July 5th

Musical birthdays today include Robbie Robertson (80), Huey Lewis (73), guitarist Michael Monarch (73), former Aerosmith lead guitarist Jimmy Crespo (68), ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes (68), Marc Cohn (65), Evaporators keyboardist Nardwuar the Human Serviette [né John Ruskin] (55), Wu-Tang Clan rapper Rza (54), Cardigans drummer Bengt Lagerberg (50), D12 rapper Bizarre [né Rufus Johnson] (47), rapper & Eminem collaborator Royce da 5'9" (46), ex-Westlife vocalist Shane Filan (44), Turtle island Quartet violinist Mads Tolling (43), Lifehouse lead singer jason Wade (43), Lady A guitarist Dave Haywood (41), Arctic Monkeys bassist Nick O'Malley (38), Owl City creator Adam Young (37), and former Deadbeat Darling frontman Joseph King (34). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for harpsichord virtuoso Wanda Landowska, born on this day in 1877... for songwriter Mack David, born in 1912... for bluesman Smiley Lewis, born in 1913... for rapper Mac Dre [né Andre Hicks], who would have been 53 today... for trumpeter Harry James, who died on this date in 1983... for pop singer Shirley Goodman, who passed away in 2005... and for operatic soprano Régine Crespin, who left us in 2007. 

Also on July 5th: Polish pianist and diplomat in exile Jan Paderewski is buried within the US Marine Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. His remains will be repatriated to his native country in 1992 (1941)... Working together for the first time in a recording studio with Scotty Moore and Bill Black, Elvis experiments during a break with an up-tempo version of 'That's All Right.' Producer Sam Phillips has them repeat the jam and records it. It becomes Presley's first release on Sun Records (1954)... Paul McCartney meets his future Wings collaborator Denny Laine for the first time when the latter's group Denny and the Diplomats opens for The Beatles at a gig in the West Midlands (1963)... Marty Balin and Paul Kantner meet for the first time at a jam session in Haight-Ashbury and decide to form a band, which will evolve into the Jefferson Airplane... Maria Callas gives her final performance, in a production of Tosca at Covent Garden (1965)... As The Beatles make their way to the airport in Manila, they are greeted by angry mobs, the Philippine government having retaliated for the band's perceived snub of First Lady Imelda Marcos yesterday by refusing police protection for them. The Fab Four manage to board their plane after a few minor scuffles... On the recommendation of Keith Richards' girlfriend, Chas Chandler of The Animals goes to see Jimi Hendrix play at the Cafe Wha in Greenwich Village. After the gig, Chandler suggests to Hendrix that he come to England ~ the guitarist concurs, and also agrees to have Chandler become his manager (1966)... Fantasy Records release Creedence Clearwater Revival's eponymous debut album (1968)... The Rolling Stones give a free concert in London's Hyde Park before an estimated crowd of 250,000 as a tribute to Brian Jones. Mick Jagger reads a section of Shelley's 'Adonais' and releases 3,500 butterflies; the show also marks Mick Taylor's debut with the Stones, as well as the first public performance of King Crimson, who are among the opening acts [which also include Family, The Third Ear Band, Screw and Alexis Korner's New Church](1969)... Pink Floyd, Captain Beefheart, Steve Miller and Roy Harper all appear at The Knebworth Festival, England ~ tickets cost £3.50. The Floyd premiere their new album Wish You Were Here with the help of Spitfires, pyrotechnics and an exploding plane which flies into the stage (1975)...  The manufacturing of Some Girls, the new album by The Rolling Stones, is halted at EMI's pressing plant after complaints from celebrities including Lucille Ball who are featured in mock advertisements on the album sleeve (1978)... Janet Jackson has the № 1 album in the US with Control (1986)... More than 100 Grateful Dead fans are injured when a wooden deck collapses at a campground lodge in Wentzville, MO. Hundreds of people were on or under the deck sheltering from a downpour. More than 4,000 Deadheads are staying at the campground while attending Grateful Dead concerts in the St. Louis suburb (1995)... Pink Floyd's David Gilmour says that artists who saw album sales soar after the Live 8 concerts should donate their profits to charity, adding: "This is money that should be used to save lives." UK sales figures released two days after the London concert showed Pink Floyd’s Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd had risen by 1343%, The Who's Then and Now by 863% and Annie Lennox ~ Eurythmics' Greatest Hits by 500% (2005).