July 4th

Musical birthdays today include operatic soprano Zdisława Donat (82), Bill Withers (80), bluegrass guitarist Peter Rowan (76), Jeremy Spencer (70), singer-songwriter Tonio K. [né Steven Krekorian] (68), John Waite (66), INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly (60), Seven Witches frontman Jack Frost [né John Dempsey] (50) ex-Barenaked Ladies pianist Andy Creeggan (47), Sunny Day Real Estate drummer William Goldsmith (46), Sigur Rós drummer Orri Pál Dýrason (41), former BBMak guitarist Stephen McNally (40), and ex-Armor for Sleep frontman Ben Jorgensen (35). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Stephen Foster, born on this day in 1826... for Mitch Miller, born in 1911... for Animals keyboardist Dave Rowberry, who would have been 77... for Canned Heat frontman Alan Wilson, who would have been 75... for choral composer William Byrd, who died on this date in 1623... for New Orleans jazz cornettist Buddie Petit, who died in 1931... for singer-songwriter Jimmie Spheeris, killed in a motorcycle accident today in 1984 at the age of 34... for Barry White, who passed away in 2003... and for the last original member of The Drifters, Bill Pinckney, who left us in 2007. 

Also on July 4th: 'Hail to the Chief' is played as an honorific for the President of the United States for the first time when the US Marine Band perform the tune at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, presided over by John Quincy Adams (1828)... At the Park Street Church in Boston, MA, the tune of 'God Save the Queen' is sung for the first time with the text 'My Country 'Tis of Thee' by Samuel Francis Smith (1831)... The US Marine Band under the direction of John Phillip Sousa play at the dedication ceremony of the Statue of Liberty (1886)... The Everly Brothers hold the UK № 1 position with 'All I Have to Do Is Dream.' The duo's first chart-topper was recorded in just two takes and features Chet Atkins on guitar (1958)... The Beach Boys hit № 1 in the US for the first time with 'I Get around' (1964)... As their world tour reaches the Phillipines, The Beatles play two concerts at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila to over 80,000 fans. After the second show, the band fail to appear at a palace reception hosted by President Marcos' family, who were not informed that the Beatles had declined their invitation. The Philippine media misrepresent this as a deliberate snub, and when Brian Epstein tries to make a televised statement, his comments are disrupted by static (1966)... Elvis donates a Rolls Royce to a women's charity in Los Angeles ~ the car will bring $35,000 when it is auctioned off (1968)... The Doors appear George Wat the Willingdon Juvenile Detention Home for Girls in Vancouver, CA (1969)... Despite having a Top 5 hit in the US with 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' and a Platinum album with Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan's Walter Becker and Donald Fagan announce that their concert today in Santa Monica, CA will be their final live performance. It will be 18 years before the pair appear on stage together again (1974)... The Clash make their live debut as the opening act for The Sex Pistols at the Black Swan pub in Sheffield (1976)... After being divorced by his first wife Thelma Mayfair last year, Ozzy Osbourne marries Sharon Arden, the daughter of music business manager Don Arden (1982)... Former The Mamas & the Papas vocalist John Phillips receives a liver transplant at the Los Angeles Medical Center (1992)... The Smashing Pumpkins play an acoustic show at the London strip club Raymond's Revue Bar (1993)... George Michael takes part in a live telephone interview on CNN, defending his new single 'Shoot the Dog'. Americans were upset by the controversial video, which showed President George W. Bush in bed with Tony Blair... Tony Bennett has to abandon a show at the Royal Albert Hall after a fire breaks out in the building. The audience are evacuated the hall begins to fill with smoke (2002)... U2 win their court fight for the return of items of memorabilia, including a Stetson hat which they accused a former stylist of stealing. Judge Matthew Deery of the Dublin Circuit Court orders Lola Cashman to return the items, which also include earrings, within seven days. Ms Cashman worked as U2's stylist during the 1980s and wrote an unauthorised book called ‘Inside the Zoo’. Judge Deery says that he found Ms Cashman's version of how she had been given the items at the end of a US tour 'highly dubious', particularly her description of Bono running around in his underpants backstage (2005).