Music Almanac: July 4

Birthdays

• 1911 - Mitch Miller (d. 2010)
• 1933 - Baker Knight (songwriter) (d. 2005)
• 1937 - Ray Pillow (75)
• 1938 - Bill Withers (74)
• 1940 - Dave Rowberry (Animals) (d. 2003)
• 1942 - Peter Rowan (70)
• 1943 - Annette Sterling (Martha and the Vandellas) (69)
• 1943 - Al "Blind Owl" Wilson (Canned Heat) (d. 1970)
• 1947 - Jacques Morali (producer) (d. 1991)
• 1948 - Jeremy Spencer (Fleetwood Mac) (64)
• 1951 - Ralph Johnson (Earth, Wind & Fire) (61)
• 1952 - John Waite (60)
• 1958 - Kirk Pengilly (INXS) (54)
• 1959 - Bill McCorvey (Pirates of the Mississippi) (53)
• 1963 - Matt Malley (Counting Crows) (49)
• 1963 - Jesse Lee Daniels (Force M.D.'s) (49)
• 1964 - Mark Allen Slaughter (Slaughter) (48)
• 1970 - Andy McClure (Sleeper) (42)
• 1971 - Andy Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) (41)
• 1972 - William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate, Foo Fighters) (40)
• 1978 - Stephen McNally (BBMak) (34)
• 1983 - Andy Mrotek (The Academy is...) (29)

Deaths

• 1971 - Don McPherson (Main Ingredient) - Leukemia (29)
• 1984 - Jimmie Spheeris - Motorcycle accident (34)
• 2003 - Barry White - Renal failure (58)
• 2005 - Big Al Downing - Leukemia (65)
• 2007 - Bill Pinkney (Drifters)
• 2009 - Drake Levin (Paul Revere & the Raiders) - Cancer (62)

On This Day

• 1940 - The Louvin Brothers made their first live appearance in Flatrock, AL
• 1962 - Chris Blackwell started Island Records.
• 1966 - The Beatles were attacked by a mob in the Philippines when Ferdinand Marcos pulled their security detail after his wife, Imelda, said they did not attend one of her parties.
• 1970 - American Top 40, with host Casey Kasem, was broadcast for the first time.
• 1972 - Willie Nelson held his first Fourth of July Picnic.
• 1973 - Don Powell, drummer for Slade, was seriously injured in a car crash (his girlfriend was killed).
• 1975 - The Texas Senate named it Willie Nelson Day.
• 1976 - The Clash made their live debut in Sheffield, England.
• 1977 - Gary Valentine (bass) quit Blondie citing artistic integrity.
• 1980 - The Beach Boys held their July 4 concert in Washington, DC in front of an estimated half-million.
• 1982 - Diana Ross kicked off a solo tour at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
• 1983 - The Beach Boys are banned from playing the mall in Washington by Interior Secretary James Watt because of the bad elements they would attract.
• 1984 - The Beach Boys held their July 4 concert in Miami, FL with a guest appearance by Ringo Starr.
• 1985 - The Beach Boys held their July 4 concert in Washington, D.C. with a guest appearance by Jimmy Page.
• 1986 - Farm Aid II was held in Manor, TX with Alabama, The Beach Boys, The Blasters, Judy Collins, Rita Coolidge, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Joe Ely, Exile, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Emmylou Harris, Julio Iglesias, Rick James, Jason & the Scorchers, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Bon Jovi, Nicolette Larson, Los Lobos, John Mellencamp, Vince Neil, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Steppenwolf, Taj Mahal, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, X, The Unforgiven
• 1987 - Keith Richards completed mixing on the Chuck Berry documentary Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll.
• 1987 - Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead start a short tour in Foxboro, MA.
• 1990 - Paul Stanley of KISS was in a car accident causing neck and back injuries.
• 1992 - John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas received a liver transplant.
• 1999 - Elton John received a pacemaker after collapsing with an irregular heartbeat.
• 2000 - A member of the audience was killed at a Metallica concert after falling 80 feet.
• 2002 - George Michael did an interview with CNN over his video for Shoot the Dog which showed George Bush and Tony Blair in bed together.
• 2002 - Tony Bennett had to stop his show at Royal Albert Hall in London after fire broke out.
• 2004 - Ja Rule was arrested for driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana.
• 2007 - A former laboratory worker admitted in court that he stalked Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington. 
• 2010 - George Michael was arrested after crashing his car into the front of a North London camera shop. He was charged with driving while under the influence of drink or drugs and marijuana possession.

Marriages

• 1974 - Barry White and Glodean James (Love Unlimited)
• 1976 - Paul Revere
• 1982 - Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden
• 1999 - Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams and David Beckham

Released

• 1964 - Tell Me - Rolling Stones (single)
• 1976 - Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond
• 1976 - Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John & Kiki Dee (single)
• 1988 - Kylie - Kylie Minogue
• 1990 - Banned in the U.S.A. - 2 Live Crew (single)
• 1995 - Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters
• 2005 - The Cookbook - Missy Elliott
• 2006 - Love is My Religion - Ziggy Marley (exclusive through Target, their first such deal with an artist)
• 2006 - American V: A Hundred Highways - Johnny Cash

Broadcasts

• 1958 - American Bandstand - Dick Roman, Jack Scott
• 1960 - American Bandstand - Buddy Knox, Jimmy Charles & the Revelettes
• 1961 - American Bandstand - Dean Barlow, Dante
• 1962 - American Bandstand - Gary Criss
• 1963 - American Bandstand - Joey Dee
• 1964 - American Bandstand - Tribute to Elvis Presley
• 1964 - Juke Box Jury (U.K.) - Rolling Stones
• 1966 - Where the Action Is - Brenda Lee, Robbs, Steve Alaimo
• 1967 - Spotlight - Tom Jones
• 1970 - American Bandstand - Blues Image
• 1975 - Midnight Special - Frankie Valli (host), Four Seasons, Freddy Fender, Hollies, Orleans
• 1981 - American Bandstand - Carl Wilson
• 1987 - American Bandstand - Jody Watley

Number Ones – U.S. Singles

• 1964 - I Get Around - Beach Boys (2 weeks)
• 1992 - Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-a-Lot (5 weeks)

Number Ones – U.S. Albums

• 1953 - Music For Lovers Only - Jackie Gleason (25 weeks (2 previous weeks at number 1))
• 1998 - City of Angels - Soundtrack (2 weeks (1 previous week at number 1))
• 2009 - Line, Vines and Trying Times - Jonas Brothers (1 week)

Number Ones – U.S. R&B Singles

• 1953 - Please Love Me - B.B. King (3 weeks)
• 1987 - I Feel Good All Over - Stephanie Mills (3 weeks)
• 1992 - Do It to Me - Lionel Richie (1 weeks)

Number Ones – U.S. Country Singles

• 1970 - He Loves Me All the Way - Tammy Wynette (3 weeks)
• 1976 - All These Things - Joe Stampley (1 week)
• 1981 - I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool - Barbara Mandrell (1 week)
• 1987 - That Was a Close One - Earl Thomas Conley (1 week)
• 1992 - I Saw the Light - Wynonna (3 weeks)

Number Ones – U.K. Singles

• 1958 - All I Have to Do is Dream/Claudette - Everly Brothers (7 weeks)
• 1987 - It's a Sin - Pet Shop Boys (3 weeks)
• 2004 - Burn - Usher (2 weeks)

Number Ones – U.K. Albums

• 1981 - Disco Daze and Disco Nites - Various Artists (1 week)
• 1999 - By Request - Boyzone (7 weeks)
• 2004 - Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters (1 week)