American guitarist and session musician Bill Pitman died at his home aged 102, from complications of a fall. He played ukulele in the Academy Award-winning song 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head,' and as a session musician played on The Byrds hit 'Mr. Tambourine Man', 'Good Vibrations', The Beach Boys, 'Strangers in the Night', Frank Sinatra, 'Be My Baby', The Ronettes, 'Deep Purple' Nino Tempo & April Stevens and 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin'' Nancy Sinatra.

Scottish singer-songwriter and actor Darius Danesh was found unresponsive in his apartment in Rochester, Minnesota, and he was pronounced dead later that day. He came to prominence after appearing in the first series of UK TV's Popstars contestant in 2001, famous for his rendition of Britney Spears 'Baby One More Time'. Darius scored the 2002 UK No.1 single 'Colourblind' and later performed the role of Billy Flynn in London's West End production of Chicago and played the lead role of Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls.

David Bowie was named Britain's most influential artist of the past 50 years in the Sky Arts list for his ability to transcend music, film and fashion. Other musicians in the list included the Spice Girls, Sir Elton John, Stormzy and Boy George.

American guitarist, Roy Gaines died a day before his 84th birthday. He was a backing musician in sessions with the Everly Brothers, the Supremes, Bobby Darin, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight. Gaines co-wrote the song ‘No Use Crying’, which was recorded by both George Jones and Ray Charles.

American singer and guitarist Trini Lopez died age 83 from complications from COVID-19 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in California. He scored the 1963 US No.3 & UK No.4 single 'If I Had A Hammer' and the hits 'Lemon Tree', 'I'm Comin' Home, Cindy' and 'Sally Was a Good Old Girl'. He designed two guitars for the Gibson Guitar Corporation: the Trini Lopez Standard, a rock and roll model based on the Gibson ES-335 semi-hollow body, and the Lopez Deluxe, a variation of a Gibson jazz guitar designed by Barney Kessel. Both of these guitars were in production from 1964 until 1971, and are now highly sought-after among collectors. Owners of the guitar include Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Noel Gallagher of Oasis.

5 Seconds of Summer were at No.1 on the US album chart with their debut studio album. The Australian rock band achieved the biggest first-week sales for a debut album by a group since Daughtry's self-titled album in 2006. 5 Seconds of Summer were also the first Australian act to achieve a US No.1 album with their debut album.

American group the Go-Go's received the 2,444th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. It was located where the legendary punk club The Masque used to stand. Go-Go's frequently played the club during their early years. The Go-Go's rose to fame during the early 1980s and were the first, and to date only, all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts.

Karl Wiosna from Graig, near Pontypridd in Wales had his stereo equipment and music collection destroyed after being served with a noise abatement notice, which he later admitted breaching. Environmental health officers were alerted by neighbours who complained about the unacceptable volume Wiosna was playing his Cher and U2 records. Two tape and record decks, a radio and CDs were seized and destroyed by the council, he was also fined £265.

Don Helms a steel guitarist best known as the steel guitar player of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys died aged 81. Helms was a featured musician on over 100 Hank Williams recordings and went on to play on many classic country hits, including Patsy Cline's 'Walking After Midnight,' Stonewall Jackson's 'Waterloo,' the Louvin Brothers' 'Cash on the Barrelhead,' Lefty Frizzell's 'Long Black Veil' and Loretta Lynn's 'Blue Kentucky Girl.'

Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at No.1 on the US album chart with The Rising, the singer's fifth US No.1. Hailed as a triumphant return to form for Springsteen, the album won two Grammy Awards. The Rising came seven years after The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995), the longest interlude between studio albums for the artist, and was his first in almost two decades with the E Street Band.

Madonna gave birth to a baby boy Rocco Ritchie at The Cedars-Sinai Hospital Beverly Hills. Rocco has now built up his career as an artist under the pseudonym Rhed, preferring to gain recognition for his work rather than his famous parents.

Kiss arrived on Hollywood Boulevard to unveil their star on The Walk Of Fame. The band had released over 30 albums and sold over 80 million records world-wide.

