On This Day In History

[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 recognised 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.