May 

May 1:

Born:     Kate Smith, Greenville AL, singer (God Bless America)  (1907)

             Jack Parr, Canton OH, TV host (Jack Paar Show) (1916)

             Louis Nye, Hartford CT, comedian (Steve Allen, Happy Days) (1922)

             Art Fleming, Bronx NY, TV host (Jeopardy) (1924)

             Harry [Harold George Jr] Belafonte, New York NY, calypso singer (The Banana Boat Song) (1927)

             Sonny James [James Loden] Hackelburg AL, rocker (Young Love) (1929)

             Rudolf Isley, singer (Isley Brothers) (1939)

             Judy Collins, singer (Both Sides Now) (1939)

             Rita Coolidge, singer (1944)

             Ray Parker Jr Detroit MI, rock guitarist/vocalist (Ghostbusters-Who You Gonna Call?) (1954)

Events:   1st US airplane hijacked to Cuba (1961)

               Pulitzer prize awarded to Harper Lee  For Her Book (To Kill a Mockingbird) (1961)

               1st American (James Whittaker) conquers Mount Everest (1963)

               Last British concert by the Beatles (Empire Pool in Wembley) (1966)

               Elvis Presley & Pricilla Beaulieu wed in Las Vegas (1967)

               J. Edgar Hoover dies, (longest reigning director of the FBI) (1972)

               The Beatles and The Rolling Stones play "New Music Express" Readers Poll Concert in Wembley (1966)

                Bob Dylan and Johnny cash tape "Grand Ole Opry Special" for ABC-TV. (1969)

              Gene Sheldon actor (Bernardo-Disney's Zorro), dies at 72 (1982)

May 2:

Born:     Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (1904)

             Bunk Gardner, The Mothers of Invention (1933)

             Englebert Humperdinck, singer (1936)

             Goldy McJohn, Steppenwolf (1945)

            Lesley Gore, singer(1946)

             Lou Graham, Foreigner (1950)

May 3:

Born:     Pete Seeger (1919)

             James Brown, soul singer, songwriter (1933)

             Engelbert Humperdinck [Arnold George Dorsey] (1936)

             Franki Valli, singer (The Four Seasons) (1937)

             Mary Hopkins, singer (1950)

Events:  Martin Luther King Jr delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech (1963)

              Don Steele, begins a 40+ year radio career at KRTH (Los Angeles CA) (1965)

             Dan Blocker actor (Hoss-Bonanza), dies at 43 (1972)

             Hugh Beaumont actor (Ward-Leave it to Beaver), dies at 73 (1982)

May 4:

Born:     Tyrone Davis US R&B singer (1938)

             Tammy Wynette, country singer (1942)

             Ronnie Band, Troggs (1944)

             Jackie [Sigmund Esco] Jackson Gary IN, rocker (Jackson 5) (1951)

Events:   Lucy and Desi Arnez get their final divorce papers. (1960)

               13 Freedom riders began bus trip through South (1961)

                "Another World" & "As the World Turns" premiere on TV (1964)

              Four students are shot by the National Guard at Kent State University in an anti-war demonstration over the involvement in the Vietnam War. (1970)

              Moe of the Three Stooges dies. (1975)

              Alvy Moore actor/producer (Mr Kimball-Green Acres), dies at 75 (1997)

May 5:

Born:        Will Hutchins Atwater CA, actor (Sugarfoot) (1932)

                Johnnie Taylor US gospel singer and R&B singer  (1938)

                Eric Burdon, Walker-on-Tyne England, rock singer (The Animals) (1940)

                Billy Burnette Memphis TN, rock guitarist (Fleetwood Mac) (1953)

Events:     President Kennedy raises the minimum hourly wage from 25 cents to $1.25. (1961)

                Alan Shepard becomes 1st American in space (aboard Freedom 7) (1961)

                "West Side Story" soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 54 weeks which is more than 20 weeks longer than any other album (1962)

                The Buffalo Springfield officially break up. (1968)

                Ben Alexander actor (Frank Smith-Dragnet), dies at 57 (1969)

                Jerry Wallace, singer (Primrose Lane, Shutters and Boards, In The Misty Moonlight) dies at age 79 (2008)

May 6:

