suit with slicked-back hair. Bowie later described the persona as "a nasty character indeed."

1973-Elton John's reptilian rocker "Crocodile Rock" hits #1 in America for the first of three weeks, giving him his first chart-topper in that country.

1971-Lynn Anderson's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden" is certified Gold.

1969-Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr hire Allen Klein as the group's new manager, against the express wishes of Paul McCartney, who preferred his father-in-law Lee Eastman. The dissension is a deciding factor in the group's breakup a year later.

1968-The Lemon Pipers hit #1 in America with "Green Tambourine," a psychedelic song about a busker.

1967-Joe Meek, an experimental pop pioneer who wrote and produced the Tornados' "Telstar," fatally shoots his landlady before turning the gun on himself.

1966-Paul McCartney meets Stevie Wonder for the first time after Wonder's show at London's Scotch Of St. James nightclub.

1964-The Beach Boys release "Fun, Fun, Fun," which stalls at #5 in the US, thanks to Beatlemania.

1961-Bob Dylan makes his first recordings, versions of "San Francisco Bay Blues" and "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well," at the home of friends Sid and Bob Gleason in East Orange, New Jersey.

1960-Frank Sinatra launches the first fully artist-owned label, Reprise Records (pronounced "repreeze"), so he can own his own masters. Some of his cohorts, including Dean Martin and Rosemary Clooney, join the label, which is sold to Warner Brothers in 1963, where it becomes home to a number of famous acts, including Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell and Green Day.

The Day The Music Died
1959-Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson are killed in a plane crash. Don McLean would call it "The Day the Music Died" in his 1971 hit "American Pie."

1959-Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst of The Cure is born in Horley, Surrey, England. A founding member, he starts out on drums, then moves to keyboards before he is sacked by Robert Smith in 1989.

1956-Lee Ranaldo (guitarist for Sonic Youth) is born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York.

1950-The Ames Brothers' "Rag Mop" hits #1.

1949-Arthur Kane (bass guitarist for New York Dolls) is born in The Bronx, New York City.

1947-Folk singer Melanie is born Melanie Safka in Queens, New York. She makes a big impact at Woodstock, where she plays on the muddy first day, inspiration for her song "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)."

1947-Dave Davies (lead guitarist for The Kinks) is born in Fortis Green, London, England.

1945-Johnny Cymbal is born John Hendry Blair in Ochiltree, Ayrshire, Scotland.

1943-Folk rocker Shawn Phillips is born in Fort Worth, Texas. He starts his music career as a session musician for Donovan.

1943-Eric Haydock (original bass guitarist for The Hollies) is born in Stockport, Cheshire, England.

1943-Dennis Edwards (of The Temptations) is born in Fairfield, Alabama. He replaces lead singer David Ruffin in 1968.

1941-Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra records "Amapola."

1940-Angelo D'Aleo (of Dion & The Belmonts) is born in the Belmont neighborhood of The Bronx, New York City.

1935-Blues rocker Johnny "Guitar" Watson is born in Houston, Texas.

1928-Pop singer Frankie Vaughan is born Frank Ableson in Liverpool, England.

1920-Actor/singer Russell Arms is born in Berkeley, California. In the '50s, he becomes a popular vocalist on the NBC series Your Hit Parade.

1809-German composer Felix Mendelssohn is born in Hamburg.

[Bikkie]

1950
Opening ceremony at British Empire Games in Auckland
Forty thousand spectators packed Eden Park for the opening ceremony of the fourth British Empire Games – the first staged since the Second World War.

Lynne Cox swimming Cook Strait, 1975
1975
First woman swims Cook Strait
American Lynne Cox swam from the North Island to the South in 12 hours 7 minutes. The fourth person to do so, she battled heavy seas and strong winds.

USS Buchanan entering Sydney Harbour anti-nuclear cartoon
1985
USS Buchanan refused entry to New Zealand
New Zealand's Labour government refused the USS Buchanan entry because the United States would neither confirm nor deny that the warship had nuclear capability.



In Music History
2024-Taylor Swift wins the Album Of The Year Grammy for Midnights, making her the first artist to win that award four times. Miley Cyrus gets Record Of The Year for "Flowers" and Billie Eilish takes Song Of The Year for "What Was I Made For?" from the movie Barbie.

2017-Black Sabbath play the final concert of their farewell tour at the Genting Arena in their English home city of Birmingham. Their final song of the night, "Paranoid," is streamed live on Facebook so fans around the world can witness the historic moment onstage.

2016-Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White dies at age 74 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

2015-Post Malone, 19, uploads a demo of his song "White Iverson" on SoundCloud. It takes off, landing him a record deal and launching his career.

2013-Reg Presley (lead singer The Troggs) dies of lung cancer, coupled with a series of strokes, at age 71.

2013-R&B singer Darlene McCrea (of The Cookies) dies.

2013-Jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd (of The Blackbyrds) dies at age 80.

2012-About 100 dancers participate in a Soul Train-style line dance in Times Square as a tribute to the recently deceased founder of the show, Don Cornelius.

2012-Adele becomes the first female British artist to have three #1 songs from the same album top the Billboard Hot 100 chart when "Set Fire to the Rain" hits the top spot, following "Rolling In The Deep" and "Someone Like You" from the album 21.

2010-A judge rules that the flute riff of the Men at Work song "Down Under" plagiarizes another Australian classic: the 1932 song "Kookaburra."

2009-Lux Interior (of The Cramps), real name: Erick Lee Purkhiser, dies of aortic dissection at age 62.

2008-Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart resurrect Grateful Dead for a benefit concert in support of presidential hopeful Barack Obama in San Francisco.

2008-John Mellencamp becomes the first of many artists to accuse soon-to-be-Republican presidential nominee John McCain of using their music without authorization. McCain had been using the song "Our Country," and while he had the legal rights to do so, Mellencamp makes it clear he does not support McCain and asks that he refrain from using his music.

2008-With digital delivery transforming the industry, some record companies package releases with additional goodies. The Virgin-owned Astralwerks label issues Laura Marling's debut album, Alas, I Cannot Swim, in what they call a "songbox" format, which includes a concert ticket and souvenirs representing each song along with the CD.

2007-Razorlight members Johnny Borrell and Carl Dalemo clash onstage at a gig in Lyon. The concert is halted, but the band returns to finish the set.

2002-On the occasion of civil-rights activist Rosa Parks' 89th birthday, Stevie Wonder sings his song "Happy Birthday" to her at the premiere of her TV-movie biography The Rosa Parks Story. The song had originally been written by Wonder to help bring about a national Martin Luther King holiday.

1999-In a daring move, Rykodisc becomes the first music label to give its stamp of approval to MP3, the controversial Internet-based music distribution format that struck fear into the hearts of many music industry executives.

1998-Judas Priest lead singer Rob Halford comes out as gay in an interview with MTV. "I feel this is the moment to discuss it," he says. "A lot of homophobia still exists in the music world."

1997-The Offspring return with their fourth studio album, Ixnay on the Hombre - the follow-up to their 1994 breakthrough album Smash and the band's first after signing to Columbia Records in 1996.

1989-Thanks to radio-station rediscovery, Sheriff hit #1 in America with the ballad "When I'm With You," which peaked at #61 when it was first released in 1983. The band, which has been defunct since 1985, never get back together.

1987-Liberace dies of AIDS-related pneumonia at age 67.

Janet Jackson Takes Control
1986-Janet Jackson, 19, asserts her independence on her third album, Control, where she takes on much of the songwriting and production. With five big hits, including the #1 "When I Think of You," it vaults her into a league with her brother Michael.

1984-Thanks to a music video that puts their flamboyant frontman Boy George on a Mississippi steamboat in the 1800s, the British band Culture Club hit #1 in America with "Karma Chameleon."

1983-Karen Carpenter of the Carpenters dies at age 32 of complications from anorexia.

1982-Alex Harvey (of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band) dies of a massive heart attack at age 46.

Ramones Album Produced By Phil Spector Released
1980-The Ramones release their fifth album, End of the Century, produced by Phil Spector. Dee Dee Ramone claims Spector pulled a gun on him during the sessions.

1979-Save The Whales organizes a month-long rock memorabilia auction in San Francisco.

1978-The Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive," which features in the opening scene of Saturday Night Fever, hits #1 in the US and stays there for four weeks.

Fleetwood Mac Release Rumours
1977-Fleetwood Mac release their landmark album Rumours. The LP sets a record for most weeks at #1 with 31, and becomes one of the best-selling albums of all time, with worldwide sales estimated at about 40 million.

1977-Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw is born in South Fallsburg, New York. After moving to New York City, he signs with Clive Davis' J Records and releases his first album, Chariot, in 2003. The first single, "I Don't Want To Be," becomes the theme song to the TV series One Tree Hill.

1977-American Bandstand gets a primetime special in honor of the show's 25th anniversary. The show features one of the first "all-star jams," as Chuck Berry is joined by Greg Allman, Junior Walker, The Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels and several others on a performance of "Roll Over Beethoven."

1976-Rapper Cam'ron is born Cameron Ezike Giles in Harlem, New York.

1975-Natalie Imbruglia is born in Sydney, Australia. Before embarking on a singing career, she stars on the soap opera Neighbours.

1975-Louis Jordan dies of a heart attack at age 66.

1974-The Stooges play a bar in Wayne, Michigan, where a biker gang called The Scorpions is initiating a new member by having him hurl eggs at lead singer Iggy Pop, who responds by going into the crowd to fight him.

1974-John Lennon begins his "Lost Weekend," which lasts 18 months. Separating from Yoko, he goes on an extended bender, often joined by his friend Nilsson.

1969-In response to the other Beatles hiring Allen Klein as manager the day before, Paul McCartney hires his father-in-law's firm, Eastman & Eastman, as general legal counsel for Apple Corps.

1968-US Attorney General John Mitchell receives a secret memo from Senator Strom Thurmond, in which Thurmond suggests deporting John Lennon due to his antiwar stance.

1966-The Who play their first show as headliners, at the Astoria in Finsbury Park, England. Also appearing are The Fortunes and The Merseys.

1963-Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman (lead guitarist for The Offspring) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1962-Country singer Clint Black is born in Long Branch, New Jersey.

1961-Johnny Burnette is rushed to Hollywood's Cedars of Lebanon Hospital to undergo an emergency appendectomy. The medical crisis forces Burnette, then on the charts with "You're Sixteen," to cancel $10,000 worth of domestic engagements and postpone a European tour.

1959-A day after the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, the Winter Dance Party tour continues in Sioux City, Iowa, with Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Jimmy Clanton as the new headliners and Waylon Jennings singing Holly's songs.

1956-Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" reaches its US chart peak of #17, giving him his first hit. Pat Boone's version of the song outcharts him, making #12 two weeks later.

1954-The Drifters record "Bells Of Saint Mary's," "White Christmas," "Honey Love," and "What'cha Gonna Do."

1952-Jerry Shirley (drummer for Humble Pie) is born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England.

1951-Phil Ehart (drummer for Kansas) is born in Coffeyville, Kansas.

1948-Vincent Furnier, who will become better known as Alice Cooper, is born in Detroit.

1944-Florence LaRue (of The 5th Dimension) is born in Plainfield, New Jersey, but grows up in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

1943-Frank Sinatra cameos in the movie Reveille with Beverly, singing "Night And Day."

1941-John Steel (original drummer for The Animals) is born in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England.

1939-Frank Sinatra marries Nancy Barbato at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Jersey City. They welcome three children - Nancy, Frank Jr., and Tina - before divorcing in 1951.

1937-Glen Gray and His Casa Loma Orchestra records "A Study in Brown."

1924-Louis Armstrong marries Lillian Hardin, a pianist with King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, of which he is also a member. Lil encourages her husband's rising career, but the marriage falls apart, ending in a 1938 divorce.

[Bikkie]

Invercargill railway yard
1867
Opening of railway from Invercargill to Bluff
The 27-km line between Invercargill and Bluff was the third public railway in New Zealand. Southland's railway ambitions helped drive the province into bankruptcy.


Manurewa
1911
New Zealand’s first controlled powered flight
Pioneering aviator Vivian Walsh took to the skies over South Auckland for the first successful flight in New Zealand.


The Big Day Out, Auckland, 2007
1994
First Big Day Out in New Zealand
The Big Day Out, an Australian franchise based on the successful Lollapalooza model, brought alternative, hard rock, hip hop and, more recently, dance acts together in a one-day festival in Auckland.



In Music History

2024-Toby Keith dies at 62 after a battle with stomach cancer. He wrote or co-wrote most of his 20 #1 Country hits, including "How Do You Like Me Now!?" and "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)."

2023-Beyoncé wins four Grammys, breaking the record for most all-time Grammy wins with 32. There's also a 50 years of hip-hop celebration, and the inaugural Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, given to... Dr. Dre.

Paul Simon Announces Farewell Tour
2018-Paul Simon announces his final tour, the Homeward Bound Tour.

2017-Lady Gaga opens the Super Bowl halftime show with a verse from "God Bless America," followed by the song Woody Guthrie wrote as a parody, "This Land Is Your Land."

2012--The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary" is mashed with Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" for a special Budweiser commercial that airs during Super Bowl XLVI.

2012-The Super Bowl XLVI halftime show becomes the most-watched television event in history, at 118 million views. Performing artists include Madonna, LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, and Cee Lo Green.

2009-R&B/blues singer-songwriter Piney Brown dies at age 87.

2008-Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who taught Transcendental Meditation to The Beatles and The Beach Boys, dies in his sleep at age 90. Paul McCartney calls him "a great man who worked tirelessly for the people of the world and the cause of unity."

2008-Lenny Kravitz releases his eighth studio album, It Is Time For A Love Revolution, which peaks at #4 in the US.

Stars Come Out To Support Obama On Super Tuesday
2008-On the day of the Super Tuesday primary elections in America, luminaries from across many genres of music (country - not so much) voice their enthusiastic support for Barack Obama, who wins big in the primaries on his way to the White House.

2007-Apple Computers settles a long-standing legal battle with Apple Records, the label set up by The Beatles. The companies have disputed the rights of the computer maker to sell music under the Apple name.

2006-A 29-year-old man is shot to death near a video shoot for rapper Busta Rhymes in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, New York. The man worked as a bodyguard at Kiss the Cactus Productions, where the video for Rhymes's "Touch It" was being filmed.

2005-"Helena" by My Chemical Romance peaks at #33 on the Hot 100. It's the alt rock band's first big crossover hit.

2000-Powered by a sample of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," "Rise" by Gabrielle goes to #1 in the UK.

1998-Elton John and Stevie Wonder perform at the White House for US President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

1998-Tim Kelly (guitarist Slaughter) dies in a car accident in Arizona at age 35.

1992-New Kids On The Block appear on The Arsenio Hall Show to address accusations made by Gregory McPherson, their former music director, that they didn't sing on their albums. McPherson later recants the allegations.

1990-Hasbro introduces the New Kids On The Block dolls, which come with personal interview cassettes. It's one of many marketing opportunities for the group, who also sell phones, buttons, and fanny packs.

She's Having A Baby Introduces Kate Bush Weeper
1988-The John Hughes film She's Having A Baby debuts in US theaters. Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern star as a young married couple whose lives are about to be upended by the birth of their first child. The soundtrack features Kate Bush's heart-wrenching ballad "This Woman's Work," written and recorded expressly for the movie.

1983-Continental shift: "Africa" by Toto replaces "Down Under" by Men At Work at #1 in the US.

1981-Joni Mitchell is inducted into Canada's Juno Hall of Fame.

1979-The Pointer Sisters' "Fire" is certified Gold.

1979-Fifteen months after announcing his retirement on stage, Elton John is back in action in Stockholm with the first show of his A Single Man tour.

1977-Mary MacGregor's "Torn Between Two Lovers" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1976-Elvis Presley records "For the Heart," "Hurt," and "Danny Boy."

1972-Paul Simon releases "Mother and Child Reunion."

1971-Sara Evans is born in Boonesboro, Missouri.

1969-Bobby Brown is born in Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts.

1968-Spin Doctors frontman Chris Barron is born Christopher Barron Gross in Hawaii. He moves with his family to Australia at age 8, then to Princeton, New Jersey at 12, where he goes to high school with John Popper of Blues Traveler.

1967-Pop Stars And Drugs – Facts That Will Shock You screams the headline of the British newspaper News of the World. The article describes LSD parties thrown by The Moody Blues and attended by Pete Townshend, Ginger Baker and other prominent rock stars, and claims that Mick Jagger took Benzedrine tablets and lured girls back to his apartment to smoke hash. Jagger sues for libel, as it was actually Brian Jones with the Benzedrine. The paper responds by staking out Jagger and tipping police to drug activity at Keith Richards' Redlands estate. On February 12, police raid the place, arresting Jagger, Richards and Marianne Faithfull on drug charges.

1967-Chilean composer Violeta Parra commits suicide at age 49.

1966-Petula Clark's "My Love" hits #1 on the Hot 100 for the first of two weeks.

1964-Bass player Duff McKagan is born Michael Andrew McKagan in Seattle, Washington. With the Seattle drug scene causing problems, he heads to Los Angeles, where he forms Guns N' Roses.

1961-Gene Pitney releases "Love My Life Away."

1957-Bill Haley arrives in London for his first British tour. He's the first American rock star to tour there and is met by about 4,000 fans at Heathrow Airport, mostly thanks to promoters who hyped his coming as "the second battle of Waterloo."

1955-The Fontane Sisters' "Hearts of Stone" hits #1 in America for the first of three weeks.

1948-Actor Christopher Guest, known as Alan Barrows of the fictional folk trio The Folksmen and Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, is born in New York City. The mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap tells us Tufnel was born in Squatney, London.

1944-Al Kooper (of The Blues Project, Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt in Brooklyn, New York.

1944-J.R. Cobb (guitarist for Classics IV, Atlanta Rhythm Section) is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

1943-Chuck Winfield (trumpet player for Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born.

1941-Cory Wells (of Three Dog Night) is born Emil Lewandowski in Buffalo, New York.

1941-Barrett Strong, who teams with producer Norman Whitfield to write a number of Motown hits, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," is born in West Point, Mississippi.

1935-Alex Harvey (of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band) is born in Glasgow, Scotland.

1931-Eddie Cantor makes his debut radio appearance, singing on Rudy Vallee's Fleischmann Hour.

1930-Jazz trumpeter Don Goldie is born Donald Elliott Goldfield in Newark, New Jersey. His father, Harry "Goldie" Goldfield, was also a trumpet player who worked with Paul Whiteman.

1929-Hal Blaine, the famous session drummer coined the term "Wrecking Crew" for the prolific group of Los Angeles studio musicians, is born in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

1923Country singer-songwriter Claude King, known for the 1962 hit "Wolverton Mountain," is born in Keithville, Louisiana.

[Bikkie]

1943- 1st Spitfire in action above Darwin, Australia, Mu Ki-46 shot down

Magnum Photos Founded
1947- Magnum Photos founded in Paris by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David Seymour


Photojournalist
Robert Capa

Photographer
Henri Cartier-Bresson
1948 -1st radio-controlled airplane flown
1948- KNXT (now KCBS) TV channel 2 in Los Angeles, CA (CBS) 1st broadcast
1948- Nils Karlsson wins the 50k cross country gold medal at the St. Moritz Winter Olympics; Swedish skiers win all 3 cross-country events at the Games
1948- World & European champion Barbara Ann Scott becomes the first Canadian to win a women's figure skating Olympic gold medal at the S




In Music History

Ozzy Announces Sequel To "No More Tours" Tour
2018-Ozzy Osbourne announces his No More Tours 2 tour, billed as his "final global tour." Ozzy first retired from touring in 1992 with his original No More Tours tour.

2016-Dan Hicks dies of liver cancer in his Mill Valley, California home. Best remembered for his work as leader of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, he also holds the distinction of having been drummer in seminal '60s psychedelic act The Charlatans during their historically important 1965 Red Dog Saloon residency, which was crucial in shaping the San Francisco psychedelic music scene.

2016-Panic! at the Disco top the US albums chart for the first time when Death of a Bachelor goes to #1. The group stalled at #2 with their 2008 release, Pretty.Odd.

2013-Rihanna accompanies Chris Brown to his probation hearing stemming from when he assaulted her in 2009. They are back together as a couple; she is spotted blowing kisses his way.

2011-Christina Aguilera messes up a line of the US national anthem when she performs it at the Super Bowl. Instead of "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming," Aguilera sings: "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming." Aguilera later said of the mistake: "I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through."

2011-Gary Moore (guitarist for Thin Lizzy) dies of a heart attack at age 58.

2007-Fall Out Boy drift from their pop-punk roots with their third studio album, Infinity On High, by incorporating elements of funk, R&B, and flamenco. The album debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, bolstered by the hit single "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race."

2007-Barenaked Ladies release their eighth studio album, Barenaked Ladies Are Men, the last BNL album to feature founding member Steven Page.

2007-Frankie Laine dies at age 93.

2003-50 Cent drops his major-label debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', a joint release on Eminem's Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath label. It includes two #1 hits: "In Da Club" and "21 Questions."

2003-ABC's 20/20 airs the British documentary Living With Michael Jackson, where we see him climb a tree, go shopping, and talk about sharing his bed with kids.

1998-Austrian singer-songwriter Falco (Hans Hölzel) dies in a car crash while under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, just two weeks shy of his 41st birthday.

1998-Beach Boys guitarist Carl Wilson dies of lung cancer at 51. Wilson sang lead on the group's hits "Good Vibrations," "God Only Knows," and "Kokomo."

1998-Blues Brothers 2000 opens in theaters. James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and Erykah Badu are among the musicians to appear in the film.

1987-Featuring a title song written by Bruce Springsteen, the movie Light of Day hits theaters. The film stars Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox as leaders of a struggling band called The Barbusters.

1984-At the Sweetwaters South Festival in Christchurch, New Zealand, Talking Heads play their last concert, a messy set that is cut short after just a few songs. They release three more albums but perform together again just once: in 2002 when they are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1982: The J. Geils Band hit No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Centerfold’.

1981: American jazz pianist and composer Vincent Guarldi died at the age of 47.

1981-Hugo Montenegro, an orchestra leader and film composer known for his 1968 hit cover of Ennio Morricone's theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly dies of emphysema at age 55.

1976-Elvis Presley records "Never Again" and "Love Coming Down."

1976-Just hours after finishing the soundtrack for It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, longtime Peanuts composer Vince Guaraldi dies suddenly of a heart attack (or a possible aortic aneurysm) at age 47. At the jazz pianist's funeral, Charlie Brown music is played over the church's sound system.

1971: George Harrison hit number one in the UK with his third solo studio album 'All Things Must Pass'.

1966-Rick Astley is born in Lancashire, England. He gets a big break when the producer Pete Waterman of Stock Aitken Waterman spots him singing at a showcase and offers him an office job, which leads to a record deal.

1965-The Righteous Brothers' yearning "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin'," written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and produced by Phil Spector, hits #1 in America.

1964-The Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie is born in Kingston, Ontario.

1962-Axl Rose, born William Bruce Rose, Jr., is born in Lafayette, Indiana (his stage name is an anagram for "Oral Sex"). Rose forms the band Guns N' Roses.

1961-The Capris' "There's a Moon Out Tonight" enters the R&B charts.

1960-R&B singer Jesse Belvin, who co-wrote the Penguins' hit "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)," dies in a car crash at age 27.

1958: George Harrison joined The Quarrymen, forming a precursor to The Beatles.

1957-Simon Phillips (drummer for Toto) is born in London, England.

1950-Natalie Cole is born in Los Angeles, California, to crooner Nat King Cole and former Duke Ellington Orchestra singer Maria Hawkins Cole.

1949-Mike Batt is born in Southampton, England. He writes Art Garfunkel's "Bright Eyes" for the 1978 animated film Watership Down.

1947-Allan Jones (saxophonist for Amen Corner) is born in Swansea, Glamorgan, South Wales.

Bob Marley Is Born
1945-Bob Marley is born Nesta Robert Marley in Jamaica. His mother is a native of Jamaica and his father an officer in the British military.

1943-"50s teen idol Fabian is born Fabiano Forte in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1941-Pop singer Dave Berry is born David Holgate Grundy in Woodhouse, Sheffield, England.

1929-Rudy Vallee and His Orchestra record "Deep Night."

[Bikkie]

Wreck of HMS Orpheus, Illustrated London News, 1863
1863
New Zealand’s worst shipwreck
For the British it was the costliest day of the New Zealand Wars – but it occurred far from the battlefield. Bringing naval stores from Sydney, the modern 1706-ton steam corvette HMS Orpheus ran aground on the bar at the entrance to Auckland’s Manukau Harbour.


Brynderwyn disaster memorial
1963
Fifteen die in Northland bus tragedy
Fifteen people were killed and 21 injured, many severely, when a bus returning to Auckland from Waitangi Day celebrations in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip lost its brakes on Brynderwyn hill



In Music History

2016-Coldplay and football (the American kind) come together when the band headlines the halftime show of Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. It is an odd pairing, but after a set that includes "Viva La Vida" and "Paradise," Bruno Mars appears, followed by halftime show savior Beyoncé, who blasts out her new song, "Formation."

2012-Alicia Keys and Nas join Jay-Z at the second of two charity concerts he holds at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The concerts raise $3.5 million for the United Way and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.

2009-Jazz singer Blossom Dearie dies in her sleep at age 84.

2000-Rapper Big Pun, real name Christopher Lee Rios, dies at age 28 of a heart attack and respiratory failure.

2000-Dave Peverett (original lead vocalist for Foghat, guitarist for Savoy Brown) dies of cancer at age 56.

1997-Sarah McLachlan marries her drummer, Ashwin Sood, in Negril, Jamaica. They split in 2008.

1994-Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski dies of cancer at age 81.

1993-Neil Young records a live set on MTV's Unplugged. Fraught with trouble due to Young's displeasure over the performances of his backing band, it's still released as an album later that year.

1993-Carmen Electra's self-titled debut album was released.

1990-Primus release their first studio album, Frizzle Fry. Their mashup of progressive, punk and alternative is a winner, earning them an ardent fanbase that takes to affectionately screaming "Primus Sucks!" at concerts.

1989-The Georgia State Representative Billy Randall introduces a bill to make Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" the official state rock song. It doesn't pass.

1986-The Rolling Stones shot the video for "Harlem Shuffle" in New York City.

1985-Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" becomes the official anthem of New York City. The tune, which was introduced by Liza Minnelli in the movie of the same name, was a Top 40 hit for Sinatra in 1977.

1981-"Celebration" by Kool & the Gang goes to #1. It becomes the de-facto party song to celebrate just about any festive event, but there's a deeper meaning many don't know about: It was inspired by a passage in the Quran where angels gather to celebrate the creation of humankind.

1981-ABC begins airing the first installment of the mini-series Elvis and Me, based on ex-wife Priscilla Presley's book of the same name.

1980-Twelve days before his death, Bon Scott goes to the UFO concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

1980-At the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Pink Floyd stage the first production of The Wall, an immersive concert performance in which a giant wall is erected on stage as the band plays, representing the alienation between audience and performer.

1980-AC/DC appear on Top of the Pops, where they perform "A Touch Too Much." It's lead singer Bon Scott's last appearance with the band, as he drinks himself to death 12 days later.

1979-The Clash, who have established themselves as leaders in the punk rock movement, play their first show in America when they perform at the Berkeley Community Theatre in California. Their opening act is blues legend Bo Diddley, who finds them quite loud.

1979-Stephen Stills records the first major-label album using all-digital equipment, but it's never released, which means that Ry Cooder's Bop Till You Drop will get the honor.

1976-Paul Simon lands his first #1 American hit as a solo artist when "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover" claims the top spot. It's no "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon calls it a "nonsense song" - but listeners love it and it stays on top for three weeks.

1976-Paul Simon lands his first #1 American hit as a solo artist when "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover" claims the top spot. It's no "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon calls it a "nonsense song" - but listeners love it and it stays on top for three weeks.

1976-Bob Dylan's album Desire, featuring the songs "Isis" and "Mozambique," hits #1 in America.

1974-Barry White earns Gold certifications for "Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up," his album Stone Gon', and also for The Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme" and their album Under the Influence of Love Unlimited.

1973- Punk pioneers the Stooges released their third studio album "Raw Power".

1971-Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor record backup vocals for Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold," which becomes his biggest hit.

1970-The Dutch group the Shocking Blue hit #1 in America with "Venus." Sixteen years later, a cover version by Bananarama goes to the top.

1970-Led Zeppelin earned their first UK No.1 album with "Led Zeppelin II".

1969-Tom Jones' UK variety show This Is Tom Jones premieres on ABC after the network pays out over $20 million for the rights.

1967-The Monkees announce during an appearance on the British TV show Top of the Pops that they will play on their own records from now on instead of using session players.

1966-The first magazine dedicated specifically to rock and roll music, Crawdaddy!, is published by Paul Williams in New York City.

Beatlemania Comes To America
1964-Thanks to media coverage and a publicity campaign by Capitol Records, thousands of screaming fans greet The Beatles when their plane lands in New York at 1:20 p.m. The scenes become iconic images of Beatlemania.

1963-Weeks before her tragic death in a plane crash, Patsy Cline wraps up her final recording sessions, including a contemporary rendition of the 1925 pop ballad "Always" and a cover of country song "Sweet Dreams."

1962-David Bryan (keyboardist for Bon Jovi) is born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

1960-Steve Bronski (keyboardist, percussionist for Bronski Beat) is born in England.

1959-Ritchie Valens is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

1959: Buddy Holly's funeral was held in Lubbock, TX.

1959-New Orleans blues guitarist Eddie Jones, known as Guitar Slim, struggling with alcoholism, dies of pneumonia at age 32.

1959-Brian Travers (saxophonist for UB40) is born in Birmingham, England.

1955-Saxophone player Jimmy Z is born Jimmy Zavala in North Highlands, California.

1949-Alan Lancaster (bassist, vocalist for Status Quo) is born in Peckham, London, England.

1948-Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboardist for Three Dog Night) is born in Los Angeles, California. His mother is silent movie actress Mary O'Brian.

1946-Sammy Johns, who has a hit in 1975 with "Chevy Van," is born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1934-Earl King is born Earl Silas Johnson IV in New Orleans, Louisiana. Composer of the blues standard "Come On" (aka "Let The Good Times Roll"), among others.

