In 1942, after recording it with a small combo two years earlier, Lionel Hampton recorded his most renowned version of "Flying Home," with a big band and new arrangement that featured a lengthy solo by saxophonist Illinois Jacquet.
In 1953, after hitchhiking to the event, Elvis Presley won second prize in a Meridian, Mississippi talent show.
In 1955, at Universal Recording in Chicago, Pat Boone recorded "Ain't That A Shame."
In 1956, Liberace gave a three-hour solo piano performance for an audience of 16,000 at New York City's Madison Square Garden.
In 1956, two months after nearly dying in a car crash while heading to his scheduled appearance on the program, Carl Perkins finally appeared on NBC-TV's "The Perry Como Show."
In 1958, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, Paul Anka, George Hamilton IV and Johnny Nash, with narrator Bill Givens, recorded "The Teen Commandments."
In 1962, Mr. Aker Bilk became the first British artist to have a #1 record in America when his clarinet laden instrumental "Stranger On The Shore" topped the Hot 100. It made #2 in the UK.
In 1965, the Rolling Stones appear on TV's Rock 'n' Roll show, Shindig! along with Jackie De Shannon, Sonny And Cher and Jimmie Rodgers.
In 1966, the Rolling Stones were at #1 on the UK singles chart with "Paint It, Black," their sixth UK #1 single.
In 1966, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Elvis Presley recorded "Love Letters."
In 1967, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles released the single "More Love."
In 1968, R&B artist Little Willie John died of a heart attack in prison after being convicted of manslaughter. The artist, born William Edward John, was the first to record Eddie Cooley and John Davenport’s “Fever” (also covered by Peggy Lee in 1958) and Mertis John, Jr.’s “Need Your Love So Bad” (later covered by Fleetwood Mac). James Brown recorded a tribute album the same year, titled Thinking about Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things.
In 1968, Pink Floyd, Blonde On Blonde and The Pretty Things all appeared at the OZ magazine benefit at the Middle Earth Club, Covent Garden, London, England. OZ was a satirical humour magazine, founded by Richard Neville and based in Sydney, Australia from 1963. In its second and better-known incarnation it became a counter-culture magazine, based in London from 1967 to 1973.
In 1969, John and Yoko began a seven-day “bed-in” in room 1742 of the hotel La Reine Elizabeth in Montreal, Canada to promote world peace. During their seven day stay, they invited Timothy Leary, Tommy Smothers, Dick Gregory, Murray the K, Al Capp, Allen Ginsberg and others, and all but Capp sang on the peace anthem "Give Peace a Chance," recorded by André Perry in the hotel room on June 1. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation conducted interviews from the hotel room.
In 1972, just when Mott the Hoople were on the brink of breaking up, David Bowie offered the group two of his new songs: “Suffragette City,” which they turned down, and “All the Young Dudes,” which they recorded. The song gave the group a #3 hit in the U.K. and made the Top 40 in the U.S.
In 1973, the Edgar Winter Group went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Frankenstein.” The instrumental was the band’s only U.S. #1 (it reached #18 in the U.K.). In addition to Winter’s wild keyboards, the song also featured ex-McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. In live performances of the song, Edgar Winter further pioneered the advancement of the synthesizer as a lead instrument by becoming the first person ever to strap a keyboard instrument around his neck.
In 1974, 14-year old Bernadette Whelan was crushed by the crowd at a London concert of teen idol David Cassidy. She would die four days later. Cassidy is so shaken by the incident, he wouldn't tour again for 11 years.
In 1976, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant launch into a drunken verbal assault of first class passengers on a transatlantic British Airways flight. Among those on board were actors Telly Savalas and Dudley Moore.
In 1977, KISS provided a vial of their blood to Marvel Comics to be mixed with the ink in a KISS comic book.
In 1977, William Powell, an original member of the O'Jays, died in Canton, Ohio after a long bout with cancer. Powell sang with the group until he was forced to quit in 1976 because of ill-health. He was just 35 years old.
In 1984, former backing singer with Stevie Wonder, Deniece Williams started a 2 week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Let's Hear It For The Boy," taken from the film 'Footlose', a #2 hit in the UK.
In 1987, pianist/record producer Art Snider died of cancer at the age of 60. From the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, Snider owned and operated Toronto-based Chateau Records, the label that released Gordon Lightfoot's first recordings.
In 1989, to demonstrate the power of radio, over 8,000 stations in the US go silent for 30 seconds at 7:42am.
In 1990, for the first time ever the Top five positions on the US singles chart were held by female artists; Madonna was at #1 with "Vogue," Heart were at #2, Sinead O'Connor #3, Wilson Phillips at #4 and Janet Jackson was at #5.
In 1993, Singapore lifted its decades-old ban on the music of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Chicago, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.
In 1995, the Rolling Stones played two semi-acoustic concerts at the Paradiso Amserdam over two days. Keith Richards later said that the Paradiso concerts were the best live shows the Stones ever did. The venue is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century, subsequently squatted in 1967 by hippies who wanted to convert the church into an entertainment club. Artists who have recorded concerts at the Paradiso include Joy Division, Willie Nelson, Phish, Nirvana, the Cure, Lenny Kravitz, Nick Cave, Dave Matthews and Amy Winehouse.
In 1999, the Manic Street Preachers refused to play a show the celebrate the opening of the Wales parliament because of the presence of Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2000, drummer Tommy Lee was jailed for five days for drinking alcohol. Lee appeared in front of a LA court charged with violating his probation by consuming alcohol, an act that directly contravenes the terms of his parole.
In 2002, the first episode of 'At Home With The Osbournes' was shown on MTV in the UK. Already becoming a hit in the the US, the show focused on the madman and his family (his wife Sharon, and two of their three children). Oblivious to the camera, they bicker, squabble, curse and hang out backstage at Ozzy shows.
In 2004, "Burn" by Usher was the #1 song.
In 2008, 65 year old Paul McCartney was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University. University President Richard Levin told McCartney "Here, there and everywhere, you have pushed the boundaries of the familiar to create new classics. We admire your musical genius and your generous support of worthy causes." A band played "Hey Jude" as 65-year-old Sir Paul walked on stage to accept his degree.
In 2009, a US judge ended a bitter two-year battle over the late Soul singer James Brown's estate. Judge Jack Early ruled half of his assets will go to a charitable trust, a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to his six adult children. Brown's family and wife Tomi Rae Hynie Brown had fought over his fortune since he died of heart failure in 2006
In 2010, the Season 9 final of TV's American Idol featured guest appearances by Alice Cooper, Barry and Robin Gibb, Hall And Oates, Joe Cocker, Janet Jackson and The Doobie Brothers' Michael McDonald.
In 2011, Phil Spector had his latest attempt to overturn his murder conviction rejected by California court officials. The 71-year-old record producer was found guilty of the murder of actress Lana Clarkson and sentenced to 19 years to life behind bars in 2009.
In 2013, Paul McCartney visited Graceland and dropped a personal guitar pick on Elvis Presley's grave, saying it was "So Elvis can play in heaven."
In 2013, Clarence Burke, lead singer of the Five Stairsteps, who had a Billboard #8 hit with "O-o-h Child" in 1970, died one day after his 64th birthday.
