Musician Birthdays: Harry Belafonte (US Singer, famous for the the hit, “Banana Boat Song (Day-O”, born in 1927), Roger Daltrey (singer of the Who, famous for hits, “Baba O’ Reily”, “Pinball Wizard”, “Who Are You”, etc., born in 1944), Justin Bieber (Canadian singer, made famous as a youtube sensation and famous for the hit, “Baby”, born in 1994)

– In 1958: Buddy Holly played the first of 25 dates on his only UK tour at the Trocadero, Elephant & Castle, London. Also on the bill was Gary Miller, The Tanner Sisters, Des O’Conner, The Montanas, Ronnie Keene & His Orchestra.

– In 1961: Elvis Presley signed a five-year movie deal with producer Hal Wallis.

– In 1967: Working at Abbey Road studios, London, The Beatles started recording a new John Lennon song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’. The song was inspired by a drawing his 3 year-old son Julian returned home from school with one day. The picture, which was of a little girl with lots of stars, was his classmate – Lucy O’Donnell, who also lived in Weybridge, and attended the same school as Julian.

– In 1968: Elton John’s first single ‘I’ve Been Loving You To Long’ was released on the Phillips label, it didn’t chart.

– In 1969: Jim Morrison of The Doors was charged with lewd and lascivious behaviour after showing his penis to the audience during a show in Miami. He was found guilty and sentenced to eight months hard labour. Morrison died in Paris while the sentence was on appeal.

– In 1975: The Eagles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Best Of My Love’, the first of five US No.1’s for the band. The highest chart position in the UK for the group was No.8 with the 1977 single ‘Hotel California.’

– In 1975: Winners at this years Grammy Awards included; Paul McCartney for Best pop vocal on ‘Band On The Run’, Olivia Newton-John won Record Of The Year for ‘I Honestly Love You’ and Stevie Wonder won Album of the year for ‘Fulfilling- ness First Finale.’

– In 1980: Patti Smith married MC5 guitarist Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith. Smith died on November 4th 1994.

– In 1989: R.E.M. kicked off the US leg of the ‘Green World Tour’, in Louisville, Kentucky.

– In 1990: Janet Jackson played the first night on her 120-date Rhythm Nation 1814 World tour at the Miami Arena in Florida. As part of the show Jackson’s had a live panther on-stage, but after concerns were raised over safety of the crowds and several incidents of the panther urinating on the stage Jackson axed the cat from the show in the summer leg of the tour.

– In 1994: Nirvana played their final ever concert when they appeared at The Terminal Einz in Munich, Germany. The 3,000 capacity venue was a small Airport Hanger. The power went off during the show so they played an impromptu acoustic set including a version of The Cars ‘My Best Friend’s Girl.’

– In 1995: Bruce Springsteen’s Streets of Philadelphia won three Grammys for Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.

– In 1997: A Motley Crue fan who claimed his hearing had been irreparably damaged after a show in New Jersey had his lawsuit thrown out of court. The judge told Clifford Goldberg who had sat near the front of the stage, knew the risk he was taking.

– In 2001:  Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs became the star witness of his own defence in a New York court claiming he didn’t have a gun during a shooting in a New York club. The singer claimed he thought he was being shot at.

– In 2004: Michael Jackson unveiled a new website, http://www.mjjsource.com. The site featured a celebration of his music career plus news on his current criminal trial, including short biographies of his attorneys and a calendar listing upcoming court dates.

– In 1968: The Beatles ‘Sgt Pepper’ won album of the year, best cover and best-engineered and recorded album at this years Grammy Awards.

– In 1972: On the last date of an Australian tour Led Zeppelin played at the Festival Hall in Brisbane.

– In 1977: Two members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were knocked unconscious after a scuffle broke out- between the band and members of the metropolitan police boxing team, who were holding a dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

– In 1980: The glasses that Buddy Holly had been wearing when he died were discovered in a police file in Mason, Iowa after being there for over 21 years.

– In 1988: Robert Plant released his fourth solo album, Now And Zen. The album peaked at No. 10 on the UK chart. The tracks Heaven Knows and Tall Cool One featured guitarist Jimmy Page.

– In 2000: Eric Clapton was banned from driving for six months after speeding at 45mph in a 30mph zone near his UK home in Surrey.

– In 2000: Sir Elton John stormed out of the opening of his new Broadway musical show, ‘Aida’, after 15 minutes complaining that his songs had been ruined.

– In 1992: Mr Big started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘To Be With You’, a No.3 hit in the UK.

– In 2008: Mike Smith, the lead singer of 1960s British group The Dave Clark Five, died from pneumonia at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England at the age of 64. The Dave Clark Five had 19 UK Top 40 hits, including ‘Bits and Pieces’ and the number one single ‘Glad All Over’. The band, which broke up in the 1970s, sold more than 100 million records and recorded 23 albums.