Week in Music History

The prominent Baroque composer Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber was born.

English composer Maurice Greene was born.

Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and made the first sound recording.

Rhythm and blues singer and songwriter Percy Mayfield was born, known for the songs “Please Send Me Someone to Love” and “Hit the Road Jack.”

R&B singer and songwriter Joe Jones was born, best known for the hit “You Talk Too Much.”

Country singer and television host Porter Wagoner was born; he later introduced Dolly Parton on his television show.

Country singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. was born, later becoming known as Buck Owens and as a pioneer of the Bakersfield sound.

Blues guitarist Roy Gaines was born; he later worked as a session musician and collaborated with numerous prominent artists.

American singer Rod Bernard was born; he was a pioneer of the swamp pop genre.

Keyboardist, songwriter and co-founder of Sparks Ron Mael was born.

Mark Knopfler, guitarist, singer and frontman of Dire Straits, was born; he later became known for film music and collaborations with numerous prominent musicians.

Singer, songwriter and bandleader August Darnell, known as Kid Creole, was born.

Jerry Speiser, a founding member and drummer of Men at Work, was born.

Jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny was born.

Frankie Lymon officially left his group and began a solo career.

Columbia Records released the single “Chances Are” in both 45 and 78 RPM formats. The song later reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 and spent 22 weeks in the Top 40.

Elvis Presley was granted emergency leave from Fort Hood and arrived in Memphis on August 12 to be with his seriously ill mother, Gladys, who was hospitalized at Baptist Memorial Hospital with acute hepatitis. After her death on August 14 and her funeral on August 15, his leave was extended. He remained in Memphis until reporting back to Fort Hood on August 24, visiting his mother's grave during his leave.

Pete Best became the new drummer of The Silver Beetles, replacing Norman Chapman.

The guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of Culture Club was born.

Rapper and producer Sir Mix-a-Lot, whose real name is Anthony Ray, was born; he is best known for the hit “Baby Got Back.”

A Hard Day's Night was released in U.S. theaters and became a major film success for The Beatles.

At a press conference in Chicago, John Lennon explained his controversial remark that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus” and clarified that he had intended to describe the group’s influence on young people in England at the time.

The Beatles began the American leg of their final concert tour with a performance at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago.

They made their first public appearance at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor, England; the lineup consisted of Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer and Bob Brunning, and they performed alongside Donovan, Cream and The Small Faces.

“All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles was the best-selling single in the U.S. according to Cashbox magazine. A week later, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart and later topped the charts in nine other countries.

Grateful Dead performed as the headlining act at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit.

They performed at the Boston Tea Party in Boston.

They performed at Convention Hall in Asbury Park; before the concert, Keith Moon jumped from a pier into the rough sea and nearly drowned.

Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham met together in the studio on Lisle Street in London's West End for the first time. The first song the future Led Zeppelin members created together was “Train Kept A-Rollin’.”

The group was performing under the name The New Yardbirds at the time; later that year, it adopted the name Led Zeppelin.

Big Brother and the Holding Company released the album “Cheap Thrills” on Columbia Records, featuring Janis Joplin as lead vocalist.

British pop and folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram was born, known for the songs “Twist in My Sobriety” and “Good Tradition.”

Janis Joplin played her final concert at Harvard Stadium before an audience of approximately 40,000.

Elvis Presley performed an evening show and a midnight show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.

Fleetwood Mac began a five-day series of concerts at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono donated £1,000 to a support fund for Scottish shipyard workers' unions.

Queen performed at the Tregye Hotel in Truro during their British tour.