On This Day in Rock History
2008 – Grammys still on… — Grammy Awards 2008 – Grammys still on. While the writers’ strike put a damper on the Golden Globes, the Writers Guild of America announced Tuesday (January 22) that the striking union will [...]
2008 – Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz decides to throw an event for Barack Obama… — Ashlee Simpson and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz 2008 – CHICAGO — As far as political fundraisers go, this one was a decidedly nontraditional affair. There was a go-go dancer gyrating [...]
2008 – The conditions of Britney Spears’ child-custody case… — Kevin Federline & Britney Spears 2008 – The conditions of Britney Spears’ child-custody case will stay the same after an emergency hearing took place Wednesday (January 23). In yet another [...]
2004 – RIA and FBI reach agreement for CD label warnings… — 2004 – The Los Angeles Times reports that the Recording Industry Association of America and the FBI have reached an agreement whereby CDs will carry labels with the [...]
2005 – former Happy Mondays dancer Bez, won the £50,000 Celebrity — 2005 – former Happy Mondays dancer Bez, won the £50,000 Celebrity Big Brother prize, after gaining 54% of the final viewer vote. The “Madchester” pop legend danced his way to [...]
2005 – one of the biggest charity concerts since Live Aid raised £1.25 — Eric Clapton 2005 – one of the biggest charity concerts since Live Aid raised £1.25 million ($2 million) for victims of the tsunami disaster in Asia. The concert held at The [...]
2004 – Former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland found guilty… — 2004 – Former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland, 55, is found guilty by an English court of attempting to rape a learning-disabled teenager he was giving drum lessons. [...]
2004 – Scott Weiland back in rehab… — Scott Weiland 2004 – A California judge orders Scott Weiland back into a live-in drug detoxification center after the former Stone Temple Pilots singer decides to quit rehab early.
2004 – The Hives premiere their new song… — 2004 – The Hives premiere their new song “Walk Idiot Walk” at a radio awards show in Gothenberg, Sweden. It’s the Scandinavian garage rocker’s first new material since [...]
2004 – David Palmer, former keyboardist for prog rockers Jethro Tull… — 2004 – David Palmer, former keyboardist for prog rockers Jethro Tull, announces he has had a sex change and is now known as “Dee”.
2003 – R Kelly was arrested on new child pornography charges. — 2003 – R Kelly was arrested on new child pornography charges. The singer was detained in Miami after police said digital sex pictures were discovered at his home in Florida [...]
2001 – Britney Spears uses “f” – word… — 2001 – Los Angeles radio station KROQ plays a tape of Britney Spears using the “f”-word several times backstage at this month’s Rock in Rio festival.
2001 – Beatles producer George Martin… — 2001 – Beatles producer George Martin breaks ground on a new cultural center on the Caribbean island of Monserrat.
2001 – Mark Oliver was found guilty by a London court of stealing — 2001 – Mark Oliver was found guilty by a London court of stealing luggage belonging to Victoria Beckham from Heathrow Airport. Police issued a list of the £23,000 worth of [...]
2001 – an English coroner criticised the rap singer Eminem’s — 2001 – an English coroner criticised the rap singer Eminem’s lyrics as depressing during an inquest into the death of a schoolboy who threw himself in front of a train. [...]
2000 – Nancy Wilson of Heart gives birth to twins… — 2000 – Nancy Wilson of Heart gives birth to twins. The proud father is former rock scribe and Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe.
2000 – At the Golden Globe Awards, Courtney Love tries… — 2000 – At the Golden Globe Awards, Courtney Love tries to make Phil Collins say “please” before giving him the gong for best original song, motion picture for [...]
1999 – Master P, real name Percy Miller, shows up … — 1999 – Master P, real name Percy Miller, shows up in uniform for the Charlotte Hornets’ intrasquad scrimmage at the Charlotte Coliseum. Miller had recently been added to the Continental [...]
1999 – Bill Givens, founder of pioneering reissue … — 1999 – Bill Givens, founder of pioneering reissue label Origin Jazz Library, dies of a heart attack in Santa Monica, Calif. He is 68. In the late ’50s, Givens’ indie [...]
1997 – The Associates’ singer Billy MacKenzie commits suicide… — 1997 – The Associates’ singer Billy MacKenzie commits suicide in Scotland aged 39.
1997 – Richard Berry, the rhythm and blues pioneer… — 1997 – Richard Berry, the rhythm and blues pioneer whose song “Louie Louie” launched a generation of garage bands and provoked a federal obscenity probe, dies at the age of [...]
1996 – White Zombie refused to play in Tenn… — 1996 – The city council of Johnson City, Tenn., revokes their permission for White Zombie to play there after hearing testimony that the band preached devil worship.
1995 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Creep,” TLC. … — 1995 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Creep,” TLC.
1995 – Courtney Love appears in Australian court o… — 1995 – Courtney Love appears in Australian court on charges of abusing a flight attendant. The singer admits to responding with an obscenity when a Quantas flight attendant told her [...]
