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Events for this day
- Composer Johann Pachelbel was born.
- Composer Engelbert Humperdinck was born.
- Gospel baritone singer Tarzan Cooper was born.
- Tommy Evans, a singer with the American doo-wop and R&B group The Drifters, was born. He was a member of the lineup that released the 1957 hit “Fools Fall in Love.”
- American country singer Boxcar Willie, whose real name was Lecil Travis Martin, was born in Sterrett, Texas.
- Country singer Conway Twitty, whose real name was Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was born in Friars Point, Mississippi.
- He was born in Old Fort, North Carolina. He became known as a member of Bill Haley & His Comets and The Jodimars.
- He was born in Henderson, Texas. He was the founder and frontman of the rhythm and blues group Archie Bell & the Drells.
- She was born in Gastonia, North Carolina. She became known for her 1963 hit “Please Don't Talk to the Lifeguard.”
- He was born in Douglas on the Isle of Man. He became known as a singer, songwriter and producer with the Bee Gees, which he founded with his brothers Robin and Maurice Gibb.
- Guitarist Dave Allen of Gang of Four was born.
- He was born in San Francisco. He became known as the drummer of Sly and the Family Stone.
- Russ Field, whose real name was James Lewis Russell Field, was born in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. He became known as the guitarist of Showaddywaddy.
- Atlantic Records bought Ray Charles's contract from Swingtime Records. He thereby moved to a label that began steering him toward harder rhythm and blues rather than the polished pop and West Coast blues in which he had previously recorded.
- Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery auditioned for the radio program Sunday Party on KDAV in Lubbock, Texas, hosted by disc jockey and talent scout Dave “Hipockets” Duncan. They were given a regular 30-minute Sunday afternoon broadcast slot known as The Bob and Buddy Show.
- Alan Freed's first annual rock 'n' roll party began at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn, New York. The lineup included Chuck Berry, Tony Bennett, The Nutmegs, The Rhythmettes, The Cardinals and The Four Voices.
- Bassist and singer Bruce Foxton of The Jam was born in Woking, England.
- Elvis Presley performed at Pontchartrain Beach amusement park in New Orleans alongside other performers, including Mrs. Jimmy Rogers, Jim Reeves, Al Terry, Jack Cardwell, Jimmy Swan, Ernie Chaffin, Ann Raye, Ray Parker and Hillbilly Evans. Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys performed in New Orleans.
- A rock 'n' roll enthusiast was fined $9.80 at a London court after playing Bill Haley's “Shake Rattle and Roll” at full volume all day and neighbors complained.
- Elvis Presley shared his success with his family by buying his mother a pink Cadillac.
- Elvis Presley worked from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Radio Recorders recording studio on Santa Monica Boulevard, recording material for his second album and a new single. Because the pianist was absent, the piano parts were played either by Elvis or Gordon Stoker.
- Nineteen-year-old Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at Sun Records hoping for an audition, but owner Sam Phillips was on vacation in Florida. Producer and sound engineer Jack Clement recorded several demos with Lewis for Phillips to hear upon his return. At the beginning of December, Lewis began recording as a solo artist and session musician.
- Elvis Presley performed at 2:00 p.m. at Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma, Washington, with supporting acts Howard Hardin, The Burns Twins & Evelyn, Joe Termini, Wells & The Four Fays, Paul Desmond and The Jordanaires. At 10:00 p.m., he performed at Sick's Stadium in Seattle, Washington, where he played a 30-minute concert before 15,000 people. He also sang “Fool's Hall Of Fame,” a new recording released by Sun Records by Rudi Richardson. Elvis told the audience it would be his new single, but he never recorded it.
- Cuban-American singer, songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, whose real name is Gloria Fajardo, was born in Havana, Cuba. She joined Miami Sound Machine in 1977 and married its leader Emilio Estefan the following year. She became known in Latin pop and also successfully reached English-speaking audiences with hits including “Conga,” “Anything For You” and “Coming Out Of The Dark.”
- As a young man, he attended Elvis Presley's performance at Sicks Stadium in Seattle.
- The Biggest Show Of Stars tour began at the Brooklyn Paramount. The lineup included Buddy Holly & The Crickets, The Drifters, The Everly Brothers and Frankie Lymon. At some concerts, artists were unable to perform because of segregation laws.
- With “Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu),” he returned to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 after a one-week break and began a four-week run at the top.
- Cass Lewis, bassist of the British rock group Skunk Anansie, was born.
- Elvis Presley's single “Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello” reached No. 55 in the United States.
- Australian actor, musician and singer Craig McLachlan was born.
- James Brown, Booker T. & the M.G.’s and The Kinks appeared on the television program Shindig!. James Brown performed “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” which was No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time.
- They released their self-titled album “The Hollies.”