Born:       Orson Welles Kenosha WI, actor (Citizen Kane, War of the Worlds) (1915)

               Willie Mays Westfield AL, Hall of Fame baseball centerfielder, "Say Hey Kid" (New York Giants, New York Mets, 660 homeruns, National League MVP 1954) (1931)

               Bob Seger, rocker, songwriter (1945)

Events:    Guy Williams actor (Disney's Zorro & Lost in Space), dies at 65 (1989)

May 7:

Born:      Darren McGavin Spokane WA, actor (1922)

              Johnny Unitas NFL QB (Baltimore Colts, San Diego); one of the  baby bommer greats (1933)

             Jimmy Ruffin, singer (What Becomes of the Brokenhearted) (1939)

             Johnny Mastro singer for the Crests and Brooklyn Bridge (16 Candles, The Worst That Could Happen) (1939)

             Janis Ian [Janis Eddy Fink] New York NY, rock vocalist (At 17 recorded, Society's Child) (1950)

Events:   Mamas & Papas "Monday Monday" hits #1 (1966)

              "Long & Winding Road" becomes Beatles' last American release (1970)

May 8:

Born:     Don Rickles Queens NY, comedian (1926)

             Rick Nelson (1940)

             Euclid "Motorhead" Sherwood, Mothers of Invention (1942)

             Paul Samwell-Smith, The Yardbirds (1943)

             Gary Glitter [Paul Gadd], rocker (1944)

Events:   John S. Pemberton first mixed ingredients for Coca-Cola in Jacob's Pharmacy, Atlanta, Georgia (1886)

              Eddy Arnold, Country Western singer, (Make the World Go Away, Cattle Cow) dies at age 89 (2008)

May 9:

Born:     Dave Prater, Sam and Dave (1937)

             John Fred, rocker, (John Fred and His Playboy Band-Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) (1940) 

             Tommy Roe (1942)

             Toni Tennille, singer (Captain & Tennille) Montgomery AL (1943)

             Don Danneman, Cyrkle (1944)

Events:   The Food and Drug Administration okays the sale of birth control pills. (1960)

               Federal Communications Chairman Minow calls TV a "vast wasteland." (1961)

               The Beatles sign a contract with EMI's Parlophone Records. (1962)

                "Dr No" starring Sean Connerly in the first Agent 007 movie premieres in US (1963)

               Muhammad Ali is indicted for refusing induction in US Army (1967)

               Dave Prater, Sam and Dave dies. (1988)

               George Peppard actor (1994)

May 10:

Born:     Glenda Jackson Cheshire England, actress  (1936)

             Sonny Curtis Meadow TX, guitarist (Crickets) (1937)

             Tommy Roe Atlanta, rocker (Sweet Pea, Hooray for Hazel) (1942)

             Bruce Milner rocker (Every Mother's Son - Come on Down to My Boat) (1943)

             Donovan P. Leitch, singer (Donovan) (1946)

             Dave Mason (1946)

             Candice Bergen Beverly Hills, actress  (1946) 

            Billy Joel, Hicksville, Long Island NY, singer/songwriter/piano player (1949) 

Events:   The Rolling Stones have their first recording session at Olympic Studios, London. (1963)

               Beatles attend a Bob Dylan concert (1965)

              Harold Gray US comic strip artist (Little Orphan Annie), dies at 74 (1968)

              The Turtles and The Temptations play Tricia Nixon's White House Masque Ball (1969)

May 11:

Born:       Gary Owens,  Mitchell SD, disc jockey/TV host (Laugh In, Gong Show)  (1936)

               Les Chadwick, Gerry and the Pacemakers (1943)

Events:     Decca signs the Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison (1963)

                 Keith Richards, Brian Jones & Mick Jagger arrested on drug charges (1967)

                 Richard Harris releases "MacArthur Park" (1968)

                 US troops begin attack on Hill 937/Hamburger Hill, Vietnam (1969)

                Joan Crawford actress, dies at 69 (1977)

                Lester Flatt dies. (1979)

                Bob Marley dies. (1981)

                Joanie Weston, roller derby queen, (Bay Bombers), dies at 61 (1997)

May 12:

Born:     Burt Bacharach, songwriter, singer (1929)

             Billy Swan, singer (1943)