1934-Saxophonist King Curtis is born Curtis Montgomery in Fort Worth, Texas. He plays the distinctive solo on The Coasters' hit "Yakety Yak."

1920-Folk singer-songwriter Oscar Brand is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but is raised in Brooklyn, New York.

1887Composer Eubie Blake is born in Baltimore, Maryland.

[Bikkie]

1915
Turkish ambush kills New Zealand seaman
Able Seaman William Edward Knowles became one of the first New Zealanders to die in the First World War as a result of enemy action.

1915: The film "The Birth of a Nation," a Civil War epic by DW Griffith, premiered in Los Angeles, and a New Zealand warship was ambushed in Turkey.

The ill-fated Desoutter ZK-ACA
1931
First fatal accident on a scheduled air service in New Zealand
All three people on board a Dominion Airlines Desoutter died when it crashed near Wairoa in northern Hawke’s Bay.

1952-Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen, marking a new era in New Zealand's history as the Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith.

1972
Women cricketers triumph
New Zealand’s women cricketers achieved their first test victory at the 17th attempt. They had lost seven and drawn nine of their previous tests, all against either England or Australia.




In Music History

2024-"Sunflower" by Post Malone and Swae Lee becomes the first song ever certified Double Diamond by the RIAA for 20 million units in America, which translates to 3 billion streams. The song is featured in the 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

2021-Mary Wilson, the only member of The Supremes with the group throughout their tenure, dies at 76.

2015-Sam Smith is the big winner at the Grammy Awards, taking Best New Artist and also Record of the Year and Song of the Year ("Stay With Me").

2011-Ashlee Simpson files for divorce from Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, citing irreconcilable differences. They continue to amicably co-parent their son Bronx, and in 2014 Simpson marries Evan Ross, son of Diana Ross.

2011-Blues singer-songwriter Marvin Sease dies of complications from pneumonia at age 64.

2009-Robert Plant and Alison Krauss are the big winners at the Grammy Awards, taking Album Of The Year for their collaboration Raising Sand and Record Of The Year for "Please Read the Letter." Lil Wayne wins four awards, and Adele takes Best New Artist, banishing any curse associated with that award.

2009-Sugarland's track "Stay" scoops two Grammy Awards - Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and Best Country Song.

2009-Ne-Yo wins the Grammy awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for the Year of the Gentleman single "Miss Independent."

2009-Chris Brown and his girlfriend Rihanna miss the Grammy Awards, where they are scheduled to perform, after he assaults her.

2009-About four months after the plane crash that nearly killed their drummer, Travis Barker, Blink-182 announce that they are getting back together during the Grammy Awards.

2006-David Bowie is awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

2005-Tori Amos releases Piece By Piece, a Q&A-style autobiography co-authored by rock journalist Ann Powers.

2005-Keith Knudsen (drummer, vocalist for The Doobie Brothers) dies of pneumonia at age 56.

2004-Pink wins her first solo Grammy Award when her Try This single "Trouble" is named Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. She previously earned a trophy for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals in 2002 alongside Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Mýa for their rendition of "Lady Marmalade."

2004-Justin Timberlake wins the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Cry Me A River" (inspired by his breakup with Britney Spears) and takes Best Pop Vocal Album for Justified. The prizes are the first Grammy wins for the former *NSYNC singer.

Beyoncé and OutKast Win Big At Grammys
2004-At the Grammy Awards, OutKast is the first hip-hop act to win Album of the Year, for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, and Evanescence takes Best New Artist, beating out 50 Cent, who comes on stage anyway

2009-Chris Brown and his girlfriend Rihanna miss the Grammy Awards, where they are scheduled to perform, after he assaults her.

2009-About four months after the plane crash that nearly killed their drummer, Travis Barker, Blink-182 announce that they are getting back together during the Grammy Awards.

Katy Perry Releases Gospel Album
2001-Katy Perry, 16, releases her self-titled debut gospel album under her real name, Katy Hudson.

1990-Del Shannon, struggling with depression, commits suicide at age 55.

1989-Anthrax earn their first Gold album when their fourth album, State of Euphoria, is certified for sales of 500,000 copies.

1988-The three remaining members of The Who reunite at Royal Albert Hall for the British Phonographic Industry awards, leading to a full-fledged 25th anniversary tour the next year.

1986-Anderson Paak is born in Oxnard, California.

1986- Billy Ocean topped the UK Singles chart with "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going".

1982-Cher makes her Broadway debut in Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.

1980-David Bowie and wife Angela are officially divorced, although they've been separated since the mid-'70s. David gets custody of their son Zowie.

1977-Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bassist for Linkin Park) is born in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He is raised in Mission Viejo, California.

1977-Television release their debut album, Marquee Moon. It doesn't chart in the US but is later hailed by many critics as landmark, with a guitar sound that influences a number of New Wave and rock acts.

1975- Engelbert Humperdinck started a three-week stint at No.1 in the UK with his compilation album 'His Greatest Hits'.

1975-The Ohio Players' "Fire" hits #1.

The First Major Reggae Movie Comes To America
1973-The Jamaican cult classic film The Harder They Come is released in the US.

1972-Frank Zappa's concert at London's Royal Albert Hall is canceled when promoters discover "obscene" lyrics in Zappa's 200 Motels score.

1971-Bob Dylan's documentary Eat the Document, chronicling his 1966 tour of the UK, premieres at New York's Academy of Music. The ABC television network will buy the rights to the film, although they refuse to air it after deciding it doesn't contain enough concert footage.

1971-Will Turpin (bassist for Collective Soul) is born in Fairbanks, Alaska.

1969-George Harrison gets a tonsilectomy.

1968-The duo Peter and Gordon announce their split.

1965-The Dave Clark Five begin filming their movie Catch Us if You Can.

1965-The Supremes release "Stop In The Name Of Love."

1964-With "Louie Louie" under FBI investigation for obscene lyrics, the song's publisher offers $1,000 to anyone who can definitively distinguish the dirty words.

1961-Motley Crue lead singer Vince Neil is born in Los Angeles. His distinctive vocals and commanding stage presence help them rise to the top of the hair metal mountain, but he has a tempestuous relationship with his bandmates. He leaves the group in 1992, returning in 1997.

1961-Sam Llanas (vocalist, guitarist of The BoDeans) is born in Wisconsin.

1960- Mark Dinning topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with "Teen Angel," a song banned from multiple radio stations due to its depressive lyrics.

1960-The "payola" hearings begin, as the US government cracks down on the practice of paying for airplay on radio stations.

1959- Johnny Cash performed his hit "Don't Take Your Guns To Town" on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1958-The Quarrymen perform at the Wilson Hall in the Garston section of Liverpool, England. Afterwards, member Paul McCartney introduces his friend George Harrison to John Lennon.

1956-Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" enters the R&B charts.

1956-Buddy Holley becomes "Buddy Holly" when he signs a recording contract with Decca Records that leaves out the "e" in his last name.

1956-The Teen Queens' "Eddie, My Love" enters the R&B charts.

1948-Ron Tyson (of The Temptations) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1948-Dan Seals (of England Dan & John Ford Coley) is born in McCamey, Texas. He is the younger brother of Jim Seals (Seals & Crofts).

1946-Paul Wheatbread (drummer for Gary Puckett & the Union Gap) is born in San Diego, California.

1946-Adolfo 'Fito' de la Parra (drummer for Canned Heat) is born in Mexico City, Mexico.

1943-Creed Bratton of The Grass Roots is born William Charles Schneider in Los Angeles, California. Many know him for something else: he plays the character Creed on the US version of The Office.

1942-Terry Melcher, who produces "Kokomo" for The Beach Boys and "Kicks" for Paul Revere & the Raiders, is born in New York City. His mother is Doris Day.

1941Singer-songwriter Tom Rush is born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wrote and recorded the folk-rock standard "No Regrets."

1938-R&B singer Ray Sharpe is born in Fort Worth, Texas.

1934-Novelty singer Larry Verne is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1932-John Williams is born in Floral Park, New York. The prolific composer is known for his iconic scores for classics like the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series and Jaws.

1919-Big band trombonist Buddy Morrow is born Muni Zudekoff in New Haven, Connecticut. He starts a three-decade run as leader of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 1977.

1894-Lonnie Johnson, one of the first blues guitarists, is born in New Orleans.

[Bikkie]

1770
Cook completes circumnavigation of North Island
The Endeavour's arrival at Cape Turnagain confirmed that the North Island was indeed an island, not part of a fabled great southern continent.


Wanganui Opera House plans
1900
Wanganui Opera House opened
The large wooden building on St Hill Street has been a jewel in Whanganui’s crown for more than a century.




In Music History

2025: Kendrick Lamar performed halftime at Super Bowl LIX, with an appearance by Samuel L. Jackson.

2022-Snoop Dogg buys Death Row Records, the label he started with. He plans to take the label into the metaverse and issue non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

2021-The acclaimed jazz pianist Chick Corea dies of cancer at 79.

2018-At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, four popular Korean artists sing "Imagine" at the opening ceremony, where the theme is "Peace in Motion."

2014-The Beatles: The Night That Changed America airs on CBS exactly 50 years after the group first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. The show features performances by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and also covers of Beatles songs by Stevie Wonder, Dave Grohl and a reunited Eurythmics.

2008-An oversold venue is to blame for the deaths of 10 fans and the injuries of six at a concert by Indonesian metalcore band Beside. Conflicting reports on numbers seem to confirm that the venue, meant to hold 700, was well over capacity, with perhaps as many as 1,500 people inside. The fans were killed in the crush as they tried to leave the packed venue while hundreds more were trying to force their way in.

2005-Soul singer Tyrone Davis dies of complications from a stroke in Chicago, Illinois, at age 66. Known for his #1 R&B hits, "Can I Change My Mind" (1968), "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (1970), and "Turning Point" (1975).

2001-After being booted from the "reunion" lineup of the Eagles, guitarist Don Felder files a lawsuit against the group.

1997-Soundgarden play the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii, their last show until 2010.

1997-Brian Connolly (lead singer of Sweet) dies at age 51 of renal and liver failure after multiple heart attacks.

1995: The Irish music and dance show "Riverdance" first opened in Dublin, Ireland, with lead dancer Michael Flatley.

1991-Gospel singer Reverend James Cleveland dies at age 59.

Midnight Oil Release Blue Sky Mining
1990-Midnight Oil release the album Blue Sky Mining. The lead single, "Blue Sky Mine," is inspired by the Wittenoom industrial disaster in the band's native Australia. The song is a Top 10 hit on the ARIA singles chart and tops the rock charts in the US.

1985: Madonna's album "Like a Virgin" went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.

1981-Bill Haley dies of an apparent heart attack at age 55. With "Rock Around The Clock," Haley had the first big hit of the rock era, but his fortunes faded quickly as the '50s came to an end, and the second half of his life was mired in financial problems and a struggle to regain musical relevance.

1979-UB40 play their first live show, sharing the bill with another local group called the Au Pairs at The Hare & Hounds Pub in Birmingham. In 2011, a plaque went up outside the pub to mark the performance.

1974-"Love's Theme," a groovy instrumental composed by Barry White for his Love Unlimited Orchestra, hits #1 in the US.

1974-At The Palace in Detroit, The Stooges play their last show until their 2003 reunion. An imploding Iggy Pop taunts the crowd, which responds with various projectiles. The opening act is a young band called Aerosmith.

1973-Max Yasgur, who owned the farm in upstate New York where the 1969 Woodstock festival was held, dies of a heart attack at age 53.

1972-Beginning a covert university tour where Paul McCartney can play to small audiences, Wings play their first show: an unannounced concert at Nottingham University in England.

1970-Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" is certified Gold.

1966-Liza Minnelli brings her nightclub act to New York City with a show at the Persian Room of the Plaza Hotel.

1966-Sophie Tucker dies of lung cancer and kidney failure at age 79.

1963-Paul and Paula's "Hey Paula" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1963-Country singer Travis Tritt is born in Marietta, Georgia.

1963-Hattie Carroll, a 51-year-old bartender in Baltimore, is killed after a disgruntled patron hits her with a cane. Bob Dylan writes a song about it called "The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll," which appears on his The Times They Are A-Changin' album.

1962-Neil Sedaka records "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do."

1961-The Beatles, with a lineup of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, bass player Stuart Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best, play the Cavern Club in Liverpool for the first time, earning £5 for the lunchtime gig. They become regulars at the club, where they end up doing 291 more shows.

1959-Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

1958-Ratings show that ABC's American Bandstand is now America's top-rated daytime television program, with an average of 8,400,000 viewers per day.

1957-Elvis Presley's "Too Much" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

1955-Sham 69 frontman Jimmy Pursey is born in Hersham, Surrey, England.

1951-Dennis "DT" Thomas (alto saxophonist Kool & the Gang) is born in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1947-R&B singer Major Harris (of The Delfonics) is born in Richmond, Virginia. He lands his biggest solo hit in 1975 with "Love Won't Let Me Wait."

1947-Country rocker Joe Ely is born in Amarillo, Texas.

1943-Barbara Lewis is born in Salem, Michigan.

1942-Mark Mathis (of The Newbeats) is born in Hahira, Georgia.

Carole King Is Born
1942-Carole King is born Carol Joan Klein in Manhattan, New York City. She meets husband and songwriting partner Gerry Goffin while attending Queens College.

1940-Brian Bennett (drummer for The Shadows) is born in Palmers Green, North London, England.

1939-Barry Mann is born Barry Imberman in Brooklyn, New York City. He teams with wife Cynthia Weil to write a number of classic hits, including "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'."

1914-Ernest Tubb is born in Crisp, Texas.

1909-Carmen Miranda is born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha in Marco de Canaveses, Portugal.

[Bikkie]

1967
End of free school milk
New Zealand schoolchildren received free milk between 1937 and 1967. The first Labour government introduced the scheme – a world first – to improve the health of young New Zealanders (and make use of surplus milk).

1863- 1st US fire extinguisher patent granted to Alanson Crane of Virginia

1866- Dutch government of Frans van der Putte forms

1868 -Conservatives & military seize Convention Hall in Florida

1870 -City of Anaheim in California incorporates for the 1st time, but disincorporates after two years as the tax burden was too high

1870- The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) forms in NYC

1878- Pact of Zanjón signed between Cubans rebels and the Spanish bringing the 10 Years War to an end

1879 -1st electric arc light used (California Theater)



In Music History

2020-While performing at the Get Out The Vote rally in New Hampshire in support of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, The Strokes debut the animated video for their new single "At The Door." They also perform the forthcoming followup single "Bad Decisions" for the first time.More

2019-At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, Leon Bridges and PJ Morton tie for Best Traditional R&B Performance when Bridges' "Bet Ain't Worth The Hand" and Morton's cover of the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" both win the title. It's the first Grammy win for both artists.

2017-Tom Petty is honored as Person of the Year at the MusiCares gala, held two days before the Grammy Awards. "Twenty years ago I'd have been way too cynical to do this, but I'm 66 now and I feel ya," he says in his speech.

2017-Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2013-Janis Ian wins the Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for her autobiography Society's Child, beating out Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, Rachel Maddow and Ellen DeGeneres. Ian quips: "I keep thinking there's got to be a punchline here: an ex-president, the First Lady and three lesbians walk into a bar..."

Rebecca Black's "Friday" Hits YouTube
2011-The video for Rebecca Black's song "Friday" is uploaded to YouTube, where it becomes a viral smash.

2010-John Mayer describes his ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson as "sexual napalm" in a Playboy interview.

2008-Amy Winehouse is the big winner at the Grammy Awards, taking five trophies, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (both for "Rehab").

2008-Famous spaghetti western composer Ennio Morricone and Bruce Springsteen win the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental. Springsteen covered Morricone's classic "Once Upon a Time in the West."

2008-Daft Punk make their first televised live appearance at the 50th Grammy Awards, joining Kanye West in a performance of "Stronger" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

2008-Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around... Comes Around" wins the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He also takes Best Dance Recording for "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows."

2008-Ne-Yo's sophomore album, Because Of You, wins the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. It's the singer-songwriter's first Grammy win.

2006-James "Jay Dilla" Yancey dies of a heart attack at age 32, just three days after the release of his final album, Donuts.

2004-The string band Old Crow Medicine Show release "Wagon Wheel," a song based on a Bob Dylan outtake from 1973 called "Rock Me Mama." The song becomes a bluegrass standard, most famously recorded by Darius Rucker, whose 2013 version is a #1 Country hit.

Kanye West Drops Debut Album The College Dropout
2004-Kanye West, known for producing tracks on Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint, releases his debut album, The College Dropout.More

2004-Eminem is among the guests heard on the second season premiere episode of Comedy Central's Crank Yankers. The rapper gives voice to "Bobby's Brother" opposite comedian Jim Florentine's "Bobby" in a prank phone call to a restaurant.

2001-Jennifer Lopez' album J.Lo goes to #1 in America. Her movie The Wedding Planner is #1 at the box office, making her the first person with a #1 movie and album at the same time.

1997-Blur's eponymous fifth album is released. Although the band is huge in Europe, American success has proven elusive. The single "Song 2" becomes the band's biggest US hit, topping out at #55 on the Hot 100.

1993-Michael Jackson appears on Oprah's prime time special, where he talks about having a skin condition called Vitiligo, and claims he's had just 2 plastic surgery operations

1990-Paula Abdul's "Opposites Attract," a duet with MC Skat Cat (Minnesota DJ Derrick "Delite" Stevens), goes to #1 in America, where it stays for three weeks.

1987-Randy Travis' Storms Of Life becomes the first debut country album certified for selling a million copies within its first year of release.

1981-Natalie Cole is trapped in her suite on the 26th floor of the Las Vegas Hilton hotel when it catches fire.

1979-Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy," a disco diversion for the British superstar, hits #1 in the US.

1979-Rod Stewart's album Blondes Have More Fun hits #1.

1978- Van Halen's self-titled debut album was released, featuring hits like "Running with the Devil."

1976-Elvis Presley is made an honorary Captain in the Memphis Police Department.

1975-Dave Alexander (bassist for The Stooges) dies of pulmonary edema at age 27 after being admitted to an Ann Arbor hospital for alcohol-related pancreatitis.

1974-Phil Spector is seriously burned in a mysterious car crash while en route from Los Angeles to Phoenix, Arizona, leading to extensive plastic surgery that furthers his reclusiveness.

1973-9-year-old Lars Ulrich goes to his first concert, seeing Deep Purple in Copenhagen. It makes quite an impact: He switches focus from tennis to music and forms Metallica when he moves to America. When Deep Purple enter the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016, Ulrich gives the induction speech.

1972-At the Toby Jug pub in London, David Bowie plays his first gig as Ziggy Stardust.

1972-T. Rex depart for their first American tour as headliners, riding the success of their hit single "Bang A Gong (Get It On)."

Carole King Releases Tapestry
1971-Carole King releases her seminal album Tapestry.

1968-Paul Mauriat's orchestral version of "Love Is Blue" hits #1 in America. An international hit recorded in several languages, the song finished fourth in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967 with a version performed by Vicky Leandros.

Free Roach Clips To New Rolling Stone Subscribers
1968-Rolling Stone magazine offers free roach clips to new subscribers.

1968-The Beatles turn over operations of their fan club and American business affairs to their Apple Corps company in London.

1967-After seven years at Columbia, Aretha Franklin releases her first single on Atlantic Records, "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)." It becomes her first big hit, clearing a path to the throne of the Queen of Soul.

1966-The Beach Boys go to the San Diego Zoo, where they shoot the cover for Pet Sounds in the petting zoo area. In an item headlined "Animal Crackers," the San Diego Union reports that the group was banned from the zoo for unruly behavior.

1964-Beatlemania is in full swing following The Beatles' Ed Sullivan Show appearance the night before, with the group giving another press conference and many young men suddenly sporting Beatles haircuts.

1959-Country singer Lionel Cartwright is born in Gallipolis, Ohio, but is raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia.

1958- Elvis Presley started a five-week stint at No.1 on the US Singles chart with "Don't" / "I Beg of You."

1958-ABC's Mickey Mouse Club begins its "Annette" serial, solidifying the rising popularity of its young star, Annette Funicello.

1956- Little Richard recorded "Long Tall Sally," which topped the US R&B chart.

1954-The Glenn Miller Story, a biopic about the bandleader starring Jimmy Stewart, opens in theaters.

1949-Nigel Olsson, a drummer known for his work with Elton John, is born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England.

1943-Ral Donner, known for the 1961 hit "You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)," is born in Norwood Park, Chicago.

1942-Ted Fio Rito and His Orchestra record "Rio Rita."

1942-RCA Victor presents Glenn Miller with a gold record for "Chattanooga Choo Choo." It's purely a promotional gimmick (the label is celebrating sales of over one million), but still the first time that a gold record is awarded. Other labels follow suit in handing out framed golden discs to their artists in celebration of the one million milestone, and in 1958 the RIAA makes it official, awarding gold records to singles and albums that sell over a million copies.

1940-Jimmy Merchant (of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers) is born in New York City.

1937-Roberta Flack is born in rural Black Mountain, North Carolina. She teaches music before releasing her first album in 1969, when she's 32. In the '70s, she lands three #1 hits: "Killing Me Softly With His Song," "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Feel Like Makin' Love."

1933-Don Wilson (rhythm guitarist for The Ventures) is born in Tacoma, Washington.

1929-Film score composer Jerry Goldsmith (Chinatown, Hoosiers) is born in Los Angeles, California.

1927-"Shepherd Of The Hills" becomes the first song to be performed on two Continents immediately after being written. The song was read down the phone at 5pm London time, and performed at the Alhambra at 8:40pm by Jack Hylton and his band. It was performed later that same night in New York.

1914-Renowned harmonica player Larry Adler is born in Baltimore, Maryland.

[Bikkie]

1864
Charles Heaphy earns Victoria Cross
Recommended for a Victoria Cross after rescuing a soldier under fire at Waiari, near Pirongia, Charles Heaphy was given the decoration in 1867.



In Music History

2024-Usher, at times shirtless and other times on roller skates, pulls off a Vegas-worthy halftime show at the Super Bowl between the 49ers and Chiefs. Guests include Alicia Keys, H.E.R., and of course, Lil Jon and Ludacris for "Yeah!." After the show, he heads to a Vegas wedding chapel and marries his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea.

2013-Rick Huxley (bassist for The Dave Clark Five) dies at age 72 after a long struggle with emphysema.

Whitney Houston Dies
2012-Whitney Houston is found dead in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, where she was slated to perform at Clive Davis' annual Pre-Grammy party later that night.

2011-Ne-Yo plays a charming hitman on the "Smooth Criminal" episode of CSI: NY.

2011-Featuring footage from his 2010 tour, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is released in theaters. It becomes the highest-grossing concert film of all time, earning $73 million at the box office.

2009-Estelle Bennett (of The Ronettes) dies of colon cancer at age 67.

2008-Amy Winehouse won big at the Grammys, taking home five awards.

2007-Two songs from Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds album earn Grammy Awards: "My Love" (with T.I.) wins Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and "SexyBack" is named Best Dance Recording.

2007-Dixie Chicks take home an impressive five awards at the Grammys. Taking the Long Way wins Album of the Year and Best Country Album, while the single "Not Ready To Make Nice" is awarded Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

2000-Diana Ross officially divorces her husband, Norwegian businessman Arne Naess.

2000-Near the concession area of an Isley Brothers concert in Los Angeles billed as the "Valentine's Super Love Jam," a 24-year-old man shoots three concert-goers and is shot by a police officer working the show. The assailant is killed but his victims survive.

1998-Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses is arrested at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, charged with threatening a security worker. He pleads guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace.

1989-Eazy-E's solo song "We Want Eazy" becomes his first hit to enter the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it debuts at #43.

1989-Former Laker girl Paula Abdul scores her first #1 hit in America with "Straight Up."

1989: New Order's "Technique" album topped the UK charts.

1986-On The A-Team episode "Cowboy George," Culture Club perform "Karma Chameleon" in a cowboy bar while Mr. T enjoys the music.

1985-The Smiths release their second album, Meat Is Murder. The title track is a vegetarian touchstone, with their animal rights activist lead singer, Morrissey, decrying how eating meat causes "death for no reason," and is therefore murder. In their native UK, the album goes to #1.

1983-Bob Seger's The Distance is certified Platinum.

1982-The Rolling Stones Let's Spend the Night Together, a concert film from their 1981 tour, opens in New York to miserable reviews.

1981-Kelly Rowland is born in Atlanta, Georgia. She becomes the first member of Destiny's Child to land a hit away from the group when "Dilemma," her 2002 duet with Nelly, goes to #1 in America.

1980-WKRP in Cincinnati, a TV series that takes place at a rock radio station, runs an episode devoted to the tragic events of December 3, 1979 when 11 fans were killed at a Who concert at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati.

1979-Brandy (Brandy Norwood) is born in McComb, Mississippi.

1979-The TV movie Elvis, starring Kurt Russell as the singer, airs on ABC.

1978- Brotherhood of Man's "Figaro" became a UK number one hit.

1977-Linkin Park founder Mike Shinoda is born in Agoura Hills, California. His smooth vocal flow provides a counterbalance to Chester Bennington's screams, creating a dynamic tension that helps distinguish the band.

1977-Motown Productions debuts its first film, Scott Joplin, based on the life of the ragtime composer. Billy Dee Williams earns accolades for his performance as the "Maple Leaf Rag" mastermind, but the film is widely criticized for being too grim.

1974-Singer-songwriter D'Angelo is born Michael Eugene Archer in Richmond, Virginia. His first album, Brown Sugar, is released in 1995 when he's 21 and sets the template for neo-soul by using live instruments in hip-hop-style productions.

1967-The Turtles release "Happy Together."

1967-The Monkees' album More of the Monkees hits #1 in America.

1967-The Rolling Stones release their album Between The Buttons in America, with "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" on the track list.

1966-Cher records "Bang Bang."

1965-Ringo Starr marries his first wife, Maureen Cox, in London's Caxton Hall Register Office, with manager Brian Epstein as best man. John Lennon and George Harrison are also in attendance, as well as the couple's parents and John's wife, Cynthia. (Paul is on vacation in Tunisia.) Afterwards, Ringo and Maureen head off to a honeymoon in Sussex, England.

1964-The Beatles play their first US concert, performing at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, DC. The setlist includes "I Saw Her Standing There," "All My Loving" and "Twist And Shout."

1963-At EMI Studios in London (later re-named Abbey Road), The Beatles record 10 songs in one day, nine of which are included on their first UK album, Please Please Me. Songs done at the session are: "There's A Place," "I Saw Her Standing There," "A Taste Of Honey," "Do You Want To Know A Secret," "Misery," "Hold Me Tight," "Anna (Go To Him)," "Boys," "Chains" and "Twist And Shout."

1962-Sheryl Crow is born in Kennett, Missouri. She works as an elementary school music teacher before landing a gig a backing vocalist on Michael Jackson's Bad World Tour in 1987.

1961-The front page headline in Melody Maker reads: £80,000 Lost On Pirate Juke Boxes. This is a report of a nationwide swoop on bars, cafés, restaurants, clubs, amusement arcades and public houses.

1957-Patsy Cline releases "Walking After Midnight."

1950-Red Foley's "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" hits #1 in America.

1947-Derek Shulman (lead vocalist for Gentle Giant) is born in Glasgow, Scotland.

1943-Blues singer Little Johnny Taylor is born in Arkansas.

1942-Soul singer Leon Haywood is born in Houston, Texas.

1942-R&B singer Otis Clay is born in Waxhaw, Mississippi.

1941-Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes is born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro.

1938-Larry Clinton and His Orchestra record "Martha."

1938-Bobby "Boris" Pickett (of The Crypt-Kickers) is born in Somerville, Massachusetts.

1935-Gene Vincent is born Vincent Eugene Craddock in Norfolk, Virginia.

1914-Bluesman Josh White is born in Greenville, South Carolina.

1914-Matt Dennis is born in Seattle, Washington. Among many other tunes, he composes the pop standard "Everything Happens to Me," first recorded by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra.

[Bikkie]

1909
SS Penguin wrecked in Cook Strait
The Picton-Wellington ferry SS Penguin struck rocks in Cook Strait and sank in heavy seas off a rugged, isolated coast. Only 30 of the 102 people on board survived.

1130 -Pope Innocent II is elected

1429 -Battle of the Herrings fought during Hundred Years' War when French and Scottish troops unsuccessfully attack English convoy (carrying barrels of herrings) near Rouvray

1502 -Muslims in Granada forced to convert to Catholicism

Execution of Jane Grey
1554- Queen of England for nine days, Lady Jane Grey aged about 17 is executed for treason under Mary I at the Tower of London

Third Voyage of James Cook
1777- Captain James Cook arrives at Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand, aboard HMS Resolution, on his 3rd trip to the Pacific



In Music History

2023-De La Soul rapper Trugoy the Dove (David Jolicoeur) dies at 54.

2023-Performing on a suspended platform and on a stage with 80 dancers, Rihanna is the halftime entertainment at Super Bowl LVII, where the Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35. After the performance she confirms she's pregnant with her second child.

2018-Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton announces he will no longer tour with the band due to Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2008. Andy Sneap takes his place.

2017-Al Jarreau dies at age 76. At the Grammy Awards that night, Pentatonix acknowledge his passing, calling him a "voice for the ages." Jarreau won seven Grammy Awards.

Adele Restarts George Michael Tribute At Grammys
2017-Adele opens the Grammy Awards with a performance of "Hello," which wins for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Later, she sings "Fastlove" in a tribute to George Michael, who passed away on Christmas day, 2016. Before she can finish the first chorus, she stops the song and starts over, saying, "I can't mess this up for him."

2016-Ween play the first of three reunion shows in Broomfield, Colorado. Originally, only two shows are scheduled, (for February 12 and 13), but the demand for tickets is so high during the pre-sale period that a third show is added on February 14. This marks the official return of Ween after breaking up nearly four years before.

2016-Kanye West drops "Famous," with the lyric: I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex Why? I made that bitch famous West claims that he got Taylor Swift's blessing before releasing the song, but she clearly doesn't expect it. Her spokesperson says she was never told the actual lyric, and takes issue with it.

2015-"Weird Al" Yankovic becomes the first-ever guest editor at MAD magazine when it is announced that he will be assisting with issue #533.

2015-Laugh-In announcer Gary Owens dies of complications from type 1 diabetes at age 80 in Encino, California.

