Music Almanac: May 31

Births:

• 1930 - Clint Eastwood (82)
• 1938 - Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary) (74)
• 1938 - Johnny Paycheck (d. 2003)
• 1940 - Augie Meyers (Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornadoes (72)
• 1947 - Junior Campbell (Marmalade) (65)
• 1948 - John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) (d. 1980)
• 1952 - Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk) (60)
• 1954 - Vicki Sue Robinson (d. 2000)
• 1955 - Tommy Emmanuel (57)
• 1956 - Fritz Hilpert (Kraftwerk) (56)
• 1959 - Danny Pearson (American Music Club) (53)
• 1962 - Corey Hart (50)
• 1963 - Wendy Smith (Prefab Sprouts) (49)
• 1964 - Darryl "D.M.C." Daniels (Run-D.M.C.) (48)
• 1964 - Scotti Hill (Skid Row) (48)
• 1965 - Steve White (Style Council) (47)
• 1977 - Scott Klopfenstein (Reel Big Fish) (35)
• 1980 - Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy) (32)

Deaths:

• 1977 - Lloyd Perryman (Sons of the Pioneers) (60)
• 1996 - Elsbeary Hobbs (Drifters) (59)
• 2000 - Johnnie Taylor - Heart attack (63)
• 2004 - Robert Quine (Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Lou Reed) - Heroin Overdose (61)
• 2006 - Lula Mae Hardaway (mother of Stevie Wonder) (76)

On This Day:

• 1956 - Buddy Holly wrote That'll Be the Day after seeing the movie The Searchers.
• 1958 - Dick Dale performed Let's Go Trippin' for the first time, possibly signaling the start of surf music.
• 1961 - Chuck Berry opened Berry Park in St. Louis with a zoo, golf course and amusement park.
• 1966 - The Monkees began filming their TV series.
• 1975 - The Rolling Stones kicked off a New York City press conference on their next tour by playing on the streets in the back of a flatbed truck.
• 1976 - The Who set a record for loudest performance at 120 decibels.
• 1977 - The BBC banned the Sex Pistols' single God Save the Queen. The IBA also told independent stations that playing the record would breach British law.
• 1977 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer began a U.S. tour with a 70-piece orchestra.
• 1982 - R.E.M. signed with I.R.S. Records for five albums.
• 1989 - Tin Machine, with David Bowie, made their live debut in New York.
• 1993 - Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley become parents for the first time.
• 1997 - Lee Ann Womack makes her Grand Ole Opry debut.
• 1997 - Bob Dylan was released by a London hospital after treatment for histoplasmosis.
• 1998 - Geri Halliwell quit The Spice Girls.
• 2001 - Missy Elliott does first live show in three years.
• 2005 - Brian Harvey of East 17 was critically injured when he fell under his Mercedes. 
• 2005 - The British Salvation Army closed the children's home Strawberry Fields in Liverpool.
• 2006 - Pearl Jam recorded their episode of VH1 Storytellers at New York's Avalon Ballroom.

Marriages:

• 2006 - Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook (both Little Big Town)

Divorces:

• 2000 - Janet Jackson and Rene Elizondo (announced, marriage was secret for nine years)

Recorded:

• 1969 - Give Peace a Chance - John Lennon and Yoko Ono as the Plastic Ono Band
• 1969 - Honky Tonk Women - Rolling Stones

Released:

• 1969 - My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
• 1975 - One of These Nights - Eagles
• 1982 - Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
• 1988 - Down in the Groove - Bob Dylan

Awards:

• 2003 - MTV Movie Awards
• Best Actor - Eminem (8 Mile)
• Best Breakthrough Mail - Eminem (8 Mile)
• Performances by Pink, 50 Cent, t.A.T.u.

Broadcast:

• 1964 - Dave Clark Five make first of 11 appearances on Ed Sullivan.
• 1965 - Marianne Faithfull became a permanent guest on BBC2 TV's Gadzooks! It's the In Crowd.

