Eagle Classic Hitstory December 5 on birminghamseagle.com

On This Day in Eagle Classic Hitstory...

December 5

1935
Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) is born in Macon, Ga., the son of a minister.
Little Richard "Tutti Frutti"

1938
Guitarist J.J. Cale is born in Oklahoma City. Eric Clapton made hits out of two of Cale's songs - "After Midnight" and "Cocaine."

1947
Jim Messina, guitarist for Loggins and Messina and Buffalo Springfield, is born in Maywood, Calif.

1955
At the BMI Annual Awards Dinner in New York City, R&B songs win an unprecendented eleven (out of 23) awards. Among the feted songs are: "Maybeline," "I Hear You Knockin'," "Pledging My Love," "Sincerely," "Earth Angel," "Dance With Me, Henry," and "Only You."

1960
Billboard reports five "answer records" to Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" have been released. Four of them are versions of the same song, "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight." The other is the standard "Oh How I Miss You Tonight."
Elvis Presley "Are You Lonesome HAHAHA Tonight?"

1968
Five months after its originally scheduled release date, the Rolling Stones unveil Beggar's Banquet in an uncontroversial white cover designed to resemble a formal invitation. A London party to celebrate the release lives up to the album title when a custard pie fight breaks out.

1968
Graham Nash quits the Hollies. He announces the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash three days later.

1975
Fleetwood Mac's tenth album goes gold and is on its way to platinum. This is the first album by the regrouped band, including founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, veteran Christine McVie, and newcomers Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. The album contains the tunes "Rhiannon," "Say You Love Me," and "Over My Head."
Fleetwood Mac "Rhiannon"

1975
Gratitude, a double album by Earth, Wind & Fire becomes their fifth album to go gold.

1993
Ex-Gin Blossoms lead guitarist Douglas Hopkins shoots and kills himself at his home in Tempe, Ariz. He is 32. Hopkins was fired from the band the previous year because of his drinking habit.

1997
Toni Braxton files suit against LaFace Records and its distributor Arista Records, maintaining that her 1989 recording contracts are invalid.

1997
Police in Nagoya, Japan, arrest Carl Edward Hunter, manager of Ray Charles, on suspicion of marijuana possession.

1999
Deana Carter is the grand marshal of the Nashville Gas Christmas Parade. More than 80,000 spectators turn out for the locally televised event, a holiday tradition.

2000
A new song inspired by a soldier’s act of mercy in the Kosovo conflict is among 24 tracks included on ex-Pink Floyd principal Roger Waters' new live album In The Flesh.

2002
Former Hee-Haw star Roy Clark, playing Santa Claus, loses his big red pants at the annual Pageant of Peace Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the White House. Clark's Santa pants slowly slide off during his performance of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Thankfully, Clark is wearing his own trousers underneath the ill-fitting costume.

2002
In a televised plea, pop diva Whitney Houston's ailing father, who had earlier sued his daughter for $100 million calls for his daughter to settle the case.

2002
Jazz bassist Arvell Shaw dies at his home in Long Island, N.Y., of an apparent heart attack. He is 79.

2002
Jazz saxophonist Bob Berg dies in Amagansett, N.Y., when a cement truck collides with his vehicle. He is 51. Inclement weather is a major factor in the accident. Berg’s wife, Arja, also suffers multiple injuries, but is not killed.

2002
Legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz undergoes emergency surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital after complaining of ill health the day before.

2004
The all-star remake of "Do They Know It's Christmas" (Mercury) easily debuts at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart. Although the Band Aid 20 track comes nowhere near the first-week sales of its 1984 predecessor, it sells 292,000 copies, including two purchased by Prime Minister Tony Blair at an HMV store in Edinburgh.

December 5