2013-The second single from Soundgarden's album King Animal, "By Crooked Steps," is released. Its video is directed by Dave Grohl.

2009-At the 40th NAACP Image Awards, will.i.am's pro-Obama anthem "Yes We Can" wins in the Best Music Video and Best Song categories while Jennifer Hudson takes home three Awards, including Best New Artist.

2009-Fans at Paul Simon's concert at the Beacon Theater in New York City are treated to a surprise appearance by Art Garfunkel, who sings three songs with Simon.

2006-Beyoncé becomes the first woman to star in a #1 movie while having a #1 hit at the same time when The Pink Panther tops the box office as "Check On It" (used in the end credits) remains at the top of the chart. She's the third person to do it, following Prince with Purple Rain and "When Doves Cry," and Eminem with 8 Mile and "Lose Yourself."

2005-Country music singer/songwriter Sammi Smith dies from unconfirmed circumstances at age 61 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

2000-The singer Oliver ("Good Morning Starshine," "Jean") dies of cancer at age 54.

2000-D'Angelo's Voodoo replaces Santana's Supernatural as the #1 album in America. It stays for two weeks before Supernatural returns to #1.

2000-The singer Oliver ("Good Morning Starshine," "Jean") dies of cancer at age 54.

1997-David Bowie is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located outside the Hollywood Galaxy Theatre.

1997-Snoop Doggy Dogg and Sean "Puffy" Combs hold a press conference where they call for an end to the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry that has claimed the life of Tupac Shakur. "Kids around the world are watching," Long Beach rapper Snoop says. "By calling for a truce we're giving them something to live for."

The detente fails to quell the violence: Less than a month later, The Notorious B.I.G. is killed in a shooting.

1992-Richard D. James releases Selected Ambient Works 85-92, under the alias Aphex Twin. It is James' first full-length album, and is a step away from his previous dance-focused work, containing lush ambient pads, soft acid-esque synth melodies, samples of conversations and distant techno percussion. The album contains some tracks started when James was only 14 years old.

1989- Tiny Tim declared himself a New York City mayoral candidate, although he did not win the election.

1981- Deborah Harry of Blondie announced she would be making a solo album.

1981-Riding the (permanent) wave of their previous album, Rush release Moving Pictures. Featuring "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and "YYZ," it becomes the best-selling album in the Rush discography. "The Camera Eye" is the last 10-minute-long song Rush ever record in the studio.

1977-Barbra Streisand's soundtrack album A Star Is Born hits #1 in the US. Her fourth album to top the tally - following People (1964), Stoney End (1971), and The Way We Were (1974) - it features the #1 hit "Evergreen."

1977- Pink Floyd released their tenth studio album, "Animals," which topped the charts in five countries.

1976-Sal Mineo, an actor who starred alongside James Dean in the movies Giant and Rebel Without a Cause, is murdered by a deranged assailant. Mineo had several hits as a singer including "Start Movin' (In My Direction)," which reached #9 US in 1957.

1974-The legendary rock club The Bottom Line opens in Greenwich Village, New York City.

1972-Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" hits #1 in the US. Eleven years later, Tina Turner revitalizes her career with a hit cover of the song.

1970-BBC's Top of the Pops broadcasts John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" performance clip, taped just the day before.

1970- John Lennon performed "Instant Karma!" on BBC's Top of The Pops, marking his return to the show after a hiatus.

1970-Jim Creeggan (bassist for Barenaked Ladies) is born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

1968-John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas welcome daughter Chynna, their only child. She forms Wilson Phillips with Brian Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy.

1968-Jimi Hendrix's tour stops in his hometown of Seattle, Washington, where he sees his family for the first time in seven years. His father, Al, meets him at the airport.

Jagger And Richards Busted In Raid
1967-Police raid Keith Richards' Redlands estate, where they discover "various substances of a suspicious nature" and arrest him along with Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull. The whole thing is a setup.

1964-The Beatles conclude their triumphant first American visit with two 25-minute shows at Carnegie Hall. The shows aren't recorded due to a dispute with the American Federation of Musicians union.

1961-The Miracles' "Shop Around" is certified gold.

1959-Composer George Antheil dies of a heart attack at 58.

1958-The Monotones release "Book Of Love."

1958-Weather Report drummer Omar Hakim is born in New York City.

1956-"Screamin'" Jay Hawkins records "I Put A Spell On You."

1955-The McGuire Sisters' "Sincerely" hits #1 in America.

1952-Michael McDonald is born outside of St. Louis. As a solo artist, his hits include "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" and "Sweet Freedom," but his voice is also heard on songs he records with The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, as well as hundreds of other appearances as a backup singer.

1950-Steve Hackett (guitarist for Genesis) is born in Pimlico, London, England.

1949Stanley Knight (lead guitarist for Black Oak Arkansas) is born in Arkansas.

1946-Joe Schermie (bass player for Three Dog Night) is born Joseph Edward Schermetzler is born in Madison, Wisconsin.

1944-Country singer Moe Bandy is born in Meridian, Mississippi.

1942-Mildred Bailey records "More Than You Know."

1939-Ray Manzarek (of The Doors) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1937-On the Avenue, a musical starring Dick Powell and Alice Faye, debuts in movie theaters and introduces the holiday classic "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm."

1935-Gene McDaniels is born in Kansas City, Kansas, but grows up in Omaha, Nebraska. Wrote Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love."

1924-The "Experiment In Modern Music" concert takes place at Aeolian Hall in New York, where a sold out crowd checks out a relatively new music called Jazz. George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is performed in public for the first time at the show with Gershwin performing on piano with the orchestra.

1923-Mel Powell, founding dean of the school of music at the California Institute of the Arts and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of the 1990 concerto Duplicates, is born Melvin Epstein in The Bronx, New York City.

1915-Lorne Greene, a radio personality who becomes known for his role as Ben Cartwright on the long-running Western Bonanza, is born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

1914-Saxophonist Tex Beneke, who solos on the Glenn Miller Orchestra's "In The Mood," is born in Fort Worth, Texas.

1912-Billy Murray records "Alexander's Bag-Pipe Band."

1904-Ted Mack is born William Edward Maguiness in Greeley, Colorado. He takes over as host of the popular radio talent contest The Original Amateur Hour in 1948 when it makes the leap to television, where it runs until 1970.

[Bikkie]

John Whiteley with his wife, Mary Ann
1869
Killings at Pukearuhe
A Ngāti Maniapoto war party sacked the redoubt at Pukearuhe (White Cliffs) in northern Taranaki, killing military settlers, family members and the missionary John Whiteley.


Sergeant Murray Hudson
1974
New Zealand soldier's brave sacrifice
Sergeant Murray Hudson died attempting to save the life of another soldier during a live grenade training exercise at Waiōuru military camp.


Lance Cairns in one-day action against England, 1978
1983
Lance Cairns hits six sixes at Melbourne Cricket Ground
At 44 for 6 in reply to Australia’s 302, New Zealand was heading for an embarrassing defeat in the second final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup when Lance Cairns took guard with his bat, ‘Excalibur’.



In Music History

2022-Dr. Dre anchors the first hip-hop-heavy Super Bowl halftime show, performing with Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent.

2019-In a New York Times story, seven female musicians accuse Ryan Adams of inappropriate and sometimes abusive behavior. His accusers include Phoebe Bridgers and his ex-wife, Mandy Moore. Adams' upcoming album release is cancelled and he's dropped from his label.

2016-All four members of the promising English group Viola Beach are killed, along with their manager, when their car crashes on a bridge near Stockholm. Coldplay pay tribute by covering their song "Boys That Sing" at the Glastonbury Festival.

2016-Justin Bieber's "Love Yourself" replaces his song "Sorry" at #1 on the Hot 100. It's the third consecutive #1 single from his Purpose album ("What Do You Mean?" was the first), making it the first album by a male artist with three straight chart-toppers since Justin Timberlake's FutureSex / LoveSounds.

2011-Arcade Fire's The Suburbs scoops Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, beating Eminem's hotly tipped comeback, Recovery. Many folks have not heard of the Canadian band, prompting the internet meme, "Who Is Arcade Fire?" Esperanza Spalding surprisingly beats out Justin Bieber for Best New Artist, becoming the first jazz artist to win the award.

2010- Jason Mraz won two Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (Make It Mine) and Best Pop Collaboration (Lucky with Colbie Caillat),.

2005-50 Cent appears on The Simpsons in the episode "Pranksta Rap."

2005-Ray Charles, who died eight months earlier, wins five Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year for Genius Loves Company (beating out Green Day's American Idiot and Usher's Confessions). Also on the show, Wilco win Best Alternative Music Album for A Ghost Is Born, and Melissa Etheridge, bald from breast cancer treatments, performs an inspirational tribute to Janis Joplin.

2002-Country music great Waylon Jennings dies at age 64.

2001-Peter Frampton is recognized in the guitar community with the Orville H. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award.

2001-George Simon, a jazz writer who won a Grammy award in 1978 for his liner notes on the album Bing Crosby: A Legendary Performer, dies of pneumonia at age 88.

2000- Avant-garde opera POEtry, by Robert Wilson and Lou Reed, premiered in Hamburg, Germany

1998-Buddy Lee, a booking agent who worked with Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson, among others, dies of respiratory failure related to lung cancer.

1997-Michael Jackson's first child, a son named Prince, is born. The mother is his second wife, Debbie Rowe, who later relinquishes custody.

1996-Tupac Shakur's All Eyez on Me is released. The first rap double-album on a major label, it sells over 10 million copies in the United States.

Fugees Release The Score
1996-The Fugees release their second album, The Score. It's a landmark, topping the charts around the world and pushing the boundaries of hip-hop. It's also their last album, as they disband soon after.

1996- British boy band Take That announced their disbandment, marking a major moment in 1990s pop music.

1996-After three albums and seven UK #1 singles, the boy band Take That announce their breakup. They return to action in 2005.

RuPaul Is First Drag Queen On Hot 100
1993-RuPaul becomes the first drag queen to make the Hot 100 when "Supermodel (You Better Work)" enters the chart at #91. It rises to #45 in April.

1988-Michael Jackson buys a ranch in Santa Ynez, California, which he renames "Neverland."

1987-Metallica conclude their breakthrough - yet tragic - Damage Inc. tour at Frolundaborg in Gothenburg, Sweden. They drew huge crowds throughout the tour but lost bass player Cliff Burton, who was killed when their tour bus slid off the road during an earlier stop in Sweden.

Marvin Gaye Popularizes The Expressive Anthem
1983-Marvin Gaye performs a very memorable national anthem at the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, doing a sultry version with a beat.

1982-The 300-pound marble slab marking the grave of Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Zant is stolen from a cemetery in Orange Park, Florida. Police find it two weeks later in a dry river bed.

1975-Jefferson Starship records "Miracles."

1974-Robbie Williams is born in Stoke-on-Trent, England. After a run of UK hits with the boy band Take That he becomes the breakout star of the group, starting with his 1997 solo album Life Thru A Lens, which includes his classic song "Angels."

1972-Led Zeppelin is forced to cancel a gig in Singapore when local officials, seeing their long hair, refuse to let them off the plane.

1971-The Osmonds' "One Bad Apple" hits #1 in America for the first of five weeks.

1970-Black Sabbath release their self-titled debut album, which not coincidentally, comes out on Friday the 13th. To add mystique to the band's image, new manager Patrick Meehan asks the band to stop giving interviews. The plan works, and through word of mouth, the album sell over 5,000 copies in the first week. The first single, "Evil Woman," doesn't chart, but the album reaches #8 in the UK.

1969-The Doors' "Touch Me" is certified gold.

1967-The Beatles release "Strawberry Fields Forever" as a single in the US, with "Penny Lane" on the flip side.

1967-Dolly Parton releases her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, boasting the Top 20 hits "Dumb Blonde" and "Something Fishy." The album catches the attention of country veteran Porter Wagoner, who invites Dolly to appear on his popular television show, marking the beginning of a fruitful partnership.

1966-Freedom Williams (of C+C Music Factory) is born Frederick Williams in Brooklyn, New York.

1966-The Rolling Stones appear in color on US TV for the first time when they make their third Ed Sullivan Show appearance.

1965-The Rolling Stones release their third American studio album, The Rolling Stones, Now!, including the hit "Heart Of Stone."

1961-Henry Rollins (frontman for Black Flag) is born Henry Garfield in Washington, DC.

1961-Les Warner (drummer for The Cult) is born in London, England.

1961-Lawrence Welk's "Calcutta" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

1960- Frank Sinatra launched his own record label, Reprise Records, giving artists greater creative control and later signing acts like Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, and The Beach Boys.

1957-Tony Butler (bassist for Big Country) is born in Shepherd's Bush, London, England.

1957-Filming is completed on the UK's first rock and roll movie, Rock You Sinners.

1956-Peter Hook (bassist for New Order) is born Peter Woodhead in Broughton, Salford, England.

1954-Guitar Slim's "The Things That I Used To Do" hits #1 R&B.

1952-Ed Gagliardi (original bass player for Foreigner) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1951-Singer/actor David Naughton is born in West Hartford, Connecticut.

1950-Peter Gabriel (original lead singer for Genesis) is born in Chobham, Surrey, England.

1945-Soul singer King Floyd, known for the 1970 hit "Groove Me," is born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1945-Roy Dyke (drummer for Ashton, Gardner & Dyke) is born in Liverpool, England.

1944-Rebop Kwaku Baah (percussionist for Traffic, Wings) is born in Konongo, Ghana.

1944-Broadway/film actress Stockard Channing, who plays Betty Rizzo in Grease (1978), is born Susan Antonia Williams Stockard in New York City.

1942-Peter Tork (of The Monkees) is born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.

1940-Earl "Fatha" Hines and His Orchestra record "Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues."

1930-Dorothy McGuire of The McGuire Sisters is born in Middletown, Ohio.

1927-Jim McReynolds (of the bluegrass duo Jim and Jesse) is born in Coeburn, Virginia.

1923-Gene Ames (of The Ames Brothers) is born in Malden, Massachusetts.

1920-Radio and opera singer Eileen Farrell is born in Willimantic, Connecticut.

1920-Songwriter Boudleaux Bryant is born in Shellman, Georgia. Co-wrote hit songs with wife Felice Bryant, including "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Bye Bye Love" for The Everly Brothers.

1919-Tennessee Ernie Ford is born in Bristol, Tennessee.

1914-ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, is formed in New York City.

1883-German composer Richard Wagner ("The Ride Of The Valkyries") dies at age 69.

[Bikkie]

1915
Māori soldiers sail to war
Imperial policy initially prevented 'native peoples' fighting in a war between European powers. In February 1915, however, a 500-strong Maori Contingent left Wellington for Egypt.


Crowds on Te Papa’s opening day
1998
Te Papa museum opens
New Zealand’s new national museum, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, was officially opened on Wellington’s waterfront after a decade of planning and construction.

( I was there, delivering linen to the Icon restaurant, when I was working for Layton's Linen Hire )



In Music History

2025-Saturday Night Live celebrates their 50th season with a Radio City Music Hall concert stocked with some of their most memorable musical guests, including Cher, Eddie Vedder, Arcade Fire, Bonnie Raitt, Lady Gaga and Brandi Carlile. One memorable moment is Post Malone teaming with the living members of Nirvana to play "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

2024-The biopic Bob Marley: One Love, produced by Bob's son Ziggy Marley, opens in theaters. It gets plenty of love at the box office, going to #1 its first week of release.

2019-Kanye West hires Kenny G to play his sultry sax in a room full of roses for his wife, Kim Kardashian, as a Valentines' Day surprise. They end up collaborating, with Kenny G playing on Kanye's Jesus Is King track "Use This Gospel."

2015-Lady Gaga gets engaged to actor Taylor Kinney. She confirms the news two days later by posting a photo of the heart-shaped diamond ring on Instagram with the caption, "He gave me his heart on Valentine's Day, and I said YES!" A year later, they break off the engagement.

2014-With their music in legal limbo, De La Soul give away free downloads of their first six albums to anyone who signed up on their website. Their catalog isn't available digitally because of rights issues with the samples. "We're in the Library of Congress, but we're not on iTunes," group member Posdnuos says, referring to their debut album 3 Feet High And Rising.

2012-Dory Previn, a singer-songwriter who wrote many songs with her second husband André Previn, dies at 86.

2010-Blues musician Lil' Dave Thompson dies in a car accident at age 40.

2009-Jazz drummer Louie Bellson dies at age 84 of Parkinson's disease and complications from a broken hip.

2008-Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher marries Nicole Appleton of the girl group All Saints.

2006-The Veronicas' debut studio album, The Secret Life of..., is released in the US.

2006-English pop singer Lynden David Hall dies at age 40 of complications from a stem cell treatment he received to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma.

2006-Willie Nelson issues the single "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other."

2004-After nine weeks at #1 in the US, "Hey Ya" gives way to another OutKast song, "The Way You Move," which has been #2 the previous eight weeks, a record for most weeks at #2 before claiming the top spot.

2003-The movie Daredevil is released, featuring two songs by a new band called Evanescence: "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal." Both songs later appear on the group's debut album, Fallen, and become hits.

2002-Sweet drummer Mick Tucker dies of leukemia at age 54.

2001-Prince launches the NPG Music Club, one of the first music subscription services. The club acts as a virtual hub for the Prince faithful, with a thriving community, online access to his music, VIP passes to concerts and other exclusives. It runs until 2006, when Prince shuts it down, saying it "has gone as far as it can go."

1999-The Deftones, on the final stop of their tour opening for Black Sabbath, find that their truck has been stolen from the parking lot of the Holiday Inn in Dearborn, Michigan. Taken are all of the band's backline equipment and instruments, including several of Chi Chings' Precision Fender Bass guitars, and Stephen Carpenter's custom-made guitars and racks.

1999-The Deftones, on the final stop of their tour opening for Black Sabbath, find that their truck has been stolen from the parking lot of the Holiday Inn in Dearborn, Michigan. Taken are all of the band's backline equipment and instruments, including several of Chi Chings' Precision Fender Bass guitars, and Stephen Carpenter's custom-made guitars and racks.

1999-Elton John appears on the "I'm with Cupid" episode of The Simpsons, where he does a re-worked version of "Your Song."

1998-Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds is named Entertainer of the Year at the 29th NAACP Image Awards.

1998-Apropos for Valentine's Day, Usher's "Nice & Slow" goes to #1 in the US. It's the first of his nine chart-toppers.

1998-Madonna performs at New York nightclub the Roxy, making her first club performance in over 10 years.

1997-Country artist Ty England and wife Shanna welcome their third child, Levi Wyatt.

1996-Prince, 37, marries the 22-year-old model/belly dancer Mayte Garcia at a ceremony in Minneapolis. White doves are released when they exchange vows - no word on if they were crying. The marriage is annulled three years later, and Garcia takes up with Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe.

1994-The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia marries Deborah Koons.

1992-Lead singer Vince Neil, who had been pursuing IndyCar racing, is booted from Mötley Crüe. "Race car driving has become a priority in Neil's life," the band's management says in a statement. "His band mates felt he didn't share their determination and passion for music." Neil returns to the fold in 1997.

Wayne's World Brings Back "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1992-Thanks to Alice Cooper's appearance in Wayne's World, we learn that "Milwaukee" is Algonquin for "the good land." We also get a fresh blast of "Bohemian Rhapsody."

1991-Boyz II Men release their debut album, CooleyHighharmony, with Michael Bivins of Bell Biv DeVoe as executive producer. Bivins' former group, New Edition, inspired the Boyz' name with their 1988 track "Boys To Men."

1991-Karol G is born in Medellin, Colombia. After earning acclaim in Latin America, the reggaeton pop singer becomes an international sensation when her Mañana Será Bonito is the first Spanish-language album to debut at #1 on the genre-spanning Billboard 200 chart.

1990-The Rolling Stones begin their first-ever tour of Japan at Tokyo's Korakuen Dome.

1989-Vincent Crane (organist for Atomic Rooster) dies of an intentional overdose of painkillers at age 45.

1987-KTWV in Los Angeles switches from Rock to Smooth Jazz, becoming the first radio station to adopt that format. Smooth Jazz stations - heavy on Kenny G, David Sanborn, and David Lanz - soon pop up all over the country, offering a relaxing choice for at-work listening.

1987-Bon Jovi's working-class anthem "Livin' On A Prayer" hits #1 in the US, where it stays for four weeks. The funky distorted sound in the intro is a talkbox hooked up to Richie Sambora's guitar. Peter Frampton popularized the device on his 1976 album Frampton Comes Alive.

1986-Frank Zappa guest stars on the TV series Miami Vice in the episode "Payback."

1985- Whitney Houston released her self-titled debut album on this day, which went on to become one of the top-selling albums of all time.

1984: Britain's Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously dominated ice dancing at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, performing to Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" in their free dance routine.

1984-Elton John marries studio assistant Renate Blauel in Sydney, Australia, shocking many of his fans and associates by choosing a woman as his life partner. Attendees include Olivia Newton-John and Rod Stewart. The couple split in 1987 and divorce a year later.

1981-The Funky 4 + 1 become the first hip-hop group to perform on national TV when they do "That's The Joint" on Saturday Night Live. Debbie Harry of Blondie, an early proponent of rap music, is the host.

1980-Lou Reed marries Sylvia Morales in New York City's Greenwich Village.

1978-Married songwriters Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge appear on The Muppet Show to perform "Song I Like to Sing" from their first album of duets, Full Moon.

1977-The B-52s perform their first live gig, a Valentine's Day party in their hometown of Athens, Georgia.

1976-After singing about "The valentines I never knew" in her song "At Seventeen," Janis Ian gets hundreds of Valentine's Day cards from fans.

1974-At the Forum in Los Angeles, Ringo Starr, Neil Young and Warren Beatty are in attendance for the last stop on Bob Dylan's tour with The Band.

1974-Rolling Stone reports that David Bowie has been asked by a gay liberation group to compose a gay national anthem, an offer he declines.

1974-Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille (Captain & Tennille) are married in Virginia City, Nevada. Love keeps them together until 2014, when they divorce after nearly 40 years of marriage.

1973-David Bowie collapses at the end of a Ziggy Stardust performance at Madison Square Garden, claiming "total exhaustion."

1972-The '50s tribute musical Grease opens off-Broadway at New York City's Eden Theatre, featuring Barry Bostwick and Adrienne Barbeau. The play is an instant hit, moving to Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre for a record 3,388 performances, and, not incidentally, spawning one of the most popular movies of all time.

1972-Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty is born to American parents in West Germany.

1972- John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted "The Mike Douglas Show" for an entire week, bringing counterculture discussions and performances to mainstream television.

1972-Blaming burnout, Steppenwolf break up for the first time, saying, "We were locked into an image and style of music and there was nothing for us to look forward to." The group, which released six albums from 1968-1971, get back together in 1974.

1970- The Who recorded their live album "Live at Leeds" at the University of Leeds, often considered one of the greatest live rock albums ever.

1970-On what some consider the first day of disco, DJ David Paul Mancuso hosts the "Love Saves The Day" party at his apartment in New York City. Later branded "The Loft," his parties are a place for dancing and uninhibited self-expression, a precursor to Studio 54 and similar nightclubs.

1970-Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" hits #1 in America.

1970-Billboard Magazine reports that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is "Mounting Total War Against Tape Pirating of Prerecorded Music."

1967-Aretha Franklin recorded her rendition of Otis Redding's "Respect" at Atlantic Records in New York City, which became a massive hit and Franklin's signature song.

1966-Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds Of Silence" is certified gold.

1964-The Dave Clark Five release "Bits And Pieces."

1961-The Platters sue Mercury Records for breach of contract in Chicago, citing the record label's refusal to pay royalties for songs on which leader Tony Williams does not, in fact, sing lead.

1958-CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite tells viewers that the government of Iran has banned rock and roll for being unhealthy and anti-Islamic. The "unhealthy" claim is backed by Iranian doctors who warn of hip damage due to "extreme gyrations."

1957-Jazz great Lionel Hampton debuts "King David," his only symphony, at New York's Town Hall.

1953-Teresa Brewer's "Till I Waltz Again with You" hits #1 in America.

1951-Simple Minds drummer Kenny Hyslop is born in Helensburgh, Scotland.

1950-Heart guitarist Roger Fisher is born.

1947-Tim Buckley is born in Washington, D.C., but spends much of his childhood in Amsterdam, New York, and Bell Gardens, California.

1944-Denny Zager (of Zager & Evans) is born in Wymore, Nebraska.

1943-Saxophone player Maceo Parker is born in Kinston, North Carolina. He becomes an integral part of James Brown's band, and also plays with Prince.

1943-Folk singer Eric Andersen is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but grows up in Snyder, New York.

1939-Country singer Razzy Bailey is born in Alabama.

1937-Bluesman Magic Sam (Samuel Maghett) is born in Mississippi.

1934-Keyboard player Merl Saunders is born in San Mateo, California.

1931-Ted Lewis' "Just A Gigolo" hits #1 in America.

1931-Phyllis McGuire of The McGuire Sisters is born in Middletown, Ohio.

1847-A saxophone school is created in Paris, France. It is set up at "Gymnase Musical," a military band school.

[Bikkie]

1882
First frozen meat shipment leaves New Zealand
New Zealand’s first successful shipment of frozen meat to Britain in 1882 had a huge impact on the colony, paving the way for the trade in frozen meat and dairy products that became the cornerstone of New Zealand’s 20th-century economy.




In Music History

2019-The superhero series The Umbrella Academy, based on a comic by former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way, premieres to positive reviews on Netflix. The show, starring Ellen Page, also features Mary J. Blige as an assassin.

Taylor Swift Fires Back At The Grammys
2016-In her Grammy acceptance speech for Album of the Year, Taylor Swift warns of "people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame." This is in response to Kanye West, who rapped about Swift, "I made that bitch famous" in his song "Famous."

2016-Prince protégé Vanity dies at age 57 after years of health problems.

2011-Ke$ha, with two #1 hits under her glitter-spangled belt ("TiK ToK" and "We R Who We R"), launches her first headline tour, the Get $leazy Tour, in Portland, Oregon. The tour establishes her as a top live act, with a vibe both tacky and decadent.

2011-A stunned Laura Marling accepts the Brit Award for Best British Female at the O2 Arena in London. In an interview later that year Marling says she was "terrified" at the awards ceremony, clarifying that she's "been around people for whom [winning a Brit] has changed things and it is uncomfortable to watch. I'm not built for that."

2006-The gravesite of AC/DC singer Bon Scott in Fremantle Cemetery in Western Australia is classified with a heritage listing.

2006-Anna Marly, composer of "Chant des Partisans," dies at age 88.

2006-Kaiser Chiefs take home three trophies to dominate the BRIT Awards, held at London's Earls Court.

2006-Thanks to download sales, Weezer's "Buddy Holly" is certified Gold (500,000 copies) 12 years after it was released. It wasn't sold as a single in America so fans would have to buy the album to get it.

2005-French singer Pierre Bachelet dies of lung cancer at age 60.

2005-The Norah Jones album Come Away With Me is certified Diamond for sales of over 10 million in America. A mellow, jazzy set, it's an outlier on the list of Diamond-certified albums, which are dominated by pop, rock and country.

2004 - Usher's Chart Dominance: Usher released "Yeah!" featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, which became a massive hit and dominated the charts for months.

2003-With war in Iraq imminent, millions march for peace around the world, including System Of A Down, who shoot the video for their song "Boom" at the protests with Michael Moore directing.

2003-Good Charlotte's "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" peaks at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest they would get on the chart.

2001-George Harrison enters the cyber age with an online chat on MSN Live.

2000 - Santana's Grammy Success: Santana won eight Grammy Awards for his album "Supernatural," tying the record for the most Grammys won in a single night.

1998-Backstreet Boys appear on the TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch in "The Band Episode."

1998 - Elton John's Knighthood: Elton John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to music and charity, becoming Sir Elton John.

1998-Fans of Japanese rock act Glay cause the Tokyo area phone system to break down as they try to reserve tickets for an upcoming concert by the band. Chaos ensues at the Nagano Winter Olympics main pressroom as long distance lines go down during the ski-jumping event.

1995-Megan Thee Stallion is born Megan Pete in San Antonio, Texas. She earns the nickname "Thee Stallion" in high school, a tribute to her size and shape.

1995-Megan Thee Stallion is born Megan Pete in San Antonio, Texas. She earns the nickname "Thee Stallion" in high school, a tribute to her size and shape.

1995-The Los Angeles, California, heavy metal radio station KNAC goes off the air and is replaced by the Spanish radio station KBUE on the same channel - 105.5FM. The station signs off at approximately 1:59PM after playing Metallica's "Fade to Black." Three years, later KNAC goes back on the air, this time on the internet at KNAC.com.

1991-Rod Stewart's ex-girlfriend, supermodel Kelly Emberg, files a $25 million palimony suit against the singer in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Ben & Jerry's Debuts Cherry Garcia
1987-Ben and Jerry's introduces a new flavor: Cherry Garcia, named after the Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia.

1987 - Bon Jovi's Iconic Hit: Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the band's most recognizable songs.

1986-The UK band Sade hit #1 in America with their second album, Promise, led by the single "The Sweetest Taboo." Led by frontwoman Sade Adu, their elegant, understated sound finds an audience looking for an alternative to MTV-powered pop music. It's the only album to hit the top spot in 1986 by an act that isn't American.

1984-Ethel Merman, one of the top singers in Broadway musicals, dies of brain cancer at age 76.

1984-Blues guitarist Gary Clark, Jr. is born in Austin, Texas.

1982-The Tennessee General Assembly votes the bluegrass tune "Rocky Top," originally recorded by The Osborne Brothers and made popular by Lynn Anderson, the fifth official state song. It was written by celebrated husband-and-wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.

1981-Mike Bloomfield, a renowned guitarist with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The Electric Flag, is found dead in his car under mysterious circumstances. Al Kooper, who played with him on many Bob Dylan sessions, surmises that Bloomfield overdosed and his drug dealer drove him to a secluded spot to be found later.

1979-RCA Records starts handling distribution for A&M Records, which was the largest independent record company before the deal.

1979-Barry Manilow wins his first and only Grammy Award when "Copacabana (At The Copa)" is named Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 21st Annual Grammy Awards.

