TODAY IN HISTORY – JANUARY 18th
1941 - Born on this day, David Ruffin, vocals, The Temptations, (1971 US No.1 & UK No. 8 single 'Just My Imagination' and re-issued 'My Girl' UK No.2 in 1992, solo, 1975 US No.9 & UK No.10 single 'Walk Away From Love'). Ruffin died of a drug overdose on 1st June 1991.
1958 - Born on this day, Tom Bailey, vocals, keyboards, The Thompson Twins, (1984 UK No.2 single 'You Take Me Up', 1984 US No.3 single, 'Hold Me Now').
1964 - The Beatles made their US Billboard music charts debut when I Want To Hold Your Hand entered the chart at No.45. It went on to spend 7 weeks at the No.1 position. It was written by John and Paul on the piano at the home of Paul's girlfriend, Jane Asher.
1965 - Paul Simon dropped out of law school to become a full-time musician.
1973 - A Rolling Stones benefit concert raised $200,000 for Nicaraguan earthquake relief. Mick Jagger donated a further $150,000.
1973 - Born on this day, Crispian Mills, guitar, vocals, Kula Shaker, (1996 UK No.2 single 'Hey Dude').
1974 - Ex members from Free, (Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke), Mott The Hoople, (Mick Ralphs), and King Crimson, (Boz Burrell), formed Bad Company.
1975 - Status Quo were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with Down Down.
1975 - Barry Manilow scored his first US No.1 single when 'Mandy', (originally titled 'Brandy' when it was recorded in 1972 by Scott English), went to the top of the charts.
1978 - Johnny Paycheck's immortal ode to workplace frustrations, Take This Job and Shove It, shot to the top spot on the Billboard charts.
Paycheck, who was born Donald Eugene Lytle, enjoyed a few booze-drenched honky-tonk hits during the 1960s. A little too fond of the bottle, Paycheck squandered his initial success and wound up performing on Skid Row in Los Angeles to earn money for drinks. But, by 1978, Paycheck had mustered up a comeback and was ruling the America's airwaves with 'Take This Job'. The song took on a life of its own and in 1981 was turned into a middling movie starring Robert Hays of Airplane! fame.
The years, however, were not so kind to Paycheck. He lapsed into self-parody, churning out pale imitations of "Take This Job" in hopes of climbing back to the top of the charts. In 1989, Paycheck was sentenced to a two-year prison stint for shooting someone during a barroom fight.
1981 - Wendy O. Williams of The Plasmatics was arrested on stage at Milwaukee and was charged with the offence of simulating sex with a sledgehammer. Williams later filed a multimillion dollar civil suit against the Milwaukee Police, claming they sexually assaulted and beat her during the arrest, but a jury rejected her claims.
1986 - 'That's What Friends Are For' by Dionne Warwick began a four-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart, all company and artists profits were given to aids charities.
1989 - At just 38 years old, Stevie Wonder became the youngest living person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, other inductees include The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, Otis Redding and Dion DiMucci.
1991 - Three fans were killed during a crush in a crowd during an AC/DC gig in Salt Lake City.
1993 - Elton John resigned his directorship of Watford Football Club.
1996 - Lisa Marie Presley divorced Michael Jackson after less than two years of being married.
1997 - Songwriter and producer Keith Diamond died of a heart attack. He wrote, 'Caribbean Queen' and 'Suddenly' for Billy Ocean, and also wrote hits for Donna Summer, James Ingram, Mick Jagger, Sheena Easton and Michael Bolton.
1997 - Tori Amos was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Professional Widow' (It's Got To Be)'. The song had been remixed by Armand Van Helden and was rumoured to be about Courtney Love the former wife of Kurt Cobain.
2000 - Spencer Goodman was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas. Goodman was convicted of kidnapping and murdering the wife of ZZ Top manager Bill Ham in 1991. Ham was present for the execution.
2001 - Noel Gallagher was granted a quickie divorce from Meg Matthews at the High Court in London. The couple split up the previous September, eight months after Meg had given birth to their daughter, Anais.
2004 - Jennifer Lopez's divorce from her second husband Cris Judd became final. Lopez and Judd married in 2001, after meeting when filming the video to 'Love Don't Cost A Thing' but split the next year. He was expected to get a $15 million (£8.8 million) settlement from the divorce.
2006 - Animals in Michael Jackson's private zoo were declared to be in good health after officials paid a surprise visit to the singer's Neverland ranch. A medical officer from the US department of agriculture inspected the property following concerns voiced by the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Jackson had earlier moved out of Neverland and had taken up residence in Bahrain in the Middle East.
2008 - Four photographers were arrested for reckless driving after they chased Britney Spears' car on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The four were among a group of paparazzi seen driving at high speed, each of the men were ordered to post $5,000 (£2,539) bail. The cars were following Ms Spears' car too closely and travelling at an unsafe speed and made several unsafe lane changes, according to police.