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1975 - Before the Next Teardrop Falls - Freddy Fender (1 weeks)
• 1980 - Funkytown - Lipps, Inc. (4 weeks)
• 2003 - 21 Questions - 50 Cent Featuring Nate Dogg (4 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1958 - The Music Man - Original Cast (2 weeks)
• 2003 - The Golden Age of Grotesque - Marilyn Manson (1 week)
• 2008 - Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles:

• 1975 - Spirit of the Boogie - Kool & the Gang (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. Country Singles:

• 1947 - New Jolie Blonde (New Pretty Blonde) - Red Foley (1 week (1 previous week at number 1))
• 1975 - Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver (1 week)
• 1986 - Whoever's in New England - Reba McEntire (1 week)
• 1997 - Sittin' on Go - Bryan White (1 week)
• 2003 - I Believe - Diamond Rio (2 weeks)
• 2008 - I'm Still a Guy - Brad Paisley (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1980 - Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless) - M*A*S*H (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1980 - McCartney II - Paul McCartney (2 weeks)
• 1986 - So - Peter Gabriel (2 weeks)
• 1998 - Blue - Simply Red (1 week)

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Music Almanac: May 30

Births:

• 1909 - Benny Goodman (d. 1986)
• 1926 - Johnny Gimble (86)
• 1944 - Lenny Davidson (Dave Clark Five) (68)
• 1955 - Topper Headon (Clash) (57)
• 1958 - Marie Fredriksson (Roxette) (54)
• 1960 - Stephen Duffy (Duran Duran) (52)
• 1964 - Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) (48)
• 1964 - Wynonna Judd (48)
• 1966 - Stephen Malkmus (Pavement) (46)
• 1967 - Sven Pipien (Black Crowes) (45)
• 1967 - Tim Burgess (Charlatans) (45)
• 1971 - Patrick Dahlheimer (Live) (41)
• 1974 - Cee Lo Green (Gnarls Barkley) (38)
• 1981 - Devendra Banhart (31)

Deaths:

• 1980 - Carl Radle (Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Derek & the Dominoes) - Kidney failure (38)
• 1993 - Sun Ra - Pneumonia (79)
• 1996 - John Kahn (Jerry Garcia) - Heroin overdose (48)
• 1997 - West Arkeen (Guns N' Roses) - Drug overdose (36)
• 2000 - Tex Beneke - Respiratory failure (86)
• 2003 - Mickie Most (producer of Herman's Hermits, Animals, Donovan, Jeff Beck Group) - Mesothelioma (64)

On This Day:

• 1962 - Benny Goodman & his band were the first jazz group to play the Soviet Union.
• 1966 - The Jefferson Airplane performed a benefit for the Haight-Ashbury Legal Organization.
• 1972 - Roxy Music plays their first live show in Lincolnshire, England.
• 1974 - Bernadette Whelan, a 14-year-old fan of David Cassidy, died four-days after being in the crush of over 1,000 fans at one of his shows.
• 1987 - Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys was arrested on suspicion of throwing a beer can that hit a fan in the face.
• 1987 - David Bowie started his Glass Spiders Tour in Rotterdam, Holland.
• 1990 - Midnight Oil played a concert in front of Exxon's New York office in protest of the Valdez oil spill.
• 1991 - Morrissey played the first show of his debut solo U.S. tour in San Diego, CA.
• 1997 - Neil Young slices his finger while cutting a sandwich, causing a European tour to be postponed.
• 1999 - A Kenny Rogers concert at London's Royal Albert Hall is interrupted when a bomb threat causes the venue to be cleared.
• 1999 - Lenny Kravitz ended a show after 40 minutes after collapsing from heat exhaustion. He had been wearing a fur coat on stage.
• 2000 - Oasis played their first show without departed guitarist Noel Gallagher. 
• 2003 - Chester Bennington of Linkin Park enters a Los Angeles hospital for severe back and abdominal pain.
• 2002 - Diana Ross voluntarily entered the Promises rehabilitation facility to work out some "personal problems" before beginning a tour.
• 2004 - Madonna was ordered to pay almost $500,000 in damages for copying photos by Guy Burton in her video for Hollywood.
• 2005 - Coldplay's new album leaked to the internet a week before its U.S. and U.K. release despite large amounts of precautions.
• 2007 - The White Stripes album Icky Thump was played on a Chicago radio station in advance of its street date.
• 2007 - Britney Spears admitted on her website that she hit "rock bottom" when her husband, Kevin Federline, left her.
• 2009 - Ozzy Osbourne sued Tony Iommi over royalty payments, saying that Iommi's ownership of the band name stopped royalties from properly flowing through to him.

