Producer

Donald Firth Law is born in Leytonstone, London, UK. Better known as Don Law, he will become a successful music producer and executive. After moving to the USA, he will produce Robert Johnson's only recordings, and as head of Columbia Records' country music division he will work with many leading musicians including Bob Wills, Carl Smith, Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash.

The Southern Syncopated Orchestra, a large American jazz ensemble featuring young clarinettist Sidney Bechet, plays for the Prince Of Wales at Buckingham Palace, London, England, UK, Europe.

Paul Allen Rothchild is born in Brooklyn, New York City, USA. he will find success as music producer Paul Rothchild, working with The Doors, Janis Joplin, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and many others.

Angus Boyd Dudgeon is born in Woking, Surrey, England, UK. He will find success as record producer and musical arranger Gus Dudgeon, highly respected for his work with Elton John, David Bowie, Joan Armatrading and others.

Richard Allen Wagner is born in Oelwein, Iowa, USA. He will find success as guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist Dick Wagner, known for his work with The Bossmen, The Frost, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Kiss and others.

William Anthony Colon is born in New York City, USA. He will achieve considerable success as salsa trombonist, singer, songwriter and producer Willie Colon.

Robert George Johnston is born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. he will find success as a musician, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and arranger working under the name Georgie Fab.

Robert B. Rivkin is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He will find success as drummer and record producer Bobby Z, best known as a member of Prince's band.

Multi-instrumentalist and record producer Maartin Alcock is born in Middleton, Greater Manchester, UK. He is best-known as a member of the folk group Fairport Convention.

Jazz, doo-woop, R'n'B and Rock'n'Roll music producer John Dolphin, aka Lovin John and The Toast of the Coast, is murdered aged 55 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Dolphin is murdered behind the desk of his office in Hollywood by frustrated singer and shipping clerk Percy Ivy. His murder is witnessed by young musicians Bruce Johnston, Sandy Nelson and Dave Shostac, who were trying to get Dolphin interested in their music. In a long career, Dolphin worked with, among others, Sam Cooke, Jesse Belvin, Charles Mingus, Pee Wee Crayton, Major Lance, Scatman Crothers, Harry Caesar, Tony Allen, Gene Forrest , Percy Mayfield, Damita Jo, Marvin Phillips, Jesse Belvin, Illinois Jacquet and Linda Hayes. He was also a political activist, organising campaigns against racial intimidation in the music business.

Jan Berry of Jan And Dean makes a personal payment of $968.48 from his bank account to his partner Dean. He also makes a payment of $300.00 to their manager/producer Lou Adler.

Kitty Wells, with producer Owen Bradley, records Jealousy, Three Ways (To Love You), I Heard The Jukebox Playing, A Wedding Ring Ago, Touch And Go Heart and Searching (For Someone Like You), in Columbia Recording Studios, 804 16th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

The Beach Boys play at Surf Of The Four Seasons (aka Surf Ballroom), Clear Lake, Iowa, USA.

Phil Spector is producing tracks for his album A Christmas Gift For You (aka The Phil Spector Christmas Album) in Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys drops in today, and plays piano on Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

The Shirelles, Duane Eddy, Gene Vincent, Carter-Lewis And The Southerners, Mickie Most, The Flintstones and The Roof Raisers play at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, England, UK, Europe.

Brook Benton, with Shelby Singleton as producer, records After Midnight, Going Going Gone, Daddy Knows and So Little Time for Mercury Records in Columbia Recording Studio, 804 16th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

The Drifters record One Way Love and Vaya Con Dios with producer Bert Berns at Atlantic Studios in New York City, USA, for Atlantic Records

Quincy Jones records the Henry Mancini compositions Moon River and Days Of Wine And Roses, for the album Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini, for Mercury Records in New York City, USA.

Dance, Dance, Dance by The Beach Boys peaks at No8 in the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in the USA.

The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and The Righteous Brothers play at Legion Field Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Rod Stewart records The Day Will Come, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, London, England, UK, Europe, with producer Tony Palmer.

Sonny's Group, led by Sonny Bono of Sonny And Cher, records The Revolution Kind and Georgia And John Quetzal for Atco Records in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Norma Jean, with Bob Ferguson as producer, records Throw Your Hat In First, Heaven Help The Working Girl, Your Alibi Called Today, Try Being Lonely and other tracks at RCA Victor Studio, 800 17th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The band on the session features George McCormick and Pete Wade [gtrs], Buck Trent [banjo], Pete D rake [steel],Junior Huskey, [bass], Jerry Carrigan [drums], Hargus "Pig" Robbins [piano] and Mack Magaha [fiddle].

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band play a live session for deejay John Peel at the BBC in London, England, UK, Europe. Due to Musicians' Union restrictions on American rock bands playing live on UK radio, Peel's producer is obliged to dupe the Ministr y Of Labour into issuing a 'variety act' licence by describing the quintet as a touring group of magicians. During the session, Beefheart insists on performing while lying flat on his back, so a microphone has to be rigged up specially to catch the sound of his voice.

Sonny Bono of hippy pop duo Sonny And Cher writes in his diary, "It's a new year, and I think it's going to be a different year. It's time, not just for us, but for all people. For some reason I feel I have been chosen to fight for the salvation of Man."

Muddy Waters, plus an all-star band including guitarist Mike Bloomfield and harmonica player Paul Butterfield of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Donald "Duck" Dunn of Booker T And The MGs and Sam Lay, spend the last of three days recording tracks with producer Norman Dayron for the album Fathers And Sons at Ter-Mar Studio, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

UK pop paper Melody Maker reports that Lulu has parted company with producer Mickie Most.

Brian Wilson performs Back Home, from the Beach Boys' latest album 15 Big Ones, on the Mike Douglas Show on tv in the USA.

Prince plays at The Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, but the venue is far from full and reactions to his overtly sexual stage antics are mixed.

Singer, Guitarist and Producer Dave 'Brownsound' Baksh, of Sum 41 and Organ Thieves, is born in Ajax, Ontario, Canada.

Dennis Wilson, drummer of The Beach Boys, drowns while swimming near his boat moored at Marina Del Rey, California, USA.

When Prince’s Lovesexy tour arrives at McNicolls Arena, Denver, Colorado, USA, the Denver Post reviewer is surprised when Prince comes over all holy and reveals to the audience that he is in love "not with a girl or boy, but with the heavens above" and goes on to explain that "God is alive inside us. He just wants to come out and play."

On his Nude Tour, Prince plays at The Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden, Europe.

Thieves In The Temple by Prince peaks at No7 in the UK singles chart.

Prince plays the second of eight nights at Earls Court, London, England, UK.

Prince announces that he has changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, apparently as a protest against the unfairness of his record company contract. Before long, he will be commonly referred to as TAFKAP - an acronym standing for The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.

While in the midst of a very public and heated dispute with his record company, Warner Bros, Prince releases his fifteenth LP Come, which is basically a compilation of previously unreleased tracks.

SBTRKT play at The O2 Academy, Bristol, England, UK.

G-Easy plays at The First Bank Center, Denver, Colorado, USA.

Charlie Puth performs on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on tv in the USA.

Grimes releases a new single, Kill V. Maim, on 4AD Records.

Diplo and Don Pablo play at Makuhari Messe in Mukahari Messe, Chiba-shi, Japan, Asia.