Thursday December 31
Burton Cummings ("Stand Tall" and one-time Guess Who lead singer) is 62
The late John Denver ("Sunshine On My Shoulder") is born in 1943
Donna Summer ("Love To Love You Baby") is 61
Rick Nelson ("Hello Mary Lou") dies in a plane crash near DeKalb, Texas, 1985
Floyd Cramer ("Last Date") dies of cancer in 1997
John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas ("California Dreamin'") marry (it lasts seven years), 1962
Paul McCartney files suit to dissolve the Beatles partne...
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Wednesday December 30
Davy Jones of the Monkees ("Daydream Believer") is 64
Mike Nesmith ("Joanne" and member of the Monkees) is 67
The late Del Shannon ("Hats Off To Larry") is born in 1934
The late Bo Diddley ("Bo Diddley") is born in 1928
The late Skeeter Davis ("I Can't Stay Mad At You") is born in 1931
Paul Stookey ("Wedding Song" and member of Peter, Paul & Mary) is 72
Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra ("Do Ya") is 62
Johnny Moore of the Drifters ("Under The Boardwalk") dies of ...
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Monday December 28
Alex Chilton of the Box Tops ("Soul Deep") is 59
The late Dorsey Burnette ("Tall Oak Tree") is born in 1932
The late Roebuck "Pops" Staples of the Staple Singers ("I'll Take You There") is born in 1915
Edgar Winter ("Free Ride") is 63
The late Billy Williams ("I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter") is born in 1910
Bobby Comstock ("Garden Of Eden") is 66
Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys ("Good Vibrations") drowns in 1983
The body of Barry Cowsill of the Cowsills ...
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Sunday December 27
Elvis Presley's original guitarist, Scotty Moore ("Heartbreak Hotel") is 78
Dick St. John of Dick & Dee Dee ("Thou Shalt Not Steal") dies of injuries sustained in a fall off a ladder, 2003
Bob Luman ("Let's Think About Living") dies of pneumonia in 1978
Walter Scott, lead singer of Bob Kuban & the In-Men ("The Cheater"), is shot to death by his wife's lover (his body is discovered three years later), 1983
Delaney Bramlett of Delaney and Bonnie ("Only You Know And I Know") di...
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Saturday December 26
Producer Phil Spector (of the "Wall Of Sound") is 69
Duke Fakir of the Four Tops ("Bernadette") is 74
Curtis Mayfield ("Superfly") dies from complications of diabetes in 1999
Led Zeppelin arrive for their first U.S. tour, 1968
Stan Freberg presents a check for $1,000 to the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California as his royalties from the first year's release of "Green Chri$tma$" (all proceeds from which he's given to charity), 1958
The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour"...
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Friday December 25
Jimmy Buffett ("Come Monday") is 63
The late Chris Kenner ("Land Of 1000 Dances") is born in 1929
James Brown ("Papa's Got A Brand New Bag") dies of congestive heart failure, 2006
Dean Martin ("Volare") dies of acute respiratory failure in 1995
Johnny Ace ("Pledging My Love") dies playing Russian roulette backstage at a Houston concert, 1954
Eartha Kitt ("Santa Baby") dies of colon cancer, 2008
Damita Jo (DuBlanc-- recorded the "answer songs" "I'll Save The Last Dance For Yo...
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Thursday December 24
The late Lee Dorsey ("Working In The Coal Mine") is born in 1924
Mike Curb ("Burning Bridges") is 65
Charlie Drake ("My Boomerang Won't Come Back") dies in 2006
Nick Massi, bass singer with the Four Seasons ("Big Girls Don't Cry") dies of cancer, 2001
ABBA members Bjorn and Agnetha divorce in 1978
James Taylor, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell go Christmas carolling in Hollywood, 1974
Miami police cut the power to a noisy Manfred Mann concert, causing a two-hour riot, 1972
To...
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Wednesday December 23
The late Eugene Record of the Chi-Lites ("Have You Seen Her") is born in 1940
The late "Little" Esther Phillips ("Release Me") is born in 1935
Carly Simon marries her second husband, Jim (they divorce nineteen years later), 1987
Elton John and Bernie Taupin begin writing songs together, 1969
Cat Stevens converts to Islam, changing his name to Yusef Islam, 1977
Chuck Berry is arrested for transporting a minor across a state line for an immoral purpose (he's eventually sent...
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Tuesday December 22
Twin Bee Gees Robin and the late Maurice Gibb ("Run To Me") are born in 1949
Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick ("I Want You To Want Me") is 63
Dave Dudley ("Six Days On The Road") dies of a heart attack in 2003
Joe Ames of the Ames Brothers ("The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane") dies of a heart attack at his home in Germany, 2007
Isaac Hayes files for bankruptcy in 1976
Ike & Tina Turner are robbed of $86,000 in concert receipts, 1975
The stage version of Harry Nilsson's "The Point" ...
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Monday December 21
The late Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys ("God Only Knows") is born in 1946
Ray Hildebrand of Paul & Paula ("Hey Paula") is 68
Carla Thomas ("Gee Whiz") is 67
Gwen McCrae ("Rockin' Chair") is 66
Betty Wright ("Clean Up Woman") is 56
Nick Gilder ("Hot Child In The City") is 58
The late Frank Zappa ("Dancin' Fool") is born in 1940
Barry Gordon ("Nuttin' For Christmas") is 61
Crosby, Stills & Nash form in 1968
Martha Reeves disbands the Vandellas in 1972
Beach Boy Mike Loves sett...
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Sunday December 20
Bobby Darin ("Mack The Knife") dies after heart surgery in 1973
René Herrera of René & René ("Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero") dies of cancer in 2005
Charles Randolph Grean ("Quentin's Theme") dies in 2003
Jethro Tull is formed, 1967
Elvis Presley receives his draft notice (but applies for and gets a 60-day deferment), 1957
Joe Walsh joins the Eagles, 1975
Nearly forty years after it was recorded, Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher is awarded part of the songwriting credit for ...
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Friday December 18
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones ("Get Off Of My Cloud") is 66
Tiny Tim marries Miss Vicky on NBC-TV's "Tonight Show", 1969
Fans rush James Brown's limo at Sam Cooke's wake in Chicago, forcing him to leave, 1964
Rod Stewart leaves Faces in 1975
Paul Simon is named to the board of trustees of Boston's Berklee College of Music, 2008
S/Sgt. Barry Sadler records "The Ballad Of The Green Berets", 1965
Sam Cooke records "Twistin' The Night Away", 1961

