19 JULY
In Music History
1993 Producer Fred again is born Frederick Gibson in South London. After being mentored by Brian Eno, he produces tracks for Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, and many other popular artists. In 2019, four of his productions hit #1 on the UK Singles chart.
1990 Singer Vicki Carr helps dedicate the Nixon Presidential Library, singing in front of all four living presidents (Nixon, Carter, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush), all of which she had performed for at the White House during their terms.
1989 After finding over $40,000 in cash and checks in his cell at the Stevenson Correctional Institute in South Carolina, officials move James Brown to a cell with tighter security.
1985 The Legend of Billie Jean, starring Helen Slater and Christian Slater as teens who become accidental outlaws, debuts in theaters, boasting the hit theme song "Invincible" by Pat Benatar. The teen flick receives mixed reviews but goes on to become a cult classic, despite Benatar calling it "one of the worst movies ever made."More
1981 The mayor of Odessa, Texas, declares today Roy Orbison Day in honor of the singer. (Orbison was actually from Wink, a microscopic town about 35 miles west.)
1980 "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" hits #1 in the US, giving Billy Joel his first chart-topper on the Hot 100.
1980 David Bowie begins his run as The Elephant Man in Denver. The show does well, and Bowie takes the lead in the Broadway production later that year.
1980 Laguna Beach, California's Vorpal Gallery opens a new exhibit featuring paintings by Joni Mitchell, John Mayall, Klaus Voorman, and Ron Wood.
1977 Steve Martin appears on The Muppet Show, where he performs "Dueling Banjos" and makes balloon animals.
1975 Country singer Lefty Frizzell dies at age 47 after years of alcohol abuse.
1975 Orleans release "Dance With Me."
1975 Paul McCartney & Wings' "Listen To What The Man Said" hits #1.
1969 Jimmy Buffett marries beauty queen Margie Washichek, who was crowned Miss USS Alabama of 1967. They divorce two years later.
1969 The Spencer Davis Group breaks up. Steve and Muff Winwood left the band in 1967, but the band continued on with less success without them before calling it quits.
1966 Johnny Rivers records "Poor Side Of Town."
Shakira, Madonna, Muppets and More Perform at First-Ever World Cup Halftime Show
2026Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber pack the pitch for a crowded and disjointed halftime show at the World Cup final. Also appearing: Coldplay, Muppets, a local children's chorus, and Burna Boy.
Read more19 JULY
Featured Events
1995 Clueless debuts in theaters, reviving the teen movie genre and boosting the film career of Alicia Silverstone, who appeared in the music video for Aerosmith's "Cryin'." The accompanying soundtrack gives retro hits a modern makeover, with the pop-punk act The Muffs covering Kim Wilde's "Kids In America."More
1986 Genesis have their first (and only) #1 Hot 100 hit as "Invisible Touch" tops the chart.More
1985 Joan Jett calls up-and-coming heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson before his fight with Larry Sims, which Tyson wins handily. The superstitious Tyson insists on getting a call from Jett before every fight, which he does until breaking tradition for his bout against Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990 - Tyson's first loss.More
1966 Doing it his way, the 50-year-old Frank Sinatra marries the 20-year-old actress Mia Farrow in New York, causing a predictable media event. The marriage lasts just two years.
1958 The Drifters manager George Treadwell, who owns the name, fires the group and replaces them with members of The Five Crowns. When Ben E. King joins the group a short time later, The Drifters become consistent hitmakers, scoring with "There Goes My Baby," "This Magic Moment" and "Save The Last Dance For Me."
1947 Queen guitarist (and astrophysicist) Brian May is born in Hampton, Middlesex, England.
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