On This Day

March 21st
1956 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley appeared at the 4,000 seated YMCA Gymnasium in Lexington, North Carolina. Also on the bill, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, featuring June Carter, Rod Brasfield, Hal and Ginger. Tickets cost $1 for general admission and $1.50 for reserved seats.
1961 - The Beatles
The Beatles played their first ever evening show at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, supporting The Swinging Bluegenes, (later to become The Swinging Blue Jeans).

1964 - The Beatles
After 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' had held the No.1 position on the US singles chart for seven weeks, The Beatles started a two-week run at No.1 with 'She Loves You'.

1971 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin appeared at the Boat Club, Nottingham, England on their 'Back To The Clubs' tour. This was the first tour which saw Zeppelin performing 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Black Dog' and 'Going To California'. Zeppelin opened the set with 'Immigrant Song' and 'Heartbreaker'. This small club on the banks of the River Trent had also seen performances by Elton John, Black Sabbath, Sex Pistols and Rod Stewart.
1973 - David Cassidy
The BBC banned all teenybopper acts appearing on UK TV show, Top Of The Pops after a riot following a David Cassidy performance.
1976 - Iggy Pop
After a David Bowie concert at the Community War Memorial arena in Rochester, New York, Iggy Pop and David Bowie were involved in a drug bust at their hotel room where the police found 182 grams (a little over 6.4 ounces) of marijuana. The pair spent the rest of the night in the Monroe County Jail and were released at about 7 a.m. on $2,000 bond each.
1980 - Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers was sent to Pentonville Prison after losing his appeal against a drugs conviction.
1981 - REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Keep On Loving You', the group's first top 40 hit and first No.1, a No.7 hit in the UK.
1984 - Yoko Ono
Strawberry Fields, an area in Central Park bought by Yoko Ono in memory of her late husband was opened.
1987 - U2
U2 scored their third UK No.1 album with The Joshua Tree featuring the singles 'Where The Streets Have No Name', & 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'. The album became the fastest selling in UK history and the first album to sell over a million CDs, spending a total of 156 weeks on the UK chart. Also a US No.1.

1991 - Leo Fender
Leo Fender, the inventor of The Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars died from Parkinson's disease. He started mass producing solid body electric guitars in the late 40s and when he sold his guitar company in 1965, sales were in excess of $40 million a year.
1994 - Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen won an Oscar for the song 'Streets of Philadelphia.'
1997 - Snoop Doggy Dog
Snoop Doggy Dog was sentenced to three years probation and fined $1,000 (£588) for a firearms violation after a handgun was found in his car when he was stopped for a traffic violation.
1998 - Jason Nevins
Run-DMC VS Jason Nevins started a six week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'It's Like That.' The Run-DMC track was from 1983 and was remixed by Jason Nevins, a US DJ and producer.
1999 - Blur
Blur went to No.1 on the UK album chart with '13', the bands fourth consecutive No.1 and making them only the third act to have four No.1's in the 90s, Simply Red and REM being the other two.
2000 - Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain and Happy Monday's singer Shaun Ryder both beat older stars such as Keith Richards and Keith Moon in a league of rock 'n' roll excess compiled by UK music weekly Melody Maker. Liam Gallagher, Robbie Williams, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson all featured in the Top 10.
2001 - Eminem
Eminem was ordered to pay $476,000 (£280,000) as part of his divorce agreement with his ex-wife Kim. Also as part of the agreement Eminem would keep the US mansion and they would share custody of their five-year-old daughter, Hailie Jade.

2001 - Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's interior decorator told The Times newspaper that the singer kept 17 life size dolls, adult and child sizes, all fully dressed in his bedroom for 'company.'
2004 - Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne was named the nation's favourite ambassador to welcome aliens to planet earth. The 55-year-old singer came top of a poll as the face people want to represent them to alien life. The poll of internet users was carried out following the discovery of signs of water on Mars. Ozzy won 26 per cent of the vote. A spokesman for Yahoo! News said: 'As the world waits desperately for signs of alien life, we decided to ask our users who they thought was best suited for this most auspicious of roles. Ozzy is a great choice but I'm not sure what the Martians would make of his individual approach to the English language.'
2006 - Solomon Linda
Three South African women whose father, Solomon Linda, wrote ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ in 1939, won a six-year court battle that gave them 25 per cent of all past and future royalties from the song. Linda who was a cleaner at a Johannesburg record company when he wrote the song, received virtually nothing for his work and died in 1962 with $25 in his bank account. The song had been recorded by Pete Seeger (as ‘Wimoweh’), The Kingston Trio, The Tokens, Karl Denver and R.E.M. and was featured in the Disney film The Lion King. It was estimated that the song had earned $15 million for its use in The Lion King alone.
2008 - The Beach Boys
A five-year legal row over the use of The Beach Boys name was settled by two former members of the group. Mike Love had argued he was the only person allowed to perform under the name of the band and sued Al Jardine, whom he claimed was appearing as an unlicensed Beach Boys act. Mr Jardine's lawyer said "a friendly settlement" had been reached that allowed them to focus on the talent and future of this American iconic band.’

