TODAY IN HISTORY – August 14th
1940 - Born this day, Dash Crofts, in Cisco, Texas, musician, drummer, mandolin, keyboardist, Seals & Crofts, (Summer Breeze).
1941 - Born this day, David Crosby [Van Cortland], musician, guitarist, singer, songwriter, The Byrds, Mr. Tambourine Man, and with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, 1969 UK No.17 single Marrakesh Express, 1970 US No.11 single Woodstock, 1970 US No.1 album Deja Vu, solo, 1971 UK No.12 album If Only I Could Remember My Name, 1975 US No.6 album Wind On The Water, 1993 UK No.56 single Hero with Phil Collins.
1958 - Died this day, Gladys Presley, mother of Elvis, at the age of 46. At her funeral two days later Presley was so overcome with grief he was unable to stand and had to be supported. Over 500 police were at the service to keep the gigantic crowd at bay. Presley never got over his mother's premature death.
1961 - Born this day, Sarah Brightman, singer, actress, 1978 UK No.6 single with Hot Gossip I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper, 1986 UK No.3 single with Cliff Richard All I Ask Of You.
1962 - Unhappy with Pete Best's role in the Beatles, Brian Epstein and the other three members decided to sack him, he played his last gig the following night at The Cavern, Liverpool.
1964 - US singer Johnny Burnette was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake California, aged 30. His unlit boat was struck by an unaware cabin cruiser, the impact threw him off the boat and he drowned. Burnette scored the 1961 US No.8 & UK No.3 single 'Your Sixteen'.
1965 - Sonny and Cher started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with I Got You Babe. Sunny Bono had also written Needles and Pins, a UK No.1 in 1964. Sonny was killed in a skiing accident on 5 January 1998.
1967 - All UK offshore pirate radio stations were closed down when the marine broadcasting act came into force. Radio Caroline continued to broadcast until March 68.
1968 - 'Fire' by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. As part of his act Brown would perform the song on stage with his hat set alight!
1970 - Stephen Stills was arrested on suspected drugs charges while staying at a San Diego Hotel after being found crawling along a corridor in an incoherent state, he was freed on $2,500 bail.
1971 - Diana Ross gave birth to her first child, Rhonda (the father was later revealed to be Motown Records owner Berry Gordy, Jr.)
1973 - Adam Faith had a serious car crash in the middle of the night on this day. He suffered multiple injuries, and almost lost a leg. The leg was rebuilt, however, and with help from a physiotherapist, and sheer determination, regained full use of his limbs. The injuries and the period of recovery kept Adam away from acting for many months. Although offers kept coming in, he had no desire to follow them up, and spent most of his time with his family.
1985 - Michael Jackson won a bid over Yoko Ono and Paul McCartney to secure the ATV Music Publishing catalogue. At $47.5m he gained the rights to more than 250 songs written by Lennon and McCartney. McCartney had been negotiating with Yoko Ono, who had decided to withdraw her side of the deal because of 'astrological' reasons.
1988 - Guitarist Roy Buchanan died after hanging himself with his own shirt in Fairfax County Adult Detention Center having been arrested for drunkenness. Buchanan released over 15 solo albums; Jeff Beck dedicated the song 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers' to Buchanan in 1975 on his Blow by Blow album.
1992 - Tony Williams lead singer with The Platters died in his sleep of emphysema aged 64. He sang most of the group's hits up until 1961 when he was replaced by Sonny Turner. Had the 1959 UK & US No.1 single 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'.
1993 - Freddie Mercury had his first solo UK No.1 single with 'Living On My Own'. The song had been a minor hit in 1985 when released from his solo album Mr. Bad Guy, this remixed version was reissued.
1999 - Ronan Keating was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with, When You Say Nothing At All, Christina Aguilera was at No.1 on the US singles chart with Genie In A Bottle.
2001 - A pizza-stained piece of paper signed by three of the four Beatles sold for $48,000 (£17,441) to an anonymous collector at an auction in Melbourne. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison all signed the paper during their 1964 tour of Australia. Drummer Ringo Starr had laryngitis and was not on the tour. A fan managed to get the autographs while the band was staying in a hotel in Adelaide.
2005 - James Blunt topped both the UK singles chart (with 'You're Beautiful'), and album charts ('Back to Bedlam'), for a fifth week in a row, a feat last achieved by Celine Dion. Her single ‘Think Twice’ and album ‘Colour Of My Love’ topped both charts simultaneously for five weeks in 1995.
2006 - Boy George was seen sweeping streets in New York as part of a five-day community service sentence. The former Culture Club frontman was moved into a fenced-off area after only 30 minutes after he was mobbed by the media. The 45-year-old singer was found guilty of wasting police time earlier this year and was threatened with jail if he failed to complete the court-imposed sentence.
2009 - George Michael was arrested and held on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink or drugs after his Land Rover was in collision with a lorry on the A34 in Berkshire. The singer was later released without charge.
