Composer Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in 1770.
In 1955, Tennessee Ernie Ford's version of "Sixteen Tons" was #1 on both the Billboard Pop and Country & Western charts. The song was first recorded in 1946 by American Country singer Merle Travis.
In 1956, Elvis Presley gives his final performance on Louisiana Hayride, a live radio program that was broadcast on KWKH in Shreveport. Originally signed in October, 1954, Presley made 50 appearances on the show. The immediate and enormous demand for more of Presley's new kind of Rockabilly music actually resulted in a sharp decline in the popularity of the Louisiana Hayride, that until that point had been strictly a Country music venue.
In 1957, Bobby Helms'"Jingle Bell Rock" entered the Billboard Pop chart for the first time, where it will reach #6. It will make the chart again in December 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1962.
In 1960, returning from Hamburg, the Beatles appeared at the Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool. Chas Newby joined The Beatles on bass guitar (to replace Stuart Sutcliffe, who had remained in Hamburg), a position he would hold for only two weeks and four performances. When Newby bowed out to return to college, Paul McCartney became the Beatles' bass player.
In 1961, in Nashville, Patsy Cline recorded "She's Got You," the follow-up single to her two big hits, "I Fall to Pieces" and "Crazy." Released in late January 1962, the record was so successful that it earned her an appearance on "American Bandstand," became her first hit single in the UK, and led to Cline having her own show in Las Vegas the following November.
In 1962, Bob Dylan arrived in England for the first time; he played his first UK date the following night at the Troubadour Club in London.
In 1965, the Supremes and Judy Garland performed at the opening of the Astrodome in Houston.
In 1966, the Four Tops'"Standing in the Shadows of Love" entered the Billboard Hot 100. During a ten week stay, the tune will peak at #6. It also reaches #2 on the R&B chart.
In 1967, in London, John Lennon and George Harrison threw a party for the secretaries of their official Fan Club, during which their "Magical Mystery Tour" film was screened for the first time.
In 1968, the Who played their Xmas party at the Marquee Club, London. Also on the bill was a new group called Yes. Members 15 shillings, ($1.80) or £1 ($2.40) on the night. Other acts appearing at the club this month included Joe Cocker, Free and Led Zeppelin.
In 1969, novelty singer Tiny Tim and "Miss Vicki" Budinger were married on NBC-TV's "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson." The couple had a daughter before divorcing in 1977.
In 1975, Aerosmith and Blue Oyster Cult performed at the San Diego Sports Arena in southern California.
In 1976, a second remake of "A Star is Born," starring Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Gary Busey, Oliver Clark, and Sally Kirkland, opened in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters. It was the first Dolby surround sound film. The story had been told under the same title in a 1937 movie starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, and again in a 1954 film starring Judy Garland and James Mason.
In 1977, Elvis Costello appeared on NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live," where producer Lorne Michaels had refused to allow him to perform "Radio, Radio" because of the song's criticism of the broadcasting industry. Part way into his performance of "Less than Zero" on the live program, Costello halted his group and started singing "Radio, Radio" instead. He was never invited back.
In 1977, Mr David Ackroyd purchased the one-millionth copy of "Mull Of Kintyre," by Wings in the UK and became the first record buyer to receive a Gold Disc.
In 1977, George Harrison played an unannounced live set for the regulars at his local pub in Henley-On-Thames near his home in the UK.
In 1982, Karen Carpenter made her last public appearance, singing Christmas carols at Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California. Carpenter suffered from anorexia nervosa, the eating disorder which was a little-known illness at the time. She died at the age of 32 from heart failure, on February 4, 1983 caused by complications related to her illness.
In 1982, blues singer/songwriter/guitarist Big Joe Williams died at the age of 79.
In 1986, Paul McCartney's limo catches fire en route to a TV taping in Newcastle, England. Both he and his wife Linda escape unharmed.
In 1986, the Doobie Brothers reunite for a benefit in Palo Alto, California. The performance inspires a reunion tour the next year and leads to one last Billboard Top Ten hit, 1989's "The Doctor".
In 1987, Robert Plant played with his former group, Band of Joy, in Folkestone, England and, for the first time, played Led Zeppelin songs as a solo artist.
In 1994, a remixed version of the 4 Seasons'"December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" entered the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed for 27 weeks, just as it did when it first charted in 1976. The combined 54 weeks established a new record for longest total U.S. chart appearance. The song reached #1 during its first chart run and in its second visit climbed to #14.
In 1995, a statue of Frank Zappa was erected in Vilnius, Lithuania.
In 1999, in New York, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones stole a guitar from a fan outside Richards' birthday party at the Russian Tea Room restaurant. The fan refused to press charges, however, explaining, "It's Keith, man."
Also in 1999, jazz saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. collapsed and died after taping a four-tune performance for CBS-TV's "The Saturday Early Show." He was 56.
In 2000, Eminem was the subject of a sick Internet hoax after MTV reported that the rapper had been killed in a car crash en route to a party.
In 2004, Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie agreed to sell 85% of his estate to businessman Robert FX Sillerman in a deal worth $100 million. Under terms of the contract, Sillerman would run Presley's Memphis home, Graceland, would own Elvis' name and likeness, as well as the rights to his photographs and revenue from his music and films. Lisa Marie would retain possession of Graceland and many of her father's personal effects. The agreement paid her $53 million in cash and absolved her of $25 million in debts owed by the estate. She also received shares in the new company expected to be worth more than $20 million. Priscilla Presley, Elvis' ex-wife and Lisa Marie's mother, remained executive consultant to the business.
In 2004, the Libertines played their last show in Paris as opening act for P.J. Harvey. Harvey went on to say that this was also the last show she would ever play.
In 2005, according to a year-end list compiled by Billboard magazine, U2 had the top-grossing tour of 2005 at $260 million. The Eagles were second, followed by Neil Diamond, Kenny Chesney, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Elton John, the Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffett, and Green Day.
In 2006, saxophonist Dennis Payton of the Dave Clark Five died of cancer at the age of 63.
In 2009, Julian Lennon said he had finally forgiven his late father for walking out on him as a child. "I realized if I continued to feel that anger and bitterness towards my dad, I would have a cloud hanging over my head." After John Lennon was murdered in 1980, it was revealed that he had left very little to Julian in his will.
In 2010, in London, Paul McCartney performed an intimate lunchtime concert at the 100 Club, the historic music venue that was threatened with closure. Approximately 300 fans were treated to a set lasting almost two hours. A campaign to keep the 100 Club open had attracted support from many prominent UK musicians.
In 2012, Adele was named Billboard's top artist of 2012, while her hit record 21 was named top album of the year in the music magazine's annual review. The 24-year-old became the first to receive both accolades two years in a row. The year's top three songs were Gotye's Somebody That I Used to Know, Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe and Fun's We Are Young. respectively.