             James Purify US singer (I'm Your Puppet) (1944)

             Steve Winwood, rocker (1948)

Events:  Elvis Presley appears on a Frank Sinatra special (1960)

            Bob Dylan refuses to play "The Ed Sullivan Show" because he's not allowed to sing "Talking John Birch Society Blues." (1963)

               Pink Floyd presents the first quadrophonic rock concert in Queen Elizabeth Hall, England. (1967)

               H Rap Brown replaces Stokely Carmichael as chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (1967)

               March of Poor" under rev Abernathy reach Washington DC (1968)

               Robert Reed actor (The Dad - Brady Bunch), dies of AIDs at 59 (1992)

               Perry Como, singer dies. (2001)

May 13:

Born:     Richie Valens (1941)

             Mary Wells, (My Guy) (1943)

Events:   Gary Cooper, 2 time Academy award winning actor (High Noon), dies at 60 (1961)

              Rolling Stones record "Satisfaction", the biggest hit of 1965

             Rolling Stones record "Paint it Black" (1966)

              "Groovin'" by The Rascals charts. (1967)

May 14:

Born:     Bobby Darin, singer (Splish Splash, Dream Lover, If I Were A Carpenter) (1936)

             Troy Shondell, singer (This Time) (1944)

             Gene Cornish, The Rascals (1945)

              Robert Zemeckis director (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future) (1948)

Events:   Bus with 1st group of Freedom Riders bombed & burned in Alabama (1961)

              Beatles announce formation of Apple Corp (1968)

              Last Chevrolet Corvair built (1969) (hurrah!!!!)

              Billie Burke comedienne (Glinda-Wizard of Oz), dies at 84  (1970)

              Rita Hayworth, actress, dies of Alzheimer's disease at 68  (1987)

              Frank [Francis Albert] Sinatra (Ol' Blue Eyes) singer/actor, dies from heart & kidney disease, bladder cancer, senility at 82 (1998)            

May 15:

Born:     Trini Lopez, Trinidad, singer/guitarist (If I Had a Hammer, Lemon Tree)  (1937)

              Lenny Welch, singer Asbury Park NJ (1938)

Events:   Taxes took 25% of earnings in US (1960)

              "For Your Love," is The Yardbirds' first hit. (1965)

              "Mr. Tambourine Man," written by Bob Dylan, is The Byrds first hit. (1965)

              Paul McCartney & John Lennon appear on Johnny Carson Show to promote Apple records, Joe Garagiola is the substitute host (1968)

              Beatles' last LP, "Let It Be" is released in US (1970)

              June Carter dies. (2003)

May 16:

Born:     Barbara Lee, The Chiffons (1947)

Events:  Gordon Cooper completes 22 orbits in Faith 7, ends US Project Mercury (1963)

             Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" is released (1966)

             Margaret Hamilton actress (Wicked Witch-Wizard of Oz), dies from a heart attack at 82 (1985)

             Jim Henson muppeteer (Sesame Street, Muppet Show), dies of pneumonia at 53 (1990)

             Sammy Davis Jr, entertainer (Golden Boy), dies from throat cancer at 64 (1990)

             Marv Johnson,  US soul singer (You Got What it Takes), dies at 54 (1993)

May 17:

Born:    Dennis Hopper, Dodge City KS, actor (True Grit, Blue Velvet, Easy Rider) (1936)

            Pervis Jackson rocker (Spinners) (1938)

Events: Castro offers to exchange Bay of Pigs prisoners for 500 bulldozers (1961)

            Dylan's 1965 UK Tour is released as the film "Don't Look Back" (1967)

            Baltimore, Cleveland & Pittsburgh agree to go from NFC to the AFC in the NFL (1969)

May 18:

Born:     Perry Como, singer (1912)

              Pernell Roberts Waycross GA, actor (Adam Cartwright-Bonanza) (1928)

              Glen Hardin Texas, rocker (Crickets) (1939)

              Diane McBain, Cleveland OH, actress (Surfside Six, Spinout) (1941)      

              Albert Hammond, singer (It Never Rains in Southern California) (1942)

              Bill Wallace, rocker (Guess Who) (1949)

Events:   The Beatles begin their first national United Kingdom tour, headlined by Roy Orbison. (1963)

