Musician Birthdays: Dave Davies (guitarist/singer of The Kinks, famous for the hits, “Lola” and “You Really Got Me”,  born in 1947), Sean Kingston (reggae singer, rapper and pop artist, famous for the hit “Beautiful Girls”, born in 1990)

– In 1959: 22 year old Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, aged 17, died in a crash shortly after take-off from Clear Lake, Iowa, the pilot of the single-engined Beechcraft Bonanza plane was also killed. Holly hired the plane after heating problems developed on his tourbus. All three were traveling to Fargo, North Dakota, for the next show on their Winter Dance Party Tour which Holly had set – covering 24 cities in three weeks, to make money after the break-up of his band, The Crickets, last year.

– In 1968: The Beatles started work on their new single ‘Lady Madonna’ at Abbey Road studios in London. Recording three piano and drum takes with overdub bass, fuzz guitars, drums, and vocals.

– In 1970: Led Zeppelin II was in the Top 20 on both the UK & US album charts after peaking at No.1. The album went on to spend 138 weeks on the UK chart. The album is now recognised by writers and music critics as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums ever recorded.

– In 1973: Elton John started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Crocodile Rock’. Elton’s first of five US No.1 singles.

– In 1979: Blondie had their first of five UK No.1 singles, with ‘Heart Of Glass’, taken from the band’s third studio album, Parallel Lines. ‘Heart of Glass’ was originally recorded in 1975 under the name ‘Once I Had a Love.’

– In 1979: The Blues Brothers went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Briefcase Full Of Blues’.

– In 1996: Queen Latifah was stopped by police for speeding who found a concealed weapon and marijuana, the singer was given two years probation.

– In 1996: The Ramones claimed to have played their last gig in the UK, at The Brixton Academy, after 22 years together.

– In 2010: AC/DC singer Brian Johnson, joined a growing group of critics of Bob Geldof and U2 singer Bono over their very public charity work, saying they should stop lecturing audiences about charity work and instead do their good deeds in private. Johnson said “When I was a working man I didn’t want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa. I’m sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done. It just makes me angry.”