Music History

Guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the rock band Stone Temple Pilots Dean DeLeo was born in Montclair, New Jersey. He was also a member of the bands Talk Show and Army of Anyone. His younger brother Robert DeLeo was also a member of Stone Temple Pilots.

Debbi Peterson, a member of The Bangles, was born.

Roland Orzabal, a member of Tears For Fears, was born.

Colin Angus of the Scottish psychedelic group The Shamen was born.

British musician, songwriter and lyricist Mark Bedford, also known as Bedders, was born in Islington, London. He became known as the bassist of Madness.

American country singer, songwriter and actor Billy Ray Cyrus was born in Flatwoods, Kentucky. He became famous for the hit “Achy Breaky Heart”, and his album “Some Gave All” reached number one in the US. In 2019 he appeared on the remix of Lil Nas X's “Old Town Road”. He is also the father of Miley Cyrus.

The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in the afternoon and then played on the riverboat M.V. Royal Iris on the River Mersey as the support act for Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band. It was one of four “riverboat shuffles” in which the group participated.

Elvis Presley reached No. 1 on the US album chart with his album “Something For Everybody”.

American singer Mitch Malloy was born. He is best known as the former singer of the hard rock band Great White from 2018 to 2022 and also auditioned for the position of Van Halen's singer after Sammy Hagar's departure.

Connie Francis appeared as a celebrity “mystery guest” on the CBS television program “What's My Line”.

American gospel singer and actress Yolanda Yvette Adams was born in Houston, Texas. She is known as the Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music and the First Lady of Modern Gospel. She had five albums reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Album chart. Her album “Mountain High... Valley Low” won a Grammy in 1999, and in 2016 she received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteer service.

Joe Dowell reached No. 1 on the US singles chart with his version of “Wooden Heart”. The song is best known for its use in Elvis Presley’s 1960 film “G.I. Blues”, which gave Elvis a UK No. 1 hit. Among those who contributed to Dowell’s recording were Floyd Cramer on piano, The Anita Kerr Singers, The Jordanaires, and Ray Stevens on organ. The song remained at the top of the US chart for one week.

British singer and songwriter Kim Appleby, one half of the sibling pop duo Mel and Kim, was born in Hackney, London. Together with her sister Melanie Appleby, she had the UK No. 1 single “Respectable” in 1987 as Mel and Kim, as well as three other UK Top 10 hits: “Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)”, “F.L.M.”, and “That's the Way It Is”.

Tamla Records released the Marvelettes’ first single, “Please Mr. Postman”. The song sold more than one million copies, became the group’s biggest hit, topped both the Billboard pop and R&B charts, and was Motown’s first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Twenty-four-year-old Gene Chandler recorded the song “Duke Of Earl” at Universal Recording studio in Chicago with his vocal group The Dukays. The recording session was originally intended for Nat Records, but the original tapes were later sold to Vee Jay Records, which scored its first No. 1 hit and first million-selling record with the song the following February. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2002, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it among the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. Gene Chandler later placed another 25 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, but none was as successful as “Duke Of Earl”.

Keith McKenzie of the Scottish electronic dance group The Shamen was born. In 1992, the group had the UK No. 1 single “Ebeneezer Goode”.

Canadian singer and songwriter Bruce Guthro was born. He recorded as a solo artist and was the lead singer of the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig from 1998 to 2018.

John Leyton began a three-week run at No. 1 on the British singles chart with "Johnny Remember Me". The BBC later banned it from airplay because of its unsettling sound and gloomy lyrics.

Joe Dowell’s version of “Wooden Heart”, originally associated with Elvis Presley, entered the US chart.

The Highwaymen zahájili dvoutýdenní pobyt na 1. místě amerického žebříčku Billboard Hot 100 se skladbou „Michael, Row the Boat Ashore“, známou také jako „Michael“. Šlo o milionový, zlatě certifikovaný singl a adaptaci afroamerického spirituálu z 19. století, který původně zpívali zotročení lidé na ostrově St. Helena v Jižní Karolíně. Verze kvinteta z Wesleyan University v Middletownu v Connecticutu získala zlatou desku za prodej jednoho milionu kopií.

