More About Music History On This Day
17 May 1986
Whitney Houston started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Greatest Love Of All', the singers third US No.1, a No.8 hit in the UK.
17 May 1987
A fire destroyed Tom Petty's house in Los Angeles, the cost was estimated at $800,000.
17 May 1990
Nirvana played the last date of a North American tour at the Zoo in Boise, Idaho. This was Chad Channing's final gig with the band, drummer Dave Grohl replaced him in Sept of this year after his band Scream had split-up.
17 May 1996
US blues guitarist Johnny Guitar Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a bitch." His ferocious 'Space Guitar' single of 1954 pioneered guitar feedback and reverb.
17 May 1996
Kevin Gilbert, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, died of accidental asphyxiation. Member of Giraffe, worked with Sheryl Crow, co-wrote her 1994 UK No.4 hit 'All I Want To Do.'
17 May 2002
Sharon Sheeley, US songwriter, died aged 62. Hits include 'Poor Little Fool' US No.1 for Ricky Nelson in 1958 and 1959 hit for Eddie Cochran 'Somethin' Else'. Sheeley survived the car crash that killed Eddie Cochran during a 1960 UK tour.
17 May 2003
Singer with Stone Temple Pilots, Scott Weiland, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession after being stopped during a routine traffic search in Los Angeles, He was released on $10,000 bail.
17 May 2006
Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills admitted that they had given up the fight to save their marriage, saying that after four years together, they were going their separate ways.
17 May 2008
Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty posted a two-minute clip of themselves playing with newborn mice on Youtube. The video showed Doherty and Winehouse in a bare room, making rambling comments, picking up the mice and talking to them.
17 May 2012
Donna Summer, the 1970s pop singer known as the Queen of Disco, died of lung cancer, an illness she believed she contracted from inhaling toxic particles released after the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York. She won five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and had three multi-platinum albums, including the hits 'Hot Stuff', 'Love to Love You, and 'Baby' and 'I Feel Love'.
17 May 2013
French Electronic Duo Daft Punk released their fourth album Random Access Memories. It would debut at No.1 on both the US and UK charts and go on to win five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
17 May 2013
Bob Dylan was made an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Dylan, who was unable to attend the New York ceremony, said he felt "extremely honored" and "lucky" to be admitted. Dylan's induction was decided by a vote of the Academy's 250 members.
17 May 2015
Rapper Chinx was shot and killed in Queens, New York. The 31 year-old, was part of French Montana's Coke Boys group, was riding in a car in the early hours of the morning when another vehicle pulled up and opened fire. He was hit in the torso and chest,and died later at a Queens hospital.
17 May 2016
American Texas country and folk singer, songwriter Guy Clark died in Nashville following a lengthy battle with lymphoma. He wrote songs for Johnny Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffett, Lyle Lovett and many other artists.
17 May 2016
Alanis Morissette sued her former manager for fraud saying she was robbed of almost $5m by her former business manager. In papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the singer claimed Jonathan Schwartz transferred money to his own accounts without permission. Schwartz said the transfers were made to fund an "investment" in a marijuana-growing business for the singer, and to avoid extra trips to the bank because Morissette "spends a lot of cash".
17 May 2019
Eric Moore, lead singer of Ohio-based biker rock group The Godz died after a battle with bladder cancer age 67. The Godz had toured with acts including Kiss, Cheap Trick, Judas Priest, Blue Öyster Cult, and Iggy Pop.
Whitney Houston started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Greatest Love Of All', the singers third US No.1, a No.8 hit in the UK.
17 May 1987
A fire destroyed Tom Petty's house in Los Angeles, the cost was estimated at $800,000.
17 May 1990
Nirvana played the last date of a North American tour at the Zoo in Boise, Idaho. This was Chad Channing's final gig with the band, drummer Dave Grohl replaced him in Sept of this year after his band Scream had split-up.
17 May 1996
US blues guitarist Johnny Guitar Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a bitch." His ferocious 'Space Guitar' single of 1954 pioneered guitar feedback and reverb.
17 May 1996
Kevin Gilbert, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, died of accidental asphyxiation. Member of Giraffe, worked with Sheryl Crow, co-wrote her 1994 UK No.4 hit 'All I Want To Do.'
17 May 2002
Sharon Sheeley, US songwriter, died aged 62. Hits include 'Poor Little Fool' US No.1 for Ricky Nelson in 1958 and 1959 hit for Eddie Cochran 'Somethin' Else'. Sheeley survived the car crash that killed Eddie Cochran during a 1960 UK tour.
17 May 2003
Singer with Stone Temple Pilots, Scott Weiland, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession after being stopped during a routine traffic search in Los Angeles, He was released on $10,000 bail.
17 May 2006
Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills admitted that they had given up the fight to save their marriage, saying that after four years together, they were going their separate ways.
17 May 2008
Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty posted a two-minute clip of themselves playing with newborn mice on Youtube. The video showed Doherty and Winehouse in a bare room, making rambling comments, picking up the mice and talking to them.
17 May 2012
Donna Summer, the 1970s pop singer known as the Queen of Disco, died of lung cancer, an illness she believed she contracted from inhaling toxic particles released after the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York. She won five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and had three multi-platinum albums, including the hits 'Hot Stuff', 'Love to Love You, and 'Baby' and 'I Feel Love'.
17 May 2013
French Electronic Duo Daft Punk released their fourth album Random Access Memories. It would debut at No.1 on both the US and UK charts and go on to win five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
17 May 2013
Bob Dylan was made an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Dylan, who was unable to attend the New York ceremony, said he felt "extremely honored" and "lucky" to be admitted. Dylan's induction was decided by a vote of the Academy's 250 members.
17 May 2015
Rapper Chinx was shot and killed in Queens, New York. The 31 year-old, was part of French Montana's Coke Boys group, was riding in a car in the early hours of the morning when another vehicle pulled up and opened fire. He was hit in the torso and chest,and died later at a Queens hospital.
17 May 2016
American Texas country and folk singer, songwriter Guy Clark died in Nashville following a lengthy battle with lymphoma. He wrote songs for Johnny Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffett, Lyle Lovett and many other artists.
17 May 2016
Alanis Morissette sued her former manager for fraud saying she was robbed of almost $5m by her former business manager. In papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the singer claimed Jonathan Schwartz transferred money to his own accounts without permission. Schwartz said the transfers were made to fund an "investment" in a marijuana-growing business for the singer, and to avoid extra trips to the bank because Morissette "spends a lot of cash".
17 May 2019
Eric Moore, lead singer of Ohio-based biker rock group The Godz died after a battle with bladder cancer age 67. The Godz had toured with acts including Kiss, Cheap Trick, Judas Priest, Blue Öyster Cult, and Iggy Pop.
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