Marriages:

• 1966 - Dolly Parton and Carl Dean
• 1982 - Deborah Allen and Rafe Van Hoy
• 1992 - Paul Simon and Edie Brickell
• 2008 - Simon Fuller and Natalie Swanston

Recorded:

• 1968 - The Beatles (White Album) - Beatles (first day of recording)
• 1978 - In Through the Out Door - Led Zeppelin (first day of recording)

Released:

• 1953 - These Foolish Things - Five Keys
• 1953 - You Are My Only Love - Cardinals
• 1980 - 21 at 33 - Elton John
• 1989 - Batdance - Prince
• 1989 - On Our Own - Bobby Brown

Broadcast:

• 1975 - Joan Baez hosts Midnight Special with guests Hoyt Axton, Hampton Hawes, Kool & the Gang.
• 1980 - Temptations host Midnight Special with guests Firefall, Robbie Dupree, Jim Photoglo.

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1964 - Love Me Do - Beatles (1 week)
• 1970 - Everything is Beautiful - Ray Stevens (2 weeks)
• 1998 - Too Close - Next (1 week (4 previous weeks at number 1))

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1953 - Music For Lovers Only - Jackie Gleason (1 week)
• 1959 (Stereo Albums) - South Pacific - Soundtrack (3 weeks)
• 1992 - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion - Black Crowes (1 week)
• 2009 - 21st Century Breakdown - Green Day (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles:

• 1952 - I'm Mad - Willie Mabon & His Combo (2 weeks)
• 1981 - What Cha' Gonna Do For Me - Chaka Khan (2 weeks)
• 1987 - Head to Toe - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (2 weeks)
• 1992 - Come and Talk With Me - Jodeci (2 weeks)
• 2009 - Birthday Sex - Jeremiah (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Country Singles:

• 1981 - Elvira - Oak Ridge Boys (2 weeks)
• 1987 - It Takes a Little Rain (to Make Love Grow) - Oak Ridge Boys (1 week)
• 1992 - Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus (5 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 2010 - Dirtee Disco - Dizzee Rascal (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1992 - Michael Ball - Michael Ball (1 week)
• 2004 - Under My Skin - Avril Lavigne (1 week)
• 2010 - Immersion - Pendulum (1 week)

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Music Almanac: May 29

Births:

• 1916 - Carl Davis (d. 1995)
• 1923 - Eugene Wright (Dave Brubeck Quartet) (89)
• 1925 - Danny Davis (Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass) (d. 2008)
• 1937 - Irmin Schmidt (Can) (75)
• 1941 - Roy Crewdson (Freddie & the Dreamers) (71)
• 1945 - Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) (67)
• 1949 - Francis Rossi (Status Quo) (63)
• 1950 - Rebbie Jackson (62)
• 1953 - Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo) (59)
• 1955 - Mike Porcaro (Toto) (57)
• 1956 - LaToya Jackson (56)
• 1956 - Larry Blackmon (Cameo) (56)
• 1959 - Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds) (53)
• 1960 - Jesse Johnson (The Time) (52)
• 1961 - Melissa Etheridge (51)
• 1961 - David Palmer (ABC) (51)
• 1962 - John Pedder (Babybird) (50)
• 1963 - Blaze Bayley (Iron Maiden) (49)
• 1967 - Noel Gallagher (Oasis) (45)
• 1967 - Wycliffe Gordon (45)
• 1969 - Chan Kinchla (Blues Traveler) (43)
• 1973 - Mark Lee (Third Day) (39)
• 1975 - Melanie Brown (Mel B, Scary Spice, Spice Girls) (37)
• 1976 - David Buckner (Papa Roach) (36)
• 1978 - Pelle Almqvist (Hives) (34)
• 1978 - Daniel Pearce (34)

