Eagle Classic Hitstory July 3 on birminghamseagle.com

On This Day in Eagle Classic Hitstory...

July 3

1957
Laura Branigan is born in Brewster, N.Y. Her biggest hit is "Gloria," a millionselling record that stays at No. 2 for three weeks in 1982.

1960
Elvis’ dad, Vernon Presley, announces he will remarry, less than two years after the death of Elvis’ beloved mother, Gladys.

1960
Vince Clarke, songwriter with Depeche Mode, Yaz, and Erasure, is born in Basildon, England.

1964
Attendees at Hawaii’s Million Dollar Man Party include the Beach Boys, Peter & Gordon, and the Kingsmen. No, we have no idea what it is, either.

1967
Beatles John, George, and Paul turn up at a party thrown in the Monkees’ honor in London.

1969
Former Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones is found dead in his swimming pool at his Cotchford Farm, Hartfield, England home. Rumours of suicide and murder begin. The coroner cites high levels of alcohol and barbituates in his blood and attributes the drowning to "misadventure."

1969
Some 78,000 people show up for this year’s Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island. The big crowd may have had a bit to do with the non-jazz headliners James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter, and Blood, Sweat & Tears.

1969
John Lennon holds a press conference to announce the release of “Give Peace a Chance,” but can’t show up as he and Yoko are recovering from a car crash in Scotland. Ringo fills in instead.

1970
The 3-day Atlanta Pop Festival opens at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia. The crowd of 200,000 hears and sees Jimi Hendrix play his version of "The Star Spangled Banner" as well as the debut of the Allman Brothers Band. Two days later, Georgia Governor Lester Maddox says he will seek legislation banning rock festivals in the state.

1971
Singer, songwriter and poet for the Doors, Jim Morrison, dies of a heart attack. He was found in his bathtub in Paris. News of his death wasn't made public until days after his burial in a Paris cemetary.

1973
David Bowie ends a 60-date tour with a show at the Hammersmith Odeon. Right before the encore he shocks the crowd by saying, "This night shall always be special in my memory. Not only is it the last show of my British tour...but it is the last show I will ever do." He brings the show down with "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide." His retirement lasts until next June.

1975
Bob Dylan joins Ramblin’ Jack Elliott onstage during his show at Greenwich Village’s Other End.

1975
Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night is arrested for cocaine possesion. He was picked up in his Louisville hotel room on the opening night of the group's tour. The charge is dropped in October when a Kentucky court determines the warrant used for the bust was granted on the basis of "unfounded information."

1976
The Manhattans enter the pop chart with "Kiss and Say Goodbye." It climbs to #1 and stays on the pop charts for 26 weeks.

1977
No. 1 Hit: "Undercover Angel," Alan O’Day.

1981
Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman releases the single “(Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star” on his own label. When it goes to No. 1 in Europe, Wyman becomes the Stone with the most successful solo career.

1981
On the 10th annivesary of Jim Morrison's death, the remaining Doors members, Robbie Kreiger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore lead fans in a graveside tribute in the Paris cemetary where Morrison is buried.

1982
The Stray Cats Built for Speed and Men at Work's Business as Usual enter the album charts. The albums become two of the biggest selling albums of the year. The Stray Cats have 2 big hits, "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut" while Men at Work make some money with "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Down Under."

1986
Depression era singer and bandleader Rudy Vallee dies. His biggest hit is "Stein Song (University of Maine)" in 1930.

1988
No. 1 Hit: "The Flame," Cheap Trick.

1995
Courtney Love's request to spread the ashes of late husband Kurt Cobain is rejected by Seattle's Lake View Cemetary, who say they've already got their hands full with people wanting to see Bruce and Brandon Lee's gravesites.

1995
Stone Temple Pilots lead singer Scott Weiland pleads innocent to drug charges.

1998
Bob Dylan plays the 1,000th show on the “Neverending Tour” at the 32nd annual Montreux Jazz Festival.

1999
John Michael Montgomery provides pre-race entertainment for the NASCAR Winston Cup PEPSI 400 race at Daytona International Speedway.

2000
DirecTV broadcasts the 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz, with Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon in sync on the alternate Second Audio Program (SAP). While no one involved with Pink Floyd has ever admitted to any link between the bands seminal 1973 album and the classic film, urban legend purports that the album was conceived as an alternate soundtrack to Dorothy’s adventures in Oz. "Dark Side of the Rainbow" (also known as Dark Side of Oz or The Wizard of Floyd) is the name used to refer to the act of listening to the 1973 Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon while watching the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz for moments where the film and the album appear to correspond with each other. The title of the music video-like experience comes from a combination of the album title and the film’s song "Over the Rainbow." It is also a reference to the rainbow from a prism design on the cover of the Pink Floyd album.

2001
Country songwriter and Grand Ole Opry member Johnny Russell dies of complications relating to diabetes in a hospital outside Nashville. He is 61.

2003
The White Stripes’ Jack White (the talented one with the guitar) announces he’s producing tracks for C&W legend Loretta Lynn. Told you he was talented.