Births
1917 Dean Martin, US actor, singer, (1956 UK & US No.1 single 'Memories Are Made Of This' plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles). He died December 25th 1995.
1940 Thomas Woodward, (Tom Jones), 1965 UK No.1 and US No.10 single 'It's Not Unusual' plus over 20 other UK and US Top 40 hit singles. 1999 UK No.1 album 'Reload' plus over 20 other UK Top 40 albums).
1957 Paddy McAloon, guitar, vocals, Prefab Sprout, (1988 UK No.7 single 'The King Of Rock 'N' Roll').
1958 Prince Rogers Nelson, T.A.F.K.A.P, 1984 US No.1 & UK No.4 single 'When Doves Cry', 1994 UK No.1 single 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World', plus over 40 other Top 40 singles.
1966 Eric Kretz, drums, Stone Temple Pilots, (1993 UK No.23 single 'Plush').
1967 David Navarro, Jane's Addiction, (1991 UK No.34 single 'Been Caught Stealing'). Red Hot Chili Peppers from 1993 - 1998. (1994 UK No.9 single 'Give It Away'). Also worked with Alanis Morissette.
1969 Liam Tyson, Cast, (1996 UK No.4 single 'Flying').
1985 Charlie Simpson, guitar, vocals, Busted, (2003 UK No.1 single 'You Said No', 2002 UK No.2 album, 'Busted').
Deaths
1998 Songwriter Wally Gold died aged 70. Wrote 'It's My Party' hit for Lesley Gore and 'It's Now or Never', hit for Elvis Presley. Member of late 50's group The Four Esquires, produced Kansas & Gene Pitney.
Events
1963 The Rolling Stones made their UK TV debut when they appeared on 'Thank Your Lucky Stars'.
1964 During their first ever US tour The Rolling Stones were booed off stage at a gig in San Antonio, Texas. Some performing Monkeys who had been the act on before the Stones were brought back on stage for another performance.
1969 Supergroup Blind Faith, featuring Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood made their live debut at a free concert in London's Hyde Park.
1969 Keith Richards and his partner Anita Pallenburg were involved in a car crash near their home in Sussex. Richards escaped serious injury but Pallenburg was taken to hospital with a broken collarbone and the car was a write-off.
1969 The Who’s ‘Tommy’ album entered the UK chart peaking at No.2. One of two full-scale rock operas from The Who (the other being the 1973 'Quadrophenia').
1969 Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell both appeared on the first ABC TV Johnny Cash Show from Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
1975 Elton John's album 'Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboys', became the first ever album to enter the US chart at No.1.
1975 John Denver went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy', the singers third US No.1.
1977 Led Zeppelin played the first of six sold out nights at Madison Square Garden, in New York City.
1979 Blondie performed 'Sunday Girl' on UK music television show 'Top Of The Pops'.
1980 Appearing at The Summer Of 80, Crystal Palace, Bob Marley And The Wailers, AWB, Joe Jackson And The Q-Tips.
1983 Shawn Michelle Stevens became wife number five for Jerry Lee Lewis.
1985 The Smiths played the first date of a US tour at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom.
1986 Doctor And The Medics started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK charts with their version of the Norman Greenbaum 1970 hit 'Spirit In The Sky'.
1986 Doctor And The Medics started a 3 week run at No.1 on the UK charts with their version of the Norman Greenbaum song 'Spirit In The Sky'.
1986 Madonna went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Live To Tell', her third US No.1 single, a No.2 hit in the UK.
1987 David Bowie played a concert in West Berlin in front of the Reichstag with the speakers pointing towards the nearby Berlin Wall where thousands of young East Berliners stood and listened.
1990 The Black Crowes played their debut UK gig at the Marquee in London.
1995 Radioheads Johnny Greenwood was admitted to hospital after his ear was leaking blood. The problem was diagnosed as his arm movement from continuous guitar playing.
1997 Gary Barlow went to No.1 on the UK album chart with his first solo album 'Open Road'
1997 Hanson started a 3 week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'MMMbop'
1997 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher played a five-song set at the Tibet Freedom Concert, Downing Stadium in New York City. U2, Patti Smith and Radiohead also appeared at the concert.
2002 Liam Howlett of The Prodigy married former All Saints singer Natalie Appleton at a ceremony in Les Adrets, France. Guests included Liam and Noel Gallagher and former Eurythmic Dave Stewart.
2002 Virgin Records announced they had dropped Victoria Beckham after her debut solo album, which cost over ?3 million ($5.1 million) to make, had sold only 50,000 copies.