1940 - Born this day, Dash Crofts, in Cisco, Texas, musician, drummer, mandolin, keyboardist, Seals & Crofts, (Summer Breeze).
1941 - Born this day, David Crosby [Van Cortland], musician, guitarist, singer, songwriter, The Byrds, Mr. Tambourine Man, and with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, 1969 UK No.17 single Marrakesh Express, 1970 US No.11 single Woodstock, 1970 US No.1 album Deja Vu, solo, 1971 UK No.12 album If Only I Could Remember My Name, 1975 US No.6 album Wind On The Water, 1993 UK No.56 single Hero with Phil Collins.
1958 - Died this day, Gladys Presley, mother of Elvis, at the age of 46. At her funeral two days later Presley was so overcome with grief he was unable to stand and had to be supported. Over 500 police were at the service to keep the gigantic crowd at bay. Presley never got over his mother's premature death.
1961 - Born this day, Sarah Brightman, singer, actress, 1978 UK No.6 single with Hot Gossip I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper, 1986 UK No.3 single with Cliff Richard All I Ask Of You.
1962 - Unhappy with Pete Best's role in the Beatles, Brian Epstein and the other three members decided to sack him, he played his last gig the following night at The Cavern, Liverpool.
1964 - US singer Johnny Burnette was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake California, aged 30. His unlit boat was struck by an unaware cabin cruiser, the impact threw him off the boat and he drowned. Burnette scored the 1961 US No.8 & UK No.3 single 'Your Sixteen'.
1965 - Sonny and Cher started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with I Got You Babe. Sunny Bono had also written Needles and Pins, a UK No.1 in 1964. Sonny was killed in a skiing accident on 5 January 1998.
1967 - All UK offshore pirate radio stations were closed down when the marine broadcasting act came into force. Radio Caroline continued to broadcast until March 68.
1968 - 'Fire' by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. As part of his act Brown would perform the song on stage with his hat set alight!
1970 - Stephen Stills was arrested on suspected drugs charges while staying at a San Diego Hotel after being found crawling along a corridor in an incoherent state, he was freed on $2,500 bail.
1971 - Diana Ross gave birth to her first child, Rhonda (the father was later revealed to be Motown Records owner Berry Gordy, Jr.)
1973 - Adam Faith had a serious car crash in the middle of the night on this day. He suffered multiple injuries, and almost lost a leg. The leg was rebuilt, however, and with help from a physiotherapist, and sheer determination, regained full use of his limbs. The injuries and the period of recovery kept Adam away from acting for many months. Although offers kept coming in, he had no desire to follow them up, and spent most of his time with his family.
1985 - Michael Jackson won a bid over Yoko Ono and Paul McCartney to secure the ATV Music Publishing catalogue. At $47.5m he gained the rights to more than 250 songs written by Lennon and McCartney. McCartney had been negotiating with Yoko Ono, who had decided to withdraw her side of the deal because of 'astrological' reasons.
1988 - Guitarist Roy Buchanan died after hanging himself with his own shirt in Fairfax County Adult Detention Center having been arrested for drunkenness. Buchanan released over 15 solo albums; Jeff Beck dedicated the song 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers' to Buchanan in 1975 on his Blow by Blow album.
1992 - Tony Williams lead singer with The Platters died in his sleep of emphysema aged 64. He sang most of the group's hits up until 1961 when he was replaced by Sonny Turner. Had the 1959 UK & US No.1 single 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'.
1993 - Freddie Mercury had his first solo UK No.1 single with 'Living On My Own'. The song had been a minor hit in 1985 when released from his solo album Mr. Bad Guy, this remixed version was reissued.
1999 - Ronan Keating was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with, When You Say Nothing At All, Christina Aguilera was at No.1 on the US singles chart with Genie In A Bottle.
2001 - A pizza-stained piece of paper signed by three of the four Beatles sold for $48,000 (£17,441) to an anonymous collector at an auction in Melbourne. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison all signed the paper during their 1964 tour of Australia. Drummer Ringo Starr had laryngitis and was not on the tour. A fan managed to get the autographs while the band was staying in a hotel in Adelaide.
2005 - James Blunt topped both the UK singles chart (with 'You're Beautiful'), and album charts ('Back to Bedlam'), for a fifth week in a row, a feat last achieved by Celine Dion. Her single ‘Think Twice’ and album ‘Colour Of My Love’ topped both charts simultaneously for five weeks in 1995.
2006 - Boy George was seen sweeping streets in New York as part of a five-day community service sentence. The former Culture Club frontman was moved into a fenced-off area after only 30 minutes after he was mobbed by the media. The 45-year-old singer was found guilty of wasting police time earlier this year and was threatened with jail if he failed to complete the court-imposed sentence.
2009 - George Michael was arrested and held on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink or drugs after his Land Rover was in collision with a lorry on the A34 in Berkshire. The singer was later released without charge.