- The Byrds played the first of eleven consecutive concerts at the Whisky-a-Go-Go in Hollywood, California.
- Boz Scaggs officially joined the Steve Miller Band as a rhythm guitarist after receiving an invitation on a postcard while performing on the streets of Stockholm. He had known Steve Miller since his youth. After returning to the U.S. from Europe, he rejoined the group and appeared on the albums Children of the Future and Sailor. He left in 1968 to pursue a solo career, during which he had eight Top 40 hits on the Billboard chart between 1976 and 1988.
- Roy Orbison co-starred with Sheb Wooley in the musical comedy western The Fastest Guitar Alive, his only leading film role. The film was released in theaters in the United States and Canada. Its bizarre plot portrays Orbison as a Confederate spy who uses a special bullet-firing acoustic guitar to successfully rob the federal mint of its gold, only to be caught off guard when the Civil War ends immediately after the robbery.
- Following the death of manager Brian Epstein, The Beatles met at Paul McCartney's house in St. John's Wood, London, to discuss their future. They decided not to seek a new manager and to manage their business affairs themselves, with McCartney taking over most business decisions. At the same time, they postponed their planned trip to India and began production of the long-delayed film Magical Mystery Tour, for which they had already recorded “Magical Mystery Tour” and “Your Mother Should Know.” McCartney presented the others with his idea for a film based on “Magical Mystery Tour.” This decision contributed to the creation of Apple Corps.
- Elvis Presley returned to Los Angeles. For the first time in ten years, he had no work commitments or anything scheduled until January 1970. Because he was restless, he frequently traveled between his homes and took several vacations.
- The Grateful Dead performed at International Raceway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees married Linda Gray, the former Miss Edinburgh, on his 24th birthday. He chose the wedding date so that he would not forget the anniversary. The couple had five children, including Stephen, who played guitar in his father's band.
- Elvis Presley performed in Las Vegas at an afternoon and midnight show.
- Led Zeppelin performed at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.
- Elvis Presley performed in Las Vegas at an afternoon and midnight show.
- Hawkwind performed at Powis Square in London.
- David Bowie performed at the Top Rank Suite in Doncaster, England.
- He released “John, I'm Only Dancing” in the United Kingdom. It was not released in the United States until 1976.
- Elvis Presley performed in Las Vegas at an afternoon and midnight show.
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono headlined a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden for the Willowbrook school for children with disabilities.
- The O’Jays received a gold record for the single “Back Stabbers,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.
- Elton John and Steely Dan performed at Balboa Stadium in San Diego, California.
- Elvis Presley performed in Las Vegas at an afternoon and midnight show.
- The top albums of 1973 included Chicago VI at No. 1, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon at No. 2, Foreigner at No. 4, The Allman Brothers Band's Brothers and Sisters at No. 4, Diana Ross's Touch Me in the Morning, Jethro Tull's A Passion Play, Deep Purple's Machine Head, Grand Funk's We're An American Band, Deep Purple's Made in Japan and Sly & the Family Stone's Fresh.
- He was born in Mississauga, Ontario. In the mid-2000s, he became known as the frontman of the rock group INXS.
- “Let's Get It On” by Marvin Gaye remained at No. 1 on the R&B chart for a fourth week.
- Paul and Linda McCartney, together with Denny Laine, began recording the forthcoming album “Band On The Run” at EMI studios in Lagos, Nigeria. Shortly before leaving for Lagos, drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Henry McCullough left the group, so McCartney took over bass, drums and most of the lead guitar parts. Recording took place in a poorly equipped studio and amid tense circumstances. During their stay, the McCartneys were held up at knifepoint and lost a bag containing song lyrics and demo recordings.
- Aerosmith performed at the Cape Cod Coliseum in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
- Australian singer, actress and television personality Natalie Bassingthwaighte of Rogue Traders was born.
- The J. Geils Band performed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario.
- He was born in Houston, Texas. He became known as a co-founder of the pop-rock group Scissor Sisters.
- Peter Brown, drummer of the American rock band Wheatus, was born.
- The album “Wish You Were Here” was approaching one year on the British chart. Pink Floyd's ninth studio album was first unveiled at the Knebworth Festival in July 1975 and released in September of that year. It was an immediate success, and EMI was unable to press enough copies to meet demand. The album cover was created by the Hipgnosis team and featured a series of images based on the themes of “absence” and “unfulfilled presence,” including a handshake between two men in business suits, one of whom is on fire, a veil covering a naked woman in the Norfolk countryside and a diver in California's Mono Lake who leaves no splash.
- Blondie signed their first contract with a major record label, Chrysalis Records. The group had been signed to the independent label Private Stock Records, which released their self-titled debut album in late 1976. Chrysalis Records bought out their existing contract with Private Stock and acquired the rights to the original recordings.
