Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul is retiring to spend time with her family

Soul legend Aretha Franklin says she plans to retire from music to spend more time with her grandchildren.

The 74-year-old said she would record one final album with Stevie Wonder before stepping out of the limelight.

"I must tell you, I am retiring this year," the Queen Of Soul told a Detroit TV station, adding that she felt "exuberant" about her plans.

One of the most distinctive voices in popular music, she is known for hits including Respect and Dr Feelgood.

Among her career highlights are:

• More than 20 number one singles in the US
• First woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Won the Grammy for best R&B vocal performance for eight consecutive years from 1968 to 1975
• Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W Bush in 2005

Franklin has been performing since she was 19, but has been suffering from ill health in recent years. 

In 2010, she had to put her career on hold following abdominal surgery and has since slowed down her once-prolific tour schedule. 

Looking back on her success, the star said: "I feel very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from and where it is now".

There is a caveat to her retirement plans: The singer said she would remain open to "some select things, many one a month, for six months out of the year".

"I'll be pretty much satisfied, but I'm not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing," she added. "That wouldn't be good either."

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Born in Memphis to a famous Baptist preacher, Franklin was tutored from an early age by gospel stars like Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward.

She struggled to find fame in the early years, with record label Columbia unsure how to frame her impressively powerful voice.

A move to Atlantic Records in 1966 turned things around. Producer Jerry Wexler paired her with the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, who prompted some of her most soulful, fiery performances. 

By 1968, she was renowned throughout America and Europe as "Lady Soul" - a symbol of black pride, who was presented an award by Martin Luther King, and appeared on the cover of Time. 

Although she faltered in the era of disco, an appearance in cult comedy The Blues Brothers brought her back into the public eye and she scored a number of big hits in the 1980s, including Who's Zooming Who? and the George Michael duet, I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).

She has continued to record and perform since, and two years ago, the star reduced President Obama to tears when she performed (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman at the Kennedy Center Honours ceremony.

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• 660 BC – Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
• AD 55 – Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman emperorship, dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome. This clears the way for Nero to become Emperor.
• 244 – Emperor Gordian III is murdered by mutinous soldiers in Zaitha (Mesopotamia). A mound is raised at Carchemish in his memory.
• 1177 – John de Courcy's army defeats the native Dunleavey Clan in Ulster. The English establish themselves in Ulster.
• 1534 – Henry VIII of England is recognized as supreme head of the Church of England.
• 1626 – Emperor Susenyos I of Ethiopia and Patriarch Afonso Mendes declare the primacy of the Roman See over the Ethiopian Church, and Catholicism to be the state religion of Ethiopia.
• 1659 – The assault on Copenhagen by Swedish forces is beaten back with heavy losses.
• 1790 – The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, petitions U.S. Congress for the abolition of slavery.
• 1794 – First session of United States Senate opens to the public.
• 1808 – Jesse Fell burns anthracite on an open grate as an experiment in heating homes with coal.
• 1812 – Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry is accused of "gerrymandering" for the first time.
• 1823 – Carnival tragedy of 1823: About 110 boys are killed during a stampede at the Convent of the Minori Osservanti in Valletta, Malta.
• 1826 – University College London is founded as University of London.
• 1840 – Gaetano Donizetti's opera La fille du régiment receives its first performance in Paris, France.
• 1843 – Giuseppe Verdi's opera I Lombardi alla prima crociata receives its first performance in Milan, Italy.
• 1855 – Kassa Hailu is crowned Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia, by Abuna Salama III in a ceremony at the church of Derasge Maryam
• 1856 – The Kingdom of Awadh is annexed by the British East India Company and Wajid Ali Shah, the king of Awadh, is imprisoned and later exiled to Calcutta.
• 1858 – Bernadette Soubirous's first vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France.
• 1861 – American Civil War: The United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
• 1873 – King Amadeo I of Spain abdicates.
• 1889 – Meiji Constitution of Japan is adopted; the first National Diet convenes in 1890.
• 1903 – Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony receives its first performance in Vienna, Austria.
• 1906 – Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer Nos.
• 1919 – Friedrich Ebert (SPD), is elected President of Germany.
• 1929 – Kingdom of Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty.
• 1937 – A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers.
• 1938 – BBC Television produces the world's first ever science fiction television program, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Čapek play R.U.R., that coined the term "robot".
• 1939 – A Lockheed P-38 Lightning flies from California to New York in 7 hours 2 minutes.
• 1942 –World War II: The Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore.
• 1943 – World War II: General Dwight D. Eisenhower is selected to command the allied armies in Europe.
• 1953 – U.S.President Dwight D. Eisenhower denies all appeals for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
• 1953 – The Soviet Union breaks off diplomatic relations with Israel.
• 1959 – The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South, which will later become South Yemen, is created as a protectorate of the United Kingdom.
• 1964 – Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus.
• 1971 – Eighty-seven countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union, sign the Seabed Arms Control Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons on the ocean floor in international waters.
• 1973 – Vietnam War: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place.
• 1978 – Censorship: China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
• 1979 – The Iranian Revolution establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
• 1981 – Around 100,000 US gallons (380 m³) of radioactive coolant leak into the containment building of TVA Sequoyah 1 nuclear plant in Tennessee, contaminating eight workers.
• 1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner.
• 1990 – Buster Douglas, a 42:1 underdog, knocks out Mike Tyson in ten rounds at Tokyo to win boxing's world Heavyweight title and cause the largest upset in sports history.
• 1997 – Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
• 2001 – A Dutch programmer launched the Anna Kournikova virus infecting millions of emails via a trick photo of the tennis star.
• 2008 – Rebel East Timorese soldiers seriously wound President José Ramos-Horta. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack.
• 2011 – The first wave of the Egyptian revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 18 days of protests.
• 2014 – A military transport plane crashes in a mountainous area of Oum El Bouaghi Province in eastern Algeria, killing 77 people.
• 2015 – A university student was murdered as she resisted an attempted rape in Turkey, sparking nationwide protests and public outcry against harassment and violence against women.
• 2016 – A man shoots six people dead at an education center in Jizan Province, Saudi Arabia.

Births[edit]