2013 - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon was set to seal its place in history at the US Library of Congress as part of its National Recording Registry. The recording that received the highest number of public nominations for this year's registry was Dark Side, Floyd's groundbreaking 1973 album.
2015 - Jackie Trent
English singer-songwriter, and actress Jackie Trent died in hospital, aged 74, in Minorca, Spain, after a long illness. Her 1966 hit, 'I Couldn't Live Without Your Love' was inspired by the ongoing affair between Trent and record producer Tony Hatch, who she later married. The couple went on to write songs for Scott Walker, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Des O'Connor, Val Doonican, Shirley Bassey, Vikki Carr, and Dean Martin.
2016 - The Beatles
A rare Beatles record found in the loft of Les Maguire - the keyboardist in fellow Liverpool act, Gerry and the Pacemakers sold for £77,500 at auction. The 10-inch acetate of 'Till There Was You' and 'Hello Little Girl' from 1962 was described as 'a Holy Grail item'. It was the first Beatles disc to be cut before the band broke into the national charts.

Born Today In Music
March 21st
1940 - Solomon Burke
American preacher and singer Solomon Burke, known as the king of rock & soul. He had the 1961 US No.24 single 'Just Out Of Reach Of My Open Arms', and the 1963 US No.1 R&B hit, 'Got To Get You Off My Mind'. Burke died on October 10, 2010 at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport while on a plane from Washington Dulles Airport that had just landed.
1940 - Chip Taylor
Chip Taylor, American songwriter, noted for writing ‘Angel of the Morning’ and ‘Wild Thing’ a major hit for The Troggs in 1966. His songs have been covered by a wide range of artists, from Janis Joplin, Anne Murray, Ace Frehley, Jimi Hendrix, Chrissie Hynde, Linda Rondstat and Emmylou Harris.
1941 - John Boylan
John Boylan, American producer and songwriter. Worked with Rick Nelson, the Association, the Dillards. He also managed Linda Ronstadt and introduced her to a then unknown group of musicians who went on to become her backing band in 1971, and later became the Eagles.
1943 - Viv Stanshall
English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, Vivian Stanshall a founding member of Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band who had the 1968 UK No.5 single 'I'm The Urban Spaceman'. He was Master of Ceremonies on Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells. Stanshall died on March 5th 1995 after an electrical fire had broken out as he slept in his top floor flat in Muswell Hill, North London.
1945 - Rosemary Stone
Rosemary Stone, vocals, piano, Sly and The Family Stone, who had the 1968 US No.1 singles 'Everyday People', the 1971 US No.1 'Family Affair' and the 1971 US No.1 album There's a Riot Goin' On.
1946 - Ray Dorset
English guitarist, singer, songwriter, Ray Dorset, founder of Mungo Jerry, who had the 1970 UK No.1 & US No.3 single 'In The Summertime' as well as the hits 'Baby Jump' and 'Lady Rose'.
1949 - Eddie Money
American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eddie Money, who is well known for the 1970s and 1980s songs like 'Baby Hold On', 'Two Tickets To Paradise', 'Maybe I'm A Fool'. Money died of cancer on 13 September 2019 age 70.
1950 - Roger Hodgson
English musician, singer and songwriter Roger Hodgson, known as the former co-frontman with Supertramp. He composed and sang the majority of their hits such as 'Dreamer', 'Give a Little Bit', 'Breakfast in America', 'Take the Long Way Home', 'The Logical Song' and 'It's Raining Again'.

1951 - Conrad Lozano
American musician Conrad Lozano, bass player for Los Lobos (Spanish for "the Wolves"), who had the 1987 UK & US No.1 single their their cover version of 'La Bamba', which was a 1958 hit for Ritchie Valens and one of early rock and roll's best-known songs.
1951 - Russell Thompkins
Russell Thompkins Jr, singer with the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics who had the 1974 US No.2 single 'You Make Me Feel Brand New', and the 1975 UK No.1 single 'Can't Give You Anything But My Love' and twelve consecutiv

March 18th
1965 - The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones were each fined £5 ($8.50) for urinating in a public place, following an incident that had taken place at a petrol station after a gig at the ABC Theatre in Romford, Essex, England. This was after the last show on their fifth UK package tour with The Hollies, The Konrads, all girl-group Goldie and the Gingerbreads and Dave Berry and the Cruisers.

