(Pete Best, Original Drummer For The Beatles)

In 1956
Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” became the first rock ‘n’ roll album to enter the album chart.  It eventually peaked at number 12.

In 1965
The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” broke into the Top 40.

In 1969
So-called “Fifth Beatle” Pete Best won a defamation suit against his former group.

Blood, Sweat, & Tears released their second, self-titled album.  The disc features the hits “Spinning Wheel” and “And When I Die.”

New releases included The Beatles’ soundtrack to the movie “Yellow Submarine” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s album “Bayou Country.”

In 1973
Pink Floyd began recording sessions for “Dark Side Of The Moon.”

Elton John released the album “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player.”

In 1974
Bad Company formed.  The rock super group included Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke from Free, Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople, and Boz Burrell from King Crimson.

In 1975
The Styx single “Lady” broke into the Top 40 chart.

In 1977
Aretha Franklin and Linda Ronstadt were among the performers at a televised inaugural concert for President Jimmy Carter.

In 1978
Warren Zevon released the album “Excitable Boy.”

In 1980
Pink Floyd’s album “The Wall” hit number one on the album chart.

In 1986
Dionne & Friends’ “That’s What Friends Are For,” featuring Dionne Warwick with Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder, hit number one on the pop singles chart.

Mike + The Mechanics’ single “Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)” and Starship’s “Sara” broke into the Top 40 chart.

In 1987
Steve Winwood became a married man, tying the knot with girlfriend Eugenia Grafton.

In 1989
The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Otis Redding, Dion, and producer Phil Spetctor were among the inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 1990
Bob Dylan played his first concert in South America.  A crowd of 90-thousand turned out for his performance in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

In 1991
Three fans were crushed by the crowd at an AC/DC concert in Salt Lake City.

Bob Dylan performed “Like A Rolling Stone” on David Letterman’s 10th anniversary show.

In 1993
Elton John resigned as director of England’s Watford Football Club.

In 1994
ZZ Top released the album “Antenna.”

In 1995
The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia crashed a rented BMW into a guardrail in Mill Valley, California.  He wasn’t injured in the accident.

In 1996
Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce from Michael Jackson.

In 2000
ZZ Top manager Bill Ham attended the execution of convicted killer Spencer Goodman, who was killed by lethal injection in Hunter, Texas.  Goodman had been found guilty of the kidnapping and murder of Ham’s wife in 1991.

In 2001
ZZ Top was among the artists who performed at the inauguration for President George Bush.

In 2003
The Rolling Stones performed their first live televised concert with the HBO special, “Rolling Stones: Live from Madison Square Garden.”

Phil Collins received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the French NRJ [[energy]] Awards in Cannes, France.

In 2006
Alice Cooper was among the rockers who participated in the 2006 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic golf tournament.

Jimmy Page’s playing on Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” was named the Top Guitar Solo of All Time in an AboutGuitars.com survey.

Van Zant, the country duo featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Johnny Van Zant and his brother — and .38 Special singer — Donnie Van Zant, began a tour with Gretchen Wilson with a show in Dallas.

In 2007
The gold casket containing the late James Brown’s remains was moved from the singer’s Beech Island, South Carolina home to an above ground crypt at an undisclosed location.  But this was just a temporary stop, as the singer still didn’t have a final resting place — nearly four weeks after he passed away.  Meanwhile, lawyers handling Brown’s will filed the document in an Aiken County, South Carolina court.

Lou Reed gave the first of three performances in Australia of his theatrical concert adaptation of the 1973 concept album “Berlin.”

In 2009
Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, U2, John Mellencamp, James Taylor, and Sheryl Crow were just some of the numerous performers taking part in the “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial” event, which formally launched four days of festivities in conjunction with President-elect Barack Obama’s historic swearing-in ceremony.

In 1958
Carl Perkins signed a deal with Columbia Records, becoming the label’s first rockabilly artist.

