Legend:  BTD – Born Today     OTD – On This Day

DateArtist/GroupDescriptionImage
BTD Dec17,1936 Tommy Steele#BTD Dec17,1936 #TommySteele (Thomas Hicks) singer, actor 1957 UK #1 "Singing The Blues" + 16 UK Top40 singles Britain's 1st teen idol and rock and roll star. 1957 he was voted the 7th most popular actor at the British box office
BTD Dec17,1937 Art Neville#BTD Dec17,1937 #ArtNeville vocals, piano The #NevilleBrothers 1989 UK #47 single "With God On Our Side" Neville has played on recordings with artists such as #Labelle (on "Lady Marmalade"), #PaulMcCartney, #RobertPalmer; his daughter is @ArthelNeville
BTD Dec17,1939 Eddie Kendricks#BTD Dec17,1939 #EddieKendricks (Edward Kendrick) RIP singer, songwriter The #Temptations 3 US & R&B #1s 1964 My Girl, 1969 I Can't Get Next to You, 1971 Just My Imagination, +20 US & 23 R&B Top20s w/ 10 #1s; solo 1973 US #1 Keep on Truckin', +3 US & 18 R&B Top40s w/ 3 #1s
BTD Dec17,1942 Paul Butterfield#BTD Dec17,1942 #PaulButterfield RIP blues singer, harmonica recorded successful LPs, popular on the late-1960s concert/festival circuit
BTD Dec17,1945 Ernie Hudson#BTD Dec17,1945 #ErnieHudson actor many movies & TV shows, probably best known for his roles as Winston Zeddemore in the "Ghostbusters" film series #HBday @Ernie_Hudson
BTD Dec17,1946 Eugene Levy#BTD Dec17,1946 #EugeneLevy actor, comedian, producer, director, writer #Canadian born in #Hamilton Ontario on #SCTV & many movies & TV such as "American Pie" & TV series @SchittsCreek #HBday @Realeugenelevy
BTD Dec17,1947 Jim Hodder#BTD Dec17,1947 #JimHodder RIP drummer, early member of #SteelyDan 1973 US #11 "Reeling In The Years", appeared on their 1st three albums. He left the group in 1974. He played drums on Linda Ronstadt's 1974 single "You're No Good"
BTD Dec17,1949 Paul Rodgers#BTD Dec17,1949 #PaulRodgers singer, songwriter, piano #Free 1970 UK #2 & US #4 "All Right Now"; #BadCompany 1974 UK #15 "Can't Get Enough" and solo artist 1993 "The Hunter" US Rock #6 #HBday @_paulrodgers
BTD Dec17,1950 Carlton Barrett#BTD Dec17,1950 #CarltonBarrett RIP drummer also known as Carly, Field Marshal; The #Wailers 1981 UK #8 "No Woman No Cry" +10 other UK Top40 singles
OTD Dec17,1903Orville Wright, Wilbur Wright #OTD Dec17,1903 brothers #Orville and #Wilbur Wright successfully made the 1st controlled human flight near Kitty Hawk in North Carolina. 4 flights, the 1st by Orville lasting 12 seconds over a total distance of 36.5 meters
OTD Dec17,1960 Beatles#OTD Dec17,1960 #Beatles at Casbah Coffee Club (also the West Derby's Kasbah Club) #ChasNewby on bass guitar replacing #StuartSutcliffe who stayed in Hamburg. Chas starts a 2wk four gig run then returns to college. Subsequently, #PaulMcCartney becomes The #Beatles bass player
OTD Dec17,1961Beatles#OTD Dec17,1961 The #Beatles 1st professional photo session at Marrion’s studio at 268 Wallasey Village, Merseyside; #BrianEpstein hired #AlbertMarrion who said I took about thirty photos but discarded all but sixteen negatives because many showed Lennon and McCartney acting up
OTD Dec17,1961Marvelettes#OTD Dec17,1961 The #Marvelettes are at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 singles chart with "Please Mr. Postman" written by #GeorgiaDobbins, #WilliamGarrett, #FreddieGorman, #BrianHolland and #RobertBateman. A young session musician named #MarvinGaye on the drums
OTD Dec17,1962 Bob Dylan#OTD Dec17,1962 #BobDylan arrives in England for the 1st time; @bobdylan's 1st UK date following a night at the Troubadour Club
OTD Dec17,1962Beatles#OTD Dec17,1962 The #Beatles on live TV from Studio 4 Granada TV Centre Manchester, for the program "People and Places"
