ON THIS DAY :-
December 1st:
1957 - Two rock and roll acts made their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show: Sam Cooke ("You Send Me") & Buddy Holly & the Crickets with "That'll Be the Day"),
1960 - Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee were married. They eloped and married at Don Kirshners apartment in Elizabeth. NJ at 3am. The couple met in Rome while filming "Come September".
1964 - Ringo Starr, The Beatles drummer booked into University College Hospital to have his tonsils removed.
1968 - Janis Joplin made her final appearance with Big Brother & The Holding Company, before going solo. She formed 2 backing bands before her death in 1970.
1976 - The Sex Pistols appeared on the British TV "Today Show." In the interview Glenn Matlock said the word "f***." The result was the Sex Pistols being banned in several British cities.
1981 - Keyboard player Vince Clarke announced he was quitting Depeche Mode to form Yazoo with Alison Moyet.
1987 - A Kentucky teacher lost her appeal in the US Supreme Court over her sacking after showing Pink Floyd's film 'The Wall' to her class. The court decided that the film was not suitable for minors with its bad language and sexual content.
1989 - Sly Stone was sentenced to 55 days in jail for driving under the influence of cocaine.
1995 - Frank Sinatra is $2,072,000 richer after an auction of his possessions.
1999 - Jay-Z stabbed Lance Rivera at a party at Manhattan's Kit Kat Klub. Jay-Z plead guilty to misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to three years probation on September 17, 2001.
December 2nd:
1949 - Gene Autry's song "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," hit the record charts.
1959 - TV show "This Is Your Life." surprised Bobby Darin with his story.
1967 - Jimmie Rodgers singing career ended. He was found in his car with a fractured skull after a serious but non fatal accident.
1969 - Cindy Birdsong of the Supremes was kidnapped by the caretaker of her Hollywood apartment, who, while holding a knife to her throat, forces her to tie up her two visiting friends. He then forces her into a car and drives toward Long Beach, but the singer jumps from the car and escapes. The kidnapper was arrested in Las Vegas four days later.
1971 - Taj Mahal performed for the men on death row at Wilmington State Penitentiary.
1973 - The Who were jailed overnight after causing $6,000 worth of damage in their hotel room after a show.
1983 - MTV aired Michael Jackson's 14 minute "Thriller" video for the first time.
1986 - At a Eurythmics concert in Birmingham, singer Annie Lennox ripped off her bra while performing in front of 10,000 fans.
1986 - Jerry Lee Lewis checks into the Betty Ford Clinic to overcome a painkiller addition.
1995 - The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed that Ace of Base's "The Sign" was the best-selling debut of all time, with 19 million copies sold.
1997 - Whitney Houston pulled out of a concert sponsored by the Moonies two hours before she was due on stage. The religious group said they had no intention of suing providing the singer returned the $1m fee she had received.
2000 - Thieves broke into Madonna's home in London, forcing their way in through a basement door then took a set of car keys before loading up Guy Ritchie's car with some of the couple's possessions and driving off.
2003 - Justin Hawkins, singer, with Darkness was held for two hours at JFK Airport, New York after police mistook him for a wanted man with the same name and looks. The police let him go after Darkness manager, Sue Whitehouse, produced a tour schedule to prove that he was in England on July 4th.
December 3rd:
1925 - The first jazz concerto for piano and orchestra was presented at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Commissioned by Walter Damrosch, American composer George Gershwin presented "Concerto In F", and was also the featured soloist playing a flugelhorn in a slow, bluesy style as one of his numbers.
1965 - While performing "The Last Time." Keith Richards was electrocuted and knocked unconscious during a Rolling Stones concert in Sacramento, CA.
1966 - Ray Charles was fined $10,000 and given a five year suspended prison sentence after being convicted of possessing heroin and marijuana.
1969 - John Lennon was asked to play the title role in "Jesus Christ, Superstar." The offer was taken back the next day.
1971 - The Montreaux Casino was destroyed by fire during a show by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Deep Purple who were recording an album their at the time write the 'Smoke On The Water.'
1976 - In Kingston, Jamaica, seven gunman fired shots into Bob Marley's home while Bob and the Wailers were rehearsing. No one was seriously hurt.
1976 - The CAA issued a warning to all pilots that a flying pig was on the run, when a giant 40ft inflatable pig could be seen floating above London after breaking free from it's moorings. The pig had been photographed for Pink Floyd's 'Animals', album cover.
1978 - The Philadelphia Furies, a soccer team co-owned by Peter Frampton, Paul Simon and Mick Jagger, lost their first match in the North American League, 3-0 to the Washington Diplomats.
1979 - Eleven "Who" fans were trampled to death in the rush to get unreserved seats to the band's concert at Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum .
1986 - Judas Priest were sued by two family's, alleging that the band were responsible for their son's forming a suicide pact and shooting themselves after listening to Judas Priest Records for six hours.
1991 - Alan Feed received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1997 - Janet Jackson gets an injunction against Eric Leon Christian, who she claimed had been harassing her.
2002 - Peter Garrett quit Midnight Oil after 25 years.
December 4th:
1956 - The 'Million Dollar Quartet' jam session took place with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis recording together at Sun studios. The session would not be released for 25 years.
1971 - Led Zeppelin started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with the 'Four Symbols' album. Featuring the 8-minute track 'Stairway To Heaven', the album stayed on the US chart for 1 week short of 5 years, selling over 11 million copies.
1976 - Packers at EMI records went on strike, refusing to package the Sex Pistols single 'Anarchy In The UK.'
1980 - Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones made the announcement of their decision not to re-form Led Zeppelin in the wake of the death of drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham.
1987 - Madonna filed for divorce from actor Sean Penn. She changed her mind, but would file again in January 1988.
1988 - Roy Orbison gave his final concert in Akron, OH. He died two days later.
1989 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ruling that said that Prince did not steal the song, "U Got The Look" from his half-sister. Lorna Nelson claimed the lyrics were similar to ones she had written.
1995 - Michael Jackson appears with legendary mime Marcel Marceau at New York news conference promoting a Jackson special airing on HBO.
1999 - Rapper Jay-Z was released on $50,000 bail, after being accused of attacking Lance Rivera when a fight broke out at a party for rapper Q-Tip at a Manhattan Club.
2000 . . Irish singer Ronan Keating was dumped as chart topping boy band Westlife's manager. Ronan was told his services were no longer required. Westlife had scored seven No.1 UK singles with Ronan..
