1960 - Eddie Cochran
Touring in the UK, 21-year-old US singer Eddie Cochran was killed when the taxi he was travelling in crashed into a lamppost on Rowden Hill, Chippenham, Wiltshire, (where a plaque now commemorates the event). Songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent survived the crash, Cochran's current hit at the time was 'Three Steps to Heaven'. The taxi driver, George Martin, was convicted of dangerous driving, fined £50, disqualified from driving for 15 years, and sent to prison for six months.
1965 - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's second studio album 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylanwas at No.1 on the UK chart. The album opens with 'Blowin' in the Wind', which became an anthem of the 1960s, and an international hit for folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary.
1970 - Santana
Santana began sessions for what would be their breakthrough album Abraxas at Wally Heider Recording Studio, San Francisco, California. When released in September of this year, Abraxas peaked at No.1 on the US chart.
1970 - Johnny Cash
While performing at the White House at the invitation of President Richard Nixon, Johnny Cash was asked to perform 'Okie From Muskogee'. Cash declined because it was not his song, but had been a hit for Merle Haggard. Instead, Cash sang his No.1 hit, 'A Boy Named Sue'.
1971 - George Harrison
All four Beatles had solo singles in the UK charts, Paul McCartney with 'Another Day', John Lennon 'Power To The People', George Harrison 'My Sweet Lord' and Ringo Starr 'It Don't Come Easy.'
1971 - Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Joy To The World'. The group's second US No.1; a No.24 hit in the UK.
1973 - The Eagles
The Eagles released their second studio album Desperado. Recorded at Island Studios in London, UK, two singles were released from the album 'Tequila Sunrise' and 'Outlaw Man'.
1973 - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side Of The Moon went gold in the US. The LP went on to stay in the US chart for more than ten years and became the longest charting rock record of all time.
1974 - Vinnie Taylor
Vinnie Taylor guitarist with US rock 'n roll revival band Sha Na Na was found dead in a Holiday Inn hotel room in Charlottesville, Virginia from a drug overdose. Sha Na Na played at the Woodstock Festival, their 90-second appearance in the Woodstock film brought the group national attention. The group appeared in the movie Grease as Johnny Casino & The Gamblers.
1975 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley bought a Convair 880 Jet formally owned by Delta Airlines for $250,000, which he re-christened Lisa Marie. Presley spent a further $600,000 refurbishing the Jet to include personal quarters, a meeting area and a dance floor.
1982 - Vangelis
Vangelis was at No.1 on the US album chart with Chariots Of Fire, he later also won an Oscar for the album for best original score.
1983 - Felix Pappalardi
Felix Pappalardi, producer and bass player with American rock band Mountain was shot dead by his wife Gail Collins during a jealous rage. Collins was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and sentenced to four years in prison. Pappalardi who was 43 had produced the Cream albums 'Disraeli Gears' and 'Wheels of Fire.'
1987 - Carlton Barrett
Reggae drummer and percussion player Carlton Barrett of The Wailers was shot dead outside his house in Kingston, Jamaica. Joined Bob Marley and The Wailers in 1970, wrote the Marley song 'War'. Barrett was the originator of the one-drop rhythm, a percussive drumming style.
1991 - Nirvana
Nirvana appeared at the OK Hotel in Seattle, where they played a new song, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', live for the first time. Other local bands such as Mudhoney, Tad, Mother Love Bone, and Soundgarden all appeared at the club, which has now been turned into a residential property.
1993 - David Bowie
David Bowie went to No.1 on the UK album chart with his eighteenth studio album Black Tie White Noise. It was his first solo release in the 1990s after spending time with his hard rock band Tin Machine.
1994 - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with The Division Bell, their fourth No.1 album.
1998 - Linda McCartney
Linda McCartney died after a long battle against cancer. Married Paul McCartney in 1969 when she was working as a photographer. As well as a being a member of Wings, she became an animal rights campaigner and launched her own brand of vegetarian food.
2003 - Earl King
Earl King the New Orleans Blues guitarist died aged 69. King wrote the classic song Come On, (Let The Good Times Roll), covered by Jimi Hendrix.
2004 - Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain's Mark IV-style Mosrite Gospel guitar sold for $100,000 at the Icons of 20th Century Music auction held in Dallas, Texas. Other items sold included Elton John and Bernie Taupin's song writing piano which sold for $140,000 and a 1966 Rickenbacker guitar owned by The Byrds Roger McGuinn's sold for $99,000.
2007 - Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry was forced to make an apology after praising Nazi iconography in a German magazine. Talking to Welt am Sonntag, he said the Nazis 'knew how to put themselves in the limelight and present themselves...I'm talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags. Just amazing - really beautiful.' British MPs asked shoppers to think twice about shopping in Marks and Spencer asking for Ferry to be dropped as the face of the M&S Autograph menswear collection. Ferry said he was 'deeply upset' by the publicity surrounding the interview.