OTD Dec17,1962Beatles#OTD Dec17,1962 The #Beatles with their first appearance on the UK singles chart peaks at #17 with "Love Me Do" and again on Jan10,1963; then leaves after the songs last week on the chart on Feb7,1963 at #44 and a total of 18 weeks on the charts
OTD Dec17,1963 Carroll James#OTD Dec17,1963 #CarrollJames Jr DJ at #WWDC radio Washington, DC plays the single "I Want to Hold Your Hand." One of the 1st disc jockeys to broadcast a #Beatles record on US radio. He asked a British Airways flight attendant to bring him a copy of The Beatles current record
OTD Dec17,1963Beatles#OTD Dec17,1963 The #Beatles tape a @BBC radio program "Saturday Club" for broadcast on Dec21
OTD Dec17,1965Beatles#OTD Dec17,1965 The #Beatles release the album "The Beatles Third Christmas Record" to members of the fan clubs in the UK & US
OTD Dec17,1966 Dean Martin#OTD Dec17,1966 #DeanMartin enters the @billboard Hot100 singles chart at #93 with “(Open Up The Door) Let The Good Times In" Dino will stall at this level on the charts
OTD Dec17,1966 New Vaudeville Band#OTD Dec17,1966 #NewVaudevilleBand are back at #1 and starts a 2wk run at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "Winchester Cathedral" New Vaudeville Bands single spent 1wk at #1 on Dec3; for a total of 3wks at the top
OTD Dec17,1966Royal Guardsmen#OTD Dec17,1966 The #RoyalGuardsmen's single "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" a novelty song written by #PhilGernhard and #DickHoller. The song enters the US Top40 Singles chart sitting at #30 and stays for 11wks peaking at #2
OTD Dec17,1969 Tiny Tim, Miss Vicki#OTD Dec17,1969 #TinyTim (Herbert Buckingham Khaury) marries Victoria Budinger #MissVicki on the #TonightShow with #JohnnyCarson Video==> youtu.be/v8gloxeHOLk
OTD Dec17,1970Beach Boys#OTD Dec17,1970 The #BeachBoys play a command performance for Princess Margaret at @RoyalAlbertHall London @TheBeachBoys
OTD Dec17,1971 David Bowie#OTD Dec17,1971 #DavidBowie releases the LP "Hunky Dory" This is the 1st production featuring all the members of the band that would become known the following year as Ziggy Stardust's Spiders From Mars
OTD Dec17,1976Donny and Marie#OTD Dec17,1976 The #DonnyandMarie Show hosted by @donnyosmond @marieosmond Guests on the show are The #Osmond Family, #AndyWilliams, #PaulLynde and Ice Vanities
OTD Dec17,1977 David Ackroyd#OTD Dec17,1977 #DavidAckroyd purchased the one-millionth copy of "Mull Of Kintyre" by #Wings with #PaulMcCartney in the UK and is presented with a Gold Disc to become the first record buyer to receive a Gold Disc
OTD Dec17,1977 Elvis Costello#OTD Dec17,1977 #ElvisCostello is on #SNL @nbcsnl begins playing "Less Than Zero" then plays "Radio Radio" a song that takes a jab at corporate-controlled broadcasting. Saturday Night Live producer #LorneMichaels is furious with @ElvisCostello and bans him from the show for 12yrs
OTD Dec17,1979 Paul McCartney and Wings#OTD Dec17,1979 #PaulMcCartney and #Wings play the Glasgow Apollo & record live version of "Coming Up" & close the show with "Mull Of Kintyre"
OTD Dec17,1983 Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson#OTD Dec17,1983 #PaulMcCartney & #MichaelJackson are still at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "Say Say Say" The @PaulMcCartney and @michaeljackson is on their 2nd week of a 6wk run
OTD Dec17,1988 Chicago#OTD Dec17,1988 #Chicago still at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 singles chart with "Look Away" @chicagotheband's last week of a 2wk run at #1
OTD Dec17,1989Simpsons#OTD Dec17,1989 The #Simpsons is launched on the #FOX TV network. Eventually the @TheSimpsons becomes the longest-running prime-time scripted series on Apr30,2018 @FOXTV
OTD Dec17,1990George Harrison#OTD Dec17,1990 #GeorgeHarrison plays an unannounced live set for the regulars at his local pub The #RowBarge Pub in Henley-On-Thames