December 4th

 Musical birthdays today include operatic soprano Yvonne Minton (85), early rock 'n roll singer Freddy Cannon (84), original Byrds bassist Chris Hillman (79), Anna McGarrigle (79), Pogues guitarist Terry Woods (76), Gary Rossington (72), jazz singer Cassandra Wilson (68), Black Crowes bassist Andy Hess (57), Jay-Z (54), singer-songwriter Kate Rusby (50), and rapper Big Pokey (46).

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for singer-actress Deanna Durbin, born on this day in 1921... for  jazz guitarist Jim Hall, born in 1930... for Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, who would have been 79... for Bert 'The Cowardly Lion' Lahr, who died on this date in 1967... for composer Benjamin Britten, who passed away in 1976... and for Frank Zappa, who left us today in 1993.

Also on December 4: In NYC, Nellie Melba makes her debut with the Met in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (1893)... 
The 'Million Dollar Quartet' session with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash takes place at Sun Studios in Memphis (1956)... The Beatles make their London TV debut on the BBC programme 'Tuesday Rendezvous' (1962)... The Byrds hit № 1 on the US singles chart with Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965)... Led Zeppelin have the № 1 album  in the UK with their fourth [and officially untitled] LP, while Sly & the Family Stone are tops in the US with their single 'Family Affair'... In Montreux, Switzerland, the casino fire immortalized by Deep Purple in the song 'Smoke on the Water' occurs (1971)... Workers at London's EMI distribution centre stage a walkout strike rather than package the Sex Pistols single 'Anarchy in the UK' (1976)... U2 make a decidedly inauspicious London debut. Billed as 'The U2s' at the Hope & Anchor pub in Islington, they play before 9 patrons before being forced to abandon the show when the Edge breaks a guitar string (1979)... Prince opens his 'Dirty Minds' tour in Buffalo, NY. Told by arena management that he cannot wear Spandex pants without underwear, the singer adopts what will become his signature look of a long trench coat, black high-heeled boots and leggings, and bikini briefs... In London, Led Zeppelin formally announce their decision to disband following the death of John Bonham (1980)... The Jam score their final UK № 1 single with 'Beat Surrender' (1983)... Madonna files for divorce from Sean Penn (1987)... In Cleveland, OH, Roy Orbison plays what will turn out to be his final concert (1988)... In the 'Better late than never' department, Van Halen play a free concert in Dallas to make up for a show in the city on the band's 1988 tour during which lead singer Sammy Hagar lost his voice mid-set (1991)... Courtney Love takes  break from rehab, playing an impromptu set with local band Let's Go Sailing at a Los Angeles club (2003).