ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

August 16th

1958 - Elvis Presley

Elvis in Germany

After being drafted in the US Army, Elvis Presley was assigned to the 3rd Armoured Division in Friedberg, West Germany. When he was stationed in West Germany, he met his future wife Priscilla Beaulieu (14) and became dependent on stimulants and barbiturates. This unhealthy addiction eventually led to his divorce, and ultimately his death at age 42 in 1977

1962 - The Beatles

Brian Epstein told Pete Best that the other Beatles wanted him out of the group, and that he was being replaced. Epstein then asked Best to perform with The Beatles that night at the Riverpark Ballroom in Chester, Cheshire. Pete Best does not show up, drummer Johnny Hutchinson of The Big Three filled in the temporary vacancy.

The Beatles with Johnny Hutchinson

Pete Best

1968 - The Beatles

Working at Abbey Road studios on George Harrison song 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', taking the song from its early acoustic version into an electric version.

1969 - The Who

The Who at Woodstock

Hippie leader Abbie Hoffman was knocked offstage by Pete Townshend while attempting to make a political statement during The Who's set at Woodstock. Later, Townshend said he didn't know it was Hoffman at the time. Hoffman, who had ingested LSD after working the past few hours at the medical tent, abruptly walked onto the stage and began addressing the crowd from Pete Townshend's microphone. He shouted, "I think this is a pile of sh**! ... 

Abbie Hoffman at Woodstock

1969 - Led Zeppelin

During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as support. Zeppelin had been asked to perform at Woodstock but due to this gig commitment were unable to attend. 

1969 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young supported by Joni Mitchell appeared at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, Illinois. She wrote 'Woodstock' for them whilst watching the news about the festival on television. CSN and Young made it late in the day to appear in an historical first or second appearance as a foursome at Woodstock

CSN&Y At Woodstock

1970 - The UK Top 5

This week's UK Top 5 singles: No.5, Free, 'All Right Now', No.4, Shirley Bassey, 'Something', No.3, Hotlegs, 'Neanderthal Man', No.2, The Kinks, 'Lola' and No.1, Elvis Presley, 'The Wonder Of You', (his 16th UK No.1 and proof of him becoming a MOR crooner if ever there was one).

1970 - Yorkshire Folk, Blues and Jazz Festival

The final day of the three day UK Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival at Krumlin, Yorkshire took place featuring The Kinks, Mungo Jerry, Taste, Yes, Ginger Bakers Air Force, Quintessence and Edgar Winter. Weekend tickets, £3.

Quintessence

1975 - Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving Genesis. The group auditioned more than 400 singers during the next 18 months before deciding that Phil Collins, who had been the drummer for Genesis since 1970, could front the band.

Peter G

1977 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was found dead lying on the floor in his bathroom by his girlfriend Ginger Alden, he had been seated on the toilet reading 'The Scientific Search For Jesus'. He died of heart failure at the age of 42 brought on by defecation syncope during the Valsalva maneuver (look it up!!). 
His first record for RCA, 'Heartbreak Hotel' was also his first US No.1. He starred in 31 films. Elvis holds the record for the most entries on the US Hot 100 chart with 154. 

with Ginger Alden

1979 - The Knack

The biggest single of the summer in the US, The Knack's 'My Sharona' was awarded a Gold record for selling one million copies. The Knack's Doug Fieger wrote the song for his girlfriend, Sharona Alperin, whose picture appeared on the single's cover.

1983 - Paul Simon

After dating for six years, Paul Simon married actress Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia in the first Star Wars trilogy. The marriage would last less than two years, but the two continued to date off and on after they split.

1986 - Madonna

Madonna started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Papa Don't Preach.' The singers fourth US No.1, & No.1 in the UK. Also on this day Madonna went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'True Blue'.

1997 - Elvis Presley

On the 20th anniversary of Elvis Presley death over 30,000 fans descended on Memphis Tennessee for a 10-minute mourning circuit circling his grave. A poll found that almost a third of the fans were keeping an eye out for him in the crowd.

1997 - Will Smith

Will Smith started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Men In Black' taken from the film of the same name. The song won Smith a Grammy in 1997 for Best Rap Solo Performance.

1997 - Chelmsford and Leeds V97 Festival 

Blur, Prodigy, Beck, Kula Shaker, Dodgy, Foo Fighters, Placebo, James, Ash, Dodgy and Gene all appeared at the two day V97 UK festival in Chelmsford and Leeds, weekend tickets, £50.

2005 - Madonna

Madonna suffered three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand in a horse-riding accident on her country estate. The accident happened when she fell off a new horse in the grounds of her Ashcombe House on the border of Wiltshire and Dorset on her 47th birthday. The singer was treated at hospital in Salisbury, 90 miles (150 kilometres) south-west of London.

2005 - P. Diddy

P Diddy appeared on the US TV Today Show and announced that he was altering his stage name again, dropping the "P." and referring to himself simply as "Diddy." The name change to Diddy upset Richard "Diddy" Dearlove, a London based DJ who took out court proceedings against P Diddy over the use of the name. He won when an out of court settlement of £110,000 was agreed and as a result, Combs is no longer be able to use the name Diddy in the UK.

2018 - Aretha Franklin 

American singer and songwriter Aretha Franklin died in Detroit at the age of 76. Known as ‘The Queen of Soul’ and one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. During her career she scored over 15 Top 40 hits and won 18 Grammy Awards. Hits include the 1967 US No.1 & UK No.10 single 'Respect', the 1968 UK No.4 single 'I Say A Little Prayer' and the 1987 UK No.1 single with George Michael, 'I Knew You Were Waiting'. In 2010 Rolling Stone magazine ranked her number one on their list of the ‘100 Greatest Singers of All Time’.

Possibly one of the sexiest songs ever committed to vinyl

BIRTHDAYS

1972 - Emily Erwin

Emily Robison, singer songwriter with Dixie Chicks, With sales of 27.2 million albums in the US alone, they have become the top selling all-female band and biggest selling country group in the US during the Nielsen SoundScan era (1991–present). Robinson formed Court Yard Hounds with her sister and fellow Dixie Chick Martie Maguire.

1958 - Madonna

Madonna, (Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone), good ole Madge, singer, actress, (first hit 1984 UK No.6 single 'Holiday', 1984 US No.1 'Like A Virgin', first UK No.1 1985 'Into The Groove', plus 6 other UK No.1's & over 10 US No.1 singles and over 30 other top 40 hits).

1945 - Kevin Ayers

Kevin Ayers, singer, songwriter, and founder member of Soft Machine, who had the 1970 UK No.18 album, 'Third'. Ayers who was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement died on 18th February 2013.

Everybody's sometime and some people all the time blues

Shouting In a Bucket Blues