Musician Birthdays: Clarence Clemons (saxophonist of The E Street Band, born in 1942), Mary J. Blige (R&B, soul, singer/songwriter, born in 1971)

– In 1958: The release date for the Elvis Presley single ‘Jailhouse Rock’ was put back a week after Decca Records pressing plant in the UK were unable to meet the advance orders of 250,000 copies.

– In 1964: ‘Ring Of Fire’ by Johnny Cash became the first Country album to go to No.1 in the US album chart.

– In 1964: ‘Louie Louie’ by The Kingsmen was the number one song on the US Cash Box music chart. For a while, the record was banned by a handful of US radio stations because of its indecipherable lyrics, which were rumored to contain some naughty words. Even the F.B.I. investigated the song, but finally concluded that they could find nothing wrong.

– In 1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded ‘Purple Haze’. Jimi also signed to the new record label Track Records on this day.

– In 1992: Nirvana appeared on NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live performing two songs, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘Territorial Pissings’. Also on this day the group’s ‘Nevermind’ went to No.1 on the US album chart.

– In 2000: It was reported that Whitney Houston was under investigation after allegedly trying to smuggle 15.2 grams of Marijuana out of Hawaii. A security officer found the drug in the singer’s handbag, Houston then walked away when he tried to detain her.

– In 2003: Pete Townshend issued a public statement denying being a paedophile after his name was linked with a police Internet porn inquiry. But The Who guitarist did admit studying child pornography for research into a campaign against it.

– In 2008: Ringo Starr helped launch the celebrations for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. He was joined by acrobats who dangled on wires from cranes as the opening party kicked off a year-long programme of more than 350 events. Organisers hoped the Capital of Culture tag would attract an extra two million visitors to Liverpool and boost the economy by £100m.