This day in music history

1955, Jazz great Charlie Bird Parker played at Birdland in what would be his last public performance.

1959, The winners of the first Grammy Awards were announced. Domenico Modugno's 'Volare' was Record of the Year; Henry Mancini's 'Peter Gunn' was Album of the Year and The Champs 'Tequila' won best R&B performance.

1966, John Lennon's statement that The Beatles were 'more popular than Jesus Christ' was published in The London Evening Standard. “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. We’re more popular then Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary.” Christian group's in the US were outraged resulting in some states burning Beatles records. Lennon later apologised.

1967, The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ruby Tuesday', the group's fourth US No.1 single. 'Lets Spend The Night Together' was the original A side but after radio stations banned the song 'Tuesday' became the A side.

1977, CBS released The Clash's self- titled first album in the UK. CBS in the U.S. refused to release it until 1979. Americans bought over 100,000 imported copies of the record making it one of the biggest- selling import records of all time.

1986, American songwriter Howard Greenfield died of a brain tumour aged 50. Working out of the famous Brill Building with Neil Sedaka he co-wrote many hits including 'Calendar Girl', 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do', and 'Crying In The Rain' with Carole King. Also wrote TV theme songs including the theme to 'Bewitched.'

1994, Kurt Cobain was rushed to hospital after overdosing on alcohol and drugs in a Rome hotel during a Nirvana European tour. Cobain had taken 50-60 pills of Rohypnol mixed with champagne; rumours on the internet claimed that Kurt was dead.

2001, Village People singer Glenn Hughes died of lung cancer aged 50 in his Manhattan apartment in New York. He was the original "Biker" character in the disco group who scored the 1978 UK No.1 & US No.2 single ‘Y.M.C.A.

2002, Doreen Waddell, singer with Soul II Soul was killed after attempting to run across the A27 in Brighton, England after being caught shoplifting.

2007, Kaiser Chiefs started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with their second album 'Yours Truly Angry Mob'.

1944, Born on this day, Bobby Womack, soul singer, session guitarist, (1974 US No.10 single 'Lookin' For A Love', 1993 UK No.27 single with Lulu 'I'm Back For More').

1948, Born on this day, Shakin' Stevens, singer, (1981 UK No.1 single 'This Old House' plus 30 other UK Top 40 singles).

1950, Born on this day, Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine, (1984 UK No.6 single 'Dr Beat', 1989 US No.1 single 'Don't Wanna Loose You').

1951, Born on this day, Chris Rea, singer, songwriter, guitarist, (1989 UK No.10 single 'The Road To Hell', 1989 UK No.1 album 'Road To Hell' album spent 76 weeks on the chart).

1963, Born on this day, Jason Newsted, bass, Metallica, (1991 UK No.5 single 'Enter Sandman', 1991 US & UK No.1 album 'Metallica').

1968, Born on this day, Patsy Kensit, actress, appeared in the 1986 film 'Absolute Beginners' and singer with Eighth Wonder, (1988 UK No.7 single 'I'm Not Scared'). Once married to Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr and married Oasis singer Liam Gallagher in 1997. The couple split in 2000.

1971, Born on this day, Feargal Lawlor, drummer, The Cranberries, (1994 UK No.14 single 'Linger'). The bands 1993 album 'Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can’t We' spent 86 weeks on the UK chart.