1979-Donna Summer's "Last Dance" wins two Grammys: Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song.

saturday Night Fever, Billy Joel Dominate Grammys
1979-Saturday Night Fever and Billy Joel are big winners at The Grammys, with the soundtrack getting Album of the Year and "Just The Way You Are" taking Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

1977-Sid Vicious joins The Sex Pistols.

1977-The Best Of George Harrison is certified gold.

1976-Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd is born in Van Nuys, California.

1975-Performing "People Gotta Move," Gino Vannelli becomes the first white singer to perform on Soul Train, beating Elton John by a few months. The first white musician to play the show was guitarist Dennis Coffey with his instrumental hit "Scorpio" in 1972.

1975-Rush release Fly by Night. It is their second album, following 1974's Rush, but is the first with new drummer/lyricist Neil Peart. Partially due to Peart's influence, this album veers from the sound of the band's debut and moves closer to the progressive styling that eventually makes Rush a legend of the genre.

Linda Ronstadt Breaks Through With #1 Album And Single
1975-Linda Ronstadt finally breaks through when her album Heart Like a Wheel and single "You're No Good" both hit #1 in America, establishing her as one of the biggest stars of the '70s. It took a while: none of her first four solo albums charted higher than #45, no single higher than #25.

1974-Tomi Petteri Putaansuu, better known as Mr. Lordi, the lead vocalist of Lordi, is born in Rovaniemi, Finland.

1974-Deep Purple release Burn, their first album with the Mark III lineup of the band, featuring David Coverdale as lead singer.

1972-The US government's new anti-piracy laws are enacted, a response to widespread bootlegging of major artists.

1971-The Who debut a new rock opera called Lifehouse at the Young Vic Theatre in London. The project is shelved after a short run of shows, but some of the songs, including "Bab O' Riley," "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Behind Blue Eyes, become Who standards after being included on the album Who's Next.

1970-After a Sly & the Family Stone concert runs hours late and causes over a thousand dollars in damages, the Daughters of the American Revolution impose a ban against any further rock concerts at the venue, Washington D.C.'s Constitution Hall.

1969-Sly & the Family Stone land their first #1 hit when "Everyday People" tops the Hot 100 for the first of four weeks. The song's message: we're all essentially the same, no matter what we look like. Of the seven members in the group, two are white and five are black.

Rolling Stone Explains Groupie Culture
1969-Rolling Stone's front cover features an article on "groupies" - introducing a new term to the popular lexicon.

1968-John Lennon and George Harrison of The Beatles depart for India to study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Later joined by Paul and Ringo, they write some songs for the White Album during the retreat.

1968-Blues musician Little Walter dies at age 37 in his sleep, presumably from coronary thrombosis.

1967-The first anti-bootlegging recording laws are enacted.

1967-Music students at Chicago's DePaul University form a seven-piece rock ensemble called The Big Thing. Later, they would change their name to Chicago Transit Authority, and then, simply, Chicago.

1965-The Beatles release "Eight Days a Week." The title was originally going to be used for their movie that became Help!

1965 - Nat King Cole's Passing: The legendary jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole died at the age of 45 due to lung cancer. He was known for his smooth voice and significant contributions to music, including hits like "Unforgettable".

1964 - The Beatles' Breakthrough: The Beatles reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with "I Want to Hold Your Hand," marking the beginning of the British Invasion in America.

1964-Sam Cooke announces a major reduction in his touring schedule, made so that he can concentrate on the day-to-day activities of his two new record labels, Sar and Derby.

1961-The Marcels record "Blue Moon."

1961-Jackie Wilson is shot in Manhattan. The following issue of Melody Maker carries the front page headline Girl Fan Shoots Jackie Wilson, but controversy over the incident persists in spite of Wilson's claim that this is what really happened.

1960-Mikey Craig (bassist for Culture Club) is born in England.

1959-Ali Campbell (lead singer of UB40) is born in Birmingham, England, to Scottish folk singer Ian Campbell.

1958-ABC debuts a new show hosted by Dick Clark, hoping to duplicate the success of American Bandstand. The first guests on The Dick Clark Show include Connie Francis, Pat Boone and Jerry Lee Lewis.

1954-Big Joe Turner records one of the first rock songs, "Shake, Rattle And Roll," at Atlantic Records studios in New York.

1951-Melissa Manchester is born in the Bronx, New York.

1947-David Brown (bassist for Santana) is born in Daly City, California.

1945-John Helliwell (saxophonist for Supertramp) is born in Todmorden, Yorkshire, England.

1944-Mick Avory (drummer for The Kinks) is born in Surrey, England.

1941-Duke Ellington records "Take the A Train."

1941-Motown songwriter Brian Holland is born in Detroit, Michigan.

1939-Pop singer Alvin Cash is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

1928-"Among My Souvenirs" is the top song in America according to Variety.

1918-Country singer Hank Locklin ("Please Help Me, I'm Falling", "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On") is born in McLellan, Florida.

1905-Harold Arlen is born Hyman Arluck in Buffalo, New York. A prolific composer, he writes "Over The Rainbow" with lyricist Yip Harburg.

1888-Frederick Lawrence Wright, founder of Melody Maker, is born at 23 Upper Conduit Street, Leicester.

[1/32 man]

I should have dropped a line about the fourteenth being the third anniversary of cyclone Gabrielle.
This event directly affected me and mine not to mention many others whose homes, possessions and lives were hugely impacted.

I still see evidence of mother nature's handiwork and i still have flashbacks of some of the horrors that occurred.

Strangely we currently have a heavy rain warning???

[Bikkie]

.
1770
Cook sights Banks 'Island'
Lieutenant James Cook sighted Banks Peninsula from the Endeavour. The following day he decided it was an island, which he named for the expedition's botanist, Joseph Banks.


The Mikhail Lermontov sinking in the Marlborough Sounds
1986
Sinking of the Mikhail Lermontov
At 5.37 p.m. on 16 February 1986, the Soviet cruise liner Mikhail Lermontov hit rocks off Cape Jackson in the Marlborough Sounds.



In Music History

2024-Crunk pioneer Lil Jon releases an album of guided meditations where he answers his famous question, Turn down for what?: "To hear the voice within."

2021-Lauryn Hill's 1998 album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill is certified Diamond for 10 million sales in America, making her the first female hip-hop artist to earn that certification.

2015-Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea breaks his arm in five places in a gnarly snowboarding accident.More

2015-Lesley Gore, known for the '60s pop hit "It's My Party," dies of lung cancer at age 68.

2013-Guitarist Stanley "Goober Grin" Knight (of Black Oak Arkansas) dies of cancer at age 64.

2011-Rod Stewart, 66, becomes a father for the eighth time when his son Aiden is born.

2011-Lady GaGa's "Born This Way" makes history, becoming the Billboard Hot 100 chart's 1000th number one. "It is a tremendous honor," GaGa tells Billboard. "To be the 1000th number one on Billboard. I would be silly not to say this is the greatest honor of my career."

2007-Britney Spears shaves her head at a hair salon, then gets some fresh ink at a tattoo parlor. It's the beginning of a public meltdown for Spears, who filed for divorce from Kevin Federline months earlier and is negotiating custody arrangements for their two children.

2004-Doris Troy, who wrote and recorded "Just One Look," dies at age 67.

2002-Billy Ward of the vocal group Billy Ward and his Dominoes dies at age 80.

2001-Country singer Andy Griggs is arrested just before 3 a.m. after taking a joy ride in an ambulance. Griggs and band member Kevin Weaver come upon the vehicle, with keys inside, in the parking lot of a Tallahassee area Days Inn, where they are on a tour stopover. The men take the ambulance for a short ride and return to the lot, where police charge them with grand theft auto. Griggs and Weaver are released after posting $1,000 bail each.

1999-Robbie Williams wins three Brit Awards, taking the trophies for Best Male British Solo Artist, Best British Single ("Angels") and Best British Video ("Millenium"). The Corrs take the trophy for Best International Group and perform "Runaway" and "Haste to the Wedding" at the ceremony.

1999-Aretha Franklin responds to a story in the Detroit Free Press claiming that 30 lawsuits have been filed against her seeking payment, calling it "malicious and vicious." Franklin, who handles business affairs herself, refuses to use a manager.

1998-At the Brit Awards, Chumbawamba drummer Danbert Nobacon dumps a bucket of ice water on UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Of his stunt, the musician says, "It's a metaphor for the underdog pissing on the steps of Downing Street."

1997-Michael Jackson sings "Elizabeth I Love You," which he wrote for the actress Elizabeth Taylor, at her 65th birthday celebration. The event airs on ABC on February 25th.

1996-Folk singer Walter "Brownie" McGhee dies of stomach cancer at age 80.

1996-With his band Bush on tour in New Orleans, Gavin Rossdale throws a party, hoping to connect with the frontwoman for their opening act, Gwen Stefani of No Doubt. His plan works perfectly: the couple share their first kiss amid the Mardi Gras revelry, and find they still like each other the next day. They get married in 2002, but split up in 2015.

1994-Ava Max is born Amanda Koçi in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The singer revives dance-pop on the sleepy Billboard Hot 100 when she drops "Sweet But Psycho" in 2018.

1993-The Faces reunite at the BRIT Awards, where Rod Stewart receives a lifetime achievement award. Bill Wyman replaces original Faces bass player Ronnie Lane, who has multiple sclerosis.

1993-Lynyrd Skynyrd release The Last Rebel, the band's seventh album, on which Kurt Custer appears for his first time and guitarist Randall Hall for his last.

1991- Do The Bartman by The Simpsons topped the UK singles chart, co-written by Michael Jackson.

1990-The Weeknd is born Abel Tesfaye in Toronto.

1990-Ike Turner is sentenced to four years in prison on eleven separate charges, including possession and transport of cocaine. In prison when he and ex-wife Tina are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he is released after serving eighteen months.

1990-The day before he turns 18, Billie Joe Armstrong drops out of high school. A week later, he releases the first album with his band Green Day: 39/Smooth.

1985- Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. reached the top of the UK album chart, becoming one of his most successful albums.

1979- George Harrison released the single Blow Away, continuing his solo success post-Beatles.

1978-The film ABBA: The Movie has its UK premiere at Leicester Square's Warner Theatre.

1975-Cher, who starred with her husband Sonny Bono in The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour from 1971-1974, gets her own show when Cher premieres on CBS. The first guests are Elton John, Bette Midler and Flip Wilson.

Bob Dylan Finally Lands A #1 Album
1974-Planet Waves becomes the first Bob Dylan album to reach #1 in the US.

1972-Rick Nelson begins his first British tour.

1972- Chuck Berry performed with John Lennon and Yoko Ono on The Mike Douglas Show, a rare collaboration between rock legends.

1972-Doing a week-long stint as guest host of the Mike Douglas Show, John Lennon performs "Memphis" and "Johnny B. Goode" with Chuck Berry, whom Lennon refers to as "my hero."

1971-Aretha Franklin records "Spanish Harlem."

1968-Elvis Presley received a gold record for How Great Thou Art, highlighting his gospel music achievements.

1964-The Beatles' performance at the Deauville Hotel's Mau Mau Club in Miami Beach, Florida, is broadcast live on the Ed Sullivan Show. A week earlier, the group made their historic first appearance on Sullivan's show at his New York studio.

1963-Paul Anka marries the fashion model Anne de Zogheb. They have five daughters together before divorcing in 2001.

1962- Darius Milhaud's 12th Symphony premiered, reflecting modernist trends in orchestral composition.

1961-Andy Taylor (guitarist for Duran Duran) is born in Cullercoats, Northumberland, England. He later joins supergroup The Power Station while Duran Duran are on hiatus. The success of his new venture persuades him to leave the band he helped form as a teenager.

1958-Ice-T (Tracy Marrow) is born in Newark, New Jersey. He takes his stage name in honor of a notorious poet/pimp named Iceberg Slim.

1957-Tab Hunter's "Young Love" begins a six-week run at #1 in America.

1957-The Six-Five Special, Britain's first pop music program, debuts on the BBC.

1955-Elvis Presley plays at the Odessa Senior High School in Odessa, Texas. A young Roy Orbison is in the audience.

1952-James Ingram is born in Akron, Ohio.

1949-Lyn Paul of The New Seekers is born Lynda Susan Belcher in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England.

1947- Morton Gould's 3rd Symphony premiered, contributing to mid-20th-century American classical music.

1942-Shep Fields and His Orchestra record "Jersey Bounce."

1935-Sonny Bono is born in Detroit. He finds success as a producer and record executive before marrying Cher, with whom he forms the duo Sonny & Cher. He is elected to Congress in California, where he serves until the time of his death.

1934-Herbie and Harold Kalin (of the pop duo Kalin Twins) are born in Port Jervis, New York.

1931-Otis Blackwell, composer of the seminal rock 'n roll tunes "Great Balls of Fire" and "All Shook Up," and the R&B sizzler "Fever," is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1927- Franz Lehár's operetta Der Zarewitsch, starring Richard Tauber, premiered in Berlin.

1918-Patty Andrews (lead singer of The Andrews Sisters) is born in Mound, Minnesota.

1916-Bill Doggett, composer of the hit R&B instrumental "Honky Tonk," is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1901-Orchestra leader Wayne King, who has a #1 hit with "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" in 1931, is born in Savanna, Illinois.

1854- Franz Liszt's symphony Orpheus premiered, showcasing his innovative orchestral style.

1892:- Jules Massenet's opera Werther debuted in Vienna, adding a significant work to the Romantic opera repertoire.

[Bikkie]

1873
'The Russians are coming!'
On 17 February 1873, Aucklanders awoke to the alarming news that a Russian warship had entered Waitematā Harbour undetected and landed troops.

Thomas Jefferson Elected US President
1801 US House of Representatives breaks electoral college tie by electing Thomas Jefferson as President over Aaron Burr

1864 -Confederate submarine CSS H.L. Hunley sinks Union ship USS Housatonic at Charleston, South Carolina in the world's first successful submarine attack; crews of both vessels were killed [1]

1865 -18] Battle of Charleston, South Carolina
Burning of Columbia, South Carolina
1865- Union forces led by William T. Sherman capture the state capital of Columbia, South Carolina. The city is ablaze by nightfall, fanned by high winds devastating much of the city. It is not known which side started the fires.

1876- Sardines first canned by Julius Wolff in Eastport, Maine

1878- 1st telephone exchange in San Francisco, California opens with 18 phones



In Music History

2014-Bob Casale (rhythm guitarist and keyboardist for Devo) dies of heart failure at age 61.

2013-Country singer Mindy McCready dies of a self-inflicted gunshot at age 37.

2010-Mumford & Sons make their US TV debut on The Late Show with David Letterman.

2006-Ray Barretto, whose 1968 album Acid became a Latin jazz classic, dies at age 76.

2015-"Because I Got High" singer Afroman is arrested for assault after punching a female fan who attempts to dance with him on stage at a show in Biloxi, Mississippi. Afroman, who doesn't see the woman until he turns around to clock her, blames his anxiety and says that he hadn't had time to take his meds when he went on stage.

2005-With Tommy Lee back in the band for the first time in five years, Mötley Crüe begin their Red, White & Crüe tour in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's a circus theme, with clowns, fire-eaters and acrobats. For his drum solo, Tommy Lee and his rig go up on a trapeze and he performs from 30 feet in the air.

2004-The Darkness win Brit Awards for Best British group, Best British Rock Act and Best British Album (Permission to Land). Busted wins for the British Breakthrough Award and takes Best Pop Act.

2001-Shaggy's album Hot Shot hits #1 in America, where it goes on to sell over 6 million copies. The most popular track is "It Wasn't Me," where Shaggy (in character) explains how deny it when caught cheating.

2001-Brad Paisley joins the cast of the Grand Ole Opry.

1998-Songwriter Bob Merrill commits suicide aged 76. His compositions include the #1 UK hits "(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window?" and "She Wears Red Feathers (And A Huly-Huly Skirt)."

1998-After a failed run on Elektra Records, Destiny's Child release their self-titled debut album on Columbia. The first single, "No, No, No," is a hit and introduces their crisp, punctuated vocal style.

1998-Ani DiFranco fascination peaks as the singer ships 250,000 copies of her latest album on her own label, Righteous Babe Records. DiFranco's DIY business model has earned her a great deal of media coverage, as it proves that an artist doesn't need a major label to succeed.

1997-ABC airs Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees, a one-hour comedy special written and directed by original Monkee Mike Nesmith. From their '60s pad, the group recalls their old shenanigans and sings a medley of their classic hits: "Last Train To Clarksville," "Daydream Believer," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "I'm A Believer" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday."

1995-25 years after agreeing to sing at Marcia Brady's prom, Davy Jones reunites with the Bradys... sort of. Jones and fellow Monkees Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz appear in the spoof The Brady Bunch Movie. Jones performs at the prom again, singing a grungy rendition of "Girl," the same song he sang on the TV show.

1992-Shakespears Sister release their second album, Hormonally Yours. Initially based on a B-movie called Cat-Women Of The Moon, it produces a huge hit with "Stay," a sci-fi single that spends eight weeks at #1 in the UK.

1991-Ed Sheeran is born in West Yorkshire, England. He breaks through in 2011 with "The A-Team," written about a drug-addicted prostitute he met while performing at a charity event for a homeless shelter.

1990-Aerosmith appear on Saturday Night Live, performing "Monkey on My Back" and "Janie's Got A Gun," and also appearing in a Wayne's World skit where Tom Hanks plays their roadie.

1990-Emma Anderson admits in an interview that her band Lush is the "Most hated band in London."

1984-The musical drama Footloose opens in theaters with a soundtrack featuring Kenny Loggins, Deniece Williams, and Sammy Hagar. Two songs from the movie - "Footloose" and "Let's Hear it For the Boy" - go to #1 in America.

1982-Jazz great Thelonious Monk dies at age 64.

1981-Eric Clapton releases his seventh solo album, Another Ticket. The first version was rejected by his record company so Clapton started over with a new producer (Tom Dowd) and wrote new songs, including the hit single "I Can't Stand It."

1981-Paris Hilton is born in New York City. An heir to the Hilton Hotels empire, she becomes famous as a socialite and reality TV star, then moves into music with the 2006 single "Stars Are Blind," which charts worldwide.

1979 – The Clash began their first U.S. tour at The Palladium in New York City.

Kate Bush Releases Debut Album
1978-Kate Bush, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Britain, releases her debut album, The Kick Inside. The collection of art pop features the #1 UK hit single "Wuthering Heights."

Eagles Release The Greatest Of Greatest Hits Albums
1976-The Eagles release Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), a collection of 10 songs from their first four albums. It becomes the top-selling album in US history.

1975 – John Lennon released Rock n’ Roll, his last record before a five-year hiatus from music.

1974-Country singer Bryan White is born in Oklahoma.

1973-Free play their final live gig in Hollywood, Florida, as Simon Kirke and Paul Rodgers leave to form Bad Company.1972 – Pink Floyd premiered The Dark Side of the Moon during a four-night stand in London, a year before its official release.

1972-Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong is born in Oakland, California. He is raised in nearby Rodeo, where he records his first song at age 5.

1972-Pink Floyd perform "Eclipse" at the Rainbow Theatre in London. A year later, this music becomes the Dark Side Of The Moon album.

1971-James Taylor makes his TV debut, performing "Sweet Baby James," "Fire and Rain" and "Country Road" on The Johnny Cash Show.

1970-Bee Gee Maurice Gibb opens in the London stage musical Sing A Rude Song.

1969-Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash record some duets in Nashville, with "Girl From The North Country" eventually ending up on Dylan's Nashville Skyline album, for which Cash writes liner notes.

1969-Country singer Jon Randall is born in Dallas, Texas. He debuts in 1995 with the album What You Don't Know and co-writes the Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss duet "Whiskey Lullaby" in 2003.

1966-Brian Wilson begins recording The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."

1965-"Tennessee Waltz" is declared the eponymous state's official song.

1965-Samuel Bayer, who directs the videos for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Blind Melon's "No Rain," is born in Syracuse, New York.

1964-The first Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass concert is held in Los Angeles.

1960-After a string of hits on Cadence Records, The Everly Brothers sign a 10-year contract with Warner Bros. Records which is reported at $1 million, a number likely inflated for publicity purposes.

1955 – Little Richard sent his first audition tape to Specialty Records, marking the start of his influential rock and roll career.

1950-Rickey Medlocke, Lynyrd Skynyrd member and frontman of the band Blackfoot, is born in Jacksonville, Florida. He is inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

1946-Dodie Stevens is born Geraldine Ann Pasquale in Chicago, Illinois. By the time she's 13, she has her first hit with "Pink Shoe Laces."

1940-Gene Pitney is born in Hartford, Connecticut. He has a string of hits in the '60s, including "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" and "Only Love Can Break A Heart."

1935-Country singer Johnny Bush is born in Houston, Texas. He writes "Whiskey River," which becomes a signature tune for Willie Nelson.

1933-Rock 'n Roll singer Bobby Lewis, known for his hit "Tossin' And Turnin'," is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1922-Tommy Edwards ("It's All In The Game") is born in Richmond, Virginia.

1904 – Giacomo Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly premiered at La Scala in Milan.

[Bikkie]

"1957
New Zealand's last execution
Walter Bolton, a 68-year-old Whanganui farmer, became the last person executed in New Zealand.


Ngaio Marsh
1982
'Queen of Crime' Ngaio Marsh dies
Ngaio Marsh, one of the 'Queens of Crime' in the 1920s and 1930s, died just weeks after submitting her 32nd detective novel, Light thickens, to her publishers. She was also an artist, playwright, actor and director.


In Music History

2017-Clyde Stubblefield, the funky drummer who played on many tracks for James Brown, dies at age 73.

2016-The #FreeKesha campaign heats up after pop singer Kesha loses a preliminary injunction during an 18-month legal battle with producer Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald).

2012-"Call Me Maybe," a catchy pop song from Canadian Idol alumna Carly Rae Jepsen, goes viral via a YouTube lip dub video by Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. The attention helps send the single to #1.

Brit Awards Reach Peak Duffy
2009-Duffy is the big winner at the Brit Awards, taking Album of the Year for Rockferry along with gongs for British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act, beating out Adele in those two categories.

2006-Bill Cowsill of The Cowsills dies at age 58.

2006- The Rolling Stones performed a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, attracting over 1 million attendees.

2003-The Rolling Stones bring some local flavor to the Australian leg of their Licks world tour, bringing Jet as the opening act. The first show in the country takes place at the Enmore Theater in Sydney. Jet had to fly back from Los Angeles, where they were recording their debut album, Get Born, to take advantage of the opportunity.

2001-James Taylor marries his longtime girlfriend Kim Smedvig at a small ceremony in Boston. It's Taylor's third wedding, and later in 2001 the couple have twin boys through a surrogate mother.

1999-Pop-star-turned-disc-jockey Bob Geldof, organizer of Live Aid, wins substantial but undisclosed damages from The Sun newspaper in London in a libel case over a story that falsely alleged he had "groped, fondled and kissed" a nightclub stripper.

1998-Robert Smith of The Cure battles Barbra Streisand on the show South Park.

1995-Denny Cordell, who produced Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers, The Moody Blues, and Procol Harum, dies in Dublin of lymphoma, aged 51.

1995-Bob Stinson (lead guitarist for The Replacements) dies at age 35 after years of drug and alcohol abuse takes its toll on his health.

1994-Ricky Martin makes his first appearance on the soap opera General Hospital, playing a singer named Miguel Morez. His story arc lasts six episodes.

1990-At the BRIT Awards in London, Queen collect the BPI award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. It is Freddie Mercury's last public appearance with the band, as he dies the following year.

1989- Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel returned to No.1 on the US Billboard 200, and Fine Young Cannibals’ The Raw & the Cooked reached No.1 in the UK.

1987- Prince released the song Sign O’ The Times, a critically acclaimed track that showcased his innovative style.

1984--Simple Minds’ album Sparkle in the Rain topped the UK charts.

1978- ABBA’s Take a Chance on Me reached No.1 on the UK Singles Chart.

1977-Fela Kuti's residence is sacked by nearly a thousand soldiers, inspiring his song "Zombie."

1977-Kiss play Madison Square Garden (in their hometown, New York City) for the first time.

1974- KISS released their self-titled debut album, marking the start of their theatrical rock career.

1973-At Elvis Presley's concert in Las Vegas, four men climb on stage and try to shake his hand. They are quickly thwarted by security and Elvis' bass player Jerry Scheff. Elvis tells the crowd, "Immobilize the men using karate moves." No charges are filed. Elvis tells the audience: "I'm sorry I didn't break his goddamned neck, is what I'm sorry about."

1973-The nationally syndicated radio concert series The King Biscuit Flower Hour premieres, featuring Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

1972-Neil Young's album Harvest is certified Gold.

1969-The Bee Gees' Maurice Gibb, 19, marries the 20-year-old singing sensation Lulu in Buckinghamshire, England. They separate in 1973.

1968-Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, along with their female companions, head to Rishikesh, India, to join the other two members of The Beatles in studying under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

1967-The Buckinghams' "Kind of a Drag" hits #1 in America for the first of two weeks.

1966: Brian Wilson began recording Good Vibrations with The Beach Boys, a groundbreaking production that took over 90 hours of studio work and later became a classic, influencing countless art.

1965-The Beatles' publishing company, Northern Songs, is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

1965-Dr. Dre is born Andre Romelle Young in Compton, California. He becomes a member of the controversial rap group N.W.A. and co-founds the hot LA rap label Death Row Records, which boasts Tupac Shakur as its star artist.

1964-The Beatles meet Muhammad Ali (known at the time as Cassius Clay) when they are visiting Miami.

1962- The Everly Brothers performed Jezebel and Crying in the Rain on The Ed Sullivan Show while on weekend leave from the US Marine Corps Reserve.

1959-Ray Charles records "What'd I Say," a song he came up with by improvising at concerts, at Atlantic Records studios in New York City.

1959-While on leave from the US Army in Paris, Elvis Presley visits the famous Lido Club, performing an impromptu show there.

1956-Kay Starr's "Rock and Roll Waltz" hits #1 for the first of six weeks.

1956-Composer Gustave Charpentier, known for the opera Louise, dies in Paris at 95.

1955- Ruby Murray’s English rendition of Softly, Softly reached No.1 in the UK.

1953-Little River Band drummer Derek Pellicci is born in London.

1953-Robbie Bachman (original drummer for Bachman-Turner Overdrive) is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1952-Pop/country singer Juice Newton is born Judy Kay Newton in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

1948-Keith Knudsen (drummer for The Doobie Brothers) is born in Le Mars, Iowa.

1947-Styx founder Dennis DeYoung is born in Chicago, where his neighbors are future bandmates Chuck and John Panozzo.

1941-Soul singer Irma Thomas is born in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Her first single, "(You Can Have My Husband but) Don't Mess with My Man," lands at #22 on the R&B chart in 1959.

1941-Herman Santiago (of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers) is born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Manhattan, New York.

1938-Bob Hope's film The Big Broadcast of 1938 debuts in New York. The film introduces Hope's signature song, "Thanks For The Memory."

1934-Rock guitarist Clyde "Skip" Battin (of Skip and Flip) is born in Gallipolis, Ohio.

1933-Yoko Ono is born in Tokyo, Japan. She becomes an artist in New York City's downtown scene and meets future husband John Lennon at one of her exhibits in the mid-'60s.

1927-The "first great voice of the air," Jessica Dragonette, makes her radio debut on Cities Service Concerts.

1914-Country singer Pee Wee King, co-writer of "Tennessee Waltz," is born Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski in Abrams, Wisconsin.

1735- First opera performed in America, "Flora," in Charleston, South Carolina'

[Bikkie]

1938
Kōpuawhara flood kills 21
Twenty men and one woman drowned when a cloudburst sent a wall of water surging through a public works camp in the Kōpuawhara Valley, near Māhia.


In Music History

2022-Gary Brooker, the lead singer, piano player, and songwriter for Procol Harum, dies of cancer at 76.

2020-The rapper Pop Smoke is shot and killed at age 20. Five months later, his debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon, is released and goes to #1 in the US.

2020-In a promotion for Buffalo Wild Wings, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony announce they have changed their name to Boneless Thugs-N-Harmony because they love the restaurant's boneless wings.

2017-Jazz guitarist Larry Coryell dies at age 73.

2009-Kelly Groucutt of Electric Light Orchestra dies of a heart attack at age 63.

2008-Jazz musician Teo Macero dies at age 82.

2008-Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, self-released a year earlier, is issued on Jagjaguwar Records. An embodiment of indie rock, it gets lots of attention and leads to a collaboration with Kanye West on this 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

2005-Good Charlotte's "I Just Wanna Live" peaks at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100.

2004-Pink introduces an aerial routine into her repertoire when she sings "Get The Party Started" while swinging from silk ropes at her Dublin show to kick off her Try This tour. The aerials become a hallmark of her shows and get more elaborate as she improves her skills. She does some aerial acrobatics while singing at the Grammy Awards in 2010 and again in 2014.

2003-Johnny Paycheck dies of respiratory failure at age 64. His most famous song: "Take This Job and Shove It."

2002-Ten months after his death, Joey Ramone's only solo album, Don't Worry About Me, is released. He worked on it at the end of his life while battling lymphoma.

2001-French singer Charles Trenet dies at age 87.

1998-With Brian Setzer leading the swing revival at the helm of The Brian Setzer Orchestra, he reunites Stray Cats for a show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, with proceeds going to the Carl Perkins Center For The Prevention Of Child Abuse.

1998-Grandpa Jones, famous for his banjo performances and appearances on Hee Haw, dies at age 84.

1998-Country singer Lorrie Morgan denies a Star magazine report that she had "a wild ride in the back seat of a limousine with President Bill Clinton." Her statement reads: "The only accurate information in the article with regard to my relationship with President Clinton was that I joined him onstage for the Christmas tree lighting in Washington - I have never met with him in a private situation."

1996-For Presidents' Day, the rock band Presidents Of The United States Of America play a show at Mount Rushmore that's broadcast by MTV. It's hosted by the presidential MTV VJ, Kennedy.

1996-Annie Lennox extends her record for most Brit Awards in the category Best Female Artist when she wins for the sixth time, this one for her work on her second solo album, Medussa.

1996-Brian Eno wins for Best Producer at the BRIT Awards. He won the same award in 1994.

