2024: Ozzy Osbourne enters the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a second time, now as a solo artist. He had already been inducted with Black Sabbath. The same Cleveland ceremony honored Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang and A Tribe Called Quest.
2012: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel marry in Italy. The former NSYNC singer and the actress wed in a private ceremony kept away from the press.
2005: Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, is named songwriter of the year at the ASCAP Awards in London. His “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” first released in 1967, also took song of the year. Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow both had hits with their versions of it.
1997: Vince Gill sings “Take Me Home, Country Roads” at the Grand Ole Opry in honor of John Denver. The country star paid tribute a week after Denver was killed when the small plane he was flying crashed off the California coast.
1993: Rush releases its 15th studio album, Counterparts. The Canadian trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart leaned toward a heavier, guitar-driven sound on the record.
1985: a-ha's “Take On Me” hits number one in America. The Norwegian trio's climb was powered by a groundbreaking video that blended live action with pencil-sketch animation, which went on to win several MTV awards.
1985: Miami Sound Machine's “Conga” enters the Hot 100. It was the first time the group, fronted by Gloria Estefan, reached the American pop chart, and the song became their first Top 10 hit.
1984: Talking Heads' concert film Stop Making Sense opens in theaters. Directed by Jonathan Demme, it skipped crowd shots and backstage scenes to keep the focus on the band and won wide critical praise.
1979: Minneapolis native Prince releases his second album, Prince. Minnesota's own hitmaker scored a number one R&B hit with “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” and the album became his first to go Platinum. It also had the original “I Feel for You,” later a smash for Chaka Khan.
1979: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers release Damn the Torpedoes. It came out on the new Backstreet label after a legal fight with MCA, reached number two in the U.S. and sold more than three million copies, with “Refugee” and “Don't Do Me Like That.”
1977: Lynyrd Skynyrd plays its last show before a deadly plane crash, in Greenville, South Carolina. Nazareth opened the concert. The next day the band's plane crashed in Mississippi, killing singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines.
1974: Billy Preston's “Nothing from Nothing” reaches number one. It was the second chart topper for the keyboardist, who had played with the Beatles on “Get Back.”
1968: The band that would become Led Zeppelin plays its last show as the New Yardbirds. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played Liverpool University, then took the new name and released their debut album the following January.
1967: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles release “I Second That Emotion.” The Motown single became one of the group's biggest hits, reaching the Top 5 on the pop chart.
1958: Brenda Lee records “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” in Nashville. She was just 13. Producer Owen Bradley put up a Christmas tree and cranked the air conditioning to set a holiday mood, and the song went on to become a perennial hit that finally reached number one on the Hot 100 in 2023.
Born on This Day
1992: Lil Durk, American rapper Turns 34. Chicago rapper known for “Laugh Now Cry Later” with Drake and the Grammy-winning “All My Life” with J. Cole.
1991: Colton Dixon, American singer and pianist Turns 35. An American Idol finalist who went on to a successful Christian rock career.
1984: Thundercat, American bassist and singer Turns 42. Grammy-winning bass virtuoso known for his solo albums and his work with Kendrick Lamar.
1972: Pras Michel, American rapper (Fugees) Turns 54. Co-founded the Fugees with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, the group behind “Killing Me Softly.”
1968: Rodney Carrington, American comedian and country singer Turns 58. Known for his country comedy albums and his own TV sitcom.
1965: Todd Park Mohr, American singer and guitarist (Big Head Todd and the Monsters) Turns 61. Leads the Colorado band known for “Bittersweet” and “Circle.”
1960: Jennifer Holliday, American singer Turns 66. Won a Tony for Dreamgirls and had a hit with “And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.”
1957: Karl Wallinger, Welsh singer and songwriter (World Party) Led World Party, known for “Ship of Fools,” after an early stint with the Waterboys.
1948: Patrick Simmons, American singer and guitarist (The Doobie Brothers) Turns 78. Wrote and sang the Doobie Brothers' number one hit “Black Water.”
1947: Wilbert Hart, American singer (The Delfonics) Sang with the Philadelphia soul group behind “La La (Means I Love You)” and “Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time).”
1946: Keith Reid, English songwriter (Procol Harum) Wrote the lyrics to Procol Harum's classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale.”
1945: Jeannie C. Riley, American country singer Turns 81. Her 1968 smash “Harper Valley PTA” topped both the pop and country charts.
1945: Gloria Jones, American singer and songwriter Turns 81. Recorded the original “Tainted Love,” later a worldwide hit for Soft Cell.
1944: George McCrae, American singer Turns 82. Best known for the 1974 number one disco hit “Rock Your Baby.”
1944: Peter Tosh, Jamaican singer and guitarist (The Wailers) Founding member of the Wailers with Bob Marley who later had a solo career with “Legalize It.”
1940: Larry Chance, American singer (The Earls) Lead singer of the doo-wop group behind the 1962 hit “Remember Then.”
1934: Dave Guard, American folk singer and banjo player (The Kingston Trio) Founding member of the Kingston Trio, whose “Tom Dooley” hit number one in 1958.
