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 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.

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.