Music History

John Lennon wrote the song „Cold Turkey“ about heroin withdrawal, rehearsed it during the afternoon and recorded it that evening with Ringo Starr and Klaus Voormann. During the recording he also drew on his recent experience with primal scream therapy. Despite unfavorable reviews and a BBC ban, the song reached the U.K. Top 20 and U.S. Top 30 and became a precursor to his later album „Plastic Ono Band“.

Led Zeppelin performed at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida, during their North American tour.

Yes performed at Club Paradiso in Amsterdam.

Elvis Presley performed an evening concert at 8:15 p.m. and a midnight concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Each was attended by approximately 2,200 people. The evening programme included “Blue Suede Shoes”, “I Got A Woman”, “All Shook Up”, “Love Me Tender”, “Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Mystery Train/Tiger Man”, “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds”. The midnight concert had a similar programme and additionally included “I Can't Stop Loving You”, “My Babe”, “Words” and “Polk Salad Annie”, and Elvis introduced Nancy Sinatra, Mac Davis, Buddy Hackett, Thomas Jones and Shelley Fabares.

Luke Scott of Babybird was born. The group had the UK hit “You're Gorgeous” in 1996 and the album “Ugly Beautiful” reached number nine on the UK chart.

The Band's album “The Band” was released.

American drummer and songwriter Adrian Young was born in Long Beach, California. He is best known as a longtime member of No Doubt and also performed with Dreamcar.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Drummer, percussionist and producer Drew Hester was born. He played with Joe Walsh, Stevie Nicks, Beck, Jewel, Daniel Powter, Foo Fighters and Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders.

Edward Bear performed as the opening act for Led Zeppelin at the Rock Pile club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

During a performance at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Elvis Presley sang “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” with a section intended for backing singer Cissy Houston. Her way of performing it live made him laugh so much that he could not stop laughing during the song; in the improvised section he also changed the lyrics and sang, “Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair?”

Elvis Presley released “Suspicious Minds”, his 18th and final lifetime No. 1 single in the US.

Johnny Cash, with his backing group The Tennessee Three, performed for the first time at the Minnesota State Fair. June Carter and The Carter Sisters and The Statler Brothers appeared as opening acts. Cash performed a nineteen-song set including the hits “Ring of Fire”, “I Walk The Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues” and “A Boy Named Sue”.

Elvis Presley performed an evening concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas at 8:15 p.m., followed by a midnight concert.

American actress Chandra Wilson was born. She also has singing credits from Broadway productions.

Led Zeppelin played two concerts at the Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, during their North American tour.

Jack Black, American actor, musician, comedian, and songwriter, was born in Santa Monica, California. He is the lead singer and guitarist of the comedy rock and hard rock duo Tenacious D, which he formed with Kyle Gass.

Paul and Linda McCartney became parents to a daughter named Mary. Mary was named after Paul’s mother, whom Paul also mentioned in the song “Let It Be”. She later became a photographer, documentary filmmaker, and cookbook author.

The Grateful Dead performed at the Family Dog at the Great Highway club in San Francisco. The venue was housed in the former Edgewater Ballroom, which was part of the Playland At The Beach complex. Family Dog moved there after being forced to leave the Avalon Ballroom.

The Rolling Stones’ single “Honky Tonk Women” was released in the United Kingdom.

Bob Seger divorced his first wife after only ten months of marriage.

Elvis Presley, Priscilla, Colonel Parker, members of his entourage, and their wives attended the opening night of Nancy Sinatra's engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. After the concert, they attended a party hosted by Frank Sinatra, where Fred Astaire was also present.

During their North American tour, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at the Singer Bowl Music Festival in Flushing Meadow Park.

The Rolling Stones released the album "Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" in the UK.

Elvis Presley’s tenth studio album “From Elvis in Memphis” reached No. 1 on the UK albums chart.

