On May 24, 1963, electric blues guitarist Elmore James suffered a fatal heart attack in Chicago at the age of 45. James, whose best-known recording was "Dust My Broom," influenced such rock musicians as Keith Richards and Eric Clapton.
In 1969, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull were arrested for marijuana possession at their home in London.
In 1974, bandleader and composer Duke Ellington died of lung cancer in New York at the age of 75. Ellington composed such standards as "Mood Indigo" and "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good."
In 1978, the debut album by Van Halen went gold in the U.S.
In 1980, members of Genesis surprised fans by showing up at the box office of the Roxy in Los Angeles to sell tickets to their benefit for local hospitals the following night.
In 1990, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses and model Erin Everly, the daughter of singer Don Everly, filed for divorce. They were married 27 days.
In 1995, the members of Lynyrd Skynryd put their handprints and signatures into the Hollywood Rock Walk.
In 2000, Britney Spears' album "Oops!...I Did It Again" sold 1.3 million copies its first week out, giving her the most first-week sales for a female artist. That record has since been broken.
In 2006, Taylor Hicks beat out Katherine McPhee to win the fifth season of "American Idol."
In 2010, Slipknot bassist Paul Gray was found dead of an overdose in a hotel room in Des Moines, Iowa. He was 38.
Today's Birthdays: Musician John Madden of The Serendipity Singers is 87. Jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp is 87. Comedian Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong is 86. Musician Bob Dylan is 83. Actor Gary Burghoff ("MASH") is 81. Singer Patti LaBelle is 80. Actor Priscilla Presley is 79. Country singer-songwriter Mike Reid is 77. Actor Jim Broadbent ("Moulin Rouge," "Iris") is 75. Actor Alfred Molina is 71. Singer Rosanne Cash is 69. Actor Cliff Parisi ("Call the Midwife") is 64. Actor Kristin Scott Thomas is 64. Actor John C. Reilly ("Chicago," "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story") is 59. Actor Dana Ashbrook ("Twin Peaks") is 57. Actor Eric Close ("Nashville," "Without A Trace") is 57. Actor Carl Payne ("Martin," "The Cosby Show") is 55. Guitarist Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes is 55. Actor Dash Mihok (MY'-hok) ("Silver Linings Playbook") is 50. Actor Bryan Greenberg (film's "Bride Wars," TV's "One Tree Hill") is 46. Actor Billy L. Sullivan ("Something So Right") is 44. Actor-rapper Big Tyme is 43. Drummer Cody Hanson of Hinder is 42. Dancer Mark Ballas ("Dancing With The Stars") is 38. Country singer Billy Gilman is 36. Rapper G-Eazy is 35. Actor Cayden Boyd ("The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl") is 30.