1996-During Michael Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" at the 1996 BRIT Awards, Jarvis Cocker of the band Pulp jumps on stage and makes demeaning gestures toward Jackson. Cocker says he did it because Jackson was "pretending to be Jesus."

1995-Baywatch's Pamela Anderson marries Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee on a Cancun beach. The bride wears a white bikini.

1995-Roxette become just the second Western pop act to play a public concert in China when they perform in a Beijing celebration of the Chinese New Year. To appease censors, the duo changes the lyrics of their song "Making Love to You" to "Making Up to You." Wham! was the first act to break this barrier, with a show in 1984.

1994-Their acoustic cover of "Because The Night" from MTV Unplugged becomes by far the biggest hit for 10,000 Maniacs when it peaks at #11 in the US. Natalie Merchant left six months earlier - the MTV performance was one of her last with the group.

1987-At the Palomino Club in Hollywood, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan and George Harrison are in the audience for a Taj Mahal concert. When Taj calls them onstage, Dylan goads Fogerty into playing "Proud Mary" by saying that if he doesn't, everyone will think it's a Tina Turner song.

1985-Mick Jagger releases his first solo album, She's The Boss.

1983-The Patti Austin and James Ingram duet "Baby, Come To Me" hits #1 in America. The song is written by Michael Jackson hitmaker Rod Temperton, composer of "Thriller" and "Off The Wall."

That's Not a Toilet, Ozzy!
1982-Ozzy Osbourne urinates on a statue near the Alamo, desecrating a Texas landmark.

1981-The Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto is born Mary Beth Patterson in Judsonia, Arkansas.

1981-Phil Collins releases his debut solo album, Face Value.

1981-ABKCO Music, owner of the publishing rights to the Chiffons hit "He's So Fine," is awarded $587,000 from George Harrison, who was found guilty of subconsciously plagiarizing the song in his composition "My Sweet Lord."

Bon Scott Dies After A Night Of Excessive Drinking
1980-AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott dies after a night of heavy drinking. The coroner's report lists "acute alcohol poisoning" as the cause of death, classified under "death by misadventure."

1980- Following Bon Scott’s death, AC/DC began recording Back in Black with Brian Johnson.

1977-Natalie Cole wins the Best R&B Female Vocal Performance Grammy for "Sophisticated Lady." Barry Manilow wins Song of the Year for "I Write The Songs."

1977-Manfred Mann's Earth Band's cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Blinded By The Light" hits #1 in the US. It is the only Springsteen song ever to top the chart.

1976-Tower of Power lead singer Rick Stevens is arrested after killing three men in a botched drug deal. He is found guilty and initially sentenced to death, but given a life sentence when the death penalty is ruled unconstitutional in California. He is released 36 years later, and in 2016 joins Tower of Power to play a prison concert.

1976-Donna Summer's lascivious "Love To Love You Baby" is certified Gold.

1974-The First Annual American Music Awards, Dick Clark's answer to the Grammys, is broadcast on ABC. Hosts include Smokey Robinson, Helen Reddy and Roger Miller.

1972-Sammy Davis Jr. appears on the TV show All In The Family in an episode where he famously plants a kiss on the bigoted character Archie Bunker.

1972-Nilsson's "Without You" hits #1 in America, where it will stay four weeks.

1972-The BBC bans Paul McCartney's "Give Ireland Back To The Irish."

1971-In London's Royal Courts of Justice, Paul McCartney's lawsuit against his fellow ex-Beatles begins. McCartney's suit seeks to remove Allen Klein as manager of the group's financial affairs.

1970-Monkees songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart appear on the Bewitched episode "Serena Stops The Show."

1968-Gerry Marsden (of Gerry and the Pacemakers fame) begins a 3 1/2 year run in the stage production of Charlie Girl in London's West End

1966-Lou Christie electrifies the charts when "Lightnin' Strikes" hits #1.

1965-Rod Stewart plays his first major gig in a Harrow, England club, singing with his band, The Soul Agents.

1964-Simon and Garfunkel record "The Sound Of Silence," which is later overdubbed with electric instruments by producer Tom Wilson. This version is released as a single and shoots to #1 in America, launching the career of the duo.

1963-Seal (real name: Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel) is born in Paddington, England.

1963- The Beatles began their first UK tour, marking a turning point in their rise to fame.

1958- The Miracles signed with Chess Records before becoming Motown superstars.

1958-The Miracles release "Got a Job."

1958-Carl Perkins leaves Sun Records to sign with the Columbia label as their first rockabilly artist. The second is Johnny Cash.

1956-Dave Wakeling of General Public and The English Beat is born in Birmingham, England.

1956-The Platters record "Magic Touch."

1956-The Five Satins record "In The Still Of The Nite" in the basement of Saint Bernadette Church in New Haven, Connecticut.

1955-Jeff Daniels is born in Athens, Georgia. Best known as an actor, he also releases several albums as a musician.

1954-Francis Buchholz (bass guitarist for Scorpions) is born in Hannover, Germany.

1952-Seventeen-year-old Gene Vincent, still known by his real name Vincent Craddock, enters the US Navy.

1951-Alan Merrill is born in New York City. Moving to England, he forms The Arrows, who do the original version of "I Love Rock And Roll."

1950-Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash is born in London.

1949-John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen" hits #1 on the R&B chart.

1949-Eddie Hardin of The Spencer Davis Group is born in London.

1948-Mark Andes, a bass player who does stints in Spirit, Firefall, Canned Heat and Heart, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1948-Guitarist Tony Iommi is born in Birmingham, England. He works in a factory before forming the heavy metal heavyweights Black Sabbath in 1968.

1943-Lou Christie ("Lightnin' Strikes") is born in Pennsylvania.

1940-Bobby Rogers of The Miracles is born in Detroit.

1940-Smokey Robinson is born William Robinson Jr. in Detroit. Nicknamed "Smokey Joe" by his uncle, he fronts the Motown group The Miracles and is a top songwriter and producer for the label.

1935-Bob Engemann of The Lettermen is born in Highland Park, Michigan.

[Bikkie]

1914
Scotland crosses Southland in pioneering flight
J.W.H. Scotland flew a Caudron biplane from Invercargill to Gore, the first cross-country flight in New Zealand.


Yvette Williams at Helsinki
1954
Yvette Williams sets world long jump record
Eighteen months after winning the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Williams set a new world record of 20 feet 7½ inches (6.29 m) at an athletics meeting in Gisborne.




In Music History

2020-Five Finger Death Punch play their first show in Hungary, where their guitarist and founding member Zoltan Bathory was raised under communist rule. "We had this idea that a Hungarian musician can't break out of here," he says before the sold-out show in Budapest. "I feel like I broke the curse."

2017-David Cassidy has not fallen off the wagon, the former Partridge Family star explains two days after giving what appeared to be a drunken performance at a concert outside of Los Angeles, complete with slurring and stumbling over lyrics. He tells People magazine the real reason for his behavior: dementia. Cassidy, whose grandfather and mother (actress Evelyn Ward) both had the disease, decides to stop touring, saying, "I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I've been without any distractions. I want to love. I want to enjoy life."

2016-Ne-Yo marries Crystal Renay Williams, who is pregnant with their son Shaffer.

2011-Katy Perry launches her worldwide California Dreams Tour in support of her Teenage Dream album, starting in Lisbon, Portugal, where she transforms the venue into a candy-coated wonderland. "It's very kitsch," she says. "I'm borrowing from The Wizard of Oz, Alice In Wonderland, Black Swan, Pee Wee's Big Adventure and a little John Waters. People are raising the bar so you either have to get to that level or you're out of the game."

2009-The White Stripes, favorites of the host, play "We're Going To Be Friends" on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. It ends up being the last performance by the group, which splits up two years later.

2003-Olivia Rodrigo is born in Murrieta, California. She stars on the Disney shows Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series before releasing her debut single, "Drivers License," in 2021.

2003-A fire breaks out at a Great White concert in Rhode Island, killing 100 people, including the band's guitarist, Ty Longley.

2000-The biographical TV movie Little Richard airs on NBC, with mononymous actor Leon in the title role.

1996-Snoop Doggy Dogg is acquitted of murder, ending an ordeal that started in 1993 when his bodyguard shot and killed a rival gang member from the Jeep Snoop was driving.

1996 – Tupac Shakur’s All Eyez on Me, one of the best-selling rap albums ever, reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

1993-Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" from the soundtrack to The Bodyguard tops Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart for the 13th week.

1991-While two Garth Brooks hits ("The Dance," "Friends In Low Places") are among the nominees for Best Country Song at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, Kathy Mattea's "Where've You Been" takes the prize. The tender ballad was written by Mattea's husband, Jon Vezner, and Nashville songwriter Don Henry. The tune also earns Mattea the trophy for Best Female Vocal Country Performance.

1991-Alison Krauss wins her first Grammy Award when I've Got That Old Feeling takes Best Bluegrass Recording. By 2016, Krauss wins 26 more statuettes, surpassing Aretha Franklin as the most-awarded female artist in Grammy history and tying for second place with Quincy Jones as the most-awarded living recipient.

Public Enemy and Sinead O'Connor Skip The Grammys
1991-Public Enemy and Sinead O'Connor are nominated for Grammy Awards, but skip the ceremony: PE has beef because the rap award isn't televised; Sinead says they "respect mostly material gain." She wins anyway, taking the trophy for Best Alternative Music Performance for her album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.

1988 – Kylie Minogue topped the UK Singles Chart with I Should Be So Lucky.

1988-"What Have I Done To Deserve This?" by Pet Shop Boys climbs to #2 in America, behind Tiffany's "Could've Been." The song features Dusty Springfield, marking her first big hit since 1969.

1988-Rihanna is born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Saint Michael, Barbados. At 16, she's discovered by Evan Rogers of the group Rythm Syndicate, who brings her to America and helps her land a deal with Jay-Z's label, Def Jam.

1985 – Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut album was released, launching her international stardom with hits like Greatest Love of All.

1985-Julia Volkova (of t.A.T.u.) is born in Moscow, Russia (then part of the Soviet Union).

1982-Death Wish II is released in the USA with a soundtrack by Jimmy Page.

1982-Pat Benatar marries her guitarist, Neil Giraldo. Many rock-and-roll and marriages flame out quickly, but this one takes. They have two children together and keep their musical partnership alive as well, with Giraldo stepping in as a producer.

1981-Rick James releases "Give It To Me Baby," a #1 R&B hit filled with that funk, that sweet, that funky stuff.

1979-George Harrison issues his eighth, self-titled album.

1976 – Kiss released their iconic album Destroyer, which included rock classics such as Detroit Rock City and Beth.

1976-Kiss immortalize their hand prints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

1975-Brian Littrell of Backstreet Boys is born in Lexington, Kentucky. His cousin is bandmate Kevin Richardson.

1974-Cher files for divorce from Sonny. The famous pair had been putting on a happy front for the public for the past two years until Sonny finally filed for a separation, citing "irreconcilable differences." A week later, Cher files for divorce, claiming "involuntary servitude" due to Sonny allegedly withholding her earnings.

1970 – John Lennon’s Instant Karma! was released in the US, famously written, recorded, and mixed in a single day.

1969-Ringo Starr's X-rated film, Candy, premieres in London.

1967-Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is born in Aberdeen, Washington. He gets his first guitar on his 14th birthday and works on mastering Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven."

1965 – Gary Lewis & the Playboys hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with This Diamond Ring.

1963-Ian Brown (lead singer of The Stone Roses) is born in Warrington, England.

1961-Australian-born composer Percy Grainger dies at age 78.

1959 – Shirley Bassey reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart with As I Love You.

1958 – Buddy Holly released his self-titled debut album, featuring hits like Peggy Sue, Words of Love, and Rave On! through Coral Records.

1951-Kathie Baillie, lead singer and guitarist of the country band Baillie & the Boys, is born in Morristown, New Jersey.

1951-Randy California of the band Spirit is born in Los Angeles. Born Randy Craig Wolfe, he writes and performs the guitar instrumental "Taurus," which becomes the subject of a lawsuit claiming Led Zeppelin incorporated it into the intro of "Stairway To Heaven."

1950-Walter Becker, co-founder of Steely Dan, is born in Queens, New York City. He meets bandmate and songwriting partner Donald Fagen while attending Bard College.

1949-Rick Nelson joins the cast of his parents' radio show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, which will make the leap to television in 1952.

1946-John Geils (founder of The J. Geils Band) is born in New York City, but grows up in Far Hills, New Jersey.

1944-Jazz trumpeter Lew Soloff (of Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

Buffy Sainte-Marie Born
1941-Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is born. According to her birth certificate, she's born Beverly Jean Santamaria in Stoneham, Massachusetts, but she claims to be Native-Canadian, born Beverly Sainte-Marie in Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan and adopted by a couple in Stoneham.

1895-Scott Joplin's "Please Say You Will" is copyrighted.

1816-Gioachino Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville" premiers in Rome with disastrous results. A guitar string snaps, a cat walks on stage and there are protestations by rival composer Giovanni Paisiello. The audience hiss and jeer throughout the performance.

[Piper]

1835-First Book Printed:
William Colenso printed
the first book produced
entirely in New Zealand,
a translation of the Epistles
to the Philippians and Ephesians,
at Pahia.


1864-Battle if Rangiawhia:
During the Waikato war, British
forces attacked this unfortified
village,a key food-producing
centre for Maori.It was a significant,
controversial conflict in the New
Zealand wars.

[Bikkie]

Launch of Kelburn cable car, 1902
1902
Kelburn cable car opens
Wellington's iconic cable car was built to provide residents of the developing hill suburb of Kelburn with quick access to and from downtown Lambton Quay.




In Music History

2021-Daft Punk, the electronic music duo that formed in 1993, announce their split via a video called Epilogue, where we learn they have self-destruct buttons.

2017-Longtime blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge receives the UFO Researcher Of The Year Award at the International UFO Congress.

2012-Five months after debuting the song in her native Canada, Carly Rae Jepsen releases the single "Call Me Maybe" in America. With help from a video of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and other tween celebs lip-syncing to the song, it rises up the charts and becomes a worldwide hit. In the US, it is the song of the summer, topping the Hot 100 on June 23 and staying until August 25.

2011-Adele releases her second album, 21, in the US. The record becomes the best-selling album of 2011, shifting a total of 5.82 million copies. Many of the songs, including "Rolling In The Deep" and "Set Fire To The Rain," are about the devastating breakup with her ex-boyfriend.

2009-A.R. Rahman wins Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Song for "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire, earning the Bollywood music veteran his first two Oscars. The Pussycat Dolls release an English-language version, "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)," the same year.

2008-The U2 concert film U2 3D is released worldwide.

2008-After much controversy and debate over whether or not to honor recently deceased musician and Mississippi native Ike Turner, the state legislature compromises and passes a resolution that honors his musical achievements only.

2007-Brad Paisley and his wife, the actress Kimberly Williams, have their first child: a son named Huckleberry ("Huck").

2004-A few songs into a Puddle Of Mudd show in Toledo, Ohio, lead singer Wes Scantlin's bandmates exit the stage because he's too drunk to perform. He sings and rambles for another 30 minutes before heading to his dressing room, where he's arrested for disorderly conduct.

2002-Little Richard gets the NAACP Image Award. The flamboyant singer put his efforts into preaching in his later years.

2001-British newspaper Sunday Mirror reports that The Beatles, who have been broken up for 31 years, are nevertheless the top grossing recording group of the year 2000.

2001-American folk guitarist John Fahey dies at age 61 following a coronary bypass operation.

2000-The recently departed soul legend Curtis Mayfield is honored at a First African Methodist Episcopal Church service in Los Angeles, featuring performances from Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, and, spontaneously, Lauryn Hill.

1998-Tori Amos marries her longtime sound engineer, Mark Hawley, at a small stone church in West Wycombe in North London. The couple's move to Hawley's native England inspires Amos' tune "Welcome To England."

Spice Girls Go From Wannabes To Superstars
1997-The Spice Girls conquer America as their debut single, "Wannabe," hits #1.

1994-Blues violinist Papa John Creach (of Jefferson Airplane/Starship) dies of congestive heart failure at age 76.

1994-Prince is granted the trademark on the symbol he has been using as his name.

1993-Lenny Kravitz releases "Are You Gonna Go My Way," a song about God.

1993-Radiohead release their debut album, Pablo Honey. Thanks to the lead single "Creep," it gradually earns them a substantial following, especially in the US where they tour in the summer and fall.

Styx Run Off Tommy Shaw With Kilroy Was Here
1983-Styx release Kilroy Was Here, a concept album about a dystopian future where rock and roll is banned and technology has run amok.

1993- Chris LeDoux's "Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy" was certified gold by the RIAA.

1992-When the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform "Under The Bridge" on Saturday Night Live, their guitarist John Frusciante sabotages the song, playing unevenly and screaming into the microphone during his background part. His frustrations lead him to quit the band in May.

1990-A jury rules that Stevie Wonder didn't not infringe on a song written in 1976 called "I Just Called To Say" on his hit "I Just Called To Say I Love You." The lawsuit was filed in 1985 by "I Just Called To Say" writers Lee Garrett and Lloyd Chiate, but in 1986, Garrett, a childhood friend of Wonder's, pulls out of the case.

1989-DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (Will Smith) win the first-ever rap Grammy (Best Rap Performance) for "Parents Just Don't Understand," their comic tune built from the I Dream of Jeannie theme song.

1987-Pop artist Andy Warhol, former manager of The Velvet Underground and designer for The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers album cover, dies of a cardiac arrhythmia following gallbladder surgery.

1986- MTV aired 22 hours of the Monkees' TV episodes in celebration of their 20th anniversary.

1986-MTV, which has bought the rights to 45 episodes of The Monkees TV series, airs them all in the "Pleasant Valley Sunday" marathon in honor of the group's 20th anniversary. The shows launch a Monkees revival, and the group reforms to tour later in the year.

1985-Carl Perkins plays a nightclub bouncer in the John Landis-directed film Into The Night. It is Perkins' only film role as an actor.

1980-In Fort Worth, Texas, Rick James launches his first headlining tour, with Prince as opening act. Both released their debut albums in 1978, but James is the more popular artist at this point.

1979-Plain White T's frontman Tom Higgenson is born in Villa Park, Illinois.

1977- The Eagles released "Hotel California," which became their fourth number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

1976-Shortly after emerging from poverty and alcoholism to make a musical comeback, Florence Ballard (of The Supremes) dies at age 32 of a cardiac arrest caused by a blood clot.

1975- The Average White Band's "AWB" album hit No.1 on the Billboard 200, with the single "Pick Up the Pieces" topping the Billboard Hot 100.

1974-Ten Years After play their final live gig, in London.

1974-James Blunt is born in Tidworth, England.

1969-Elvis Presley records "In The Ghetto" and "Who Am I?"

1969-David Bowie begins a UK tour with T. Rex where he doesn't sing, but does a mime act.

1968-Sublime lead singer Brad Nowell is born in Long Beach, California. He dies of a drug overdose in 1996 at 28, just months before the band break through with a string of hits that includes "Doin' Time" and "Santeria." Sublime return to action with Brad's son Jakob at the helm in 2023.

1968-Genesis release their first single, "The Silent Sun." At this point, the band is a 5-piece fronted by Peter Gabriel with Chris Stewart on drums. Phil Collins joins two years later.

1964-"Dawn (Go Away)" by The Four Seasons hits #3 on the Hot 100, where it stays for 3 weeks trailing two Beatles songs. The song is gradually bumped by more Beatles songs until April 4, when the Fab 4 hold all of the Top 5.

1963-Along with manager Brian Epstein and British music publisher Dick James, The Beatles form their Northern Music publishing company (later owned by Michael Jackson).

1962- Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" topped the UK Singles chart.

1960-Percy Faith's "Theme From A Summer Place" hits #1 in America for the first of nine weeks, knocking Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight" from the top spot.

1957-Gladys and Vernon Presley, Elvis' parents, are filmed in the audience as their son performs "Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do" for Loving You. After his mother's death, Elvis will never watch the scene again.

1957- Tab Hunter's "Young Love" topped the UK charts for seven weeks.

1953-John B. Sparks (bass guitarist for Dr. Feelgood) is born in England.

1945-Sixties pop singer Oliver is born William Oliver Swofford in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

1944-Rock and roll guitarist Mick Green (of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) is born in Matlock, Derbyshire, England.

1938-R&B singer Bobby Hendricks (of The Drifters) is born in Columbus, Ohio.

1933-Ernie K-Doe, known for his 1961 hit "Mother-In-Law," is born Ernest Kador Jr. in New Orleans.

1927-Guy Mitchell is born Al Cernick in Detroit. He has a string of hit songs in the lead-up to the Rock Era: "My Heart Cries for You," "My Truly, Truly Fair" and "She Wears Red Feathers" among them.

1923-Hurricane Smith, an engineer and producer for The Beatles and Pink Floyd, is born in Edmonton, London, England.

1819-Composer Joseph Philbrick Webster, who wrote the song "Lorena," is born in Manchester, New Hampshire.

[Bikkie]

1904
First step in creation of Fiordland National Park
Nearly 1 million ha of far western Southland and Otago was set aside as a national reserve.

Crowds in Wellington welcoming the crew of HMS Achilles
1940
100,000 Aucklanders welcome home HMS Achilles
The Battle of the River Plate in December 1939 was the Allies’ first naval victory of the Second World War. The involvement of the cruiser HMS Achilles, more than half of whose crew were New Zealanders, was greeted with jubilation in New Zealand.



In Music History

2019-Ariana Grande becomes the first solo artist to hold the top three spots on the Hot 100 in the same week, a feat previously accomplished only by The Beatles. The songs: #1: "7 Rings" #2: "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" #3: "Thank U, Next"

2015-Warren G and Kenny G (no relation) team up to perform a saxy version of Warren's hit "Regulate" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. It's part of Kimmel's "Mash Up Mondays" series that also pairs Aloe Blacc with Blackstreet ("Aloe Blaccstreet"), Weezer with ZZ Top ("Wee-Z Top") and Morris Day And The Time with Haim ("Morris Day And The Haim").

2014-Chip Damiani, drummer for The Remains, dies of a brain hemorrhage at age 68.

2013-At the 33rd Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony, Rihanna is named Worst Supporting Actress for her role as weapons specialist Cora Raikes in the sci-fi action flick Battleship. Fellow nominees include Razzie vet Jennifer Lopez (What to Expect When You're Expecting), who won her first award back in 2003 as Worst Actress for Gigli.

2007-Rockabilly singer Donnie Brooks dies at age 71.

2004-Don Cornell, a popular singer in the '40s and '50s, dies at age 84.

2003-Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers bass player Howie Epstein dies at age 47 after a long battle with drug addiction.

2003-Nickel Creek wins the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for the Alison Krauss-produced This Side.

2003-Norah Jones wins all five Grammy Awards she is nominated for, including Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Don't Know Why." Also at the ceremony, Simon & Garfunkel get a Lifetime Achievement Award and sing together for the first time in 10 years.

2000-Tom Waits's heavily roots-influenced Mule Variations wins a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

2000-Santana win eight Grammy Awards for their star-studded, chart-topping album Supernatural, tying Michael Jackson's record for the most awards won in a single night.

1999-The Roots release their critical and commercial breakthrough album, Things Fall Apart. Featuring "You Got Me," it loses the Best Rap Album Grammy to Eminem's The Slim Shady LP.

Eminem Takes Off With The Slim Shady LP
1999-Eminem drops his first major-label album, The Slim Shady LP. He quickly becomes the most controversial rapper in the game.

TLC Release FanMail
1999-TLC's third album, FanMail, is released. It's a huge seller thanks to the tracks "No Scrubs" and "Unpretty," but causes friction among the trio, as Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes feels she's being cast aside.

1997-Jazz drummer Tony Williams dies at age 51.

1997-After declaring a truce in an effort to end violence between East Coast and West Coast rappers, Puff Daddy and Snoop Doggy Dogg appear on The Steve Harvey Show in the episode "I Do, I Don't."

1997-During a show at the The London Astoria, Tool's lead singer Maynard James Keenan - an army veteran and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner - floors a fan who comes onstage and keeps him in a choke hold. He continues to sing "Pushit" while detaining the fan.

1995 – Tupac Shakur released Me Against the World, a landmark hip-hop album reflecting personal struggles.

1995-Melvin "Blue" Franklin (bass singer for The Temptations) dies at age 52. Franklin had long suffered with rheumatoid arthritis and developed diabetes in the '80s.

1993-Little Richard receives a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award.

1993-Ska music gains a foothold in America as The New Ritz in Manhattan sells out for the Skalapalooza concert, with performances by The Toasters, Bad Manners, and The Skatalites. It leads to the first ska festival in America later that year: Skavoovee.

1993 – Eric Clapton won multiple Grammys for Tears in Heaven, a tribute to his late son.

1992-Anthrax appear on Married With Children in the episode "My Dinner with Anthrax." After eating the mystery food in the Bundy's fridge, they rock out on "In My World."1991 – Whitney Houston’s All the Man That I Need became her ninth US #1 single.

1991-With his group MGM, R. Kelly wins the only season of the competition show Big Break, hosted by Natalie Cole.

1987-Jody Watley releases her self-titled debut album, which earns her the Grammy award for Best New Artist thanks to hits like "Don't You Want Me" and "Looking For A New Love."

1983-Alabama wins a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Mountain Music."

1983-After 18 nominations, Lionel Richie finally wins a Grammy when his solo debut single "Truly" takes the award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.

1980 – Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped charts in multiple countries.

1979-Dire Straits begin their first North American tour with a show at the Paradise Theater in Boston.

1978 – Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours won Album of the Year at the Grammys, cementing the band’s global influence.

1978-The Police sign with A&M Records.

1997/1998 – Elton John’s Candle in the Wind 1997, a tribute to Princess Diana, became the best-selling single of all time.

1977-A federal jury rules that The Isley Brothers recorded "It's Your Thing" after leaving Motown Records and the label is not entitled to royalties.

1974-Aretha Franklin becomes the first artist to have songs peak at each of the first 10 spots on the Hot 100 when "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" fills in the gap at #3.

1974 – Led Zeppelin recorded Physical Graffiti, one of their most famous albums, which would be released in 1975.

1973-Lars-Olof Johansson of The Cardigans is born in Sweden.

1970-Ringo Starr guests on Laugh In, making his first solo TV appearance.

1970-The Doors' Morrison Hotel is certified as the band's fifth consecutive Gold album.

1965 – The Beatles began filming their second movie, Help!, adding to their cinematic and musical legacy.

1964-For the third week in a row, The Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1963 – The Chiffons released “He’s So Fine”, a defining hit of the girl group era.

1962-Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton is born San Francisco.

1961 – Petula Clark scored her first UK #1 single with “Sailor”, originally a German song titled Seemann (Deine Heimat ist das Meer).

1959 – Henry Mancini’s The Music From Peter Gunn became the first album to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, topping Billboard’s Best-Selling Pop Albums chart for ten weeks.

1955-Howard Jones is born in Southampton, England.

1952-Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford is born in Winchester, Massachusetts.

1948-Sweet bass player Steve Priest is born in Middlesex, England.

1946-Poco steel guitar player Rusty Young is born in Long Beach, California.

1944-Johnny Winter is born in Beaumont, Texas.

1940 – Woody Guthrie wrote “This Land Is Your Land” in New York City, responding to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” and highlighting social issues during the Great Depression.

1934-English composer Sir Edward Elgar dies of colorectal cancer aged 76.

1933-Daisy Canfield Danziger, oil heiress and estranged wife of silent screen star Antonio Moreno, dies on the way home from a party when her car careens off Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. The music connection? Daisy allegedly haunts her former home, The Paramour Mansion, which has been the site of many album recording sessions, from My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade to Papa Roach's The Paramour Sessions.

1685-German-English baroque composer George Frideric Handel is born in Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg, in modern day Germany.

[Bikkie]

1902
Battle of Langverwacht Hill
Twenty-four New Zealanders were killed in this battle during the South African (Boer) War. A total of 230 New Zealanders died while serving in New Zealand's first overseas war.

Workers reassembling the Earnslaw
1912
TSS Earnslaw launched on Lake Wakatipu
For more than a century, the TSS Earnslaw has carried freight and people to and from remote settlements on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.



In Music History

2025-Roberta Flack dies at 88 after a battle with ALS. As a solo artist, her hits include "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." She also did popular duets with Donny Hathaway ("The Closer I Get To You"), Peabo Bryson ("Tonight, I Celebrate My Love") and Maxi Priest ("Set The Night To Music").

2024-Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to top the Country chart when "Texas Hold 'Em," a song she surprised released the night of the Super Bowl, hits #1 on that tally.

2019-Queen, with Adam Lambert on vocals, open the Oscars with a medley of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions." The biopic Bohemian Rhapsody goes on to win four awards, more than any other film at the ceremony.

2014-Robin Thicke and Paula Patton announce their separation after nine years of marriage. A few months later, Thicke releases his album Paula, where he pours his heart out over the split.

2013-Larry Marks, original singer of the Scooby Doo theme song, dies in Los Angeles at age 73. He was also a producer for Columbia Records and A&M Records, where he helmed projects for Liza Minnelli and Phil Ochs, among others.

2013-Janet Jackson reveals that she and Wissam Al Mana, a billionaire investor from Qatar, got married in a quiet, secret ceremony sometime in 2012. It is Jackson's third marriage; her first two husbands were the singer James DeBarge and the director René Elizondo, Jr.

2008-A statue of departed AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott is unveiled in his hometown of Fremantle, Australia.

2008-Larry Norman dies at age 60 following a severe heart attack. The Christian-rock pioneer started out in psychedelic rock with the band People!, known for their 1968 hit cover of The Zombies' tune "I Love You."

2004-After EMI refuses to let DJ Danger Mouse release his Grey Album, a mash-up of Jay-Z's Black Album with samples from The Beatles' White Album, the DJ makes the album available as a download, for free, on his website for one day.

2004-Singer Lena Horne threatens to withdraw permission for a TV movie of her life after star Janet Jackson suffers her shocking "wardrobe malfunction" at Super Bowl XXXVIII. Jackson quits the project.

2002-Arthur Lyman, jazz vibraphone and marimba player, dies of esophageal cancer at age 70.

2002-Charlie Daniels appears on the "Peggy's Fan Fair" episode of the animated Fox TV series King Of The Hill.

2000-Georgie Fame is arrested for a DUI after driving home from his concert in Wales. He's fined 350 pounds and has his driver's licensed suspended for a year.