              "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul hits #1 (1963)

               Supreme Court rules unconstitutional to deprive naturalized citizens of citizenship if they return to home country for more than 3 years (1964)

              Daws Butler cartoon voice (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound), dies at 71 (1988)

              Lawrence Welk bandleader (Calcutta) (L Welk Show), dies of pneumonia at 89 (1992)

              Elizabeth Montgomery actress (Bewitched), dies of cancer at 62 (1995)

May 19:

Born:   Malcolm X [Little] Omaha NE  (1925) 

           Nancy Kwan Hong Kong, actress (Flower Drum Song, World of Suzie Wong) (1939)  

           Peter [Dennis Blandford] Townshend (1945)

           Jerry Hyman, Blood, Sweat and Tears (1947)

Events: Alan Freed & eight other DJs accused of taking radio payola (1960)

            US diplomats find at least 40 secret microphones in the Moscow embassy (1964)

            US bombs Hanoi (1964)

            Jacqueline [Lee Bouvier] Kennedy Onassis 1st lady (1961-63), dies of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at 64 (1994)

May 20:

Born:  Jill "Paula" Jackson McCamey TX, singer (Paul & Paula-Hey Paula) (1942)

          Joe Cocker (1944)

          Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre] El Centro CA, rocker/actress (Sonny & Cher) (1945)

Events:  Amendment to give 18-year-olds right to vote is defeated (1954)

             "Windy" by The Association charts. (1967)

              US troop capture Hill 937/Hamburger Hill Vietnam (1969)

              Walter Winchell columnist/narrator (Untouchables), dies at 75 (1972)

May 21:

Born:     Ronald Isley, (The Isley Brothers) (1941)       

             Hilton Valentine, The Animals (1943)

             Marcie Blane, singer (Bobby's Girl) (1944)

             Leo Sayer, singer (1948)

            Nick Cassavetés actor (Rosemary's Baby) (1959)

Events:   "Solitary Man" is Neil Diamond's first hit. (1966)

May 22:

Born:  Kenny Ball,  rocker (Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - Midnight in Moscow) (1931)

          Peter Nero New York NY, conductor/pianist (1934)

          Richard Benjamin New York NY, director/actor (Goodbye Columbus) (1938)

          Barbara Parkins Vancouver British Columbia, actress (Betty-Peyton Place) (1942)

Events:  1st revolving restaurant (Top Of The Space Needle in Seattle), opens (1961)

             "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie K-Doe hits #1 (1961)

              LBJ presents "Great Society" (1964)

              "Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious" song from "Mary Poppins" hits #66 (1965)

              Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" single goes #1 (1965)

              "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" debuts on NET (now PBS) (1967)

May 23:

Born:    Rosemary Clooney Maysville KY, singer/actress, (1928)

           General George Norman Johnson, Chairmen of the Board (1943)

            Linda Thompson Memphis TN, actress (Hee Haw) (1950)

Events: The Who release the rock opera "Tommy"  (1969)

May 24:

Born:     Bob Dylan [Robert Allen Zimmerman] (1941)

             Tony Valentino rocker (Standells-Dirty Water) (1941)

             Frank Oz Muppeteer (Grover, Yoda) (1943)

             Gary Burghoff Bristol CT, actor (Radar-MASH) (1943)

             Patti LaBelle, singer (1944)

             Priscilla Presley Brooklyn NY (1945)

Events:  1st house with built-in bomb shelter exhibited (Pleasant Hills PA) (1959)

              27 Freedom Riders arrested in Jackson MS (1961)

              Beatles' 3rd appearance on Ed Sullivan (1964)

              Supreme Court declares federal law allowing post office to intercept communist propaganda is unconstitutional (1965)

             Duke Ellington composer/bandleader/pianist, dies of cancer at 75 (1974)

             Gene Clark folk-rocker (Byrds) dies at 49 (1991)

May 25:

Born:     Claude Akins, Nelson GA, actor (1918) 

             Hal David, songwriter (1921)

             Miles Davis, muscian, (1926)

             Leslie Uggams New York NY, singer/actress (Leslie Uggams Show, Roots) (1943)

             Jessi Colter, singer (1947)

             Karen Valentine Santa Rosa CA, actress (Love American Style, Room 222) (1947)

