In 1959, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, Ronnie Hawkins & the Hawks recorded "Mary Lou."
In 1960, Dick Clark told the US House of Representatives that he had never taken payola for the records he featured on his show "American Bandstand." Clark relinquished the rights to music publishing that he owned. The value of those rights, Clark indicated later, amounted to about $80 million.
In 1961, folksinger/songwriter Cisco Houston, who frequently recorded with Woody Guthrie, died of stomach cancer at age 42.
In 1962, "Soldier Boy" by the Shirelles was the #1 song.
In 1963, publicist Andrew Oldham and agent Eric Easton signed a management deal with The Rolling Stones after buying the rights to the bands first recordings for £90. They also persuade keyboard player Ian Stewart to drop out of the line up and become the bands road manager, (and still play piano at the back of the stage).
In 1963, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Roy Orbison recorded "Mean Woman Blues."
In 1965, Jimmy Nicol, the drummer who stood in for Ringo Starr during a Beatles Australian tour in 1964, appeared in a London Court faced with bankruptcy with debts of £4,000. Later in the year he would join the successful Swedish group, The Spotnicks, recording with them and twice touring the world. As for his eight show stint with The Beatles, Nicol would later say "Standing in for Ringo was the worst thing that ever happened to me. Until then I was quite happy earning thirty or forty pounds a week. After the headlines died, I began dying too."
In 1967, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Cindy Birdsong made her stage debut as a member of the Supremes, temporarily filling in for founding member Florence Ballard, whose battle with alcoholism was causing her to miss an increasing number of scheduled performances. Birdsong left the Bluebelles to join the Supremes as Ballard's official replacement in July 1967.
In 1967, Jimi Hendrix, the Walker Brothers, Engelbert Humperdink and Cat Stevens played two shows at Bournemouth Winter Gardens, England.
In 1967, the 14 hour Technicolour Dream benefit party for The International Times was held at Alexandra Palace in London. Seeing the event mentioned on TV, John Lennon called his driver and went to the show. Coincidentally, Yoko Ono was one of the performers. Other acts to appear included The Flies, Pink Floyd, Arthur Brown, The Move and Susie Creamcheese.
In 1969, bandleader/composer Duke Ellington celebrated his 70th birthday by being honored with the presentation of the Medal of Freedom, the US government's highest civilian honor.
In 1969, Ringo Starr added his vocal to "Octopus's Garden" for the forthcoming Beatles "Abbey Road" album. It was only the second time that one of Ringo's own compositions had been recorded by the band, the first being "Don't Pass Me By" in 1968.
In 1970, George Harrison told reporters that the Beatles would reunite eventually and announced plans for his first post-Beatles solo album.
In 1970, Rick Nelson and Doug Kershaw were guests on Johnny Cash's ABC-TV music variety show.
In 1971, concert promoter Bill Graham announced his plan to close both the east and west coast versions of his rock venue, the Fillmore.
In 1972, New York Mayor John Lindsay intervened in the immigration proceedings against John Lennon. Lindsay called attempts by the US government to deport Lennon "a grave injustice in light of Lennon's unique contributions to music and art." Lennon was granted permanent resident status in the US in 1976.
Also in 1972, a Detroit, Michigan band called Gallery enters the Billboard Hot 100 with "Nice To Be With You", which will rise to #4 during its 13 week run. They will follow with two more Top 20 hits, "I Believe In Music" (#22) and "Big City Miss Ruth Ann" (#23) over the next eight months.
In 1973, more than 15,000 people attending a rock concert by Elvin Bishop, Canned Heat, Buddy Miles and Fleetwood Mac are routed from a baseball stadium in Stockton, California, by police firing tear-gas canisters. More than 80 people, including 28 police officers, are hurt and fifty arrests are made.
In 1976, Bruce Springsteen, who was enjoying his first rush of fame and had just played a concert in Memphis, decided to catch a cab to Graceland. Noticing a light on at the house, he climbed the wall and ran to the front door. As he was about to knock, security guards interceded. He recalls asking, "Is Elvis home?" Answer: "No, Elvis isn't home, he's in Lake Tahoe." Springsteen attempted to impress the guards by saying he was a recording star and had recently made the covers of TIME and Newsweek, as he was politely escorted to the street.
In 1977, the Temptations, the most successful male vocal group of the 1960's and early '70s, left Motown Records after 17 years. They signed with Atlantic, but after recording two unsuccessful Disco albums, the Temps were later lured back to Motown by Berry Gordy Jr.
In 1977, the Kinks performed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
In 1977, the Grateful Dead played the first of five nights at the New York Palladium, New York, NYC.
In 1980, Black Sabbath began their first tour with Ronnie James Dio as singer.
In 1981, in London at a Christie's auction house, Elton John paid $23,400 for 232 "Goon Show" radio scripts from programs that had been broadcast during the 1950s.
In 1988, Eric Clapton filed for a divorce from Patti "Layla" Boyd.
In 1989, at the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, Porter Wagoner joined Dolly Parton on stage for the first of four sold-out shows, marking the first time they had performed together since their split in 1976.
In 1990, Floyd Butler of the Friends of Distinction, died of a heart attack at the age of 49. Had the US #3 single "Grazing In The Grass" in 1969.
In 1990, the TV-movie "Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys," starring Bruce Greenwood, Greg Kean, Arlen Dean Snyder, Casey Sander, Bo Foxworth, Wendy Foxworth, and Linda Dona, aired on ABC.
In 1993, guitarist, producer, Mick Ronson died of liver cancer aged 46. Ronson recorded and toured with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973. Released the 1974 solo album 'Slaughter On Tenth Avenue'. Ronson co-produced Lou Reed's album 'Transformer,' also part of Hunter Ronson Band with Ian Hunter. Also worked with Morrissey, Slaughter & The Dogs, The Wildhearts, The Rich Kids, Elton John, Johnny Cougar, T-Bone Burnett.
In 1998, Steven Tyler broke his knee at a concert in Anchorage, Alaska delaying Aerosmith's 'Nine Lives' tour and necessitating camera angle adjustments for the filming of the video for "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."
In 1999, Tommy Lee announced that he had quit Motley Crue to devote time to his new band, Methods of Mayhem, and his family.
In 2007, Arctic Monkeys started a three week run at #1 on the UK album chart with their second album 'Favourite Worst Nightmare.'
In 2007, Avril Lavigne was at #1 on the US album chart with her third album 'The Best Damn Thing', also a #1 on the UK chart.
In 2009, an anonymous Queen fan won a two-hour one-to-one guitar lesson with Brian May, after bidding £7,600 (approximately $11,900) at a private charity auction. The auction, in support of the Action for Brazil's Children Trust, of which May is a patron, was held at the exclusive Cuckoo Club in London.
In 2011, principal trumpeter for Britain's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, David Mason, who played piccolo trumpet on the Beatles'"Penny Lane" and also contributed to their recordings of "A Day In The Life,""Magical Mystery Tour," and "All You Need Is Love," died of leukemia at age 85.
In 2012, country music singer Kenny Roberts, who performed with rock 'n' roll pioneer Bill Haley in the late 1940s when both were members of the Down Homers, died at the age of 85.
In 2013, Scottish singer Emeli Sande made UK chart history when her first album, 'Our Version Of Events,' notched 63 consecutive weeks in the Top Ten of the UK's Official Album Chart. That broke a 50-year-old record held by the Beatles''Please Please Me,' which spent 62 weeks in the Top Ten in 1963 and 1964.
