1956 : Fats Domino headlines the first day of a 3-day concert organized by the DJ Alan Freed in Hartford, Connecticut. Over the course of the shows, 11 fans are arrested by over-zealous police. It’s a litmus test for rock concerts and their effect on young people, as psychiatrist Francis Braceland testifies afterwards that rock music is “a communicable disease with music appealing to adolescent insecurity and driving teenagers to do outlandish things. It is cannibalistic and tribalistic.”

1961 : Elvis Presley had his seventh UK No.1 single with ‘Wooden Heart.’ The song was based on a German folk song and was featured in Presley’s film GI Blues.

1961 : Recorded on this day, Elvis Presley – “Can’t Help Falling In Love”.

1963 : Recorded on this day, Johnny Cash – “Ring Of Fire”.

1963 : Ruby and the Romantics went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Our Day Will Come’, it made No.38 in the UK.

1964 : John Lennon’s book of verse and rhyme ‘In His Own Write’ was published in the UK. Some of the content was first published in Lennon’s ‘Beachcomber’ column in Mersey Beat.

1967 : At a ceremony held at the Playhouse Theatre in London, The Beatles were awarded three Ivor Novello awards for 1966: Best-selling British single ‘Yellow Submarine’, most-performed song ‘Michelle’, and next-most-performed song ‘Yesterday’. None of the Beatles attended and the winning songs were played by Joe Loss and his Orchestra. The lead vocal for ‘Michelle’ was sung by Ross MacManus, whose son would go on to become the professional musician Elvis Costello.

1969 : Countering the counter-culture, about 30,000 people attend the “Rally For Decency” in Miami after Jim Morrison was charged with indecent exposure in the city. Celebrities at the event included Kate Smith, Jackie Gleason, The Lettermen and Anita Bryant.

1969 : During a UK tour Stevie Wonder played two shows at the Coventry Theatre in the West Midlands. Also on the bill, The Foundations, The Flirtations and Emperor Rosko.

1972 : The film of The Concert For Bangladesh featuring George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton premiered in New York. The event was the first benefit concert of this magnitude in world history. The concert raised $243,418.51 for Bangladesh relief, which was administered by UNICEF. Sales of the album and DVD continue to benefit the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF.

1973 : John Lennon was ordered to leave the US within 60 days by the immigration authorities; he began a long fight to win his ‘Green Card’ which he was given on 27th July 1976.

1974 : Hall & Oates’ “She’s Gone” peaks at #60 on the Hot 100. Later that year, a version by Tavares hits #50, and in 1976, the original goes to #7 when it is re-released. The duo were each dealing with girl problems when they wrote the song together.

1974 : Cher went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Dark Lady’, the singers third solo No.1, it made No.36 in the UK.

1974 : Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross entered the UK singles chart with ‘You Are Everything’ which was originally recorded by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics. Released as the second UK single from the Diana & Marvin album, the song reached No.5 in the UK Singles Chart in this year.

1977 : Elvis Presley appeared at the Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. This was the first date of 49 date US tour over three months and Presley’s last ever tour. (His last ever show was on 26th June 1977 at the Indianapolis Indiana Market Square Arena).

1978 : A&M Records sign a new, young band called The Police.

1980 : U2 sign a worldwide deal with Island Records. They get about $100,000 for their first album.

1985 : Billy Joel married model Christie Brinkley on a boat moored alongside the Statue Of Liberty. They divorced in 1993.

1985 : Former Creedence Clearwater Revival front man John Fogerty went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Centerfield.’

1988 : Mick Jagger performs his first solo gig in Japan, 15 years after having been barred from entering the country due to prior drug convictions.

1990 : Fleetwood Mac kicked off their Behind The Mask world tour with 14 dates in Australian starting at the Boondall Entertainment Centre in Brisbane.

1991 : R.E.M. scored their first UK No.1 album with their seventh LP ‘Out Of Time’ featuring the singles ‘Losing My Religion’ (which became R.E.M.’s highest-charting hit in the US, reaching No.4), and ‘Shiny Happy People.’ The video for ‘Losing My Religion’ won two Grammy Awards and six MTV Awards.

1997 : U2 were at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Pop’ the bands fifth US No.1 album.

2008 : Neil Aspinall, who ran the Apple Corps music empire for the Beatles from 1970 – 2007 died at a hospital in New York from cancer aged 66. A school friend of Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison, he was regarded by some of the band as the “fifth Beatle” becoming The Beatles road manager in 1961 before becoming their personal assistant. He led the legal battle with Apple computers over the use of the Apple name and a royalties dispute between the Beatles and record label EMI. Aspinall had also played background instruments on Beatles tracks including Magical Mystery Tour, Within You Without You and Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite.

2011 : The Who’s Pete Townshend told Uncut magazine that he regretted ever forming the band. “What would I have done differently? I would never have joined a band. Even though I am quite a good gang member and a good trooper on the road, I am bad at creative collaboration.”