- Cabaret and music performer Clinton Leupp, known as Coco Peru, was born.
- Generation X released their debut single “Your Generation.”
- Despite sharp disputes over the group's artistic direction and financial management, The Beach Boys played a free concert in New York's Central Park before an estimated audience of more than 150,000 people. Despite the tension backstage, they delivered an energetic concert featuring hits such as “California Girls,” “In My Room,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Help Me, Rhonda.”
- Epic Records released Molly Hatchet's self-titled debut album. Although it reached No. 64 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, it later received RIAA platinum certification for sales of more than one million copies.
- Steven Tyler of Aerosmith married model Cyrinda Foxe, who was pregnant with their daughter Mia. They divorced in 1987.
- Singer Debby Boone, known for the song “You Light Up My Life,” married Gabriel Ferrer, the son of Rosemary Clooney and actor José Ferrer.
- INXS played their very first concert in Sydney, Australia.
- They released their debut EP “U2-3,” their very first recording. The first pressing consisted of 1,000 individually numbered copies and was available only in Ireland.
- Stevie Wonder performed the first of six sold-out concerts at Wembley Arena.
- Mick Jones, lead guitarist of The Clash, was dismissed by the other three members, who said he had moved away from the group's original vision. His departure effectively marked the breakup of The Clash's classic lineup.
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors.
- David Bowie released the album “Tonight.”
- Tina Turner reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart with the single “What's Love Got to Do with It,” her first solo single to reach No. 1 in the United States. Twenty-four years had passed since her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 with “A Fool in Love,” which she recorded with her future husband Ike Turner. The song was originally written for Cliff Richard, who rejected it, and was subsequently offered to Donna Summer, who never recorded it. The song later won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. The album “Private Dancer” also reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart.
- The charity recording “Dancing in the Street” by David Bowie and Mick Jagger debuted at No. 1 on the British singles chart. It was recorded in support of Live Aid and reached No. 7 in the United States.
- Mick Jagger released the single “Let's Work.”
- The cookbook “Rock N' Roll Cuisine” was published and contained 95 recipes from various musicians, including “Dream Soup” by Yoko Ono, “Boyfriend Approved Macaroni Salad” by Cher, Mick Jagger's shrimp curry and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich by “Weird Al” Yankovic.
- A judge in Dublin ruled that Adam Clayton of U2 would not be sentenced for possession of marijuana, despite his admission to the offense. Clayton agreed to make a financial contribution to a women's center in Dublin.
- Composer and arranger Billy Goldenberg died at the age of 54.
- They released their fifth album, “Dr. Feelgood,” which became their best-selling album and reached No. 1 on the chart. The group drew on their experiences in making the album; the title track deals with their drug dealers, while “Kickstart My Heart” tells the story of Nikki Sixx's near-fatal overdose.
- Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio organized a Miami project to help victims of Hurricane Andrew.
- Singer Jimmy Ferguson of The Irish Rovers died at the age of 57.
- He was born in Edmonton, London. He is a British rapper and DJ known as Tion Wayne.
- Louis Armstrong was honored with the issuance of a U.S. postage stamp.
- A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in Cleveland, Ohio, to mark the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum officially opened the following day.
- David Bowie launched his own internet service, Bowienet. The service offered basic internet services as well as exclusive news and releases related to Bowie.
- Ian Gillan of Deep Purple was charged with assault and causing bodily harm after allegedly hitting a security guard on the head with a microphone during a concert in August.
- Van Morrison became the first inductee into the Hot Press Irish Music Hall of Fame in Dublin.
- The Spice Girls held five places on a list of the twenty highest-earning British celebrities serving as company directors. The companies Monsta Productions, Moody Productions, Red Girl Productions, Moneyspider Productions and Geri Productions each earned £6 million.
- The group's last surviving original member, Herb Reed, obtained an injunction against a group using the name The Platters that had none of the original members.
- The iTunes Music Store reached 125 million songs sold.
- The bassist of The Cowsills died at the age of 51 in connection with Hurricane Katrina. His body was not found until December 28, 2005, at Chartres Street Wharf in New Orleans, and was definitively identified through dental records on January 3, 2006.
- Producer Phil Spector, 65, who was awaiting trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson, married his fourth wife, 26-year-old Rachelle Marie Short. The small ceremony took place in the entrance hall of his mansion in Alhambra, California, exactly where Clarkson had been fatally shot three years earlier. The couple remained together for just over two and a half years before Spector was convicted of murder and sentenced to 19 years to life. In 2016, he filed for divorce from prison, and the marriage was officially dissolved in 2018. Spector died on January 16, 2021, at the age of 81.
- Ronald Isley, frontman of The Isley Brothers, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for tax evasion against the federal government. The 65-year-old singer was found guilty on five counts of tax evasion and one count of willfully failing to file a tax return concerning income worth millions of dollars.
