June 22nd

Musical birthdays today include Kris Kristofferson (82), Peter Asher (74), ex-Turtles vocalist Howard Kaylan (71), Todd Rundgren (70), ex-38 Special bassist Larry Junstrom (69), Cyndi Lauper (65), Scritti Politti frontman Green Gartside [né Paul Strohmeyer] (63), original Simple Minds bassist Derek Forbes (62), former INXS bassist Garry Beers (61), Indochine frontman Nicola Sirkis (59), Jimmy Somerville (57), Primal Scream lead singer Bobby Gillespie (56), former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page (48), Bloc Party multi-instrumentalist Gordon Moakes (37), ex-Editors lead guitarist Chris Urbnowicz (38), classical pianist Ingmar Lazar (25), and neo-psychedelia aficionada and Ivy League graduate Alexa Delgado (22).

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for saxophonist Bernie McGann, who would have been 80 today... for Judy Garland, who died on this date in 1969... for composer Darius Milhaud, who passed away in 1974... for original Pere Ubu guitarist Peter Laughner, who died from substance abuse-related illness today in 1977 at the age of 24... and for Fred Astaire, who left us on this day in 1987.

Also on June 22nd: 13-year old Stevie Wonder first enters the US singles chart as Little Stevie Wonder with 'Fingertips Parts One and Two.' 'Fingertips', which features a young Marvin Gaye on drums, is the first live, non-studio recording to reach № 1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the United States since Johnny Standley's 1952 comic monologue 'It's in the Book (1963)... The Beatles play their first ever show in New Zealand at Wellington Town Hall. The local chief constable refuses a police escort for the group, leaving just two officers to control over 5,000 fans (1964)... At Columbia's 30th St. Studio in NYC, Miles Davis & sidemen convene for the second of three sessions that will produce Nefertiti, the trumpeter's last entirely acoustic album (1967)... The Jeff Beck Group featuring Rod Stewart make their US debut at the Fillmore East in NYC (1968)... Led Zeppelin appear at Laugardalsholl Hall in Reykjavik on the group's one and only visit to Iceland. Robert Plant has said that he was inspired to write the lyrics to 'Immigrant Song' during his time on the island (1970)... Joni Mitchell releases Blue (1971)... David Bowie releases the single 'Life on Mars', featuring guest piano work by Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman (1973)... Mark David Chapman pleads guilty to the murder of John Lennon (1981)... Kurt Cobain is rushed to hospital after a gig in Belfast, Northern Ireland suffering from acute stomach pains brought on by ulcers (1992)... After giving himself various new identities during the '90s, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince announces that he wishes to be known as Prince again (2000)... The Irish press reports a wandering peahen owned by Bono is causing havoc for some south Dublin residents. The peahen, the less spectacular-coloured female partner to a male peacock, found its way to the Ard Mhuire housing estate in Killiney near the singer's residence. One newspaper runs the headline 'Bono's Cock Drives Me Nuts'. Local woman Susan McKeon told reporters she first noticed the bird at night. "It had a tiny head and a huge body. It was actually quite ugly but I don't think it's fully grown" (2011)... 'Blurred Lines' by Robin Thicke starts a 13 week run at № 1 on the Billboard singles chart (2013).