1965 - Motortown Revue
The groundbreaking Motortown Revue landed at the Finsbury Park Astoria, London, England on the first night of a package tour that took them around the UK visiting 21 theatres for two shows a night, plus a live TV special. Topping the bill was Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, and 14 year-old Little Stevie Wonder all backed by the legendary Funk Brothers.

1967 - Steve Winwood
The UK music magazine New Musical Express announced that former Spencer Davis Group member Steve Winwood was planning to form a new group with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason. The ensemble would choose the name Traffic.

1967 - The Beatles
The Beatles scored their 13th US No.1 single with 'Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever'. The song's title is derived from the name of a street near Lennon's house, in Liverpool. McCartney and Lennon would meet at Penny Lane junction in the Mossley Hill area to catch a bus into the centre of the city.

1972 - Neil Young
Neil Young started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Heart Of Gold'. Released from the 1972 album Harvest, it is so far Young's only US No. 1 single. The song features backup vocals by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.
1972 - Paul Simon
Paul Simon scored his first solo No.1 album when his self-titled debut went to the top on the UK charts. Featuring the singles 'Mother And Child Reunion' and 'Me And Julio Down By The School Yard.'
1972 - Ringo Starr
T Rex played the first of two sold out nights at Wembley's Empire Pool; Ringo Starr filmed the shows for the 'Born To Boogie' Apple documentary.
1977 - Clash
The Clash released their debut single 'White Riot.' The song is in the typical punk style of three chords played very fast. Mick Jones counts off '1-2-3-4' at the start of the album version while the single version begins with the sound of a police siren instead.
1978 - Samantha Song
The Bee Gees had the Top 3 on the US singles charts, 'Night Fever' at No.1, '(Love is) Thicker Than Water', by brother Andy at No.2, co-written by Barry Gibb and 'Emotion' by Samantha Song written and produced by The Bee Gees at No.3.
1989 - Cat Stevens
A radio station in California arranged to have all it's Cat Stevens records destroyed by having a steamroller run over them in protest of the singer's support of Iranian politician Ayatollah Khomeni.
1989 - Jason Donovan
Stock, Aitken and Waterman had three singles in the UK Top 5: Jason Donovan's 'Too Many Broken Hearts', Bananarama's 'Help', and Donna Summer's 'This Time I Know Its For Real.' SAW are considered to be one of the most successful songwriting and producing partnerships of all time, scoring more than 100 UK top 40 hits.
1991 - U2
After attending an in-store promo appearance U2 were fined £500 ($850) after being found guilty of selling condoms illegally at the Virgin Megastore, Dublin.
2001 - John Phillips
American singer, guitarist, and songwriter John Phillips of Mamas and The Papas died of heart failure aged 65. His first band, The Journeymen, were a folk trio, Mamas and The Papas had the US No.1 'Monday, Monday'. Phillips was married to Michelle Gilliam, they had one child together, Chynna Phillips, vocalist of the 1990s pop trio Wilson Phillips. His second solo album was released on Rolling Stones records and featured Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood.
2001 - A1
Tragedy struck at an in-store appearance by British boy band A1 in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta after a stampede amongst the fans. Four girls were killed and two others were seriously injured.
2002 - Ramones
Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam and close friend of the Ramones. The ceremony took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
2004 - Courtney Love
Courtney Love exposed her breasts during an appearance on David Letterman's TV talk show. The singer who had her back to the audience flashed at the presenter while singing the song Danny Boy. After the show, she went on to perform a surprise gig at the Plaid night-club in Manhattan where she was alleged to have injured a man by throwing a microphone stand into the crowd. Ms Love was charged with assault and reckless endangerment.
2008 - Paul McCartney
Heather Mills' evidence in her divorce case with Sir Paul McCartney was 'inconsistent, inaccurate' and 'less than candid', according to judge Mr Justice Bennett's. His High Court ruling was revealed in full after Ms Mills was told she could not appeal against its publication. The full ruling was published a day after she was awarded £24.3m at the High Court in London. Mills was awarded £3.2m per year for herself and the couple's daughter Beatrice, £8m for a home in London and £3m to purchase a home in New York. The judge found the total value of Sir Paul's assets was about £400m. Ms Mills had sought £125m and been offered £15.8m.
2011 - The Shadows
Jet Harris, bass guitarist for The Shadows, died from throat cancer at the age of 71. Jet played on the hit 'Apache' and during their days as Cliff Richard's backing band, performed on the chart-topper 'Living Doll'. In 1962 he left the group and had solo hits with 'Besame Mucho' and 'The Man With The Golden Arm'.
2011 - The Beatles
Organisers of an attempt to reunite 19 people who watched The Beatles play in a town hall in 1963 had claims from 24 people who said they were there. Billy Shanks was helping to lead the search for the audience members of the gig in Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland in 1963. He said some who turned up thought the music was rubbish and left to join an audience of 1,200 watching a local band in nearby Strathpeffer.
2013 - David Bowie
David Bowie's first album in a decade become the fastest-selling of the year, hitting the No.1 spot in the UK in its first week of release. Bowie took great pains to keep the recording of the album secret, requiring people involved in the recording to sign NDAs. Bowie had to change recording studios after one day when someone at the studio leaked the rumour that he was recording there. The Next Day was the 66-year-old's first No.1 since 1993's Black Tie White Noise and sold 94,000 copies in the first week.