Deaths:

• 1977 - Goddard Lieberson (President Columbia Records) - Cancer (66)
• 1989 - John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service) - Emphysema (45)
• 1992 - Ollie Halsall (Rutles) - Heroin overdose (43)
• 1997 - Jeff Buckley - Drowning (30)

On This Day:

• 1950 - Mother Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters joined the Grand Ole Opry.
• 1959 - One of the first outdoor concerts of the rock era was held at Herndon Stadium in Atlanta with Ray Charles, B.B. King and Jimmy Reed.
• 1963 - Del Shannon's version of From Me to You becomes the first John Lennon & Paul McCartney song to make the U.S. charts.
• 1971 - Three dozen concert goers were treated for LSD hallucinations at a Grateful Dead show in San Francisco.
• 1973 - Roger McGuinn performed his first solo show and confirmed that the Byrds had broken up.
• 1973 - Clive Davis was fired from Columbia Records.
• 1975 - An Osmonds' performance in London was marred when fans rioted.
• 1977 - For the first time in his career, Elvis Presley ended a show early.
• 1981 - Prince made his first performance in Europe.
• 1987 - Michael Jackson reportedly offered $50,000 for the remains of the Elephant Man.
• 1991 - Steve Winwood's tour bus is sideswiped by a truck. Nobody is injured.
• 1992 - 44 nude pictures of Madonna that had been stolen from photographer Steven Meisel were recovered by police.
• 1997 - Snoop Dogg was sued in Los Angeles by a personal manager Sharitha Knight (wife of Marion "Suge" Knight) who claimed she was owed $1 million in back pay.
• 1999 - The skeletal remains of Philip Kramer of Iron Butterfly in a Malibu, CA canyon. He had been missing since February 12, 1995 and his death was ruled a probable suicide.
• 1999 - The Rolling Stones kick off the European leg of their Bridges to Babylon tour.
• 2001 - The Eagles played Russia for the first time.
• 2003 - Rich Robinson (Black Crowes) band Hookah Brown breaks up after six months.
• 2004 - Sum 41 must flee the Congo while filming a documentary for War Child Canada.
• 2005 - Bob Geldof and Elton John announced Live 8, a set of five concerts to raise awareness of poverty.
• 2005 - Roger O'Donnell and Perry Bamonte are fired from The Cure.
• 2009 - Phil Spector was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson.

Marriages:

• 2004 - Josey Scott (Saliva) and Kendra (at Graceland)

Divorces:

• 1952 - Hank Williams and Audrey

Awards:

• 1962 - 4th Grammy Awards
• Record of the Year - Moon River - Henry Mancini
• Album of the Year - Judy at Carnegie Hall - Judy Garland
• Song of the Year - Moon River - Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer
• New Artist - Peter Nero
• Country Recording - Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
• R&B Performance - Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles
• Solo Vocal, Female - Judy at Carnegie Hall - Judy Garland
• Solo Vocal, Male - Lollipops and Roses - Jack Jones
• Performance by Vocal Group - High Flying - Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
• Rock & Roll Recording - Let's Twist Again - Chubby Checker

• 1997 - 42nd Ivor Novello Awards
• Hit of the Year - Wannabe - Spice Girls
• Song of the Year - A Design for Life - Manic Street Preachers
• Outstanding Contribution to Music - Elvis Costello
• Songwriter of the Year - George Michael
• Most Performed Work - Fastlove - George Michael

Recorded:

• 1942 - White Christmas - Bing Crosby

Released:

• 1954 - Somebody Else Took Her Home - Frankie Valli (recording as Frankie Valley)
• 1969 - Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash
• 1972 - Mary Had a Little Lamb - Wings
• 1973 - Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield
• 1987 - I Want Your Sex - George Michael

