2023
A guitar used by rock and roll legend
Chuck Berry sold at auction for more than £20,000. The 1964 Gibson Firebird V was handed to the musician during a concert at Wembley in 1972 after he broke a string on his own guitar. The moment was captured in a film of the concert and a photographer took a picture which became the cover of a 2017 album of Berry's greatest hits.
2021
American country music singer Morgan Wallen was at No.1 on the US album chart with his second studio album Dangerous: The Double Album. In March 2022, the album established the all-time record for the longest duration at the No.1 spot (98 weeks and counting) on Billboard's Country Albums chart.
2016
English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer and musician, Sir George Martin died aged 90. He worked as EMI records in-house record producer and became known as the so-called fifth Beatle. Martin produced all but one of
The Beatles albums giving him 30 No.1 hit singles in the UK and 23 No.1 hits in the US. He also produced many other acts including: Matt Monro, Cilla Black, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, The Fourmost,
Jeff Beck, Ultravox, Kenny Rogers, UFO, Cheap Trick,
Elton John and
Celine Dion. Martin received a Knighthood in 1996.
2016
AC/DC postponed the rest of their current US tour after singer Brian Johnson was warned he was going deaf. The band posted a statement on their website saying doctors had advised Johnson to stop touring immediately or risk total hearing loss.
2009
A blue plaque in honour of
The Who drummer
Keith Moon was unveiled on the site of The
Marquee Club
in Soho, London, where in 1964 the band played the first of 29 gigs there. Fans on scooters turned up to pay tribute to Moon, who was 32 when he died of an accidental overdose in 1978. The blue plaque, which means the site is of historic importance, was awarded by the Heritage Foundation.
2008
China was set to impose stricter rules on foreign pop stars after Bjork caused controversy by shouting "Tibet, Tibet" at a Shanghai concert after a powerful performance of her song Declare Independence. Talk of Tibetan independence was considered taboo in China, which had ruled the territory since 1951. A spokesperson from the culture ministry said Bjork would be banned from performing in China if there was a repeat performance.
2003
Former
Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler was injured when the Honda motorbike he was riding was involved in a collision with a Fiat Punto car. The 53-year-old singer and guitarist suffered a broken collar bone and six broken ribs in the accident which happened in London's smart Belgravia district in mid-morning traffic.
2003
Singer and actor Adam Faith died. He had the 1959 UK No.1 single 'What Do You Want', plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles, and acting roles include the TV series 'Love Hurts.'
2001
It was reported that US manufactures Art Asylum planned to send over 100,000
Eminem dolls to shops in the UK. The lifelike figure had the rapper's tattoos recreated in detail including the words 'Cut Here' on his neck.
1990
Cher won the worst dressed female, and worst video for 'If I Could Turn Back Time', in The Rolling Stone Magazine's awards, Donny Osmond won the most unwelcome comeback award.
1986
Diana Ross was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the 'Chain Reaction.' Written and produced by The
Bee Gees (who also provided the backing vocals for the single). The single became her first No.1 single in the UK since 'I'm Still Waiting' in 1971.
1973
American singer and musician Ron McKernan died aged 27 from liver failure brought on by alcohol poisoning. He was a founding member and keyboard player with the
Grateful Dead and played in the group from 1965 to 1972. Unlike the other members of the Grateful Dead, McKernan avoided psychedelic drugs, preferring to drink alcohol (namely whiskey and flavored fortified wine). By 1971, his health had been affected by alcoholism and liver damage and doctors advised him to stop touring.
1973
Paul McCartney was fined £100 ($170) for growing cannabis at his farm in Campbeltown, Scotland. McCartney claimed some fans gave the seeds to him and that he didn't know what they would grow.
1969
Small Faces split up after singer Steve Marriott announced he was leaving the band to form Humble Pie. Small Faces scored the hit songs 'Itchycoo Park', 'Lazy Sunday', 'All or Nothing', and 'Tin Soldier', as well as their concept album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. Members Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenny Jones linked up with
Ronnie Wood and
Rod Stewart and formed the
Faces.
1968
Cream played the first of two nights at at Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, California. The concert was recorded with some tracks ending up on their 'Wheels Of Fire' double album.
1965
Bob Dylan's single
Subterranean Homesick Blues was released in the US. The lead track from his Bringing It All Back Home album, gave Dylan his first top 40 hit. Subterranean Homesick Blues is also noted for its innovative film clip, in what became one of the first 'modern' promotional film clips. The clip was shot in an alley behind the Savoy Hotel in London, the cue cards which Dylan holds were written by Donovan, Allen Ginsberg, and Dylan himself.
1965
David Bowie made his TV debut with The Manish Boys on a UK program called 'Gadzooks! It's All Happening' when they performed their current single 'I Pity The Fool.'
1963
The Four Tops signed to
Motown Records with a $400 advance. Formally known as The Aims the group had signed to Chess Records in 1956, before changing their name to the Four Tops to avoid confusion with the Ames Brothers. During their early Motown years, the group recorded jazz standards for the company's Workshop Jazz Records label.
1962
The Beatles made their radio debut on the BBC's 'Teenagers Turn', (Here We Go), singing
Roy Orbison's 'Dream Baby'. It was reportedly the first time The Beatles wore suits onstage.