1999-Ricky Martin ushers in a wave of Latin pop with a spellbinding performance of "The Cup Of Life" at the Grammy Awards. Ten weeks later, his song "Livin' La Vida Loca" goes to #1 in America; later in the year, Enrique Iglesias ("Bailamos") and Santana ("Smooth") follow to the top with Latin-flavored hits.

1999-Lenny Kravitz wins his first Grammy when "Fly Away" is named Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. It's his first of four-consecutive wins in the category, followed by "American Woman," "Again" and "Dig In."

1998-Pamela Anderson Lee calls 911 after getting in a heated altercation with her husband, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, at their Malibu home. Tommy is arrested and spends three months in jail for spousal abuse.

Elton John Gets The Royal Treatment
1998-Elton John is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

1997-Spice Girls win Brit Awards for Best Single ("Wannabe") and Best Video ("Say You'll Be There"). Geri Halliwell wears a skin-tight Union Jack dress when they perform at the ceremony, introducing her signature look.

1995-Dave Matthews Band make their first appearance on national TV when they perform the hit "What Would You Say" on the Late Show with David Letterman.

1994-James Taylor appears on the "Deep Space Homer" episode of The Simpsons.

1994-Singer/actress Dinah Shore dies at age 77 of cachexia (or wasting syndrome), a complication of her ovarian cancer.

1993-Tom Waits's stripped-down, raw, nearly primeval Bone Machine wins a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Rock Album.

1993-Eric Clapton wins big at the Grammy Awards, taking three awards for "Tears In Heaven," two more for his album Unplugged, and Best Rock Song for his acoustic version of "Layla."

Elvis Stamp Put To Vote
1992-Balloting begins to decide the design on the new Elvis stamp. The choice is between a fit '50s Elvis or a more plump '70s one. Young Elvis wins in a landslide.

1992-Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Courtney Love of Hole are married in Hawaii, with a non-denominational, female minister conducting the ceremony.

1991-Honky tonk entertainer Webb Pierce dies of pancreatic cancer at age 69. Known for the 1955 chart-topper "In The Jailhouse Now."

1990-Johnnie Ray, one of the most popular singers of the early '50s, dies of liver failure at age 63.

1990-At the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, The Byrds' David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, and Chris Hillman reunite for a tribute concert honoring the recently deceased Roy Orbison and raising money to support the homeless, a cause Orbison was passionate about. Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, John Fogerty and Bonnie Raitt are also on the bill; the concert is later broadcast as a Showtime special.

1988-American bluesman Memphis Slim dies in Paris.

1988-At a concert in Phoenix, Alice Cooper claims he is running for governor of Arizona, representing the "Wild Party." (A special election was being held to replace Evan Mecham, who had been impeached.) Cooper's slogan: "A troubled man for troubled times."

1987-Bruce Hornsby & the Range take home the Grammy award for Best New Artist, winning over Glass Tiger, Nu Shooz, Simply Red, and Timbuk3.

1987-Fats Domino, Ray Charles and B.B. King win Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Grammy Awards.

1985-David Crosby escapes from Fair Oaks Hospital in New Jersey, where he has been sentenced to drug rehab. The next day, he is caught in Greenwich Village and arrested for cocaine possession.

1981-Rick Springfield releases his breakthrough album Working Class Dog, with the #1 hit "Jessie's Girl." The pooch on the cover is his bull terrier Ronnie.

1981-Peter Noone (of Herman's Hermits) and Stephen Bishop guest star on the Laverne & Shirley episode "I Do, I Do."

1976 – The Eagles’ Greatest Hits (1971–1975) became the first album in the US to be certified Platinum by the RIAA, marking a milestone in music sales history.

1975 – Led Zeppelin released their sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti, which went on to sell over 9 million copies worldwide and topped charts in the UK, US, and Canada.

1973-The Byrds play their final concert, in Passaic, New Jersey.

1973-Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song" hits #1 for the first of five weeks, a longer run than any other song of 1973. It was written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, the guys who wrote the theme songs to Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley.

1970 – The Jackson Five released the hit single “ABC”, which became one of their signature songs.

1969-Johnny Cash plays one of his many prison concerts, this one at San Quentin State Prison in California. Recorded and released as the album Johnny Cash At San Quentin, it goes to #1 for four weeks and secures Cash's outlaw cred.

1969 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed their final UK concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall, including extended jams of “Room Full of Mirrors” and covers of Cream and Elmore James.

1968 – Fleetwood Mac, then known as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, released their self-titled debut album, featuring blues-rock covers and original material. The album peaked at No.4 in the UK charts, marking the start of the band's influential career.

1965-The Beatles begin shooting their second movie, Help!, in the Bahamas as director Richard Lester films them riding bicycles near the airport.

1965 – The Beach Boys recorded a new version of “Help Me, Rhonda”, which later became their second US Billboard Hot 100 No.1 single.

1963-The Rolling Stones get their first steady gig at London's Station Hotel, performing on Sundays in the Crawdaddy room for a grand total of $67 a week.

1962-Alternative folk singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked is born Karen Michelle Johnston in Dallas, Texas. She borrows her stage name from the term "shell shocked."

1960-Carl Dobkins, Jr. performs in full military dress live from Ft. Dixon, Ohio, where he is serving in the national guard, on NBC-TV's Perry Como Show.

1958-The Silhouettes' "Get A Job" hits #1.

1957-Elvis Presley records "Loving You."

1956-Police in Cleveland shut down a Rock concert under an obscure law that prohibits people under 18 from dancing in public without a guardian.

1950-Blues rocker George Thorogood is born in Wilmington, Delaware.

1947-Rupert Holmes is born David Goldstein in Northwich, Cheshire, England.

1944-Nicky Hopkins, a renown piano player heard on albums from The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, is born in Perivale, Middlesex, England.

1942-Paul Jones (original lead vocalist for Manfred Mann) is born Paul Pond in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.

1941-Joanie Sommers is born Joan Drost in Buffalo, New York.

1940-Frances Langford records "When You Wish Upon A Star."

1932-Michel LeGrand is born in Bécon les Bruyères, France. A noted film composer, he earns his first Academy Award in 1968 for The Thomas Crown Affair's title song, "The Windmills Of Your Mind."

1711-George Frideric Handel's Rinaldo, the first Italian language opera written specifically for the London stage, premieres at the Queen's Theatre in London's Haymarket.

1607-Claudio Monterverdi's first opera, L'Orfeo, premieres in the The Ducal Palace, a group of buildings in Mantua, Lombardy. Monteverdi is considered the first opera composer to make it into a cohesive art-form.

[Bikkie]

Battle of Los Angeles
army shooting at ufo for an hour in the 1940's
The "Battle of Los Angeles" is a notable event in UFO history, where the US military fired over 1,400 rounds of anti-aircraft artillery at an unidentified flying object (UFO) over Los Angeles during the early hours of February 25, 1942. This event was a response to the sighting of a large, silent object that moved from Santa Monica to Long Beach, which was not identified as a weather balloon. The military's actions were a result of the intense fear and paranoia surrounding the possibility of a Japanese attack on the United States during World War II. Despite the barrage of shells, the UFO continued to move unscathed, leading to the military's conclusion that it was a weather balloon. This incident remains one of the most significant UFO sightings in US history, with thousands of witnesses and numerous reports from the time.



1943
49 killed in Featherston POW incident
Just outside the Wairarapa town of Featherston, a memorial garden marks the site of the death in 1943 of 48 Japanese prisoners of war and one guard.



In Music History

2019-Mark Hollis of Talk Talk dies at 64.

2015-Madonna falls down a set of stage stairs during her performance of "Living For Love" at the Brit Awards when the cape she is wearing doesn't release properly when pulled by a dancer. She gamely gets up and finishes the performance, later reassuring fans that she is fine, and that "love really lifted me up."

2014-Kelis' Saucy and Sweet show premieres on The Cooking Channel. The singer trained part-time as a chef in the late 2000s, eventually graduating from Le Cordon Bleu culinary school.

2012-Bluesman Louisiana Red (real name: Iverson Minter) dies after suffering a stroke in Hanover, Germany, at age 79. Known for his 1975 song "Sweet Blood Call."

2011-Rick Coonce (drummer for The Grass Roots) dies of heart failure in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at age 64.

2009-Memphis bluesman Mark Sallings (Mark Sallings and the Famous Unknowns) dies in a car accident in Arkansas at age 56.

2008-Stephen "Static Major" Garrett, who co-wrote Ginuwine's "Pony," Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" and many tracks for Aaliyah, dies at age 32 after contracting a rare autoimmune disorder.

2006-The Curious George soundtrack becomes the first from an animated movie since Pocahontas in 1995 to hit #1 in America. The songs, including the popular track "Upside Down," are written and performed by Jack Johnson.

2004-Estelle Axton, co-founder of Stax Records, dies at age 85.

2003-Having recently signed with Columbia Records, Switchfoot release The Beautiful Letdown, their major-label debut album.

2002-New York City rock band The Strokes are named Band of the Year and Best New Act at the NME Awards (founded by the titular British music magazine). Their debut, Is This It, is also awarded Best Album.

2002-The Avalon Ballroom in Boston hosts "virtual band" Gorillaz on their first show in the USA. The band members, who appear as animated characters in music videos, play behind a giant projector screen. Their 9-date tour of North America ends on March 8 at the Palladium, Los Angeles.

2001-Lil' Kim's entourage exchanges gunfire with associates of her rival, Foxy Brown, outside the New York City radio station Hot 97. In testimony, she lies to protect her friends, and in 2004 is indicted for perjury. She serves a year in prison starting in September 2005.

1999-Prince, who is now using an unpronounceable symbol for his moniker, sues nine websites to prevent unauthorized downloads. He takes another stand in 2007 when he sues other sites to remove images of him.

1998-Bo Diddley and Roy Orbison receive Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Grammys.

1998-Future spouses Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood win the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for "In Another's Eyes." Yearwood also wins Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "How Do I Live" (besting LeAnn Rimes' version).

Soy Bomb And ODB Disrupt Grammy Awards
1998-Strange things are afoot at the Grammy Awards. A shirtless dude with "Soy Bomb" written on his chest intrudes on Bob Dylan's performance, and when Shawn Colvin wins Song Of The Year (for "Sunny Came Home"), Ol' Dirty Bastard of Wu-Tang Clan rushes the stage, commandeering the microphone and talking about how his group should have won the Best Rap Album award over Puff Daddy because "Wu-Tang is for the children."

1997-At Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party, DMC of Run-DMC meets Sarah McLachlan, whose music he credits with keeping him alive as he fights off depression. Years later, after DMC learns he was adopted, he collaborates with McLachlan on the song "Just Like Me" and learns that she was also adopted.

1995-Madonna's "Take A Bow" hits #1 on the Hot 100 and stays for seven weeks. The song is produced by Babyface.

1995-Frank Sinatra performs in public for the last time. On the last day of the Frank Sinatra Desert Classic golf tournament in Palm Springs, Ol' Blue Eyes sings a handful of songs to a VIP invitational audience: "I've Got the World On a String," "You Make Me Feel So Young," "Fly Me to the Moon," "Where or When," "My Kind of Town," and "The Best is Yet to Come."

1993-Toy Caldwell (lead guitarist for The Marshall Tucker Band) dies of cocaine-related cardio-respiratory failure at his home in Moore, South Carolina, at age 45.

1992-James Brown receives a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, recompense for the paltry three competitive Grammys (including one for Best Album Notes) he wins during his seminal career.

1992-Patti LaBelle shares her first Grammy win with Lisa Fischer when her Burnin' album (featuring Fischer on backing vocals) ties with Fischer's "How Can I Ease The Pain" for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

1992-Buddy Guy, 55, wins his first Grammy, taking the award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for Damn Right, I've Got the Blues. He went most of the '80s without a record deal, but the Grammy win makes him more popular than ever. His next two albums earn the same award.

1992-Garth Brooks wins his first Grammy Award when Ropin' The Wind, his third album, is named Best Country Vocal Performance, Male.

Tori Amos Debuts With Little Earthquakes
1992-Tori Amos releases her debut solo album, Little Earthquakes, in the US. The piano-based collection allows the singer-songwriter to truly express herself for the first time on confessional tracks like "Me And A Gun" and "Silent All These Years."

1992-TLC release their debut album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip. Their first single, "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," hits the Top 10 on both the Hot 100 and R&B charts.

1991-Director Cameron Crowe brings members of the cast and crew of his movie Singles to the Off Ramp in Seattle, where Pearl Jam, who appear in the film, are playing. Matt Dillon and Campbell Scott hang out with the band all night, but the real Seattle scene is a little too grungy for the other actors, who leave early.

1989-Nirvana debut their Bleach track "Negative Creep" live at the Husky Union Building at the University of Washington in Seattle.

1987-Frank Sinatra guest stars as a retired police sergeant on the Magnum, P.I. episode "Laura."

Tears For Fears Release Songs From The Big Chair
1985-British synthpop duo Tears For Fears release their sophomore album, Songs From The Big Chair, featuring the hits "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World."

1984-Van Halen's "Jump" hits #1 in the US, where it stays for five weeks. The song embraces the keyboard-driven sound of the era with a synthesizer played by their guitarist, Eddie Van Halen.

1982- Southern rock band Alabama released their sixth studio album, Mountain Music, which topped the Billboard Country chart and reached No.14 on the Billboard 200.

1973-Justin Jeffre (of 98 Degrees) is born in Mount Clemens, Michigan.

1972- Paul McCartney released the single Give Ireland Back to the Irish.

1971-Daniel Powter ("Bad Day") is born in Vernon, British Columbia. The budding violinist switches to piano after a group of bullies destroy his violin.

Ernie Debuts "Rubber Duckie"
1970-Ernie sings "Rubber Duckie" on Sesame Street. It goes over so well that the song is released as a single, which in September reaches #16 on the Hot 100.

1968-The Jimi Hendrix Experience play two shows at the Civic Opera House in Chicago. Between shows, Hendrix gets "casted" by the inventive groupie Cynthia Plaster Caster, who makes a mold of his love gun.

1964-Bob Dylan appears on the Steve Allen Show. He gives a brief, awkward interview before performing "The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll."

1964- The Beatles completed recording Can’t Buy Me Love and its B-side You Can’t Do That at Abbey Road Studios, with the A-side topping charts in eight countries.

1963-The Beatles release "Please Please Me" in America. It gets little attention, but becomes one of their big hits a year later when Beatlemania strikes and the song is re-released.

1961-Elvis Presley plays the first of two charity shows in Memphis. It's his first concert since entering the army in 1958.

1959-Mike Peters (lead singer for The Alarm) is born in Prestatyn, Wales.

1957-Buddy Holly records "That'll Be The Day" with his band The Crickets at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. In September, it will hit #1 in the US.

1957-Dennis Diken (drummer for The Smithereens) is born in Belleville, New Jersey.

1956- Elvis Presley scored his first No.1 hit on Billboard’s Country & Western charts with I Forgot to Remember to Forget, marking his final single on Sun Records before moving to RCA.

1953-John Doe of the punk band X is born John Duchac in Decatur, Illinois.

1950- Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca premiered on NBC, featuring writers Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, and Woody Allen.

1947-Bassist David Stensen (of The Grass Roots) is born in San Bruno, California.

1943-George Harrison is born in Liverpool, England. He becomes lead guitarist of The Beatles, a successful solo artist, and a member of The Traveling Wilburys.

1942-Roy Michaels, bass player of Cat Mother & The All Night News Boys, is born.

1901- George M. Cohan's first Broadway musical, The Governor's Son, opened at the Savoy Theatre in New York City, running for 32 performances.

[Bikkie]

Duel with pistols, 1830
1844
'Pistols at dawn': deadly duel in Wellington
William Brewer died of wounds received during a pistol duel with another Wellington lawyer, H. Ross, on 26 February 1844. The duel followed a quarrel over a case in the Wellington County Court.



In Music History

2022-The Avicii Experience museum opens in Stockholm with interactive and real-life exhibits dedicated to the DJ/producer, who died in 2018 at 28.

2011-Mark Tulin (bassist for The Electric Prunes) dies of a heart attack at age 62 while helping at an underwater cleanup event in Avalon, California.

2010-Though they are separated, The-Dream and Christina Milian welcome a baby daughter, Violet.

2009-The Biography Channel airs the debut episode of The Chris Isaak Hour, a new talk-show featuring top musical guests. In this episode, presenter Chris Isaak interviews country artist Trisha Yearwood.

2008-Drummer Buddy Miles dies of congestive heart disease in Austin, Texas, at age 60.

2003-Fife player Othar "Otha" Turner dies in Gravel Springs, Mississippi, at age 95.

2002-John Fogerty, Elton John, Eagles, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Joel perform at the multi-venue Los Angeles charity benefit Four Concerts for Artists' Rights, proceeds of which benefit a labor-friendly musicians' organization called the Recording Artists Coalition.

2002-The Bee Gees play what is to be their final concert, performing at Miami Beach's Love and Hope Ball, a benefit for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

Norah Jones Releases 10-Million-Selling Debut Come Away With Me
2002-Norah Jones releases her debut album Come Away With Me, a jazz-inflected set that wins the Album of the Year Grammy and sells over 10 million copies in America.

2001-Daft Punk's second album, Discovery, marks a change in their musical direction from house to electronic disco. Taking a leaf from fellow European electronic artists Kraftwerk, they choose to hide their faces - performing and appearing in music videos wearing stylized robotic helmets.

1997Bluegrass newcomer Gillian Welch's debut album, Revival, is nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album but loses to Bruce Springsteen's The Ghost of Tom Joad.

1997-Perhaps trying to make amends for giving them just four awards when they were still together, The Grammys give The Beatles three awards: two for "Free As A Bird" and another for their Anthology video.

1997-At 14, LeAnn Rimes becomes the youngest person to win a Grammy Award when she takes the trophies for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her debut single, "Blue."

1995-Former Led Zeppelin duo Jimmy Page and Robert Plant kick off a year-long world tour in Pensacola, Florida, supporting their live No Quarter reunion album.

1994 – Toni Braxton’s debut album topped the US Billboard 200, featuring hits like Another Sad Love Song and Breathe Again.

1990-Cornell Gunter, former lead tenor for The Coasters, is murdered in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 53. Gunter, who was in the midst of making a comeback, was shot in his car by an unknown assassin.

Pet Shop Boys Make Cover Of Magazine Neil Tennant Worked For
1986-Thanks to their hit "West End Girls," Pet Shop Boys land the cover of Smash Hits magazine, which their frontman, Neil Tennant, used to write for.

1985-The Judds win their first Grammy Award when "Mama He's Crazy" (their first #1 single) is named Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

1985-Bruce Springsteen wins his first Grammy, taking home the Best Male Vocal Performance award for "Dancing In The Dark." "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner wins Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

1985 – The 27th Annual Grammy Awards were held, honoring Tina Turner for What’s Love Got to Do With It and Cyndi Lauper as Best New Artist.

1983 – Michael Jackson’s Thriller hit #1 on the US Billboard 200, beginning a 17-week run; it remains the best-selling album of all time with over 70 million copies sold.

1982-Nate Ruess, lead singer in the band Fun ("We Are Young"), is born in Iowa City, Iowa. In 2012 he duets with Pink on the hit "Just Give Me A Reason," and later he turns his attention to writing songs for artists like Lauren Daigle and The Kid Laroi.

1977-Doo wop singer Sherman Garnes (of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) dies of a heart attack at age 36.

1977 – The Eagles reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with New Kid in Town, marking their third chart-topping single.

1977-Blues guitarist Bukka White dies of cancer at age 67 in Memphis, Tennessee.

1975-Harry Chapin's Broadway revue featuring his songs, The Night That Made America Famous, opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It closes in April.

1972-Joe Tex's "I Gotcha" hits #1 on the R&B chart.

1971-Erykah Badu is born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas.

1967-After buying a ranch in Mississippi, Elvis Presley spends a lot of time on horses and gets saddlesores. He is referred to Dr. George Nichopoulos, who becomes his personal doctor and supplies his prescription drugs.

1966 – Nancy Sinatra topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with These Boots Are Made For Walking, a song originally intended for its writer Lee Hazlewood.

1965-Elvis Presley records "Golden Coins" and "Animal Instinct."

1965-Jimmy Page releases his first (and only) solo single: "She Just Satisfies."

1964-Elvis Presley begins filming his sixteenth movie, Roustabout, in Hollywood.

1962-Al Hirt records "Java."

1961-John "Jon Jon" Foster (of The Bronski Beat) is born in Basildon, Essex, England.

1955-For the first time, sales of the newer, smaller 45rpm records outpace those of the old 78rpm variety.

1955-LaVern Baker sends a formal letter to the US Congress to appeal a 1954 decision denying black artists a revision of the 1909 Copyright Act, a move which would make it harder for white pop artists to record exact copies of R&B hits and thus steal their thunder. Her appeal is turned down.

1954-Responding to the rising popularity of black music, the United States congress proposes a bill forbidding distribution of "obscene, lewd, lascivious, or filthy publication, picture, disc, transcription, or other article capable of producing sound." The bill fails.

Michael Bolton Born
1953-Michael Bolton is born Michael Bolotin in New Haven, Connecticut. Before reaching soft-rock stardom, he fronts a hard-rock band called Blackjack.

1950-Jonathan Cain (keyboardist, rhythm guitarist Journey) is born Jonathan Leonard Friga in Chicago, Illinois.

1950 – Jerome Robbins’ ballet choreographed to Leonard Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety premiered at the New York City Center Theater.

1947-Pop singer Sandie Shaw is born Sandra Ann Goodrich in Dagenham, Essex, England.

1945-Rocker Mitch Ryder is born William S. Levise Jr in Hamtramck, Michigan.

1943-Bob "Bear" Hite (lead singer of Canned Heat) is born in Torrance, California.

1943-Paul Cotton (guitarist for Poco) is born Norman Paul Cotton in Fort Rucker, Alabama.

1932-Johnny Cash is born J.R. Cash in Kingsland, Arkansas, the fourth of seven kids. He starts using the name John R. Cash when he joins the Air Force in 1950 (they wouldn't accept initials), and becomes Johnny Cash when he signs with Sun Records in 1954. One of the most popular and influential musicians of his time, Cash gets inducted into the Country, Rock And Roll, Gospel and Songwriters hall of fames.

1928-Fats Domino is born Antoine Domino in New Orleans, Louisiana. One of nine children, he quickly masters the piano, taking the name Fats from piano great Fats Waller (and also, he's 5'5" and well over 200 pounds).

1926-Louis Armstrong introduces scat singing when he records "Heebie Jeebies." As Armstrong tells it, he improvised his vocals when his lyric sheet fell off the stand.

1917-The first ever jazz single, "Livery Stable Blues," is recorded by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in New York. It sells a million copies and launches jazz as a national phenomenon.

[Bikkie]

Watersiders’ loyalty card, 1951
1951
Troops deployed in waterfront dispute
The waterfront dispute of 1951 was the biggest industrial confrontation in New Zealand’s history, lasting for five months, from February to July. At its peak, 22,000 waterside workers and other unionists were off the job.



In Music History

2019-T-Pain, costumed as a one-eyed monster, wins the first season of The Masked Singer, defeating Donny Osmond (peacock) and Gladys Knight (bee).

2016-Twenty One Pilots' "Stressed Out" peaks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stays for one week. It's the duo's first foray into the Top 10.

2015-Leonard Nimoy dies at age 83. The actor, best known for playing Spock on Star Trek, also made a musical impact: His albums Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space and Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy both charted in the US (#83 and #97, respectively), and his voice was sampled in the Information Society hit "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy

2015-Glam Rock pioneer Gary Glitter, 70, is sentenced to 16 years in prison for sexually assaulting three schoolgirls in the '70s and '80s.

2015-R&B singer Charmayne Maxwell (of Brownstone) dies in a freak accident at age 46 when she falls on a broken wine glass and cuts her neck.

2013-Richard Street, singer with The Monitors and The Temptations, dies at age 70.

2011-Blues musician Eddie Kirkland dies at age 87.

Jamie Foxx Wins An Oscar For Ray
2005-Jamie Foxx wins a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the movie Ray.

2002- Britney Spears began her Dream Within a Dream Tour in Hawaii, promoting her album Britney.

2001-Dave Matthews Band release Everyday, trading producer Steve Lillywhite for Jagged Little Pill mastermind Glen Ballard. With the hit "The Space Between," the radio-friendly release expands their fanbase, but leaves diehards to seek out the unreleased Lillywhite Sessions.

2001-Carlos Santana (Santana) returns to the Mexican town where he grew up, Autlan De Navarro, for the first time in 46 years. A statue honor of Carlos and his father, mariachi player Jose Santana, is unveiled.

2000-The Beach Boys: An American Family TV mini-series begins on ABC, chronicling the rise of the title band.

1999-Vince Gill plays "How Great Thou Art" on the dobro at the Grand Ole Opry in honor of dobro legend Brother Oswald.

1998-Motley Crue member Vince Neil, not to be outdone by Tommy Lee, announces an agreement with Internet Entertainment Group and Vivid Video to distribute a 60-minute home video of him having sex with two adult film models while on vacation in Hawaii.

1996- Tupac Shakur’s album All Eyez on Me reached #1 on the Billboard 200, becoming one of the best-selling rap albums of all time.

1996-Bad Religion release their ninth full-length studio album, The Gray Race. This is the first Bad Religion album to feature Brian Baker on guitar, replacing Brett Gurewitz, who left the band two years earlier.

1995-PJ Harvey releases her first solo album, To Bring You My Love, after the demise of her eponymous trio. The album includes her mainstream US breakthrough, "Down By The Water."

1993-Whitney Houston's single "I Will Always Love You" reaches its 14th week at #1, a new record. In 1995, this record is broken by "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.

1993-Producer Rick Rubin sees Johnny Cash perform at the Rhythm Café in Santa Ana, California, and convinces him to make an album of stripped-down cover songs. With Rubin producing, he makes the album American Recordings, which revives his career. They team up to record five more minimalist albums before Cash's death in 2003.

1991-James Brown is released on parole from a South Carolina prison after serving two years of a six-year sentence on drug and assault charges.

1984-The Jacksons' Pepsi commercial premieres on MTV.

1981-Josh Groban is born in Los Angeles.

1981-The Who release "You Better You Bet," their first single since the death of their drummer, Keith Moon, in 1978. Their new stickman is Kenney Jones, formerly of the Faces.

1980- At the 22nd Grammy Awards, Billy Joel’s 52nd Street won Album of the Year, and Kenny Loggins’ What a Fool Believes won Song of the Year.

1980-Michael Jackson wins his first Grammy: Best R&B Performance for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Other winners include Donna Summer (Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Hot Stuff"), Earth, Wind & Fire (Best R&B Group Vocal Performance for

"After the Love Has Gone"), and The Doobie Brothers (Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "What A Fool Believes").

1977- Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was arrested in Toronto for heroin possession, later receiving a suspended sentence.

1977- ABBA arrived in Australia for the first time, sparking the phenomenon known as "ABBA-mania".

1971-Janis Joplin's album Pearl hits #1 in the US, where it stays for nine weeks. Joplin died of a heroin overdose three months before the album was released.

1971-Rozonda Thomas (Chilli of TLC) is born in Atlanta.

1970-Jefferson Airplane is fined $1,000 for onstage profanity in Oklahoma City.

1967- Pink Floyd recorded their first single, Arnold Layne, beginning their journey as one of rock’s most influential bands.

1966-The Supremes appear on the TV show What's My Line.

1961-Chubby Checker's "Pony Time" hits #1 in America for the first of five weeks.

1960-The Miracles make their first TV appearance when they perform on American Bandstand.

1960-Paul Humphreys of OMD is born in London.

1959-Jerry Lee Lewis and his third wife (and first cousin once removed) Myra have a son, Steve Allen Lewis, who is named after the TV host. The boy dies in a swimming pool accident three years later.

1959-Johnny Van Zant is born in Jacksonville, Flordia. He performs and records with the Johnny Van Zant Band and as a solo artist, but is best known for succeeding his deceased brother Ronnie Van Zant as frontman for Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987.

1954-Neal Schon is born on an Air Force base in Oklahoma. The guitarist does time in Santana before founding the groups Journey and Bad English.

1675-The oldest surviving English opera, Matthew Locke's Psyche, is first performed at Dorset Garden Theatre, London by the Duke's Company.

1854- German composer Robert Schumann was saved from a suicide attempt in the Rhine River, marking a dramatic moment in music history.

1814- Ludwig van Beethoven premiered his Symphony No. 8 in F major in Vienna, showcasing his classical mastery early in the 19th century.

[Bikkie]

1945
Kiwi soldier faces firing squad
After more than a year on the run in northern Italy, escaped New Zealand prisoner of war David Russell was recaptured and executed. His courage in the face of death earned him the first George Cross awarded to a member of New Zealand’s military.



In Music History

2019-Weezer join the Fortnite universe with "Weezer World," a "Creative Island" where players can ride around on a hoverboard while listening to Weezer tunes. It's one of the first Fortnite musical collaborations; earlier in the month, Marshmello held a virtual concert. Weezer return in 2024 with "Sweat(er) City," which includes a unique weapon: a sweater yarn stun gun. (You know, because "The Sweater Song.")

2019-The composer André Previn dies at 89.

2016-At the Oscars, Lady Gaga is introduced by Vice President Joe Biden and performs "Til It Happens To You" joined by a group of sexual assault survivors. A few minutes later, it loses the Best Song award to Sam Smith's "Writing's On The Wall."

2014-Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have their third child: Apollo Bowie Flynn.

2012-The Malaysian Government cancels a concert by Erykah Badu scheduled for the following day due to her tattoos, including one with the word "Allah" in Arabic.

Stump Struggles Lead To Fall Out Boy Return
2012-Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump makes a blog post titled "We Liked You Better Fat: Confessions of a Pariah" where he writes about hitting a low point with a failed solo album and taunts from audience members. The post prompts FOB bass player Pete Wentz to contact Stump, and they get the band back together, staging a triumphant comeback with their 2013 album Save Rock and Roll and the hit "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)."More

2009-Flo Rida's "Right Round" hits #1 on the Hot 100 for the first of six weeks. An unknown singer named Kesha Sebert provides the hook. She soon becomes a star under the moniker Ke$ha, with the $ in her name included for ironic purposes as she claims money isn't very important to her (which explains why she isn't too upset about getting paid very little for her contribution to this song).

