TODAY IN HISTORY – JULY 6TH
1925 - Born this day, Bill Haley [William John Clifton Haley], in Highland Park, Detroit, Michigan. Bill joined C&W band The Downhomers in 1944 and in 1948 formed The Four Aces of Western Swing. He sold over 60 million records during his career. Bill Haley & The Comets recorded 1955 UK and US No.1 single, on 12th April 1954. The track was later used over the opening titles for the film Blackboard Jungle, and went on to be a world-wide No.1, and the biggest selling pop single with sales over 25 million.
Bill was blind in his left eye. During September, 1956, Bill had five songs in the UK top 30, Rockin Through The Rye, Saints Rock n' Roll, Rock Around The Clock, Razzle Dazzle, and See You Later Alligator. Bill was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlington, from a heart attack on 9th February 1981.
1952 - Born this day, David Smith, singer, The Real Thing, 1976 UK No.1 single You To Me Are Everything.
1957 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time at The Woolton Church Parish Fete where The Quarry Men were playing. Lennon was impressed that McCartney could tune a guitar, and with his knowledge of rock and roll lyrics.
1964 - The Beatles first feature film, A Hard Day's Night, premiered in London's Pavillion Theatre. Tickets were priced at £25, with the proceeds going to the Variety Clubs of Great Britain. Huge mobs of fans gathered outside the theatre 12 hours before the movie was to be shown, and 200 policemen were summoned to control the crowd. Princess Margaret and other members of the Royal Family were in attendance. The film unanimously received favourable reviews and was later nominated for two Academy Awards. It cost $500,000.
1967 - Pink Floyd made their first appearance on BBC TV music show Top Of The Pops to promote their new single ‘See Emily Play’. A badly damaged home video recording recovered by the British Film Institute of this show was given a public screening in London on 9th January 2010 at an event called "Missing Believed Wiped" devoted to recovered TV shows. It was the first time any footage was seen of the performance since its original broadcast.
1968 - The Rolling Stones scored their fifth US No.1 single when Jumpin Jack Flash hit the top of the charts.
1971 - Died this day, Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong, band leader, singer and legendary jazz trumpet player, of a heart attack. He once said: "Musicians don't retire, they stop when there's no more music in them." 1964 US No.1 single Hello Dolly!, 1968 UK No.1 single What A Wonderful World.
1973 - Queen released their debut single 'Keep Yourself Alive' in the UK. The track didn't make the charts.
1974 - The Hues Corporation went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Rock The Boat, it made No.6 in the UK.
1975 - Keith Richards was arrested by the highway patrol in Arkansas on charges of reckless driving and possessing an offensive weapon, a seven inch hunting knife.
1979 - Died this day, Van McCoy, soul singer and producer, aged 38 in a New Jersey hospital a week after suffering a heart attack. He scored a US No.1 and UK No.2 single with The Hustle in 1975. Produced Gladys Knight & Aretha Franklin.
1984 - The Jacksons kicked off their North American Victory tour at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City. Over 2 million people attended the 55 concerts which grossed over $75 million. Michael Jackson donated $5 million to various charities
1985 - Phil Collins went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Sussudio, his third US No.1, it made No.12 in the UK.
1996 - Crowded House went to No.1 on the UK album chart with The Very Best Of album.
2001 - A pair of Sir Elton John's sandals were set to become the most expensive shoes in history when they went under the hammer for charity. Offers over £20,000 were invited for the Salvatore Ferragamo sandals to raise funds for Elton's Aid Trust.
2002 - George Harrison's widow Olivia put the couples home up for sale for £20m saying she couldn't bear to live with the memories of the attack by schizophrenic Michael Abram who broke into the house in 1999.
2003 - The Dixie Chicks performed a concert at Dallas' American Airlines Center despite an anonymous threat that group member Natalie Maines would be shot on stage, (after the controversy regading her comments about President George W. Bush, and the Iraq war). Maines had a police escort to and from the show and then directly to the airport.
2005 - Grammy award winning Rap star Lil' Kim who was convicted of perjury and conspiracy in March 2005, was sentenced to a year in jail for lying to a grand jury to protect friends. Kim told the court "I testified falsely to the grand jury and during the trial. At the time I thought it was the right thing to do. Now I know it was wrong." Lil' Kim, (real name Kimberley Jones), was also fined $50,000 (£28,000). Charges were brought against her after a gunfight erupted outside a New York radio station in 2001 as a rival rap group was arriving.
2007 - Avril Lavigne was facing legal action by members of 1970s rock band The Rubinoos, who claimed she had copied one of their songs. Songwriters Tommy Dunbar and James Gangwer alleged Lavigne's hit ‘Girlfriend’ was lifted from their 1979 song ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.’
2007 - Britney Spears apologised for attacking a photographer's car with an umbrella earlier this year. Pictures of the 25-year-old lashing out appeared in several newspapers shortly after photos emerged of her shaving her head in a hair salon. In a message on her website, she said: "I apologise to the pap for a stunt that was done four months ago." She said she got "carried away" preparing for a film part but added that she did not get the role.
2012 - Carol Hawkins, the former personal assistant of U2 bassist Adam Clayton was jailed for seven years for embezzling 2.8m euros (£2.2m) of his money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Hawkins was convicted on 181 counts of theft from the bassist's bank accounts over a four-year period. The judge said Hawkins' crimes were "rooted in greed and nothing else".