První singl skupiny The Marvelettes „Please Mr. Postman“ debutoval v žebříčcích.

Aretha Franklin made her first appearance on the television program “American Bandstand” on August 2, 1962, performing “Don't Cry Baby” and “Try a Little Tenderness.”

Lee Mavers, English singer and guitarist with The La's, was born on August 2, 1962.

Paul Reynolds, lead guitarist with A Flock of Seagulls, was born in Liverpool, England.

The Rolling Stones played the first of 22 consecutive weekly shows at the Ealing Jazz Club in London. During this period, they performed under the name The Rollin' Stones.

Marilyn Monroe died in Brentwood, Los Angeles, at the age of 36 from a barbiturate overdose.

Anita Wood announced that she had split from Elvis Presley, moved out of Graceland and returned to Jackson, Tennessee.

American rapper Mohandas Dewese, known as Kool Moe Dee, was born in New York City.

The Tijuana Brass released their first single, “The Lonely Bull”, on A&M Records, the label founded by their bandleader Herb Alpert and his partner Jerry Moss. The song reached No. 6 in the US and launched a run of 19 pop hits by Alpert.

Robert Zimmerman legally changed his name to Bob Dylan.

British singer and songwriter Julia Fordham was born on Hayling Island in England.

Bragi Ólafsson, bassist for The Sugarcubes, was born in Reykjavík, Iceland.

Mary Wells released “You Beat Me To The Punch.”

After eight previous Billboard Top 40 songs, Neil Sedaka reached No. 1 on the US chart for the first time with “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” It spent two weeks at the top of Billboard and also two weeks at No. 1 on the Cashbox Best Sellers Chart. It reached No. 7 in the UK.

Tony Bennett released the single “Once Upon A Time” with “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on the B-side. When DJs began playing the B-side, “San Francisco” climbed to No. 19 on the chart and later earned Bennett Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance.

The group and their manager Brian Epstein decided to fire drummer Pete Best. Best played his final concert the following night at The Cavern in Liverpool. Ringo Starr, who was nearing the end of a three-month engagement with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at a Butlin’s holiday camp, received a phone call from John Lennon asking him to join. Ringo gave Rory Storm three days' notice and made his first appearance as a member of The Beatles on August 18.

Lennon and McCartney traveled from Liverpool to Skegness to offer Ringo Starr a place in The Beatles. Starr accepted the offer and agreed to a salary of £25 per week.

Canadian musician Astrid Young, Neil Young's half-sister, was born.

After being informed of his dismissal, Brian Epstein asked Pete Best to perform with The Beatles that evening at the Riverpark Ballroom in Chester. Best did not appear, and Johnny Hutchinson of The Big Three temporarily replaced him.

Pete Best was dismissed from The Beatles by manager Brian Epstein and replaced by Ringo Starr. Epstein gave him the news at his record shop.

Warner Bros. released the single "If I Had a Hammer" by Peter, Paul and Mary. The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammy Awards for Best Folk Recording and Best Performance by a Vocal Group.

Twelve-year-old Little Stevie Wonder released his first single, "I Call It Pretty Music (But The Old People Call It The Blues)", issued by Motown Records. Marvin Gaye played drums on the recording, which reached No. 101 on the Billboard Hot 100.

American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer Gilbert “Gilby” Clarke was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for his three-year stint as rhythm guitarist with Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin from 1991 to 1993.

Ringo Starr officially joined The Beatles, replacing Pete Best as the band's drummer.

Bobby Vinton began his fourth week at No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart with “Roses Are Red (My Love).”

Peter, Paul & Mary released the song “If I Had a Hammer.”

Ringo Starr performed with The Beatles for the first time at a dance at the Horticultural Society in Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, England, following a two-hour rehearsal. It was the first performance by the Beatles lineup of John, Paul, George and Ringo, two days after their previous drummer Pete Best was dismissed.