1958, Buddy Holly’s last recording session took place at Pythian Temple Studios, New York City. The songs recorded included ‘Raining In My Heart’, ‘Moondreams’ and ‘It Doesn’t Matter Anymore’ which became a No.1 hit.
1965, Bill Black, Elvis Presley’s bass player, (1954-57), died four months after receiving surgery to remove a brain tumour, aged 39. With guitarist Scotty Moore, and Elvis Presley on rhythm guitar, Black played on ‘That’s All Right (Mama)’, Heartbreak Hotel, ‘Baby Let’s Play House’, ‘Mystery Train’, ‘Hound Dog’; ‘Jailhouse Rock’ in the late 1950s. Black, Scotty Moore and drummer D. J. Fontana toured extensively during Presley’s early career. After leaving Presley Black formed Bill Black’s Combo.
1965, Wanting to improve on a previous recording session The Beatles started from scratch on a new song called ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’, finishing recordings in three takes. They also begin working on another new John Lennon song ‘Nowhere Man.’
1965, The Spencer Davis Group recorded ‘Keep On Running’ at Pye Studios in London, England. The track went on to top the UK chart next January.
1967, Scottish singer Lulu started a five-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the theme from the film ‘To Sir With Love’.
1972, Chuck Berry started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘My Ding-A-Ling’, his first and only US and UK No.1, 17 years after his first chart hit.
1972, Curtis Mayfield started a four-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with soundtrack to ‘Superfly’.
1976, Keith Moon played his last show with The Who at the end of a North American tour at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto. On September 7, 1978, Moon died of an overdose of a sedative Heminevrin, that had been prescribed to prevent seizures induced by alcohol withdrawal.
1978, The Clash sacked manager Bernie Rhodes, saying the band and record company ‘found him hard to deal with’. Melody Maker journalist Caroline Coon took his place.
1989, Jive Bunny And The Mastermixes had their second UK No.1 single with ‘That’s What I Like.’ The Theme from Hawaii Five-O was the recurring hook in the record which also included ‘Lets Twist Again’, ‘Lets Dance’, ‘Great Balls of Fire’ and ‘The Twist’.
1992, George Michael took Sony Records to court in a fight over his contract with the company; he lost the case in 1994. Michael worked with Sony again less than 10 years later.
1995, Green Day singer Billie Joe was arrested and fined $141 after mooning at the audience during a gig in Milwaukee.
1997, Elton John’s ‘Candle In The Wind 97’ was declared by the Guinness Book Of Records as the biggest selling single record of all time, with 31.8 million sales in less than 40 days and raising more than £20 million for charity.
2001, Concerts at Madison Square Garden and the RFK stadium in Washington were expected to raise millions in funds for the victims of the Sept 11th attacks. Stars who appeared included Michael Jackson, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, and The Who
2006, American musician, singer, songwriter, and drummer Sandy West died. Founding member (with Joan Jett) of all girl group The Runaways, hailed by fans and critics alike to be one of the most groundbreaking drummers in rock and roll history.
2006, British broadcaster John Peel left over £1.8m and over 25,000 vinyl records in his will. Peel died suddenly at the age of 65 from a heart attack in 2004.
2006, Evanescence were at No.1 on the US album chart with their second album ‘The Open Door.’ It became the 700th No.1 album in Billboard since the chart became a weekly feature in 1956.
2007, Kid Rock and five members of his entourage were arrested after an argument with a man escalated into a fight in a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. Kid Rock’s tour bus was pulled over by police after it left the scene; Rock was released after posting $1,000 bail. Kid Rock also had the No.1 album on the US chart with ‘Rock N Roll Jesus’ his eleventh album release and first to debut at the top of the chart.
2013, Sid Bernstein, the concert promoter who staged early US shows by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, died aged 95. Bernstein booked The Beatles for their legendary show at Shea Stadium in New York in 1965, which was the first concert to be staged in a stadium. Bernstein also promoted the Fab Four’s gigs at Carnegie Hall in New York on their first US tour in 1964. He also arranged The Rolling Stones first five US gigs and shows for Judy Garland, Ray Charles and Tony Bennett.
2014, Former Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson said he has been “cured” of the terminal pancreatic cancer with which he was diagnosed in 2012. The 67-year-old was initially given 10 months to live after rejecting chemotherapy, but had radical surgery to remove the tumour earlier this year.
