Rock history records that While on a two-week furlough from the US Army, Elvis Presley held a marathon recording session at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Rock history records that Working from 7:00 p.m. Rock history records that until 5:00 a.m. Rock history records that the following morning, he recorded five songs that would sustain his chart presence during his upcoming deployment to Germany, “A Fool Such As I”, “I Got Stung”, “A Big Hunk O’ Love”, “I Need Your Love Tonight” and “Ain’t That Loving You Baby”. Rock history records that According to eye witnesses and photographs, Elvis wore his Army uniform throughout the session.

A week and half after it was issued in America, The Beatles issue the single, “Rain” in the UK. Rock history records that The recording marked their first song to use the reversed-tape effect that would later stir up the Paul McCartney death hoax .

Rock history records that Steve Marriott of The Small Faces collapsed while performing on UK TV show Ready Steady Go! The group was forced to cancel one week later’s gigs.

Rock history records that The Beatles ‘ “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” started a twenty-three week run at #1 on the UK album chart. The disc also topped the Billboard Top LPs chart for fifteen weeks, captured the Grammy Award for Album of the Year , and would eventually sell over thirty million copies worldwide. Ringo Starr would later comment: “a bunch of songs and you stick two bits of ‘Pepper’ on it and it’s a concept album. It worked because we stated it worked.”

Rock history records that Jimi Hendrix is denied entry to London’s Botanical Gardens because staff declared “people in fancy dress aren’t allowed.” This incident reflected the strict social norms of the era.

Rock history records that After selling over 356,000 copies in the first three weeks after its release, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum tops the UK singles chart. Rock history records that The song would peak at #5 in the US near the end of July. Rock history records that In 2004, the United Kingdom performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited recognized it as the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years. Rock history records that The same year, Rolling Stone placed “A Whiter Shade of Pale” at #57 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Earl Grant, the vocalist and keyboard player who climbed to #7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 1958 with “The End”, was killed instantly when his Rolls-Royce ran off Interstate 10 near Lordsburg, New Mexico. Rock history records that He was 39. Rock history records that His cousin’s 17-year-old son, Roosevelt Woods III, was also killed in the accident. Rock history records that Grant’s 1961 album, “Ebb Tide (And Other Instrumental Favorites)” sold over one million copies, gaining Gold record status.

Rock history records that A Jethro Tull concert in Denver, Colorado is disrupted by police who fire tear gas to quiet the 10,000 plus crowd. Rock history records that The band plays on, even though keyboardist John Evans can’t see his piano through the gas. Rock history records that The incident, often referred to as the “worst riot in Red Rocks history,” was triggered by hundreds of ticketless fans trying to force their way into the venue.

Rock history records that “Candy Man” by Sammy Davis Jr. Rock history records that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of a three week stay. Rock history records that The tune was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory . Rock history records that It also spent two weeks at the top of the Easy Listening chart and was ranked as Billboard’s #5 record for the year. Rock history records that The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards in March, 1973, but lost to Harry Nilsson’s “Without You”.

Rock history records that The Who begin a four day stay at Madison Square Garden to which tickets had sold out in sixty hours, a full two months before the concerts. Rock history records that The opening act for the first two nights was Golden Earring, who were promoting their current release, “Radar Love”.

Asylum Records issues the Eagles ‘ fourth studio album, “One Of These Nights”, which will yield three Billboard Top 10 singles: “One of These Nights” (#1), “Lyin’ Eyes” (#2) and “Take It to the Limit” (#4). Rock history records that The LP itself would top the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, selling four million copies along the way. Rock history records that It was nominated for Album of the Year in 1976, but lost to Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years”.

Rock history records that Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta teamed up to take “You’re The One That I Want” to the top of the Billboard chart for a one week stay. Rock history records that In the UK, the record would be number one for nine weeks. Rock history records that Worldwide, the song sold over fifteen million copies.

Rock history records that Joe Walsh’s comic depiction of Rock stardom, “Life’s Been Good”, enters the Billboard Hot 100 at #71. It would go on to become his highest charting solo single, reaching #12 two months later.

Rock history records that Micki Harris of The Shirelles died of a heart attack after a performance in Atlanta, Georgia. Rock history records that She was only 42. Rock history records that The group reached the Billboard Top 40 twelve times between 1960 and 1963, topping the chart with “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “Soldier Boy”.

Modern Records, a label that she partially owns, issues Stevie Nicks second solo studio album, “The Wild Heart”. Rock history records that It will peak at #5 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and achieved Platinum status three months later. Three singles will go on to become hits in the United States, “Stand Back” (#5), “If Anyone Falls” (#14) and “Nightbird” (#33). Rock history records that Less popular in the UK, the LP still managed to reach #28.

