1961 : The Temperance Seven were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘You’re Driving Me Crazy’, their only UK No.1 single. The song gave producer George Martin his first No.1.

1965 : Dave Davies of The Kinks falls and injures himself onstage in Cardiff, Wales, forcing cancellation of the group’s tour.

1965 : Blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, Sonny Boy Williamson died in his sleep. Van Morrison, Aerosmith, The Who, The Animals, Yardbirds and Moody Blues all covered his songs. According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, touring the UK in the 60’s, Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.

1967 : Procol Harum’s ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’, entered the UK chart for the first time, where it went on to become a No.1 hit. ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ became the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009). The first video for the song was shot in the ruins of Witley Court in Worcestershire, England. Directed by Peter Clifton whose insertion of Vietnam War newsreel footage caused it to be banned from airplay on the Top of the Pops TV show. The band subsequently made another video.

1967 : Pink Floyd appeared at the Gwent Constabulary (‘A’ Division) Spring Holiday Barn Dance, held at The Barn, Grosmont Wood Farm in Cross Ash, Wales, UK.

1968 : Simon and Garfunkel scored their second US No.1 album with ‘Bookends’. The album featured four US singles: ‘A Hazy Shade of Winter’, ‘At the Zoo’, ‘Fakin’ It’ and ‘Mrs Robinson’.

1969 : A benefit concert was held for Fairport Convention at The Roundhouse, London to raise money for the families of the band’s drummer Martin Lamble, Richard Thompson’s girlfriend and clothes designer Jeannie Franklyn who were all killed in an accident driving back from a gig. Also on the bill, Family, Pretty Things, Soft Machine and John Peel.

1969 : The Who and Led Zeppelin appeared at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA. This was the only time the two group’s ever appeared together, with Zeppelin opening the show.

1970 : Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green plays his last official show with the band, although he did fill in a few years later when they lost their lead guitarist.

1973 : Carole King, at the end of a 12-show tour, gives a free concert for 100,000 fans in New York’s Central Park.

1974 : Rick Wakeman became the first member of the group Yes to have a No.1 UK album when ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’ went to the top of the charts.

1975 : No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit – Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”

1978 : A London concert by The Who turns out to be the last for drummer Keith Moon, who dies a few weeks later.

1978 : Keith Moon performs for the last time with The Who at the Shepperton Film Studio in England for the movie, “The Kid’s Are Alright”

1978 : After seeing The Hype (soon to become U2) appearing at the Project Arts Centre, in Dublin, Paul McGuinness became their manager.

1985 : Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with ‘Brothers In Arms’, also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries. ‘Brothers In Arms’ was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, and was a full digital recording (DDD) at a time when most popular music was recorded on analog equipment. The album won two Grammy Awards at the 28th Grammy Awards, and also won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards, and has gone on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.

1990 : Fleetwood Mac played the first of 42 North American dates on their Behind The Mask world tour at the PNE Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. Squeeze were the opening act.

1995 : The earliest known recording of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, from 1961, was sold at Christies in London for $85,425

1997 : A report showed that Elvis Presley was now the world’s bestselling posthumous entertainer with worldwide sales of over one billion, over 480 active fan clubs and an estimated 250,000 UK fans who still buy his records. Ironically he had died owing $3 million.

1997 : Bob Dylan was diagnosed as suffering from histoplasmosis pericarditis, a fungal infection of the lung, and was admitted to hospital he stayed until June 2nd. Having just turned 56, Dylan later admitted: ‘I really thought I’d be seeing Elvis soon’. Treated by drugs and rest, Bob was back on the road only 10 weeks later, for 22 American and Canadian shows.

2000 : UK Supermarket chain ASDA decided to cancel a signing tour planned to promote Boyzone’s Mikey Graham’s debut solo single ‘Like An Angel’ after he admitted that he had used cannabis and gone on alcohol benders with his fellow Boyz.

2001 : Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher won a damages settlement from The Daily Mirror after they claimed he lied in court during divorce proceedings with Meg Matthews.

2002 : The mosh pit goes horribly wrong at an Eminem concert in Washington, D.C.’s RFK Stadium, and at least 25 people are injured.

2003 : Marilyn Manson were at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘The Golden Age of Grotesque’, a No. 4 hit in the UK and the bands second US No.1.

2004 : Madonna cancelled three shows in Israel after terrorists threatened to kill her and her kids. A spokesperson said she was targeted because she symbolizes the West and not because she practices the Jewish faith Kabbalah.

2005 : The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in California announced that it was officially closing the stabbing case of Meredith Hunter, the 18-year-old American who was killed at the 1969 Rolling Stones Altamont Free Concert. Investigators, concluding a renewed two-year investigation, dismissed the theory that a second Hell’s Angel took part in the stabbing.

2005 : Carrie Underwood wins Season Four of American Idol and becomes their most successful alum: Her debut album goes on to sell over 7 million copies.

2006 : Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter Desmond Dekker died of a heart attack at his home in London, England. Had one of the first international Jamaican hits in 1968, with the ‘Israelites’.

2007 : Sixties pop star Wayne Fontana was remanded in custody after admitting pouring petrol over a bailiff’s car and setting fire to it. The judge criticized the former lead singer of the Mindbenders, for arriving at Derby Crown court dressed as the Lady of Justice. He had to hand a sword and scales to guards but still wore a crown, cape and dark glasses, claiming “justice is blind”.