2008-Mike Smith (lead vocalist, keyboardist for The Dave Clark Five) dies of pneumonia at age 64.

2006-Bruce Springsteen releases Hammersmith Odeon London 1975.

2006-Ne-Yo's first album, In My Own Words, debuts at #1 in America.

2004-Usher's club anthem "Yeah!," featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon, hits #1 in America. It stays at the top for 12 weeks to become the biggest hit of 2004.

2004-Gigli sweeps the 24th Golden Raspberry Awards with nine nominations and six wins, including Worst Actress for star Jennifer Lopez and Worst Actor for Ben Affleck (whose award also includes his roles in Daredevil and Paycheck). Despite having a highly publicized off-screen romance, the pair also lands Worst Screen Couple.

1999-Hole and Marilyn Manson kick off their joint Beautiful Monsters tour with a show in Spokane, Washington, but cancel it after nine dates when Hole pulls out and Manson injures his ankle on stage.

1998-Columbia Records releases Train's self-titled debut album, which the band issued independently in 1996 after the label passed on it. It includes their first hit, "Meet Virginia."

1998-Garth Brooks hosts Saturday Night Live. As the musical guest, he performs his hit "Two Piña Coladas."

1996-22-year-old Alanis Morissette becomes the youngest artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year when Jagged Little Pill takes the prize. She holds the record until 2010, when 20-year-old Taylor Swift nabs the title with Fearless.

1996-Alison Krauss and Shenandoah's "Somewhere In The Vicinity Of The Heart" wins the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals. The single, a #7 hit, was Krauss's first Top 10 entry on the country chart.

1996-Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill won at the 38th Grammy Awards.

1995-Mike Watt of Minutemen and Firehose releases his first solo album, Ball-Hog or Tugboat?, with an all-star team of guest musicians including Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Flea, Henry Rollins and Frank Black. Vedder and Grohl join his band for the subsequent tour.

1995-Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) and wife Adrienne welcome their first child, son Joseph "Joey" Marciano Armstrong, named for Ramones singer Joey Ramone.

Jewel's First Album Released
1995-Jewel Kilcher releases her debut album, Pieces of You, under the mononym Jewel.

1989-The sitcom Coach debuts on ABC, starring Craig T. Nelson as a college football coach and Shelley Fabares as his longtime girlfriend. Fabares became famous in the '50s and '60s, starring in The Donna Reed Show - on which she debuted the hit "Johnny Angel" - and appearing in three films with Elvis Presley.

Pretty In Pink Movie Reboots Psychedelic Furs Song
1986-The movie Pretty In Pink, based on the Psychedelic Furs song but with a very distorted interpretation of the lyric, is released in theaters.More

1985-Bruce Springsteen wins for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and pretty much any award he was eligible for in the Rolling Stone reader's poll.

1985-Uriah Heep lead singer David Byron dies at his Berkshire home from liver disease and seizures caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. He is just 38 years old.

Michael Jackson Wins Big At the 26th Grammys
1984-Michael Jackson is the big winner at the Grammy Awards, winning eight trophies, including Album of the Year for Thriller and Record of the Year for "Beat It." He makes the ceremony despite being injured the previous day when his hair caught fire shooting a Pepsi commercial.

1983-U2 release their third album, War, with "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day." It's their first album to sell a million copies in America.

1981-Rosanne Cash's third studio album Seven Year Ache was released , becoming her commercial breakthrough and reaching #1 on the country music chart.

1981-Eddie Rabbitt's country crossover "I Love A Rainy Night" makes #1 on the US Hot 100.

1978-The Village People play their first concert, performing at 2001 Odyssey in New York City, the setting for Saturday Night Fever.

1977-Country singer Jason Aldean is born Jason Aldine Williams in Macon, Georgia.

1977-An audience member attacks Ray Charles onstage, trying to strangle him with a rope.

1976-The 18th Grammy Awards in honored Captain & Tennille's Love Will Keep Us Together as Record of the Year, and Natalie Cole became the first African American to win Best New Artist. 1974-28-year-old Bobby Bloom accidentally shoots and kills himself while cleaning his gun.

1971-Johnny Cash is pleasantly surprised when the taping of his variety show is revealed to be an episode of This Is Your Life, with friends and family paying tribute.

1970-Led Zeppelin perform in Denmark as "The Nobs" after Eva von Zeppelin, a relative of the late airship designer Ferdinand von Zeppelin, threatens to sue.

1970-The title track of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water album hits #1 on the Hot 100, where it remains for six weeks, longer than any other song in 1970.

1969-Train lead singer Pat Monahan is born in Erie, Pennsylvania.

1968-Frankie Lymon dies of a heroin overdose at age 25.

1967-Pink Floyd get their first record deal, signing with EMI Records.

1966-The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, where The Beatles performed regularly from 1961-1963, closes. It re-opens a few months later as more of a tourist attraction, complete with souvenir shop.

1957-Ian Stanley (original keyboardist for Tears For Fears) is born in High Wycombe, England.

1957-Phil Gould (drummer for Level 42) is born in Hong Kong, but raised on England's Isle of Wight.

1957-Cindy Wilson is born in Athens, Georgia, where along with her brother Ricky and three other friends, she forms The B-52s. On "Love Shack," she belts out one of the most famous (and misheard) lyrics of all-time: "tin roof, rusted!"

1943-Soul singer-songwriter Barbara Acklin is born in Oakland, California, but is raised in Chicago, Illinois, where she plays the nightclub circuit as a teenager. She co-writes the Jackie Wilson hit "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" and lands a recording contract with Brunswick Records.

1942-Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones is born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He is the group's leader early on, but dies in 1969 at age 27.

1942-Big Band orchestra music is huge, and Glenn Miller is king. His song "Moonlight Cocktail" takes the #1 spot on the Billboard tally, where it stays for 10 weeks.

1940-Joe South is born Joseph Souter in Atlanta, Georgia. His most popular song as an artist is "Games People Play," but South also writes the Deep Purple hit "Hush" and Lynn Anderson's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden."

1920-Maurice Ravel's orchestral suite Le tombeau de Couperin debuted in Paris.

1862-Charles Gounod's opera La Reine de Saba premiered in Paris.

1819 -marked the first public performance of Franz Schubert's song Schäfers Klageleid.

1728- George Frideric Handel's opera Siroe, re di Persia premiered in London.

[Bikkie]

1862
Charles Thatcher gives first NZ performance
The British-born tenor Charles Thatcher gave his first New Zealand performance at Shadrach Jones's Commercial Hotel in Dunedin.


New Zealand soldiers on the Somme, September 1916
1916
New Zealand Division formed
After the evacuation from Gallipoli in December 1915, New Zealand troops returned to Egypt to recover and regroup. In February 1916, it was decided that Australian and New Zealand infantry divisions would be sent to the Western Front. On 1 March, the New Zealand Division was formed.



In Music History

2020-Public Enemy kick Flavor Flav out of the group, claiming he often missed live gigs and recording sessions. "He always chose to party over work," the statement reads. On April 1, the band releases a new song with Flav and claims kicking him out was a hoax.

2019-After a six-year hiatus, the Jonas Brothers announce their reunion, dropping a new song called "Sucker."

2012-On Justin Bieber's 18th birthday, he appears on The Ellen Degeneres Show, where his manager presents him with a Fisker Karma luxury electric car worth about $100,000.

2004-Warner Music Group leaves parent company Time Warner for the first time, bought out as a separate entity by investors led by former Universal Music head Edgar Bronfman Jr.

2002-Shirley Jones of the Partridge Family files for divorce from her husband, actor Marty Ingalls (she later withdraws the petition).

1997-Skillet frontman John Cooper marries Korey Pingitore, who joins the Christian rock band two years later as a keyboardist and rhythm guitarist.

1995-The Flaming Lips guest star on the Beverly Hills, 90210 episode "Love Hurts." The psychedelic rock band is the surprise act at the Peach Pit After Dark, where they perform their hit "She Don't Use Jelly."

1995-Soundgarden win two Grammy Awards: Best Hard Rock Performance for "Black Hole Sun" and Best Metal Performance for "Spoonman."

1995-Tony Bennett wins the Album Of The Year Grammy for MTV Unplugged, a collection of standards taken from his acoustic performance on the network. It's the lowest-charting album ever to win; it topped out at #69 before the ceremony and the Grammy bump only pushes it to #48. In response, the Grammys establish nominating committees for the major awards to make them more contemporary. The following year, Alanis Morissette gets Album Of The Year for the far more popular and acclaimed Jagged Little Pill.

1994-Ozzy Osbourne wins Best Metal Performance with Vocal for "I Don't Want to Change the World" from his album No More Tears. It's the first of his five career Grammy wins.

1994- Nirvana plays their final concert in Munich, Germany, just a month before Kurt Cobain's passing.

1994-Justin Bieber is born in London, Ontario, Canada. Discovered on YouTube, he moves to Atlanta and is mentored by Usher. By the time he's 18 he has two #1 albums and a phalanx of female fans known as Beliebers.

1994-The Bodyguard soundtrack wins the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, with "I Will Always Love You" taking Record of the Year. Frank Sinatra receives a Living Legends Award and Aretha Franklin gets a Lifetime Achievement Award. Branford Marsalis and Bruce Hornsby take Best Pop Instrumental Performance for their song "Barcelona Mona," which was penned for the Barcelona Olympics.

Sting Brags About Hours-long Sex
1993-Q magazine publishes an interview with Sting and Bob Geldof where Sting explains how his sex lasts for hours through the benefits of yoga.

1991-Director Oliver Stone's biopic The Doors, starring Val Kilmer, opens in Los Angeles.

1990-In Miami, Janet Jackson sets out on her first headlining tour, the Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990. The dazzling stage show sees Jackson and her dancers re-creating some of the music videos, culminating with the crisply choreographed "Rhythm Nation." Two days later, a single from the album, "Escapade," hits #1.

1990-Rush are named '80s Artist Of The Decade at the Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammies.

1987-Kesha Sebert is born in Los Angeles. Using the stage name "Ke$ha" (she drops the $ in 2014), she becomes a pop superstar when her first album Animal tops the US chart in 2010.

1986-Mr. Mister's "Kyrie" hits #1 in America. The refrain "Kyrie eleison" is Greek for "Lord, have mercy."

1985-Ford licenses The Beatles "Help!" for a commercial, marking the first time one of their songs is used in a TV ad.

1984-Two days after losing to Michael Jackson at the Grammy Awards, Prince records "When Doves Cry," programming the drums and playing every instrument himself (including the bass, which he decides to take out).

1981-NBC airs Elvis And The Beauty Queen, starring Don Johnson as Elvis Presley. The TV special tells the story of his last years and his affair with Linda Thompson.

1979-The Coca-Cola Company introduces Mello Yello as a competitor to Pepsi's Mountain Dew in the urine-colored soda category. Donovan hopes they will use his song "Mellow Yellow" in their advertising, but the company declines.

1977-Bob Dylan's wife, Sara Lowndes - the "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" - files for divorce. The couple have been separated for years.

1975-At the Grammy Awards, Olivia Newton-John takes Record of the Year for "I Honestly Love You," Barbra Streisand wins Song of the Year for "The Way Were," and Stevie Wonder gets Album of the Year for Fulfillingness' First Finale.

1975-Elvis Presley wins a Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance for his live version of "How Great Thou Art."

1975-Bob Dylan's album Blood On The Tracks hits #1 in America, where it stays for two weeks before getting bumped by Olivia Newton-John's Have You Never Been Mellow.

1975-The Eagles' "Best Of My Love" hits #1 in America.

1974-Queen launch their first headlining tour with a show at Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Tickets are £1 if purchased in advance.

1974-Rush release their eponymous debut album. With drummer and creative catalyst Neil Peart yet to join the band, the sound is very different from the one that will become Rush's trademark. Still, the album's "Working Man" becomes a breakout song in blue-collar Cleveland, Ohio, after winning WMMS disc jockey Donna Halper's endorsement. One year later the band release Fly by Night, their first album to include Peart.

1973-Pink Floyd release Dark Side Of The Moon. The album debuts at an inauspicious #95 on the US Albums chart, but becomes far and away the album with the most weeks on the tally, thanks in large part to a run from 1977-1988 when it never leaves.

1973-Joffrey Ballet in New York debuts Deuce Coupe Ballet, which is set to the music of The Beach Boys.

1973-Neil Young performs "L.A." at the Myriad in Okalhoma City. A few months later a recording of the performance is included on Time Fades Away.

1973-Tom Waits releases his debut album, Closing Time, on Asylum Records to lukewarm sales but warm critical reception.

1973- Harvest (UK) and Capitol Records (US) release Pink Floyd's 8th studio album "The Dark Side of the Moon"; it stays on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart for most of the next 14 years, selling over 50 million copies worldwide.

1973-In Ontario, Alice Cooper launches the Billion Dollar Babies tour, where he's beheaded nightly in a guillotine. The decapitation goes over so well that it becomes a regular feature at Cooper's live shows throughout his career.

1970-The Beatles make their last appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show when music videos for their songs "Let It Be" and "Two Of Us" are aired.

Jim Morrison Arrested In Miami
1969-Jim Morrison of The Doors is arrested after a Miami concert after allegedly exposing himself to the audience.

1968- Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" first performed as a 15-minute pop cantata at Colet Court School in London.

1968-Johnny Cash marries June Carter of the gospel stars The Carter Family a week after proposing to her on stage at a show in London, Ontario. Their marriage holds up until her death in May 2003, with Johnny passing away four months later.

1966-Gene Clark announces that he is leaving The Byrds, citing fear of flying as the reason. He is not replaced, since the group has three other vocalists: David Crosby, Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman.

1963-Filming begins in Hollywood for Elvis Presley's 13th film, Fun In Acapulco.

1958-Elvis Presley begins filming the movie King Creole in New Orleans.

1958-In what would prove to be a major influence on the burgeoning British rock scene, Buddy Holly and the Crickets begin their first and only UK tour at London's Trocadero Club, playing 25 dates of two sets a night.

1958-Nik Kershaw ("The Riddle") is born in Bristol, England.

1957-The Everly Brothers sign with Cadence Records and record "Bye Bye Love," establishing their signature sound: acoustic guitars and Appalachian harmonies over a rock beat.

1950-Pioneering music journalist Dave Marsh is born in Detroit.

1946-Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke is born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.

1944-Mike D'Abo of Manfred Mann is born in Surrey, England.

1944-Roger Daltrey of The Who is born in London.

1941-The world's first commercial FM radio station, Nashville's W47NV, begins broadcasting.

1930-Trombone player Benny Powell is born in New Orleans.

1928- Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra record "Ol' Man River" for Victor Records featuring Bing Crosby.

1927-Harry Belafonte is born in Harlem, New York, but at age 8 moves to Jamaica (his mother's birthplace) with his family. The Belafontes move back to New York in the early stages of World War II; in the '50s, Harry becomes a top entertainer, his career buoyed by the calypso craze.

1904-Glenn Miller is born in Clarinda, Iowa.

[Bikkie]

Völkner’s death in the Illustrated London News
1865
Missionary Carl Völkner killed at Ōpōtiki
Local Māori adherents of a new religion, Pai Mārire, hanged the Church Missionary Society (Anglican) missionary Carl Völkner from a willow tree near his church at Ōpōtiki.



In Music History

2021-Dolly Parton gets the coronavirus vaccine, which she helped fund with a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. To encourage others to get it, she posts video of her getting the shot on her social media channels and adapts her song "Jolene" to the occasion: Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine I'm begging of you please don't hesitate

2014-Arby's buys the hat Pharrell Williams wore to the Grammys on eBay for $44,100. The fast-food chain donates the hat (which resembles their logo) to the Newseum in Washington, DC. Money from the auction goes to the From One Hand to Another charity.

2014-20 Feet From Stardom, a film about backup singers featuring Darlene Love and Lisa Fischer, wins the Oscar for Best Documentary. Love gets a standing ovation when she sings part of her acceptance speech.

2009-Late Night With Jimmy Fallon debuts on NBC. Fallon's house band is familiar to many hip-hop fans: The Roots. It's the first time an established band has joined a late night show, and it's a big win for all involved. The Roots gain lots of exposure and a steady paycheck; Fallon gets a versatile and highly respected band that shines in segments like "Freestylin' with The Roots" and "Classroom Instruments."

2008-The blind Canadian blues rocker Jeff Healey dies of cancer at 41. Known for his unique playing style with the guitar placed on his lap, he built a legend among blues guitarists, with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and many others among his fans.

2008-Nine Inch Nails release their sixth album, an almost entirely instrumental Ghosts I-IV, as a free digital release - a concept they will revisit with their next album, The Slip, in July. Physical copies are sold at a regular price a few months after the digital releases.

2004-All Saints' Natalie Appleton gives birth to a son, Ace Billy Howlett. The father is her husband Liam Howlett (of The Prodigy).

2003-Hank Ballard, whose song "The Twist" became a national sensation when Chubby Checker recorded it, dies of throat cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 75.

2000 - DMX Arrested: The rapper DMX was arrested for driving without a license and possession of marijuana, highlighting the intersection of music and legal issues.

1999 - Death of Dusty Springfield: The iconic singer Dusty Springfield passed away at the age of 59 after battling cancer. Known for hits like "Son of a Preacher Man," she was a prominent figure in the music scene from the 1960s onwards.

1997-Mexican-American singer/rapper Becky G is born in Inglewood, California. She becomes famous for her 2014 pop hit "Shower" before pivoting her music toward the Latin market with Spanish-language tunes like "Sola," "Mayores," and "Sin Pijama."

1994 - Miami's Latin Walk of Fame Established: The first star was awarded to singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan, recognizing her contributions to music and culture.

1992-The Oxford, England group On A Friday sign to EMI Records. They soon change their name to Radiohead and in 1993 issue their first album, Pablo Honey.

1991-Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" peaks at #6 on the US chart, thanks to an instrumental version featured in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart.

1990-Luke Combs is born in Huntersville, North Carolina. He moves to Nashville and quickly lands a series of country hits, including "When It Rains It Pours" and "Beautiful Crazy."

1989-"Like A Prayer" becomes the first hit song to debut in a commercial when it is used in a 2-minute Pepsi ad starring Madonna.

1988-U2 win their first Grammy Awards, taking Album of the Year and Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal for The Joshua Tree.

1987-The Trio album, a collaboration between Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton, is released. The album had been planned since 1979 - it was worth the wait, selling over 4 million copies and winning the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

Spinal Tap Explodes Into Theaters
1984-This Is Spinal Tap is released in theaters, chronicling the hapless heavy metal band with exploding drummers and an amp that goes to 11. It leaves some in laughter and some in tears. Ozzy Osbourne is just confused.

1983-The first CD players are released in America, along with 16 albums on CD.

1983 - CD Players Sold for the First Time: This event marked a significant change in how music was consumed, as CD players became available in the US and UK.

1983-The Judds audition at RCA, singing mountain tunes and Naomi's unfinished original, "Change Of Heart." They earn a recording contract and issue their debut EP, Wynonna & Naomi, in January 1984.

1977-Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin is born in Whitestone, Exeter, Devon, England.

1974-Stevie Wonder wins four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Innervisions. Gladys Knight & The Pips win for "Neither One of Us" (Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group or Chorus) and "Midnight Train To Georgia" (Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Group).

1974-Olivia Newton-John wins the Grammy for Best Female Vocal Country Performance for "Let Me Be There." Country veterans are miffed, but reach full outrage when she takes the CMA award for Female Vocalist of the Year.

1974 - Stevie Wonder Wins Album of the Year: At the Grammy Awards, Stevie Wonder's album "Innervisions" won Album of the Year, solidifying his status as a musical genius.

1971-Rapper Method Man is born Clifford Smith in Long Island, New York.

1968-At King Edward VII Hospital in London, Cat Stevens is diagnosed with tuberculosis. He spends three months in the hospital and another six recovering. The ordeal leads him to look inward and write songs like "On The Road To Find Out" and "Wild World" about the quest for meaning life.

1967-The Supremes record "Reflections" and "The Happening."

1964 - The Beatles Begin Filming "A Hard Day's Night": This marked the start of the Beatles' first film, which would significantly boost their global fame and popularity.

1964-Vee-Jay Records in Chicago creates the Tollie label and releases "Twist And Shout" by The Beatles.

1963 - The Four Seasons Score Their Third Consecutive No. 1: Their hit "Walk Like A Man" topped the Billboard Hot 100, showcasing their dominance in the music charts at the time.

1962-Jon Bon Jovi is born John Francis Bongiovi in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. As a teenager, he gets a gig cleaning up the studio his cousin Tony owns, which he uses to record demos and form the band Bon Jovi.

1960-Elvis Presley's Army plane refuels in Scotland - his only appearance in the UK.

1956-Mark Evans (bassist for AC/DC) is born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, where he meets his future bandmates at the city's Station Hotel in 1975.

1956-Anvil frontman Steve "Lips" Kudlow is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1956-John Cowsill (of The Cowsills) is born in Newport, Rhode Island.

1955-Bo Diddley records "Bo Diddley" and "I'm A Man."

1955-Dale Bozzio (vocalist for Missing Persons) is born Dale Frances Consalvi in Medford, Massachusetts.

1955-Jay Osmond (of The Osmonds) is born in Ogden, Utah.

1950-Karen Carpenter (of the Carpenters) is born in New Haven, Connecticut.

1948-Irish rocker Rory Gallagher is born William Rory Gallagher in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland.

1942-Lou Reed is born Lewis Allan Reed in Brooklyn, New York.

1900-Composer Kurt Weill is born in Dessau, Germany. Known for his collaborations with playwright Bertolt Brecht, including The Threepenny Opera and its famous ballad "Mack the Knife."

[Bikkie]

1960
Barry Crump publishes A good keen man
One of the most-read books in New Zealand publishing history, A good keen man established Barry Crump’s reputation as an iconic ‘Kiwi bloke’.



In Music History

2023-Morgan Wallen releases his third album, One Thing At A Time. It spends 15 weeks at #1, the most for a country artist since 1992, when Some Gave All by Billy Ray Cyrus spent 17 weeks at the top.

2023-De La Soul's first six albums, including their 1989 groundbreaking debut, 3 Feet High And Rising, are finally made available for streaming. A label dispute, along with challenges getting the many samples cleared, kept them in purgatory.

2019-Undeterred by a lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson's estate, HBO airs the first part of the 4-hour documentary Leaving Neverland, leveling new accusations of child abuse at Jackson 10 years after his death. In the aftermath, many distance themselves from Jackson: The Simpsons pulls his episode, and some radio stations drop him from playlists.

2017-Pop singer Tommy Page, known for the 1990 hit "I'll Be Your Everything," dies in an apparent suicide at age 46.

2017-Nickelback's album All The Right Reasons is certified Diamond for sales of over 10 million copies in the United States, making them just the fourth Canadian act to reach that level. The other three are female artists: Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Alanis Morissette.

2013-Bobby Rogers (of The Miracles) dies of complications of diabetes at age 73.

2012-Rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose (Montrose) dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at age 64.

2010-Gorillaz' third album, Plastic Beach, is released. Featuring guest appearances from stars ranging from Snoop Dogg to Lou Reed, it is a huge worldwide hit, reaching #2 in both the US and UK.

Duffy Releases Rockferry
2008-Duffy releases her debut album, Rockferry, featuring the hit "Mercy." It sells about 9 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling album of 2008 in the UK. For her next album, Endlessly, she uses a different writing, production and marketing team, with disastrous results, as the album is a startling commercial failure with no hit singles.

2008-Norman "Hurricane" Smith, frequent engineer and producer for the Beatles, dies at age 85 in East Sussex, England.

Chumbawamba Break Record For Longest Album Title
2008-Chumbawamba break the record for longest album title with their 160-word release The Boy Bands Have Won...

2008-Arcade Fire rock for young Obama supporters at the Barack Obama benefit rally at Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland.

2007-Robin Thicke tops four different Billboard charts, thanks to his second album, The Evolution of Robin Thicke. The album is at #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally, while "Lost Without U" tops the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and Hot Adult R&B Airplay charts.

2006-In Vietnam, Gary Glitter is sentenced to three years in prison for sex crimes against minors. Years later, a UK court sentences him to 16 years for similar offenses.

1998-After spending nearly two years promoting her debut album, Tidal, a burned-out Fiona Apple cancels her spring tour. From this point forward, she limits her public appearances and takes lots of down time, sometimes going several years between albums.

1997-Camila Cabello is born in Havana(na-na-na), Cuba.

1995-R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry undergoes successful brain surgery. Berry collapsed due to a brain aneurysm during a concert in Switzerland.

1995-A stalker is arrested trying to break into Roberta Flack's New York apartment.

1994- Kurt Cobain of Nirvana lapsed into a coma in Italy after taking a combination of Valium and champagne.

1992-Soundgarden release the third and final single off Badmotorfinger, "Rusty Cage." B-sides differ depending on the territory - among them are covers of Devo's "Girl U Want" and the Rolling Stones' "Stray Cat Blues."

1991-The investigative news show Hard Copy runs a story about an FBI investigation into film footage found on a Michigan farm showing what appeared to be a ritual killing. The "victim" turned out to be Trent Reznor; the footage was shot for the Nine Inch Nails video for "Down In It" using a Super 8 camera attached to weather balloons that flew away.

1986-Christian singer Stacie Orrico is born in Seattle, Washington.

Metallica Release Master Of Puppets
1986-Metallica release their third album, Master Of Puppets, featuring an anthemic title track that becomes their most-played live song.

1981-U2 begin their first major tour of the US with two shows at a Washington, DC, club called The Bayou.

1980-The esteemed auction house Sotheby's holds their first auction of rock memorabilia. Four dollar bills signed by The Beatles are sold for $528.

1978-Whitesnake, formed by Deep Purple frontman David Coverdale after that band splintered, play their first live gig, in Lincoln, England.

1978-Van Halen begin their first world tour, opening for Journey at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. The band, which released their debut album three weeks earlier, had been playing clubs for about four years.

1977-Pop singer Ronan Keating (of Boyzone) is born in Swords, Dublin, Ireland.

1973-The live album The Concert for Bangla Desh, taken from the Madison Square Garden benefit concert organized by George Harrison, and featuring Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, wins the Grammy for Album of the Year.

1973-Elton John's album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player hits #1 in America, where it stays for two weeks.

1972-Nilsson's album Nilsson Schmilsson is certified Gold.

1969-John Bigham (guitarist, keyboardist for Fishbone) is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1967-The Jeff Beck Group, with an unknown vocalist named Rod Stewart, make their live performance debut in London at the Finsbury Park Astoria.

1966-Rapper Tone-Loc is born Anthony Terrell Smith in Los Angeles, California.

1966-Buffalo Springfield is formed (as "The Herd") by Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay.

1965-Eric Clapton plays his last show with The Yardbirds, leaving to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. He is replaced by Jeff Beck.

1953-Robyn Hitchcock is born in London, England. His father is novelist Raymond Hitchcock.

1950-Rock singer Re Styles (of The Tubes) is born Shirley Marie MacLeod.

1947-Jennifer Warnes is born in Seattle, Washington.

1941-Mike Pender (vocalist for The Searchers) is born in Kirkdale, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.

1938-Willie Chambers, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of the Chambers Brothers, is born in Carthage Mississippi.

1931-Cab Calloway records "Minnie The Moocher" on the Brunswick label in New York City. It would become the first jazz recording to sell a million copies.

1875- The premiere of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, France.

1794- The first performance of Joseph Haydn's 101st Symphony in D ("The Clock") at the Hanover Rooms in London.

1706-German composer Johann Pachelbel dies at age 52.

[Bikkie]

1855
Legendary sheep rustler James Mackenzie caught
In March 1855, shepherds searching for 1000 missing sheep in the upper reaches of the Waitaki Valley apprehended suspected rustler James Mackenzie, one of New Zealand’s first and most enduring folk heroes.



In Music History

2020-At 58, Garth Brooks becomes the youngest recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Past recipients of the award include Gloria & Emilio Estefan, Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Carole King, and Paul McCartney, among others.

2019-Keith Flint of The Prodigy is found dead at his home in Essex, England. Cause of death is determined to be suicide by hanging. He was 49.

2017-The Katy Perry song "Chained to the Rhythm" hits #4 on the Hot 100, making guest vocalist Skip Marley the first of the Marleys to land a Top 10 on that tally.

2016-Shakira makes her feature-film debut, voicing the pop star Gazelle in the Disney animated movie Zootopia. She also contributes the song "Try Everything" to the soundtrack.

2011-Johnny Preston ("Running Bear") dies of heart failure at age 71.

2010-Redbone co-founder Lolly Vegas, who wrote and sang their hit "Come and Get Your Love," dies of lung cancer at age 70.

2009-John Cephas of Cephas & Wiggins dies at age 78.

2004-Pimp My Ride, hosted by the rapper Xzibit, debuts on MTV. In each episode of the show, which runs for six seasons, a viewer's hoopie is transformed into a tricked-out whip. Xzibit becomes well known as a media personality, and the phrase "pimp my..." enters the lexicon, as in, "I'm going to pimp my fish tank with some live coral."

2004-John McGeoch, a Scottish guitarist who played with Magazine, PiL and Siouxsie and the Banshees, dies at age 48.

2003-Bruce Springsteen plays Hank Ballard's 1960 hit "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" at his show in Jacksonville, Florida, to honor Ballard, who died two days earlier.

2003-Evanescence release their first album, Fallen, featuring the hits "Bring Me To Life" and "Going Under."

2001-Michael Jackson and friend Macaulay Culkin spend the night shopping at a London record store, which stays open after hours to accommodate the pair.

2001-Glenn Hughes, the biker in The Village People, dies of lung cancer at age 50.

2000-"Amazed" by Lonestar hits #1 in America, knocking off another first-dance wedding favorite, "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden.

2000 & 2006- Soul Train Music Awards recognized artists like Prince, Whitney Houston, DMX, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx, Destiny’s Child, and John Legend.

1999-Cowboy singer Eddie Dean dies of emphysema at age 91.

1998-Bad Religion's breakthrough album, Stranger Than Fiction, released almost four years earlier, is certified gold by the RIAA, becoming the band's only album to achieve this certification in the United States.

1996- The Beatles posthumously released Real Love, a John Lennon demo completed by the remaining members.

