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Events for this day
- Richard Wagner's complete Ring Cycle was performed at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.
- Composer John Ireland was born.
- George Shearing was born in the Battersea district of London. He later became a British jazz pianist and composer, known among other works for the jazz compositions “Lullaby of Birdland” and “Conception”.
- Jimmy McCracklin was born in St. Louis, Missouri, although some sources list Helena, Arkansas, as his birthplace. He became known as an American pianist, songwriter, and singer, with hits including “The Walk” and “Just Got To Know”.
- Guy Lombardo and his orchestra recorded the song “Go Home and Tell Your Mother”.
- David Cortez Clowney was born in Detroit, Michigan, later becoming known as Dave “Baby” Cortez.
- Jim Sullivan was born in San Diego, California. His 1969 album U.F.O. later became a cult recording after he disappeared in the New Mexico desert in 1975.
- John Stokes was born. He became the singer and bassist of The Bachelors, who had the UK No. 1 hit “Diane” in 1964.
- English pop singer Terence Perkins, known as Craig Douglas, was born. He became famous for the hit “Only Sixteen”.
- Michal Prokop was born. He became a singer and member of the band Framus Five.
- Cliff Fish was born in Ripley, Derbyshire, England. He later became the bassist for Paper Lace.
- Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dan Fogelberg was born in Peoria, Illinois.
- Rock drummer Ric Parnell was born. He became known for his work with Atomic Rooster and for playing Mick Shrimpton in the film This Is Spinal Tap.
- Hughie Thomasson was born in Tampa, Florida. He later became a guitarist, singer, and founding member of the Outlaws and also performed with Lynyrd Skynyrd.
- In Los Angeles, she recorded the original version of “Hound Dog”, which became the first hit for songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The recording spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and sold nearly two million copies.
- Elvis performed at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport as part of Louisiana Hayride. The concert began at 8:00 p.m.
- Savoy Records announced that artists wishing to record cover versions of songs had to obtain permission from the US Copyright Office. The company also revised its royalty system, with royalties now to be calculated according to the number of records manufactured rather than simply those sold.
- During his military service in Memphis, Elvis spent most of the day and evening at the hospital with his mother, Gladys Presley.
- Northern Irish singer and frontman of The Undertones Feargal Sharkey was born. As a solo artist, he later reached No. 1 on the UK chart with “A Good Heart”.
- Bobby Darin signed a six-year film contract with Paramount, which was expected at the time to earn him $1 million. As he transitioned from a teenage idol to a more universal artist, he wanted to move beyond roles aimed solely at teenage audiences and insisted on quality acting and serious filmmaking.
- She recorded “Sweet Nothin's”, a song about young love that became her breakthrough hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the first of her 29 Top 40 songs. She was only 15 at the time of the recording.
- Danny Bonaduce was born in Broomall, Pennsylvania. He later became famous as a member of The Partridge Family.
- Mark Nevin was born. He became the singer and songwriter of Fairground Attraction, who had the 1988 UK No. 1 hit “Perfect”.
- The Four Seasons sued their financially struggling first record company, Vee Jay Records, over unpaid royalties and subsequently moved to Mercury/Philips Records. According to the source, this marked the beginning of a series of problems that led to the label's collapse.
- “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart. The recording became an international hit and also reached No. 1 in the US, Sweden, and Canada.
- The Supremes recorded “Baby Love”, written and produced by the Holland–Dozier–Holland team. The song later became their second US No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and their first UK No. 1.
- Jefferson Airplane played their first live performance at The Matrix in San Francisco. A positive review in the San Francisco Chronicle helped the group secure a recording contract, and before the end of the year they became the first San Francisco rock band to sign with a major record label.
- In the US, The Beatles released their fifth studio album Help!, one week after its UK release. The album also served as the soundtrack to the film of the same name and reached No. 1 on the charts in Australia, the UK, Finland, and the US.
- The film Help! premiered in New York. It was the US premiere of The Beatles' second film, which had already been released in London on July 29, 1965. The US release of the album of the same name also took place that day.
- The Beatles arrived at Kennedy International Airport in New York ahead of the start of their North American tour.
- “They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-haaa” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It then quickly fell to the bottom of the Top 40 after several radio stations banned the song out of concern that its lyrics could be perceived as insensitive toward people with mental illness.
- KLUE-AM radio station in Longview, Texas, held a “Beatles Bonfire” event at which Beatles records and other items were destroyed in response to John Lennon's controversial statement that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus Christ”. The following morning, lightning struck the station's transmission tower, interrupting the broadcast and knocking the news director unconscious.
- “Summer In The City” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cashbox Best Sellers List, beginning a three-week run at the top of the US chart. The song features car horns and jackhammer sounds that create the atmosphere of a summer city.
