Guns

Joshua Barnes Howell is born in Eatonton, Georgia, USA. He will find fame (after being shot in the leg by a shotgun) as blues guitar pioneer Peg Leg Howell, recording for Columbia Records.

The term 'hillbilly' appears in print for the first time in The NY Journal, and is defined thus - "A Hill-Billie is a free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires of his revolver as the fancy takes him." In due course, the term will also used as a generic descriptor for the country music played by such people.

The word jazz is first used in print, by journalist Scoop Gleason in the Bulletin. Gleason is, however, not writing about music. He is describing the return home of a baseball team, with the words, "Everybody has come back to the old town, full of the old 'jazz' and they promise to knock the fans off their feet."

After an intense, hours-long gun-battle with FBI agents who have surrounded her house at 13250 East Highway C-25, Ocklawaha, Florida, USA, gang leader Ma Barker is shot dead. She will be immortalised in song by Boney M's 1977 hit single Ma Baker - in which her name is slightly modified to make it easier to sing.

Jackie Wilson is shot in the chest by Juanita Jones, a "deranged female fan" who has broken into his New York City, USA, apartment.

The Beatles debut album, Please Please Me, hits the UK No1 spot.

When US president John F. Kennedy visits San Antonio, Texas, USA, eight-year-old Steve Earle is taken out of school to watch the motorcade pass by. The following day, Kennedy is killed in Dallas, Texas.

Acclaimed jazz saxophonist Joe Maini Jr dies in Los Angeles, California, USA, having shot himself in the head while playing Russian Roulette at a friend's home the night before.

Shotgun by Junior Walker And The All Stars enters the Billboard Top 40 Singles Chart in the USA where it will peak at No4.

The Talismen release their version of the Bob Dylan song Masters Of War in the UK on Stateside Records.

The Beach Boys play at The Circle Star Theater, San Carlos, California, USA, with Jackie Lee, Mitch Ryder and The T-Bones. Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys is reported to have played drums at this show with a bandaged hand, claimed by Mike Love to have been necessitated by 'a shotgun blast'.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds registers copyright on the song He Was A Friend Of Mine. The song is in fact traditional, although McGuinn composed a new lyric and made a new arrangement.

David Bowie has a small acting role in a BBC2-tv programme, The Pistol Shot, transmitted today in the UK, Europe.

Two Little Boys by Rolf Harris becomes the Christmas No1 single in the UK.

Led Zeppelin play at The Boxing Stadium, Dublin, Eire.

Bang A Gong (Get It On) by T.Rex is released in the USA on Reprise Records. It will become their only Top 40 entry in the USA, peaking at No10.

In the afternoon, The Sex Pistols sign a management contract with Glitterbest Ltd, owned by Malcolm McLaren. That night, they earn £438 for playing at the first of two days of the Punk Festival at London's 100 Club, along with The Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Subway Sect.

A gig by The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Heartbreakers at Colston Hall, Bristol, UK, is cancelled. There are arguments about money at Glitterbest, the Pistols' management office, and their manager, Malcolm McLaren, has further meetings with EMI.

Another Brick In The Wall (Part II) by Pink Floyd is awarded a UK platinum single by the BPI.

On their Against The Wind Tour, Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band play the second of two nights at Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA.

Abba complete recording of their seventh album Super Trouper, at Polar Music Studios, Sweden, Europe.

Mark Chapman, an obsessively deranged fan of The Beatles, pays his first visit to the Dakota building in New York City, USA, where he begins to stake out his intended murder victim, John Lennon.

Police officer Daniel Faulkner and journalist/cab driver Mumia Abu-Jamal are involved in an altercation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, during which both are shot. Faulkner dies at the scene, while Abu-Jamal is hospitalised, and later found guilty of murder. The verdict is widely disputed and will inspire the songs The Murder Of Daniel Faulkner by Hurtsmile, and Free Mumia by KRS-One.

When he crashes his car into a fence on San Diego Freeway, California, David Crosby is arrested and charged with possession of drugs, carrying a concealed gun, and driving under the influence of cocaine.

Texan judge Pat McDowell sentences David Crosby to five years in jail for a 1982 drugs and firearms offence.

Aerosmith take part in a 'Wayne's World' sketch on tv show Saturday Night Live in New York City, USA, during which they pertform Monkey On My Back and Janie's Got a Gun.

R'n'b vocalist Cornell Gunter dies in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, after being shot while in his automobile. Gunter is best-remembered for his work as a member of The Platters, The Flairs and The Coasters.

Guns N'Roses play in Ventura, California, USA, supported by Soundgarden.

Phil Spector is named in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed in California Superior Court, by the mother of actress Lana Clarkson. Spector is currently free on $1m bail, awaiting trial on charges of having killed Clarkson in his Alhambra home two years earlier.

Rapper Master P (Percy Robert Miller) and his younger brother Silkk The Shocker (Vyshonn King Miller) are charged in Los Angeles, California, USA, with carrying unregistered loaded guns, following their arrest two months earlier.

Oasis, Weezer, Kasabian, Yellowcard, The Others, Black Crowes, Public Enemy, Him, Inme, Bullet For My Valentine, Fightstar, The Las, Teenage Fanclub, Bloc Party, Death Cab For Cutie, Roddy Frame, Eighteen Visions, Alexisonfire and others play at the Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka, Japan, Asia.

Former FBI agent Ted Gunderson tells American tabloid newspaper The Globe that Sonny Bono of Sonny And Cher fame did not die in a ski-ing accident. His death, claims Gunderson, was an assassination ordered by an international drug and weapons ring which feared that the singer-turned-politician was about to expose their criminal acts.

It is reported that Insane Clown Posse fan John Antonelli is seeking at least $50,000 in damages in a lawsuit filed in the Cass County District Court, North Dakota, because of an injury sustained at their June 2007 concert in North Dakota.

Peter Lopez, the lawyer who represented music business clients including Michael Jackson, The Eagles, Andrea Bocelli and Michael Buble, is found dead at his home in Encino, California, USA, apparently having committed suicide by shooting himself. Lopez was married to the actress Catherine Bach.

AC/DC headline the first day of the Download Festival, Donington Park, Donington, UK. The three day long event also features Aerosmith, Rage Against The Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Deftones, Bullet for My Valentine, Billy Idol, Megadeth, Them Crooked Vultures and more.

When Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band play at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA, they are joined onstage by Bruce Springsteen.

During the European leg of their Not In This Lieftime tour, Guns N'Roses play at San Mames Stadium, Bilbao, Spain, Europe, supported by Mark Lanegan and Tyler Bryant And The Shakedown. This tour features classic Guns N'Roses line-up members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan, playing together for the first time since 1993.

Guns N'Roses play at London Stadium, London, England, UK, Europe.

Twenty-eight peope are injured by gunfire during a concert in the 300 capacity Power Ultra Lounge, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. Rapper Finese 2Tymes is arrested soon after.

During a spoken-word tour to promote his recent book, I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right, John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten of The Sex Pistols) plays at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings, England, UK, Europe.