2014 - Joe Lala
American musician, percussionist, actor and voice actor Joe Lala died from complications of lung cancer at the age of 66. As a drummer and percussionist, he worked with The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Manassas, The Bee Gees, Whitney Houston, Joe Walsh, Andy Gibb and many others. He played the trademark congas that drove the Bee Gees' 1976 US chart-topper 'You Should Be Dancing', subsequently included on the multi-million selling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
2017 - Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry died aged 90. The American guitarist, singer and songwriter was one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as 'Maybellene' (1955), 'Roll Over Beethoven' (1956), 'Rock and Roll Music' (1957) and 'Johnny B. Goode' (1958), Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive.

2019 - Slipknot
Slipknot announced that percussionist Chris Fehn has left the band after he launched legal action against the group over a financial dispute. Fehn had been a member since 1998, and had the lineup number of 3. Fehn accused band leaders Corey Taylor and Shawn Crahan of “shady business dealings,” and had demanded “full forensic accounting” with a view to recovering

If you are on an iPad then "option e" then type the vowel and it should work.

On a Mac you have to hit "OPTION  e" then the letter.

Never knew Bernie Torme (dunno how to do the little fada thing!) was Irish. He must be one of the Roscommon Torme's, so!

1969 - Tommy Roe

I just loved this song "Dizzy" and at a young age then had so many crushes on local girls I did feel dizzy ❤

March 14th
1962 - Bruce Channel
Bruce Channel started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Hey! Baby'. The song features a prominent riff from well-known harmonica player Delbert McClinton who while touring the UK in 1962 met John Lennon and gave him some harmonica tips. Lennon put the lessons to use right away on 'Love Me Do' and later 'Please Please Me'.
1963 - Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard and The Shadows were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Summer Holiday.' Taken from the film of the same name, it became Richards' seventh UK No.1 single.
1964 - Top Ten Singles
For the first time in British recording history, all Top Ten singles in the UK were by British acts. No.1 was 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' by Cilla Black, No.2 - 'Bits and Pieces' by The Dave Clark Five, No.3 - 'Little Children' by Billy J Kramer, No.4 - 'Diane' by The Bachelors, No.5 - 'Not Fade Away' by The Rolling Stones, No.6 - 'Just One Look' by The Hollies, No.7 - 'Needles and Pins' by The Searchers, No.8 - 'I Think Of You' by The Merseybeats, No.9 - 'Boys Cry' by Eden Kane, and No. 10 - 'Let Me Go Lover' by Kathy Kirby.
1968 - The Beatles
The promotional film for The Beatles 'Lady Madonna' was broadcast in black and white on Top Of The Pops on UK television. The video portion of the film clip was shot while the group were performing the song 'Hey Bulldog', but the 'Lady Madonna' audio track was paired with the video for the promo release.

1972 - Linda Jones
Soul singer, Linda Jones, died aged 26 in New York after collapsing into a diabetic coma following a performance at Harlem's Apollo Theatre in New York. Jones scored the 1967 US No.21 single 'Hypnotized'.
1978 - Blondie
Blondie were at No.2 on the UK chart with their version of the Randy & the Rainbows song 'Denis', kept off the No.1 position by Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights'.

1981 - Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton was hospitalised with bleeding ulcers causing a US tour to be cancelled. He was back in hospital five weeks later after being involved in a car crash.
1982 - Metallica
Metallica made their live debut when they appeared at Radio City in Anaheim, California. Metallica formed in Los Angeles, California, in late 1981 when Danish-born drummer Lars Ulrich placed an advertisement in a Los Angeles newspaper, The Recycler, which read, "Drummer looking for other metal musicians to jam with Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head and Iron Maiden." Guitarists James Hetfield and Hugh Tanner of Leather Charm answered the advertisement.

1983 - Richie Sambora
Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Alec John Such formed Bon Jovi. Their fourth album, New Jersey, released in 1988, is notable for producing five Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles, the most top ten hits to date from a hard rock album.

