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1937
The Hindenburg airship crashes in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 people. A photograph of the disaster is later used as the cover art for Led Zeppelin’s first album.

1942
Larry Taylor, bassist with Canned Heat, is born in Brooklyn, N.Y.

1943
Billy Davis Jr. of the Fifth Dimension is born in St. Louis.

1943
Keyboardist with Van Morrison and a British chart-topper with his own “Yeh Yeh,” Georgie Fame is born in Lancashire, England.

1955
Guitarist and vocalist Mick Jones of the Clash is born.

1955
Decca Records announces Bill Haley & The Comets have sold more than 3 million records in thirteen months. Both "Rock Around The Clock" and "Shake Rattle & Roll" have sold a million copies, while "Dim, Dim the Lights" and "Mambo Rock" have sold about 500,000.

1956
Chris Isaak, author and singer of “Wicked Game,” is born in Stockton, California.

1956
In a LOOK magazine article entitled, "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Controversy," swing band leader Benny Goodman comments about rock 'n' roll, "I guess it's okay, man. At least it has a beat."

1957
Singer Patty Smyth (”Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”) is born in New York.

1963
George Michael (Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou) of Wham! is born in Finchley, London. He scores his biggest hit as a solo artist in 1987 with "Faith," a million-selling No. 1.

1963
Lennon and McCartney write "She Loves You" in a hotel room in Newcastle, England.

1964
Moody Blues is formed by Mike Pinder. Famous for the song "Nights in white Satin."

1964
After it was leaked to radio, United Artists Records releases A Hard Day’s Night, the first Beatles album made up of their own compositions.

1965
The Byrds go to No. 1 with "Mr. Tambourine Man." Bob Dylan wrote this classic.

1966
The Rolling Stones play San Francisco’s Cow Palace, with Jefferson Airplane and Sop with Camel opening.

1966
In the midst of a German tour, the Beatles make a long-awaited return to Hamburg, the city where they got their start performing in local clubs. This time they come back in an eight-car motorcade and play to 7,000 people at Ernst Mercky Halle.

1967
At the height of the "Summer of Love," the Mothers of Invention release Absolutely Free, a dark-themed album from the anti-establishment mind of bandleader Frank Zappa.

1968
Beatles open their Apple Corporation office at 95 Wigmore Street, London.

1973
Police raid Keith Richards’ home in Cheyne Walk, London. They discover guns, ammunition, Mandrax, and Chinese heroin. The Rolling Stones guitarist is arrested with his girlfriend Anita Pallenberg.

1973
Singer Marsha Hunt files a paternity suit against Mick Jagger, claiming he is the father of her 2-year-old daughter. She later loses the case.

1975
Bob Dylan officially releases the long-bootlegged Basement Tapes.

1975
Sonny and Cher’s divorce is made final. Cher marries Gregg Allman four days later.

1976
Legendary ’70s group Roxy Music announce they will undergo a "trial separation."

1977
Elvis Presley’s final concert. Market Square Arena, Indianapolis.

1979
Vernon Presley, Elvis’ father, dies of a heart attack at age 63.

1980
The Rolling Stones release Emotional Rescue and hold a party at New York’s Danceteria.

1987
MTV chooses Kevin Seal as an MTV VJ from more than 1250 college students who entered MTV’s nationwide campus VJ search.

1993
Isley Brother Ron Isley marries Angela Winbush.

1994
VH1 holds its first VH1 Honors special. Featured artists are Melissa Etheridge, Kenny G, Michael Bolton, James Taylor, and Garth Brooks.

1995
This year’s Polar Music Prize winner is Elton John and Mstislav Rostropovich. The balladeer and the legendary cellist share Sweden’s most prestigious music award.

1998
Italian director Stefano Salvati sues Madonna, claiming that her "Ray of Light" video is stolen from a clip he shot in 1994 for local pop star Biagio Antonacci.

1998
Marcy Playground debuts the video for its current single, “Saint Joe On The Schoolbus,” on the web. The clip, directed by British production team Hammer and Tongs, premieres on Capitol Records’ website.

1999
Sugar Ray kicks off the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games with a performance during the Opening Ceremonies.

2000
Oasis release a statement saying that songwriter Noel Gallagher has left the band’s European tour. It’s believed he had fought with brother and bandmate Liam over his drinking.

2000
Eminem is scheduled to give his deposition in a $10 million civil suit filed by his mother, Deborah Mathers-Briggs. She claims her rapping son has insulted her in songs and interviews.

2003
Rock behemoths Deep Purple are deluged with emails after announcing their new album will be called Bananas. Fans are irate over the ridiculous name.

2004
Willie Nelson is joined by Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, Kid Rock, Toby Keith, and Merle Haggard at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre to tape a concert special for USA Network.

2004
Ex-Smiths singer Morrissey kicks off his live solo comeback with the first of five sold-out shows at New York’s Apollo Theatre.

2005
Nine Inch Nails close the Coachella Festival in California. Other performers during the day included New Order, The Bravery, and Mos Def.

2006
Guitar legend Johnny Jenkins, who worked with Otis Redding in the early days, dies today.

2006
California punk trio Supernova sue the makers of the CBS reality show Rock Star: Supernova, alleging their name has been unfairly appropriated for the singer-less Tommy Lee/Jason Newsted/Gilby Clarke combo.

2006
Boston Metallica wannabes Godsmack top the U.S. album charts with their fourth album, cleverly titled IV.

12008
Coldplay appear on Comedy Central's Daily Show, having the the number one album in the US.

June 26 Birthdays

• Abner Doubleday 1819
• Sidney Howard 1891
• Pearl S. Buck 1892
• William P. Lear 1902
• Peter Lorre 1904
• Col. Tom Parker 1909
• Roy Plunkett 1910
• Richard Maltby 1914
• Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1914
• Charlotte Zolotow 1915
• Eleanor Parker 1922
• Frances Rafferty 1922
• Dave Grusin 1934
• Billy Davis ( The 5th Dimension) 1940
• Larry Taylor (Canned Heat) 1942
• Pamela Bellwood 1943
• Georgie Fame (Clive Powell) 1943
• Mick Jones (Clash, Big Audio Dynomite) 1955
• Chris Isaak 1956
• Patty Smyth 1957
• Greg LeMond 1961
• Terri Nunn (Berlin) 1961
• Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays) 1963
• Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) 1969
• Chris O'Donnell 1970
• Jason Schwartzman 1980
• Kaitlin Cullum 1986

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