June 3rd

Musical birthdays today include Ian Hunter (80), Suzi Quatro (69), Deniece Williams (69), Dan Hill (65), Rembrandts frontman Danny Wilde (63), Ozric Tentacles lead guitarist Ed Wynne (58), Slayer guitarist Kerry King (55), Phish bassist Mike Gordon (54), Republica lead singer Saffron [née Samantha Sprackling] (51), High on Fire frontman Mike Pike (47), Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones (45), and Hi-5 guitarist Dihan Slabbert (37). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for blueswoman Memphis Minnie (née Lizzie Douglas), born on this day in 1897... for Josephine Baker, born in 1906... for Curtis Mayfield, who would have been 77 today... for original Byrds drummer Michael Clarke, who would have been 73... for T Rex drummer Mickey Finn, who would have been 72... for Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell, who would have been 67... for composer Georges Bizet, who died on this date in 1875... for Bill Haley & His Comets pianist Johnny Grande, who passed away in 2006... and for saxophonist & Louis Prima sideman Sam Butera and 'Queen of the Chicago blues' Koko Taylor, both of whom left us in 2009. 

Also on June 3rd: Elvis graduates from J.C. Hulmes High School in Memphis; his graduation photo shows him to have a split curl in the middle of his forehead, later to become his trademark. The first member of his family to graduate high school, his final report card shows that he received an A in English but only a C in music (1953)... Ringo Starr is taken ill with tonsillitis and pharyngitis, days before a world tour is about to start. After a last-minute phone call from George Martin, session drummer Jimmy Nichol rushes over to EMI Studios, where he and The Beatles run through six songs from their tour repertoire in a quick rehearsal. Nichol replaces Ringo and becomes a Beatle for eleven days (1964)... Aretha Franklin goes to № 1 on the Billboard singles chart with her version of 'Respect', a top ten hit for Otis Redding the previous year (1967)... The Kinks' Ray Davies has to make a 6,000 mile round trip from New York to London to record one word in a song. Davies was forced to change 'Coca-Cola' to 'cherry cola' in the lyrics of the band's forthcoming single 'Lola' due to an advertising ban on BBC Radio (1970)... The Rolling Stones kick off their biggest North American tour to date with a show at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, BC... Jethro Tull have the № 1 album in the US with Thick as a Brick... Pink Floyd release the album Obscured by Clouds (1972)... Session drummer Jim Gordon murders his mother by pounding her head with a hammer at the prompting of voices. A schizophrenic, it will not be until his trial in 1984 that Gordon is properly diagnosed. Since his attorney is unable to use the insanity defense, the drummer is sentenced to sixteen years-to-life in prison. A Grammy Award winner for co-writing 'Layla' with Eric Clapton, Gordon also worked with The Beach Boys, John Lennon, George Harrison, Frank Zappa and Jackson Browne, among others (1983)... Fine Young Cannibals top the US album chart with The Raw & The Cooked (1989)... The Carter Family and Johnny Cash are inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Asbury Park, NJ (1990)... Paul McCartney, Sting, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Cliff Richard, Ozzy Osbourne, The Corrs, Will Young, Atomic Kitten and S Club 7 all appear at The Queen's Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace (2002)... Red Hot Chili Peppers go to № 1 on both the US and UK album charts with Stadium Arcadium, the band's ninth studio release (2009).