Andy Summers, guitarist for the Police, is born. (1942)
Vocalist Patti Smith is born. (1946)
Burton Cummings, keyboardist and vocalist with the Guess Who, is born. (1947)
Tom Hamilton, bassist for Aerosmith, is born. (1951)
"Unchained Melody" is named the Number One top tune of 1955 based on Billboard's Honor Roll of Hits, a chart that takes into consideration dealer sales, disc jockey favorites and jukebox plays. (1955)
Appearing at the Ritchie Valens Memorial Concert at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the Beach Boys play their first show under that name. Prior to this, they called themselves the Pendletons and Carl and the Passion. (1961)
The Beatles single "I Feel Fine" and album, "Beatles '65" are certified gold. (1965)
At a New Year's Eve concert at the Fillmore East, New York City, Jimi Hendrix introduces his new all-black, Band of Gypsys, bassist Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles. The concert is recorded for the live album, "Band of Gypsys." (1969)
On the last day of the year, the Beatles broke up. Paul MacCartney files a writ in London High Court against "The Beatles Co.," including Messr. John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, seeking the legal dissolution of the Beatles' partnership. (1971)
Harry Chapin has a gold Number One hit with a song which hits close to home, "Cat's in the Cradle." The lyrics come from a poem composed by his wife, Sandy, all about a neglectful father who's away far too much and busy far too often to watch his kid grow-up. (1974)
Bill Graham closes Winterland Theater in San Francisco to rock concerts following a swan-song by the Grateful Dead and the Blues Brothers. (1978)
The Jefferson Starship's New Year's Eve concert at X's night club in San Francisco is broadcast over radio to much of the Western world. (1979)
Miami Steve Van Zandt, guitar player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, marries Maureen Santora in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Bruce is the best man and at the reception, Percy Sledge and preacher Richard Penniman (known better as Little Richard) sing Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman." (1982)
One of New York City's longest running rock clubs, Max's Kansas City closes. Max's had been the watering hole for Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground in the late Sixties. It was there that Devo made its first sensational New York stage debut, introduced by David Bowie in 1976. Also a young unknown Bruce Springsteen played solo acoustic sets in the early seventies, opening for Bob Marley & the Wailers. (1982)
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen loses his left arm in an auto accident in England. Allen continued on with the band, using a specially adapted drum kit. (1984)
Ricky Nelson dies in an airplane crash. (1985)
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