2008 - Bruce Springsteen
Danny Federici, the longtime keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen and a member of The E Street Band, died of cancer at the age of 58. Federici had worked with Springsteen for over 40 years, starting with Steel Mill and Child with Springsteen.
2009 - Morrissey
Morrissey walked off stage during his set at the Coachella festival in California after declaring he could 'smell burning flesh'. The committed vegetarian took offence to the smell coming from nearby barbecues. Sir Paul McCartney, The Killers and The Curealso appeared at the event.
2016 - Joss Stone
Singer Joss Stone postponed shows in the Caribbean to be with her sick dog, which she said was "the closest thing I have to a child". She said her pet had "made it through the night" but she had to "go back and make sure she was ok".
2020 - Matthew Seligman
English bass guitarist Matthew Seligman, best known as a member of The Soft Boys, died aged 64 due to complications of the coronavirus. Seligman was also a member of the Thompson Twins, and was a sideman for Thomas Dolby and backed David Bowie at his performance at Live Aid in 1985.
Birthdays
1934 - Don Kirshner
American music publisher, talent manager, and songwriter Don Kirshner who helped launch the careers of Neil Diamond, Bobby Darin, Carole King, Neil Sedaka and The Archies. Kirshner was hired by the producers of The Monkees to provide hit-worthy songs to accompany the television program and also served as a music consultant for almost two dozen TV series between 1966 and 1977. He died on January 17, 2011.
1940 - Billy Fury
English singer Billy Fury, who had the 1961 UK No.3 single 'Halfway To Paradise', plus 25 other Top 40 UK singles. He played rock 'n' roller "Stormy Tempest" in the film That'll Be The Day along side David Essex and Ringo Starr. An early British rock and roll (and film) star, he equalled the Beatles' record of 24 hits in the 1960s, and spent 332 weeks on the UK chart. Fury died of a heart attack on 28th January 1983.
1943 - Roy Estrada
Roy Estrada, bassist with Frank Zappa and a founder member of Little Feat, playing on their first two albums. Estrada was convicted of sexual assault on a child in 1977 for which he served six years in prison. In January 2012, he pleaded guilty to a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child which happened in 2008 and he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and is not eligible for parole.
1948 - Jan Hammer
Jan Hammer, keyboard player, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jeff Beck. He scored the solo, 1985 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'Miami Vice Theme' and the 1987 UK No.2 single 'Crockett's Theme'.
1954 - Michael Sembello
American Grammy-award winning and Oscar nominated singer, musician, songwriter, Michael Sembello, who had the 1983 US No.1 single 'Maniac', which featured in the film Flashdance.
1955 - Pete Shelley
English singer, songwriter and guitarist Pete Shelley from punk rock band Buzzcocks, who had the 1978 UK No.12 single 'Ever Fallen In Love, With Someone You Shouldn't've'. They made their first appearance in 1976 in Manchester, opening for the Sex Pistols. Shelley also had a solo career: his song ‘Homosapien’ charted in the US in 1981. He died of a suspected heart attack on 6 December 2018.
1964 - James Keenan
James Keenan from American rock band Tool who had the 2001 US No.1 album Lateralus. Keenan is also a member of A Perfect Circle and Puscifer.
1967 - Matt Chamberlain
Matt Chamberlain one of the world's most widely-heard session drummers. Worked with, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Pearl Jam, Tori Amos, Morrissey, Fiona Apple, Christina Aguilera, Dido, David Bowie, Elton John, Peter Gabriel, The Wallflowers, Natalie Merchant, Robbie Williams, Kanye West, Garbage, John Mayer and William Shatner.
1967 - Liz Phair
American singer-songwriter and guitarist Liz Phair. Her 1993 debut studio album Exile in Guyville was ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
1970 - Redman
Redman, US rapper who had the 2001 US No.4 album Malpractice and the 2002 UK No.1 single with Christina Aguilera ‘Dirrty’.
1974 - Victoria Beckham
businesswoman, fashion designer, model and singer, Victoria Beckham, (Posh Spice), The Spice Girls who scored the 1996 UK No.1 & 1997 US No.1 single 'Wannabe', plus eight other UK No.1 singles). She had the solo 2000 UK No. 2 single 'Out Of Your Mind' and married footballer David Beckham at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland in June 1999. Beckham has become an internationally recognised style icon and fashion designer.
1988 - Eliza Doolittle
British singer-songwriter, Eliza Doolittle, (born Eliza Sophie Caird). Her debut self-titled album released in 2010, (where it debuted at No.3 on the UK Albums Chart), produced two UK top forty hits: 'Skinny Genes' and 'Pack Up'.
1989 - Avi Kaplan
American singer and songwriter Avi Kaplan a member of the a cappella group Pentatonix. Together with Pentatonix, Kaplan has released seven studio albums, won three Grammy Awards, and sold over six million albums. They scored the 2017 US No.1 album 'A Pentatonix Christmas'.