• 1261 – Otto III, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1312)
• 1380 – Poggio Bracciolini, Italian scholar and translator (d. 1459)
• 1466 – Elizabeth of York (d. 1503)
• 1535 – Pope Gregory XIV (d. 1591)
• 1568 – Honoré d'Urfé, French author and playwright (d. 1625)
• 1649 – William Carstares, Scottish minister and academic (d. 1715)
• 1657 – Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle, French poet and playwright (d. 1757)
• 1708 – Egidio Duni, Italian composer (d. 1775)
• 1755 – Albert Christoph Dies, German composer and painter (d. 1822)
• 1764 – Joseph Chénier, French poet and playwright (d. 1811)
• 1776 – Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greek politician, 1st Governor of Greece (d. 1831)
• 1796 – Giovanni Pacini, Italian composer and educator (d. 1867)
• 1799 – Basil Moreau, French priest, founded the Congregation of Holy Cross (d. 1873)
• 1800 – Henry Fox Talbot, English photographer and politician, invented the calotype (d. 1877)
• 1802 – Lydia Maria Child, American journalist, author, and activist (d. 1880)
• 1805 – Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, American explorer (d. 1866)
• 1812 – Alexander H. Stephens, American lawyer and politician, Vice President of the Confederate States of America (d. 1883)
• 1813 – Otto Ludwig, German author, playwright, and critic (d. 1865)
• 1821 – Auguste Mariette, French archaeologist and scholar (d. 1881)
• 1830 – Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff, Prussian pianist and composer (d. 1913)
• 1833 – Melville Fuller, American lawyer and jurist, 8th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1910)
• 1839 – Josiah Willard Gibbs, American physicist, mathematician, and academic (d. 1903)
• 1845 – Ahmet Tevfik Pasha, Ottoman soldier and politician, 272nd Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (d. 1936)
• 1847 – Thomas Edison, American engineer and businessman, developed the light bulb and phonograph (d. 1931)
• 1855 – Ellen Day Hale, American painter and author (d. 1940)
• 1860 – Rachilde, French author and playwright (d. 1953)
• 1863 – John F. Fitzgerald, American politician; Mayor of Boston (d. 1950)
• 1869 – Helene Kröller-Müller, German-Dutch art collector and philanthropist, founded the Kröller-Müller Museum (d. 1939)
• 1869 – Else Lasker-Schüler, German poet and author (d. 1945)
• 1874 – Elsa Beskow, Swedish author and illustrator (d. 1953)
• 1881 – Carlo Carrà, Italian painter (d. 1966)
• 1891 – J. W. Hearne English cricketer (d. 1965)
• 1897 – Emil Leon Post, Polish-American mathematician and logician (d.1954)
• 1898 – Leo Szilard, Hungarian-American physicist and academic (d. 1964)
• 1900 – Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher and scholar (d. 2002)
• 1900 – Jōsei Toda, Japanese educator and activist (d. 1958)
• 1902 – Arne Jacobsen, Danish architect, designed Aarhus City Hall and Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (d. 1971)
• 1904 – Keith Holyoake, New Zealand farmer and politician, 26th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1983)
• 1908 – Philip Dunne, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1992)
• 1908 – Vivian Fuchs, English geologist and explorer (d. 1999)
• 1909 – Max Baer, American boxer and actor (d. 1959)
• 1909 – Joseph L. Mankiewicz, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1993)
• 1912 – Rudolf Firkušný, Czech-American pianist and educator (d. 1994)
• 1914 – Matt Dennis, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2002)
• 1914 – Josh White, American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and activist (d. 1969)
• 1915 – Patrick Leigh Fermor, English soldier, author, and scholar (d. 2011)
• 1915 – Richard Hamming, American mathematician and academic (d. 1998)
• 1917 – Sidney Sheldon, American author and screenwriter (d. 2007)
• 1919 – Eva Gabor, Hungarian-American actress, socialite and businesswoman (d. 1995)
• 1920 – Farouk of Egypt (d. 1965)
• 1920 – Daniel F. Galouye, American author (d. 1976)
• 1920 – Billy Halop, American actor (d. 1976)
• 1920 – Dorothea Krook-Gilead, Latvian-South African author and translator (d. 1989)
• 1920 – Daniel James, Jr., American general and pilot (d. 1978)
• 1921 – Lloyd Bentsen, American colonel and politician, 69th United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 2006)
• 1921 – Ottavio Missoni, Italian hurdler and fashion designer, founded Missoni (d. 2013)
• 1921 – Edward Seidensticker, American scholar and translator (d. 2007)
• 1923 – Antony Flew, English philosopher and academic (d. 2010)
• 1925 – Virginia E. Johnson, American psychologist and academic (d. 2013)
• 1925 – Kim Stanley, American actress (d. 2001)
• 1926 – Paul Bocuse, French chef
• 1926 – Leslie Nielsen, Canadian-American actor and producer (d. 2010)
• 1927 – Sinclair Stevens, Canadian businessman, lawyer, and politician
• 1930 – Roy De Forest, American painter and academic (d. 2007)
• 1932 – Dennis Skinner, English miner and politician
• 1934 – Mel Carnahan, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 51st Governor of Missouri (d. 2000)
• 1934 – Tina Louise, American actress and singer
• 1934 – Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general and politician, Military Leader of Panama
• 1934 – Mary Quant, English-Welsh fashion designer
• 1934 – John Surtees, English motorcycle racer and race car driver
• 1934 – David Taylor, English veterinarian and television host (d. 2013)
• 1935 – Gene Vincent, American singer and guitarist (d. 1971)
• 1936 – Burt Reynolds, American actor and director
• 1937 – Bill Lawry, Australian cricketer and sportscaster
• 1937 – Eddie Shack, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1937 – Phillip Walker, American singer and guitarist (d. 2010)
• 1938 – Simone de Oliveira, Portuguese actress and singer
• 1938 – Bobby Pickett, American singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
• 1939 – Gerry Goffin, American songwriter (d. 2014)
• 1939 – Jane Yolen, American author and poet
• 1940 – Mick Staton, American soldier and politician (d. 2014)
• 1941 – Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian pianist and composer
• 1942 – Otis Clay, American singer-songwriter (d. 2016)
• 1943 – Joselito, Spanish singer and actor
• 1943 – Serge Lama, French singer-songwriter
• 1943 – Alan Rubin, American trumpet player (d. 2011)
• 1943 – Stan Szelest American keyboard player (d. 1991)
• 1944 – Mike Oxley, American lawyer and politician (d. 2016)
• 1944 – Joy Williams, American novelist, short story writer, and essayist
• 1945 – Burhan Ghalioun, Syrian academic and politician
• 1946 – Pierre Curzi, Canadian actor, screenwriter, and politician
• 1946 – Ian Porterfield, Scottish-English footballer and manager (d. 2007)
• 1947 – Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese engineer and politician, 60th Prime Minister of Japan
• 1947 – Johnny Manahan, Filipino actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1947 – Derek Shulman, Scottish singer-songwriter and producer
• 1948 – Al Johnson, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2013)
• 1948 – Yoshihito, Prince Katsura of Japan (d. 2014)
• 1953 – Philip Anglim, American actor
• 1953 – Jeb Bush, American banker and politician, 43rd Governor of Florida
• 1953 – Tom Veryzer, American baseball player (d. 2014)
• 1954 – Wesley Strick, American director and screenwriter
• 1956 – Catherine Hickland, American actress
• 1956 – Didier Lockwood, French violinist (Magma)
• 1956 – H.R., American punk rock singer-songwriter (Bad Brains)
• 1957 – Tina Ambani, Indian actress
• 1957 – Peter Klashorst, Dutch painter, sculptor, and photographer
• 1959 – Deborah Meaden, English businesswoman
• 1959 – Roberto Moreno, Brazilian race car driver
• 1959 – Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, Iranian educator and politician, Iranian Minister of Health
• 1960 – Momus, Scottish-Japanese author, journalist, and songwriter
• 1960 – Richard Mastracchio, American engineer and astronaut
• 1961 – Carey Lowell, American model and actress
• 1962 – Tammy Baldwin, American lawyer and politician
• 1962 – Sheryl Crow, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress
• 1962 – Bestia Salvaje, Mexican wrestler (d. 2008)
• 1963 – José Mari Bakero, Spanish footballer and manager
• 1964 – Adrian Hasler, Liechtensteiner police officer and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
• 1964 – Sarah Palin, American journalist and politician, 9th Governor of Alaska
• 1964 – Ken Shamrock, American martial artist and wrestler
• 1966 – Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, French comedian, actor, and activist
• 1967 – Hank Gathers, American basketball player (d. 1990)
• 1967 – Paul McLoone, Irish singer, former radio producer, radio presenter, and voice actor
• 1967 – Ty Treadway, American actor and talk show host
• 1968 – Mo Willems, American author and illustrator
• 1969 – Jennifer Aniston, American actress and producer
• 1969 – Andreas Hilfiker, Swiss footballer
• 1969 – John Salako, Nigerian-English footballer, manager, and sportscaster
• 1970 – Fredrik Thordendal, Swedish guitarist and songwriter
• 1971 – Damian Lewis, English actor
• 1971 – Evan Tanner, American mixed martial artist (d. 2008)
• 1972 – Craig Jones, American keyboard player
• 1972 – Steve McManaman, English footballer
• 1972 – Bernd Meier, German footballer and coach (d. 2012)
• 1973 – Hernandez, American wrestler and promoter
• 1973 – Varg Vikernes, Norwegian guitarist and songwriter
• 1974 – D'Angelo, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1974 – Nick Barmby, English footballer and manager
• 1974 – Isaiah Mustafa, American football player and actor
• 1974 – Jaroslav Špaček, Czech ice hockey player and coach
• 1974 – Zain Verjee, Kenyan-Canadian journalist
• 1975 – Jacque Vaughn, American basketball player and coach
• 1976 – Tony Battie, American basketball player and sportscaster
• 1976 – Peter Hayes, American singer and guitarist
• 1977 – Ioannis Okkas, Cypriot footballer and manager
• 1977 – Mike Shinoda, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1979 – Brandy Norwood, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
• 1980 – Mark Bresciano, Australian footballer
• 1980 – Matthew Lawrence, American actor
• 1980 – Cormac McAnallen, Irish footballer (d. 2004)
• 1981 – Kelly Rowland, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
• 1982 – Natalie Dormer, English actress
• 1982 – Ľubomíra Kalinová, Slovak biathlete
• 1983 – Rafael van der Vaart, Dutch footballer
• 1984 – Maarten Heisen, Dutch sprinter
• 1984 – Marco Marcato, Italian cyclist
• 1984 – Aubrey O'Day, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
• 1984 – Maxime Talbot, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1985 – William Beckett, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Academy Is...)
• 1985 – Mike Richards, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1986 – Abu Omar al-Shishani, Georgian commander (d. 2016)
• 1986 – Robin Hawkins, Welsh singer and bass player
• 1986 – Kees Luyckx, Dutch footballer
• 1987 – Ebba Busch Thor, Swedish politician
• 1987 – Brian Matusz, American baseball player
• 1987 – Jan Smeekens, Dutch speed skater
• 1987 – Ellen van Dijk, Dutch cyclist
• 1988 – Vlad Moldoveanu, Romanian basketball player
• 1988 – Alwyn Uytingco, Filipino actor
• 1989 – Alexander Büttner, Dutch footballer
• 1990 – Javier Aquino, Mexican footballer
• 1991 – Hwang Chansung, South Korean singer-songwriter
• 1991 – Georgia May Foote, English actress
• 1992 – Lasse Norman Hansen, Danish cyclist
• 1992 – Taylor Lautner, American actor and martial artist
• 1993 – Saana Saarteinen, Finnish tennis player
• 1995 – Yang Zhaoxuan, Chinese tennis player

Deaths[edit]

