Dec. 31 (already?!?) Born Odetta (Holmes) (1930) Andrew James "Andy" Summers (Eric Burden & the Animals, the Police) (1942) John Denver (1943) Burton Cummings (Guess Who) (1947) Donna Summer (1948) Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton (Aerosmith) (1948)
R.I.P. Eric Hilliard "Rick" Nelson (plane crash) (1985) The private tour plane crash-landed northeast of Dallas in De Kalb, Texas, impacting trees as it came down. Seven of the nine occupants were killed: Nelson and his fiancee, Helen Blair; bass guitarist Patrick Woodward; drummer Rick Intveld; keyboardist Andy Chapin; guitarist Bobby Neal; and road manager/soundman Donald Clark Russell. Pilots Ken Ferguson and Brad Rank escaped via cockpit windows, though Ferguson was severely burned. Events 1961 The Beach Boys perform under that name for their first important show at the Long Beach Municipal Stadium in a memorial concert for Ritchie Valens . 1969 At the Fillmore East in NYC, Band of Gypsies (Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles & Billy Cox) play their first gig. 1982 "Miami" Steve Van Zandt (born Steven Lento) weds Maureen Santoro at the Harkness House in NYC. The ceremony is performed by Rev. Richard Penniman (aka Little Richard), and Bruce Springsteen is Best Man, and also performs at the reception, with the E-Street Band, Little Milton & Gary "U.S." Bonds.
