Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton recorded the original version of “Hound Dog,” giving Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller their first major songwriting success. Her recording spent seven weeks atop Billboard’s R&B chart, sold nearly two million copies, was named among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, and entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.

Responding to the flood of pop covers of R&B songs, Savoy Records announced that anyone planning a cover version would need permission from the U.S. Copyright Office. The legal strategy changed royalty accounting so covering labels paid according to the number of records manufactured, not merely the copies sold.

Brenda Lee recorded “Sweet Nothin’s,” the breakthrough single that launched her Hall of Fame career. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first of her 29 Top 40 hits.

Bobby Darin signed a six-year film contract with Paramount expected to earn him one million dollars. Determined to grow beyond teen-idol roles, he insisted that his movies be supported by strong casts and serious talent rather than being aimed only at teenagers.

Elvis Presley’s Girls! Girls! Girls! soundtrack received an RIAA Gold award. The album had reached No. 3, powered by “Return to Sender,” a UK No. 1 and U.S. No. 2; the successful 1962 film also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical.

The Kinks entered the UK chart for the first time with “You Really Got Me.” It topped the British chart a month later and reached No. 7 in America, establishing the band as a major British Invasion act.

The Supremes recorded the Holland–Dozier–Holland composition “Baby Love.” It became the second of their 11 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles and was later placed at No. 324 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs list.

Jefferson Airplane made its stage debut at San Francisco’s Matrix Club with Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen, Signe Toly Anderson, Bob Harvey, and Jerry Peloquin. Before year’s end, they became the first San Francisco rock group signed by a major label.

Texas station KLUE-AM staged a “Beatles Bonfire,” destroying records and memorabilia after John Lennon’s “more popular than Jesus” controversy. Lightning struck the station’s transmission tower the next morning, knocking it off the air and injuring its news director; a Cleveland minister separately called for Beatles fans to be excommunicated.

The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City,” developed from a poem by John Sebastian’s brother Mark, reached No. 1 on both Billboard and Cashbox. It also climbed to No. 8 in the United Kingdom.

Fleetwood Mac played its first concert at the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival. The debut lineup featured Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, and Bob Brunning; John McVie replaced Brunning about a month later.

The Daughters of the American Revolution barred anti-war singer Joan Baez from Washington’s Constitution Hall. The Interior Department then allowed her to stage a free outdoor concert at the Sylvan Theater beside the Washington Monument the following day.

The Guess Who recorded “American Woman” at RCA’s Mid-America Recording Center in Chicago. The song became a Top 10 hit in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, and the Netherlands and earned a Gold award for sales above one million.

Session saxophonist King Curtis, born Curtis Ousley, was fatally stabbed outside his Manhattan apartment at age 37. Heard on classics including the Coasters’ “Yakety Yak,” he later led Aretha Franklin’s Kingpins and had opened for the Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965.

John Lennon flew from Heathrow to New York City and never again set foot in Britain. He had intended to visit his Aunt Mimi shortly before his murder in December 1980.

MCA released Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut, Pronounced ’Lĕh-’nérd ’Skin-’nérd. It reached No. 27, went Gold in 1974 and Double Platinum in 1987, and was later ranked No. 403 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums list.

Bachman–Turner Overdrive announced its breakup after seven U.S. Top 40 hits since 1974, including the No. 1 “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet,” “Takin’ Care of Business,” “Roll On Down the Highway,” “Hey You,” and “Let It Ride.”

Four masked men invaded Todd Rundgren’s home, binding and gagging the musician, his girlfriend, and three guests. Believing a rock star must have cocaine hidden in the house, the robbers threatened Rundgren; one was reportedly humming his hit “I Saw the Light.”

CBS, Atlantic, Warner Bros., and other U.S. labels announced staff reductions during an industry slump that executives blamed heavily on blank cassettes, which let consumers copy radio broadcasts and albums instead of purchasing records.

Soul singer Joe Tex died from a heart attack at 47. He placed 25 songs on the Hot 100 between 1960 and 1978, including ten Top 40 hits, and is best remembered for “Skinny Legs and All” and the No. 2 single “I Gotcha.”

Don Henley released his solo debut, I Can’t Stand Still, recorded with 28 guest musicians including Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Garth Hudson, Steve Lukather, J.D. Souther, Warren Zevon, and Bill Withers. The album reached No. 24 in both America and Britain, led by the U.S. No. 3 “Dirty Laundry.”

KC and the Sunshine Band topped the UK singles chart with “Give It Up,” Britain’s 18th-best-selling single of the year. It later reached No. 18 in America and became the group’s final chart entry in both countries.

Jimmy Stokley, lead singer on Exile’s 1978 No. 1 “Kiss You All Over,” died at 41 after complications from hepatitis. He was later inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.

Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down when a lighting rig collapsed during an outdoor Brooklyn concert. The singer behind “Freddie’s Dead” and “Superfly” lived with the injury until his death in 1999.

Singer and songwriter Ed Townsend died of heart failure at 74. After scoring the 1958 hit “For Your Love,” he concentrated on writing and producing and co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s 1973 No. 1 “Let’s Get It On.”

Jimmy Page said he did not expect another Led Zeppelin reunion. The three surviving members had last performed together at London’s O2 Arena in 2007, with Jason Bonham playing drums in place of his father John.

Greg Kihn died at age 75 following Alzheimer’s disease. The Greg Kihn Band placed seven songs on the Hot 100, notably “The Breakup Song” at No. 15 and “Jeopardy” at No. 2.