• AD 55 – Britannicus, Roman son of Claudius (b. 41)
• 244 – Gordian III, Roman emperor (b. 225)
• 641 – Heraclius, Byzantine emperor (b. 575)
• 731 – Pope Gregory II (b. 669)
• 806 – Emperor Shunzong of Tang (b. 761)
• 824 – Pope Paschal I
• 1127 – William IX, Duke of Aquitaine (b. 1071)
• 1141 – Hugh of Saint Victor, German philosopher and theologian (b. 1096)
• 1160 – Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Japanese general (b. 1123)
• 1324 – Karl von Trier, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
• 1358 – Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, first Bahmani Sultan of Deccan
• 1503 – Elizabeth of York (b. 1466)
• 1626 – Pietro Cataldi, Italian mathematician and astronomer (b. 1552)
• 1650 – René Descartes, French mathematician and philosopher (b. 1596)
• 1755 – Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei, Italian archaeologist, playwright, and critic (b. 1675)
• 1763 – William Shenstone, English poet and gardener (b. 1714)
• 1795 – Carl Michael Bellman, Swedish poet and composer (b. 1740)
• 1829 – Alexander Griboyedov, Russian poet, playwright, and composer (b. 1795)
• 1862 – Elizabeth Siddal, English poet and model (b. 1829)
• 1868 – Léon Foucault, French physicist and academic (b. 1819)
• 1901 – Milan I of Serbia (b. 1855)
• 1917 – Oswaldo Cruz, Brazilian physician and epidemiologist (b. 1872)
• 1918 – Alexey Kaledin, Russian general (b. 1861)
• 1923 – Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician and academic (b. 1847)
• 1931 – Charles Algernon Parsons, English-Irish engineer, invented the steam turbine (b. 1854)
• 1935 – Germanos Karavangelis, Greek-Austrian metropolitan (b. 1866)
• 1940 – John Buchan, Scottish-Canadian historian and politician, 15th Governor General of Canada (b. 1875)
• 1940 – Ellen Day Hale, American painter and author (b. 1855)
• 1942 – Jamnalal Bajaj, Indian businessman and philanthropist, founded Bajaj Group (b. 1884)
• 1942 – Ugo Pasquale Mifsud, Maltese politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Malta (b. 1889)
• 1947 – Martin Klein, Estonian wrestler and coach (b. 1884)
• 1948 – Sergei Eisenstein, Russian director and screenwriter (b. 1898)
• 1958 – Ernest Jones, Welsh neurologist and psychoanalyst (b. 1879)
• 1959 – Marshall Teague, American race car driver (b. 1922)
• 1963 – John Olof Dahlgren, Swedish-American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1872)
• 1963 – Sylvia Plath, American poet, novelist, and short story writer (b. 1932)
• 1967 – Trần Tử Bình, Vietnamese general and diplomat (b. 1907)
• 1967 – A. J. Muste, Dutch-American minister and activist (b. 1885)
• 1968 – Howard Lindsay, American actor, director, producer, and playwright (b. 1888)
• 1968 – Deendayal Upadhyaya, Indian journalist, economist, and politician (b. 1916)
• 1973 – J. Hans D. Jensen, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1907)
• 1975 – Richard Ratsimandrava, Malagasy colonel and politician, President of Madagascar (b. 1931)
• 1976 – Lee J. Cobb, American actor (b. 1911)
• 1976 – Alexander Lippisch, German pilot and engineer (b. 1894)
• 1977 – Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Indian lawyer and politician, 5th President of India (b. 1905)
• 1977 – Louis Beel, Dutch academic and politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (b. 1902)
• 1978 – James Bryant Conant, American chemist, academic, and diplomat, 1st United States Ambassador to West Germany (b. 1893)
• 1978 – Harry Martinson, Swedish novelist, essayist, and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1904)
• 1982 – Eleanor Powell, American actress and dancer (b. 1912)
• 1985 – Henry Hathaway, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1898)
• 1985 – C. Suntharalingam, Sri Lankan academic, lawyer, and politician (b. 1895)
• 1986 – Frank Herbert, American journalist and author (b. 1920)
• 1986 – Evelio Javier, Filipino lawyer and politician (b. 1942)
• 1989 – George O'Hanlon, American actor and voice artist (b. 1912)
• 1993 – Kamal Amrohi, Indian director and screenwriter (b. 1918)
• 1993 – Robert W. Holley, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1922)
• 1994 – Neil Bonnett, American race car driver and sportscaster (b. 1946)
• 1994 – Sorrell Booke, American lieutenant, actor, and director (b. 1930)
• 1994 – William Conrad, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1920)
• 1994 – Paul Feyerabend, Austrian-Swiss philosopher and academic (b. 1924)
• 1994 – Nicole Germain, Canadian actress and journalist (b. 1917)
• 1996 – Kebby Musokotwane, Zambian politician, 5th Prime Minister of Zambia (b. 1946)
• 1996 – Amelia Rosselli, Italian poet and author (b. 1930)
• 2000 – Lord Kitchner, Trinidadian singer (b. 1922)
• 2000 – Roger Vadim, French director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1928)
• 2002 – Frankie Crosetti, American baseball player and coach (b. 1910)
• 2002 – Barry Foster, English actor (b. 1931)
• 2004 – Shirley Strickland, Australian runner and coach (b. 1925)
• 2005 – Jack L. Chalker, American author (b. 1944)
• 2006 – Peter Benchley, American author and screenwriter (b. 1940)
• 2006 – Ken Fletcher, Australian tennis player (b. 1940)
• 2006 – Jackie Pallo, English wrestler and actor (b. 1926)
• 2008 – Tom Lantos, American lawyer and politician (b. 1928)
• 2008 – Frank Piasecki, American engineer (b. 1919)
• 2009 – Estelle Bennett, American singer (b. 1941)
• 2009 – Willem Johan Kolff, Dutch-American physician and academic (b. 1911)
• 2010 – Heward Grafftey, Canadian businessman and politician (b. 1928)
• 2010 – Alexander McQueen, English fashion designer, founded his own eponymous brand (b. 1969)
• 2011 – Chuck Tanner, American baseball player and manager (b. 1928)
• 2012 – Siri Bjerke, Norwegian politician, Norwegian Minister of the Environment (b. 1958)
• 2012 – Aharon Davidi, Israeli general (b. 1927)
• 2012 – Whitney Houston, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress (b. 1963)
• 2013 – Tom Aspell, New Zealand-American journalist and producer (b. 1950)
• 2013 – Jim Boatwright, American basketball player and coach (b. 1952)
• 2013 – Rick Huxley, English bass player (b. 1940)
• 2013 – D. Vinayachandran, Indian poet and educator (b. 1946)
• 2014 – Alice Babs, Swedish singer and actress (b. 1924)
• 2014 – Tito Canepa, Dominican-American painter (b. 1916)
• 2014 – Fernando González Pacheco, Spanish-Colombian journalist and actor (b. 1932)
• 2015 – Anne Cuneo, Swiss journalist and author (b. 1936)
• 2015 – Roger Hanin, Algeria-born French actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1925)
• 2015 – Bob Simon, American journalist (b. 1941)
• 2015 – Jerry Tarkanian, American basketball player and coach (b. 1930)
• 2016 – Kevin Randleman, American mixed martial artist and wrestler (b. 1971)
• 2016 – Zeng Xuelin, Thai-Chinese footballer and manager (b. 1929)

H ταραχώδης ζωή της γυναίκας που ενέπνευσε το logo της Chiquita

Η Βραζιλιάνα καλλιτέχνιδα -τραγουδίστρια και χορεύτρια της σάμπα- και ηθοποιός Carmen Miranda ήταν μια από τους πιο διάσημους καλλιτέχνες το 1940 στην Αμερική!
Γεννήθηκε στο χωριό Βάρζεα ντα Οβέλια ε Αλιβιάντα της Βόρειας Πορτογαλίας και με την οικογένειά της μετακόμισε στο Ρίο ντε Ζανέιρο, όπου ο πατέρας της άνοιξε κουρείο. Ασχολήθηκε από πολύ μικρή με το τραγούδι και σύντομα έγινε γνωστή.

Εμφανίσεις, δίσκοι στο ενεργητικό της και μια φήμη που εξαπλωνόταν! Λίγο πριν το 1940 την ανακάλυψαν θεατρικοί παραγωγοί και την πήραν μαζί τους στο Broadway!
Η Carmen άρπαξε την ευκαιρία και τον ίδιο χρόνο έπαιξε σε πολλά μιούζικαλ, ενώ καθιέρωσε την περσόνα της με τις ευφάνταστες χορογραφίες και το ενδυματολογικό της, φορούσε καπέλο από φρούτα ή φτερά στο κεφάλι!
Μπορεί να μην υπάρχει επίσημη αναφορά, αλλά η γυναίκα, που φιγουράρει στις μπλε ετικέτες γνωστής μάρκας που εμπορεύεται μπανάνες, παραπέμπει άμεσα στη διάσημη Βραζιλιάνα.

Mέχρι και ο πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ, Franklin Roosevelt, την προσκάλεσε στο Λευκό Οίκο, για να τραγουδήσει.
Η κακή πλευρά της ζωής της. Ήταν καταθλιπτική και εξαρτημένη από ουσίες αλλά και από το αλκοόλ. Πέθανε μόλις στα 46 της χρόνια με τραγικό τρόπο - έπαθε καρδιακή προσβολή πάνω στη σκηνή, την ώρα της παράστασης, και πέθανε λίγες ώρες αργότερα από δεύτερο επεισόδιο.

πρωτοπόρος DJ σημερα στη Θεσσαλονίκη

Ο Black Coffee ξεκίνησε την καριέρα του κάπου στο 1995 και για πολλούς θεωρείται ότι άνοιξε τον δρόμο για την Afro-House μουσική. Έκτοτε έχει καταφέρει να κυκλοφορήσει πέντε άλμπουμ και αμέτρητα επιτυχημένα singles.
Έρχεται στις 11 Φεβρουαρίου στη Θεσσαλονίκη, προσκλεκλημένος της ομάδας NON Aesthetics, που μας έχει συνηθίσει σε υψηλού επιπέδου εκδηλώσεις, όπως το περίφημο Reworks Festival.