Three crew members of L.L. Cool J were arrested and charged with raping a 15-year-old girl. The incident took place after a concert when the girl had won a backstage pass on a radio contest. It was reported that as many as eight members of the rap singer’s band stood by watching. The girl, who said she never saw LL Cool J, said the singer’s bodyguard lured her to his hotel room in suburban Bloomington with promises of meeting the star and then began sexually assaulting her there.

Ray Parker JR. started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the theme from the film 'Ghostbusters'. Parker who had been a session guitarist for Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye was accused of plagiarizing the melody from Huey Lewis and the News song 'I Want a New Drug', resulting in Lewis suing Parker, the pair settled out of court in 1985.

Led Zeppelin played their last ever UK show when they appeared at Knebworth House, England. The set list included: The Song Remains The Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over The Hills And Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountainside, Kashmir, Trampled Under Foot, Sick Again, Achilles' Last Stand, In The Evening, Stairway To Heaven Rock And Roll, Whole Lotta Love and Communication Breakdown.

Rather than join Paul McCartney in travelling to Nigeria to record the band's latest album, Band On The Run guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell both quit Wings, forcing Paul, wife Linda, and Denny Laine to record the album as a trio. Keen to record outside the United Kingdom, McCartney asked EMI to send him a list of all their international recording studios. He chose Lagos, Nigeria, and was drawn to the idea of recording in Africa. On arrival, the studio was of poor quality, and conditions in Nigeria were tense and difficult; the McCartneys were robbed at knifepoint, losing a bag of song lyrics and demo tapes. McCartney ended up playing bass, drums, percussion and most of the lead guitar parts on the sessions.

350 special guests were invited to see Motown Records new signings The Jackson Five play at The Daisy Club in Beverly Hills, California.

Small Faces, The Move, Marmalade, Paul Jones, Pink Floyd, Amen Corner, Donovan, Zoot Money, Cream, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown all appeared at this years UK Reading festival. An advance 3 day ticket cost £2. Arthur Brown's trademark flaming helmet burnt out of control and organiser Harold Pendleton's father-in-law had to douse the flames with a pint of beer.

At a press conference held at The Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago, John Lennon apologised for his remarks that The Beatles were ‘more popular than Jesus'. Lennon told reporters "Look, I wasn’t saying The Beatles are better than God or Jesus, I said ‘Beatles’ because it’s easy for me to talk about The Beatles. I could have said ‘TV’ or ‘Cinema’, ‘Motorcars’ or anything popular and would have got away with it’’.

The Beatles started recording their fourth album ('Beatles For Sale', not yet titled), at EMI studios in London, England. The album marked a departure from the upbeat tone that had characterised the Beatles' previous work, partly due to the band's exhaustion after a series of tours that had established them as a worldwide phenomenon in 1964. Beatles for Sale was not widely available in the US until 1987, when the Beatles' catalogue was standardised for release on CD.

The High Numbers, (later to become The Who), played at The Railway Hotel in Harrow, England. Just before the band were due on stage, Roger Daltry's father-in law came into the venue and dragged the singer outside and hit him. The band started their set and Daltry appeared back on stage after the fight.

Neil Sedaka started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do', his first US No.1 as an artist. It reached No.7 on the UK chart. Between 1970 and 1975, it was a top-40 hit three separate times for three separate artists: Lenny Welch, The Partridge Family and Sedaka's second version.

Columbia Records released Tony Bennett's 'Once Upon A Time' with 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' as the B-side. DJs began flipping over the record and playing the B-side, resulting in 'San Francisco' peaking at No. 19 on the US charts. It became Bennett's signature song and later won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance.

Elvis Presley's double-sided hit 'Don't Be Cruel / Hound Dog' was released. 'Don't Be Cruel' was the first song that Elvis Presley's song publishers, Hill & Range, brought to him to record. Written by Otis Blackwell, who was more than happy to give up 50% of the royalties and a co-writing credit to Presley to ensure that the "hottest new singer around covered it". But unfortunately, he had already sold the song for only $25 ($289 in 2024), as he stated in an interview with American Songwriter. The single went to No.1 on the US chart, where it stayed for 11 weeks - a record that would not be broken until 1992's Boyz II Men hit 'End of the Road'.

