Musician Birthdays: Ali Campbell (singer of UB40, famous for hit “Red Red Wine”, “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, and more. Born in 1959)

– In 1964: The Beatles scored their first US No.1 album with ‘Meet The Beatles!’ The album stayed at No.1 for eleven weeks.

– In 1965: American singer and pianist Nat King Cole died of lung cancer. First hit was the 1943 ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’, had the 1955 US No.2 single ‘A Blossom Fell’ and 1957 UK No.2 single ‘When I Fall In Love’ plus over 20 other US & UK Top 40 singles. Father of singer Natalie Cole. In 1956 he became the first black American to host a television variety show.

– In 1968: John and Cynthia Lennon, along with George and Patti Harrison, flew to India to study meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Paul and Ringo joined them a few days later, but Starr would become bored and leave on March 1st, comparing the experience to be like a ‘Butlins holiday camp.’ Much of the Beatles’ ‘White Album’ was written during their stay.

– In 1969: Sly and the Family Stone started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Everyday People’, their first No.1.

– In 1975: Linda Ronstadt went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘You’re No Good’, the singers only solo chart topper out of 12 other top 40 hits. Also today Ronstadt went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Heart Like A Wheel.’

– In 1977: Glen Matlock was fired as bass player from The Sex Pistols, being replaced by Sid Vicious. Matlock rejoined in the 90’s when the Pistol’s reformed.

– In 1981: American guitarist Mike Bloomfield was found dead in his car in San Francisco from an accidental heroin overdose. He was a member of the Paul Butterfield band and Electric Flag and had played on Bob Dylan’s album ‘Highway 61 Revisited’. In 2003 he was ranked at number 22 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

– In 1986: Whitney Houston started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘How Will I Know’, which was also a No.5 in the UK.

– In 1994: A federal court jury ruled Michael Jackson did not steal the idea for his hit song ‘Dangerous’ from a Denver woman who had sent him a demo tape.

– In 2000: Sting pulled-out of a concert in Vienna in protest at the inclusion of Jorg Haider’s far right freedom party in Austria’s new government. Lou Reed had also cancelled shows in the country.

– In 2009: Lily Allen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ the singers second album.