1985 - Dead Or Alive
Dead Or Alive were kicked off the UK music television show The Tube after admitting they were incapable of playing 'live.' The group scored the 1985 UK No.1 single 'You Spin Me Round, Like A Record'.
1987 - Boy George
Boy George scored his first UK No.1 single as a solo artist with the David Gates song 'Everything I Own'. Originally recorded by Gates's band Bread for their 1972 album Baby, I'm a Want You, the song was also a UK No.1 for Ken Boothe in 1974.
1991 - Doc Pomus
American songwriter and Blues singer Doc Pomus died from lung cancer aged 65. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits written with Mort Shuman including, ‘A Teenager in Love’, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, ‘Sweets For My Sweet’, ‘Can't Get Used to Losing You’, ‘Little Sister’, ‘Suspicion’, ‘Surrender’ and ‘Viva Las Vegas.’
1991 - R.E.M.
R.E.M. played the first of two nights at London's Borderline Club under the name of 'Bingo Hand Job.' The group were in the UK promoting their seventh studio album Out of Time and their current single ‘Losing My Religion’.

1995 - Tupac Shakur
With the release of 'Me Against the World' Tupac Shakur became the first male solo artist to have a No.1 album on the Billboard chart while in prison. During the early 90's, Shakur had a series of incidents and charges of breaking the law. In 1993 he was charged with shooting two off-duty police officers in Atlanta, (though the charges were later dropped), he was charged for assaulting director Allen Hughes while filming Menace II Society and was sentenced to 1.5 to 4.5 years jail when found guilty of sexual assault.

1999 - Stereophonics
Stereophonics went to No.1 on the UK album chart with Performance And Cocktails' becoming only the third Welsh band to score a No.1 album and the first No.1 album for Richard Branson's V2 label.

2001 - Peter Blake
Peter Blake, who designed The Beatles classic Sgt. Pepper album cover sued the group's record company for more money. Blake was paid £200 ($340) for the famous figures in 1967, but was now 'cheesed off' that EMI had never offered to pay more money. Blake also made sleeves for the Band Aid single, ‘Do They Know It's Christmas?’ (1984), Paul Weller's Stanley Road (1995) and the Ian Dury tribute album Brand New Boots and Panties (2001).

2005 - Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was blasted by British Army veterans for wearing military badges while on trail for child abuse. The singer had appeared in court on most days with either an Army motif on his breast pocket or a cap badge tied around his neck.
2006 - U2
U2 topped Rolling Stone magazine's annual list of the year's biggest money earners from 2005 with $154.2m. (£78m), The Rolling Stones were listed second with $92.5m (£47m) and the Eagles third with 63.2m. (£32.m). Paul McCartney was in fourth place with $56m (£28m) and Elton John in fifth with $48.9m. (£24.8m).

2008 - Peter MacBeth
Peter MacBeth, a member of The Foundations who had the 1968 UK hit with 'Build Me Up Buttercup', was jailed for child sex offences. MacBeth sexually assaulted a young girl on four occasions over the course of six years and downloaded child porn from the internet. The 71-year-old was suffering from cancer and had had a tracheotomy which meant he lost his voice. Doctors had said he had between three and five years to live.
2010 - Redtrack
Phil Blake of UK indie band Redtrack returned to his career as the bassist with the band after he underwent a pioneering operation to reattach his hand after it was hacked to the bone in a machete attack. Blake thought he would never play guitar again after a teenage robber hacked through his arm when he refused to hand over a mobile phone.
2011 - Ronnie Hammond
Ronnie Hammond, the lead singer of The Atlanta Rhythm Section, died of heart failure at the age of 60. He led the band to two Billboard Top Ten hits, 'So Into You' in 1977 and 'Imaginary Lover' in 1978.
2014 - Gary Burger
American musician, Gary Burger died of pancreatic cancer on at the age of 71. He is best known as the guitarist and vocalist for the Garage rock band the Monks who formed in Gelnhausen, West Germany in 1964, by five American GIs stationed in the country. With their blend of shrill vocals, feedback, and guitarist David Day's six-string banjo (which baffled audiences), music historians have since identified the Monks as a pioneering force in avant-garde music.
2016 - Michael Jackson
Sony ATV Music Publishing announced that it would buy out Michael Jackson's share of a joint music publishing venture for $750m. The purchase gave Sony the rights to about three million songs, including works by The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift, but did not include Jackson's master recordings.

Just thinking, Iron Maiden must have made plenty of money in their day to have their own personal 747!!!

March 12th
1955 - Charlie Parker
American jazz saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker died of a heart attack in New York City while watching Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra on television. He was 34. The coroner who performed his autopsy mistakenly estimated Parker's 34-year-old body to be between 50 and 60 years of age. (After years of drug and alcohol abuse).
1963 - The Beatles
The Beatles played at the Granada Cinema in Bedford. Also on the bill, Chris Montez and Tommy Roe. John Lennon, suffering from a heavy cold, was unable to perform, so The Beatles set was rearranged so that George and Paul could sing the parts that John usually sang.

