2024: Luke Combs and Eric Church host Concert for Carolina for hurricane relief. The benefit show in Charlotte, North Carolina, raised about $24.5 million for victims of Hurricane Helene, with Dolly Parton adding another $1 million.
2010: Keith Richards publishes his memoir, Life. The Rolling Stones guitarist wrote openly about his years of drug use, his songwriting partnership with Mick Jagger and the band's long history. The book became a bestseller.
2004: Sugarland releases its debut album, Twice the Speed of Life. It was the country group's only album with founding member Kristen Hall, alongside Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, and it included the hit “Baby Girl.”
2002: Jessica Simpson marries Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees. Their first years together became the MTV reality series Newlyweds. The couple split about three years later.
1999: Singer and songwriter Hoyt Axton dies at 61. The country artist suffered a heart attack. He wrote Three Dog Night's number-one hit “Joy to the World” as well as “Never Been to Spain.”
1998: Fats Domino receives the National Medal of Arts. President Bill Clinton presented the honor to the New Orleans rock and roll pioneer behind “Blueberry Hill” and “Ain't That a Shame.”
1994: “Kansas City” singer Wilbert Harrison dies at 65. He died after a stroke. His 1959 recording of the Leiber and Stoller song went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
1985: Whitney Houston scores her first number one with “Saving All My Love for You.” It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and started a record run in which her next six singles also reached number one. The song later won her a Grammy.
1974: The Spinners and Dionne Warwick hit number one with “Then Came You.” The Thom Bell production was the only chart-topping single in America for either act.
1973: The Who release the rock opera Quadrophenia in the UK. Pete Townshend's double album followed a young mod named Jimmy and reached American stores a week later. It was made into a film in 1979.
1970: Elton John releases “Your Song.” Written with lyricist Bernie Taupin, it became his first hit single and reached the top 10 in both the US and the UK.
1969: Waylon Jennings marries Jessi Colter. The country stars stayed together until his death in 2002 and recorded duets together along the way.
1965: The Beatles receive their MBE medals at Buckingham Palace. George Harrison and Paul McCartney later wore theirs on the Sgt. Pepper's cover, while John Lennon sent his back in 1969 as a protest.
1961: Bob Dylan signs his first record deal, with Columbia Records. Minnesota connection: the Duluth-born, Hibbing-raised singer was signed by producer John Hammond, and his self-titled debut album came out the following year.
1958: Bill Haley and His Comets play Germany's first big rock concert, and it ends in a riot. Fighting broke out at Berlin's Sportpalast, and five police officers and six audience members were seriously injured.
Born on This Day
1986: Schoolboy Q, American rapper Turns 40. The Top Dawg Entertainment star is known for “Collard Greens” and “Man of the Year.”
1978: Mark Barry, English singer (BBMak) Sang with the pop trio behind the 2001 hit “Back Here.”
1973: Seth MacFarlane, American singer and TV creator Turns 53. The Family Guy creator has also released several Grammy-nominated big band albums.
1967: Keith Urban, New Zealand-born Australian country singer Turns 59. Known for “Somebody Like You” and “Blue Ain't Your Color,” he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 2012.
1963: Natalie Merchant, American singer (10,000 Maniacs) Turns 63. Fronted 10,000 Maniacs on “These Are Days” before solo hits like “Carnival” and “Wonder.”
1953: Keith Strickland, American guitarist (The B-52s) Turns 73. Started on drums and switched to guitar, playing on “Love Shack” and “Roam.”
1952: David Was, American songwriter and producer (Was (Not Was)) Turns 74. Co-founded the Detroit band best known for “Walk the Dinosaur.”
1951: Bootsy Collins, American bassist (Parliament-Funkadelic) Turns 75. The funk bass star played with James Brown before joining Parliament-Funkadelic and leading Bootsy's Rubber Band.
1946: Keith Hopwood, English guitarist (Herman's Hermits) Turns 80. Played rhythm guitar on “Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I'm Henry VIII, I Am.”
1944: Michael Piano, American singer (The Sandpipers) Sang with the vocal group known for the 1966 hit “Guantanamera.”
1929: Neal Matthews Jr., American singer (The Jordanaires) Sang with the vocal group that backed Elvis Presley on many of his biggest records.
1913: Charlie Barnet, American saxophonist and bandleader The swing era bandleader is best remembered for his 1939 hit “Cherokee.”
1911: Mahalia Jackson, American gospel singer Known as the Queen of Gospel, she sang at the 1963 March on Washington and recorded “Move On Up a Little Higher.”