Τον γνωρίζεις
Έχεις χορέψει κομμάτια του, ακόμα κι αν δεν γνωρίζεις τον ίδιο ή τη δουλειά του. Για περισσότερα από 20 χρόνια γράφει, κυκλοφορεί και πανω απ’ όλα πρωτοπορεί στην afro-house σκηνή. Έχει εξελίξει το είδος και έχει συμβάλει τα μέγιστα στη διάδωσή του. Στη χώρα του, τη Νότια Αφρική θεωρείται ο κορυφαίος.

Το να είσαι παραγωγός και ταυτόχρονα DJ σε ένα τόσο υψηλό επίπεδο σημαίνει ότι ποτέ δε μπορείς να μένεις σταθερός σε ένα μέρος για πολλές μέρες ή ακόμα και για πολλές ώρες. Οι ρυθμοί της δουλειάς είναι πολύ έντονοι και ανάμεσα στις περιοδείες χρειάζεται να βρει χρόνο για να περάσει με τα παιδιά του αλλά και να γράψει μουσική.

“Αγαπάω να φτιάχνω μουσική”Ο ίδιος δεν κρύβει το μεγάλο πάθος του. "Αγαπάω να φρτιάχνω μουσική"δήλωσε σε πρόσφατη συνέντευξή του. “Και όλα όσα συνεπάγεται αυτό -την προσοχή των media, τα βραβεία- δεν είναι όμως τόσο σημαντικά όσο η ίδια η δουλειά. Είναι αντιπερισπασμός. Το μόνο που με ενδιαφέρει είναι να κάνω τη δουλειά μου σωστά.”

ΕργασιομανήςΤο αποτέλεσμα μιλάει από μόνο του. Το τελευταίο του άλμπουμ Pieces Of Me περιέχει υπέροχα afro/soulful house κομμάτια με μαγικά φωνητικά, αλλά και πιο “σκοτεινά” tracks  που μεταμορφώνονται σε club anthems στα χέρια ενός έμπειρου DJ, με το “We Dance Again” να έχει σίγουρα ηχήσει στα αυτιά σου τη χρονιά που μας πέρασε.

Είναι ένας καλλιτέχνης που όταν βρίσκεται μέσα στο bооth μπορεί να κάνει και τον πιο απαιτητικό ακροατή να χορέψει με τις μουσικές του επιλογές, είτε παίζει σε κάποιο σκοτεινό underground club, είτε εμφανίζεται σε κάποιο festival ως headliner.

Παραγωγές που ξεχωρίζουν
Κομμάτια όπως το ‘’Superman’’, το ‘’Juju’’ το ‘’Turn Me On’’ και πολλά άλλα θεωρούνται διαχρονικά House Anthems.

Βραβεία και διακρίσειςΜε πολλά highlight στην καριέρα του το ο Black Coffee είναι ο πρώτος Αφρικανός Dj που επιλέχθηκε από το BBC Radio1 για να παρουσιάσει 2 ώρες με τις μουσικές του επιλογές στο Essential Mix. Τον περασμένο Ιούνιο σάρωσε στα βραβεία SAMA κερδίζοντας σε όλες τις κατηγορίες που ήταν υποψήφιος και στην συνέχεια έγραψε ιστορία καθώς έγινε ο πρώτος Αφρικανός Dj που κέρδισε στα BET Awards.

Η εμφάνιση στο FIX Area
Μετά την περυσινή του εμφάνιση στη Θεσσαλονίκη, όλοι μιλούσαν για το πόσο ακούραστα και δυναμικά κατάφερε να απογειώσει το κοινό με ένα πολύωρο dj set. Φέτος, περνάει την πόρτα του FIX Area, το Σάββατο 11 Φεβρουαρίου 2017. 

Μαζί με τον Black Coffee θα είναι οι Dj Angelo, Andreas Athineos & Le Croque.

Τηλέφωνο Κρατήσεων/ VIP 6973438168

Εισιτήρια: 15 ευρώ (Προπώληση) και 20 ευρώ (στην είσοδο)
Σημεία προπώλησης: Stereodisc Record Shop (Πλ.Αριστοτέλους 4 -2310 262 912) Underground Store (Πλ.Ναυαρίνου - 2310 278 822)
Underground Store (Αγιας Σοφίας - 2310 260 944 )
Αποθήκη Coffee Store (Κωνσταντίνου Μελενίκου 15)
Frankie Leisure & Music (Ρογκότη 4 - 2310 270 783)
Merenda Coffee (Νεάπολη - 697 844 0289)
Public (Πανελλαδικά)
Media Markt (Πανελλαδικά)
Seven Spots (Πανελλαδικά)

Με την υποστήριξη του E-Radio    

Fix Area, 26ης Οκτωβρίου 15, Θεσσαλονίκη

18 gorgeous photos of the best tropical beaches in the world

Time to book your flights south for some wintertime sun.Ivan Pavlov/Shutterstock

When winter gets you down, there's only one thing to do: plan a beach vacation and get out of town.

Whether you're in the mood for pristine white sand and quiet days of relaxation or umbrella drinks and a raucous party scene, you've got plenty of options. 

We've compiled a list of the hottest sand-and-surf destinations around the world, where you can finally fix your Vitamin D deficiency with some sun therapy. 

Grab a book and some sunscreen and get out there.

Looking for big-city action with a top-of-the-line beach scene? Bondi Beach in Sydney will fit the bill. Always packed with locals — and keeping a laid-back Aussie vibe — Bondi is having a moment, as lots of big-name visitors and new fans have recently made the trek down south.

Getty Images/Don Arnold

St. Barts is the place to be for your winter getaway: just ask the celebrities and socialites who regularly ring in the new year on the Caribbean island. You can't go wrong with any of the beaches, but our sources recommend Colombier Beach for the hike, Shell Beach for the sunset, and Flamand Beach for fluffy sand. Don't forget to bring your superyacht.

Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com

If you like to snorkel, you'll love Tobacco Bay in St. George, Bermuda. The brilliantly clear waters are hotbeds for colorful fish sightings, while white sand beaches make for ideal sunbathing when you're ready to dry off.

Verena Matthew / Shutterstock

It's summer all winter in South Africa, so get down to Camps Bay, Cape Town, for a complete reversal of seasons. The stunning beach spills right off of a chic Cape Town neighborhood, with white sand and dramatic surf. Behind, Cape Town's iconic mountains rise sharply; early risers will want to check out the breathtaking hikes. And in between? Beach clubs jutting onto the sand will keep you partying all day; Caprice is a local favorite.

Wallix/Shutterstock

For that pura vida experience, you might want to set your sights on Playa Tamarindo in Costa Rica, where the town is small and the beach is laid-back perfection.

Max Herman/Shutterstock

Every celebrity and their cousin has been making the pilgrimage to Tulum lately. In particular, Playa Paraiso is where it's at, promising palms, pretty people, and a perfect Mexican getaway.

Shutterstock/Patryk Kosmider

Source: Business Insider

If you've never put the Philippines on your must-visit list, think again. White Beach in Boracay is home to some of the world's most idyllic sunsets.

Shutterstock

If you want that full-on "Castaway" experience, Los Roques in Venezuela will deliver on isolation and quiet. All you'll see during your stay is white sand, blue skies, and clear, clear water.

Shutterstock/Dmitry Burlakov

Hawaii always brings the magic. Golden-sand Wailea Beach on Maui offers a huge stretch of coastline to stroll, dotted with lava rock and tide pools where you're sure to find a stranded sea star. At the end of the day, splurge on a Mai Tai cocktail at the beachside Four Seasons.

Shutterstock/Mike Brake

Disappear into the deep blue of the Islas del Rosario off the coast of Colombia. The off-the-beaten-track destination is part of a national park, luring visitors who want to take advantage of unsullied snorkeling and swimming opportunities.

cesar.castro.g/Flickr

Thailand's Phra Nang will feel a world away from your desk job, with dramatic vegetation-topped stone formations rising out of the green waters.

Getty Images

The picturesque Beachcomber Island in Fiji has it all. This tiny, round island is ringed with a pristine white-sand beach for plenty of daytime fun. In the evenings, the on-island resort is known for its wild parties.

Gabor Kovacs Photography / Shutterstock

Australia's Whitsunday Islands are a supremely serene series of sandspits. Try Whitehaven Beach on Hamilton Island — just off the Great Barrier Reef — for the kind of turquoise waters and superior relaxation that only the most remote escapes can bring.

CristinaMuraca/Shutterstock

For something a little closer to home, pop over to Playa Flamenco on Puerto Rico's Isla Culebra. As perfect as a painting, Playa Flamenco is a mile-long horseshoe-shaped bay sheltered by an offshore reef and bordered by a wildlife refuge.

sailn1/Flickr

You can't get much more remote than Zanzibar. The beaches here are purest white sand and the horizon is endless, dappled only with the occasional local fishing boat. Too quiet? Tack on a few days of Tanzanian safari for a wild escape.

Ivan Pavlov/Shutterstock

Praia do Canoa Quebrada, in northeastern Brazil, is a beach just off of a small fishing village where golden sand dunes slide into blue waters. Sip on fresh agua de coco while sunbathing, go sandboarding in the dunes, or try out windsurfing.

