December 30th

Musical birthdays today include Paul Stookey (78), Michael Nesmith (73), Patti Smith (69), original Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker (69), Jeff Lynne (68), coloratura soprano June Anderson (63), opera director Graham Vick (62), country singer Suzy Bogguss (59), Tracey Ullman (56), BMX Bandits frontman Duglas T. Stewart (51), Jamiroquai lead singer Jay Kay (46), former Faithless keyboardist Ayalah 'Sister Bliss' Bentovim (45), rapper Kastro (39), Tyrese Gibson (37), current Black Sabbath drummer Tommy Clufetos (36), and Ellie Goulding (29). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for choral composer and conductor David Willcocks, born on this day in 1919... for Bo Diddley, who would have been 87 today... for country star Skeeter Davis, who would have been 84... for Del Shannon, who would have been 81... for fiddle and banjo virtuoso John Hartford, who would have been 78... for former Cream producer and Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi, who would have been 76... for Davy Jones, who would have been 70... for composer Richard Rodgers, who died on this date in 1979... for former Drifters vocalist Johnny Moore, who passed away in 1998... for swing clarinetist & bandleader Artie Shaw, who died in 2004... and for Boney M's Bobby Farrell, who left us in 2010. 

Also on December 30: Henry Purcell's opera Dido and Aenas receives its first performance at the Josias Priest School for Girls in Chelsea, London (1688)... Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate opens on Broadway at the New Century Theater. It will run for 1,077 performances and become the first winner of the Tony for Best Musical (1948)... The Kinks, The Who, Manfred Mann, The Hollies and Gerry and the Pacemakers all appear on tonight's episode of the US TV pop show 'Shindig!' (1965)... Pink Floyd and Soft Machine play a double bill at The Blarney Club in London (1966)... The Beatles score their 15th US № 1 with 'Hello Goodbye', while Gladys Knight and the Pips are at № 2 with 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' and The Monkees are at № 3 with 'Daydream Believer' (1967)... Led Zeppelin continue as the opening act for Vanilla Fudge on the latter's current US tour. Today's stop is at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, where posters advertising the show bill the newcomers from England as 'Len Zefflin'... Peter Tork quits The Monkees, buying himself out of his contract [which leaves him virtually broke].  He will go on to form a group called Release, and play banjo on George Harrison's soundtrack to the film Wonderwall (1968)... Elvis Presley is given a private tour of FBI headquarters in Washington DC. The King requests and is granted a permit to carry a concealed firearm in every US state (1970)... Emerson, Lake and Palmer officially announce their breakup (1978)... Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic marries his longtime girlfriend Shelli Dilly in Olympia, WA (1989)... George Harrison and his wife Olivia are attacked when an intruder breaks into their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Olivia beats off the attacker with a fireplace poker and a heavy lamp. Harrison, who was stabbed in the chest, is admitted to hospital and treated for a collapsed lung and various minor puncture wounds. Olivia is treated for cuts and bruises she suffered in the struggle with the assailant... Mark Knopfler is awarded the OBE (1999)...  Diana Ross is arrested for DWI by the Arizona highway patrol after a motorist called to report a swerving vehicle. When asked to walk in a straight line, Ross fell over, and could not count to 30 or balance on one foot. Police report that the singer was twice over the drink drive limit with a blood-alcohol of 0.2... In London, Joe Strummer's funeral takes place (2002)... Neil Young is made an Officer of the Order of Canada (2009).