1968: Mega-producer and genuinely strange person, Phil Spector marries his protégé, Veronica Bennett (aka Ronnie of the Ronettes). The marriage is not happy. Ronnie files for divorce in 1972 citing multiple episodes of verbal and physical abuse.

1963: The Beach Boys release “Surfin’ U.S.A.”, the song that would establish them as a top recording act and really kick off the surfing craze from coast-to-coast. It turns out Brian Wilson, originally listed as the song’s composer, had simply taken Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” and come up with a new set of lyrics.

Chuck is in prison at the time. When he gets out, he is none too pleased and sues the band. As a result, Berry is granted sole songwriting credit for the song and all of the songwriting royalties in perpetuity.

1988: In a radical career shift, Sonny Bono is elected mayor of Palm Springs, California. He holds that job until 1992. Two years later, he was elected to the House of Representatives, a position he maintained until his death.

1967: Paul McCartney boards a flight from the U.S. back to London. Once in the air, he gets an idea. By the time his plane touches down, he’s written “Magical Mystery Tour” and come up with an outline for the eventual made-for-TV film.

1957: To impress a girl he’s dating, Ricky Nelson performs a cover of Fats Domino’s “I’m Walkin’” on his family’s weekly television show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Ricky’s version sells half a million copies over the next seven days and launches one of early rock’s most successful careers.

Today, Ricky Nelson is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

1974: Bruce Springsteen meets rock critic Jon Landau for the first time. Landau was one of Springsteen’s early champion, having dubbed him “the future of rock & roll” in a review. Eventually, Landau would become Springsteen’s manager, a position he occupies to this day.

1967: NBC airs Petula Clark’s first and only TV special, Petula. During her duet with Harry Belafonte, she spontaneously reaches out and touches him on his arm. Sponsor Chrysler Motors wants the moment cut from the show, fearing a backlash from Southern viewers. Clark refuses, and the show airs with the touch intact, becoming the first interracial contact to air on American television.

The nation, somehow, endures the shock. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)

1955: Ray Charles scores his first hit, landing on Billboard’s R&B charts with his song “I Got a Woman.”

The song is a revamped gospel tune, originally titled “It Might Be Jesus.”

1968: Pink Floyd announces that the group’s founding member Syd Barrett is leaving the band due to psychiatric problems that have been made worse by Syd’s use of hallucinogenics.

1967: An organized protest of teenage girls takes place in London.

The reason? Davy Jones of the Monkees is scheduled to be inducted into the army.

The girls had nothing to fear. Jones eventually earns an exemption because he was the sole support of his family.