Musician Birthdays: Frank Zappa (multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, producer, born in 1940)

– In 1968: Glen Campbell topped the US album chart with ‘Wichita Lineman’. Although the LP would stay on the chart for 46 weeks, it would be Campbell’s only No.1 album.

– In 1969: The Supremes made their last TV appearance together with Diana Ross on ‘The Ed Sullivan show’, singing their last No.1 ‘Someday We’ll Be Together’.

– In 1969: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Canned Heat appeared at the Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California.

– In 1970: A stretch limousine carrying Elvis Presley pulled up outside the White House in Washington, D.C. The driver handed over a letter from Elvis addressed to President Nixon requesting a meeting to discuss how the King of Rock and Roll could help Nixon fight drugs. The President agreed to give Presley a Narcotics Bureau badge – but only after learning that the chief of the narcotics bureau had turned down the same request earlier that day and told Presley the only person who could overrule his decision was the President. At Elvis’ request, the meeting remained secret for more than a year, until the Washington Post broke the story on January 27th, 1972.

– In 1985: Heart went to No.1 on the US album chart with their self- titled album.

– In 1985: Bruce Springsteen’s album, ‘Born in the USA’ passed Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ to become the second longest-lasting LP on the Billboard US Top 10. It stayed there for 79 weeks. Only ‘The Sound of Music’ with Julie Andrews lasted longer at 109 weeks.

– In 1991: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives’ by Queen started a five week run at No.1 in the UK, the 1975 word-wide hit had been re-released following the death of Freddie Mercury.

– In 2003: Eminem’s ex-wife Kimberley Mathers pleaded guilty to a drug and driving offences. Mathers had been pulled by traffic police in June and was charged with possession of cocaine, two other charges driving with a suspended license and maintaining a drug house in which police discovered marijuana and Ecstasy were dropped. The 28 year-old mother appeared in a Michigan court after turning herself in, having previously failed to attend a November 1 hearing and removed an electronic tagging device used to monitor her movements.

– In 2010: A concert by Kings of Leon was postponed after a fire broke out on two of their tour buses which were parked at The O2 arena in London. The blaze began on one coach before spreading to another tour bus in the loading bay of the venue in Greenwich. About 60 firefighters were at the scene and ambulance crews treated six people for smoke inhalation. An O2 spokesman said the fire meant there was not enough time to rig the arena for the sell-out concert.

Musician Birthdays: Peter Criss (drummer for Kiss, born in 1947), Alan Parsons (famous producer from the UK, born in 1948), Billy Bragg (UK Singer/songwriter, born in 1957), Chris Robinson (singer for the Black Crowes, born in 1966)

– In 1967: Folk singer Joan Baez was sentenced to 45 days in prison after being arrested during an anti-war demonstration.

– In 1968: The Beatles sixth Christmas record ‘The Beatles’ 1968 Christmas Record’, was sent to fan club members in the UK and the US. It included the song ‘Nowhere Man’ sung by Tiny Tim.

– In 1969: Peter Paul and Mary went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Leavin’ On A Jet Plane’.

– In 1973: American singer Bobby Darin died aged 37. One of the first teen idols, he had the 1959 No.1 with ‘Dream Lover’ plus 20 other US Top 40 hits during the 60’s including ‘Mack the Knife’, (Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1960). Darin traveled with Robert Kennedy and worked on the latter’s 1968 presidential campaign. He was with Kennedy the day he traveled to Los Angeles on June 4, 1968 for the California Primary. Darin was at the Ambassador Hotel later that night when Kennedy was assassinated.

– In 1980: Twelve days after John Lennon was shot dead in New York City, (Just Like) Starting Over gave the former Beatle his first ever UK solo No.1 single. Taken from his Double Fantasy album.

– In 1986: The Bangles started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’.

– In 1992: American blues singer and guitarist, Albert King died from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded dozens of influential songs, such as ‘Crosscut Saw’ and ‘As The Years Go Passing By’, and the 1967 album, ‘Born Under a Bad Sign.’

– In 2001: Tommy Lee branded his ex-wife Pam Anderson an unfit mother. The drummer filed papers with the Los Angeles Superior Court alleging his son’s tell him ‘We hate Mommy’ and his son Brandon had been using the F-word he learned from his mommy.

– In 2006: Ian Halperin claimed that Michael Jackson was close to death. The Rolling Stone magazine writer said Jackson was suffering from a rare lung condition and needed a lung transplant. He also claimed that the singer had lost 95% vision in one eye and was so ill he could barley speak.

– In 2008: Britney Spears went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Circus’, the singer’s sixth studio album.