- Fleetwood Mac performed their first live show at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor, England. The original lineup consisted of Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, and Bob Brunning; the same bill also featured Jeff Beck, Cream, Small Faces, The Move, Pink Floyd, and Donovan.
- The Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow Joan Baez to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., because of her opposition to the Vietnam War. Baez subsequently obtained permission for a free outdoor concert at the Washington Monument, which took place the following day.
- The Who performed at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. After the concert, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle hurried to a Jimi Hendrix performance. Hendrix spotted them in the audience and played “I Can't Explain”.
- Soul singer Joe Hinton died in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 38 from skin cancer. He became known for his cover of “Funny How Time Slips Away”, written by Willie Nelson.
- The Beatles recorded the song “Yer Blues”.
- The Who performed at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.
- The Beatles worked on the song “You Never Give Me Your Money” during the recording of the album Abbey Road.
- The Guess Who recorded the song “American Woman” at RCA Mid-America Recording Center in Chicago. The song was released in March 1970 and later reached No. 1 on both the US and Canadian singles charts.
- Black Sabbath released their debut album Black Sabbath in the US. The album had already been released in Britain on February 13, 1970, and laid the foundations for heavy metal.
- Elvis Presley performed two concerts at the International Hotel in Las Vegas—an evening show at 8:30 p.m. and a midnight show. The source also provides their setlists.
- Elvis Presley performed two concerts at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas—an evening show and a midnight show. Both concerts had a capacity of 2,200 spectators.
- John Lennon flew from London's Heathrow Airport to New York. According to the source, he never subsequently set foot on British soil again, although he planned to visit his aunt Mimi before his death in December 1980.
- King Curtis was stabbed to death at the age of 37 during an argument with two drug dealers whom he found on the steps outside his Manhattan apartment. His saxophone appeared on numerous hits of the 1950s and 1960s, including “Yakety Yak” by The Coasters.
- The single “The Back Seat of My Car” / “Heart of the Country” was released. Noise11 lists it among the major events of August 13.
- Pink Floyd played their first concert in Australia at Festival Hall in Melbourne.
- Elvis Presley performed two concerts at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas—an evening show and a midnight show. The source provides complete setlists for both performances.
- John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, and Sha Na Na performed at a benefit concert supporting people with mental illness.
- Ten Years After headlined the final day of the Reading Festival. Also on the bill were Matching Mole, Quintessence, Stackridge, Status Quo, Stray, String Driven Thing, Sutherland Brothers, Vinegar Joe, and Wizzard.
- Elvis Presley performed two concerts at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas—an evening show and a midnight show. The source gives a capacity of 2,200 spectators but lists the setlist as unknown.
- John McLaughlin's group performed at the Wollman Skating Rink Theater in New York.
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band began a five-night series of ten sold-out concerts at The Bottom Line in New York. The performances attracted considerable attention from the media and music industry and helped Springsteen gain national attention.
- The Grateful Dead performed at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. A recording of the concert was subsequently broadcast by the Metromedia Network on September 1.
- The Clash played a private concert for journalists at the Chalk Farm rehearsal studios in London.
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive announced their breakup after Randy Bachman left the group. Since 1974, the group had placed seven songs in the Billboard Top 40, including “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”, which reached No. 1. Five years later, the group reunited.
- “My Heart Belongs to Me” spent its third week at No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart.
- The album Going for the One reached No. 1 on the UK chart. It was Yes's second UK No. 1 album and also marked the return of keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
- AC/DC performed at Gusman Philharmonic Hall in Miami, Florida.
- Four masked robbers broke into his home in Woodstock, New York. Rundgren, his girlfriend, and three guests were tied up and robbed. The perpetrators reportedly believed that rock stars kept cocaine at home and threatened Rundgren.
- Soft Cell performed their hit “Tainted Love” on the British television program Top Of The Pops. Marc Almond wore distinctive makeup and jewelry; the appearance created a striking visual style that influenced electronic music and helped pave the way for Culture Club.
- English singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Morrison was born. His debut album Undiscovered reached No. 1 on the UK chart.
- Jimmy Stokley died at the age of 41 from complications related to hepatitis. He was the singer of Exile, whose 1978 hit “Kiss You All Over” reached No. 1.
- Sting began his first solo tour with a concert in San Diego. The tour supported the album The Dream of the Blue Turtles.
- Whitney Houston released the single “Saving All My Love for You” in the US.
- The album Hysteria returned to No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and began its second period at the top of the chart.
- Def Leppard played the first of two concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado as part of the promotion for the album Hysteria.
- Scorpions performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival after previously traveling down the Moskva River past Gorky Park. The experience later inspired their hit “Wind of Change”.
