Pick a Day

Bill Wyman, future bass player for The Rolling Stones, is born William George Perks in South London, England.

Ian Stewart, an original member of The Rolling Stones who becomes an unofficial member in 1963, is born in Pittenweem, Fife, Scotland.

The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts is born Charles Robert Watts in London.

Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones is born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He is the group's leader early on, but dies in 1969 at age 27.

Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones is born Michael Philip Jagger in Dartford, Kent, England.

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards is born in Dartford, Kent, England.More

Marianne Faithfull is born in Hampstead, London, England. Co-wrote the Rolling Stones' "Sister Morphine" while in a relationship with frontman Mick Jagger.

Guitarist Ron Wood is born in London. He goes on to join The Faces and The Rolling Stones.

Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones guitarist) is born in Welwyn Garden City, but raised in nearby Hatfield, England.

On his 23rd birthday, and still a year away from even buying his first bass guitar, The Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman marries his first wife, 18-year-old bank clerk Diane Corey.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who haven't seen each other since primary school, run into each other at the Dartford train station in England - Keith is on his way to Sidcup Art College; Mick is headed to the London School of Economics. Noticing the Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry albums Mick is carrying, Keith strikes up a conversation. They later form The Rolling Stones.

The Rolling Stones make their live debut at the Marquee Club in London subbing for Long John Baldry's Blues Incorporated. The band members are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Dick Taylor, Ian Stewart and future Kink Mick Avory.

The Rolling Stones record their first demos in London at Curly Clayton Studios, recording covers of songs by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and Bo Diddley. The demos get little interest when they shop them to record companies.

At a pub in Chelsea, The Rolling Stones hold auditions for a bass player. They decide that Bill Wyman will do, as he has a nice amp. Wyman doesn't tell them that he has a wife and young son.

Charlie Watts joins The Rolling Stones, replacing Tony Chapman as their drummer.

The Rolling Stones get their first steady gig at London's Station Hotel, performing on Sundays in the Crawdaddy room for a grand total of $67 a week.

The Beatles, who are filming an appearance on the show Thank Your Lucky Stars at a nearby studio, stop by the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, England, where the upstart The Rolling Stones are performing. The bands meet for the first time backstage and hang out that evening.

The Rolling Stones sign with Decca Records in London, the label that turned down The Beatles the year before.

The first Rolling Stones recording session is held in London, where they record their first single: a cover of Chuck Berry's "Come On."

The Rolling Stones sign their first management contract with Andrew Loog Oldham's management company Impact, agreeing to license their UK output to Decca.

The Rolling Stones sign a management deal with Andrew Loog Oldham, who removes their apostrophe (they were The Rollin' Stones) and drops piano player Ian Stewart from the official lineup; he continues to play with the band and acts as road manager, but isn't recognized as a member. Stewart, who doesn't look the part, remains an integral part of the Stones operation until his death in 1985.

The Rolling Stones release their first single, a cover of "Come On" by Chuck Berry.

The Rolling Stones make their British TV debut on Thank Your Lucky Stars.

The Rolling Stones begin their first British tour at the New Victoria Theatre in London. They are the support act on a bill with the Everly Brothers and Bo Diddley.

While traveling in London, John Lennon and Paul McCartney encounter Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who worked as a promoter for The Beatles earlier in the year. Oldham invites them to The Stones rehearsal, where Lennon and McCartney complete a song they were working on, "I Wanna Be Your Man," and give it to The Stones, which they use as their second UK single.

The Rolling Stones begin their first headlining UK tour. Opening act: The Ronettes.

The Rolling Stones release their first single in America, a cover of the Buddy Holly song "Not Fade Away."

The Rolling Stones release their self-titled debut album in the UK.

In an early sign of their tendency to disrupt authority, The Rolling Stones are refused service for lunch at Bristol, England's Grand Hotel because they're not properly dressed in jackets and ties. The next day, the Daily Express calls them "the ugliest group in Britain" and remarks, "The Rolling Stones gather no lunch."

An anonymous ad taken out in six American music trade papers states: "In the public interest, watch The Rolling Stones crush The Beatles!"