- The soundtrack to the film “High School Musical 2” began a four-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. It also reached No. 1 in Canada and on the compilation charts in Italy and the United Kingdom.
- Singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor Jerry Reed died at the age of 71 from complications associated with emphysema. He became known for songs including “Guitar Man,” “Amos Moses,” “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” “A Thing Called Love” and “Alabama Wild Man.” His song “East Bound and Down” became closely associated with his role in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit. He appeared in a total of 23 films and reached the Billboard Country chart 52 times.
- Former Echo and the Bunnymen keyboardist died at the age of 53 after his motorcycle collided with a converted ambulance on the Isle of Man. In 1989, the band's original drummer Pete De Freitas died in a similar accident.
- Apple launched the social network Ping, which was integrated into iTunes. The service was discontinued two years later.
- Curt Smith of Tears for Fears made the first of three appearances on the television series Psych, whose main character Shawn Spencer is a major fan of the group.
- Geoff Tate, former frontman of Queensryche, announced plans to form a “new Queensryche.” Rudy Sarzo, Bobby Blotzer, Glen Drover, Kelly Gray and Randy Gane pledged their support. At the same time, it remained uncertain whether the group would be able to use the Queensryche name, as Tate was involved in legal disputes with the other three members over his dismissal from the group and the use of its name.
- American lyricist Hal David, longtime collaborator of Burt Bacharach, died in Los Angeles at the age of 91 from complications following a stroke. Together they wrote dozens of hits for Dionne Warwick and other artists, including “Walk On By,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “The Look of Love,” “Alfie” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head,” for which David won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Just months before his death, they jointly received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
- With “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” she began a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
- Singer, bassist and guitarist Joe Kelley of The Shadows of Knight died in Winfield, Illinois, at the age of 67 from lung cancer. The group became known for their cover of “Gloria” by Them, which reached No. 10 on the Billboard chart in 1966. After leaving the group in 1967, he later performed with blues figures including Willie Dixon, Buddy Miles and Freddie King.
- The Beatles' classic albums were awarded platinum status after the British Phonographic Industry changed the rules for sales awards. Sgt. Pepper's became triple platinum, while Revolver, Help!, Rubber Soul and The White Album also received platinum status.
- He died at the age of 63. He became known as the singer of the rock groups Survivor, Target and Cobra.
- At the MTV Video Music Awards, she won Video of the Year for “Bad Blood.”
- A blue plaque was unveiled marking the first house where Freddie Mercury lived after arriving in England. The Queen frontman moved into the semi-detached house in Feltham, West London, after his family left Zanzibar in 1964, when he was 17.
- The REDD.37 mixing console used at EMI Abbey Road Studios to record the first Beatles tracks was offered for sale by Vintage King Audio. No price was given. In January 1964, the console had been replaced by the newer REDD.51 model.
- British folk singer and songwriter Mick Softley died at the age of 77.
- The stone wall in front of Elvis Presley's Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee, was spray-painted with messages supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and calling for defunding the police. The messages covered many handwritten notes and tributes that Elvis fans had left there since his death in August 1977.
- He joined The Bay City Rollers in 1976 and sang lead vocals on the title track of their fourth album “Dedication.” He died at the age of 62.
- Marty Fried, drummer of The Cyrkle, which had the 1966 hits “Red Rubber Ball” and “Turn Down Day,” died at the age of 77 from pancreatic cancer. After the group broke up in 1968, he studied law, graduated from Wayne State University in 1972 and worked for nearly fifty years as an attorney specializing in bankruptcies in the Detroit suburbs.
- Metallica's classic song “Enter Sandman” topped the list of songs with the most frequently misheard lyrics, while Mick Jagger was named the singer people found hardest to understand. A survey of 1,000 Americans by WordFinder also found that 65% of people preferred the incorrect version after discovering they had been singing their favorite song lyric incorrectly for years.
- Singer, songwriter, actor and businessman Jimmy Buffett died at the age of 76 at his home in Sag Harbor, New York, from complications associated with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that he had battled for four years. He became known for his 1977 hit “Margaritaville,” which reached No. 8 on the U.S. chart. He turned his fame into a business empire associated with restaurants, resorts and the Margaritaville brand and created a devoted fan community known as “Parrotheads.” Other hits included “Come Monday,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “It's Five O'Clock Somewhere” and “Knee Deep.” In 2004, the album “License to Chill” reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart.
- TikTok named Katy Perry's 2010 song “The One That Got Away” its Global Song of the Summer, with more than 55 billion video views. The next two songs on the list were also rediscoveries: “Cinderella” by Mac Miller from 2016 and “It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over” by Lenny Kravitz from 1991.