On April 12, 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets recorded "Rock Around The Clock" for Decca Records. It's considered the first rock and roll song to top the charts.
In 1966, Jan Berry of the duo Jan and Dean crashed his Corvette into a parked truck in Los Angeles. He suffered extensive brain damage and paralysis and needed several years of rehabilitation.
In 1979, Mickey Thomas became the lead singer of Jefferson Starship.
In 1989, Herbert Mills of The Mills Brothers died in Las Vegas at age 77. The group was probably best known for the song "Paper Doll."
In 1992, the Euro Disneyland theme park opened in France.
In 1993, actor Lisa Bonet (boh-NAY') filed for divorce from singer Lenny Kravitz. They had married in 1987.
In 1997, The Fugees played the first of two homecoming concerts in Haiti to raise money for Haitian refugees. The concerts ended up costing more money than they raised.
Today's Birthdays: Musician Herbie Hancock is 84. Musician John Kay of Steppenwolf is 80. Actor Ed O'Neill ("Modern Family," "Married...With Children") is 78. Actor Dan Lauria ("The Wonder Years") is 77. Talk show host David Letterman is 77. Singer J.D. Nicholas of The Commodores is 72. Singer Pat Travers is 70. Actor Andy Garcia is 68. Country singer Vince Gill is 67. TV personality J Alexander ("America's Next Top Model") is 66. Guitarist Will Sergeant of Echo and the Bunnymen is 66. Singer Art Alexakis (al-ex-AH'-kis) of Everclear is 62. Singer Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls is 60. Actor Alicia Coppola (TV's "Jericho," film's "National Treasure: Book of Secrets") is 56. Singer Nicholas Hexum of 311 (three-eleven) is 54. Actor Retta ("Good Girls," "Parks and Recreation") is 54. Actor Nicholas Brendon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is 53. Actor Shannen Doherty is 53. Actor Marley Shelton ("Pleasantville") is 50. Actor Sarah Jane Morris ("NCIS") is 47. Bassist Guy Berryman of Coldplay is 46. Actor Riley Smith ("Nashville") is 46. Actor Claire Danes is 45. Actor Jennifer Morrison ("Once Upon A Time," "House") is 45. Actor Matt McGorry ("How To Get Away With Murder," "Orange Is The New Black") is 38. Actor Brooklyn Decker ("Grace and Frankie") is 37. Drummer Joe Rickard of Red is 37. Singer-guitarist Brendon Urie (YUR'-ee) of Panic At The Disco is 37. Actor Saoirse (SEHR'-shuh) Ronan is 30.