In 1955, Slim Whitman's "Rose Marie" rose to the top of the UK singles chart where it would stay for 11 weeks. It was a record that would last 36 years until Bryan Adams spent 16 weeks at the top with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You".
On July 23, 1955, Chuck Berry released "Maybellene," his first single and first hit. "Maybellene" is considered one of the pioneering rock and roll singles: Rolling Stone magazine wrote, "Rock & roll guitar starts here." The record is an early instance of the complete rock and roll package: youthful subject matter, small guitar-driven combo, clear diction, and an atmosphere of unrelenting excitement. The song was a major hit among both black and white audiences and it was quickly covered by several other artists after its initial release. In 1988 "Maybellene" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its influence as a rock and roll single. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included "Maybellene" in their list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list. The song sold one million copies by the end of 1955.In 1962, singer/actor James Darren appeared on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1963, at a studio in Winnipeg, Manitoba, high school student Neil Young and his band the Squires recorded their first single, a surf instrumental called "The Sultan."
In 1963, Freddy Cannon guested on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1964, the Beatles were at #1 on the UK singles chart with "A Hard Day's Night," the group's fifth UK #1.
In 1964, the Beatles performed at the Night of a Hundred Stars in London.
In 1966, the Cavern Club in Liverpool was reopened by Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
In 1965, ABC-TV's "Where The Action Is" featured performances by the Kinks, Linda Scott, Jimmy Velvet, and Steve Alaimo.
The song has the distinction of being the song to drop the furthest within the Top 40 in a single week. It charted for five weeks during 1966; in week 3 it peaked at #3, it scored #5 in week 4, and fell to #37 in week 5. This was due to radio programmers removing the song from their playlists, fearing an adverse reaction from people who might consider the song as ridiculing the mentally ill. This occurred most notably in the New York market, where both the New York Top 40 music radio stations of the time, WABC and WMCA, banned broadcasting of the song.
In 1966, The Troggs led the Cashbox Best Sellers chart with their version of "Wild Thing". Lead singer Reg Presley would later say that after hearing the song for the first time, he was hesitant to record it because the words were " so corny."
In 1966, the Turtles and Donna Loren performed on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1966, Frank Sinatra had the top selling album in the US with 'Strangers In The Night.' The LP would be the most successful of his career, being certified Platinum for 1 million copies sold in the US. The title track would earn him two Grammy awards for Record Of The Year and Best Male Vocal Performance.
In 1966, country star Roger Miller reaches Billboard's Hot 100 with a novelty tune called "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd." It will climb to #40.
Also in 1966, "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb enters the Billboard charts, where it will reach #2 during an 11 week run. The song was written about Bobby's brother, who had been killed by a mugger in 1963, and started out as an album filler until it was picked for a single release. The record rose to #12 in the UK.
In 1968, the Iveys, later known as Badfinger, signed with Apple Records.
In 1969, the Rolling Stones were at #1 on the UK singles chart with "Honky Tonk Women," the group's 8th and last UK #1 hit.
In 1969, James Brown walks out of L.A. Mayor Sam Yorty's office when the mayor fails to show up at 10 a.m. as promised. Yorty was going to present Brown with a proclamation declaring James Brown Day.
In 1971, the Rolling Stones and the late Brian Jones' father sue ex-manager Allen Klein for $29 million over the mismanagement of funds.
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In 1976, the Spinners hosted "The Midnight Special" on NBC-TV, with guests the Captain & Tennille, Starbuck, Eric Carmen, and Henry Gross.
In 1977, Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham was charged with assault after a concert at the Oakland Coliseum in California. Bonham and band manager Peter Grant had the help of their bodyguard in roughing up a security employee at the venue. After pleading guilty to misdemeanors, the accused settle out of court for two million dollars. The tour would eventually be cancelled after Robert Plant's son died a few days later.
Also in 1977, Who drummer Keith Moon joined Led Zeppelin on stage during a gig at The Forum, Inglewood, Los Angeles playing a duet with Zeppelin drummer John Bonham before taking to the microphone and attempting to sing.
In 1977, Carly Simon released the single "Nobody Does it Better."
In 1977, Peter Frampton had the best selling single in America with "I'm In You". Both the song and the album of the same name would go on to reach Platinum status.
In 1977, although it failed to catch on in the UK, "Looks Like We Made It" becomes Barry Manilow's third US number one single. The song had been written by Richard Kerr, the same man who wrote the music for Manilow's first number one, "Mandy."
In 1977, Donna Summer's Disco hit "I Feel Love" tops the UK chart in the first of a four week stay.
In 1979, the Ayatollah Khomenini bans all forms of Rock 'n' Roll in Iran, claiming it has a corrupting influence.
In 1979, keyboard player with the Grateful Dead Keith Godchaux died after being involved in a car accident aged 32. He co-wrote songs with Lowell George (of Little Feat) and was a member of The New Riders of the Purple Sage.
In 1983, 'Synchronicity,' by the Police went to #1 on the Billboard album chart for the first of seventeen weeks.
In 1985,. bandleader Kay Kaiser, a popular radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s, died of heart failure at age 80.
In 1987, the remaining Beatles sued EMI for $40 million in back royalties and the rights to their catalog.
