Music Almanac: May 24*

Births:

• 1935 - Rusty York (Rockabilly Hall of Fame member) (77)
• 1941 - Bob Dylan (71)
• 1941 - Tony Valentino (Standells) (71)
• 1942 - Derek Quinn (Freddie & the Dreamers) (70)
• 1944 - Patti LaBelle (68)
• 1945 - Dave Peacock (Chas & Dave) (67)
• 1946 - Steve Upton (Wishbone Ash) (66)
• 1947 - Albert Bouchard (Blue Oyster Cult) (65)
• 1947 - Cynthia Albritton (aka Cynthia Plaster Caster) (65)
• 1949 - John Illsley (Dire Straits) (63)
• 1955 - Rosanne Cash (57)
• 1956 - Helen Terry (Culture Club) (56)
• 1960 - Guy Fletcher (Roxy Music, Dire Straits) (52)
• 1964 - Mark Rivera (Billy Joel, Ringo Starr) (48)
• 1967 - Heavy D (born Dwight Myers) (d. 2011)
• 1969 - Rich Robinson (Black Crowes) (43)
• 1970 - Tommy Page (42)
• 1976 - Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails) (36)
• 1988 - Billy Gilman (24)

Deaths:

• 1963 - Elmore James - Heart attack (45)
• 1974 - Duke Ellington - Lung cancer & pneumonia (75)
• 1991 - Gene Clark (Byrds) - Heart attack (46)
• 2006 - Ian Copeland (New wave promoter & booking agent) - Melanoma (57)

On This Day:

• 1956 - First Eurovision Song Contest held.
• 1963 - Beatles record their first episode of the BBC's Pop Go the Beatles.
• 1964 - The Beatles appear in a pre-taped segment on the Ed Sullivan Show.
• 1965 - John Lennon's second book, A Spaniard in the Works, is published.
• 1968 - Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull are arrested for marijuana possession.
• 1970 - Peter Green made his last appearance with Fleetwood Mac in Somerset, England.
• 1976 - Clive Davis plead guilty to not reporting $8,800 in income.
• 1982 - Topper Headon (drums) left The Clash.
• 1983 - Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet broke up Yaz (Yazoo). 
• 1986 - The Monkees, minus Mike Nesmith, reunited for a tour opening in the New York Catskills.
• 1991 - Guns 'N Roses played the first date of their Use Your Illusion Tour in East Troy, Wisconsin.
• 1998 - It's Van Halen Day in Philadelphia.
• 1999 - Britain's Royal Mail issued a new stamp with Freddie Mercury.
• 1999 - David Bowie writes and records the song What's Really Happening for an audience on the internet.
• 2000 - A judge told the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde that she would be let out of her arrest for protesting the sale of leather in Gap stores if she stayed trouble free for six months.
• 2002 - Paul McCartney's first U.K. exhibition of art opened in Liverpool.
• 2003 - Paul McCartney played his first show ever in Russia.
• 2004 - Madonna started the U.S. leg of her Re-invention tour.
• 2005 - Motley Crue sued NBC after they banned them from the network due to Vince Neil swearing on The Tonight Show. The band claimed it hurt record and ticket sales.
• 2007 - Madonna won International Hit of the Year for Sorry at the Ivor Novello Awards.
• 2009 - Billy Joel was sued by former drummer Liberty Devitto for unpaid royalties.

Divorces:

• 1990 - Axl Rose and Erin Everly (filed after one month)

Released:

• 1968 - Jumpin' Jack Flash - Rolling Stones
• 1988 - OU812 - Van Halen
• 1989 - Time Waits for No One - Mavis Staples

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1969 - Get Back - Beatles with Billy Preston (5 weeks)
• 1975 - Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire (1 week)
• 1997 - MMMBop - Hanson (3 weeks)
• 2008 - Take a Bow - Rihanna (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1958 - South Pacific - Soundtrack (1 week)
• 1997 - Spice - Spice Girls (4 weeks)
• 2003 - Body Kiss - Isley Brothers Featuring Ronald Isley (1 week)
• 2008 - Home Before Dark - Neil Diamond (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1957 - Butterfly - Andy Williams (2 weeks)
• 1962 - Good Luck Charm - Elvis Presley (5 weeks)
• 1998 - Feel It - The Tamperer Featuring Maya (1 week)
• 2009 - Bonkers - Armand Van Helden Featuring Dizzee Rascal (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1969 - Nashville Skyline - Bob Dylan (4 weeks)
• 1975 - Best of - Stylistics (5 weeks (2 previous weeks at number 1))
• 1997 - Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix - Michael Jackson (2 weeks)
• 1998 - Version 2.0 - Garbage (1 week)
• 2009 - Relapse - Eminem (2 weeks)