THIS DAY IN MUSIC

December 24th: On this Day

1954, Johnny Ace shot himself dead backstage at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas. The R&B singer was playing with a revolver during a break between sets, someone in the room said "Be careful with that thing’’ and he said ‘It’s OK the gun’s not loaded, see’’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face.

1963, The first night of The Beatles Christmas show at The Finsbury Park Astoria, London with Billy J. Kramer, The Fourmost, Cilla Black and Rolf Harris.

1965, The Beatles had the number one album in the US for the third Christmas in a row. Rubber Soul sat atop the LP chart in '65, following 'Beatles For Sale' in 1964 and 'With The Beatles' in 1963. The Fab Four would repeat this feat again in 1968 with 'The Beatles' (The White Album) and again in 1969, with Abbey Road.

1965,

1967, The Bee Gees performed their Christmas special 'live' from Liverpool Cathedral, England which was broadcast on UK TV.

1971, Slade appeared at London's Marquee Club for a Christmas Eve party night.

1972, David Bowie appeared at the Rainbow Theatre, London, England giving a special Christmas Eve concert.

1972, The Eagles, The Bee Gees, Stevie Wonder, and Mott The Hoople all appeared at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, California.

1973, Tom Johnson of the Doobie Brothers was arrested in Visalia, California and charged with possession of marijuana. His court date is set for January 10th, the same day the band's new LP is to be released. The album is ironically titled "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits".

1975, AC/DC appeared at The Hordern Pavillion, Sydney, Australia.

1976, The Eagles sixth album, Hotel California spent the first of eight non-consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard chart. The band's first LP with Joe Walsh and last with bassist Randy Meisner which has now sold over 16 million copies.

1977, The Bee Gees started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'How Deep Is Your Love', the group's 4th US No.1. It stayed in the top 10 for 17 weeks giving it the longest chart run in history, a No.3 in the UK.

1977, The Sex Pistols played their last ever UK gig, (until 1996), before splitting, at Ivanhoes in Huddersfield. It was a charity performance before an audience of mainly children.

1983, The Police appeared at The Brighton Centre, Brighton, England on their Synchronicity Tour.

1988, Cliff Richard started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Private Collection.'

1988, American glam metal band Poison started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn.'

1988, Nirvana started recording their first album 'Bleach' using a $600 loan from an old school friend.

1990, Dave Clark's company 'Right Time' took out double page ad's in the press thanking those who helped him win £665,000 damages against Rank Theatres who he claimed had been responsible for the closure of the 'Time' musical.

1994, Pearl Jam went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Vitalogy'. Their third studio album was first released on vinyl record, followed by a release in other formats two weeks later.

1997, Appearing live all over the UK, tribute bands including, Bi Jovi at The Wheatsheaf Stoke on Trent, T-Rextasy at Sheffield City Hall, The Silver Beatles at Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms and Voulez Vous, The Abba tribute show at The Venue, London.

1999, Zeke Carey of The Flamingos died. Had the 1959 US No.11 single 'I Only Have Eyes For You', (which was also a 1975 UK No.1 hit for Art Garfunkel).

2000, Four Seasons bassist Nick Massi died of cancer. They scored the 1976 UK & US No.1 single 'December 1963, Oh What A Night', as well as hits with ‘Sherry,’ and ‘Rag Doll.’

2003, Jack White of The White Stripes turned himself in to Detroit police to face aggravated assault charges stemming from a bar room altercation in which he allegedly attacked Jason Stollsteimer of The Von Bondies. White was also fingerprinted and formally booked on the charges before he was released on bail.

2005, Rapper Foxy Brown was handcuffed and threatened with jail after she stuck her tongue out at a New York judge who asked her to stop chewing gum. Judge Melissa Jackson told the singer, she had showed disrespect to the court. Brown was in court on charges of assaulting two nail salon workers during a row over payment.

2005, Winner of the second series of the X-Factor TV show, Shayne Ward was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘That’s My Goal’ the second biggest selling single of 2005.

2012, American musician Ray Collins died aged 76. Collins was the lead vocalist on early Mothers of Invention albums, including Freak Out!, Absolutely Free, and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets and continued to contribute to other Frank Zappaprojects through the mid-1970s.

December 24th: Born on this day

1924, Born on this day, Lee Dorsey, US singer, (1966 US & UK No.8 single 'Working In The Coalmine').

1945, Born on this day, Lemmy, Hawkwind, (1972 UK No.3 single 'Silver Machine'), Motorhead, (1980 UK No.15 single 'Ace Of Spades').

1946, Born on this day, Jan Akkerman, guitar, Focus, (1973 UK No.4 single 'Sylvia', 1973 US No. 9 single 'Hocus Pocus').

1968, Born on this day, Doyle Bramhall II, guitarist, songwriter, Smokestack, Eric Clapton Band, Roger Waters.

1971, Born on this day, Ricky Martin, singer, (1999, US & UK No.1 single 'Livin' La Vida Loca'. Recorded the world's biggest selling football song 'The Cup Of Life').

1975, Born on this day, Joe Washbourne, Toploader, (2000 UK No.7 single 'Dancing In The Moonlight').

1991, Born on this day, Louis Tomlinson from English-Irish pop boy band One Direction who formed after finishing third in the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010. Scored the 2011 UK No.1 single 'What Makes You Beautiful' and the 2013 No.1 'One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)'.