1988
Eleanor Jackson, singer with La Roux who had the 2009 UK No.1 single 'Bulletproof'.
1979
English musician Tom Chaplin, best known as the co-founder and lead singer of the English alternative rock band Keane. Their 2004 UK No.1 album Hopes And Fears won the 2005 Brit Award for Best British Album and was the second best-selling British album of the year.
1976
Gaz Coombes singer, songwriter with UK group Supergrass who had the 1995 UK No.2 single 'Alright'. Their 1995 UK No.1 album I Should Coco spent 35 weeks on the UK chart. He first entered the music scene aged sixteen as the lead singer of the band The Jennifers.
1968
American singer-songwriter Shawn Mullins. His 1998 single 'Lullaby', hit No.1 on the US Adult Top 40 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
1964
Peter Gill, drummer with Frankie Goes To Hollywood, the British band who formed in Liverpool and had the 1984 UK No.1 & US No.10 single 'Relax'. The single eventually sold 2 million copies in the UK alone, making it the seventh best-selling single in the UK Singles Chart's history. Their debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, reached No.1 in the UK in 1984 with advanced sales of over one million.
1962
English rock drummer Steve Grantley who has worked with Stiff Little Fingers and the Alarm. He has also worked with Alicia Keys, Julian Lennon and the band Eighth Wonder who had the 1988, hit single 'I'm Not Scared'.
1960
English singer, songwriter, and producer Richard Darbyshire from UK group Living In A Box, who had the 1987 UK No.5 single 'Living In A Box'. Darbyshire has written and produced songs for other artists, particularly Lisa Stansfield, Level 42, and Jennifer Rush, amongst others. Darbyshire died on 10 November 2025, at the age of 65.
1958
English musician Gary Numan who with Tubeway Army had the 1979 UK No.1 single 'Are Friends Electric'. As a solo artist, he had the 1979 UK No.1 & 1980 US No.9 single 'Cars' plus 18 other UK Top 40 singles. Numan is regarded as a pioneer of electronic music.
1957
Clive Burr, drummer with UK Rock group
Iron Maiden who 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 died on 13th March 2013 at the age of 56. He had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, and died in his sleep. Burr was a member of up-and-coming British metal band, Samson, before joining Maiden in 1979.
1954
Cheryl Baker,singer with British pop group Bucks Fizz who had the UK hits 'Making Your Mind Up' (1981), 'The Land of Make Believe' (1981) and 'My Camera Never Lies' (1982) and became one of the top-selling groups of the 1980s. Baker now works as a TV presenter.
1949
English guitarist and singer-songwriter Dave Lambert from folk-rock group The Strawbs. They scored the 1973 UK No.2 single 'Part Of The Union'.
1948
American pop singer Little Peggy March, (Margaret Battivio) who had the 1963 US No.1 single and million-selling song 'I Will Follow Him'. March became the youngest female artist with a No.1 hit, at the age of 15, a record that still stands for the Billboard Hot 100 to this day. The song also reached No.1 in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Scandinavia.
1948
English guitarist Mel Galley best known for his work with Trapeze, Finders Keepers and Phenomena. With Whitesnake he had the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.9 single 'Here I Go Again'. Galley died of cancer on 1 July 2008.
1947
Mike Allsup, guitarist with US group Three Dog Night who had the 1970 UK No.3 & US No.1 single with their version of the Randy Newman song 'Mama Told Me Not To Come'.
1946
American lyricist, singer, and songwriter Carole Bayer Sager. She wrote 'Groovy Kind Of Love', a 1966 hit for The Mindbenders and later
Phil Collins.
Frank Sinatra, Gene Pitney and
Dolly Parton have all recorded her songs. Sager married songwriter
Burt Bacharach in 1982. Bacharach and Sager divorced in 1991.
1946
American musician, singer, songwriter, and founding member of the Eagles Randy Meisner. He was a member of Poco and was a founding member of the
Eagles who had the 1977 US No.1 & UK No.8 single 'Hotel California'. He co-wrote and sang lead vocal on the Eagles hit 'Take It to the Limit.' He quit The Eagles in 1977 and went on to release solo albums in 1978 (Randy Meisner) and 1980 (One More Song). Meisner died due to complications associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Los Angeles, on 26 July 2023, at the age of 77.
1945
Michael Dolenz, singer and drummer with The
Monkees who had the 1967 UK & US No.1 single 'I'm A Believer' plus 10 US & 8 UK Top 40 singles. Dolenz is now a actor, television director, radio personality and theatre director.
1943
American bassist Sweet Charles Sherrell. Sherrell began his career playing drums with fellow Nashville residents
Jimi Hendrix and Billy Cox. He learned to play the guitar by washing the car (a Jaguar) of Curtis Mayfield in exchange for guitar lessons. He was known for recording and performing with
James Brown from 1973 to 1996. He died on 29 March at his home in The Netherlands.
1943
Andrew Semple, guitarist and singer from English harmony beat group The Fortunes, who had the 1965 UK No.2 & US No.7 single 'You've Got Your Troubles' and the hits 'Here It Comes Again and 'Storm in a Teacup'. He died on 22 November 2022.
1942
Ralph Ellis from British group The Swinging Blue Jeans who had the 1964 UK No.2 & US No.24 single 'Hippy Hippy Shake'.