In 1975, John Lennon sued several U.S. government officials for selective prosecution in his deportation case. Later in the year, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned Lennon’s deportation order. He was granted permanent residence in the United States in 1976, four years before his murder.

In 1982, James Honeyman-Scott, guitarist with the new wave group, The Pretenders, died in London of a cocaine overdose at 24. Less than a year later, the group’s bass player, Pete Farndon, died of a heart attack brought on by drug abuse.

Also on this date in 1982, Donny Van Zant of the group .38 Special was arrested for drinking on stage in Tulsa, Oklahoma — a dry city.

In 1988, a Michael Jackson concert in Lyon, France was cancelled after only half the 30-thousand seats were sold.

In 1997, Irish singer Sinead O’Connor withdrew from a peace concert in Jerusalem after death threats.