ΣΑΝ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΜΟΥΣΙΚΗ-28 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ

1961, Danny Williams was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Moon River', the Oscar-winning song was from the film Breakfast At Tiffany's. The Tokens were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight.'

1968, The Beatles went to No.1 on the US album chart with the 'White Album', the group's 12th US No.1 album.

1968, The three day Miami Pop festival took place, the first major rock festival held on the East Coast of the US, with Chuck Berry, The McCoys, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gaye, The Turtles, The Box Tops, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Pacific Gas and Electric, Procol Harum, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly and The Grateful Dead.

1968, Vanilla Fudge appeared at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, Canada supported by Led Zeppelin on their first US tour.

1968, Pink Floyd appeared at the two day festival Flight To Lowlands Paradise II, Margriethal-Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, The Netherlands, (replacing Jimi Hendrix). Other acts appearing included Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck, The Pretty Things and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

1971, George Harrison was at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'My Sweet Lord', making him the first Beatle to score a No.1 US hit. The song was originally intended for Billy Preston.

1972, David Bowie appeared at The Hardrock, Stretford, Manchester, England on his Ziggy Stardust tour.

1974, Helen Reddy went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Angie Baby', the singers third US No.1. The song was turned down by Cher.

1978, Chris Bell guitarist with Big Star was killed after his car crashed into a telephone pole, he was 27.

1978, Rolling Stone magazine voted 'Some Girls' by The Rolling Stones 'Album of the Year.' The cover designed by Peter Corriston, featured The Rolling Stones in garish drag alongside select female celebrities and lingerie ads. The cover immediately ran into trouble when Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett, Liza Minnelli (representing her mother Judy Garland), Raquel Welch, and the estate of Marilyn Monroe who all threatened legal action.

1980, St Winifred's School Choir were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma.'

1983, Having made two successful dives below a friend’s yacht to find items he’d drunkenly thrown off his own boat three years before, Beach Boy Dennis Wilson took one last dive into the Pacific and never returned from the boat moored in Marina Del Rey, California. With the help of President Reagan he was given a burial at sea, normally reserved for Naval personnel. Dennis was the only genuine surfer in The Beach Boys.

1985, Shakin' Stevens was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Merry Christmas Everyone'. The Welsh singers fourth and final UK No.1.

1991, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana and Pearl Jam all appeared at Del Mar O'brien Pavilion, San Diego, California.

1993, Canadian singer Shania Twain married record producer Mutt Lange. The couple had separated in 2008 after 14 years of marriage.

1996, The Spice Girls scored their third UK No.1 single with '2 Become 1'. The ballad from their debut album became their first Christmas No.1.

1998, UK radio station BBC Radio 1 aired the 100 National Anthems, songs voted by listeners. At No.5 Radiohead, 'Creep', No.4 Underworld 'Born Slippy', No.3 The Verve 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', No.2 Nirvana 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', No.1 Massive Attack 'Unfinished Sympathy'.

2002, Shamed rock star Gary Glitter was deported from Cambodia after spending two nights in jail over suspected sex offences.

2003, 50 Cent's debut album, 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was named the biggest selling album in the US in 2003 with the album going platinum six times over. Outkast came second with 'Speakerboxxx' / 'The Love Below' and Linkin Park's 'Meteora' was the third biggest seller. The Top 10 albums of 2003 in the USA accounted for around 30 million sales.

2005, Pink Floyd were voted the greatest rock stars ever in a survey of 58,000 listeners from UK radio station Planet Rock. Led Zeppelin were voted into second place, 3rd was The Rolling Stones, 4th The Who, 5th, AC/DC, 6th, U2, 7th, Guns N’ Roses, 8th, Nirvana, 9th, Bon Jovi and in 10th place Jimi Hendrix. Listeners also named the 1970s as the golden age of rock, followed by the 1960’s.

December 28th: Born on this day

1915, Born on this day, Roebuck 'pop' Staples, vocals, The Staple Singers, (1975 US No.1 single 'Let's Do It Again'). Died 19th December 2000.

1921, Born on this day, Johnny Otis, (1957 UK No.2 single 'Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me', 1958 US No.9 single 'Willie And The Hand Jive').

1938, Born on this day, Charles Neville, sax, The Neville Brothers, (1989 UK No.47 single 'With God On Our Side').

1943, Born on this day, Chas Hodges, Heads Hands And Feet, Chas & Dave, (1982 UK No.2 single 'Ain't No Pleasing You').

1946, Born on this day, Edgar Winter, Edgar Winter Group, keyboards, vocals, (1973 US No.1 & UK No.18 single 'Frankenstein').

1947, Born on this day, Dick Diamonde, The Easybeats, (1966 UK No.6 & 1967 US No. 16 single 'Friday On My Mind').

1950, Born on this day, Alex Chilton, guitar, vocals, The Box Tops, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'The Letter'), formed Big Star in 1971. Died in hospital of heart problems in New Orleans on March 17th 2010 aged 59.

1953, Born on this day, Richard Clayderman, French pianist who has sold over 70 million albums world-wide, biggest UK hit is the 1982 UK No.2 album 'Richard Clayderman.'

1954, Born on this day, Rosie Vela, US singer songwriter, (1987 UK No.27 single 'Magic Smile').

1964, Born on this day, Paul Wagstaff, Black Grape, (1995 UK No.8 single 'In The Name Of The Father').

1971, Born on this day, Anita Dels, vocals, 2 Unlimited, (1993 UK No.1 single 'No Limit').

1978, Born on this day, John Legend (John Stephens), singer, songwriter, 2006 US No.3 & UK No.10 album 'Once Again.'

1979, Born on this day, Akon, (Aliaune Thiam), US singer, (2005 UK No.1 album ‘Trouble’, 2005 UK No.1 and US No.4 single ‘Lonely’, (which samples Bobby Vinton's ‘Mr. Lonely’).