In 1959
Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” was rated the number one daytime program.

The Platters’ “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” hit number one on the chart.

In 1963
The Beatles made their first national UK television appearance on the ITV program “Thank Your Lucky Stars.”

In 1967
Leslie Gore appeared as Catwoman’s sidekick, Pussycat, on the TV show “Batman.”

The Rolling Stones album “Got Live If You Want It” was certified Gold.

In 1971
The Beatles’ song “Helter Skelter” was played at Charles Manson’s trial.  Manson claimed he heard messages in the song that instructed him to tell his followers to murder several people, including actress Sharon Tate.

In 1974
Al Wilson’s “Show and Tell” Hit number one on the pop singles chart.

Brownsville Station’s “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” peaked at number three on the pop singles chart.

In 1976
The Beatles were offered 30-million-dollars for a reunion.  Band members said no.

In 1977
Aretha Franklin, Charlie Daniels Band, and Marshall Tucker Band performed at President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration.

Pink Floyd held a launch party for the band’s album “Animals” at London’s Battersea Power Station.

In 1978
Blue Oyster Cult’s album “Spectres” was certified Gold.

In 1979
Dire Straits made its debut.

In 1980
Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” hit number one on the album chart.

In 1983
The Allman Brothers Band bassist Lamar Williams died of cancer.  He was 35.

In 1985
AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne were among the performers at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil.

Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On” broke into the Top 40 chart.

In 1986
Bruce Springsteen made an unannounced appearance at a benefit for people in the Asbury Park, New Jersey area who were laid-off from a 3M plant.

In 1993
Fleetwood Mac reunited to perform at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration.

In 1994
John Lennon, Bob Marley, The Band, Elton John, the Grateful Dead, Duane Eddy, and Rod Stewart were among the artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 1995
Aerosmith’s album “Box Of Fire” was certified Gold.

In 1997
Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Michael McDonald, and Bruce Hornsby were among the performers at events surrounding Bill Clinton’s inauguration.

In 1998
Carl Perkins died from complications following a series of strokes.  He was 65.

Pat Boone was given the first annual Michael the Archangel Award by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.

In 2003
The Doors made its official return as the Doors of the 21st Century with a show in Las Vegas.

In 2005
ZZ Top and Ted Nugent were among the performers at the Texas State Society’s unofficial “Black Tie and Boots” inaugural ball in Washington, DC.

The Rolling Stones’ album “Let It Bleed,” Bob Marley’s single “No Woman No Cry,” and Ray Charles’ single “American the Beautiful” were among the recordings added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In 2006
Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack in Ashburn, Virginia.  He was 64.

Tom Waits won his lawsuit against Volkswagen-Audi in Spain.  He had sued the car company over its use of a Waits impersonator in an ad campaign.

In 2007
The Mamas and the Papas’ Denny Doherty died at his home in Mississauga, Ontario, a community just west of Toronto, following a short period of poor health.  He was 66.

In 2008
Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

Janis Joplin’s childhood home in Port Arthur, Texas received a Texas State Historical Marker.

Edgar Winter was inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame at Lamar State College in Port Arthur, Texas.

Elton John was in Maseru, Lesotho, and gave 120 motorbikes to medical personnel in support of the Riders for Health Program, a program his Elton John AIDS Foundation was operating along with the Lesotho government to provide health care to those living in rural parts of the African country.

Alice Cooper was at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, and helped sell a Mercedes that was part of his personal collection, while the Monkeemobile — the car used by The Monkees in the 1960s TV series — was also sold.

Diana Ross and Seal were the headliners for a concert to cap off the festivities surrounding The Palazzo Las Vegas’ grand opening extravaganza, which comedian Wayne Brady hosted.

Olivia Newton-John was among the performers at the annual G’Day Australia dinner in Hollywood.  She took part in a tribute to Austrailan pop singer Kylie Minogue.

The Kingston Trio’s John Stewart died of a stroke.  He was 68.