Births 1930 Actor, singer, Richard Harris, (1968 US & UK No.4 single 'MacArthur Park').
1935 Singer, actress, Julie Andrews, (1965 UK & US No.1 album 'The Sound Of Music', spent 382 weeks on the UK chart).
1940 Barbara Parritt, The Toys, (1965 US No. 2 & UK No.5 single 'A Lover's Concerto').
1942 Herb Fame, Peaches and Herb, (1979 US No.1 & UK No.4 single 'Reunited').
1943 Jerry Martini, saxes, Sly and The Family Stone (1971 US No.1 & UK No.15 single 'Family Affair').
1945 Donny Hathaway, US soul singer (1972 UK No.29 single with Roberta Flack 'Where Is The Love', 1978 US No.2 single 'The Closer I Get'). Committed suicide falling from a 15th floor hotel window on 13th January 1979.
1947 Rob Davis, guitar, Mud, (1974 UK No.1 single 'Tiger Feet' plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles). Co- wrote the 2001 UK No.1 hit for Kylie Minogue, 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head'.
1948 Mariska Veres, Shocking Blue, (1970 US No.1 & UK No.8 single 'Venus').
1948 Cub Koda, Brownsville Station, (1973 US No.3 UK No.27 single 'Smokin' In The Boys Room'). He died on 5th July 2000.
1955 Howard Hewett, Shalamar, (1980 US No. 8 single 'The Second Time Around', 1982 UK No.5 single 'A Night To Remember').
1957 Andy Walton, Kenny, (1975 UK No.3 single 'The Bump').
1958 Martin Cooper, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, (1984 UK No.5 single 'Locomotion').
1959 Youssou N'dour, (1994 UK No.3 single '7 Seconds'), worked with Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon.
1974 Keith Duffy, Boyzone Vocals, (1996 UK No.1 single 'Words' plus 15 other Top 5 singles and 4 UK No.1 albums). Duffy joined the UK soap Coronation Street in 2002 playing the role of Peter Barlow's old Navy mate Ciaran McCarthy.
Deaths1975 Al Jackson, drummer with Booker T. and The MGs, (was shot and killed by an intruder at the age of 39. Booker T had backed such artists as Otis Redding, Al Green and Sam and Dave.
1986 Andy McVann drummer with Liverpool band The Farm was killed in a car crash during a police chase.
1999 Singer Lena Zavaroni died aged 35 after a long battle against anorexia. Zavoroni was discovered on TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, in 1974 she became the youngest British singer to earn a silver disc with 'Ma He's Making Eyes At Me' and the youngest person to appear on TV's Top of the Pops.
Events1928 Duke Ellington recorded "The Mooche."
1928 Ben Pollack and his band recorded "Forever." The band included Benny Goodman and Jack Teagarden.
1954 The UK 'Top 12' Pop Chart became a Top 20 Chart.
1964 Vee Jay Records released the album "The Beatles Vs. The Four Seasons."
1966 "I Love My Dog" was released by Cat Stevens.
1966 Jimi Hendrix appeared live for the first time in the UK when he jammed with Cream at their gig at London Polytechnic.
1967 Pink Floyd arrived in New York to begin their first U.S. tour.
1967 The BBC aired Radio One for the first time.
1967 Thieves broke into Mick Jagger's London flat and stole jewellery and furs belonging to his then girlfriend Marianne Faithfull.
1970 Jimi Hendrix was buried in Seattle, WA.
1970 Curtis Mayfield left the Impressions for a solo career.
1972 Jon Mark (Mark Almond Band) lost his left ring finger. The remainder of the tour was canceled.
1973 The Simon Park Orchestra were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Eye Level,' taken from the ITV series 'Van Der Valk.' It was the first TV theme to become a No.1 in the UK.
1977 Elton John became the first rock & roller to be honored in New York City's Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame.
1977 During a European tour Rat Scabies left The Damned and was temporarily replaced by drummer Jon Moss later of Culture Club.
1977 Meco started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with a disco version of 'Star Wars Theme'. Had other hits with versions of 'Close Encounters', 'Wizard Of Oz' and 'Empire Strikes Back'.
1980 "One Trick Pony," the semi-autobiographical film of Paul Simon, premiered in New York City.
1981 The Pretenders were forced to cancel the last leg of a US tour after drummer Martin Chambers put his hand through a windowpane, cutting tendons and arteries.
1982 John Cougar went to No.1 on both the US album and singles chart with the album 'American Fool' and the single 'Jack And Diane'.
1983 The Swedish post Office issued an Abba stamp.
1983 A David Bowie world convention was held at The Cunard Hotel in London. The event had the largest collection of Bowie merchandise ever assembled. Tickets L6.90.
1984 Appearing at the Southampton Gaumont, England, Kiss.
1984 Elvis Costello and the Attractions kicked off a 24-date UK tour at London Hammersmith Palais.
1984 The album "Apollonia 6" was released.
1988 Bon Jovi scored their first UK No.1 album with 'New Jersey', their fourth release.
1990 Forbes Magazine listed New Kids On The Block as the fifth richest entertainers in the US with an income of $78 million.
1991 The white crystal-beaded glove worn by Michael Jackson was stolen from the Motown Museum in Detroit. M.C. Hammer offered a $50,000 reward for its return
1992 The revival of the musical "Oba Oba '93" opened.
1994 Eric Clapton entered the US album chart at No.1 with 'From The Cradle'.
1995 Nearly $1 million was raised at the Farm Aid concert in Louisville, KY. The musicians that performed were Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Hootie and the Blowfish, and The Dave Matthews Band.
1996 The Nirvana live album "From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah" was released.
1997 Robbie Williams kicked off a 14-date UK tour at Norwich UEA, and support band The Supernaturals.
1998 John Fogerty received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2000 Madonna went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Music' the ingers fourth US No.1 album.
2004 Ms Dynamite was arrested over allegations of assault after an incident at a restaurant in Central London. Ms Dynamite (real name Niomi McLean-Daley), was arrested in connection with the allegation after voluntarily attending a police station, she was later released on bail.
2004 The Lord Mayor of Melbourne officially opened 'AC/DC' Lane after the veteran rockers. The Lord Mayor erected the sign to cheers and bagpipes playing the bands song 'Long Way To The Top'. The City of Melbourne had extra copies of the sign made, in anticipation of fans stealing them.
2005 Pete Doherty was arrested during a police drugs operation in Shrewsbury where his band Babyshambles had been playing and held overnight. Police said a man and a woman were arrested for possession of class A drugs and 17 others searched during an operation in Telford. A gig in Norwich planned for the following night was cancelled.
2007 Radiohead's official website crashed after the band announced that their new album 'In Rainbows' would only be available to order via
www.radiohead.com. Fans could pre-order the download at any price they choose or pay Ł40 for a "discbox", which included two CDs, two records, plus artwork and booklets.
2007 The Spice Girls London reunion concert sold out in 38 seconds after fans were notified tickets had gone on sale. More than one million people in the UK registered for the concert, on 15 December 2007 at the O2 arena. Three more London dates were added to the world tour which was kicking off in Vancouver on 2nd Dec.
