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Click on a date below to find out what happened on that day in music history... |
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Rapper and OutKast associate Lil Wayne is arrested on drugs charges in Atlanta.
Lil Wayne
Edith Wong, a promoter who booked bands like the Police, X, the Go-Gos, Oingo Boingo, the Motels, the Knack, the Textones and Plane English at her string of Madame Wong's clubs in Los Angeles, dies aged 88.
The Police
The Go-Go's
The Motels
Oingo Boingo
The late funk rocker and crack smoker Rick James is cremated following a funeral in Buffalo, N.Y. Six thousand fans turn out for the service.
Rick James
A warrant is issued for Bobby Brown's arrest in Georgia after the ex-New Edition singer fails to complete any of the conditions of his probation from a drunk driving conviction.
Bobby Brown
A black out hits the North East of America. Among those cancelling shows as a result are KISS and Aerosmith, Bob Dylan and Tori Amos.
Kiss
Aerosmith
Bob Dylan
Tori Amos
The 17-year-old songwriter Michelle Branch releases her debut The Spirit Room. Helped by the hits "Everyday" and "All You Wanted," the album peaks at No. 28 on the Billboard charts.
Michelle Branch
Van Halen singer Gary Cherone is given a Courage Award by the American Life League for his stance against abortion.
Van Halen
Brian Wilson is presented with the BMI President's Award at a screening of the documentary I Just Wasn't Made for These Times.
Brian Wilson
At a Grateful Dead meeting, the band decides not to carry on with its fall tour in the wake of Jerry Garcia's death.
Jerry Garcia
The Grateful Dead
Las Vegas icon Wayne Newton files for bankruptcy, despite appearing in The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine the year before.
Wayne Newton
Mambo king Tito Puente receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tito Puente
Roy Calvert, the "resident poet" with psychedelic loonies Hawkwind, dies in Kent, England, of a heart attack.
Hawkwind
Cult rock/blues guitarist Roy Buchanan hangs himself in a Fairfax, Va., police cell after being arrested on charges of drunkenness.
Roy Buchanan
In an extremely bizarre case of life imitating art, a woman calling herself Billie Jean Jackson names Michael Jackson in a $150 million paternity suit. In his 1983 No. 1 "Billie Jean," Jackson sang, "The kid is not my son."
Michael Jackson
The legendary English label Stiff releases its first record, Nick Lowe's "So It Goes" single. The label's motto was "If it ain't Stiff, it ain't worth a f*ck."
Nick Lowe
The great King Curtis ("Soul Twist") is stabbed to death in New York. As well as playing for the Coasters and blowing on his own hits, Curtis led Aretha Franklin's band the Kingpins.
Aretha Franklin
The Coasters
King Curtis
To Diana Ross, a daughter. She gives birth to Rhonda Ross. Berry Gordy later claims to be the father, although Ross was married to Robert Silberstein at the time.
Diana Ross
Rod Stewart releases "Maggie May." It becomes his breakthrough single in the U.S., going to No. 1.
Rod Stewart
At a La Jolla, Calif., hotel, Stephen Stills is arrested and charged with cocaine possession. And here we thought David Crosby was the wild one.
David Crosby
Stephen Stills
John Lennon can't win. After he apologizes for his "more popular than Jesus" remarks earlier in the week, the London Catholic Herald brands his apology "arrogant." Meanwhile, the Beatles play the first rock concert held at Cleveland Stadium before 24,000 people.
John Lennon
The Beatles
The Beatles' Help! tops the English albums chart.
The Beatles
Beatles manager Brian Epstein approaches the marketable Ringo Starr, currently performing at Butlin's holiday camp in Skegness, England, about replacing the ordinary Pete Best on the drum stool. Starr starts with the Beatles four days later.
Ringo Starr
Pete Best
The Beatles
Elvis Presley's beloved mother, Gladys, dies of a heart attack at age 42. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Elvis Presley presumably sends its condolences.
Elvis Presley
NBC pulls the plug on the popular Nat King Cole Show after a yearlong search for a sponsor. Cole says, "The advertising agencies are afraid of the dark. They don't take any chances. I think the show can be sold if the agency men look at it from a money point of view rather than from that of a race issue. The network likes me and so do the TV viewers." Nat's show had attracted quality guests like Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, and Harry Belafonte.
Ella Fitzgerald
Nat King Cole
Harry Belafonte
Peggy Lee
Responding to criticism of Elvis Presley's licentious hillbilly music, Washington, D.C., DJ Bob Rickman starts the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Elvis Presley.
Elvis Presley
The cuddliest rock 'n' roll outlaw you ever did see, David Crosby is born in Los Angeles.
David Crosby
 
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