1967 - The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground & Nico the debut album by the Velvet Underground was released by Verve Records. Though the record was a commercial failure upon release and was almost entirely ignored by contemporary critics, The Velvet Underground & Nico is now widely recognised as one of the greatest and most influential albums in the history of popular music.

1968 - The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones started recording their next single 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' with new producer Jimmy Miller at Olympic studios in London. Keith Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awakened one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded, "Oh, that's Jack - that's jumpin' Jack."

1969 - The Temptations
The Temptations became the first Motown recording act to win a Grammy Award - for 'Cloud Nine' for the Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance. The single which reached No.2 on the US charts was the first of their singles to feature Dennis Edwards instead of David Ruffin in the lineup, and was the first of producer Norman Whitfield's psychedelic soul tracks.

1969 - Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman at Marylebone Register Office. They then held a reception lunch at The Ritz Hotel, Paul then went to Abbey Road studios in the evening to work. George Harrison and his wife Patti were arrested on the same day and charged with possession of 120 joints of marijuana.

1970 - James Brown
James Brown's backing band The J.B.'s were formed after most of the members of his previous band walked out on him over a pay dispute. The J.B.'s initial lineup included bassist William "Bootsy" Collins and his guitarist brother Phelps "Catfish" Collins, formerly of the obscure funk band The Pacemakers.

1971 - The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band played the first of two nights at the Fillmore East, New York. Both shows were recorded and released as The Allman Brothers live double album, which became the groups breakthrough album.
1974 - John Lennon
John Lennon made the headlines after an incident at the Troubadour Club, LA. Out on a drinking binge with Harry Nilsson, Lennon hurled insults at the performing Smothers Brothers and punched their manager before being forcibly removed.

1977 - Bob Harris
The Sex Pistols were involved in a fight at London's Speakeasy Club with Bob Harris, presenter of BBC 2's The Old Grey Whistle Test, resulting in one of the shows engineers needing 14 stitches in his head. Two days later Harris's solicitors contact Derek Green at A&M the bands record label. Harris's management also managed Peter Frampton, one of the label's top acts at A&M. Green discussed the matter with the company's two founders, Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert and the decision is made to cancel the Pistols contract and halt production of the bands first single, 'God Save The Queen'.

1983 - U2
U2 scored their first UK No.1 album with 'War', which went on to spend a total of 147 weeks on the chart. The album featured the singles 'New Years Day' and 'Two Hearts Beat As One'.

1983 - Bonnie Tyler
Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler had her only UK No.1 single with a song written by Meat Loaf's producer, Jim Steinman, 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'. Also No.1 in the US, (the only Welsh artist to score a US No.1), Canada and Australia, the single sold over 5 million copies world wide.
1988 - Rick Astley
Rick Astley started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Never Gonna Give You Up', also a No.1 in the UK.
1994 - Ace Of Base
Swedish group Ace Of Base started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Sign', a No.2 hit in the UK.
1995 - Spin Doctors
The Spin Doctors played a gig at singer Chris Barron's old School in Princeton and raised $10,000 (£5,882) towards a trip to France and the UK for the school choir.
2001 - Judy Garland
Judy Garland's 'Over The Rainbow' was voted the Song Of The Century in a poll published in America. Musicians, critics and fans compiled the list by the RIA. The highest placed UK act was The Rolling Stones ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ in 16th place. The Beatles had 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' at No. 28.
2004 - Muddy Waters
Rosalind Morganfield, the 34 year old daughter of Blues artist Muddy Waters, surrendered to police after a warrant was issued accusing her of being involved in the 1996 murder of 19 year old Timothy Jason Harrington during a drug deal.
2006 - David Gilmour
Former Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour went to No.1 on the UK album chart with his third solo album On An Island. In 2009 UK radio station Planet Rock held a poll asking listeners to name the 'Greatest Solo Album Written By A Former Band Member'. David Gilmour was voted into first place with On An Island.
2007 - Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse made her US television debut on the Late Show with David Letterman performing 'Rehab'. The song went on to win three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and also won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song.

2009 - Michael Jackson
Hundreds of fans queued at the O2 arena in London as Michael Jackson tickets went on sale to the public. The 50-year-old pop veteran had confirmed he would be playing a 50-date residency at the venue, beginning on 8 July 2009. Some 360,000 pre-sale tickets had already sold. Organisers said the This Is It tour had become the fastest-selling in history, with 33 seats sold each minute. Prices ranged from £170 to £10,000, but tickets bought directly from the singer's website cost up to £75. Jackson had said this would be the last time he would perform in the UK.
2010 - Metallica
Over 130 people were arrested and eight people were hospitalised as fans tried to gatecrash a Metallica show in Colombia. 1,500 police and four tanks were brought in to manage the crowds as property was vandalized and destroyed, as thousands of ticketless fans rioted during Metallica's first Colombian concert in eleven years.

