2000 - Ricky Martin and Cher are named most successful international male and female artists, respectively, at the year's Echo Awards, the German equivalent of the Grammys.

1999 - First ladies of hip-hop Salt-N-Pepa embark on their first North American tour in four years in Indianapolis.

1998 - American dancer Alan Reed sues female Japanese star Seiko Matsuda for 48 million YEN in damages for alleged sexual harassment. The suit claims that Matsuda pressured Reed, a dancer in the singer's stage show, to have sex with her.

1998 - Olivia Newton-John previews a song from her forthcoming MCA album, "Back With A Heart," at New York's Bottom Line. She joins Victoria Shaw onstage to sing "Love Is A Gift."

1997 - Bad Boy Entertainment rapper Notorious B.I.G. is killed in a drive-by shooting in the early morning hours outside a party in Los Angeles thrown by two prominent music industry magazines. Police have no suspects.

1995 - Rapper T-Bone is acquitted of murder charges in Torrance, Calif.

1987 - Carole King is inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City.

1975 - Elvis Presley begins his final recording session at RCA's Hollywood studios.

1972 - James Taylor, Carole King and Barbra Streisand perform a benefit concert for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.

1948 - Soul singer/songwriter/drummer Jeffrey Osborne is born in Providence, R.I. He is the lead singer of L.T.D. until 1980.

1945 - Guitarist Robin Trower is born in London. He is an original member of Procul Harum.

1933 - Lloyd Price is born in Kenner, La. His first recording is the No. 1 R&B hit "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" in 1952. He tops the pop chart for four weeks in 1959 with "Stagger Lee."