In 1988, after forty-nine weeks on the US album chart, 'Hysteria' by Def Leppard went to the #1 position.
In 1988, Richard Marx went to #1 on the US singles chart with "Hold On To The Nights," his first US #1 single.
In 1989, Ringo Starr launched his first tour since the break-up of The Beatles with a show in Dallas. Starr began the concert with his 1971 hit "It Don't Come Easy". His backup band included guitarist Joe Walsh, organist Billy Preston and Bruce Springsteen's sax man Clarence Clemons.In 1990, filming began on the movie Falling From Grace. It is John Mellencamps acting and directing debut.
In 1994, the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter after Frank Zappa, who had died the previous December.
In 1995, two R.E.M. fans died at Dublin's Slane Castle gig, one drowned in the River Boyne and the other was allegedly pushed from a bridge.
In 1996, Rob Collins, keyboard player with the Charlatans died in a car crash, aged 29. Collins had been recording keyboard parts for the Charlatans 5th album ‘Tellin' Stories’ at a studio in Wales. An investigation into the accident showed that Collins had consumed a sizable amount of alcohol and was not wearing a seatbelt. He died from head injuries on the roadside shortly after the accident having been thrown through the windscreen.
In 1996, singer/songwriter Fiona Apple released her debut album, 'Tidal.'
In 1998, Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley was advised by his doctor to not sing for a month as treatment for his throat problems, forcing the band to cancel the remainder of its US tour dates.
In 1999, singer John Hiatt replaced Talking Heads frontman David Byrne as host for the third and final season of the PBS-TV performance series "Sessions at West 54th."
In 2000, *NSYNC went to #1 on the US singles chart with "It's Gonna Be Me."
In 2000, the Corrs started a two-week run at #1 on the UK album chart with 'In Blue.'
In 2001, 59 year old Paul McCartney, who lost his first wife Linda to cancer three years ago, becomes engaged to 33 year old Heather Mills, an activist for the disabled. It will be the first marriage for the 33-year-old Mills, a former swimwear model whose left leg was amputated below the knee after she was run down by a police motorcyclist in 1993. The pair would split in 2006 and divorce in 2008 with a settlement that cost Macca millions.
In 2001, Megadeth is banned from performing in Malaysia after the government deemed their imagery as inappropriate for youths.
In 2004, guitarist Bill Brown died of smoke inhalation in a house fire. Member of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and the Titanic Blues Band.
In 2005, accordionist Myron Floren, longtime cast member of TV's "The Lawrence Welk Show," died of cancer at age 85.
In 2005, Queen's 1985 Live Aid performance was voted the best rock concert ever by over 7,000 UK Sony Ericsson music fans. Radiohead were voted the best festival act for their 1997 Glastonbury performance and Bob Dylan's 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall gig won the best ever solo gig.
In 2007, Motown songwriter Ron Miller died of cardiac arrest after a long battle with emphysema and cancer at 74.
In 2008, Kid Rock was sentenced to a year on probation and fined $1,000 (£501) for his part in a fight in an Atlanta waffle restaurant in 2007. The 37-year-old, also received 80 hours community service and six hours of anger management counselling. The rapper pleaded no contest to one count of battery. Four other assault charges were dropped. Kid Rock had been performing at a gig in Atlanta before stopping off in his tour bus in the early hours of the morning. The fight took place when an argument broke out with another customer at the restaurant.
In 2008, a waxwork model of Amy Winehouse was unveiled at Madame Tussauds. The singer's parents, Mitch and Janis, revealed the model, ‘complete with trademark beehive and sailor tattoos,' at the London attraction. Earlier in the week her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, was jailed for 27 months for attacking a pub landlord and perverting the course of justice.
In 2009, on the afternoon of tonight's concert at First Energy Park, Lakewood, New Jersey, Bob Dylan was picked up by a young policewoman who had been alerted of a man who was 'acting suspiciously'. The police officer drove up to Dylan, who was wearing a blue jacket, and asked him his name, but she did not recognise him. When he was unable to produce any identification, Dylan was driven to his hotel where staff were able to vouch for him. The incident happened when Dylan decided to go for a walk in the afternoon while on tour with Willie Nelson who were due to perform at the local baseball stadium with John Mellencamp.
In 2010, surgical instruments allegedly used to conduct Elvis Presley's autopsy were removed from an upcoming auction amid doubts about their authenticity. Forceps, needle injectors, rubber gloves and a toe tag were among the items that were expected to fetch about $14,000 at Chicago, Illinois' Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. The so-called "memorabilia" was supposedly kept by a senior embalmer at the Memphis Funeral Home where the singer's body was stored prior to his funeral, but the claims were questioned after another employee revealed that the equipment was sterilized and used again in other autopsies.
In 2011, a yellow Ferrari previously owned by Eric Clapton sold for £66,500 at auction. The rare 2003 Ferrari 575 Maranello, which had only 10,000 miles on the clock, was snapped up by a private buyer at a sale at the Classic Car Sale at Silverstone, Northamptonshire, England. The yellow Maranello was bought new by Mr Clapton, who signed its service book, was later sold to BBC radio presenter Chris Evans.