Two weeks after the Woodstock festival, the second Isle of Wight Festival was held. More than 150,000 people attended over two days, coming to see Bob Dylan, The Band, Blodwyn Pig, Blonde On Blonde, Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band, Edgar Broughton Band, Joe Cocker, Aynsley Dunbar, Family, Fat Mattress, Julie Felix, Free, Gypsy, Richie Havens, The Moody Blues, The Nice, Tom Paxton, Pentangle, The Pretty Things, Third Ear Band and The Who, among others. Tickets cost 25 shillings. Celebrities attending the festival included Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, John and Yoko, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jane Fonda, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton.

Birmingham group Earth changed their name to Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne announced the new name on stage. At their first concert under the name Black Sabbath in Workington, England, the band played “N.I.B.”, “The Wizard”, “Black Sabbath” and “Warning”.

The three-day Texas International Pop Festival began at Dallas International Motor Speedway, featuring Chicago Transit Authority, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Sam & Dave, Johnny Winter, Grand Funk Railroad, Delaney & Bonnie, Nazz, Spirit, B. B. King and Canned Heat. More than 120,000 fans attended the festival.

The Rolling Stones reached No. 1 on the US chart with “Honky Tonk Women”, their fifth single to reach the top of that chart.

Zager and Evans began a three-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)”. The song was written by Rick Evans in 1964. That same year, it also reached No. 1 in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the US, where it remained at the top for six weeks.

After a three-year hiatus, Bob Dylan made his first live appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival in England. It was his first paid performance since his motorcycle accident. He performed a one-hour concert with The Band and received a fee of £38,000.

Creedence Clearwater Revival released the single "Green River".

Guitarist, composer, songwriter, singer and co-founder of rock band Tonic, Jeff Russo was born. He is also the composer of the music for FX's "Fargo".

During their North American tour, Led Zeppelin performed at the Texas International Pop Festival in Lewisville. Also on the bill were B. B. King, The Incredible String Band, Sam & Dave and Janis Joplin.

Former boxing champion and occasional recording artist Rocky Marciano died at the age of 45.

Decca Records released The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man", described as their most political song. Mick Jagger wrote it after attending an anti-war demonstration outside the U.S. embassy in London in March 1968, during which mounted police attempted to control a crowd of 25,000 people. In the United States, the song reached only No. 48 because a number of radio stations refused to play it because of its allegedly subversive lyrics.

Elvis Presley returned to Los Angeles. For the first time in ten years, he had no work commitments or anything scheduled until January 1970. Because he was restless, he frequently traveled between his homes and took several vacations.

The Grateful Dead performed at International Raceway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

American singer and songwriter Cedric Renard Hailey, known as K-Ci, was born in Monroe, North Carolina. He became known as a member of Jodeci and K-Ci & JoJo.

Elvis Presley’s film The Trouble With Girls (And How To Get Into It) premiered in the United States. It was a period film set in the 1920s and was Presley’s 30th film.

King Crimson performed at the Toby Jug pub in Tolworth, southwest London.

The Rolling Stones released the song “Angie”, which later became one of their best-known ballads.

The film Easy Rider, starring Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, premiered at The Classic cinema in London. The soundtrack featured music by artists including The Band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Byrds, The Electric Prunes, Steppenwolf and others.

Sasha, born Alexander Paul Coe, producer and DJ, was born. He is known for his live performances and electronic music as a solo artist and for his work with British DJ John Digweed as Sasha & John Digweed.

According to available sources, The Youngbloods did not appear on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson because of conflicts before the broadcast. Johnny Carson claimed that the band had complained about the set, lighting, sound and the entire show, while guitarist and pianist Lowell Levinger said the band had not been treated like guests. Another source says the group left because of poor sound quality. The band had originally planned to perform two songs, a new song and “Get Together,” but after the show ran long, the new song was dropped and The Youngbloods left.

Dweezil Zappa was born in Los Angeles as Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa. He is the son of musician Frank Zappa and his wife Gail.

James Brown announced his retirement after a live performance at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis.

American singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor Josh White, born Joshua Daniel White, died during heart valve replacement surgery in Manhasset at the age of 55. He was known for his 1944 hit “One Meat Ball.”

King Crimson performed at the Market Hall in Romford, England.