2004 - Budding pop star Ashlee Simpson faces negative publicity following the inadvertent exposure of a lip-synched appearance on "Saturday Night Live."
December 5th:
1936 - Bing Crosby took over as host of "The Kraft Music Hall". Jimmy Dorsey (who would later be host, himself) led the Kraft Orchestra.
1956 - Alan Freed's "Rock Rock Rock" film (with Connie Francis singing for Tuesday Weld) was released.
1968 - Graham Nash quit the Hollies. He announced the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash three days later.
1967 - Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Move and Amen Corner finished their package tour, this final night was at Green's Playhouse, Glasgow, Scotland.
1970 - 'Amazing Grace' by Judy Collins entered the UK singles chart for the first of eight times, it spent a total of 67 weeks on the chart never making the No.1 position.
1976 - Music weekly NME reviewed the Sex Pistols debut single 'Anarchy In The UK' saying 'Johnny Rotten sings flat, the song is laughably naive, and the overall feeling is of a third- rate Who imitation'.
1987 - The Jesus And Mary Chain were banned from appearing on a US music TV show after complaints of blasphemy when the groups name was flashed across the screen. The CBS show asked the band to be called JANC but the group didn't agree.
1997 - Carl Edward Hunter, manager of Ray Charles, was arrested in Japan on suspicion of marijuana possession.
2002 - Former Hee-Haw star Roy Clark, playing Santa Claus, loses his big red pants at the annual Pageant of Peace Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the White House. Clark's Santa pants slowly slide off during his performance of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
2004 - Band Aid 20 started a four week at No.1 on the UK singles chart with a new version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas.' The third time the song had reached No.1. The new version featured, Robbie Williams, Joss Stone, Beverly Knight, Busted, Chris Martin, Bono, Dido, Justin Hawkins, Dizzee Rascal, Tom Chaplin, Ms Dynamite, Will Young, Jamelia, Fran Healy and Sugababes.
December 6th:
1959 - Gene Vincent made his UK live debut at The Tooting Granada, London, when he was a guest on The Marty Wilde Show.
1964 - The movie "Ferry Cross the Mersey" with Gerry & the Pacemakers debuted in London.
1969 - Four people died during a free concert given by the Rolling Stones at Altamont in California, along with Jefferson Airplane, Santana. As the group played, Stones fan, Meredith Hunter was stabbed to death by Hell's Angels who'd been hired to police the event. The event was recorded and released a year later.
1975 - Rev Charles Boykin of Tallahassee, Florida organised the burning of Elton John and Rolling Stones records, claiming they were sinful. Boykin was reacting to the results from a survey that said, 984 of the 1,000 local unmarried mothers had sex when listening to rock music.
1978 - Sex Pistol Sid Vicious smashed a glass in the face of Patti Smith's brother Todd Smith during a fight at New York club Hurrah.
1984 - Two former Beatles debuted in two film releases this day. Paul McCartney’s "Give My Regards to Broad Street" and George Harrison’s "A Private Function" were finalized for theatre audiences.
1984 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Power Of Love'. The groups third No.1 of the year and final UK No.1. Made them the first group since Gerry And The Pacemakers to have a UK No.1 with their first three singles.
1990 - Shaun Ryder, Happy Monday singer booked into The Priorty detox clinic at Manchester, UK.
1993 - The Eagles taped a video for Travis Tritt's version of "Take It Easy" which led to their reunion.
1995 - Joni Mitchell was awarded the Billboard's Century Award.
1999 - Gabriel Gomez was charged with the kidnapping and murder of Sandra Rosas, wife of Los Lobos singer/guitarist Cesar Rosas. She had disappeared from her home on October 23.
2003 - David Bowie postpones the Atlantic City, N.J start of the North American leg of his A Reality tour after contracting the flu.
2005 - Robbie Williams accepted substantial libel damages over claims that he is secretly homosexual. The People newspaper, Star and Hot Stars magazines in 2004 published stories alleging Mr Williams had engaged in casual homosexual sex.
December 7th:
1963 - The Beatles appeared on the British TV show "Jukebox Jury."
1964 - Brian Wilson, of the Beach Boys, suffered a nervous breakdown on a flight from L.A. to Houston. The event led Wilson to stop touring with the group.
1967 - Otis Redding was in the studio recording '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay'. The song went on to be his biggest hit. Otis didn't see its release; he was killed three days later in a plane crash.
1968 - Eric Burdon announced he would break-up the Animals after a December 22 concert at Newcastle City Hall. His intention was to go to California and start an acting career.
1974 - Carl Douglas started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Kung Fu Fighting'. The song was recorded in 10 minutes, started out as a B- side and sold 10 million.
1984 - A benefit concert for Ethiopia was held at The Royal Albert Hall, London, featuring, Nick Heyward, Feargal Sharkey, Julian Lennon, Mike Rutherford and others.
1986 - Huey Lewis and the News sing the national anthem a cappella before a San Francisco 49ers-New York Jets football game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
1992 - Mariah Carey's MTV Unplugged EP became the first Sony Minidisc to be released in the US.
1993 - Guns N' Roses announced they would keep the tune written by Charles Manson "Look At Your Game, Girl" on their album, "The Spaghetti Incident?" The decision to keep the song came when the band learned that the royalties would go to the son of one of Manson's victims.
1996 - Jerry Lewis' white and red pinstriped devil suit was stolen from his dressing room at Shea's Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. Lewis needed the costume, valued at $9,000, to play the role of Satan in the musical Damn Yankees.
1997 - Shane MacGowen spent the night in police cells after being arrested in Liverpool. He was charged after throwing a mike stand into the crowd and injuring a fan.
2002 - A fire rips through the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, severely damaging and rendering unsafe the Guilded Balloon and La Belle Angele, which are located in a protected "world heritage site. La Belle Angele hosted early performances by the likes of Oasis and Radiohead.
December 8th:
1914 - "Watch Your Step" opened in New York. It was the first musical revue to feature a score completely by Irving Berlin.
1960 - Fabian visited Elvis Presley at Graceland and lent him his pants when Elvis ripped his demonstrating karate.
1963 - Frank Sinatra, Jr. was kidnapped and released two days later after his father paid out the $240,000 ransom demanded by the kidnappers, who were later captured, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to long prison terms.
