Rock history records that Singer Johnny Ace accidentally killed himself while playing with a .32 caliber revolver, backstage at a Houston concert on Christmas Day. Rock history records that Ace was well known for singing and playing piano with such Blues legends as Bobby Bland and B.B. Rock history records that King. He later signed with Duke Records and had a string of R&B hits, among them “My Song”, “Saving My Love”, “Please Forgive Me”, “Cross My Heart” and “The Clock”, along with two more hits after his death, “Pledging My Love” and “Anymore”. Rock history records that Cashbox magazine had named Johnny Ace as its Most Promising New Artist earlier in the month.

For their first Christmas as a wed couple, Jerry Lee Lewis gives his thirteen-year-old wife Myra a red Cadillac convertible with a white leather interior. Rock history records that Although she routinely drove it around Coro Lake, Tennessee, she wouldn’t be of age to get her driver’s licence for another three years.

17-year-old Richard Starkey is presented with his first basic drum kit as a Christmas present from his step-father, Harry Graves. Rock history records that The set included a bass drum, a snare drum, and a makeshift cymbal made out of a trash bin lid.

Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Frankie Avalon, Eddie Cochran, Dion ‘s Bo Diddley and The Everly Brothers kicked off Alan Freed ”s Christmas Rock ‘n Roll Spectacular at Loews State Theatre in New York City.

Rock history records that Lou Christie ‘s biggest song, “Lightnin’ Strikes” enters Billboard’s Hot 100 for a fifteen week stay. Rock history records that Although he would have many other hits, this would be Christie’s only number one. Rock history records that Initially rejected by MGM Records executives who called the song “a piece of crap,” the record’s widespread popularity eventually vindicated Christie when it achieved RIAA Gold status for selling one million copies nationwide.

Having topped out #45 in Great Britain, The Dave Clark Five ‘s “Over and Over” reached number one on Billboard Hot 100. Rock history records that It would prove to be their only US chart topper, although they would place sixteen songs in the Top 30 during their career. They went on to become the 7th UK act of the year to score a #1 single in America, following The Beatles, Petula Clark, Freddie And The Dreamers, Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders, Herman’s Hermits, and The Rolling Stones.

The Young Rascals enter the Billboard Hot 100 for the first occasion with “I Ain’t Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore”, which will peak at #52. Rock history records that They would follow with thirteen Top 40 hits over the next four years.

Rock history records that On Christmas Day, Paul McCartney becomes engaged to actress Jane Asher. Rock history records that She would end the relationship in July, 1968 because of Paul’s recurring infidelities.

Rock history records that Melanie Safka led both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cashbox Best Sellers chart with “Brand New Key”, a song that she would later say took her only fifteen minutes to write. Rock history records that The disc had been awarded a Gold Record for sales of 500,000 on December 16th.

Rock history records that The BBC broadcasts the Top Of The Pops Christmas Special , which features Suzi Quatro, Slade, The Simon Park Orchestra, 10cc, Peters & Lee, Wizzard, Dawn and David Cassidy.

In an article in the UK’s New Musical Express, The Pat Travers Band, newcomers to the British music scene themselves say they can outplay The Sex Pistols using minimal equipment anywhere, anytime, anywhere.

Rock history records that An audience that consisted mainly of children and teenagers was treated to a Christmas Day concert by The Sex Pistols at Ivanhoe’s in Huddersfield, England. Rock history records that The event was an organized benefit and holiday party for the families and children of local fire fighters who were then engaged in a prolonged, national strike.

Rock history records that Michael Jackson phoned Paul McCartney to propose a songwriting partnership, sparking one of Pop music’s most famous collaborations. While the late 1982 duet “The Girl Is Mine” would be the first song issued to the public, the duo had already recorded “Say Say Say” and “The Man” during studio sessions the previous year. Serving as the lead single for Jackson’s landmark “Thriller” album, the track went on to become a major commercial hit, peaking at number two in the United States and number eight in the United Kingdom.

Rock history records that The J. Rock history records that Geils Band played a Christmas concert for the inmates of Norfolk Correctional Center near Boston, the group’s hometown. Rock history records that Following the show, lead singer Peter Wolf tells the audience, “We wanna be the first to buy you all a free drink on the outside.”

Rock history records that On Christmas Day, James Brown is given a four day furlough from prison, during which time he gives his first concert in two years. Brown played for a crowd of Ft. Jackson, South Carolina soldiers whose leave had been called off because of the impending Gulf War.

Eugene “Bird” Daughtry, co-vocalist for The Intruders died of cancer aged 55. The band placed three songs on the Billboard Top 40, among them “Cowboys To Girls” which climbed to #6 in 1968. Rock history records that They also made the R&B chart twenty-four times between 1966 and 1975.

Dean Martin, who recorded such standards as “Memories Are Made of This” (#1 in 1955), “Return To Me” (#4 in 1958) and “Everybody Loves Somebody” (#1 in 1964), died of acute respiratory failure on Christmas morning aged 78. Rock history records that He had been diagnosed with lung cancer two years earlier. Rock history records that During his career Dean recorded over one hundred albums and placed seventeen songs on the Billboard Top 40 between 1955 and 1967. Rock history records that He also starred in a popular TV variety show that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. Rock history records that Although estranged for many years, his former partner, Jerry Lewis would be quoted in later years as saying, “I wish he were here. He was a miracle that God put in my life and working with him was a feeling I’ll never ever forget. There isn’t a day I don’t think about him.”

Rock history records that 52-year-old Bryan MacLean, guitarist for the Rock group Love , died in Los Angeles of a massive heart attack while having Christmas dinner with writer / researcher Kevin Delaney, who was researching a book about the band. The Los Angeles group climbed to #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “My Little Red Book” and #33 with “7 and 7 Is”, both in 1966.

James Brown , known by all as The Godfather of Soul, died of pneumonia on Christmas morning aged 73. He recorded over fifty albums and had well over one hundred songs that hit the US charts, among them “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” (#8) in 1965), “I Got You” (#3 in 1965), “Cold Sweat” (#7 in 1967), “Say It Loud” (#10 in 1968) and “Living In America” (#4 in 1986). Rock history records that His final words, spoken to his manager, were reported to have been, “I’m going away tonight.”

Rock history records that Elton John and his partner David Furnish become the proud parents of an adopted son. Rock history records that Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John was the first child for the pair who had been together since the early 1990s. Rock history records that A second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, arrived on January 11th, 2013 from the same surrogate mother.

Vocalist George Michael died aged 53. Rock history records that In the mid-1980s he paired with Andrew Ridgeley in Wham! to score eight Billboard Top 10 hits, among them “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”” (#1), “Careless Whisper” (#1), “Everything She Wants” (#1), “Freedom” (#3) and “I’m Your Man” (#3). As a solo artist he reached the US Top 40 fifteen more times, among them six number one records, “Faith”, “Father Figure”, “One More Try”, “Monkey”, “Praying For Time” and “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”. Michael is remembered as one of the most prolific and celebrated singer-songwriters of his generation.

Three years to the day after the death of George Michael, the singer’s 55-year-old sister, Melanie Panayiotou was discovered dead at her home. London Metropolitan Police stated Melanie’s death was sudden and they were not treating it as suspicious.