Births
1932 Alma Cogan, UK singer, (1955 UK No.1 single 'Dreamboat', plus 20 other UK Top 40 hits). Youngest female to top the charts during the 50's. She died of stomach cancer on 26th October 1966.
1941 Eddie Raynor, keyboards, Split Enz, (1980 UK No.12 single 'I Got You').
1945 Pete Townshend, guitar, vocals, The Who, (1965 UK No.2 single 'My Generation' 1967 US No.9 single 'I Can See For Miles' plus over 20 other UK Top 40 hit singles, 16 US Top 40 singles and rock opera albums 'Tommy' & 'Quadrophenia').
1947 Greg Herbert, Blood Sweat & Tears, (1969 US No.2 single 'Spinning Wheel'). Herbert died of a accidental drug overdose 31st January 1977.
1947 Jerry Hyman, trombone, Blood Sweat & Tears, (1969 US No.2 single 'Spinning Wheel').
1947 Paul Brady, Irish singer, songwriter, Planxty, solo.
1948 Tom Scott, saxophonist, the L.A. Express worked with Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Steely Dan. Composer of film soundtracks & TV shows.
1949 Dusty Hill, bass, ZZ Top, (1984 US No.8 and 1985 UK No.16 single 'Legs').
1950 Mike Wedgwood, Curved Air, (1971 UK No.4 single 'Back Street Luv').
1950 Romeo Challenger, Showaddywaddy, (1976 UK No.1 single 'Under The Moon Of Love', plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles).
1952 Grace Jones, singer, model, (1985 UK No.12 single 'Slave To The Rhythm').
1952 Jeffrey Hyman, (Joey Ramone), vocals, The Ramones, 1977 UK No.22 single 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker'. He died on 15th April 2001.
1954 Philip Rudd, drums, AC/DC, (left in 1983, 1980 UK No.36 single 'Whole Lotta Rosie' and 1980 UK No.1 & US No.14 album 'Back in Black' sold over 10 million copies).
1956 Martyn Ware, Heaven 17, (1983 UK No.2 single 'Temptation'), Human League, (1981 UK No.1 single 'Don't You Want Me' plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles).
1960 Yasmin Evans, (Yazz), singer, (1988 UK No.1 single 'The Only Way Is Up').
1963 Ben Volperliere, Curiosity Killed The Cat, (1989 UK No.14 single 'Name And Number').
1968 Paul Hartnoll, Orbital, (1996 UK No.11 single 'The Box').
1970 Attrell Cordes, Prince Be, PM Dawn, (1991 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Set Adrift On Memory Bliss').
1970 Stuart Cable, drums, Stereophonics, (2001 UK No.5 single 'Have A Nice Day'). Left the band in 2003. Presented his own Cable TV show in Wales and worked for BBC Radio Wales.
1972 Jenny Berggren, Ace Of Base, (1993 UK No.1 single 'All That She Wants', 1994 US No.1 single 'The Sign').
Deaths
1954 Classical composer and avant-garde rock forefather, Charles Ives dies in New York at the age of 79.
1969 Tenor sax legend Coleman Hawkins dies of pneumonia, age 69, in NYC.
1989 Ron Wilson, drummer with US Surf group The Surfaris died. (1963 US No.2 & UK No.3 single 'Wipe Out').
2001 Mike Sammes founder of The Mike Sammes Singers died aged 73. He worked with Tom Jones, Cliff Richard and featured on The Beatles, 'I Am The Walrus' and 'The Long And Winding Road.'
Events
1958 Bobby Darin’s single, "Splish Splash," was released as the first eight-track master recording pressed to a plastic 45-RPM disc.
1958 The soundtrack to South Pacific went to No.1 on the US album chart.
1960 The Drifters recorded "Save the Last Dance For Me."
1960 Alan Freed and eight others are charged by a federal grand jury with commercial bribery, better known as payola.
1961 The Everly Brothers launched their own record label, 'Calliop'e'.
1965 FBI agents visited Wand Records investigating the lyrics to the song "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen.
1967 The Beatles held a press party at manager's Brian Epstein's house in London for the launch of the 'Sgt Pepper's' album. Linda Eastman was hired as the press photographer.
1973 "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" by Stevie Wonder topped the US charts .
1973 Paul Simon released "Kodachrome."
1973 Wizzard were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'See My Baby Jive.'
1974 The Rubettes were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Sugar Baby Love', the groups only UK No.1.
1976 Keith Richards crashes his Bentley in Newport Pagnell, UK. He is charged with possession of drugs after certain substances are found inside the car.
1976 Wizzard had their first UK No.1 single with 'See My Baby Jive.'
1978 Dire Straits released their first major label single 'Sultans Of Swing', recorded on a ?120 budget. 1
1979 Abba started a 4 week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Voulez-Vous' their 4th No.1 LP.
1979 Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr played an impromptu set at an Eric Clapton party, celebrating his recent marriage.
1979 Eric Clapton held a party at his Surrey house celebrating his recent marriage to Patti Boyd. Clapton had set-up a small stage in the garden and as the evening progressed Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ended up jamming together along with Clapton, Ginger Baker and Mick Jagger. The all-star band ran through old Little Richard and Eddie Cochran songs.
1979 Supertramp went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Breakfast In America', the groups only US No.1.
1980 Ringo Starr and his future wife were involved in a car crash less than half a mile from where Marc Bolan was killed, the car was a write-off but Starr and Bach were not seriously injured.
1981 Sting was named songwriter of the year at the 26th Ivor Novello Awards.
1984 Bob Marley and The Wailers started a 12 week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with the compilation album 'legend', released to commemorate the third anniversary of Marley's death.
1984 Irish trio The Bachelors split up, they had scored eight top 10 UK hits.
1984 The Cars released "Magic."
1985 Tears For Fears appearing at The Playhouse, Edinburgh.
1986 Peter Gabriel released the album "So."
1988 James Brown was arrested for the fifth time in 12 months, following a car chase near his home, he was charged with assault, resisting arrest and being in charge of illegal weapons. He was given a 6 year jail sentence.
1988 R.E.M. signed a multimillion dollar deal with Warner Brothers Records, singer Michael Stipe was quoted as saying 'Bugs Bunny' was the reason they went with the label'.
1989 Alison Moyet was granted a divorce from husband Malcolm Lee.
1990 Madonna started a 3 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Vogue'. Originally planned as a B-side, it became the singers 8th US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.
1996 Ash went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their album '1977'.
2002 Liberty X went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Just A Little.'
2002 Moby scored his second UK No.1 album with ’18.’