Otávio Nogueira/Flickr

Or, if urban beach scenes are more your thing, head for Rio de Janeiro's bustling stretch of sand. Leblon Beach is a chic section of waterfront to post up on with a signature caipirinha, or check out Ipanema Beach for prime people watching.

Flickr/over_kind_man

At Tayrona National Park in Colombia, you'll find secluded beaches that define "tropical," from tall palm trees to teal waters. Take day hikes through the lush vegetation, or snorkel off the reefs and keep an eye out for large rays and lobsters.

Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

Το ιδιωτικό(!) νησί που μπορείς να νοικιάσεις  με 370 ευρώ την βραδιά 

Αν θεωρείς πως το να μείνεις σε ένα ιδιωτικό νησί συμβαίνει μόνο με δύο προϋποθέσεις, να έχεις δηλαδή κερδίσει το Τζόκερ ή να έχεις ένα πολύ «προνομιούχο» φίλο, τότε φθάνει μόνο να ρίξεις μία ματιά στην ιστοσελίδα του Airbnb για να αλλάξεις γνώμη.

Κι όμως υπάρχει ένα ιδιωτικό νησί το οποίο νοικιάζεται μέσω Airbnb (εδώ) και η τιμή του είναι πιο προσιτή απ΄ότι περιμέναμε, καθώς για να μείνεις εκεί με το ταίρι σου για μία μέρα δίνεις 370 ευρώ.

Το νησί με το όνομα «Bird» που βρίσκεται στο Μπελίζ της Κεντρικής Αμερικής  υπόσχεται να σε κάνει να νιώσεις σαν βασίλισσα, έστω κι αν αυτό κρατήσει για λίγες μέρες. Το Bird Island είναι αρκετά απομακρυσμένο, καθώς για να φτάσεις εκεί θα πρέπει πρώτα να έχεις πάει στο διπλανό νησί όπου βρίσκεται ο ιδιοκτήτης του, ο οποίος θα σε πάει με το σκάφος του στην ιδιωτική σου όαση!

Με το που φτάσεις και ρίξεις μία πρώτη ματιά στο μέρος θα καταλάβεις αμέσως πως τριγύρω σου υπάρχει μόνο θάλασσα, τροπικά φυτά και δέντρα. Μάλιστα, το μοναδικό σπίτι που έχει το νησί είναι ουσιαστικά ένα απλό παραδοσιακό ξύλινο εξοχικό, αλλά έχει αρκετά παράθυρα έτσι ώστε να βλέπεις απ΄όπου σταθείς τα καταγάλανα τροπικά νερά- ακόμη κι από το κρεβάτι σου.

Πάντως, μπορεί όσοι αναζητούν την ηρεμία τους να την βρίσκουν και με το παραπάνω στο Bird Island, αλλά υπάρχουν και πιο περιπετειώδεις δραστηριότητες, όπως η εξερεύνηση των κοραλλιογενών υφάλων και τα θαλάσσια σπορ.

Το μέρος ενδείκνυται για τους νιόπαντρους, ενώ η σχετικά προσιτή τιμή του το έχει κάνει αρκετά δημοφιλές προορισμό στο διαδίκτυο.

Το μόνο σίγουρο πάντως είναι πως το Bird Island θα σου προσφέρει τις πιο ήσυχες και γαλήνιες διακοπές της ζωής σου.

[edit]

• 881 – Pope John VIII crowns Charles the Fat, the King of Italy: Holy Roman Emperor
• 1429 – English forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orléans in the Battle of the Herrings.
• 1502 – Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on his second voyage to India.
• 1541 – Santiago, Chile is founded by Pedro de Valdivia.
• 1554 – A year after claiming the throne of England for nine days, Lady Jane Grey is beheaded for treason.
• 1593 – Japanese invasion of Korea: Approximately 3,000 Joseon defenders led by general Kwon Yul successfully repel more than 30,000 Japanese forces in the Siege of Haengju.
• 1689 – The Convention Parliament declares that the flight to France in 1688 by James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch, constitutes an abdication.
• 1733 – Englishman James Oglethorpe founds Georgia, the 13th colony of the Thirteen Colonies, and its first city at Savannah (known as Georgia Day).
• 1771 – Gustav III becomes the King of Sweden.
• 1814 – Battle of Château-Thierry
• 1814 – Battle of La Victoria
• 1817 – An Argentine/Chilean patriotic army, after crossing the Andes, defeats Spanish troops on the Battle of Chacabuco.
• 1818 – Bernardo O'Higgins formally approves the Chilean Declaration of Independence near Concepción, Chile.
• 1825 – The Creek cede the last of their lands in Georgia to the United States government by the Treaty of Indian Springs, and migrate west.
• 1832 – Ecuador annexes the Galápagos Islands.
• 1851 – Edward Hargraves announces he has found gold in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, starting the Australian gold rushes.
• 1855 – Michigan State University is established.
• 1894 – Anarchist Émile Henry hurls a bomb into the Cafe Terminus in Paris, France, killing one and wounding 20.
• 1909 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is founded.
• 1909 – New Zealand's worst maritime disaster of the 20th century happens when the SS Penguin, an inter-island ferry, sinks and explodes at the entrance to Wellington Harbour.
• 1912 – The Xuantong Emperor, the last Emperor of China, abdicates.
• 1914 – In Washington, D.C., the first stone of the Lincoln Memorial is put into place.
• 1921 – Bolsheviks launch a revolt in Georgia as a preliminary to the Red Army invasion of Georgia.
• 1924 – George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue received its premiere in a concert titled "An Experiment in Modern Music", in Aeolian Hall, New York, by Paul Whiteman and his band, with Gershwin playing the piano.
• 1935 – USS Macon, one of the two largest helium-filled airships ever created, crashes into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California and sinks.
• 1946 – World War II: Operation Deadlight ends after scuttling 121 of 154 captured U-boats.
• 1946 – African American United States Army veteran Isaac Woodard is severely beaten by a South Carolina police officer to the point where he loses his vision in both eyes. The incident later galvanizes the Civil Rights Movement and partially inspires Orson Welles' film Touch of Evil.
• 1947 – The largest observed iron meteorite until that time creates an impact crater in Sikhote-Alin, in the Soviet Union.
• 1947 – Christian Dior unveils a "New Look", helping Paris regain its position as the capital of the fashion world.
• 1954 – Lyons's LEO produces a payroll report. It is the first time in history a computer is used in business.
• 1961 – Soviet Union launches Venera 1 towards Venus.
• 1963 – Construction begins on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
• 1968 – Phong Nhị and Phong Nhất massacre.
• 1974 – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, is exiled from the Soviet Union.
• 1983 – One hundred women protest in Lahore, Pakistan against military dictator Zia-ul-Haq's proposed Law of Evidence. The women were tear-gassed, baton-charged and thrown into lock-up. The women were successful in repealing the law.
• 1990 – Carmen Lawrence becomes the first female Premier in Australian history when she becomes Premier of Western Australia.
• 1992 – The current Constitution of Mongolia comes into effect.
• 1993 – Two-year-old James Bulger is abducted from New Strand Shopping Centre by two ten-year-old boys, who later torture and murder him.
• 1994 – Four thieves break into the National Gallery of Norway and steal Edvard Munch's iconic painting The Scream.
• 1999 – United States President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the United States Senate in his impeachment trial.
• 2001 – NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft touches down in the "saddle" region of 433 Eros, becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid.
• 2002 – The trial of Slobodan Milošević, the former President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, begins at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands. He dies four years later before its conclusion.
• 2002 – An Iran Airtour Tupolev Tu-154 crashes in the mountains outside Khorramabad, Iran while descending for a landing at Khorramabad Airport, killing 119.
• 2004 – The city of San Francisco begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in response to a directive from Mayor Gavin Newsom.
• 2009 – Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashes into a house in Clarence Center, New York while on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, killing all on board and one on the ground.
• 2016 – Pope Francis met Patriarch Kirill at José Martí International Airport in Cuba, the first meeting between the pontiff of the Catholic Church and the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, together they signed the Havana Declaration.

Births[edit]