Sandi Thom, Scottish singer /songwriter, 2006 UK and Australian No.1 single ‘I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in My Hair)’

Chris Kelly, Kris Kross, (1992 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Jump'. The duo of Chris Smith and Chris Kelly were 12 and 13 when they recorded the song. Kelly died on 1st May 2013 in an Atlanta hospital at the age of 34.

American singer-songwriter Hillary Lindsey. She has written and co-written songs for Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Shakira, Carrie Underwood, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Tim McGraw and Luke Bryan. In 2006 and 2016, respectively, Lindsey won two Grammy Awards for Best Country Song for Carrie Underwood's 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' and for Little Big Town's 'Girl Crush'.

American singer, songwriter and guitarist Ben Gibbard best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie who had the 2008 US No.1 album Narrow Stairs. The group took the band name from the song "Death Cab for Cutie", by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. The song is a track on the Bonzo's 1967 debut album, Gorilla, and was performed by them in The Beatles film Magical Mystery Tour.

Andy Bell, guitarist, singer with Ride who had the 1992 UK No.9 single 'Leave Them All Behind'. Also a member of Hurricane No.1. Bell joined Oasis in 1999.

American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Charlie Sexton known for the 1985 hit 'Beat's So Lonely' and for being the guitarist for Bob Dylan's backing band from 1999. Sexton has contributed songs to various film soundtracks, including True Romance and Air America, made a cameo fronting a bar band in Thelma & Louise and played the role of Jimmy in the 2014 film Boyhood.

Hamish Seelochan from English R&B/pop group, The Pasadenas, who had the 1992 UK No.4 single 'I'm Doing Fine Now'.

Paul Gendler guitarist from British pop music band Modern Romance, who had the 1982 UK No.4 single 'Best Years Of Our Lives'.

Joe Jackson, UK singer, songwriter, who had the 1980 UK No.5 single 'It's Different For Girls' and 1982 US No.6 and UK No.7 single 'Steppin Out'.

Bryan Bassett, guitar, vocals, from American group Wild Cherry known for their 1976 US No.1 & UK No.7 single 'Play That Funky Music'.

Erik Braunn, guitarist from American rock band Iron Butterfly who had the 1968 US No.14 single 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida'. The band's seminal 1968 album In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is among the world's 40 best-selling albums, selling more than 30 million copies. He died on 25th July 2003 aged 52.

Eric Carmen, American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist, who with The Raspberries had the 1972 US No.5 single 'Go All The Way' and the 1976 solo US No.2 single, 'All By Myself', plus other hits with 'She Did It', 'Hungry Eyes', and 'Make Me Lose Control. He died on 11 March 2024 age 74.

Bill Hurd, from English pop band The Rubettes who had the 1974 UK No.1 single 'Sugar Baby Love'.

Jim Kale bassist from Canadian rock band Guess Who who had the 1970 US No.1 & UK No.19 single 'American Woman'.

Kenneth Gamble, who as part of the American songwriting and production team with Leon A. Huff is credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre (also known as Philly sound) of the 1970s. In addition to forming their own label, Philadelphia International Records, Gamble and Huff have written and produced 175 gold and platinum records.

Denis Payton, sax, from English pop rock band, Dave Clark Five, who scored the 1964 UK No.1 single 'Glad All Over', and the 1965 US No.1 single 'Over And Over' , plus over 15 other UK top 40 singles. Payton died on 17th December 2006.

Mike Hugg, drummer and founding member of the 1960s group Manfred Man who had the 1964 UK & US No.1 single 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy'. He was later a member of Manfred Mann Chapter Three.

American record producer, songwriter, and arranger Shel Talmy. He arranged and produced hits such as 'You Really Got Me' by The Kinks, (and many more hits with the group up to 19670, 'My Generation' by The Who, and 'Friday on My Mind' by the Easybeats. Talmy produced two singles in 1965 by two groups featuring David Bowie, 'I Pity The Fool' by The Manish Boys and 'You've Got A Habit Of Leaving', where the singer was accompanied by The Lower Third. Talmy died from complications of a stroke on 13 November 2024, at the age of 87.