Musician Birthdays: Billy Gibbons (Guitarist, singer of ZZ Top, born in 1950)

– In 1965: Released as a double A side The Beatles ‘Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out’, became their ninth UK No.1 and their third Christmas chart topper in a row. The single was a US No.1 in January 1966.

– In 1966: The first Jimi Hendrix Experience single ‘Hey Joe’, was released in the UK on Polydor records, the track had been rejected by the Decca label. It went on to be a No.6 hit in the UK, but failed to chart in America.

– In 1967: The Rolling Stones announced that Marianne Faithfull was the first signing to their ‘Mother Earth’ label.

– In 1970: Five singles and five albums by Credence Clearwater Revival were certified gold in the US. The singles were: ‘Down on the Corner’, ‘Lookin out My Back Door’, ‘Travelin’ Band’, ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and ‘Up around the Bend’. The LPs were ‘Cosmo’s Factory’, ‘Willy and the Poor Boys’, ‘Green River’, ‘Bayou Country’ and ‘Credence Clearwater Revival’.

– In 1974: Guitarist Mick Taylor announced he was leaving The Rolling Stones, saying he felt that now was the time to move on and do something new.

– In 1989: Billy Joel went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Storm Front’.

– In 1991: Chubby Checker filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s in Canada seeking $14million for it’s alleged use of an imitation of his voice. The song ‘The Twist’ had been used on a French fries commercial.

– In 1993: MTV aired Nirvana’s ‘Unplugged’ session for the first time. The album featured an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993.

– In 1999: A 28 year-old man died after falling more than 80ft at Earls Court, London, while dismantling the set at a Spice Girls concert.

– In 2003: Michael Jackson was out on police bail of $3m after being arrested following allegations of child abuse. The 45-year-old singer strenuously denied the allegations, calling them a big lie. Following the allegations of child abuse a special information web site was set up by the District Attorney’s office because of the level of media interest in the case. Mr Jackson, who was arrested, cited and released after surrendering to police on 20th November, was due to appear in court on 9 January.

– In 2004: Gold and silver Black Sabbath discs were stolen from the Kent home of Ozzy Osbourne’s former manager Patrick Meehan. Police recovered the discs a week later after they were offered for sale on the internet auction site eBay.

– In 2005: The surviving Beatles and relatives of the band’s late members began legal action against EMI to get royalties allegedly worth £30m. Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and relations of George Harrison and John Lennon claimed EMI owed record royalties to their company Apple Corps.

– In 2006: Sir Paul McCartney said he left EMI, his record label of 45 years, as it had become “boring” and he had “dreaded going to see” its executives. McCartney told The Times that the company’s handling of his music had become “symbolic of the treadmill”. The ex-Beatle went on to sign a deal with Starbucks’ label, Hear Music.

– In 2007: American singer songwriter Dan Fogelberg died at his home in Maine at the age of 56. The US singer, songwriter discovered he had advanced prostate cancer in 2004. Had the 1981 album ‘The Innocent Age’, which featured the hits ‘Leader of the Band,’ ‘Hard to Say,’ and ‘Run for the Roses.’