• AD 41 – Britannicus, Roman son of Claudius (d. 55)
• 528 – Daughter of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei, nominal empress regnant of Northern Wei
• 661 – Princess Ōku of Japan (d. 702)
• 1074 – Conrad II of Italy (d. 1101)
• 1218 – Kujō Yoritsune, Japanese shogun (d. 1256)
• 1322 – John Henry, Margrave of Moravia, (d. 1375)
• 1567 – Thomas Campion, English composer, poet, and physician (d. 1620)
• 1584 – Caspar Barlaeus, Dutch historian, poet, and theologian (d. 1648)
• 1606 – John Winthrop the Younger, English-American lawyer and politician, Governor of Connecticut (d. 1676)
• 1637 – Jan Swammerdam, Dutch biologist and zoologist (d. 1680)
• 1663 – Cotton Mather, English-American minister and author (d. 1728)
• 1665 – Rudolf Jakob Camerarius, German botanist and physician (d. 1721)
• 1704 – Charles Pinot Duclos, French author (d. 1772)
• 1728 – Étienne-Louis Boullée, French architect (d. 1799)
• 1753 – François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, French admiral (d. 1798)
• 1761 – Jan Ladislav Dussek, Czech pianist and composer (d. 1812)
• 1768 – Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1835)
• 1775 – Louisa Adams, English-American wife of John Quincy Adams, 6th First Lady of the United States (d. 1852)
• 1777 – Bernard Courtois, French chemist and academic (d. 1838)
• 1777 – Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué, German author and poet (d. 1843)
• 1785 – Pierre Louis Dulong, French physicist and chemist (d. 1838)
• 1787 – Norbert Provencher, Canadian bishop and missionary (d. 1853)
• 1788 – Carl Reichenbach, German chemist and philosopher (d. 1869)
• 1791 – Peter Cooper, American businessman and philanthropist, founded Cooper Union (d. 1883)
• 1794 – Alexander Petrov, Russian chess player and composer (d. 1867)
• 1804 – Heinrich Lenz, German-Italian physicist and academic (d. 1865)
• 1809 – Charles Darwin, English geologist and theorist (d. 1882)
• 1809 – Abraham Lincoln, American lawyer and politician, 16th President of the United States (d. 1865)
• 1824 – Dayananda Saraswati, Indian monk and philosopher, founded Arya Samaj (d. 1883)
• 1828 – George Meredith, English novelist and poet (d. 1909)
• 1857 – Eugène Atget, French photographer (d. 1927)
• 1857 – Bobby Peel, English cricketer and coach (d. 1943)
• 1861 – Lou Andreas-Salomé, Russian-German psychoanalyst and author (d. 1937)
• 1865 – Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, Polish author, poet, and playwright (d. 1940)
• 1866 – Lev Shestov, Russian author and philosopher (d. 1938)
• 1869 – Kiến Phúc, Vietnamese emperor (d. 1884)
• 1870 – Marie Lloyd, English actress and singer (d. 1922)
• 1876 – 13th Dalai Lama (d. 1933)
• 1877 – Louis Renault, French engineer and businessman, co-founded Renault (d. 1944)
• 1880 – George Preca, Maltese priest and saint (d. 1962)
• 1880 – John L. Lewis, American miner and union leader (d. 1969)
• 1881 – Anna Pavlova, Russian-English ballerina and actress (d. 1931)
• 1882 – Walter Nash, English-New Zealand lawyer and politician, 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1968)
• 1884 – Max Beckmann, German painter and sculptor (d. 1950)
• 1884 – Johan Laidoner, Estonian-Russian general (d. 1953)
• 1884 – Alice Roosevelt Longworth, American author (d. 1980)
• 1884 – Marie Vassilieff, Russian-French painter (d. 1957)
• 1885 – Julius Streicher, German publisher, founded Der Stürmer (d. 1946)
• 1889 – Bhante Dharmawara, Cambodian monk, lawyer, and judge (d. 1999)
• 1893 – Omar Bradley, American general (d. 1981)
• 1895 – Kristian Djurhuus, Faroese lawyer and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (d. 1984)
• 1897 – Charles Groves Wright Anderson, South African-Australian colonel and politician (d. 1988)
• 1897 – Lincoln LaPaz, American astronomer and academic (d. 1985)
• 1898 – Wallace Ford, English-American actor and singer (d. 1966)
• 1898 – Roy Harris, American composer (d. 1979)
• 1900 – Roger J. Traynor, American lawyer and jurist, 23rd Chief Justice of California (d. 1983)
• 1902 – William Collier, Jr., American actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1987)
• 1903 – Chick Hafey, American baseball player and manager (d. 1973)
• 1904 – Ted Mack, American radio and television host (d. 1976)
• 1907 – Joseph Kearns, American actor (d. 1962)
• 1908 – Jacques Herbrand, French mathematician and philosopher (d. 1931)
• 1909 – Zoran Mušič, Slovene painter and illustrator (d. 2005)
• 1909 – Sigmund Rascher, German physician (d. 1945)
• 1911 – Charles Mathiesen, Norwegian speed skater (d. 1994)
• 1912 – R. F. Delderfield, English author and playwright (d. 1972)
• 1914 – Tex Beneke, American singer, saxophonist, and bandleader (d. 2000)
• 1915 – Andrew Goodpaster, American general (d. 2005)
• 1915 – Lorne Greene, Canadian-American actor (d. 1987)
• 1916 – Joseph Alioto, American lawyer and politician, 36th Mayor of San Francisco (d. 1998)
• 1917 – Dom DiMaggio, American baseball player and soldier (d. 2009)
• 1918 – Norman Farberow, American psychologist and academic (d. 2015)
• 1918 – Julian Schwinger, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
• 1919 – Forrest Tucker, American actor (d. 1986)
• 1921 – Kathleen Antonelli, Irish-American computer programmer (d. 2006)
• 1922 – Hussein Onn, Malaysian lawyer and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Malaysia (d. 1990)
• 1923 – Franco Zeffirelli, Italian director, producer, and politician
• 1925 – Joan Mitchell, American-French painter (d. 1992)
• 1926 – Rolf Brem, Swiss sculptor and illustrator (d. 2014)
• 1926 – Joe Garagiola, Sr., American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2016)
• 1926 – Charles Van Doren, American academic
• 1928 – Vincent Montana, Jr., American drummer and composer (d. 2013)
• 1930 – John Doyle, Irish hurler and politician (d. 2010)
• 1930 – Arlen Specter, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician (d. 2012)
• 1931 – Janwillem van de Wetering, Dutch-American author and translator (d. 2008)
• 1932 – Axel Jensen, Norwegian author and poet (d. 2003)
• 1932 – Julian Simon, American economist, author, and academic (d. 1998)
• 1933 – Costa-Gavras, Greek-French director and producer
• 1933 – Brian Carlson, Australian rugby player (d. 1987)
• 1934 – Annette Crosbie, Scottish actress
• 1934 – Anne Osborn Krueger, American economist and academic
• 1934 – Bill Russell, American basketball player and coach
• 1935 – Gene McDaniels, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2011)
• 1936 – Joe Don Baker, American actor
• 1938 – Judy Blume, American author and educator
• 1939 – Akbar Adibi, Iranian engineer and academic (d. 2000)
• 1939 – Ray Manzarek, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer (d. 2013)
• 1941 – Dominguinhos, Brazilian singer-songwriter and accordion player (d. 2013)
• 1941 – Naomi Uemura, Japanese mountaineer and explorer (d. 1984)
• 1942 – Ehud Barak, Israeli general and politician, 10th Prime Minister of Israel
• 1942 – Pat Dobson, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2006)
• 1944 – Moe Bandy, American singer and guitarist
• 1945 – Maud Adams, Swedish model and actress
• 1945 – David D. Friedman, American economist, physicist, and scholar
• 1946 – Jean Eyeghé Ndong, Gabonese politician, Prime Minister of Gabon
• 1946 – Ajda Pekkan, Turkish singer-songwriter and actress
• 1948 – Ray Kurzweil, American computer scientist and engineer
• 1948 – Nicholas Soames, English politician, Minister of State for the Armed Forces
• 1949 – Joaquín Sabina, Spanish singer-songwriter
• 1949 – Gundappa Viswanath, Indian cricketer and referee
• 1950 – Angelo Branduardi, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1950 – Steve Hackett, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1950 – Michael Ironside, Canadian actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1952 – Simon MacCorkindale, English actor, director, and producer (d. 2010)
• 1952 – Michael McDonald, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player
• 1953 – Joanna Kerns, American actress and director
• 1954 – Joseph Jordania, Georgian-Australian musicologist and academic
• 1954 – Tzimis Panousis, Greek comedian, singer, and author
• 1954 – Phil Zimmermann, American cryptographer and programmer
• 1955 – Bill Laswell, American bass player and producer
• 1955 – Chet Lemon, American baseball player and coach
• 1956 – Arsenio Hall, American actor and talk show host
• 1956 – Ad Melkert, Dutch lawyer and politician, Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
• 1956 – Brian Robertson, Scottish rock guitarist and songwriter
• 1958 – Omar Hakim, American drummer, producer, arranger, and composer
• 1958 – Outback Jack, Australian-American wrestler
• 1958 – Grant McLennan, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2006)
• 1961 – Jim Harris, Canadian environmentalist and politician
• 1961 – Michel Martelly, Haitian singer and politician, 56th President of Haiti
• 1965 – Rubén Amaro, Jr., American baseball player and manager
• 1965 – Christine Elise, American actress and producer
• 1965 – David Westlake, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1966 – Paul Crook, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
• 1968 – Josh Brolin, American actor
• 1968 – Chynna Phillips, American singer and actress
• 1969 – Darren Aronofsky, American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1969 – Alemayehu Atomsa, Ethiopian educator and politician (d. 2014)
• 1969 – Anneli Drecker, Norwegian singer and actress
• 1969 – Hong Myung-bo, South Korean footballer and manager
• 1970 – Jim Creeggan, Canadian singer-songwriter and bass player
• 1970 – Bryan Roy, Dutch footballer and manager
• 1970 – Judd Winick, American author and illustrator
• 1971 – Scott Menville, American voice actor, singer, actor and musician
• 1972 – Owen Nolan, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1972 – Sophie Zelmani, Swedish singer-songwriter
• 1973 – Gianni Romme, Dutch speed skater
• 1973 – Tara Strong, Canadian voice actress and singer
• 1974 – Naseem Hamed, English boxer
• 1974 – Toranosuke Takagi, Japanese race car driver
• 1975 – Cliff Bleszinski, American video game designer, founded Boss Key Productions
• 1975 – Scot Pollard, American basketball player and actor
• 1976 – Christian Cullen, New Zealand rugby player
• 1977 – Jimmy Conrad, American soccer player and manager
• 1978 – Brett Hodgson, Australian rugby player and coach
• 1979 – Antonio Chatman, American football player
• 1979 – Jesse Spencer, Australian actor and violinist
• 1980 – Juan Carlos Ferrero, Spanish tennis player
• 1980 – Sarah Lancaster, American actress
• 1980 – Christina Ricci, American actress and producer
• 1982 – Jonas Hiller, Swiss ice hockey player
• 1982 – Louis Tsatoumas, Greek long jumper
• 1982 – Anthony Tuitavake, New Zealand rugby player
• 1983 – Carlton Brewster, American football player and coach
• 1984 – Brad Keselowski, American race car driver
• 1984 – Andrei Sidorenkov, Estonian footballer
• 1984 – Peter Vanderkaay, American swimmer
• 1988 – DeMarco Murray, American football player
• 1988 – Mike Posner, American singer-songwriter and producer
• 1990 – Robert Griffin III, American football player
• 1991 – Patrick Herrmann, German footballer