2012 - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift beat Adele and Lady Gaga to be named the highest-earning pop artist of 2011. The 22-year-old earned $35,719,902 (£22.7m) in 2011 from a combination of music sales, royalties and touring. U2 took second place with $32m (£20m) thanks to their 360 tour, seen by more than seven million people while Adele came 10th.
2012 - Doobie Brothers
Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack died at his home in Dubois, Wyoming at the age of 65. He had been battling cancer for some time and succumbed to complications of the disease with his family at his side. Hossack was a member of the Doobie Brothers between 1971 and 1973, playing on several of the band's best-known hits, including 'Listen to the Music' and 'China Grove'.
2013 - Clive Burr
Clive Burr, drummer with Iron Maiden died in his sleep in London, four days after his 56th birthday, due to complications related to MS. Iron Maiden had the 1982 UK No.1 album The Number Of The Beast, and the 1991 UK No.1 single 'Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter'. Burr was a member of up-and-coming British metal band, Samson, before joining Maiden in 1979.
2013 - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, marking the first time a rock musician had been chosen for the elite honor society. Officials in the Academy – which recognises music, literature and visual art – were unable to decide if Dylan belonged for his words or his music and instead inducted him as an honorary member like previous honorees Meryl Streep, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese.
2016 - Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden's personal Boeing 747 was badly damaged after colliding with a tow truck while grounded at Santiago, Chile. The band's crew and their twenty tons of equipment were not onboard at the time of the crash, but two ground crew workers were injured.

March 11th
1956 - The Dream Weavers
The Dream Weavers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Its Almost Tomorrow'. The Miami based studio band's only chart hit in the UK, thus condemning The Dream Weavers to the One Hit Wonder tag.
1964 - The Beatles
The Beatles spent the day filming at Twickenham Studios for A Hard Day's Night. Filming on a stage set made to look like a train guard's cage, where the Beatles played cards and mimed to 'I Should Have Known Better'.

1965 - Tom Jones
Tom Jones was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'It's Not Unusual.' The Welsh singer's first of 16 UK Top 40 hits during the 60s. Written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, the song was first offered to Sandie Shaw. Jones recorded a demo for Shaw, and when she heard it she was so impressed with Jones's delivery that she declined the song and recommended that Jones release it himself.

1966 - James Brown
This week's ITV music show 'Ready Steady Go', shown in the UK was entirely devoted to the music of 'The Godfather Of Soul - James Brown.

1967 - Paul McCartney
Music publisher, Dick James, announced that 446 different versions of the Paul McCartney song 'Yesterday' had been recorded so far.

1968 - Otis Redding
The Otis Redding single '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay' went gold in the US three months after the singer was killed in a plane crash. Recorded just days before his death, it became the first posthumous single to top the charts in the US.
1970 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Deja Vu, the first album by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, (and the second by the trio configuration of Crosby, Stills, and Nash), was released. It topped the pop album chart for one week and spawned three US Top 40 singles: 'Teach Your Children', 'Our House', and 'Woodstock'.
1971 - Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison of The Doors arrived in Paris booking into The Hotel George's. The following week he moved into an apartment at 17 Rue Beautreillis in Paris. Morrison lived in Paris until his death on July 3rd 1971, (two years to the day after the death of the Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, and approximately nine months after the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin).
1972 - Neil Young
Neil Young went to No.1 on the US & UK album chart with his fourth studio album 'Harvest.' The album featured the US No.1 hit single 'Heart Of Gold.'
1972 - Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of The Peter Ham and Tom Evans song 'Without You'. First recorded by Badfinger in 1970, the song was also a No.1 for Mariah Carey in 1994.
1975 - 10cc
The Original Soundtrack, the third album by 10cc was released. It featured the world wide, multi million selling single 'I'm Not in Love' notable for its innovative and distinctive backing track, composed mostly of the band's multitracked vocals. The song was the band's breakthrough hit worldwide, reaching No.1 in Ireland and Canada and No.2 in the US, as well as reaching the top ten in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries.