1968 - Three days after he quit the Hollies, Graham Nash announced the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash
1968 - Mick Jagger was quoted saying 'I don't really like singing very much, I enjoy playing the guitar more than I enjoy singing and I can't play the guitar either'.
1972 - Frank Zappa Sr. placed an advertisement in Variety Magazine claiming he will give private instruction in craps, roulette, keno and blackjack.
1976 - John Denver appeared on the Carpenters' ABC-TV special.
1977 - Four people were arrested after a riot broke out when Blondie didn't arrive for a gig in Brisbane. Over 1,000 Australian fans had waited over an hour for the group to appear on stage, but the gig was cancelled due to singer Debbie Harry being unwell.
1980 - In New York City, Mark David Chapman shot John Lennon to death. Earlier in the day, Lennon had autographed an album for Chapman.
1984 - One time Coasters manager Patrick Cavanaugh was convicted of first degree murder of group member Buster Wilson whose dismembered body was discovered in Modesto, California, in 1980.
1995 - Courtney Love was interviewed by Barbara Walters for ABC's "10 Most Fascinating People of 1995." During the interview Love told Walters that she wished she had done "eight thousand million things" differently to prevent husband Kurt Cobain's death.
1998 - The FBI releases nearly 1,300 pages of the secret files it kept on Frank Sinatra, detailing Old Blue Eyes' ties to organized crime, allegations that he was a Communist Party sympathizer and that he dodged the draft.
2000 - Sting joined the Hollywood greats when his star was unveiled on the celebrated Walk Of Fame in Hollywood.
2003 - Ozzy Osbourne was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident. His injuries included a fractured left collarbone, eight fractured ribs and stable fracture to one of the vertebrae in his neck.
2007 - Tom Jones sang "God Save the Queen", the United Kingdom's national anthem, before Ricky Hatton's fight against Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas.
December 9th:
1967 - Doors lead singer Jim Morrison is arrested in New Haven following backstage fight when security guard mistakes him for a fan.
1968 - The Supremes' and the Temptations' "TCB (Takin' Care of Business") special aired on NBC-TV.
1971 - Richie Havens receives a role in the orchestral stage version of the Who's rock opera ``Tommy.''
1974 - George Harrison released his first album on his Dark Horse label, entitled "Dark Horse."
1978 - "Soul Man," John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's version, was released under the name, "The Blues Brothers."
1984 - The Jacksons play their last show together in Los Angeles.
1988 - According to a poll released in the US, the music of Neil Diamond was favoured as the best background music for sex, Beethoven was the second choice and Luther Vandross was voted third.
1990 - Paula Abdul was taken to North Hollywood Medical Centre after being involved in a car crash in Los Angeles.
1991 - After a long legal battle, Bob Marley's $11.5 million estate is awarded to his wife Rita and her children. Ziggy Marley's daughter is born on this day and he names her Justice in honor of the verdict.
1998 - All Saints singer Nicole Appleton walked out during the recording of BBC2's 'Later' saying she had quit the band.
2001 - Channel 4 TV apologised to viewers after Madonna said 'motherfucker' during live UK TV coverage at The Tate Gallery, London. Madonna was presenting a prize to artist Martin Creed. A TV spokesman said that did have a bleeper system but they missed the offending word.
2002 - Britney Spears filed for a restraining order against a 41-year-old Japanese man that she claimed had been stalking her since September.
2002 - Shots are fired and one man is killed during a Toronto-area video shoot for "Get Busy" by Jamaican dance hall artist Sean Paul.
2004 - Rolling Stone magazine released it's special issue "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" listing 'Like A Rolling Stone' by Bob Dylan the No.1 song.
December 10th:
1961 - The film 'The Young Ones', starring Cliff Richard premiered in London.
1963 - Donny Osmond makes his debut with the Osmonds on NBC's 'Andy Williams Show.'
1965 - The Grateful Dead played their first concert. The show took place at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, CA.
1967 - Steve Miller (Blues) Band, a previously almost unknown San Francisco group, signs with Capitol Records for unprecedented $750,000.
1967 - The plane carrying Otis Redding and his band crashed into Lake Monoma killing the crew, Otis Redding, Jimmy King, Ron Caldwell, Phalin Jones and Carl Cunningham. Trumpet player Ben Cauley was the only person to survive the crash.
1968 - John Lennon makes his first solo TV appearance, singing ``Yer Blues.''
1971 - Frank Zappa was pushed from a London stage by the jealous boyfriend of a Zappa fan. Zappa spent months in a wheelchair recovering from a broken leg and ankle and fractured skull.
1972 - Roberta Flack and two members of her backup band were injured in a car accident while driving into Manhattan.
1976 - Billy Idol's new band Generation X made their live debut at The Central College Of Art, London.
1988 - Cliff Richard had his 12th UK No.1 single with 'Mistletoe And Wine.'
1991 - Alan Freed was posthumously awarded a Hollywood Walk of Fame Star. He is accreditted with coining the phrase "Rock & Roll."
1998 - Bruce Springsteen won a 2 1/2-year $2 million legal battle with two British companies that were seeking to release 19 previously unreleased songs from his early career.
2005 - Queen became the third most successful act of all time. Sales in 2005 showed that Queen had overtaken The Beatles to make it into third place, spending 1,755 weeks on the British singles and album charts. The Beatles slipped to fourth place, with 1,749 weeks. Elvis had spent 2,574 weeks on the singles and album charts, making him number one in the Top 100 most successful acts of all time. Sir Cliff Richard remained in second place, clinching 1,982 weeks.
2007 - The surviving members of Led Zeppelin reunited (along with deceased drummer John Bonham's son, Jason) for the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London.
December 11th:
1957 - Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married for the third time, to his third cousin, twice removed, 13-year-old Myra Gale Brown. They divorced Dec 18th 1971.
1960 - Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard.
1968 - Filming began for The Rolling Stones 'Rock & Roll Circus.' As well as clowns and acrobats, John & Yoko, The Who, Eric Clapton and Jethro Tull all took part. The film was eventually released in 1996.
1970 - Ringo Starr's movie "The Magic Christian" premiered in London.
1972 - James Brown was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after a concert in Knoxville. Charges were dropped when the singer threatened to sue the city for a million dollars, claiming he was beaten by police.
1982 - The Jam played their last ever gig as a band in Brighton, England.
1988 - A Roy Orbison benefit show at The Wiltern Theatre featured Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie Raitt.