1941 - Born on this day, David Ruffin, vocals, The Temptations, (1971 US No.1 & UK No. 8 single 'Just My Imagination' and re-issued 'My Girl' UK No.2 in 1992, solo, 1975 US No.9 & UK No.10 single 'Walk Away From Love'). Ruffin died of a drug overdose on 1st June 1991.
1958 - Born on this day, Tom Bailey, vocals, keyboards, The Thompson Twins, (1984 UK No.2 single 'You Take Me Up', 1984 US No.3 single, 'Hold Me Now').
1964 - The Beatles made their US Billboard music charts debut when I Want To Hold Your Hand entered the chart at No.45. It went on to spend 7 weeks at the No.1 position. It was written by John and Paul on the piano at the home of Paul's girlfriend, Jane Asher.
1965 - Paul Simon dropped out of law school to become a full-time musician.
1973 - A Rolling Stones benefit concert raised $200,000 for Nicaraguan earthquake relief. Mick Jagger donated a further $150,000.
1973 - Born on this day, Crispian Mills, guitar, vocals, Kula Shaker, (1996 UK No.2 single 'Hey Dude').
1974 - Ex members from Free, (Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke), Mott The Hoople, (Mick Ralphs), and King Crimson, (Boz Burrell), formed Bad Company.
1975 - Status Quo were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with Down Down.
1975 - Barry Manilow scored his first US No.1 single when 'Mandy', (originally titled 'Brandy' when it was recorded in 1972 by Scott English), went to the top of the charts.
1978 - Johnny Paycheck's immortal ode to workplace frustrations, Take This Job and Shove It, shot to the top spot on the Billboard charts.
Paycheck, who was born Donald Eugene Lytle, enjoyed a few booze-drenched honky-tonk hits during the 1960s. A little too fond of the bottle, Paycheck squandered his initial success and wound up performing on Skid Row in Los Angeles to earn money for drinks. But, by 1978, Paycheck had mustered up a comeback and was ruling the America's airwaves with 'Take This Job'. The song took on a life of its own and in 1981 was turned into a middling movie starring Robert Hays of Airplane! fame.
The years, however, were not so kind to Paycheck. He lapsed into self-parody, churning out pale imitations of "Take This Job" in hopes of climbing back to the top of the charts. In 1989, Paycheck was sentenced to a two-year prison stint for shooting someone during a barroom fight.
1981 - Wendy O. Williams of The Plasmatics was arrested on stage at Milwaukee and was charged with the offence of simulating sex with a sledgehammer. Williams later filed a multimillion dollar civil suit against the Milwaukee Police, claming they sexually assaulted and beat her during the arrest, but a jury rejected her claims.
1986 - 'That's What Friends Are For' by Dionne Warwick began a four-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart, all company and artists profits were given to aids charities.
1989 - At just 38 years old, Stevie Wonder became the youngest living person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, other inductees include The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, Otis Redding and Dion DiMucci.
1991 - Three fans were killed during a crush in a crowd during an AC/DC gig in Salt Lake City.
1993 - Elton John resigned his directorship of Watford Football Club.
1996 - Lisa Marie Presley divorced Michael Jackson after less than two years of being married.
1997 - Songwriter and producer Keith Diamond died of a heart attack. He wrote, 'Caribbean Queen' and 'Suddenly' for Billy Ocean, and also wrote hits for Donna Summer, James Ingram, Mick Jagger, Sheena Easton and Michael Bolton.
1997 - Tori Amos was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Professional Widow' (It's Got To Be)'. The song had been remixed by Armand Van Helden and was rumoured to be about Courtney Love the former wife of Kurt Cobain.
2000 - Spencer Goodman was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas. Goodman was convicted of kidnapping and murdering the wife of ZZ Top manager Bill Ham in 1991. Ham was present for the execution.
2001 - Noel Gallagher was granted a quickie divorce from Meg Matthews at the High Court in London. The couple split up the previous September, eight months after Meg had given birth to their daughter, Anais.
2004 - Jennifer Lopez's divorce from her second husband Cris Judd became final. Lopez and Judd married in 2001, after meeting when filming the video to 'Love Don't Cost A Thing' but split the next year. He was expected to get a $15 million (£8.8 million) settlement from the divorce.
2006 - Animals in Michael Jackson's private zoo were declared to be in good health after officials paid a surprise visit to the singer's Neverland ranch. A medical officer from the US department of agriculture inspected the property following concerns voiced by the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Jackson had earlier moved out of Neverland and had taken up residence in Bahrain in the Middle East.
2008 - Four photographers were arrested for reckless driving after they chased Britney Spears' car on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The four were among a group of paparazzi seen driving at high speed, each of the men were ordered to post $5,000 (£2,539) bail. The cars were following Ms Spears' car too closely and travelling at an unsafe speed and made several unsafe lane changes, according to police.