Births
1936 Bobby Darin, (1959 US & UK No.1 single 'Mack The Knife', plus 20 other US Top 40 hits). He died on 20th December 1973.
1943 Jack Bruce, bass, vocals, Graham Bond Organization, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann, Cream, (1967 UK No.11 single 'I Feel Free', 1968 US No.5 single 'Sunshine Of Your Love'). West, Bruce and Laing.
1946 Gene Cornish, The Young Rascals, (1967 US No.1 and UK No.8 single 'Groovin').
1946 Lek LecKenby, guitar, Herman's Hermits, (1964 UK No.1 single 'I'm Into Something Good', 1965 US No.1 single 'Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter'). He died on 4th June 1994.
1947 Al Ciner, American Breed, (1967 US No.5 & UK No. 24 single 'Bend Me, Shape Me'). Three Dog Night, (1970 UK No.3 & US No.1 single 'Mamma Told Me Not To Come').
1950 Arther Grant, drums, Edgar Broughton Band, (1970 UK No.39 single 'Out Demons Out').
1952 David Byrne, guitar, vocals, Talking Heads, (1983 US No.9 single 'Burning Down The House', 1985 UK No.6 single 'Road To Nowhere'), Solo (2002 UK No. 2 single with X-Press, 'Lazy').
1956 Steve Hogarth, Marillion, (1985 UK No.2 single 'Kayleigh').
1960 Shelley Preston, Bucks Fizz, (1981 UK No.1 single 'Making Your Mind Up', plus 12 other UK Top 40 singles).
1962 C.C. Deville, Poison, (1988 US No.1 & 1989 UK No.13 single 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn').
1962 Ian Astbury, Southern Death Cult, The Cult, (1987 UK No.11 single 'Lil' Devil').
1963 Fabrice Morvan, vocals, Milli Vanilli, (1989 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Girl I'm Gonna Miss You').
1966 Mike Inez, Alice In Chains, (1993 UK No.19 single 'Would').
1969 Steve Hellier, Dubstar, (1996 UK No.15 single 'Stars').
1971 Danny Wood, New Kids On The Block, (1989 UK No.1 single 'You Got It, The Right Stuff', 1990 US No.1 single 'Step By Step').
1973 Natalie Appleton, singer, All Saints, (1998 UK No.1 and US No.4 single 'Never Ever' and 2003 UK No. 5 single as Appleton, 'Don't Worry').
1973 Shanice, US female singer, (1992 US & UK No.2 single 'I Love Your Smile').
1976 Martine McCutcheon, singer, actress, (1999, UK No.1 single 'Perfect Moment').
Deaths
1969 The vehicle that Fairport Convention were travelling in crashed on the way home from a gig in Birmingham killing drummer Martin Lamble and Richard Thompson's girlfriend Jeannie Franklyn.
1976 Keith Relf of The Yardbirds died after electrocuting himself while playing his guitar at home.
1998 Frank Sinatra died after a heart attack at the age of 82.
Events
1937 Duke Ellington and his band recorded "Caravan."
1956 Buddy Holly got a prescription for contact lenses. He couldn't get used to wearing them so he continued to use his trademark glasses.
1956 "The Platters" was released. It was the group's first album.
1957 Elvis Presley was rushed to a Los Angles hospital after swallowing a porcelain cap from one of his front teeth which then lodged itself in one of his lungs.
1959 Cliff Richard's first movie, "Serious Charges," premiered.
1964 Jan and Dean began recording "Little Old Lady From Pasadena."
1968 Paul McCartney and John Lennon were guests on NBC's "Tonight Show" (with guest host Joe Gragiola).
1968 The Rascals recorded "People Got to Be Free."
1977 Leo Sayer went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'When I Need You', the singers second US No.1, also No.1 in the UK.
1977 Talking Heads played a gig at The Rock Garden in London where Brian Eno who was in the audience sees them and goes on to produce the band.
1981 US singer songwriter Gordon Lightfoot kicked off a 5- date UK tour at Belfast Grosvenor Hall.
1983 Spandau Ballet had their first and only UK No.1 album with 'True'.
1985 Michael Jackson received a humanitarian award from U.S. President Ronald Reagan at the White House.
1988 Atlantic Records celebrated its 40th anniversary with a televised cable show.
1988 Fairground Attraction went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Perfect'.
1988 Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine started a 2 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Anything For You', a No.10 hit in the UK.
1988 Led Zeppelin reunited for the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party in New York. The late John Bonham's son Jason played drums.
1990 Appearing live at the Mayflower, Glasgow Lenny Kravitz on his first UK tour.
1992 The album "Revenge" was released by KISS. The album featured a new drummer, Eric Singer.
1993 Sold at a sale at Christies, London, four 'Super Hero' costumes worn by the group Kiss, for 20,000 pounds.
1994 Stiltskin were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the song used on a TV Jeans commercial, 'Inside'.
1997 Mark Morrison was jailed for 3 months after threatening a police officer with an electric stun gun, he was also ordered to pay 350 pounds costs.
1998 George Michael pled no contest in the Beverly Hills Municipal Court to committing a lewd act in a park restroom. He was fined $810, given 80 hours of community service, and ordered to undergo counseling.
2000 Madison Avenue went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with, 'Don't Call Me Baby'.
2000 Tom Jones was at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Reload' making the singer the oldest artist to score a UK No.1 album with new material.
2003 Lawyers for Britney Spears and the Skechers footwear company settled a dispute over a deal for the pop star to market a line of roller skates and accessories. Spears had filed a $1.5 million breach of agreement lawsuit against Skechers in December, claiming the company failed to pay her adequately. Skechers had responded with a $10 million lawsuit, accusing Spears of fraud and breach of the three-year licensing agreement she signed in January 2002.
2005 A judge in Springfield, Massachusetts, ordered rapper 50 Cent to stay clean of drugs and take an anger management course to avoid spending time in jail. The rapper appeared in court charged with assaulting three women at a concert in 2004 after leaping into the crowd.
2006 Red Hot Chili Peppers started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Stadium Arcadium’ the bands ninth studio album, also a US No.1.
