March 25th: On this Day
1958, Having been sworn in as Private 53310761 the previous day Elvis Presley received the regulation short back and sides haircut from army barber James Peterson. Presley would earn $78 per month as an army private.
1958, Buddy Holly appeared at The Gaumont Theatre in London, the final date on his only UK tour. Also on the bill was Gary Miller, The Tanner Sisters, Des O'Connor, The Montanas, Ronnie Keene & His Orchestra.
1960, Elvis Presley played his last live show for eight years when he appeared at the Bloch Arena in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.
1964, The Beatles made their debut on UK TV show 'Top Of The Pops' singing 'Can't Buy Me Love' and ‘You Can’t Do That.’ The show had been recorded on March 19th.
1965, Bobby Vee, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, Heinz and The Zombies all appeared at The Odeon Cinema, Stockton, Cleveland.
1966, At a photo session with Bob Whitaker's studio in London, The Beatles posed in white coats using sides of meat with mutilated and butchered dolls for the cover of their next American album, 'Yesterday and Today'. After advance copies were sent to disc jockeys and record reviewers, negative reaction to the cover photo was so strong Capitol recalled 750,000 copies from distributors to replace the cover. The total cost to Capitol to replace the cover and promotional materials was $250,000, wiping out their initial profit
1967, The Turtles started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Happy Together', it made No.12 in the UK.
1967, The Who and Cream made their U.S. concert debut at RKO 58th Street Theatre, New York City as part of a rock & roll extravaganza promoted by DJ Murray the K.
1967, The Rolling Stones kicked off a three-week European tour in Orebro, Sweden. Arriving in Copenhagen for the tour the group were delayed after customs officers search all their luggage for drugs.
1967, Pink Floyd played three gigs in 24 hours. The appeared at the Ricky Tick Club in Windsor, England, then the New Yorker Discotheque in Swindon and then played at the Shoreline Club in Bognor Regis (in the early hours 26 March).
1968, The 58th and final episode of The Monkees TV series was broadcast in the US.
1969, John and Yoko started their week long 'bed-in' in the presidential suite at The Amsterdam Hilton hotel. The couple invited the world's press into their hotel room every day, to talk about promoting world peace.
1972, America started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with their debut hit 'Horse With No Name', it made No.3 in the UK. The group scored eight other US top 40 hits during the 70's.
1972, Lindisfarne started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album 'Fog On The Tyne.'
1972, Roberta Flack started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'First Take.'
1973, Slade supported by Home appeared at Wembley Empire Pool, London. Both acts played two shows, 2pm and 7pm, tickets cost £1.50.
1975, Aerosmith played at the War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, the first date on their 63 date North American Toys In The Attic Tour.
1976, US singer, songwriter Jackson Browne's wife Phyllis Major committed suicide.
1977, Elvis Costello released his debut single 'Less Than Zero' it didn't make the Top 40.
1978, Bill Kenny, lead singer of The Ink Spots died. Had the UK No.10 single 'Melody Of Love.' 'The Gypsy' was their biggest chart success, staying at the No.1 position on the US chart for 13 weeks.
1978, 20 Golden Greats' by Buddy Holly and The Crickets went to No.1 on the UK album chart, giving Holly his first ever No.1 LP almost 20 years since his first release in 1959.
1983, Motown Records celebrated its 25 anniversary with a concert in Pasadena, featuring; The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Jr. Walker, The Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson 5.
1986, Guns N' Roses signed a world-wide deal with Geffen Records. The band has now sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, their 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction, has sold in excess of 28 million copies worldwide.
1989, Madonna was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Like A Prayer', the singers sixth UK No.1, also No.1 in the US. The song was accompanied by a highly controversial music video, which in 2005 was voted the "Most Groundbreaking Music Video of All Time" by viewers of MTV.
1989, Mike And The Mechanics went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Living Years', a No. 2 hit in the UK.
1990, Motley Crue's Tommy Lee was arrested for mooning at the audience during a gig in Augusta. Lee was charged with indecent exposure.
1995, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder was rescued after a riptide carried him 250 feet offshore in New Zealand.
1995, The Comic Relief charity record 'Love Can Build A Bridge' featuring Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton went to No.1 on the UK singles chart for one week. It is Eric Clapton's only association with a No.1 hit.
2000, Former Bay City Rollers drummer Derek Longmuir was given 300 hours community service after being caught with a hoard of child pornography including 150 videos and 73 floppy disks.
2000, *NSYNC set a new world record after selling a million tickets in one day for the group's forthcoming tour, netting them over £25 million ($42.5 million).
2001, The first Britney Spears Pepsi TV commercial was aired on US television. Spears had signed a multi-million dollar deal with Pepsi for her forthcoming world tour.
2002, Bono from U2 made a appearance at the air rage trial of R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, telling the court 'I came to court because Peter is actually famously known for being a peaceable person. I once had to twist his arm to get him to a boxing match'. Buck was later cleared of all charges. He had been accused of attacking two cabin staff and covering them in yoghurt, knocking over a trolley and trying to steal a knife. Read the full story
2002, So Solid Crew singer Asher D was jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of carrying a loaded gun. The 19 year- old singer claimed he bought the gun for his own safety after being constantly threatened by thugs who were jealous of his fame.
