1930 Mable John is born in Bastrop, Louisiana. She becomes the first female singer to be signed to Berry Gordy's Tamla label, releasing the single "Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That?" in 1960.
1801 Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini is born in Catania, Sicily.
"Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice hits #1 in the US, marking the first time a rapper has topped the chart.
Read more2001 Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair" hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of six weeks. It's the singer's first single to top the chart.
1998 In one of the last years for major album sales, several highly anticipated releases are issued, including Alanis Morissette's Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (the followup to Jagged Little Pill), Beck's Mutations, Celine Dion's These Are Special Times, U2's Greatest Hits set, and John Lennon's boxed set.
1998 Britney Spears, 16, releases her first single, "...Baby One More Time." Three months later, it goes to #1 in America.
1995 Hootie & the Blowfish settle out of court with Bob Dylan, who sees their lifting of lyrics from "Tangled Up In Blue" on their hit "Only Want To Be With You" as more plagiarism than tribute.
1990 After being featured prominently in the smash hit film Ghost, The Righteous Brothers' version of "Unchained Melody" returns to the top of the UK charts after 25 years.
1973 Daryl Hall and John Oates release Abandoned Luncheonette, their first album under their own names (a previous album was released as "Whole Oates"). The tracks "Laughing Boy," "She's Gone" and "Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)" become concert favorites for the duo.
1972 Carly Simon and James Taylor get married, forming a musical power couple not seen until Jay-Z and Beyoncé tie the knot. The marriage lasts 11 years.
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