2002 - The television series "American Idol" debuted. The show featured judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.
2002 - Paul McCartney marries former model Heather Mills in Glaslough, Ireland.
Among the guests: Elton John, David Gilmour, Chrissie Hynde and Ringo Starr.
The couple divorces in 2008.
1998 - Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) skipped a scheduled court date and checked himself into a drug treatment facility.
1991 - Lynyrd Skynyrd returns to recording with Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991. It's their sixth album, following Street Surviors, but is their first since the plane wreak take took three band-members lives in 1977.
The new lineup initially uses the name "Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991," but eventually has to drop this name after the media and fans essentially ignore it and continue to call them Lynyrd Skynyrd.
1988 - Dozens of big-name acts, including Peter Gabriel, Sting, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder, rock the stage at the Free Nelson Mandela Concert at Wembley Stadium in London.
1986 - Ferris Bueller's Day Off his theaters.
When Matthew Broderick leads a parade through downtown Chicago to The Beatles "Twist And Shout," it renews interest in the group, and the song soon returns to the charts.
1968 - During a recording session while The Rolling Stones are working on "Sympathy For The Devil," a fire breaks out in the studio. While many are quick to blame Lucifer, the blaze is actually caused by a light being used by a camera crew documenting the sessions.
1966 - The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" hits #1 in America.
1966 - European radio is abuzz with rumors that Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, has been killed in an auto accident days earlier.
In fact, guitarist Pete Townshend was in the wreck, but survived with minor injuries.
1952 - Donnie Van Zant (guitarist, vocalist for .38 Special, Van Zant) is born in Jacksonville, Florida
1949 - Frank Beard (drummer for ZZ Top) is born in Frankston, Texas