1956 : Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees begins his television career as a child actor with the premiere of NBC’s Circus Boy series.

1957 : The Crickets went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘That’ll Be The Day.’ The title being taken from a phrase used by John Wayne in the film ‘The Searchers.’

1965 : The Walker Brothers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Burt Bacharach song, ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’, the trio’s first of two UK No.1’s.

1966 : The ‘Rolling Stones 66’ 12 date UK tour kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall London. Supported by Long John Baldry, Ike & Tina Turner and The Yardbirds, (Jimmy Page was playing bass, with Jeff Beck on guitar). Michelangelo Antonioni attended this concert and asked The Yardbirds to appear in his forthcoming film Blow Up. Also both Keith Moon and John Entwistle from The Who were in the audience.

1967 : The Box Tops started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘The Letter’, a No.5 hit in the UK. The record went on to sell over four million copies and receive two Grammy nominations. It was also a Top Ten hit for Joe Cocker in 1970.

1967 : One Hit Wonders The Strawberry Alarm Clock perform Incense And Peppermints on American Bandstand.

1967 : Pink Floyd appeared at the Saturday Scene, Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, England. During the same month The Soul Trinity, Keith West and the Tomorrow and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown all appeared at the club.

1968 : Working on new songs for their forthcoming album, The Beatles recorded a new John Lennon song ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun In Your Hand’, (working title of ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun’). The title came from the cover of a gun magazine that producer George Martin showed Lennon. Jim Morrison from The Doors came to visit The Beatles in the studio and watched them recording.

1969 : The Northern Star newspaper of Northern Illinois University ran a story claiming that Paul McCartney had been killed in a car crash in 1966 and had been replaced by a look-a-like. Russell Gibb of WKNR-FM in Detroit picked up on the claim and the story went worldwide. By late October 1969 the hoax was so well entrenched, that McCartney came out of seclusion at his Scottish farm to deny the story. When McCartney was asked to comment by a reporter visiting Macca’s farm, he replied, “Do I look dead, I’m as fit as a fiddle.”

1970 : Mick Jagger met Bianca Macias for the first time after a Stones concert at the Paris Olympia. The couple later married.

1972 : Mac Davis’ “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me” hits #1.

1974 : Robbie McIntosh founder member of the Average White Band died of a heroin overdose at a Hollywood party, (after he inhaled a white powder thought to be cocaine but was actually pure heroin). AWB scored the No.1 single ‘Pick up the Pieces’ which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.

1974 : Released on this day, John Lennon – “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night”

1975 : For the first time, Bruce Springsteen plays a medley of Little Richard songs in the style of Mitch Ryder to close out a show. This would become known as the “Detroit Medley” and become a regular part of his show for about 10 years.

1977 : Released on this day, The Rolling Stones – “Love You Live” LP

1977 : Steely Dan: Aja. ABC Records set a deadline of March 31 for delivery of the record, which only led to more studio perfectionism (and delays) from Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

1978 : 10cc had their third and final UK No.1 single with ‘Dreadlock Holiday.’ The lyrics, about a white man lost in Jamaica, were based on a true event that happened to Moody Blues vocalist Justin Hayward and Eric Stewart from 10cc in Barbados.

1980 : Bob Marley collapsed on stage during a concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Marley had collapsed in New York’s Central Park while jogging, two days before and was told to immediately cancel the US leg, but flew to Pittsburgh to perform one final performance. This was the last time Marley ever appeared on stage performing, Marley died of cancer on in May 1981.

1997 : The Rolling Stones’ Bridges to Babylon Tour opens in Chicago. Opening acts for the North American tour, include Sheryl Crow, The Dave Matthews Band, The Smashing Pumpkins, Jamiroquai, Blues Traveler and Foo Fighters.

1997 : Released on this day, Elton John – “Candle In The Wind 1997”

1997 : Released on this day, Jackson Browne – “The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne”

1998 : Elvis Presley, once rejected for the Grand Old Opry, is posthumously inducted into Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame.

1998 : The first ever Lilith Fair concert outside North America takes place at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Before the sold-out show, Lilith founder Sarah McLachlan tells a press conference that plans are underway to bring the Fair to Europe as a touring package the following year.

2000 : As part of their UK ‘Under A Big Top Tour’, Radiohead played the first of three sold nights at London’s Tower Hamlets, Victoria Park.

2002 : Musical winners at this years Oscars included, Sting who won Best Musical Performance for ‘Sting In Tuscany…All This Time’ and the Best Reality TV Show went to The Osbourne’s.

2006 : Neil Young was named artist of the year at the Americana Honors and Awards at the fifth annual event in Nashville, Tennessee. The 60-year-old singer-songwriter released the protest album Living With War this year.