Alan Lancaster of the band Status Quo.

Steve Bronski of the Bronski Beat.

Garth Brooks is born in Yukon, Oklahoma.

New Orleans blues and R&B guitarist/singer Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones dies of pneumonia in New York City. His wildly electrified guitar style influences Jimi Hendrix among others. Jones was 33 years old.

Barrett Strong's "Money" enters the pop chart where it tops out at #23. On the R&B chart it climbs to #2. The song will be covered by the likes of the Beatles, Kingsmen, Flying Lizards and Jr. Walker and the All Stars.

The Beatles arrive at New York's Kennedy Airport for their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." They are greeted by thousands of screaming fans in what is the first demonstration of Beatlemania in America. It was also the day that Baskin-Robbins introduced "Beatle-Nut" ice-cream.

The Beach Boys album, Summer Days goes gold, it's their sixth album to do so.

The Beatles' "Nowhere Man" is released.

The Bee Gees, made up by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, return to their homeland after nine years in Austrailia. While down under, the group had their own weekly TV show and a Number One single. They are back and ready to be stars in England and a feat they achieve with their first U.K. Top Ten hit, "New York Mining Disaster."

At London's University College Hospital, George Harrison is admitted with an infected back molar that has infected his tonsils.

Joe Cocker's version of the Beatles classic "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" peaks at #30 on the pop chart.

Johnny Cash's album, Hello, I'm Johnny Cash goes gold. His label, Columbia, report his LPs At Folsom Prison and At San Quinten have sold over 2 million copies each and his Greatest Hits album has sold over a million copies.

Soul artist Barry White receives four gold records on this date: for the singles "Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up" (#7), "Love's Theme" (Number One by the Love Unlimited Orchestra, conducted by White), and the album's "Under the Influence of Love Unlimited" (#3) and "Sonte Gon'" (#20).

Paul Simon's "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" peaks at #1 on the chart.

Stephen Stills becomes the first rock performer to record on digital equipment in Los Angeles' Record Plant Studio. However, his digital stuff is never released and a singer by the name of Ry Cooder will be the first rock performer to release a digitally recorded record.

The Clash kick off their first American tour at the Berkeley Community Theatre outside San Francisco. Bo Diddley opens and the first song the Clash belts out in America is "I'm So Bored with the U.S.A."

Pink Floyd begins one of the more unusual coast-to-coast tours in rock history, playing the first of only 14 shows in Los Angeles. The only other city they would play would be New York. The stage, to promote the band's latest album The Wall, features a 120 by 60 foot wall made of styrofoam blocks, which gradually envelops the group as the show goes on.

John Lennon's "Woman" peaks at #1 on the U.K. singles chart.

Rod Stewart's "Passion" peaks at #5 on the pop chart.

The Rolling Stones shoot the video for their new single, "Harlem Shuffle" in New York City using dancers and animation.

Crosby, Stills and Nash do not perform as scheduled at a Greenpeace benefit in Vancouver after David Crosby is refused admission into Canada because of his criminal record.

Blind Melon's late lead singer Shannon Hoon is ejected from the American Music Awards for loud and disruptive behavior. He's eventually charged with battery, assault, resisting arrest and destroying a police station phone.