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1943 - That Old Black Magic - Glenn Miller (1 week)
• 1961 - Travelin' Man - Ricky Nelson (1 week)
• 1965 - Help Me, Rhonda - Beach Boys (2 weeks)
• 1971 - Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones (2 weeks)
• 1976 - Love Hangover - Diana Ross (2 weeks)
• 2010 - OMG - Usher Featuring will.i.am (3 weeks (1 previous week at number 1)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1948 - A Presentation of Progressive Jazz - Stan Kenton (8 weeks)
• 1976 - Wings At the Speed of Sound - Wings (1 week (1 previous week at number 1))
• 1982 - Tug of War - Paul McCartney (3 weeks)
• 1999 - Ricky Martin - Ricky Martin (1 week)
• 2010 - Justin Bieber 2.0 - Justin Bieber (1 week (3 previous weeks at number 1))

Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles:

• 1943 - Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Never No Lament) - Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra (3 weeks)
• 1961 - Stand By Me - Ben E. King (4 weeks)
• 1965 - Back in My Arms Again - Supremes (1 week)
• 1971 - Want Ads - Honey Cone (1 week)
• 1976 - I Want You - Marvin Gaye (1 week)
• 1982 - Let It Whip - Dazz Band (4 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles:

• 1976 - One Piece at a Time - Johnny Cash (2 weeks)
• 2004 - Redneck Woman - Gretchen Wilson (5 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1982 - House of Fun - Madness (2 weeks)
• 1994 - Love is All Around - Wet Wet Wet (15 weeks)
• 2005 - Axel F - Crazy Frog (4 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1965 - Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan (1 week)
• 1993 - janet - Janet Jackson (2 weeks)
• 2005 - Demon Days - Gorillaz (1 week)

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Music Almanac: May 28

Births:

• 1910 - T-Bone Walker (d. 1975)
• 1912 - Dave Barbour (d. 1965)
• 1917 - Papa John Creach (d. 1994)
• 1931 - Sonny Burgess (81)
• 1944 - Gladys Knight (68)
• 1944 - Billy Vera (68)
• 1944 - Gary Stewart (d. 2003)
• 1945 - John Fogerty (67)
• 1948 - Ray Laidlaw (Lindisfarne) (64)
• 1949 - Wendy O. Williams (Plasmatics) (d. 1998)
• 1955 - John McGeoch (Magazine, Siouxsie &; the Banshees, Public Image Ltd) (d. 2004)
• 1956 - Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss & Union Station) (56)
• 1959 - Steve Strange (Visage) (53)
• 1961 - Roland Gift (Fine Young Cannibals) (51)
• 1968 - Kylie Minogue (44)
• 1980 - Mark Feehily (Westlife) (32)
• 1985 - Colbie Caillat (27)

Deaths:

• 1985 - Roy Plomley (creator of the BBC's Desert Island Discs program) - Pleurisy (71)

On This Day:

• 1954 - Apollo Records formed their subsidiary, Lloyds. The first artist signed were the Larks.
• 1957 - NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) was formed.
• 1966 - The Beatles spent the day with Bob Dylan in London.
• 1969 - Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull were arrested for marijuana possession.
• 1973 - Ronnie Lane left the Faces to form Slim Chance.
• 1976 - The Allman Brothers broke up after Gregg Allman testified against their road manager who was on trial.
• 1977 - Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers played together for the first time.
• 1977 - Bruce Springsteen settled his case with former manager Mike Appel, allowing him to once again record.
• 1982 - A Vietnam veterans benefit concert was held in San Francisco, produced by Bill Graham, with the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Starship and Country Joe McDonald.
• 1983 - The Us Festival started in California. Over the three days, there would be shows by U2, the Clash, David Bowie, the Pretenders, Van Halen, Stray Cats, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Willie Nelson and many more.
• 1983 - Weird Al Yankovic quit his job as a mail clerk to pursue music full time.
• 1990 - Mitch Mitchell sued Britain's Private Eye magazine over defamatory statements.
• 1996 - Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode was taken to Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles with an apparent drug overdose. He was arrested for cocaine and heroin possession.
• 1998 - Candle in the Wind '97 by Elton John and Bernie Taupin wins Best Selling U.K. Single and International Hit of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards.
• 2003 - Paul McCartney announced that he and Heather Mills were expecting.
• 2007 - The Police began their reunion tour in Vancouver.
• 2009 - Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode had surgery for bladder cancer, forcing the cancellation of a number of shows on their world tour.

