December 

December 1:

Born:     Billy Paul (1934)

             Lou Rawls (1935)

             Sandy Nelson (1938)

             John Paul Densmore, The Doors (1944)

             Bette Midler (1945)

Events:   "Magical Mystery Tour" is released by The Beatles. (1967)

December 2:

No events

December 3:

Born:     Andy Williams (1928)

             Ozzy Osbourne (1948)

December 4:

Born:     Freddy Cannon (1940)

             Chris Hillman, The Byrds (1942)

            Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys (1944)

December 5:

Born:     Walt Disney (1901)

             Little Richard (1932)

Events:   The Beatles open the Apple Boutique. (1968)

              "Beggar's Banquet" by The Rolling Stones is released; they throw one to celebrate. (1968)

               Beverly Garland (My Three Sons, The Scarecrow and Mrs. King) dies at age 81 (2008) 

December 6:

Born:     Dave Brubeck (1920)

             Mike Smith, Dave Clark Five (1943)

             Jonathan King, singer (Everyone's Gone to the Moon) (1944)

Events:   The Rolling Stones concert at Altamont, California, results in the death of a fan by a Hells Angels beating which was caused by "protection for the band." (1969)

              Dobie Gray  best known for two big hits "The 'In Crowd'," and, much later, the much-covered "Drift Away." dies at age 71 (2011)

December 7:

Events:   "I Want To Hold Your Hand" enters the singles charts at No. 1 for The Beatles in United Kingdom. (1963)

               Dennis Yost of the Classics IV (Traces of Love, Stormy, Spooky) passed away of respiratory failure,  at the age of 65. (2008)

               Harry Morgan (actor, December Bride, Dragnet, M.A.S.H) dies at age 96 (2011)

December 8:

Born:     Sammy Davis Jr. (1925)

             Jerry Butler (1939)

             Jim Morrison (1943)

             Graham Knight, Marmalade (1946)

             Gregg Allman (1947)

Events:   John Lennon is assassinated. (1980)

              December 9:

Born:     Sam Strain, Little Anthony and the Imperials, (1940)

Events:   Marty Robbins, who had recorded over 500 songs dies.  (1982)

              Roy Orbison dies. (1988)

              Gene Barry, actor, (Bat Masterson, Burke's Law) dies at age 90 (2009)

December 10:

Born:     Chad Stuart, Chad and Jeremy (1943)

Events:   Otis Redding and three members of the Bar-kays die in a plane crash. (1967)

December 11:

Born:     Brenda Lee (1944

             Jermaine Jackson (1954) 

Events:   Sam Cooke was shot by mistake and dies. (1964) 

December 12:

Born:     Dionne Warwick (1941)

             Mike Pinder, The Moody Blues (1942)

Events:   "Promised Land" is released by Chuck Berry. (1964)

              Ike Turner, ex-husband of Tina Turner dies (2007)

December 13:

Born:     Tony Gomez, The Foundations (1940)

Events:   "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie is released. (1969)

              Zal Yanovsky, Lovin' Spoonful dies of congestive heart failure. (2002)

December 14:

Born:     Charlie "Silver Fox" Rich (1932)

             Joyce Vincent, Dawn (1946)

             Patty Duke (1946)

Events:   Dinah Washington dies of a drug overdose. (1963)

              Billie Jo Spears country singer , most notably the #1 hit "Blanket on the Ground." dies at 74 (2011)

December 15:

Born:   Allan Freed (1922)

           Cindy Birdsong, The Supremes (1939)

           Dave Clark, Dave Clark Five (1942)

Events:   Walt Disney dies. (1966)

December 16:

Born:     Tony Hicks, The Hollies (1945)

December 17:

Events:  Denis Payton,  the saxophonist, also played the guitar and harmonica for the Dave Clark Five, dies after a long battle with cancer (2006) 

December 18:

Born:     Cas Chandler, The Animals (1938)

             Keith Richard (1943)

December 19:

Born:     Zal Yanovsky, Lovin' Spoonful (1944)

             John McEuen, The Dirt Band (1945)

December 20:

Born:     Bobby Colomby, Blood, Sweat and Tears (1944)

            Peter Criss, Kiss (1947

Events:   Bobby Darin dies during heart surgery. (1973)

December 21:

Born:     Carl Wilson, The Beach Boys (1946)

             Frank [Francis Vincent] Zappa (1940)

Events:   "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" charts, Bob Seger's first hit. (1968)

              Crosy, Stills and Nash begin their musical relationship in Los Angeles. (1968)

December 22:

Born:     Robin Gibb, The Bee Gees (1949)

             Maurice Gibb, The Bee Gees (1949)

Events:   "Telstar" by The Tornadoes, becomes the first record by an English band to hit No. 1 on the charts in the United States. (1962)

December 23:

Born:     Esther Phillips (1935)

             Jorma Kaukonen, Hot Tuna (1940)

             Ron Busby, Iron Butterfly (1945)

             Johnny Contardo, Sha Na Na (1951)

Events:   Jack Webb of Dragnet fame dies from heart failure. (1982)

December 24:

Born:     Cab Calloway (1907)

             Lee Dorsey, singer (Workin' In A Coalmine, Ya Ya) (1924)

December 25:

Born:     Billy Horton, Silhouettes (1937)

             O'Kelly Isley (1939)

            Henry Vestine, Canned Heat (1944)

            Jimmy Buffett (1946)

Events:  Paul McCartney and Jane Asher announce their engagement. (1967)

             Dean Martin, singer, actor, dies. (1995)

             James Brown dies. (2006)

             Eartha Kitt, singer, actress (remembered for song Santa Baby, and as Catwoman in Batman TV series dies at age 81 (2008)

December 26:

Born:     Phil Spector (1939)

Events:   The movie, Magical Mystery Tour, by The Beatles, premieres on BBC-TV, in black and white. (1967)

December 27:

Born:     Leslie McGuire, Gerry and the Pacemakers (1941)

             Michael Pinder, The Moody Blues (1941)

             Pete Quaife, The Kinks (1943)

             Mick Jones, Foreigner (1947)

Events:  Delaney Bramlett (Delaney & Bonnie) "A Never Ending Love Song" dies at age 69 (2008)

December 28:

Born:     Dorsey Burnette (1932)

             Bobby Comstock (1943)

             Edgar Winter (1947)

             Alex Chilton, The Box Tops (1950)

Events:   Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys drowns. (1983)

December 29:

Born:     Ray Thomas, The Moody Blues (1942)

             Yvonne Elliman (1951)

Events:   Tim Hardin dies of a drug overdose. (1980)

December 30:

Born:     Bo Diddley [Ellis McDaniels] (1928)    

             Skeeter Davis (1931)

             Del Shannon (1939)

             Davy Jones, The Monkees (1946)

December 31:

Born:     John Denver (1943)

             Patti Smith (1946)

             Burton Cummings (1947)

             Donna Summer (1948)

            Tony Hamilton, Aerosmith (1948)

Events:   The Beach Boys give their first show with that name: they were Carl and The Passions. (1961)

              Jimi Hendrix and Band of Gypsies [Buddy Miles and Buddy Cox] premiere at the Fillmore East and release a live LP of the show which is regarded as one of the best ever. (1969)

             Rick Nelson dies in a plane crash. (1985)