BIRTHDAYS
Allan Sherman [born Allan Copelon] (1924) song parodist/songwriter [“Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh”/”The Twelve Gifts of Christmas”], also actor (died 1973) age 48 – emphysema
Dick Clark (1929) “American Bandstand” host (died 2012) age 82 – heart attack
Luther Ingram (1937) R&B and soul singer/songwriter [“(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right”] (died 2007) age 69 – heart failure
Rob Grill (1943) The Grass Roots lead singer/songwriter/bassist [“Let’s Live for Today”/”Midnight Confessions”/”Temptation Eyes”] (died 2011) age 67 – stroke complications
David “Leo” Lyons (1943) Ten Years After bassist/songwriter/co-founder
Roger Glover (1945) Deep Purple bassist [current] and Rainbow bassist [“Since You’ve Been Gone”/”I Surrender”/”Stone Cold”]
George McArdle (1953) Little River Band bassist
June Pointer (1953) The Pointer Sisters singer/songwriter/co-founder (died 2006) age 52 – cancer
Shuggie Otis [born Johnny Veliotes Jr.] (1953) singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
Billy Idol [born William Broad] (1955) Generation X lead singer/songwriter/guitarist/co-founder [“Dancing With Myself”] and solo singer/songwriter/guitarist, also actor
John Ashton (1957) Psychedelic Furs guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [“Pretty in Pink”/”Love My Way”]
Stacey Q [born Stacey Swain] (1958) singer/songwriter [“Two of Hearts”], also actress
Cherie Currie (1959) The Runaways lead singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/co-founder [“Cherry Bomb”] and solo singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
Des’ree [born Desirée Weeks] (1968) singer/songwriter [“You Gotta Be”]
John Moyer (1973) Disturbed bassist [current]
Mindy McCready (1975) country singer/songwriter (died 2013) age 37 – suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound
Clay Aiken [born Clayton Grissom] (1978) singer/songwriter/guitarist
DEATHS
Tiny Tim [born Herbert Khaury] (1996) singer/ukulele player/multi-instrumentalist (born 1932) age 64 – heart attack
Scott Smith (2000) Loverboy bassist/songwriter/co-founder (born 1955) age 45 – lost at sea
Christine McVie [born Christine Perfect] (2022) Chicken Shack keyboardist/songwriter/singer and Fleetwood Mac keyboardist/songwriter/singer (born 1943) age 79 – short illness
CHARTS
In 1968, “Love Child” by Diana Ross & the Supremes hits No. 1 – 2 weeks (11 of 12 No. 1 singles)
In 1985, “Separate Lives (Theme From White Nights)” by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin hits No. 1 – 1 week (fourth of seven No. 1 singles)
In 1991, “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” by P.M. Dawn hits No. 1 – 1 week (only No. 1 single)
In 2019, “Circles” by Post Malone hits No. 1 – 1 week (fourth of four No. 1 singles)
NEW RELEASES
(Albums)
In 1979, Columbia Records releases the 11th studio album from Pink Floyd, “The Wall”; Billboard 200: 1 (15 weeks); 12 million copies U.S.; Grammy Awards: Best Engineered Recording (Non-Classical), Grammy Hall of Fame (2008); Rolling Stone 500: 87; In the Flesh?,” “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1),” “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2),” “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 3),” “Mother,” “Young Lust,” “Hey You,” “Comfortably Numb,” “Run Like Hell”
In 1982, Geffen Records releases the seventh solo studio album from Sammy Hagar, “Three Lock Box”; Billboard 200: 17; 500,000 copies U.S.; “You’re Love is Driving Me Crazy,” “Three Lock Box,” “Never Give Up”
In 1982, Epic Records release the sixth solo studio album from Michael Jackson, “Thriller”; Billboard 200: 1 ( weeks); 66 million copies (33 million copies U.S.); Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, Record of the Year, Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, Best R&B Song, Producer of the Year, Non-Classical; Grammy Hall of Fame (2008); Rolling Stone 500: 20; “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” “The Girl is Mine” (Paul McCartney), “Thriller,” “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”
(Singles)
1968, “Everyday People,” Sly & the Family Stone
1970, “I Hear You Knocking,” Dave Edmunds
1971, “Let’s Stay Together,” Al Green
COMINGS/GOINGS
In 1966, guitarist Jeff Beck quits The Yardbirds. He forms the Jeff Beck Group and is replaced in The Yardbirds by Jimmy Page.
In 1969, The Monkees play live in concert for the final time as a foursome at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The group reunites in 1984.
NOTEWORTHY
In 1977, “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas” premieres on CBS-TV. The show appears on TV five weeks after Crosby’s death and features a duet between Crosby and David Bowie, with Crosby singing Little Drummer Boy” at the same time Bowie sings “Peace on Earth.”
The Journalism Gypsy 