1996-The Beatles song "Real Love," compiled from a John Lennon demo recording, is released in the UK.

1996-Grand Ole Opry icon Minnie Pearl dies at 83.

1994-Kurt Cobain of Nirvana spends 20 hours in a coma after overdosing on Rohypnol (a prescription sedative) and champagne.

Spice Girls Form In Open Audition
1993-Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown and Victoria Adams are among 400 hopefuls at a London dance studio auditioning for producers who are forming a new group. They are selected, and along with Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton, become the Spice Girls.

1993-Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown welcome a baby girl, Bobbi Kristina.

1993- Patti LaBelle received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1992-Jazz guitarist Mary Osborne dies at age 70.

1992-Paul Simon recorded an acoustic performance for MTV Unplugged at Kaufman-Astoria Studios in New York City.

1990-Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones announces his judicial separation from his bride of nine months, the former Mandy Smith. When they wed, he was 52 and she was 18.

1989-Debbie Gibson's "Lost in Your Eyes" goes to #1 on the Hot 100. It's her second chart-topper, following "Foolish Beat."

1989-Time Inc. and Warner Communications merge into Time Warner, creating the world's largest media company.

1986-Songwriter Howard Greenfield, who co-wrote many of Neil Sedaka's hits, dies of complications from AIDS at 49.

1986-Richard Manuel (pianist, singer of The Band) commits suicide at age 42, following a gig in Winter Park, Florida.

1984-The Police play the final concert of their Synchronicity tour in Melbourne, Australia. It is their last show, except for a few special events together, until 2007.

1983-George Jones marries his fourth and final wife, Nancy Sepulvado, at the home of the singer's sister, Helen Scroggins, in Woodville, Texas.

1979-Mike Patto (of Patto, Spooky Tooth) dies of lymphatic leukemia at age 36.

1979-Randy Jackson (of The Jackson 5) is involved in a serious car crash near Los Angeles, breaking both legs and nearly dying when a nurse at the hospital nearby injects him with methadone.

Bee Gees Write The Hits
1978-The #3 "Sometimes When We Touch" by Dan Hill is the only song in the Top 5 not written by a member of The Bee Gees. Andy Gibb's "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" is #1, with "Stayin' Alive" at #2, "Night Fever" at #5 and Samantha Sang's "Emotion," written by Robin and Barry Gibb, at #4.

1978-The IRS raids Jerry Lee Lewis' home at dawn and repossesses $170,000 worth of automobiles to pay off his tax debt.

1977- Roger Sessions’ 6th Symphony premiered in New York City, conducted by José Serebrier with the Juilliard Orchestra.

1977-The Rolling Stones perform at Toronto's small El Morcambo Tavern, a rare intimate show that provides four tracks for their notoriously bad 1977 LP Love You Live.

1974- ABBA released Waterloo, which won the Eurovision Song Contest and became a global hit.

1973- Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon was released in the US, later becoming one of the greatest albums of all time.

1973-Elvis Presley releases "Steamroller Blues" b/w "Fool."

1972-Badfinger's "Day After Day" is certified Gold.

1971-One the eve of their new UK tour, The Rolling Stones become rock's first tax exiles by announcing that they're moving from England to France.

1971-Fergal Lawler (drummer for The Cranberries) is born in Limerick, Ireland.

1970-Bob Dylan records "Days Of '49," "Early Morning Rain," "Wigwam."

1969-Chastity Bono is born to Sonny & Cher.

1968-The Mothers of Invention release their third studio album, We're Only it It for the Money.

1968-An icy car crash sends Temptations members Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams to a Somerset, Pennsylvania, hospital.

1968- The 3rd Academy of Country Music Awards honored Glen Campbell and Lynn Anderson.

1967-The Rolling Stones chart their fourth #1 hit in America with the ballad "Ruby Tuesday."

1967-Evan Dando (frontman for The Lemonheads) is born in Essex, Massachusetts.

1967-Steve Winwood and his brother, Muff, announce they are leaving The Spencer Davis Group. Steve forms Traffic later that year.

1967- The Rolling Stones’ single Ruby Tuesday reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

1966-Patrick Hannan (drummer for The Sundays) is born in the UK.

1966-John Lennon is quoted in the London Evening Standard saying, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now." The remark goes mostly unnoticed, but causes a big stink when it is reprinted in a US publication four months later.

1966- John Lennon of The Beatles controversially stated that the band was “more popular than Jesus,” sparking protests and record burnings in the United States.

1963-Jason Newsted is born in Battle Creek, Michigan. He plays bass for Flotsam and Jetsam, Metallica and Voivod.

1963-The Beach Boys release "Surfin' U.S.A.," a reworking of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen."

1955-Boon Gould (of Level 42) is born in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England.

1954-St Clair L. Palmer (of Sweet Sensation) is born in Saint Kitts.

1953-Emilio Estefan is born in Cuba; he moves to Miami as a teenager. In 1977 Gloria Fajardo (also Cuban-born) joins his group Miami Sound Machine. A year later they get married, and after building a huge following in the South Florida Latin scene, they break through in 1985 with the hits "Conga" and "Words Get In The Way." Gloria Estfan goes solo in 1989 with Emilio her producer and manager.

1951-Chris Rea is born in Middlesbrough, England.

1951-Rocker Pete Haycock (lead guitarist, vocalist for Climax Blues Band) is born in Stafford, Staffordshire, England.

1948-Yes bass player Chris Squire is born in London.

1948-Shakin' Stevens is born Michael Barratt in Cardiff, Wales.

1946-Frank Sinatra releases his solo debut album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, through Columbia Records.

1944-"Besame Mucho" by the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra goes to #1 in the US.

1944--R&B/soul singer Bobby Womack is born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1944Michael Wilson (original drummer and first "Mick" of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich) is born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

1943-At the Academy Awards, Irving Berlin presents the Oscar for Best Original Song, which he wins for "White Christmas." He is the only presenter to ever win the award he presented.

1936-Eric Allandale (of The Foundations) is born in Dominica, West Indies.

1934-Singer/actress Barbara McNair is born in Chicago, Illinois. She releases her debut single, "Till There Was You," in 1958 and goes on to tour with Nat King Cole.

1932-Miriam Makeba is born in Johannesburg, South Africa.

1925-Paul Mauriat is born in Marseille, France.

1678-Antonio Vivaldi, composer of "The Four Seasons," is born in Venice.

1895- Gustav Mahler conducted the premiere of his incomplete 2nd Symphony (Resurrection) in Berlin with the Berlin Philharmonic.

1877-Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake premiered at the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, establishing a cornerstone of classical ballet repertoire.

[Bikkie]

Cricket History: March 5, 1877, saw the English cricket team, Shaw and Lillywhites, complete a match against Otago in Dunedin. This tour was significant as it was the first complete overseas cricket tour of New Zealand, highlighting the early development of organized sports in the country.




In Music History

2023-Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington dies at 71. He was last founding member of the band still alive.

Kings Of Leon Become First Major Act To Release NFT Album
2021-Kings Of Leon release their album When You See Yourself in a non-fungible token (NFT) auction that also includes digital artwork and "Golden Tickets." Other acts (notably, Grimes) have sold NTF art, but KoL is the first big name to try it with an album and VIP package.

2016-Visiting a music-production class at N.Y.U., Pharrell Williams is blown away by a song called "Alaska" by Maggie Rogers, a senior at the university. "It's singular... your whole story I can hear it in the music," he tells her.

2013-In a Czech court, Lamb of God lead singer Randy Blythe is acquitted of manslaughter. He was charged with pushing a fan to his death at a 2013 LoG concert in Prague; in 2012 he was arrested when the band returned to the country for another show.

2013-Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath and rapper Coolio appear on Celebrity Wife Swap, where they send their respective partners to each others' homes. McGrath's wife, Carin, struggles with all the chores she has to do at Coolio's house, while Coolio's girlfriend Mimi - who leaves him just weeks after the episode is taped - squirms under the watchful eye of helicopter parent McGrath.

2011-Justin Bieber, 17, hits #1 with Never Say Never - The Remixes, a companion to his Never Say Never concert film. This makes him the only male solo artist with two #1 albums before turning 18. Before the year is over he adds a third with his Christmas album Under The Mistletoe.

2009-Michael Jackson announces his "This Is It" series of concerts to be held at the O2 Arena in London. The shows quickly sell out, but Jackson dies before they begin.

2007-Three years after publishing their well-received debut album Funeral, Arcade Fire release Neon Bible.

"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" Wins An Oscar
2006-"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from the movie Hustle & Flow wins an Oscar for Best Song, just the second rap song to get the award, after "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. Three 6 Mafia become the first rappers to perform at the ceremony.

America Meets the Osbournes
2002-MTV launches its new reality television show, The Osbournes, which chronicles the domestic life of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and his family. In its first season, it becomes the most-viewed series on MTV.

1999-Trauma Entertainment files a $40 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against the members of Bush for failure to deliver their next album.

1998-Korn, who have a very wired fanbase, launch an interactive video series on korntv.com called "After School Specials" to document the making of their Follow The Leader album. It uses RealPlayer to stream live and includes a chat room so fans can ask questions.

1995-Viv Stanshall of Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band dies in a fire at age 51. Stanshall was asleep in his North London home when an electrical fire broke out.

1994-Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane is arrested at her home in Tiburon, California for pointing a loaded gun at police officers responding to reports of a domestic dispute. She will be sentenced to community service and forced to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

1992-Soundgarden play the first of two nights at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington. Both nights are filmed, and several songs turn up in November as part of the Motorvision home video, with additional tracks eventually turning up as part of the 25th Anniversary edition of Badmotorfinger in 2016.

1991-Amy Grant, a fixture in the CCM community, releases a pop album, Heart In Motion. The first four singles all hit the Top 10, and "Baby Baby," a tribute to her baby daughter Millie, hits #1.

1984-Howard Jones' debut album, Human's Lib, is released in the UK, where it rises to #1.

1983-At The Stone in San Francisco, Metallica play their first show with bass player Cliff Burton. The band relocates to the Bay Area to accommodate Burton and join a metal scene far more vibrant than the one they leave behind in Los Angeles.

1983- Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking a huge moment in pop music.

1982-John Belushi of The Blues Brothers, 33, dies of a drug overdose in his bungalow at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. Belushi had been injected with a speedball, a mixture of cocaine and heroin.

1981-Songwriter E.Y. "Yip" Harburg ("Over The Rainbow") dies in a car accident at age 81.

1977-18-year-old Kate Bush writes "Wuthering Heights" after catching the end of a BBC adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel of the same name. The ethereal tune becomes her debut single the following year and hits #1 in the UK.

1977-Barbra Streisand's "Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)" hits #1 in the US. The song was written for the 1976 film she starred in with Kris Kristofferson.

1975-Rod Stewart meets the Swedish actress Britt Ekland when she comes backstage after his concert at the Los Angeles Forum, kicking off an affair that results in a famous song and a nasty lawsuit.

1974-Smokey Robinson appears on NBC-TV's Police Story.

1973- Pink Floyd released their iconic album "The Dark Side of the Moon" in the U.S., which became one of the best-selling albums ever.

1971-Led Zeppelin begins their "Thank You" tour of small clubs that supported them when they started out, charging the same prices they charged in 1968.

1970-Bob Dylan records "Alberta #1," "Alberta #2," "Gotta Travel On," and "All The Tired Horses."

1970-John Frusciante is born in New York City. He does two stints with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

1969-Elvis Presley goes to Hollywood and begins filming his last non-concert movie, Change Of Habit, co-starring Mary Tyler Moore as a nun who falls for Elvis.

1969-Elvis Presley records "Change Of Habit" and "Let's Be Friends."

1969-The rock magazine Creem is published for the first time.

1968-Syd Nathan, the record executive who founded King Records and launched James Brown's career, dies of heart disease at age 63.

1968-The 1910 Fruitgum Company's "Simon Says" is certified gold.

1968-Jerry Lee Lewis opens as Iago in Catch My Soul, a rock musical version of Shakespeare's Othello, in Hollywood.

1966-Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler's "The Ballad Of The Green Berets" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

1966-Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass's album Going Places hits #1 in America. It's the second of five #1 albums for the group in the span of 1965-1968.

1965-The Manish Boys (with David Bowie) release "I Pity The Fool."

1965-The Yardbirds release "For Your Love" in the UK.

1963-Having ironically just finished a tribute concert for the family of a country music DJ who'd been killed in a car crash, country legend Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins fly back to Nashville, with Cline's manager, Randy Hughes, at the controls. Bad weather postpones the flight an extra day, however, and, anxious to get going, Hughes phones his wife in Nashville, who informs him that the weather is clearing there. Unfortunately, she is actually in the storm's eye, and when the four proceed on, Hughes, who is not rated "on instruments," loses all visibility and attempts to land on a nearby highway. Instead, he skirts some trees, which bring the plane down in a nearby swamp. Cline, her other fellow stars, and Hughes are all killed in the accident.

1962-Craig Reid & Charlie Reid (of The Proclaimers) are born in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland.

1960-Elvis Presley is officially discharged from active duty in the US Army. He will be on reserve for 4 more years.

1958-Andy Gibb is born in Manchester, England, but is raised in Redcliffe, Australia. His older brothers, Barry, Robin, and Maurice, form the Bee Gees.

1956-Teena Marie is born Mary Christine Brockert in Santa Monica, California.

1955-Elvis Presley makes yet another appearance on the Shreveport radio show Louisiana Hayride, which is this time also carried over the TV airwaves by local station KWKH, making this Presley's first television appearance.

1953-America learns of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's death when Air Force Staff Sergeant Johnny Cash intercepts a coded message from Russia. Cash enlisted in 1950 after he turned 18 and was assigned to the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile of the US Air Force Security Service at Landsberg, West Germany, where he proved his skill as a Morse Code operator.

1952-Alan Clark (keyboardist for Dire Straits) is born in Great Lumley, England.

1951-Rock guitar distortion is invented when Willie Kizart plays "Rocket 88" using an amp that was damaged when it fell out of the van transporting him and the other members of Ike Turner's band to their recording session in Memphis.

1948-"Electric Avenue" singer Eddy Grant, founder of the UK pop group The Equals, is born in Plaisance, British Guiana.

1947-Child star Eddie Hodges, who introduces the song "Gary, Indiana" in the Broadway musical The Music Man and stars opposite Frank Sinatra in the 1959 film A Hole In The Head, is born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

1946-English performer Murray Head is born in London.

1938-Paul Evans is born in Queens, New York.

[Bikkie]

1830
Outbreak of the 'Girls' War' at Kororāreka
The so-called ‘Girls‘ War’ was fought between northern and southern Ngāpuhi hapū at Kororāreka (later Russell). Up to 100 people were killed or wounded in the fighting, after which the northern alliance took control of the important settlement.


Programme cover titled: National Orchestra of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service
1947
National Orchestra debuts
Classical music lovers packed Wellington’s Town Hall for the debut performance by New Zealand’s first national orchestra.



In Music History

2022- Glass Animals’ Heat Waves reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after 59 weeks, setting a record for the longest climb to the top.

2020-The South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, becomes the first major American festival cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other tours and festivals around the world are called off soon after in efforts to limit the outbreak.

2017-Chance the Rapper, who made his debut mixtape, 10 Day, while on a 10-day suspension from school, announces a $1 million donation to the Chicago public schools.

2016-Diplo and his electronic dancehall project Major Lazer land a historic Havana gig, becoming the first US musical act to perform in Cuba in the new era of diplomatic relations between the island and the US, precipitating a visit from President Obama later in the month.

2014-Charles Love (vocalist, guitarist for Bloodstone) dies of complications of pneumonia at age 68 in Kansas City, Missouri.

2013-Alvin Lee (lead vocalist, guitarist for Ten Years After) dies at age 68 from complications after a routine surgery.

2012- Bruce Springsteen released his 17th studio album, Wrecking Ball.

2011-David Cassidy is the first contestant booted off Season 11 of The Celebrity Apprentice.

2010-The Golden Raspberry Awards judges decide the Jonas Brothers aren't capable of portraying themselves and bestow the trio with a Razzie for Worst Actor for Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.

2010-Neo-soul singer D'Angelo is arrested in Manhattan's West Village when he tries to solicit a prostitute who ends up being an undercover police officer. He pleads guilty to a lesser count of disorderly conduct.

2009-Thousands of Phish fans descend upon Hampton, Virginia, to see Page McConnell, John Fishman, Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon return to the stage for their first show since 2004. They open with "Fluffhead," a song they haven't played since 2000.

2006-Pearl Jam makes their new single "World Wide Suicide" available as a free download after the track is leaked.

2006-Renown African musician Ali Farka Toure dies of bone cancer at age 66.

2006-New Orleans soul singer King Floyd dies from complications of stroke and diabetes at age 61.

2004-Peggy DeCastro (of The DeCastro Sisters) dies of lung cancer in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 82.

2004-David Crosby (of The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) is arrested on marijuana and weapons charges in New York City (he's given a $5,000 fine and a conditional discharge).

2001-Michael "Smitty" Smith, drummer for Paul Revere & the Raiders, dies in Hawaii at age 58.

2001-MTV Cribs visits Redman's two-bedroom pad on Staten Island. Unlike the show's usual ostentatious fare, the rapper's modest crib is a testament to "keeping it real." The highlights are his makeshift doorbell (which is signaled by crossing two exposed wires), a freezer-full of Gorton's fish, and his cousin conked out on his living room floor.

2000-Eric Clapton is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, making him the first person inducted three times. He is also in as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream.

1999- Eminem released The Slim Shady LP, launching his influential rap career.

1998-Liam Gallagher of Oasis headbutts 19-year-old British fan Benjamin Jones, breaking his nose. The incident takes place in Brisbane outside of the singer's hotel. Gallagher is charged with assault, but Jones later drops the case and pursues civil charges.

1998-Sixto Rodriguez performs in South Africa for the first time, where his two albums from the early '70s have made him a star. Rodriguez, who didn't know about his popularity in that country until recently, is later the subject of the documentary Searching For Sugar Man, which chronicles a South African fan's quest to find him.

1995-Annie Lennox issues her second solo album, Medusa, a collection of covers. The first single is "No More I Love You's," originally recorded by the English group The Lover Speaks.

1994-Frank Sinatra collapses on stage during a concert in Richmond, Virginia. The aging crooner would retire the following year, at age 79.

1991-Tyler, The Creator is born in Hawthorne, California. Following in the footsteps of Pharrell Williams, he makes creative leaps in music and fashion while sidestepping rap clichés. His 2019 album Igor and 2021 follow-up Call Me If You Get Lost both win Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album.

1983- U2 released War, the album that propelled them to international stardom.

Go-Go's Are First All-Girl Band With #1 Album
1982-Beauty and the Beat hits #1 in America, making The Go-Go's the first all-girl band with a #1 album.

1977-Country-rap originator Bubba Sparxxx is born Warren Anderson Mathis in Troup County, Georgia.

1976-Tina Charles’ I Love to Love (But My Baby Loves to Dance) topped the UK Singles chart.

1976-The Miracles score their biggest hit when "Love Machine (Part 1)" reaches #1 in America.

1976-EMI Records reissues 23 singles by The Beatles - every one of them charts (again) in the UK.

1975-Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone by The Average White Band won a Grammy and achieved Gold status.

1975-Average White Band's "Pick Up The Pieces" is certified Gold.

1975- Led Zeppelin received a Gold Record for Physical Graffiti, which has since sold over 8 million copies in the US.

1975-Singer-songwriter Jim Sullivan disappears without a trace into the desert near Santa Rosa, New Mexico. His 1969 album U.F.O. goes on to become a cult favorite, partly due to the way its eerie music and lyrics intertwine with the story of Sullivan's mysterious disappearance.

1971- Mungo Jerry’s Baby Jump reached No.1 in the UK.

1970-Comprising songs recorded before he was jailed for masterminding murders, a Charles Manson album called Lie: The Love & Terror Cult is released.

1970-Betty Boo is born Alison Moira Clarkson in Kensington, London, England.

1969-Sandie Shaw is "arrested" in Paris for being dressed up like a French policeman. The English singer is released a few hours later after she'd explained she'd had gone to France to promote her new record, "Monsieur Dupont," about a French romeo.

1967-Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly dies at age 85.

1966-MGM Records producer Tom Wilson signs Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention to a record deal after hearing them perform the song "Trouble Every Day."

1966-The Rolling Stones began recording Paint It, Black at RCA Studios in Los Angeles, a psychedelic-tinged hit that topped charts worldwide.

1965- The Temptations scored their first US No.1 single with My Girl, co-written and produced by Smokey Robinson.

1965-Eight Days a Week by The Beatles reached No.1.

1964-Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor divorce.

1961-A pre-Monkees Davy Jones makes his acting debut on the British soap opera Coronation Street, playing Colin Lomax.

1959- The Drifters recorded There Goes My Baby, reaching No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No.2 on the Hot 100.

1958- The Everly Brothers recorded All I Have To Do Is Dream, which later topped all Billboard singles charts simultaneously.

1951- Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats recorded Rocket 88, often considered the first rock and roll song.

1947-Kiki Dee is born Pauline Matthews in Little Horton, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

1946-Pink Floyd singer/guitarist David Gilmour is born in Cambridge, England. He joins the group in 1967 as founding member Syd Barrett goes into decline. When Roger Waters leaves the band in 1985, Gilmour becomes their leader.

1945-Hugh Grundy (drummer for The Zombies) is born in Winchester, England.

1944-Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) is born in Greenville, Mississippi. After moving to Detroit, she meets fellow future Supreme Florence Ballard at an elementary school talent show.

1943-The Harry James Orchestra goes to #1 in America with "I've Heard That Song Before."

1935-Sylvia Vanderpool of the duo Mickey & Sylvia is born in New York City. As Sylvia Robinson, she forms Sugarhill Records and assembles the Sugarhill Gang of "Rapper's Delight" fame.

1893-Country blues guitarist Furry Lewis is born Walter Lewis in Greenwood, Mississippi. He would earn his nickname from his childhood friends.

1853- Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata premiered at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Italy, marking a major milestone in classical music history.

[Bikkie]

1842
New Zealand's first official execution
17-year-old Maketū Wharetōtara was hanged in public, at the corner of Queen and Victoria streets in Auckland, for the 1841 murder of Elizabeth Roberton, her two children, and two other adults.


New Zealand soldiers welcomed in Athens
1941
New Zealand troops arrive in Greece
When the Germans attacked Greece on 6 April they quickly outflanked the Allied defenders, who were forced into a hurried retreat down the peninsula.


1988
Cyclone Bola strikes
Cyclone Bola, one of the most damaging cyclones to hit New Zealand, struck Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne–East Cape in March 1988



In Music History

2016-Michael White, the British producer whose work includes the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, dies of heart failure at age 80.

2015-Drake places an astounding 14 songs in the Hot 100, thanks to the release of his mixtape If You're Reading This It's Too Late. The Beatles are the only other act to accomplish this, with 14 songs on the tally for a week in April 1964. Drake goes on to place 27 songs on the chart dated July 14, 2018.

2014-After completing treatment for an eating disorder, Ke$ha drops the $ from her stage name and changes her Twitter handle from @Ke$haSuxx to @KeshaRose ("Rose" is her middle name).

2013-Guitarist Peter Banks, a founding member of Yes, dies at age 65.

2009-Jimmy Boyd, known for introducing the 1953 Christmas tune "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," dies of cancer at age 70.

2001-Ex-Trammps member Jerry Collins is convicted of attempted murder after being found guilty of bashing his wife's head into a sink and also pistol-whipping her. He is sentenced to a maximum of 35 years.

2001-Ed Townshend, singer/songwriter of the 1957 hit "For Your Love," sues the R&B group K-Ci and JoJo, claiming they used his song in their recent hit "Just For Your Love."

2001-The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reveal their list of the top 365 "Songs Of The Century" (some of which are not songs, but albums). "Over The Rainbow" is #1, followed by "White Christmas" and "This Land Is Your Land."

2000-Country singer Pee Wee King dies at age 86.

1999-Marv Ingram of The Four Preps dies at age 60.

1998-Archbishop Franc Rode organizes a special mass to forgive the blasphemers who wrote and recorded "Bitchcraft."

1994- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that parodies could be considered fair use, impacting music copyright law.

Parody Protected In 2 Live Crew Case
1994-The Supreme Court rules that parody constitutes fair use in deciding that 2 Live Crew's version of Roy Orbison's "(Oh) Pretty Woman" (where the woman is now big and hairy) is legal.

1988-The drag queen Divine (Glenn Milstead) dies of a heart attack at age 42.More

1987-The first four Beatles albums are released on compact disc: Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale. This marks the first time the band's official UK albums have been available as standard Beatles albums in the US, many being presented for the first time in America in their original mono mixes.

1987-The Beastie Boys appear on Soul Train, where they perform "Brass Monkey." They win over host Don Cornelius, who tells them, "You're very chilling, very hip, and we like your music."

1987- Beastie Boys’ debut album Licensed to Ill became the first hip-hop album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, featuring hits like “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)”.

1985-The song "We are the World" is released as a single, soon achieving massive chart success all around the world. The song, written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, is recorded for charity to help battle famine in Africa. The supergroup USA for Africa brought together for the recording features a stunning list of big names in music - everyone from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan to Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper and Dionne Warwick.

1983-Bananarama release their debut album, Deep Sea Skiving, featuring a hit cover of Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and the Top 10 UK entry "Shy Boy."

Tears For Fears Release Debut Album
1983-The English new wave duo Tears For Fears release their debut album, The Hurting, featuring the melancholic "Mad World." The album is inspired by the work of American psychologist Arthur Janov, founder of primal therapy.

1980-The Loretta Lynn biopic Coal Miner's Daughter, directed by Michael Apted, debuts in theaters. Sissy Spacek, who does her own singing, wins an Oscar for her portrayal of the country singer. Beverly D'Angelo costars as Lynn's mentor Patsy Cline.

1983-The Songwriter's Hall of Fame inducts Neil Sedaka and Stevie Wonder into their ranks during their annual New York ceremony.

1983-New Order release "Blue Monday," which becomes the biggest-selling 12-inch single of all time. The track is reissued twice by the band: in 1988 and 1995. Despite massive success in Europe and on the specialist dance chart, only the 1988 Quincy Jones remix makes it to the mainstream Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #68.

1979-The Police get a badly needed break when they play the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas, where the radio station KLBJ has been playing their single "Roxanne," the first station in America to do so. The song starts to catch on, and seven weeks later peaks at #32, giving the band their first hit.

1979- The 5th People’s Choice Awards recognized Burt Reynolds, Olivia Newton-John, Alan Alda, Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol Burnett for their contributions to music and entertainment.

1976-Elton John becomes the first rock star since The Beatles to be immortalized at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London.

1975- David Bowie released his ninth studio album, Young Americans, featuring John Lennon on two tracks; it peaked at No. 9 in the US and No. 2 in the UK.

1973-Columbia A&R giant John Hammond suffers a non-fatal heart attack at an early show by one of his proteges, Bruce Springsteen.

1973-Columbia Records throw a party at Max's Kansas City in New York City to celebrate the newest addition to the label's roster, Bruce Springsteen.

1973- Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell’s Dueling Banjos became one of the first instrumental tracks to be certified Gold in the US.

1972- Roberta Flack released The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, which became Billboard’s Song of the Year.

1971-Saxophonist/flautist Harold McNair (of Ginger Baker's Airforce) dies of lung cancer at age 39.

1970: Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water began a ten-week run at the top of the US album chart, with the title track topping both US and UK singles charts.

1970-Neil Young and Crazy Horse record "Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown" at the Fillmore East in New York City. Featuring Horse guitarist Danny Whitten on vocals, the song is later included on Tonight's the Night, the album inspired by his death.

1968-Elvis Presley records "Wonderful World," "Edge Of Reality," and "A Little Less Conversation."

1967-Randy Guss (drummer for Toad the Wet Sprocket) is born.

1967-Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin officially divorce after six years of marriage.

1967- Clark Gesner’s musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown opened in NYC, running for 1,597 performances.

1966-Mike Millward (of The Fourmost) dies of leukemia at age 23.

1966-Bob Dylan records "Absolutely Sweet Marie."

1966- Brian Wilson released his first solo single, Caroline No, which later appeared on the Beach Boys’ acclaimed album Pet Sounds.

1965- The Beatles’ Eight Days a Week reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, adding to their string of chart-topping hits.

1963- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman recorded their self-titled album at Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey.

1962-The Beatles record their first radio show, performing three cover songs for the BBC show Teenager's Turn - Here We Go in front of a live audience at the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester, England. It's their first appearance wearing suits.

1962-Taylor Dayne is born Leslie Wunderman. She took her stage name when she released her hit single "Tell It To My Heart."

1957-The Tune Weavers record "Happy Happy Birthday Baby."

1955- The musical Peter Pan, starring Mary Martin, was broadcast live on NBC, attracting a record 65 million viewers.

1953-Circuit Judge Vincent M. Brennan sings "April Showers" to prove he is musically qualified after giving his decision in a contract suit.

1952-Ernie Isley (of The Isley Brothers) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1946-Peter Wolf (lead vocalist for The J. Geils Band) is born Peter Walter Blankfield in the Bronx, New York.

1946-Matthew Fisher (organist for Procol Harum) is born in Croydon, England.

1945-Arthur Lee (frontman for the rock band Love) is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1944-Townes Van Zandt is born in Fort Worth, Texas.

1943-Chris White (bass guitarist for The Zombies) is born in England.

1942-Disco drummer Bohannon is born in Newnan, Georgia.

1939-Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians record "Auld Lang Syne."

1923-Mahlon Clark (clarinetist with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra) is born in Portsmouth, Virginia.

1923- Tango singer-songwriter Carlos Gardel applied for Argentine citizenship, marking a key moment in his international career.

1918-Lena Guilbert Ford, who wrote the lyric to "Keep The Home Fires Burning," is killed in a zeppelin raid on her London home.

1917-"The Dixie Jass Band One Step," by Nick LaRocca's Original Dixieland Jass Band (Victor 18255), becomes the first jazz recording released for sale in the US.

1896 W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan premiered their 14th and final comic opera, The Grand Duke, at the Savoy Theatre in London.

1887- Composer Heino Eller was born.

1875-Composer Maurice Ravel is born in France.

1858- Composer Nikolai Artzibushev was born.