1964: The funeral for Sam Cooke brings 200,000 fans to a funeral home in Chicago. James Brown, there to pay his respects, can’t get through the crowd and has to leave. But Ray Charles manages to make it inside where he performs a stirring rendition of “Angels Keep Watching Over Me.”

1955: Carl Perkins sits down to write a new song. In short order, he finishes. Just 48 hours later, he records it for Sun Records.

Released on New Year’s Day of 1956, “Blue Suede Shoes” goes on to sell over a million copies and become the first country & western song to cross over onto the nation’s rhythm & blues charts.

Unfortunately for Perkins, he was hospitalized following a car accident just as the song was peaking, keeping him from television appearances to promote himself and the song. Another singer on the Sun label decides to cover the song. Today, far more people remember the Elvis Presley version.

1956: Elvis Presley made his final appearance on the radio program Louisiana Hayride.  Elvis had made 50 appearances on the show, helping to put him in the national spotlight. Ironically, as the demand exploded for the type of rockabilly music Elvis was playing, ratings for the Louisiana Hayride and its typical focus on traditional country music actually went down.

1969: UNICEF holds its “Peace for Christmas” concert in London. In addition to a performance by the Rascals, the event features the live debut of the Plastic Ono Band with John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, George Harrison and Billy Preston.

It would turn out to be Lennon’s last concert appearance in Britain.

1968: Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. While Marvin had previously placed 30 records on the charts, this is his first #1.

1961 – A Decca Records rep named Mike Smith hears the Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. He sets the boys up with a London audition in January. The label will reject the lads after they audition remarking, “The Beatles have no future in show business.”

Celebrating birthdays today:

1938: Connie Francis

1940: Dionne Warwick

1941: Terry Kirkman (The Association)

1942: Mike Pinder (Moody Blues)

1943: Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers)

1946: Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull)

1949: Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company)

1957: In one of the biggest scandals to ever hit rock ‘n’ roll, Jerry Lee Lewis marries his 14-year old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. In addition to the obvious problems, it turns out Jerry Lee is still legally married to his first wife. That divorce would not be final for six more months.

Lewis’ career is badly damaged, but the marriage endures for 13 years.

1967: Just three days after recording what was to become his breakthrough pop hit, “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” Otis Redding and four members of his band, the Bar-Kays, perish when their tour plane goes down into Lake Monona next to Madison, Wisconsin.

1984: The Jacksons’ “Victory” tour comes to an end after 55 performances in 19 cities. It marks the last time Michael Jackson would tour with his brothers.