This Day In Music - May 9

 This Day In Rock - May 9

1935 - Nokie Edwards, guitarist for The Ventures, is born Nole Floyd Edwards in Lahoma, Oklahoma.

1937 - Rock and roll singer-songwriter Sonny Curtis (of Buddy Holly's The Crickets) is born in Meadow, Texas.

1937 - R&B singer Dave Prater (of Sam & Dave) in Ocilla, Georgia.

1941 - Doo-wop singer Danny Rapp (of Danny & the Juniors) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1944 - Jimmie Davis became the Governor of Louisiana. He wrote the song "You Are My Sunshine."

1941 - Peter Birrell (bass guitarist for Freddie & the Dreamers) is born in Manchester, Lancashire, England.

1942 - '60s pop singer-songwriter Tommy Roe is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

1944 - Rock guitarist Richie Furay (of Buffalo Springfield, Poco) is born in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

1944 - Don Dannemann (singer, guitarist for The Cyrkle) is born in Brooklyn, New York City.

1945 - Rock guitarist and producer Steve Katz (Blues Project, Blood, Sweat & Tears) is born in Brooklyn, New York City.

1949 - Billy Joel is born in The Bronx, New York, raised in Hicksville on Long Island. 

1950 - Tom Petersson (bass guitarist for Cheap Trick) is born in Rockford, Illinois.

1953 - John "Rhino" Edwards (bass guitarist for Status Quo) is born in Chiswick, London, England.

1962 - Brian Epstein met with EMI producer George Martin. Martin signed the Beatles to record demos on June 4, 1962. It was their first recording contract.

1962 - David Gahan (lead singer for Depeche Mode) is born in Epping, Essex, England.

1963 - The Rolling Stones sign their first management contract with Andrew Loog Oldham's management company Impact, agreeing to license their UK output to Decca.

1965 - Charley Drayton of Divinyls / Cold Chisel was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA.

1966 - Brad Johns of James Blundell Band born.

1971 - Oasis bass player Paul McGuigan is born in Manchester, England.

1998 - Brian Wilson plays his first ever solo concert (no Beach Boys) at a show in St. Charles, Illinois.

2013 - Rocker Sixto "Sugar Man" Rodriguez receives an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from his alma mater, Wayne State University, Detroit.

2020 - Rock pioneer Little Richard dies of bone cancer at the age of 87. Over the course of his legendary career he recorded some of America's most recognizable songs, including "Tutti Frutti," "Long Tall Sally," and "Good Golly Miss Molly."