1995 – Alan Jackson’s No. 1 country single “Gone C… — 1995 – Alan Jackson’s No. 1 country single “Gone Country” reaches the top of Chart Toppers’s country chart in its 23rd week on the countdown. It’s the longest amount of [...]
1993 – Thomas A. Dorsey, who blended blues, ragtim… — 1993 – Thomas A. Dorsey, who blended blues, ragtime and church songs into a creation he called gospel music, dies of Alzheimer’s disease at his home in Chicago. The writer [...]
1990 – Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins dies… — 1990 – Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins dies in Jacksonville, Fla., of complications from pneumonia. The 37-year-old had been paralyzed from the waist down since 1986 after crashing [...]
1988 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “The Way You … — 1988 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “The Way You Make Me Feel,” Michael Jackson. The song is the third consecutive No. 1 hit from Jackson’s album “Bad,” the [...]
1988 – Nirvana records a ten-song demo tape with t… — 1988 – Nirvana records a ten-song demo tape with the godfather of grunge, legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino. The Melvins’ Dale Crover sits in on drums. Sub Pop cohoncho Jonathan [...]
1986 – The first annual induction ceremony for the… — 1986 – The first annual induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is held in New York. Among those inducted are Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, [...]
1978 – Chicago guitarist and singer Terry Kath dies… — 1978 – Never pretend to shoot yourself with an empty pistol. Because the gun might actually be loaded. Chicago guitarist and singer Terry Kath learned this lesson to [...]
1978 – Vic Ames of the Ames Brothers dies in an au… — 1978 – Vic Ames of the Ames Brothers dies in an auto wreck. Age 51.
1978 – Founder and guitarist Terry Kath of the gro… — 1978 – Founder and guitarist Terry Kath of the group Chicago dies after from a selfinflicted gunshot wound.
1973 – Neil Young is handed a piece of paper… — 1973 – Neil Young is handed a piece of paper onstage in New York and reads out the message that a peace accord has been reached in Vietnam. The [...]
1972 – R&B singer Mabel Louise Smith dies… — 1972 – R&B singer Mabel Louise Smith, known to her fans as Big Maybelle, dies in Cleveland aged 51.
1970 – Judy Collins to sing as part of her testimony is refused… — 1970 – The judge in the case of the Chicago Seven turns down the request of Judy Collins to sing as part of her testimony. The judge also didn’t [...]
1969 – Alan Parsons makes his debut as the Beatles’ … — 1969 – Alan Parsons makes his debut as the Beatles’ engineer as they record “Get Back” during the Let It Be sessions.
1968 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Judy in Disg… — 1968 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Judy in Disguise (with Glasses),” John Fred and His Playboy Band.
1965 – The Rolling Stones begin an Australian tour… — 1965 – The Rolling Stones begin an Australian tour in Sydney with Roy Orbison, Rolf Harris and Dionne Warwick.
1964 – Rolling Stones finish American tour… — 1964 – Having wrapped up their first American tour, the Rolling Stones fly back to Britain.
1963 – Janis Joplin hitchhikes to San Francisco… — 1963 – Janis Joplin hitchhikes to San Francisco with her friend Chet Helms. Biography Early life Janis Joplin was born to Seth and Dorothy (East) Joplin; her father was an engineer at [...]
1958 – The Crickets release “Maybe Baby”… — 1958 – The Crickets release “Maybe Baby” on the Brunswick Record label. It becomes their fourth charting single, peaking at No. 17.
1957 – The film Don’t Knock the Rock premieres… — 1957 – The film Don’t Knock the Rock premieres in Australia. Bill Haley & the Comets, who appear in the film and are touring Down Under, attend the [...]
1955 – UB40 bass player Earl Falconer is born… — 1955 – UB40 bass player Earl Falconer is born in Birmingham, England.
1953 – Robin Zander, the frontman with Cheap Trick, is born… — 1953 – Robin Zander, the frontman with Cheap Trick, is born in Rockford, Ill.
1950 – Box Tops bassist Bill Cunningham is born in Memphis — 1950 – Box Tops bassist Bill Cunningham is born in Memphis
1950 – Guitarist Patrick Simmons, a founding member of the Doobie Brothers, is born… — 1950 – Guitarist Patrick Simmons, a founding member of the Doobie Brothers, is born in Aberdeen, Wash.
1950 – Bruce Springsteen’s The E Street Band’s keyboardist … — 1950 – Bruce Springsteen’s The E Street Band’s keyboardist Danny Federici is born.
1948 – Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is bor… — 1948 – Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is born in Oakland, Calif., the daughter of a minister. The group, which is formed in Oakland, Calif., by sisters Ruth, Anita, [...]
1944 – Jerry Lawson is born… — 1944 – Jerry Lawson, vocalist with the soul group the Persuasions, is born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
1910 – The great jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt is born… — 1910 – The great jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt is born Jean Baptiste Reinhardt in Liverchies, Belgium.