- While warming up before an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, a stage lighting structure collapsed due to strong winds and landed on his back. The accident paralyzed him from the neck down; he lived with the effects of his injuries until his death in 1999.
- George Michael released the single “Praying for Time”, the first single from the album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1.
- Cypress Hill released their debut album Cypress Hill, whose lead single was “How I Could Just Kill A Man”, about gang life in South Gate, California.
- Mariah Carey released the single “Emotions”, the title track of her second studio album.
- Neil Diamond performed the first of six sold-out concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York. According to the source, he was expected to earn more than $40 million from his concert tour that year, the second-highest income in the music industry.
- The group, which had split in 1981, reunited and began a US tour with a concert at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
- Woodstock '94 began in Saugerties, New York, as a continuation of the legendary 1969 festival held to mark its 25th anniversary. More than 350,000 fans attended, and heavy rain and mud earned the festival the nickname “Mudstock”. Some original 1969 Woodstock performers also appeared, including The Band, Santana, Joe Cocker, Country Joe McDonald, John Sebastian, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
- The film Detroit Rock City premiered in US cinemas. The story follows four young KISS fans trying to attend their favorite band's concert; the film was inspired by KISS and its fans and recalled the reunion of KISS's original lineup at the time.
- The London High Court declared the marriage of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall invalid. The court ruled that their 1990 ceremony in Bali was not a valid marriage under either Indonesian or English law.
- Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend at his recording studio on Sunset Boulevard. He was released on bail.
- Former Spice Girls member Melanie C reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “I Turn to You”.
- The Everly Brothers released the album A Night at the Royal Albert Hall, documenting their concert performance.
- Ed Townsend died in San Bernardino, California, from a heart attack at the age of 74. After the success of his 1958 hit “For Your Love”, he focused primarily on songwriting and production and co-wrote Marvin Gaye's “Let's Get It On”, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Lisa Marie Presley appeared on the television program Live with Regis and Kelly.
- At the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Athens, Björk performed “Oceania” in a giant dress whose fabric unfolded to approximately 10,000 feet and covered the area for spectators, onto which a world map was then projected.
- According to a VH1 poll, his song “Angels” was voted the best single that never reached No. 1 on the UK chart. In 1997, it reached No. 4.
- Francine Barker, the original singer of Peaches & Herb known as “Peaches”, died at the age of 58.
- Amy Winehouse canceled two scheduled performances in Hamburg, where she was due to open for The Rolling Stones. She cited exhaustion as the reason; Starsailor replaced her.
- The Recording Industry Association of America honored Fats Domino with the title “American Music Legend”.
- Allen Shellenberger died in Artesia, California, from cancer at the age of 39. He was the drummer for Lit.
- Guitarist, songwriter, and inventor Les Paul died at a hospital in White Plains, New York, at the age of 94 from severe pneumonia. He was a pioneer of the solid-body electric guitar and made significant contributions to the development of overdubbing, tape delay, phasing, and multitrack recording.
- Iron Maiden released the studio album The Final Frontier, which debuted at No. 1 on the UK album chart and became their fourth UK chart-topping album.
- The Farm Aid concert marked the 25th anniversary of the benefit event in Kansas City. Performers included Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, and others.
- Before their performance at the Indiana State Fair, a powerful gust of wind tore the stage structure into the crowd. Five people were killed and dozens more were injured; Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum subsequently also canceled their performances.
- Taylor Swift released the single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” in the US.
- The drummer of The Charlatans died at the age of 44. He had been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor since 2010 after suffering a seizure during a tour.
- Luke Bryan released the album Crash My Party, which was later named Billboard Album of the Year for 2014.
- Their debut single “Rude” reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song became an international hit and reached the Top 10 in a dozen countries.
- In an interview with The Daily Beast, Jimmy Page said he did not expect another Led Zeppelin reunion. The last performance by the three surviving members took place in 2007 at a one-off concert at London's O2 Arena, with Jason Bonham on drums in place of his father, John Bonham.
- Paul McCartney performed at Busch Stadium in St. Louis as part of the One on One tour.
- David Bowie appeared posthumously in the series Twin Peaks: The Return. David Lynch used archival footage of Bowie from the film Fire Walk with Me to incorporate his character, FBI agent Phillip Jeffries, into the new series.
- American singer and songwriter Nanci Griffith died at the age of 68. In 1994, she won a Grammy for the album Other Voices, Other Rooms and recorded duets with numerous prominent performers.
- The album Renaissance reached No. 1 on the US chart, making Beyoncé the first solo female artist whose first seven albums reached the top of the chart.
- During a performance at the Boardmasters festival in Cornwall, Florence Welch suffered internal bleeding after a ruptured fallopian tube. She completed the concert but then required emergency surgery that saved her life.