Marriages:

• 1967 - Barbara Mandrell and Ken Dudney
• 1988 - Steven Tyler and Teresa Barrick

Released:

• 1966 - River Deep, Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner
• 1971 - Ram - Paul McCartney
• 1977 - Baracuda - Heart
• 1987 - Whitney - Whitney Houston

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1966 - When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge (2 weeks)
• 1983 - Flashdance...What a Feeling - Irene Cara (6 weeks)
• 1988 - One More Try - George Michael (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1955 - The Crazy Otto - Crazy Otto (2 weeks)
• 1960 - Sold Out - Kingston Trio (stereo albums) (9 weeks (1 previous week at number 1))
• 1960 - Sold Out - Kingston Trio (mono albums) (1 week)
• 1966 - What Now My Love - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (8 weeks)
• 2005 - Stand Up - Dave Matthews Band (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1964 - You're My World (Il Mio Mondo) - Cilla Black (4 weeks)
• 1983 - Candy Girl - New Edition (1 week)
• 2000 - It Feels So Good - Sonique (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1988 - Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac (1 week (2 previous weeks at number 1))
• 1994 - I Say I Say I Say - Erasure (1 week)

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Music Almanac: May 27

Births:

• 1924 - Brother John Sellers (d. 1999)
• 1931 - Kenny Price (d. 1987)
• 1935 - Ramsey Lewis (77)
• 1935 - Rudy Lewis (Drifters) (d. 1964)
• 1935 - Len Chandler (77)
• 1939 - Don Williams (72)
• 1943 - Cilla Black (69)
• 1945 - Bruce Cockburn (67)
• 1947 - Marty Kristian (New Seekers) (65)
• 1947 - Peter Knight (Steeleye Span) (65)
• 1948 - Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship) (64)
• 1950 - Dee Dee Bridgewater (62)
• 1957 - Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Dallion) (Siouxsie & the Banshees) (55)
• 1957 - Eddie Harsch (Black Crowes) (55)
• 1958 - Neil Finn (Crowded House, Split Enz) (54)
• 1966 - Sean Kinney (Alice in Chains) (46)
• 1971 - Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (TLC) (d. 2002)
• 1975 - Andre 3000 (born Andre Benjamin) (OutKast) (37)

Deaths:

• 1971 - Bob Dunn (western swing, first musician to record an electrically amplified instrument) (63)
• 2005 - Dave "Curlee" Williams (songwriter, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On) (84)

On This Day:

• 1950 - Frank Sinatra made his first TV appearance on NBC's Star Spangled Review.
• 1961 - Johnny Cash appeared on the the NBC series The Deputy.
• 1964 - Screaming Lord Sutch started the pirate radio station "Sutch" in the Thames River.
• 1967 - Columbia and RCA Records increased the list price of albums for the first time in 14 years.
• 1972 - Opryland Park opens in Nashville.
• 1977 - Elvis Costello made his live debut in London.
• 1988 - Van Halen's Monsters of Rock Tour opened in Wisconsin.
• 1989 - Stevie Wonder received the Badge of Solidarity from the Polish Labor Movement.
• 1994 - The Eagles played their first show in 14 years in Burbank, CA.
• 1994 - Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander become the parents of a son, Miles Brockman.
• 1999 - Rod Stewart received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Chrissie Hynde won Outstanding Contribution to British Music at the Ivor Novello Awards.
• 1999 - B.B. King wins multiple prizes at the W.C. Handy Awards.
• 2008 - Paul McCartney received an Honorary Doctor of Music from Yale.