1992 - Manic Street Preacher Nicky Wire was quoted as saying 'I hope Michael Stipe goes the same way as Freddie Mercury'.
1998 - A bottle thrown from the audience hit Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson during a gig in Tuscon, Arizona. A security guard was then stabbed trying to eject a man from the crowd.
1998 - Greg Dulli of Afghan Whigs was injured after a performance in Austin, TX. He sustained a fracture to the base of his skull after a difference of opinion with one of the club's security guards.
2002 - Guns N' Roses North American tour suffers a final blow as promoter Clear Channel Entertainment confirms it is canceling the remaining dates with which it is affiliated. A handful of shows being worked by other promoters are also axed.
2003 - Bobby Brown was charged with battery after allegedly hitting wife Whitney Houston in the face. Whitney said they were trying to work out their problems "privately."
December 12th:
1957 - Al Priddy a DJ on US radio station KEX in Portland was fired after playing Elvis Presley's version of 'White Christmas'. He had violated the radio station's ban against the song. The station management said, 'it's not in the spirit we associate with Christmas'.
1967 - Rolling Stone Brian Jones was given 3 years probation and a £1,000 fine for drug offences. Three psychiatrists agreed that Jones was an extremely frightened young man (with suicidal tendencies).
1970 - Little Richard was charged with "larceny by trick" in Miami Beach, FL, by Blacks, Inc. The group claimed that Little Richard pocketed $250 he solicited for the group. The charges were later dropped.
1970 - The Doors played what would be their last live show with Jim Morrison when they played in New Orleans.
1971 - Filming began on the Diana Ross movie, "Lady Sings the Blues.", a biographical film which tells the story of jazz singer Billie Holiday.
1974 - Guitarist, Mick Taylor left the Rolling Stones, after being with the band for five years
1985 - Dionne Warwick received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1998 - A seven inch single by the Quarry Men featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison was named as the rarest record of all time, only 50 copies were made with each copy being valued at £10,000.
2001 - Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic file a countersuit against Courtney Love. The case involves the release of material by Nirvana. The suit is in response to an action Love filed earlier that claims Nirvana's contract with Universal Music Group is void and that all rights pertaining to the band revert to her.
2001 - Flutist James Galway received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II of United Kingdom.
2003 - Mick Jagger received a knighthood from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Mick's 92-year-old father was at the Palace to see his son receive the award.
December 13th:
1966 - Jimi Hendrix recorded "Foxey Lady." and he made his TV debut on Briton's ITV's 'Ready Steady Go!', with Marc Bolan also appearing on the show.
1969 - The Jackson Five made their first network television appearance in the US when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1969 - Diana Ross took the Philadelphia's " Latino Casino" to court for $27,500 after her two pet dogs died after eating cyanide tablets left by an exterminator in her dressing room.
1974 - George Harrison had lunch with U.S. President Gerald Ford at the White House.
1985 - Phil Collins made his U.S. TV acting debut on "Miami Vice" playing a drug dealer.
1994 - David Letterman invited Prince to perform the song "Dolphin" on his show.
1993 - In Los Angeles, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash joined Billy Joel on stage to play a solo on the tune "Shameless."
1997 - The children's TV characters The Teletubbies went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Teletubbies Say-eh-oh'. The single spent a total of 32 weeks in the chart!!!!!
2000 - It was announced that after 74 years the UK rock weekly Melody Maker was to close down. The Christmas edition would be the last one then it would merge with the NME creating a more sizeable broad-based magazine.
2003 - Whilst speaking on a stage regularly used by the Pope, Lauryn Hill launched a blistering attack on the Catholic church, urging religious figures to "repent". Former Fugees singer was playing a Christmas show in Vatican City and took the opportunity to speak her mind about allegations of sexual abuse in America, before an audience that included top Vatican cardinals, bishops and the cream of Italian society.
December 14th:
1963 - Dinah Washington died of a drug overdose at the age of 39. She had 34 top 10 hits on the Billboard R&B charts.
1966 - The Elvis Presley film 'Spinout', co-starring Shelley Fabares, premieres.
1967 - Dick Clark announced that he was making a film, "The Love Children," about hippies.
1969 - The Jackson Five made their first network television appearance in the US when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1972 - Alexander's department store in New York stayed open late so Alice Cooper could do his Christmas shopping.
1977 - The film 'Saturday Night Fever' premiered in New York.
1980 - Yoko Ono called for a 10-minute silent vigil around the world for John Lennon, her husband, who was shot to death six days earlier. Over 100,000 people went to Central Park in New York to honor the request.
1985 - James Taylor married actress Kathryn Walker.
1992 - Merle Haggard and his wife Theresa Lane have a baby that they name Binion Louis Haggard. Merle also filed for bankruptcy protection this day.
1995 - Classified documents from the White House were released that revealed the FBI had spied on John Lennon and his anti-war activities during the early '70s in a possible attempt to have Lennon deported.
1996 - After presenting this week's edition of 'Top Of The Pops', John Peel was surprised to find he was the subject of the TV show 'This Is Your Life'.
1998 - Billy Preston agreed to testify against other defendants, after pleading guilty to insurance fraud.
1999 - Former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney played a one-off gig at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles formed well over three decades earlier. It is the first time since the 1963 that McCartney has played the Cavern.
2003 - Ozzy & Kelly Osbourne went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Changes.' a remake of a track first sung by Ozzy on the Black Sabbath album Volume IV in 1972.
December 15th:
1944 - A single-engine plane carrying U.S. Army Major Glenn Miller disappeared in thick fog over the English Channel while en route to Paris. The true fate of the plane and its passengers has never been determined.
1959 - The Everly Brothers recorded "Let It Be Me" in New York City. It was the first time they recorded outside of Nashville and it was the first time they recorded with strings.
1962 - Bill Wyman made his live debut with The Rolling Stones at Putney Youth Club, London.
1967 - The Beach Boys met Maharishi Yogi in Paris and learned transcendental meditation.
1969 - John Lennon made what would be his final ever gig in the UK when he appeared at The Lyceum Ballroom, London, with the Plastic Ono Band in a UNICEF 'Peace For Christmas' benefit.
1977 - The Sex Pistols were refused entry into the USA two days before a scheduled NBC TV appearance. Paul Cook & Sid Vicious refused because of 'moral turpitude', Steve Jones because of his criminal record and Johnny Rotten because of a drugs conviction.