Deaths[edit]

• 821 – Benedict of Aniane, French monk and saint (b. 747)
• 890 – Henjō, Japanese priest and poet (b. 816)
• 941 – Wulfhelm, Archbishop of Canterbury
• 1517 – Catherine of Navarre (b. 1468)
• 1538 – Albrecht Altdorfer, German painter, engraver, and architect (b. 1480)
• 1554 – Lord Guildford Dudley, English son of Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland (b. 1536)
• 1554 – Lady Jane Grey, English daughter of Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk (b. 1537)
• 1571 – Nicholas Throckmorton, English politician and diplomat (b. 1515)
• 1590 – François Hotman, French lawyer and author (b. 1524)
• 1600 – Edward Denny, Knight Banneret of Bishop's Stortford, English soldier, privateer and adventurer (b. 1547)
• 1624 – George Heriot, Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist, founded George Heriot's School (b. 1563)
• 1700 – Aleksei Shein, Russian general and politician (b. 1662)
• 1713 – Jahandar Shah, Mughal emperor (b. 1664)
• 1728 – Agostino Steffani, Italian priest and composer (b. 1653)
• 1763 – Pierre de Marivaux, French author and playwright (b. 1688)
• 1771 – Adolf Frederick, King of Sweden (b. 1710)
• 1789 – Ethan Allen, American farmer, general, and politician (b. 1738)
• 1799 – Lazzaro Spallanzani, Italian biologist and physiologist (b. 1729)
• 1804 – Immanuel Kant, German anthropologist, philosopher, and academic (b. 1724)
• 1834 – Friedrich Schleiermacher, German philosopher and scholar (b. 1768)
• 1886 – Randolph Caldecott, English-American painter and illustrator (b. 1846)
• 1894 – Hans von Bülow, German pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1830)
• 1896 – Ambroise Thomas, French composer and academic (b. 1811)
• 1915 – Émile Waldteufel, French pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1837)
• 1916 – Richard Dedekind, German mathematician, philosopher, and academic (b. 1831)
• 1929 – Lillie Langtry, English singer and actress (b. 1853)
• 1931 – Samad bey Mehmandarov, Azerbaijani-Russian general and politician, 3rd Azerbaijani Minister of Defense (b. 1855)
• 1935 – Auguste Escoffier, French chef and author (b. 1846)
• 1942 – Eugene Esmonde, Irish-English lieutenant and pilot, Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1909)
• 1942 – Avraham Stern, Polish-Israeli militant leader (b. 1907)
• 1942 – Grant Wood, American painter and academic (b. 1891)
• 1947 – Moses Gomberg, Ukrainian-American chemist and academic (b. 1866)
• 1949 – Hassan al-Banna, Egyptian educator, founded the Muslim Brotherhood (b. 1906)
• 1954 – Dziga Vertov, Polish-Russian director and screenwriter (b. 1896)
• 1958 – Douglas Hartree, English mathematician and physicist (b. 1897)
• 1960 – Oskar Anderson, Bulgarian-German mathematician and academic (b. 1887)
• 1970 – Clare Turlay Newberry, American author and illustrator (b. 1903)
• 1971 – James Cash Penney, American businessman and philanthropist, founded J. C. Penney (b. 1875)
• 1976 – Sal Mineo, American actor (b. 1939)
• 1977 – Herman Dooyeweerd, Dutch philosopher and scholar (b. 1894)
• 1979 – Jean Renoir, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1894)
• 1980 – Muriel Rukeyser, American poet and activist (b. 1913)
• 1982 – Victor Jory, Canadian-American actor (b. 1902)
• 1983 – Eubie Blake, American pianist and composer (b. 1887)
• 1984 – Anna Anderson, Polish-American woman, who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (b. 1896)
• 1984 – Julio Cortázar, Belgian-Argentinian author and poet (b. 1914)
• 1985 – Nicholas Colasanto, American actor and director (b. 1924)
• 1989 – Thomas Bernhard, Austrian playwright and author (b. 1931)
• 1991 – Roger Patterson, American bass player (Atheist) (b. 1968)
• 1992 – Bep van Klaveren, Dutch boxer (b. 1907)
• 1994 – Donald Judd, American painter and sculptor (b. 1928)
• 1995 – Philip Taylor Kramer, American bass player (b. 1952)
• 1998 – Gardner Ackley, American economist and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Italy (b. 1915)
• 2000 – Screamin' Jay Hawkins, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (b. 1929)
• 2000 – Tom Landry, American football player and coach (b. 1924)
• 2000 – Charles M. Schulz, American cartoonist, created Peanuts (b. 1922)
• 2001 – Kristina Söderbaum, Swiss-German actress and producer (b. 1912)
• 2002 – John Eriksen, Danish footballer (b. 1957)
• 2005 – Dorothy Stang, American-Brazilian nun and missionary (b. 1931)
• 2007 – Peggy Gilbert, American saxophonist and bandleader (b. 1905)
• 2008 – David Groh, American actor (b. 1939)
• 2009 – victims of Colgan Air Flight 3407:
  • Alison Des Forges, American historian and activist (b. 1942)
  • Beverly Eckert, American activist (b. 1951)
  • Mat Mathews, Dutch accordion player (b. 1924)
  • Coleman Mellett, American guitarist (b. 1974)
  • Gerry Niewood, American saxophonist (b. 1943)
• 2010 – Nodar Kumaritashvili, Georgian luger (b. 1988)
• 2011 – Peter Alexander, Austrian singer and actor (b. 1926)
• 2011 – Fedor den Hertog, Dutch cyclist (b. 1946)
• 2011 – Betty Garrett, American actress, singer, and dancer (b. 1919)
• 2011 – Kenneth Mars, American actor and comedian (b. 1935)
• 2012 – Zina Bethune, American actress, dancer, and choreographer (b. 1945)
• 2012 – Denis Flannery, Australian rugby player and coach (b. 1928)
• 2012 – David Kelly, Irish actor (b. 1929)
• 2012 – John Severin, American illustrator (b. 1921)
• 2013 – Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabian prince (b. 1941)
• 2013 – Reginald Turnill, English journalist and author (b. 1915)
• 2013 – Hennadiy Udovenko, Ukrainian politician and diplomat, 2nd Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ukraine (b. 1931)
• 2014 – Sid Caesar, American actor and comedian (b. 1922)
• 2014 – John Pickstone, English historian and author (b. 1944)
• 2015 – Movita Castaneda, American actress and singer (b. 1916)
• 2015 – Mosie Lister, American singer-songwriter and minister (b. 1921)
• 2015 – Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Malaysian cleric and politician, 12th Menteri Besar of Kelantan (b. 1931)
• 2015 – Gary Owens, American radio host and voice actor (b. 1934)
• 2015 – Steve Strange, Welsh singer (b. 1959)
• 2016 – Dominique D'Onofrio, Italian-Belgian footballer and coach (b. 1953)
• 2016 – Yannis Kalaitzis, Greek cartoonist (b. 1945)
• 2016 – Johnny Lattner, American football player and coach (b. 1932)
• 2016 – Yan Su, Chinese general and composer (b. 1930)

Greek WW2 bomb forces huge Thessaloniki evacuation

Image copyrightAFP

At least 70,000 people in the Greek city of Thessaloniki are being evacuated so that a 500lb World War Two bomb can be defused, officials say.

It is thought to be one of the largest wartime bombs to be found in urban Greece in addition to being one of the largest mass evacuations.

The bomb was discovered during road works last week and is due to be disposed of on Sunday.

Officials say it is too degraded to tell if it is German or an Allied bomb.

Residents within a radius of about 2km (1.2 miles) of the bomb will be compelled to evacuate the area between now and Sunday morning, security officials have said.

Image copyrightAFP

Image copyrightREUTERS

The operation has been described by one blog as the biggest evacuation of Greek civilians in peacetime. However, it is not possible to verify such a claim.

The military says an operation of this size and complexity is the first of its kind in a densely populated area of Greece and the disposal operation should take about eight hours - but may take as long as two days. 

About 1,000 police officers and 300 volunteers will be deployed ahead of the disposal operation. People in the city were warned to vacate their homes several days in advance.

How much of a threat are unexploded bombs?

Athens seeks compensation from Germany for Nazi occupation

The evacuation is expected to cause considerable disruption in Thessaloniki, with about 450 residents of a refugee camp due to be among thousands of others being evacuated to schools, sports halls and cultural centres.

The bomb was discovered last week near a petrol station during work to expand fuel storage tanks. 

