Music History Events: Marriages
October 11, 1965 Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers marries his first wife, Pauline Behan -- the former secretary of his fan club!
July 26, 1965 Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson marries Carol Freedman, the first of what would be four wives, in Los Angeles.
February 11, 1965 Ringo Starr marries his first wife, Maureen Cox, in London's Caxton Hall Register Office, with manager Brian Epstein as best man. John Lennon and George Harrison are also in attendance, as well as the couple's parents and John's wife, Cynthia. (Paul is on vacation in Tunisia.) Afterwards, Ringo and Maureen head off to a honeymoon in Sussex, England.
October 27, 1964 Sonny (31-year-old Salvatore Bono) and Cher (18-year-old Cherilyn Sarkisian), exchange vows and wedding rings in their first home. Their publicity materials cite this as the day of their wedding, but the duo does not officially marry until 1969.
October 14, 1964 The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts marries Shirley Ann Shepherd, and in a remarkable display of fidelity, remains married to her the rest of his life.
April 12, 1964 Chubby Checker marries Miss World 1962, Catharina Johanna Lodders, of the Netherlands.
December 28, 1963 Teen idol Bobby Vee marries his first and only wife, Karen Bergen, in Orchard Lane, Michigan.
June 8, 1963 Marvin Gaye, 24, marries 41-year-old Anna Gordy, the daughter of Berry Gordy, his boss at Motown Records. They get divorced in 1977.
April 24, 1963 18-year-old Brenda Lee marries 19-year-old Ronnie Shacklett in Nashville, where they raise two daughters together: Jolie and Julie.
April 20, 1963 Rick Nelson marries his first wife, Kris Harmon, daughter of college football legend Tom Harmon and sister of actor Mark Harmon, in Los Angeles. A pregnant Kris gives birth to daughter Tracy only six months later. The couple divorce in 1982.
March 23, 1963 Dion DiMucci marries Sue Butterfield two years after releasing his hit "Runaround Sue." His bride has nothing to do with the song, but often tells people she is so they will remember her. Their marriage lasts a lifetime.
March 21, 1963 Barbra Streisand marries her first husband, actor Elliott Gould, whom she'd met while both were performing in the Broadway hit I Can Get It for You Wholesale.
February 16, 1963 Paul Anka marries the fashion model Anne de Zogheb. They have five daughters together before divorcing in 2001.
December 31, 1962 John Phillips and Michelle Gilliam, who form The Mamas & The Papas in 1965, are married. Their marriage falls apart in 1968 around the same time the group implodes. They're officially divorced in 1970.
October 28, 1962 The songwriting team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwhich team up for real, marrying in New York City. The couple divorce in 1965, but keep working together.
September 11, 1962 Neil Sedaka marries his wife, Leba.
August 23, 1962 John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell at the Registrar office in Liverpool with Paul McCartney as best man. His wedding night is spent playing a gig with The Beatles at the nearby Riverpark Ballroom.
December 1, 1960 24-year-old Bobby Darin marries 19-year-old Sandra Dee at Don Kirshner's apartment in New Jersey.
November 13, 1960 Sammy Davis, Jr. weds Swedish actress May Britt, one of the first public celebrity interracial marriages.
September 11, 1960 Tommy Sands marries Nancy Sinatra (they divorce five years later).
November 7, 1959 Smokey Robinson marries Claudette Rogers, a fellow member of The Miracles and the eventual inspiration for his song "My Girl," made famous by the Temptations. They divorce in 1985.
October 24, 1959 On his 23rd birthday, and still a year away from even buying his first bass guitar, The Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman marries his first wife, 18-year-old bank clerk Diane Corey.
May 12, 1959 Eddie Fisher marries actress Elizabeth Taylor. They get divorced in 1964.
August 15, 1958 Buddy Holly marries Maria Elena Santiago at his childhood home in Lubbock, Texas.
June 4, 1958 With the public outraged over his marriage to 13-year-old Myra Gale Brown, an indignant Jerry Lee Lewis renews their vows, since he wasn't actually divorced from a previous wife when he originally married her.
September 26, 1955 Pop singer Eddie Fisher weds actress/singer Debbie Reynolds. The marriage will last just four tumultuous years before Fisher leaves America's Sweetheart for Elizabeth Taylor. Fisher and Reynolds had one child together, actress Carrie Fisher.
November 7, 1953 Pat Boone marries Shirley Lee Foley, the daughter of country singer Red Foley, in what will be a lifelong union. Boone and Foley are both 19 years old.
September 28, 1953 Johnny Horton marries Billie Jean Jones Eshliman, widow of Hank Williams Sr.
November 18, 1952 Four days after he divorces his first wife, Bill Haley marries his pregnant girlfriend.
March 28, 1952 Jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday marries mafia strongman Louis McKay.
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