1988 - James Brown was sentenced to six years in prison for various offences including possession of weapons, resisting arrest and for leading police on a late-night, two-state car chase. He was released on February 27, 1991.
1998 - Former Backstreet Boys roadie Michael Barrett filed a $3 million lawsuit against the group claiming damages after a 50-pound cannon fell on his head during a show.
1999 - Boy George was knocked unconscious when a mirror ball fell on his head during a show in Dorset, England.
2005 - According to an end-of-year chart compiled by US magazine Billboard, U2 had the top-grossing tour of 2005, with more than three million people watching the band's sell-out 90-date Vertigo tour which grossed $260m (£146.6m). The Eagles, took $117m (£66m) from 77 shows and Neil Diamond grossed more than $71m (£40m). Kenny Chesney was fourth with $63m (£35.5m), Paul McCartney $60m (£33.8m), Rod Stewart with $49m (£27m), Elton John with $45.5m (£25.6m), Dave Matthews Band with $45m (£25.3m), Jimmy Buffett with $41m (£23m) and Green Day with $36.5m (£20.5m).
2006 - Phish frontman Trey Anastasio is arrested early in the morning in upstate New York for driving while under the influence of drugs and with a suspended license.
December 16th:
1907 - Eugene H. Farrar became the first singer to broadcast on radio. He sang from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York.
1960 - George Harrison was deported from Germany for being too young to perform there with the Beatles.
1966 - The first Jimi Hendrix Experience single 'Hey Joe', was released on Polydor records after being rejected by the Decca label.
1967 - The Rolling Stones announced that Marianne Faithfull was the first signing to their 'Mother Earth' label.
1971 - Frank Zappa's 200 Motels film opened Piccadilly Classic Cinema, London, UK
1971 - Don McLean's eight-minute-plus version of "American Pie" was released.
1973 - Stephen Stills lost a paternity suit filed by a woman in California, and on this day ITV broadcast a Barbra Streisand spectacular on UK TV, the set had been filmed at Elstree studios.
1974 - Mott the Hoople breaks up.
1983 - The Who officially disbanded.
1991 - Chubby Checker filed a lawsuit against McDonald's in Canada seeking $14,000 million for it's alleged use of an imitation of his voice. The song 'The Twist' had been used on a French fries commercial.
1993 - MTV aired Nirvana's New York "Unplugged" session for the first time.
1997 - Singer Bobby Brown settles out of court with Althea Durant who claims that she paid the performer $30,000 for a show in Trinidad that he never played.
1999 - A 28 year-old man died after falling more than 80ft at Earls Court, London, while dismantling the set at a Spice Girls concert.
2002 - Liza Minnelli and her husband, David Gest, filed a $23 million dollar lawsuit against VH1, MTV Networks, Viacom and Remote Productions, Inc. for breach of contract. The lawsuit was filed because plans were dropped on a reality show that was centered on the lives of Minnelli and Gest.
2004 - Studio 8, the Detroit-area studio where Eminem recorded "My Name Is" for "The Slim Shady LP" goes on sale on Internet auction site eBay. Eminem recorded at Studio 8 in 1997; "The Slim Shady LP" was released in 1999. The recently renovated, 700 square-foot Studio 8 is listed in eBay's commercial real estate section for a bid of $215,000.
December 17th:
1955 - Carl Perkins wrote "Blue Suede Shoes." , he recorded it in Memphis, TN. less than 48 hours later.
1965 - Judy Garland and The Supremes performed at the opening of the Astrodome in Houston.
1968 - The Who held their Christmas Party at London's The Marquee Club, with the newly formed band "Yes" also performing.
1969 - TV history was made when Tiny Tim and Miss Vicki Budinger were married on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.
1977 - George Harrison played an unannounced live set for the regulars at his local pub in Henley- On- Thames.
1977 - Mr David Ackroyd purchased the one-millionth copy of 'Mull Of Kintyre', by Wings and became the first record buyer to receive a Gold Disc.
1982 - Karen Carpenter made her last live appearance with The Carpenters when she performed in Sherman, California.
1988 - Bros are featured on the front page of the NME, in the interviewed for the paper, a quote from Matt, 'We've got the quickest selling debut LP in the history of CBS Records. You don't do that if your talentless'.
1993 - Sting's wife Trudie Styler gave birth to a son, Giacomo Luke, at a London hospital.
1995 - A statue of the late Frank Zappa was unveiled in Vilnius, the capital of the Republic Of Lithuania. It had been organised by Zappa fan club President Saulius Pauksty.
2004 - Lisa Marie Presley agreed to sell 85% of his estate to businessman Robert Sillerman in a deal worth $100m. Sillerman would run Graceland, and own Elvis' name and the rights to all revenue from his music and films. In the deal Lisa Marie would retain possession of Graceland and many of her father's 'personal effects.'
December 18th:
1892 - Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite" publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia.
1961 - Britain's EMI Records rejected the Beatles. They later signed them.
1964 - Funeral services were held in Chicago for Sam Cooke.
1968 - At a London Christmas party, called 'An Alchemical Wedding', John and Yoko appear on stage in a large white bag. Yoko calls it 'Bag-ism'.
1971 - Jerry Lee Lewis and his wife Myra, who he married when she was only 13, get divorced, as he prepared to marry 29-year old Karen Elizabeth Gunn Pate.
1972 - Bob Dylan starting filming his role in the film 'Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid.'
1981 - Rod Stewart plays Los Angeles Forum, along with Kim Carnes and Tina Turner. The show is broadcast around the world via satellite to a television audience of 35 million.
1983 - Rolling Stone famed Keith Richards married 27 year old Patti Hansen on his 40th birthday.
1988 - Mike Peters of The Alarm was rushed to hospital after having his eyes burnt by spotlights during a gig in Chester, causing the remaining dates on their UK tour to be cancelled.
1997 - Tori Amos, offered 14 music videos, including a rare clip of "Cornflake Girl," for viewing over the Internet as part of a holiday charity effort for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Users were allowed access to the clips for a four week period in exchange for a donation of $5.
1999 - The Spice Girls unveiled their waxwork look-alikes at Madame Tussaud's, London. Each model had cost £35,000 to make.
2003 - Out on bail, Michael Jackson was formally charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering intoxicating liquor to a minor with the intent of committing a crime. The abuse was claimed to have taken place between 7 February and 10 March 2003 and the alleged victim was identified only as 'John Doe'.