A state of emergency has been declared in the three municipalities affected by the defusion operation, Thessaloniki's Deputy Governor Voula Patoulidou told the Associated Press. news agency.

"It is the first time something like this is happening in Greece,'' he said. "The transfer of all residents is mandatory and we will go door-to-door to make sure everyone leaves." 

The military say they will initially try to defuse the bomb's detonator before taking the device in its entirety to an army firing range, where a decision will then be taken on how best to neutralise it.

The city's bus terminal will be closed down while trains will also stop operating. There is also expected to be some traffic disruption in addition to interruptions to church services. 

One resident of the city told the Associated Press that the bomb was dropped by British and US planes targeting German rail facilities on 17 September 1944. 

German forces occupied Greece from 1941 until October 1944.

Grammys 2017: All you need to know

Image copyrightBBC / GETTY IMAGES

From Beyonce's baby bump to Katy Perry's comeback, this year's Grammys ceremony looks rich with promise. 

Here's everything you need to know about the show.

WHEN IS IT ON?

James Corden is hosting the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 5pm(PT)/8pm(ET) on Sunday, 12 February. 

If you're in the US, you can watch the ceremony live on CBS from 8pm ET. In the UK, you have to wait until 4Music screen the show at 8pm on Monday night. Good luck avoiding spoilers.

However, you can watch the red carpet coverage live on E! (151 on Sky, 156 on Virgin, 321 on BT) from 11pm on Sunday. 

And BBC Music News LIVE will be reporting on the action throughout the night.

WHO'S PERFORMING?

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

The show has a line-up to rival Glastonbury. Here's what to expect.

• Katy Perry: Giving the first performance of her comeback song Chained To The Rhythm.
• Beyonce: Not officially confirmed - but her dad says she's performing, so it must be true.
• Adele: Likely to be singing her current single, Water Under The Bridge.
• The Weeknd and Daft Punk: This is Daft Punk's first performance in three years. Will White House press secretary Sean Spicer be more impressed than last time? 
• Chance The Rapper
• Alicia Keys and Maren Morris
• Bruno Mars: Appearing with Prince's side-project The Time, whose music inspired Uptown Funk.
• Little Big Town, Demi Lovato, Andra Day and Tori Kelly: Performing a tribute to the Bee Gees. Let's hope it's not as excruciating as it sounds.
• Lady Gaga and Metallica: Strange though this collaboration sounds, Gaga used to be the singer in a Led Zeppelin tribute band, so it could just work.
• Sturgill Simpson
• Lukas Graham
• John Legend and Cynthia Erivo: Performing a memorial to musicians who have died in the past year.
• Anderson .Paak and A Tribe Called Quest
• Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood
• Kelsea Ballerini
• William Bell and Gary Clark Jr

Other performers are likely to be announced in the run-up to the show, and there are usually a few surprises on the night itself.

WHO'S NOMINATED?

There are 83 categories at the Grammys - including "best surround sound album" and "best notes" (C# is our favourite) - so if you're a musician and you don't get a prize, it's probably best to cut your losses and take up ostrich farming.

You can see the main nominees at the bottom of this page, or read the full, exhaustive list on the official website of the Grammy Awards.

WHO'LL WIN THE BIG PRIZES?

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

The big fight is between Adele and Beyonce, who go head to head in the three main categories: Album of the year, record of the year and song of the year.

We predict Beyonce's politically-charged Lemonade will take the honours for album of the year; while Adele's Hello will take the others, which focus more on songcraft.

If we're right, it will be the first time Beyonce's won the main prize. Two years ago, she lost album of the year to Beck's Morning Phase, prompting Kanye West to throw all his toys out of the pram.

"Beck needs to respect artistry and he should have given his award to Beyonce," he observed.

Beck declined.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RECORD OF THE YEAR AND SONG OF THE YEAR?

Song of the year goes to the people who wrote the music and lyrics. 

Record of the year recognises everyone who contributed - musicians, producers, artists, catering team, dog groomer, receptionist, Simon Cowell, etc.

IS THERE A CELEBRITY PECKING ORDER?

Image copyrightAP

Very much so. Photographs of the seating plans released on Friday show that Beyonce and Jay Z get the best seats in the house, cementing their position as pop royalty. Beyonce's sister Solange - nominated for best R&B performance - has to sit a row behind, resisting the urge to flick B's ear.

Adele sits next to Bruno Mars, while Lady Gaga has an aisle seat. And, in the most unlikely pairing of the night, J-Lo will have to make small talk with Barry Gibb.

WHY ARE THEY CALLED THE GRAMMYS?

The name was chosen in a contest - as the ceremony was previously known as the Gramophone Awards. Jay Danna, the contest winner, received 25 LPs as a prize from the Recording Academy.

COULD THERE BE ANY SURPRISES?

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Sturgill Simpson is the dark horse in the best album category. His nomination raised more than a few eyebrows from people who expected David Bowie's Blackstar to be honoured by the Recording Academy.

The bad boy of country music, Sturgill covers Nirvana songs and has publicly berated Nashville for being out of touch.

Could he do a Beck? 

WILL ADELE REDEEM HERSELF?

Adele gave an uncharacteristically pitchy performance at last year's Grammys - after a rogue microphone fell on her piano strings and knocked everything out of tune.

The Recording Academy have "spent a year trying to make it up to her," Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich told E! and they'll be tightening all the screws on all of the mic stands with an industrial-level power tool.

Undoubtedly, she'll be back to her usual, flawless self.

HOW WILL THEY HANDLE THE 'IN MEMORIAM' SECTION?

Image copyrightAP

David Bowie, George Michael, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Sir George Martin, Sharon Jones, Glenn Frey, Prince Buster, Phife Dawg... 2016 was brutal - but that puts the Grammys in a pickle. They have a long history of musical tributes, but no-one wants this year's show to feel like a funeral.

"You've got a lot of people incredibly excited about being nominated," producer Kenneth Ehrlich told Rolling Stone. "I don't want to deny them by devoting a third of the show to people who've passed away." 

However, organisers have announced there will be special segments devoted to Prince - possibly led by Bruno Mars - and George Michael. 

WHY ISN'T FRANK OCEAN NOMINATED?

Frank Ocean's Blonde was one of the most critically-acclaimed albums of 2016 - but it's nowhere to be seen in the Grammy nominations.

Don't call it a snub, though. The star simply didn't submit the record for consideration, citing his dissatisfaction with the way the Grammys treated black artists.

"That institution certainly has nostalgic importance," he told the New York Times. "It just doesn't seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down." 

IS ANYONE ELSE BOYCOTTING THE CEREMONY?

Image copyrightAP

Kanye West, who's up for best rap album, vowed to boycott the Grammys if Frank Ocean wasn't nominated. We'll have to wait and see if he keeps his word.

Among the other major stars, Justin Bieber is allegedly skipping the show because he "doesn't think the Grammys are relevant or representative, especially when it comes to young singers" (according to TMZ, anyway).

And Drake isn't going to make it to LA, because he's playing a show in Manchester... But that might not be such a bad decision. The show's ratings dropped to a seven-year low in 2016, meaning the star will make more money from a single concert than he would from three minutes' TV exposure.

WILL THERE BE A TRUMP PROTEST?

It certainly seems likely. Adele, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and John Legend have all been outspoken critics of the new president.

The show has a history of protest. Pharrell, Beyonce and Common all spoke out against police killings of African-Americans two years ago; while Kendrick Lamar performed in chains last year, making a comment on discrimination in America's prison system.

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?

Chance The Rapper could make history if his Coloring Book album snags any of the seven awards it's nominated for. The ebullient, gospel-inspired record is the first streaming-only release to be eligible for the Grammys.

Although he's locked out of the best album category, David Bowie has five other nominations - and is favourite to win best rock album. But don't place a bet just yet, as he only ever won one competitive Grammy in his life.

Rihanna is second to Beyonce as the night's most-nominated woman - she's up for eight awards - but she's likely to be overshadowed in the main categories. Her bold, experimental album ANTI should easily win best urban contemporary album, however.

And, while Kanye may complain, don't expect anyone to refuse their awards. Sinead O'Connor is the only artist to have rejected her Grammy outright; while Milli Vanilli are the only act to have their award revoked.

Image copyrightAP

Grammy Awards 2017: Main nominations

Album Of The Year

• Adele - 25
• Beyonce - Lemonade
• Justin Bieber - Purpose
• Drake - Views
• Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide To Earth

Record Of The Year

• Adele - Hello
• Beyonce - Formation
• Lukas Graham - 7 Years
• Rihanna ft Drake - Work
• Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out

Song Of The Year

• Adele - Hello
• Beyonce - Formation
• Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
• Lukas Graham - 7 Years
• Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza

Best New Artist

• Kelsea Ballerini
• The Chainsmokers
• Chance The Rapper
• Maren Morris
• Anderson .Paak

Best alternative album

• David Bowie - Blackstar
• PJ Harvey - The Hope Six Demolition Project
• Bon Iver - 22, A Million
• Iggy Pop - Post Pop Depression
• Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Best pop album

• Adele - 25
• Justin Bieber - Purpose
• Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman
• Demi Lovato - Confident
• Sia - This Is Acting

Best rap album

• Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book
• De La Soul - And The Anonymous Nobody
• DJ Khaled - Major Key
• Drake - Views
• Schoolboy Q - Blank Face LP
• Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo