Food

The official opening of Scott Joplin’s first opera, A Guest of Honor, is aborted because the score and costumes have been confiscated. Joplin's manager, Frank W. Meiser, had absconded with funds needed to pay a boarding house bill. The opera, with a cast of thirty, is believed to have been about Booker T. Washington’s dinner at Theodore Roosevelt’s White House, and was scheduled to be performed in fifteen towns and cities.

Ocarina virtuoso Bernie Ladd records Potato Salad and Sweet Not Sour for Decca Records in the USA.

Count Basie And His Orchestra, with vocalist Helen Humes, record Sing For Your Supper and the Cole Porter song My Heart Belongs To Daddy, in New York City, USA.

Two hundred and nine negroes including bandleader Walter Barnes and nine members of his dance orchestra, are killed when the Rhythm Night Club in Natchez, Mississippi, USA, burns down. According to an eyewitness, "Everyone was trying to get out and crushing each other as the fire was burning them. All were crying and yelling and after a while I could smell the burning meat. I hope I never see anything like it again." Howlin' Wolf will commemorate this disaster in his song The Natchez Burning.

Lee Wiley, accompanied by Muggsy Spanier on cornet and Jess Stacy on piano, records Down To Steamboat Tennessee and Sugar, in New York City, USA. for Commodore Records.

The Raffles Orchestra plays for a 'Special Dinner And Dance' at The Raffles Hotel, Singapore, Asia.

Duke Ellington plays at The 400 Restaurant, New York City, USA.

Bandleader Karl King is honoured with a surprise testimonial dinner held in the Savory Hotel, Des Moines, Iowa, USA, with congressman James Dolliver presiding. Two hundred and fifty guests attend, including Paul Yoder, Glenn Cliff Bainum, and A.A. Harding. Governor William Beardsley presents a plaque declaring King to be the foremost composer of band music and an inspiration to millions of young musicians.

Bill Monroe releases a new single, Sugar Coated Love/Highway of Sorrow, on Decca Records in the USA.

When Tennessee Ernie Ford plays at The Civilian Employees Club, Honolulu Airport, Honoloulu, Hawaii, USA, his performance is so brief that patrons leave the venue in protest. The venue's usual $1400 income from food drops down to $500, and a $5000 damages lawsuit will be filed against the show's promoter Ralph Yempuku.

Walter 'Duke' Leonard buys The Tradewinds Lounge in St Augustine, Florida, USA. Under his ownership, it will become the city's leading music venue, featuring acts including Jimmy Buffett, The Coasters, The Platters and The Byrds.

The Gary McFarland Orchestra records How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Grand Old Ivy and Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm, in New York City, USA, for Verve Records. The tracks will appear on the album The Jazz Version Of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

Dee Dee Sharp performs yet another teen dance craze hit, Mashed Potato Time, on daily tv pop show American Bandstand, recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. (1962)

Mashed Potato Time by Dee Dee Sharp peaks at No2 in the Canadian pop singles chart. (1962)

Three popular singers, Petula Clark, Francoise Hardy and Rosy Arme, are presented with chocolate discs which they eat at a specially-arranged photo session.

The Beatles meet with EMI Chairman Sir Joseph Lockwood for lunch in the company's boardroom in Manchester Square, London, England, UK, Europe. A presentation of several Silver Discs is made to The Beatles, including the albums Please Please Me and With The Beatles, even though the latter has not yet been released.

Herbie Mann And His Big Band record Soul Montuno, Spanish Grits, Esta Bien and Soul Guajira for Atlantic Records in New York City, USA.

My Boy Lollipop by Millie reaches No1 in the Australian pop singles chart.

Georgie Fame And The Blue Flames play at The Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex, UK.

Ken Curtis records Phooey On You Little Darlin', Cornbread And Buttermilk and Golly Bill, in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

The Byrds play at The Corn Exchange, Bristol, England, UK, and appear on the tv show Discs A Go-Go.

Atomic Rooster, supported by Hard Meat, play at Mothers, Erdington, Birmingham, UK.

During a tour of the Far East, The Osmonds have lunch at Raffles Hotel, Singapore, Asia.

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA] is incorporated. PETA's work in alerting the world to the suffering of animals, usually as part of our food chain, has influenced and/or inspired many artists to compose songs on the same theme, notably The Smiths' Meat is Murder [1985], Nirvana's Something In The Way [1991] and NOFX's Clams Have Feelings Too [2000].

Your Dinner play at The Griffin Hotel, March, England, UK, Europe.

Elvis Presley is inducted posthumously into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, at the event's inaugural dinner in the Waldorf-Astoria, New York City, USA.

Chuck Berry is inducted into the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame, at the 17th Annual Awards Dinner in the Hotel Plaza, New York City, USA.

Former Beatles' members George Harrison and Ringo Starr join Paul McCartney for dinner and a planning meeting at his home in Cavendish Avenue, St John's Wood, London, England, UK, Europe.

David Crosby of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young, spends the day promoting his new album, Yes I Can, in London, England, UK, Europe. He appears on ITV's breakfast show and conducts media interviews at The Halcyon Hotel, Holland Park. (The image appearing with this entry is half of journalist Johnny Black's diary entry for that day, written after interviewing Crosby for The Sunday Times)

Arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, for a gig the next day, Bob Dylan checks into the Maison Dupuy Hotel, then goes out for a late dinner at Brightsen's Restaurant.

Pat Boone plays the first of five nights at Drury Lane Dinner Theatre, Evergeen Park, Illinois, USA.

During a 22-date tour in support of her album Square The Circle, Joan Armatrading plays at The Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England, UK, Europe.

Britney Spears opens her own restaurant, a Southern-styled diner called Nyla, in New York City, USA. As well as Britney, first night guests include Debbie Gibson, David Copperfield, Mayor Rudi Guiliani, rapper Ja Rule and porn star Jenna Jameson.

Sir Paul McCartney's ex-wife Heather Mills is reported to be earning up to $102,000 (£75,000) for fifteen minute slots as an after-dinner speaker.

A launch party for a new Eminem mix-tape release, ShadyXV, is held at the Mikey Likes It Ice Cream parlour in New York City, USA. Specially for the occasion, the parlour creates a limited edition Eminem Ice Cream including Detroit-related ingredients such as Michigan cherries, Sanders hot fudge and Vernors ginger ale.

Daryl Hall performs a live New Year's Eve show at his recently-opened Daryl's House Restaurant And Live Music Club, in Pawling, New York State, USA. The concert is streamed live.

Bills by Lunchmoney Lewis reaches No1 in the Australian ARIA Singles Chart

a-ha are interviewed live, to promote their upcoming tour, on the BBC1 tv show Breakfast in Salford Quays, Manchester, UK.

Justin Bieber proposes to Hailey Baldwin during dinner at a local restaurant while in the Bahamas, Caribbean. She accepts.