2002, The seven-year mystery of missing Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards took a grisly twist when human feet were found near where he vanished in 1995.
2005, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were forced to flee their Buckinghamshire mansion after a blaze broke out as they slept. Ozzy and his wife were roused by a fire alarm and ran to safety in the garden, rescuing their pets as they escaped.
2006, Buck Owens Jr. American singer and guitarist died. Pioneered the Bakersfield sound a reference to Bakersfield, California. He scored twenty No.1 hits on the Billboard country music charts.
2007, The Notorious B.I.G. was at No.1 on the US album charts with 'Greatest Hits' It was the rapper's fourth album release after being killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California on March 9, 1997.
2007, Proclaimers feat Brian Potter & Andy Pipkin went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)'. The Scottish duo teamed up with the two comedians Peter Kay and Matt Lucas for this unofficial Comic Relief charity hit.
2008, Richie Sambora was arrested in California on suspicion of drink driving. The 48 year-old Bon Jovi guitarist was arrested after a police officer noticed his black Hummer weaving in traffic lanes in Laguna Beach. He was ordered to appear in court on one count of driving under the influence.
2010, The manager of pop star Justin Bieber was arrested after police claimed he failed to warn fans on Twitter about overcrowding at a shopping centre event. Police said they asked Scott Braun to tell fans through Twitter that Bieber would not be appearing because of fears over safety after hundreds turned up - resulting in five people being taken to hospital with minor injuries. Police said Mr Braun refused to send the message until 90 minutes later. He pleaded not guilty to charges including reckless endangerment related to November's event in Roosevelt Field Mall in a New York suburb.
March 25th: Born on this day
1934, Born on this day, US singer Johnny Burnette, (1961 UK No.3 & US No.8 single 'Your Sixteen'). He was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake, California on 1st August 1964 aged 30.
1938, Born on this day, Hoyt Axton, US singer, songwriter and actor who wrote songs for Elvis Presley, Three Dog Night, John Denver, Ringo Starr and Glen Campbell. Had his own hits with ‘When The Morning Comes’ and ‘Flash Of Fire’. Acting roles included Bionic Woman and McCloud. Axton died of a heart attack on October 26th 1999, aged 61.
1942, Born on this day, Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.10 single 'Respect, 1968 UK No.4 single 'I Say A Little Prayer' & 1987 UK No.1 single with George Michael 'I Knew You Were Waiting', plus over 15 other UK Top 40 hits).
1947, Born on this day, Jack Hall, Charlie Daniels Band, (1979 US No.3 & UK No.14 single 'The Devil Went Down To Georgia').
1947, Born on this day, Elton John, singer, songwriter, pianist, (Reginald Dwight), 1971 UK No.7 single 'Your Song', 1973 US No.1 single 'Crocodile Rock' seven other US No.1's. Biggest selling single of all time with 1997 'Candle In The Wind 97', plus over 50 UK Top 40 hit singles. Sold over 150m records worldwide. Elton and Bernie Taupin wrote 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' under the pseudonyms Ann Orson and Carte Blanche. Some of the aliases Sir Elton has used checking into hotels include, Prince Fooboo, Sir Humphrey Handbag, Lillian Lollipop, Lord Choc Ice, Lord Elpus, Binky Poodleclip and Sir Henry Poodle. Elton John's official nickname is Rocket Man. More On Elton
1947, Born on this day, Duncan Browne, UK singer, songwriter, (1972 UK No.23 single 'Journey'). Browne died on 28th May 1993.
1949, Born on this day, Neil Jones, Amen Corner, (1969 UK No.1 single 'If Paradise Is Half As Nice', plus five other UK Top 40 hits).
1949, Born on this day, Nick Lowe, Brinsley Schwarz, Rockpile, singer, songwriter, producer and solo artist, (1978 UK No.7 single 'I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass' and 1979 UK No.12 single 'Cruel To Be Kind').
1951, Born on this day, Maisie Williams, Boney M, (1978 UK No.1 & US No.30 single 'Rivers of Babylon').
1960, Born on this day, Steve Norman, guitar, sax, Spandau Ballet, (1983 UK No.1 & US No.4 single 'True', plus 16 other UK Top 40 singles).
1966, Born on this day, Canadian guitarist, singer, Jeff Healey. He lost his sight to retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the eyes when he was eight months old, resulting in his eyes being surgically removed. Healey died of cancer on March 2nd 2008.
1969, Born on this day, Cathy Dennis, singer, songwriter, (1991 US No.2 & UK No.5 single 'Touch Me All Night Long'). Co- wrote 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' hit for Kylie Minogue Alo written for S Club 7, Kelly Clarkson, Brian Kennedy, Celine Dion, Ronan Keating, Janet Jackson and Britney Spears.
1971, Born on this day, Michael McKeegan, bass, Therapy? (1993 UK No.9 single 'Screamager').
1974, Born on this day, Finley Quaye, singer, (1997 UK single 'Even After All'). 1998 Brit award winner for best male solo artist.
1975, Born on this day, Melanie Blatt, vocals, All Saints, (1998 UK No.1 & US No.4 single 'Never Ever').
1975, Born on this day, Juvenile, (Terry Gray), 2004 US No.1 single feat Soulja Slim 'Slow Motion', 2006 US No.1 album ‘Reality Check’).