2004 - A guitar played by George Harrison and John Lennon sold for £294,000 ($570,000) at auction in New York. The Gibson SG guitar was used by Harrison from 1966 to 1969, including the recording of Revolver, and by Lennon during White Album sessions.
December 19th:
1957 - Elvis Presley had his draft notice served on him for the US Army. He went on to join the 32nd Tank Battalion third Armor Corps based in Germany.
1957 - "Music Man" opens at Majestic Theater New York City for 1375 performances
1965 - Drummer Keith Moon collapses at Who gig at Ricky Tick Club in Windsor.
1969 - Mick Jagger was fined £200 plus 50 guineas costs at Marlborough Magistrates Court for illegal possession of cannabis.
1975 - Ron Wood joined the Rolling Stones
1976 - In an interview with The Daily Mail, Sex Pistol Paul Cook's mother said he was no longer welcome at home and she was going to turn his bedroom in a dining room.
1987 - Two teenage girls died in a crush at a Public Enemy gig at the Municipal Auditorium, Nashville.
1987 - Paul Simon the musician, and Paul Simon, the presidential candidate, both host "Saturday Night Live."
1997 - MTV drops video "Smack My Bitch Up" by Prodigy
2001 - Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton (Baby) paid £3,000 for a custom built toilet. The singer ordered the hand painted porcelain loo complete with hand crafted toilet roll holder for her new £500,000 seaside apartment.
2005 - Sir Elton John turned down £5.7m for the exclusive rights to his civil union to his partner David Furnish. The couple had considered the offer from a US television channel, putting the money in the Elton John Aids Foundation, but they told Attitude magazine they had decided to keep the day private.
December 20th:
1920 - Bob Hope became an American citizen
1962 - The Osmonds made thier TV debute appearing on the NBS- TV Andy Williams show, performing 'I'm A Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas'.
1967 - Folk singer Joan Baez was sentenced to 45 days in prison after being arrested during an anti- war demonstration.
1975 - Guitarist Joe Walsh, formerly with the James Gang, joins Eagles as replacement for Bernie Leadon who left for a solo career
1973 - Singer Bobby Darin died following open-heart surgery at the age of 37.
1980 - 'Just Like Starting Over' gave John Lennon his first ever UK solo No.1 single, twelve days after he was shot dead
1981 - Harry Krieger/Tom Eyen's musical "Dreamgirls," premieres at Imperial Theatre, New York City for 1522 performances
1980 - Motorhead's Phil Taylor accidentally broke a bone in his neck when partying after a gig in Belfast.
1995 - "Paul Roebson" opens at Longacre Theatre, New York City, for 14 performances
2000 - Ritchie and J from Five were remanded on bail following a court appearance in connection with a fight in a Dublin pub. They were charged with public order offences.
December 21st:
1960 - Elvis Presley was inducted into the Los Angeles Indian Tribal Council coinciding with the opening with his movie "Flaming Star."
1964 - Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts' book 'Ode to a High Flying Bird' is published. It is a book of text and drawings about Charlie Parker
1968 - Janis Joplin takes her place alongside otherwise in-house bill at Stax/Volt Yuletide party in Memphis. Other performers include Booker T, Staple Singers, Bar Kays and Eddie Floyd
1970 - Elvis Presley goes to the White House to volunteer his services to President Nixon on fighting the nation's drug problems. He gives Nixon a chrome-plated Colt .45 and receives a Narcotics Bureau badge.
1971 - Martha & the Vandellas disbanded.
1991 - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives' by Queen started a five week run at No.1 in the UK, released as a tribute to Freddie Mercury.
1995 - Former Oasis drummer Tony McCarrol, issued a writ against the band seeking damages and royalties from his work on ('What's The Story) Morning Glory'
1996 - Tony Bennett was rushed to a hospital for an emergency operation for an erupted hernia. Bennett was just arriving at the White House for a holiday dinner with U.S. President and Mrs. Clinton when he fell ill.
1999 - Readers of Guitar magazine voted Noel Gallagher the most overrated guitarist of the millennium. Jimi Hendrix was voted guitarist of the millennium.
2005 - Madonna was forced to cancel a romantic holiday at Skibo Castle in Scotland after her private jet broke down with technical difficulties at London Airport.
December 22nd:
1967 - Appearing at The Olympia, London 'Christmas On Earth Continued'. An all night festival featuring The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Who, Keith West and Tomorrow, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Soft Machine, DJ John Peel plus a paddling pool, light shows and a movie theatre, tickets £1.
1968 - Eric Burdon left the Animals.
1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono meet with Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Health, John Munro and discuss drug abuse.
1972 - Little Jimmy Osmond was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.' At nine years of age it made him the youngest person to have a No.1 record, also the biggest seller of 72.
1975 - Ike and Tina Turner are robbed of $86,000 when a suitcase was stolen containing concert receipts.
1978 - Kenny Jones joins Who, taking the place of the late Keith Moon
1981 - At a rock & roll memorabilia auction in London, a stage suit worn by John Lennon sold for £2,300, a letter from Paul McCartney to a fan sold for £2,200 and a Perspex sculpture of John & Yoko was bought by singer Kate Bush for £4,200.
1987 - Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue was pronounced 'dead on arrival' in an ambulance when his heart stopped beating for two minutes. Sixx was given two shots of adrenaline in his chest to revive him. Fellow band members were prematurely informed of his death.
2005 - Janet Jackson was the most-searched name during 2005 according to Google, the singer topped a list of searches with people looking for pictures from her infamous 'wardrobe malfunction' at the 2004 Super Bowl when she exposed her right breast.
December 23rd:
1959 - Chuck Berry was arrested after taking 14 year old Janice Norine (who unbeknown to Berry was working as a prostitute), across a state line. He was sentenced to 5 years jail but after racist comments by the judge Berry was freed.
1957 - Tom and Jerry later know as Simon and Garfunkel, release their first-ever single, 'Hey Schoolgirl'
1964 - During a US tour Beach Boy Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown during a flight from Los Angeles to Houston. Wilson left the band to concentrate on writing and producing. Glen Campbell replaced Wilson for the bands live shows.
1966 - The final show of BBC-TV's "Ready, Steady Go!" was aired with the Who as special guest.
1969 - Elton John and Bernie Taupin began writing songs together
1977 - Cat Stevens converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusef Islam.
1985 - Judas Priest fans Raymond Belknap and James Vance shot themselves after listening to the Judas Priest album ‘Stained Class.’ The two had drunk beer, smoked marijuana and then listened to hours of the album. Afterwards they took a shotgun to a nearby school playground where Belknap shot and killed himself. Vance then blew away his jaw, mouth and nose but lived for more than three years before dying of effects of the shooting.
1989 - The second version of 'Do They Know Its Christmas' by Band Aid II, went to No.1 on the UK singles chart.
1991 - James Brown sued the producers of the movie "The Commitments." Brown claimed that one of the characters too closely resembled him. He lost the case.
1998 - BBC 1 TV aired the programme about the life of Robbie Williams, 'Some Mothers...'.
2005 - Geezer Butler, the bass player with Black Sabbath offered £5,000 for any information leading to the safe return of Toga, the three-month-old penguin which had been stolen from a zoo on the Isle of Wight a few days earlier.
December 24th:
1920 - Enrico Caruso gave his last public performance, when he sang in Jacques Halevy's "La Juive" at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
1951 - Gian Carlo Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors," was first broadcast by NBC. It was the first opera written specifically for television.
1967 - The Bee Gees performed their Christmas special 'live' from Liverpool Cathedral, which was broadcast on UK TV.
1972 - Concert by Manfred Mann in Miami is cut short as local residents complain about noise. The plug is pulled and the crowd riots
1973 - Tom Johnson of the Doobie Brothers was arrested in Visalia, CA, on charges of marijuana possession. His court appearance on January 10, coincides with the release of the group's new album, titled "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits."
1988 - Nirvana started recording their first album 'Bleach' using a $600 loan from an old school friend.
1988 - Ziggy Marley becomes the first reggae artist to score an American No. 1 as 'Tumblin' Down' reaches top of 'Hot Black' chart
1990 - Dave Clark's company 'Right Time' took out double page ad's in the press thanking those who helped him win £665,000 damages against Rank Theatres who he claimed had been responsible for the closure of the 'Time' musical.
2005 - Rapper Foxy Brown was handcuffed and threatened with jail after she stuck her tongue out at a New York judge who asked her to stop chewing gum. She was in court on charges of assaulting two nail salon workers during a row over payment.
December 25th:
1818 - "Silent Night" was performed for the first time, at the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorff, Austria.
1958 - The first day of a 10 day residency in Alan Freeds Christmas rock n' roll spectacular in New York with Chuck Berry, Frankie Avalon, Dion, Jackie Wilson, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley and The Everly Brothers.
1959 - Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) receives his first drum set for Christmas. The 18 year old is currently working as an apprentice engineer.
1967 - Paul McCartney and Jane Asher become engaged, but they never married.
1969 - The Supremes made their last TV appearance together with Diana Ross on 'The Ed Sullivan show', singing their last No.1 'Someday We'll Be Together'.
1977 - Harlem's Apollo Theater re-opened.
1978 - Public Image Ltd., featuring John Lydon, plays its first gig, at Rainbow Theatre, London
1981 - Michael Jackson phoned Paul McCartney and suggested they write and record together, the first result being ‘The Girl Is Mine’. The song was a US No.2 & UK No.8 in 1982.
1990 - James Brown, on 4 day leave from prison, gives his first concert performance in two years in front of South Carolina soldiers. The troops' leave had been cancelled because of the impending Gulf War.
2003 - Michael Jackson recorded his first interview since news of the allegations of sexual abuse with a 12-year old boy. He told the CBS TV network he would 'slit his wrists' before he would hurt a child.
December 26th:
1963 - Stevie Wonder arrived in the UK for appearances on TV shows 'Ready Steady Go!' and 'Thank Your Lucky Stars.'
1964 - Lulu and Marty Wilde appeared in the pantomime 'Once Upon A Fairytale', at the Gaumont Theatre, Doncaster, England
1964 - The Rolling Stones placed an advertisement in the music paper New Musical Express, wishing starving hairdressers and their families a Happy Christmas.
1966 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience played an afternoon show at The Uppercut Club, London. Hendrix also wrote the lyrics to Purple Haze in the dressing room on the same day.
1966 - John Lennon appeared as a men's room attendant in Peter Cook's and Dudley Moore's BBC TV show 'Not only... But also'
1967 - The Dave Brubeck Quartet formally disbanded after Paul Desmond left the group.
1973 - Paul and Linda McCartney presented the UK TV BBC's 'Disney Time'.
1976 - The Sex Pistols recorded 'God Save The Queen' at Wessex Studios London.
1987 - Run D.M.C.'s Jason Mizell is hospitalized when his Jeep is hit head-on by a wrong-way driver.
1988 - Shane McGowan was arrested for smashing the glass from a shop window in a drunken rage. The Pogues singer was later fined £250.
1998 - The Spice Girls scored their 8th UK No.1 single with 'Goodbye', giving them the Christmas No.1 for the third year in a row equalling the record set by The Beatles from 1963, 64 and 65.
December 27th:
1927 - The musical "Showboat" opened in New York.
1939 - "The Glenn Miller Show," also known as "Music that Satisfies," debuted on CBS radio.
1969 - Miles Davis was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, on sale for 2/6, (35 Cents).
1970 - "Hello, Dolly!" closed on Broadway after a run of 2,844 performances.
1971 - The "Sonny & Cher Show" begins a four and a half year run on CBS Television
1975 - The Faces split became official. Rod Stewart had severed all connections with the group to work as a solo artist, Ron Wood was on permanent loan to the Stones, Ronnie Lane went on to form Slim Chance and drummer Kenny Jones joined The Who.
1986 - Jackie Wilson had the Christmas UK No.1 single of 1986 with 'Reet Petite' 29 years after it first entered the charts.
1989 - A former chef at the Chuck Berry owned restaurant Southern Air started court proceedings against Berry alleging that the singer had installed secret video cameras in the ladies toilets. A further 200 other women also took action claiming that the recordings were used for improper sexual fetishes.
1992 - Harry Connick Jr was arrested at Kennedy Airport, New York after police discovered a 9mm pistol in his hand luggage.
2005 - 'Crazy Frog' by Axel F was the best selling UK ringtone of 2005. 'Tweet Tweet' by Sweetie Chick was the second and '(Is This The Way To) Amarillo' by Tony Christie and Peter Kay was the third biggest seller. The UK ringtone market was now worth more than double the value of the CD singles sales.
December 28th:
1968 - A three day Miami Pop festival took place, the first major rock festival held on the East Coast of the US, with Chuck Berry, The McCoys, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gaye, The Turtles, The Box Tops, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Pacific Gas and Electric, Procol Harum, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly and The Grateful Dead.
1969 - "Temptations Day" was declared in Detroit, MI.
1971 - Keith Moon comperes a concert at Carnegie Hall for one of his favorite acts, Sha Na Na
1975 - In Spokane, Washington, 25 year old David Gelfer points a .44 magnum at Ted Nugent. Gelfer is brought down by people in the audience and security guards and is charged with "intimidating with a weapon."
1981 - Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Records (WEA) put the prices up of their 45-rpm records 30cents, from $1.68 to $1.98.
1998 - BBC Radio 1 aired the 100 National Anthems, songs voted by listeners. At No.5 Radiohead, 'Creep', No.4 Underworld 'Born Slippy', No.3 The Verve 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', No.2 Nirvana 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', No.1 Massive Attack 'Unfinished Sympathy'.
2001 - The original charge against Marilyn Manson, of fourth-degree criminal sexual misconduct, was reduced to disorderly conduct. A second charge, a misdemeanor count of assault and battery allegedly against a security guard., remained unchanged. The incident stemmed from a concert on July 30, 2001 in Clarkston, MI, in which Manson
2002 - Former glam rocker, Gary Glitter was deported from Cambodia after spending two nights in jail over suspected sex offences.
2003 - 50 Cent's debut album, 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was named the biggest selling album in the US in 2003 with the album going platinum six times over.
December 29th:
1930 - Radio Luxembourg begins transmission '208'
1956 - Elvis Presley made chart history by having 10 songs on Billboards Top 100 for week ending Dec 19th.
1963 - The Weavers, founded in 1949 by Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Lee Hayes and Fred Hellerman gave their farewell concert at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
1966 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their debut on 'Top Of The Pops', performing 'Hey Joe'.
1967 - Guitarist and singer Dave Manson quit Traffic to start a solo career.
1968 - A hundred thousand people see Procol Harum, Joni Mitchell, Canned Heat and Iron Butterfly at the The Miami Pop Festival - the first festival to be held on the East Coast..
1975 - Paul Kantner and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane were divorced.
1980 - US singer, songwriter Tim Hardin died of a heroin overdose.
1982 - Jamaica issued a commemorative stamp in honour of Bob Marley.
1999 - The Melody Maker Music of the Millennium Poll of albums placed The Smiths 'The Queen Is Dead' at Number 1.
2002 - Sugar magazine readers voted Pink as their No.1 role model. The Top 10 was: 1. Pink; 2. Britney Spears; 3. Ms Dynamite; 4. Kelly Osbourne; 5. Kylie Minogue; 6. Victoria Beckham; 7. Avril Lavigne; 8. Jennifer Lopez; 9. Sarah Michelle Geller and 10. Holly Valance.
December 30th:
1962 - Brenda Lee lost her home and dog when her house was destroyed by fire.
1969 - Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band announce their break-up during gig at the Lyceum.
1969 - Peter Tork quit The Monkees, buying himself out of his contract which left him broke.
1970 - Paul McCartney sued the other three Beatles to dissolve the partnership and gain control of his interest.
1975 - Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane divorce.
1982 - Bob Marley commemorative stamp issued in Jamaica
1989 - Nirvana bassist, Krist Novoselic and Shelli Dilley were married.
1994 - Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes pleads guilty in Atlanta to arson charges. Her boyfriend, Andre Rison's $1 million mansion was destroyed in the blaze.
1999 - George Harrison and his wife were attacked in their home during a robbery. Though, Harrison was stabbed in the chest four times, he and his wife were able to subdue the assailant until police arrived.
1999 - In the Queen's Millennium Honours, former Slade singer Noddy Holder was awarded an MBE and Mark Knopfler was awarded an OBE.
2002 - Diana Ross was arrested for drink driving by the Arizona highway patrol. When asked to walk in a straight line she fell over, could not balance on one foot or count to 30. She was twice over the drink drive limit.
December 31st:
1929 - Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played "Auld Lang Syne" as a New Year's Eve song for the first time.
1961 - Appearing at Ritchie Valens' Memorial Concert at Long Beach, Beach Boys play their first show under that name. (Previously they had been known as Pendletones and Carl and the Passions)
1969 - Jimi Hendrix introduced his new Band of Gypsys at a show that was recorded and later released as the live album "Band of Gypsys."
1970 - Paul McCartney files a writ in London High Court against 'The Beatles and Co.', seeking the legal dissolution of the partnership
1973 - Australian band AC/DC made their live debut when they appeared at Chequers Bar in Sydney.
1973 - The first Scottish commercial radio station Radio Clyde began broadcasting to Glasgow. The first record they played was "Song of the Clyde" sung by Kenneth McKellar.
1974 - Mick Fleetwood phones Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, inviting them to join Fleetwood Mac. 'He called us up sight unseen. We could've been the two heaviest jerks he'd ever seen', says Nicks
1975 - Elvis Presley performed for 60,000 fans at the Silverdome, in Pontiac, MI. He set a world record for earning $800,000 for a single concert by a single artist.
1976 - Kathy Kirby performed her hit song "Secret Love" on BBC1's A Jubilee Of Music, celebrating British pop music for Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silver Jubilee.
1982 - Steve Van Zandt, of the E Street Band, married Maureen Santora.
1984 - Rick Allen, drummer with Def Leppard, suffers car accident which leads to the eventual amputation of his left arm.
1993 - Barbra Streisand performed her first paid concert in 22 years at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, NV.
1994 - The Rod Stewart concert at Copacabanain Rio de Janeiro, where they appeared in front of a total estimated audience of over 3.5 million. The Guinness Book of World Records states that this was "the staging of the largest outdoor concert in history"
2002 - 50 Cent and four other men were arrested and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Police had found two guns in the vehicle the men were riding in.

DAY BY DAY MUSIC TRIVIA
JAN / FEB / MARCH / APRIL / MAY / JUNE /
JULY / AUGUST / SEPT / OCT / NOV / DEC
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DEC: Births & Deaths | DEC: Music Quiz | DEC: Past Charts
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