Events:  Supreme Court rules that Louisiana prohibiting black-white boxing is unconstitutional (1959)

            JFK sets goal of putting a man on Moon before the end of decade (1961)

            Isley Brothers release "Twist & Shout" (1962)

            Supreme Court rules closing schools to avoid desegregation unconstitutional (1964)

           John Lennon takes delivery of his psychedelic painted Rolls Royce (1967)

           "Unicorn" by The Irish Rovers hits #7 (1968)

           The movie "Midnight Cowboy" released with an X rating (1969)   

 May 26:

Born:     John Wayne [Marion Morrison] (1908)

             Miles Davis Alton IL, jazz trumpeter/pioneered cool jazz (Porgy & Bess) (1926)

             Garry Peterson rocker (Guess Who) (1945)

             Stevie Nicks, singer, performed with Fleetwood Mac (1948)

             Hank Williams Jr Shreveport LA, country singer (1949)

Events:   John and Yoko start a "Bed-In For Peace" and record "Give Peace A Chance" intheir room at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. (1969)

             Sydney Pollock, American film maker, (The Way We Were) dies at age 73 (2008)

May 27:

Born:      Lee Meriwether Los Angeles CA, Miss America (Time Tunnel, Barnaby Jones) (1935)

              Ramsey Lewis Chicago IL, pop jazz artist (1935)

             Cilla Black, singer  (1943)

Events:  1st black light is sold (1961)

             Little Willie John, rocker, (Talk to Me, Talk to Me, Fever) dies at 30 (1968)

             Jerry Lewis Show second run, last airs on NBC-TV (1969)

             Walt Disney World construction begins in Orlando, Florida (1969)

May 28:

Born:     Carroll Baker Johnstown PA, actress (1931)

             Gladys Knight, singer (1944)

             John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival (1945)

             Sondra Locke Shelbyville TN, actress (1947)

Events:   "Quarter to Three" by Gary U.S. Bonds charts. (1961)

              American League announces it is splitting into 2 divisions (1968)

              National League grants San Diego Padres a franchise (1968)

              Audie Murphy, WW II War Hero, Congressional Medal of Honor, actor, dies at 46 (1971)

              Roy Roberts actor (Petticoat Junction, Lucy Show), dies at 75 (1975) 

May 29:

Born:     Bob Hope (1903)                        

            Gary Brooker, Procol Harum (1945)

            Mike Rossi rocker (Status Quo) (1945)

Events:  Everly Brothers "Cathy's Clown" hits #1 (1960)

            Bob Crane, actor (Donna Reed Show, Hogan-Hogan's Heroes), dies at 49 (1978)

            Harvey Korman, actor, comedian (Carol Burnett Show, Blazing Saddles) dies at age 81 (2008)

May 30:

Born:  Clint Walker Hartford IL, actor (Kodiak, Cheyenne, Dirty Dozen) (1927)  

          Lenny Davidson, The Dave Clark Five (1942)

Events:   "Memphis" becomes Johnny Rivers's first hit. (1964)

              Robert "Evel" Knievel's motorcycle jumps 16 automobiles (1967)

              Beatles begin work on their only double album "The Beatles"  (1968)

May 31:

Born:     Clint Eastwood (Rawhide and numerous theatrical movies) (1930)

             Johnny Paycheck Greenfield OH, singer (Take This Job & Shove It) (1941)

             Joe Namath Beaver Falls PA, NFL QB (New York Jets), the $400,000 man (1969 Superbowl) (1943)

             John Bonham, Led Zeppelin (1948)

Events:  Chuck Berry's amusement park, Berryland in St Louis, opens (1961)

             Adolf Eichmann war criminal, hanged for crimes against Jews in WWII at Ramie Prison in Israel at 56 (1962)

              "Tell It To Groucho" last airs on CBS-TV (1962)

              "Gitarzan" by Ray Stevens peaks at #8 (1969)

              John Lennon & Yoko Ono record "Give Peace a Chance" (1969)

              Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amour" (1969)         

             Timothy Francis Leary, Harvard professor/LSD guru, dues of cancer at 75 (1996)

             Rosie Will Monroe WWII icon (Rosie the Riveter), dies at 76 (1997)