DEATHS
2003 Arthur Conley who recorded the 1967 hit, “Sweet Soul Music” died at his home in the town of Ruurlo in the eastern Netherlands. The 57 year old singer had been suffering from intestinal cancer and had grown progressively weak in recent weeks.

2003 songwriter Don Gibson dies aged 75 in Nashville. His song “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was recorded by over 700 artists, including Ray Charles.

2006 Ruth Brown, R&B singer, Oh What A Dream

SPORTS
1968 - NBC-TV cut away from the final minutes of a New York Jets-Oakland Raiders game to begin a TV special, “Heidi,” on schedule. The Raiders came from behind to beat the Jets 43-32.

ENTERTAINMENT
1952 - Elvis Presley and his family were evicted from the Memphis Housing Authority property called Lauderdale Courts. They were evicted for making too much money. They had moved into the apartment in September, 1949.

1958 - The Kingston Trio led the US hit parade with a century-old folk song called “Tom Dooley”. Although this popular group would place nine more songs in the US Top 40, this would be their only number one.

1958 - DJ Alan Freed learns today that his trial for inciting a riot has been postponed until January of next year. The riot occurred during a Boston rock show he was promoting in May. Prosecutors explain that the delay is because they are investigating allegations that Freed broke Massachusetts’ anti-anarchy laws.

1962 - “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by The Four Seasons was at number 1 on the U.S. singles chart for the first of five weeks. It was their second single in a row to take over the top for 5 weeks. Songwriters Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio were inspired to write the song after they heard Clark Gable use the phase “big girls don’t cry” in a movie.

1963 - John Weightman, the Headmaster of a Surrey Grammar School, banned all students from having Beatle haircuts. In announcing his decision he said “this ridiculous style brings out the worst in boys physically. It makes them look like morons.”

1963 - Mick Jagger and Keith Richards meet singer Gene Pitney at a taping of the British pop program Thank Your Lucky Stars. They give him their song “That Girl Belongs to Yesterday.” Improbably, the song is a hit in both America and the U.K. But it’s a year before Jagger and Richards begin writing songs for their own group.

1992 - After a long battle to claim royalties, Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago of Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers received an estimated $4 million in back payments from the song “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”.

BILLBOARD NUMBER ONE SONG
1964 … “Baby Love” by The Supremes
1963 … “I’m Leaving It Up to You” by Dale & Grace
1962 … “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by The Four Seasons
1961 … “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean
1960 … “Stay” by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs