Entertainment History
On Dec. 4, 1944, country singer Eddy Arnold made his first recordings in Nashville.
In 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins made a series of impromptu recordings in Memphis at Sun Records. They were released 25 years later under the title “The Million Dollar Quartet.” The event was dramatized in a musical of the same name in 2007.
In 1965, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was knocked unconscious when his guitar touched an ungrounded microphone during a concert in Sacramento, California. He still managed to finish the show.
In 1976, actor Elizabeth Taylor married Senator John Warner of Virginia. They divorced in 1982.
In 1980, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin announced they would not re-form after the death of drummer John Bonham.
In 1989, the Supreme Court upheld an appeals court ruling that said Prince did not steal the song “U Got the Look” from his half-sister. Lorna Nelson claimed the lyrics were similar to ones she had written.
In 1990, Madonna appeared on ABC’s “Nightline” to defend her “Justify My Love” video, which was banned by MTV. She denied the video’s explicit content was meant to stir up controversy and get publicity.
In 1991, Van Halen performed a free show in Dallas. Lead singer Sammy Hagar had promised to do the show because he had lost his voice during a concert in Dallas three and a half years earlier.
In 1993, musician Frank Zappa died at his home in Los Angeles. He was 52.
In 1997, the band Dinosaur Jr. broke up. They have since reformed.
In 2023, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, 65 years after its release. It set a record for the song with the longest run between its release and hitting number one. Lee also became the oldest artist to top the chart, at 78.
Today’s birthdays: Game show host Wink Martindale is 91. Singer Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon is 88. Actor-producer-director Max Baer Junior (“The Beverly Hillbillies”) is 87. Actor Gemma Jones is 82. Bassist Bob Mosley of Moby Grape is 82. Singer-bassist Chris Hillman (The Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers) is 80. Singer Southside Johnny Lyon of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes is 76. Actor Jeff Bridges is 75. Actor Patricia Wettig is 73. Drummer Brian Prout of Diamond Rio is 69. Jazz singer Cassandra Wilson is 69. Bassist Bob Griffin (The BoDeans) is 65. Singer Vinnie Dombroski of Sponge is 62. Actor Chelsea Noble (“Growing Pains,” ″Kirk”) is 60. Actor Marisa Tomei (toh-MAY’) is 60. Comedian Fred Armisen (“Portlandia,” ″Saturday Night Live”) is 58. Rapper Jay-Z is 55. Actor Kevin Sussman (“Ugly Betty”) is 54. Model Tyra Banks is 51. Country singer Lila McCann is 43. Actor Lindsay Felton (“Caitlin’s Way”) is 40. Actor Orlando Brown (“That’s So Raven”) is 37. Actor Scarlett Estevez (“Lucifer”) is 17.
