Anniversaries
1956-Eddie Cochran signed a one year contract with Liberty Records, Cochran gaveLiberty three top 40 hits over the next several years including ‘Summertime Blues,’ ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ and ‘C’mon Everybody’.
1957-Reet Petite' by Jackie Wilson was released for the first time, it became a UK No. 1, 29 years later. During a 1975 benefit concert, Wilson collapsed on-stage from a heart attack and subsequently fell into a coma that persisted for nearly nine years until his death in 1984.
1968-The Beatles were seen performing ‘Hey Jude’ on the UK television show 'Frost On Sunday' in front of an invited audience. The song was the first single from The Beatles' record label Apple Records and at over seven minutes in length, 'Hey Jude' was, at the time, the longest single ever to top the British charts. It also spent nine weeks as No.1 in the United States—the longest run at the top of the American charts for a Beatles' single.
1968-Led Zeppelin appeared at Raventlow Parken, Nykobing, Falster, Denmark supported by The Beatnicks and The Ladybirds, (who were a all girl topless go-go dancing outfit). This was the group's third ever live gig.
1973-Marvin Gaye Gaye started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Let's Get It On', his second US No.1, only reached No.31 in the UK.
1974-Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills Nash & Young and The Beach Boys all appeared at the New York 'Summersault '74' at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury.
1977-Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch left Wings to help re-form the Small Faces. McCulloch had played with Paul McCartney band on the Venus and Mars and Wings At the Speed of Sound albums, as well as on the Wings Over America tour. He died two years later at the age of 26. Drummer Joe English also left Wings at this time, joining Sea Level.
1979-Led Zeppelin scored their eighth UK No.1 album when 'In Through The Out Door' went to the top of the charts for two weeks. The eighth studio album by Zeppelin, was their final album of entirely new material.
1984-Stevie Wonder had his first UK No.1 with 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. Taken from the film 'The Woman In Red', it was 18 years after Wonder's chart debut in 1966. The song stayed at No.1 for six weeks.
1990-Jon Bon Jovi went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Blaze Of Glory', a No.2 in the UK. The track appeared in the motion picture Young Guns II, for which it was originally recorded.
1993-Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love appeared on stage together at a show in Hollywood. They performed a song they wrote together 'Penny Royal Tea'.
1997-Derek Taylor the publicist for The Beatles died aged 67. Taylor had been responsible for many of the legends surrounding their career and had also worked with The Beach Boys and The Byrds. In 1967 he helped organise the Monterey Pop Festival together with Lou Adler and John Philips. He helped launch the Beatles Anthology trilogy in the 90s.
2002-Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson started his new job as an airline pilot. The heavy metal singer qualified as a £35,000 - a year first officer with Gatwick based airline Astraeus who took holidaymakers to Portugal and Egypt.
2003-David Bowie performed the first interactive concert when his performance was beamed live into 21 cinemas from Warsaw to Edinburgh. Members of the audience talked to Bowie via microphones linked to ISDN lines and took requests for songs from fans.
2005-Rod Stewart was ordered to pay a Las Vegas casino $2m (£1.1m) for missing a New Year concert in 2000. Stewart had said he was unable to play at the Rio hotel and casino because his voice disappeared after an operation to remove a cancerous thyroid tumour. The singer said his voice only recovered in time to begin a world tour in June 2001 and he had since performed 150 shows.
2007-A commemorative plaque dedicated to Don Arden and the Small Faces was unveiled at 52–55 Carnaby Street, London, Arden's former offices. Arden achieved notoriety in Britain for his aggressive, sometimes illegal business tactics and looked after the career's of Small Faces, the Move, the Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath. He was the father of Sharon Osbourne (and father-in-law of Ozzy Osbourne).
2011-Jury selection began for the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. Prospective jurors were asked to fill out a 30-page questionnaire to determining their level of knowledge of the case and any strong views about Jackson or Murray.
Birthdays
1897-Jimmie Rodgers singer, songwriter, the first country music star. Was the first person to be elected into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Rodgers died on 26th May 1933.
1932-Patsy Cline country music singer. Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht's and Alan Block's 'Walkin' After Midnight', Hank Cochran's and Harlan Howard's 'I Fall to Pieces', Willie Nelson's 'Crazy' and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's 'Sweet Dreams'. She died aged 30 on 5 March 1963 at the height of her career in a plane crash. Ten years after her death, in 1973, she became the first female solo artist inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1942-Brian Cole, bass, vocals, The Association, (1967 US No.1 single 'Windy'). Cole died on 2nd August 1972.
1942-Sal Spampinato, The Beau Brummels, (1965 US No.8 single, 'Just A Little.')
1945-English musician Kelly Groucutt, bassist, with Electric Light Orchestra, who had the 1979 UK No.3 & US No.4 single 'Don't Bring Me Down' plus 26 other Top 40 hits. Groucutt began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki Storm and the Falcons. He died from a heart attack on 19 February 2009 aged 63.
1945-Ron McKernan, organ, and one of the founding members of Grateful Dead who played in the group from 1965 to 1972. By 1971, his health had been affected by alcoholism and liver damage and doctors advised him to stop touring. He died on 8th March 1973 from cirrhosis of the liver aged 27.
1947-Benjamin Orr bass, vocals, The Cars, who had the 1978 UK No.3 single 'My Best Friend's Girl.' Their 1984 US No.3 & 1985 UK No.4 'Drive' was used as part of the soundtrack for the Live Aid concert. Orr died of cancer in Atlanta on 3 October 2000, aged 53.
1960-Aimee Mann, US singer songwriter, member of Til Tuesday, solo, (1993 album 'Whatever').
1960-David Steele, from British band Fine Young Cannibals, who had the 1989 UK No.5 single 'She Drives Me Crazy', and as a member of The Beat had the 1983 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Can't Get Used To Losing You'.
1979-Pink, (Alicia Moore), 2001 UK No.2 single 'Get The Party Started', 2001 US & UK No.1 single with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Mya 'Lady Marmalade'. Pink has become one of the most successful artists of her generation, having sold over 110 million records worldwide.