Released:

• 1954 - Honey Love - Drifters
• 1957 - That'll Be the Day - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
• 1962 - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
• 1975 - Venus and Mars - Paul McCartney
• 1977 - God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
• 1989 - The Best of Me - Cliff Richard (his 100th single)

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1972 - Oh Girl - Chi-Lites (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1950 - Young Man With a Horn - Doris Day & Harry James (1 week (2 previous weeks at number 1))
• 1961 - Exodus - Earnest Gold/Soundtrack (stereo albums) (1 week)
• 1995 - Cracked Rear View - Hootie & the Blowfish (4 weeks)
• 2006 - Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1955 - Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) - Eddie Calvert (4 weeks)
• 1965 - Long Live Love - Sandie Shaw (3 weeks)
• 2001 - Do You Really Like It? - DJ Pied Piper (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1967 - More of the Monkees - Monkees (1 week (1 previous week at number 1))
• 1999 - Vol II: 1990 - A New Decade - Soul II Soul (3 weeks)
• 1995 - Stanley Road - Paul Weller (1 week)
• 2007 - It Won't Be Soon Very Long - Maroon 5 (2 weeks)

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Music Almanac: May 26

Births:

• 1886 - Al Jolson (d. 1950)
• 1904 - George Formby (d. 1961)
• 1920 - Peggy Lee (d. 2002)
• 1926 - Miles Davis (d. 1991)
• 1939 - Jackie Liebesit (Can) (73)
• 1940 - Levon Helm (Band) (d. 2012)
• 1940 - Ray Ennis (Swingin' Bluejeans) (72)
• 1944 - Verden Allen (Mott the Hoople) (68)
• 1945 - Garry Peterson (Guess Who) (67)
• 1946 - Mick Ronson (d. 1993)
• 1948 - Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) (64)
• 1949 - Hank Williams, Jr. (63)
• 1958 - Wayne Hussey (Mission, Sisters of Mercy) (54)
• 1964 - Lenny Kravitz (48)
• 1972 - Alan White (Oasis) (40)
• 1978 - Jaheim (born Jaheim Hoagland) (34)
• 1981 - Isaac Slade (Fray) (31)

Deaths:

• 1933 - Jimmie Rodgers - Lung hemorrhage (35)
• 1968 - Little Willie John - Heart attack (30)
• 1977 - William Powell (O'Jays) - Cancer (35)

On This Day:

• 1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono began an eight-day bed-in in Montreal.
• 1974 - Over 1,000 concert goers required first aid during the frenzy at a London David Cassidy concert.
• 1982 - The Rolling Stones started a U.K. and European tour in Aberdeen, Scotland.
• 1990 - David Bowie was sued by his ex-wife for $56 million.
• 1996 - A fire at the residence of Eric Clapton caused over $1 million in damage. 
• 2000 - Tommy Lee of Motley Crue was jailed for five days after violating his probation by drinking alcohol. 
• 2001 - Loretta Lynn opened her Coal Miner's Daughter Museum.
• 2009 - A judge ruled that half of the assets of James Brown would go to a chartable trust, a quarter to his last wife and son and a quarter to his six children. The ruling ended a three-year battle.

Marriages:

• 1994 - Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley

Recorded:

• 1964 - As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithfull (with Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass)
• 1966 - Yellow Submarine - Beatles

Released:

• 1973 - Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1945 - Sentimental Journey - Les Brown (9 weeks)
• 1962 - Stranger on the Shore - Mr. Acker Bilk (1 week)
• 1973 - Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group (1 week)
• 1984 - Let's Hear It For the Boys - Deniece Williams (2 weeks)
• 2007 - Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') - T-Pain Featuring Yung Joc (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1973 - 1967-1970 - Beatles (1 week)
• 2007 - Call Me Irresponsible - Michael Buble (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1966 - Paint It Black - Rolling Stones (1 week)
• 1979 - Sunday Girl - Blondie (3 weeks)
• 1996 - Three Lions - Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds (1 week)
• 2002 - Without Me - Eminem (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 2002 - Destination - Ronan Keating (1 week)

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