1978 - Claude Francois
French singer Claude Francois was electrocuted changing a light bulb while standing in his bathtub. He had the 1976 UK hit, 'Tears On The Telephone'.
1978 - Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell album began a 416-week run on the UK chart. The album went on to become one of the most influential and iconic albums of all time and its songs have remained classic rock staples.
1978 - Kate Bush
The debut single from Kate Bush, 'Wuthering Heights' a song inspired by the Emily Bronte novel, started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart. Record company, EMI had originally chosen another track, 'James and the Cold Gun' as the lead single, but Bush was determined that 'Wuthering Heights' would be the first release from the album.
1989 - Jason Donovan
Australian actor turned singer Jason Donovan scored his first UK No.1 single with 'Too Many Broken Hearts' which was written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman.
1993 - Oasis
Oasis recorded their first demos at The Real People's studio in Liverpool. The set included 'Rock 'n' Roll Star', 'Columbia' and 'Fade Away.'
1996 - Jarvis Cocker
Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker walked free from Kensington police station after police failed to charge him with any criminal offence following his 'stage invasion', during Michael Jackson's performance at the Brit Awards on 19th February 1996.

2005 - Ozzy Osbourne
The front door of Ozzy Osbourne's childhood home in Birmingham went up for sale because the current owner was fed up with fans defacing it. Ali Mubarrat, who now owned the house in Lodge Road, Aston, said over the years it had become a pilgrimage destination. He was now auctioning the door on eBay and giving the money to charity.
2008 - Madonna
Madonna was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a star-studded ceremony in New York City, she received her honour at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel from singer Justin Timberlake. The 49-year-old thanked her detractors in an acceptance speech, including those who 'said I couldn't sing, that I was a One Hit Wonder'. Rock star John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five were also among the inductees.
2009 - Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden's tour manager criticised people who were arrested for trying to gatecrash a concert in Bogota. Colombian police arrested more than 100 people after stones were thrown hours before the group were due to perform. In a statement posted on the band's website, Rod Smallwood said: 'We abhor the inane behaviour of a small minority of people outside.' Riot police fired tear gas canisters at those who tried to enter the concert without tickets.
2010 - Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty was banned from driving for 12 months after admitting allowing his manager to use his Daimler car without insurance. Doherty's manager Andrew Boyd, admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident and was jailed for 12 months. The court was told how the victim Chris Corder suffered 'catastrophic' brain injuries and was left in a coma after the crash.
2011 - Iron Maiden
The former singer with Iron Maiden was jailed for nine months for fraudulently claiming benefits. Paul Andrews, fronted the band between 1978 and 1981, under the stage name Paul Di'Anno. Andrews, 52, was jailed at the city's crown court after earlier admitting falsely claiming more than £45,000. Fraud investigators had viewed online videos and read about gigs on the performer's website.
2013 - Tony Hadley
The Gig in the Sky, an acoustic show for 128 passengers on board a Boeing 767 aeroplane set a new world record for the highest ever gig. Tony Hadley, Kim Wilde, Bananarama and Go West all performed at 43,000ft (13,000m) beating the previous record of 42,080ft (12,825m) set by James Blunt in 2010. The event was held to raise money for Comic Relief.
2015 - Robin Thicke
A jury in the United States ruled that the writers of 'Blurred Lines', copied a Marvin Gaye track. Jurors in Los Angeles decided that the 2013 single by Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke breached the copyright of Gaye's 1977 hit 'Got To Give It Up'. The family of the late soul singer were awarded $7.3m (£4.8m) in damages. Thicke and Williams denied copying the hit, and their lawyer said the ruling set a 'horrible precedent'.
2015 - Jimmy Greenspoon
Jimmy Greenspoon, keyboardist with Three Dog Night died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 67. During the course of their career, Three Dog Knight had 21 top 40 hits, including three No.1 singles.
2016 - Keith Emerson
English musician Keith Emerson died in Santa Monica, California, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after he had become 'depressed, nervous and anxious' because nerve damage in his hands had hampered his playing. Emerson found his first commercial success with the Nice, in the late 1960s and was a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), one of the early progressive rock supergroups.
2019 - Hal Blaine
Drummer Hal Blaine, one of the most recorded musicians in pop music history died of natural causes at his home in Palm Desert, California age 90. As a member of the The Wrecking Crew his drumming can be heard on songs such as Presley’s 'Return to Sender,' the Byrds’ 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' The Beach Boys 'Good Vibrations,' Simon & Garfunkel’s 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' and dozens of hits produced by Phil Spector, and the theme songs to 'Batman,' 'The Partridge Family' and dozens of other shows.
2019 - Danny Kustow
Danny Kustow, best known for his work with the Tom Robinson Band, died. He was mentored by the blues legend Alexis Korner and joined the early Tom Robinson Band in December 1976. ‘2-4-6-8 Motorway’ was their first single, released in late 1977, which climbed into the top five of the UK singles charts. Kustow later played with The Planets and also alongside Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock in The Spectres and recorded with Gen X.