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Thursday December 17

• The late Eddie Kendricks ("Keep On Truckin'" and member of the Temptations) is born in 1939
• The Beach Boys play a royal command performance for Princess Margaret at London's Royal Albert Hall, 1970
• The Supremes open the Houston Astrodome with a concert there (also starring Judy Garland), 1965
• Carl Perkins writes "Blue Suede Shoes", 1955
• Olivia Newton-John appears in the NBC-TV movie "A Mom For Christmas", 1990
• Andy Williams records "Love Story", 1970

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Wednesday December 16
Benny Andersson of ABBA ("SOS") is 63
The late Ludwig von Beethoven (composer of Walter Murphy's "A Fifth Of Beethoven") is born in 1770
Nicolette Larson ("Lotta Love") dies of cerebral edema in 1997
Dan Fogelberg ("Longer") dies of prostate cancer, 2007
The Who disband (until the seemingly unending series of "reunions"), 1983
George Harrison is deported from Germany for being too young to perform with the Beatles there, 1960
Ray Charles receives a star on the Hollywood W...
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Tuesday December 15
Dave Clark ("Bits And Pieces") is 67
The late Jesse Belvin ("Goodnight My Love") is born in 1932
The late disk jockey Alan Freed (who coined the term "rock 'n' roll") is born in 1922
Cindy Birdsong of the Supremes ("Nathan Jones") is 70
The late Jerry Wallace ("Primrose Lane") is born in 1928
Rufus Thomas ("Walking The Dog") dies of heart failure in 2001
Jackie Brenston ("Rocket 88") dies of a heart attack in 1979
John "Sean" Byrne, lead vocalist with the Count Five ("Psych...
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