1925 - Born this day, Bill Haley [William John Clifton Haley], in Highland Park, Detroit, Michigan. Bill joined C&W band The Downhomers in 1944 and in 1948 formed The Four Aces of Western Swing. He sold over 60 million records during his career. Bill Haley & The Comets recorded 1955 UK and US No.1 single, on 12th April 1954. The track was later used over the opening titles for the film Blackboard Jungle, and went on to be a world-wide No.1, and the biggest selling pop single with sales over 25 million.
Bill was blind in his left eye. During September, 1956, Bill had five songs in the UK top 30, Rockin Through The Rye, Saints Rock n' Roll, Rock Around The Clock, Razzle Dazzle, and See You Later Alligator. Bill was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlington, from a heart attack on 9th February 1981.
1952 - Born this day, David Smith, singer, The Real Thing, 1976 UK No.1 single You To Me Are Everything.
1957 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time at The Woolton Church Parish Fete where The Quarry Men were playing. Lennon was impressed that McCartney could tune a guitar, and with his knowledge of rock and roll lyrics.
1964 - The Beatles first feature film, A Hard Day's Night, premiered in London's Pavillion Theatre. Tickets were priced at £25, with the proceeds going to the Variety Clubs of Great Britain. Huge mobs of fans gathered outside the theatre 12 hours before the movie was to be shown, and 200 policemen were summoned to control the crowd. Princess Margaret and other members of the Royal Family were in attendance. The film unanimously received favourable reviews and was later nominated for two Academy Awards. It cost $500,000.
1967 - Pink Floyd made their first appearance on BBC TV music show Top Of The Pops to promote their new single ‘See Emily Play’. A badly damaged home video recording recovered by the British Film Institute of this show was given a public screening in London on 9th January 2010 at an event called "Missing Believed Wiped" devoted to recovered TV shows. It was the first time any footage was seen of the performance since its original broadcast.
1968 - The Rolling Stones scored their fifth US No.1 single when Jumpin Jack Flash hit the top of the charts.
1971 - Died this day, Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong, band leader, singer and legendary jazz trumpet player, of a heart attack. He once said: "Musicians don't retire, they stop when there's no more music in them." 1964 US No.1 single Hello Dolly!, 1968 UK No.1 single What A Wonderful World.
1973 - Queen released their debut single 'Keep Yourself Alive' in the UK. The track didn't make the charts.
1974 - The Hues Corporation went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Rock The Boat, it made No.6 in the UK.
1975 - Keith Richards was arrested by the highway patrol in Arkansas on charges of reckless driving and possessing an offensive weapon, a seven inch hunting knife.
1979 - Died this day, Van McCoy, soul singer and producer, aged 38 in a New Jersey hospital a week after suffering a heart attack. He scored a US No.1 and UK No.2 single with The Hustle in 1975. Produced Gladys Knight & Aretha Franklin.
1984 - The Jacksons kicked off their North American Victory tour at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City. Over 2 million people attended the 55 concerts which grossed over $75 million. Michael Jackson donated $5 million to various charities
1985 - Phil Collins went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Sussudio, his third US No.1, it made No.12 in the UK.
1996 - Crowded House went to No.1 on the UK album chart with The Very Best Of album.
2001 - A pair of Sir Elton John's sandals were set to become the most expensive shoes in history when they went under the hammer for charity. Offers over £20,000 were invited for the Salvatore Ferragamo sandals to raise funds for Elton's Aid Trust.
2002 - George Harrison's widow Olivia put the couples home up for sale for £20m saying she couldn't bear to live with the memories of the attack by schizophrenic Michael Abram who broke into the house in 1999.
2003 - The Dixie Chicks performed a concert at Dallas' American Airlines Center despite an anonymous threat that group member Natalie Maines would be shot on stage, (after the controversy regading her comments about President George W. Bush, and the Iraq war). Maines had a police escort to and from the show and then directly to the airport.
2005 - Grammy award winning Rap star Lil' Kim who was convicted of perjury and conspiracy in March 2005, was sentenced to a year in jail for lying to a grand jury to protect friends. Kim told the court "I testified falsely to the grand jury and during the trial. At the time I thought it was the right thing to do. Now I know it was wrong." Lil' Kim, (real name Kimberley Jones), was also fined $50,000 (£28,000). Charges were brought against her after a gunfight erupted outside a New York radio station in 2001 as a rival rap group was arriving.
2007 - Avril Lavigne was facing legal action by members of 1970s rock band The Rubinoos, who claimed she had copied one of their songs. Songwriters Tommy Dunbar and James Gangwer alleged Lavigne's hit ‘Girlfriend’ was lifted from their 1979 song ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.’
2007 - Britney Spears apologised for attacking a photographer's car with an umbrella earlier this year. Pictures of the 25-year-old lashing out appeared in several newspapers shortly after photos emerged of her shaving her head in a hair salon. In a message on her website, she said: "I apologise to the pap for a stunt that was done four months ago." She said she got "carried away" preparing for a film part but added that she did not get the role.
2012 - Carol Hawkins, the former personal assistant of U2 bassist Adam Clayton was jailed for seven years for embezzling 2.8m euros (£2.2m) of his money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Hawkins was convicted on 181 counts of theft from the bassist's bank accounts over a four-year period. The judge said Hawkins' crimes were "rooted in greed and nothing else".