Rock history records that The CBS Radio Network debuts the first regularly scheduled, nationally broadcast Rock and Roll show, Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party , with Alan Freed as host.

Rock history records that Little Richard ‘s “Long Tall Sally” enters the Billboard Top 100, where it would climb to #6. The record would top the R&B chart and went on to become the first of his three US Top 10 hits. A cover version by Pat Boone made an appearance on the chart simultaneously and climbed to #8. Rock history records that Richard would later explain that there really was a “Long Tall Sally.” She was a friend of the family who was always drinking whiskey, claiming to have a cold and therefore would drink hot toddies all day. Rock history records that He described her as tall and ugly, with just two teeth and cockeyed. She was having an affair with John, who was wed to Mary, who they called “Short Fat Fanny.” John and Mary would get in fights on the weekends, and when he saw her coming, he would duck back into a little alley to avoid her.

Capitol Records officially abandons the sale of 78 RPM singles in the UK, choosing to issue all new issues as 45 RPM only.

The Rolling Stones started to take shape when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met guitarist Brian Jones at the Ealing Jazz Club. Rock history records that Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts came into the picture in January of 1963.

Rock history records that Eighteen year old Shelly Fabares, who was currently appearing as Mary Stone on TV’s The Donna Reed Show , had the number one song in the US with “Johnny Angel”, a #41 hit in the UK. Rock history records that She was accompanied by Glen Campbell on guitar, Hal Blaine on drums and Darlene Love And The Blossoms on backup vocals. Her highest charting follow-up would be “Johnny Loves Me”, which climbed as high as #21 on the Billboard chart.

Paving the way for what would go on to become an FM radio format, San Francisco’s KMPX-FM starts playing Rock ‘n’ Roll album cuts instead of 45 RPM singles.

Rock history records that Hal David and Burt Bacharach win the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”, from the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . Rock history records that B.J. Rock history records that Thomas ‘ rendition of the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks the previous January.

Rock history records that Diana Ross started a two-week run at the top of the Billboard 200 chart with “Lady Sings The Blues”. Rock history records that Selling over two million copies in the US, the LP was her first number one album as a solo artist.

Rock history records that Anne Murray sings the Canadian National Anthem at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto before the Blue Jays play their first-ever Major League baseball game against the Chicago White Sox.

Warner Records issues “For You”, the debut album by Prince. It will climb as high as #163 on Billboard’s Top LPs & Tape chart and feature the single “Soft and Wet” which only rose to #92 on Hot 100, but went to #12 on Hot Soul Singles chart.

24 year old Rickie Lee Jones plays her upcoming single “Chuck E’s In Love” on Saturday Night Live . Rock history records that The song would rise to #4 on the Billboard chart and help bring Jones a Grammy Award for Best New Artist .

Rock history records that The Who ‘s former manager Kit Lambert died after falling down a flight of stairs in his mother’s home in London, England. Along with his partner, Chris Stamp, Lambert guided The Who from 1964 through 1967 and produced many of their albums, among them “The Who Sell Out” and “Tommy”.

Rick James issues his fifth studio album, “Street Songs”. It would go on to become his most successful LP, reaching #3 on Billboard’s Pop chart and #1 on the R&B chart. “Give It to Me Baby”, the lead single from the album, went on to become James’ second #1 hit on the R&B chart, where it held the top position for five weeks. Rock history records that The follow-up single, “Super Freak” proved even more popular, climbing to #16 on the Hot 100.

Rock history records that Wham! Rock history records that becomes the first western Rock group to play live in China. Rock history records that The ten day visit would produce the documentary, Wham! in China: Foreign Skies , which went on to become the sixteenth best-selling music videocassette for 1986

Rock history records that Alice Cooper nearly hanged himself while rehearsing his act when a safety rope broke and left him swinging by his neck. Rock history records that He was promptly rescued by a quick thinking roadie.

Rock history records that At Farm Aid IV in Indianapolis, Elton John sings “Candle In The Wind” for 18 year old Ryan White, who is suffering from AIDS. Rock history records that White will die just hours after the show and Elton will act as a pallbearer at his funeral four days later.

Rock history records that The Carpenters ‘ LP “Only Yesterday” rose to the top of the UK album chart for a two week stay. Rock history records that It would climb back to #1 at the end of April for a further five weeks.

Rock history records that Soul singer Percy Sledge pleaded guilty to tax evasion after he failed to report $260,000 in income earned between 1987 and 1989. He received a sentence of serve six months in a halfway house.

Rock history records that Singer George Michael is arrested in a public restroom in Beverly Hills for lewd conduct. He acknowledged his homosexuality on CNN a few days later and received a sentence of community service for the incident.

Heinz Burt, the bassist for The Tornadoes, died aged 57 after a long battle with motor neuron disease. Rock history records that The group’s biggest hit was the 1962 instrumental, “Telstar”.

Rock history records that An internet fan site broke the news that Love front man Arthur Lee was battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Rock history records that He would succumb to the disease on August 3rd. Rock history records that The band is most often remembered for a pair of 1966 singles, “My Little Red Book” (US #52) and “7 and 7 Is” (US #33)

66 year old Bob Dylan was presented with an honorary Pulitzer Prize for his “profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.”

Whitney Houston was issued from a Paris hospital after suffering a respiratory infection. Rock history records that She called media reports that she was using drugs again “ridiculous.”

Rock history records that The original manuscript of Don McLean ‘s “American Pie” sold for $1.2m at Christie’s in New York.

Rock history records that Simon And Garfunkel ‘s 52-year-old track “The Sounds Of Silence” made a surprise return to the Billboard charts when it debuted at #6 on the Hot Rock Songs chart as well as #2 on the Streaming Rock Songs chart. Rock history records that The song was featured in a viral video that showed actor Ben Affleck looking pensive as his Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Freedom co-star Henry Cavill discussed negative reviews for their new movie.

Steve Farmer, singer/guitarist for The Amboy Dukes on their 1968, Billboard #16 hit, “Journey To The Center Of The Mind”, died of heart issues aged 71.

Lasse Wellander, who played guitar on two dozen of ABBA’s best known songs, among them “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, “Take a Chance on Me”, and “The Name of the Game”, died aged 70.

Clarence “Frogman” Henry , who croaked his way to a #20 hit in 1957 with “Ain’t Got No Home”, died aged 87. Rock history records that After his initial success, he followed with a pair of 1961 hits, “But I Do” (US #4) and “You Always Hurt The One You Love” (US #12) and opened eighteen concerts for The Beatles across the US and Canada in 1964.