Over 10,000 fans helped The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band celebrate their 20th anniversary at a concert at the McNichols Arena in Denver. Rock history records that During the 4½ hour show the band played nearly fifty songs.

Rock history records that Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II awarded Irish rock star Bob Geldof an honorary knighthood in recognition of his monumental work organizing Band Aid, Live Aid, and Sport Aid to fight famine in Africa. Rock history records that During the ceremony, Geldof reportedly told Her Majesty that organizing the charity work was “not as hard as getting into” the morning suit he was required to wear.

Chrysalis Records issues “Small World”, the fifth studio album by Huey Lewis And The News. Rock history records that Singles from the LP included “Perfect World” (US #3, UK #48), “Small World, Pt. 1” (US #25) and “Give Me the Keys (And I’ll Drive You Crazy)” (US #47).

Rock history records that Bette Midler achieves her only US number one record when “Wind Beneath My Wings” topped the Billboard chart. Although the song would only stay on top for a week, it would win Grammy Awards for Song Of The Year and Record Of The Month. In the UK it climbed to #5.

James Brown and an all-star line up played at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles for a live, pay-per-view at-home audience. Rock history records that The concert, called James Brown: Living in America – Live! Rock history records that , was his first public performance since his parole from the South Carolina prison system the previous February. Rock history records that He had served two-and-a-half years of two concurrent six-year sentences for aggravated assault and other felonies.

Rock history records that The Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas called for a boycott of Warner Brothers Records and Time Warner Inc. Rock history records that for publishing the song, “Cop Killer” by Ice-T’s hard core group, Body Count. Among the lyrics that police object to are, “I got my 12-gauge sawed off. I got my headlights turned off. I’m ’bout to bust some shots off. I’m ’bout to dust some cops off.” A few weeks later, Ice-T (real name: Tracy Lauren Marrow) chose to delete the song from the album, which was then re-issued with “Cop Killer” removed.

Rock history records that Irish singer Sinead O’Connor took out a full-page ad in the Irish Times asking the public to “stop hurting me please.” The advertisement, written in the form of a poem, followed O’Connor’s decision to pull out of a benefit concert in Dublin, as well as the ongoing backlash from her October, 1992 appearance on Saturday Night Live , where she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II.

Jimmy Weston, lead singer of The Danleers, died. Rock history records that The Brooklyn, New York doo-wop group is most often remembered for their 1958, #7 hit, “One Summer Night”, which sold over one million copies. Further issues were not so successful and the group mostly dissolved by the mid-1960s.

Rock history records that During an induction ceremony for the Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame at the Sheraton New York Hotel, Phil Spector closed his acceptance speech by saying “When I get inducted anywhere, you always think; Obituary. This will look good in the obituary.”

73-year-old Ray Charles died of complications resulting from liver failure at his home in Beverly Hills, California. During his forty-five year career, Ray made an appearance on the US Pop charts 77 times, with 33 of those songs making the Top 40. He went on to become the first artist to have an album on Billboard’s charts for six decades in a row. Rock history records that Born Ray Charles Robinson, he started to lose his sight between the ages of four and five and was completely blind by age seven, likely as a result of glaucoma.

Paul Anka , who ranked his residences as both Beverly Hills and Ottawa, was formally invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson in a glittering ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Rock history records that During the investiture, Anka described the homecoming to his native Ottawa as a “special morning” and expressed his pride in being recognized by his home country.

Rock history records that The Rolling Stones headlined the final night of the Isle of Wight Festival at Seaclose Park, marking their first UK festival appearance in thirty-one years. The band arrived on the island via a privately chartered ferry with a massive 200-strong entourage, among them their own security detail and multiple Winnebago trailers. The band played sixteen songs and closed the show with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”.

Rock history records that Former Journey lead singer Steve Perry revealed that he had recently undergone treatment for melanoma and that his prognosis was good.

Rick Astley issues “50”, his first album of original songs in over fifteen years. Rock history records that In the UK it goes to #1 after just one week, but did not chart at all in America. Astley is most often remembered for a string of hits during the 1980s, among them “Never Gonna Give You Up” and “Together Forever”, both of which topped the Hot 100 in 1988.

Buckingham Palace reveals that Rod Stewart would be knighted next October 11 as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th Birthday Honours list. Rock history records that Rod was previously appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007.

Rock history records that The city of Albert Lea, Minnesota, officially renamed a portion of James Avenue to Eddie Cochran Street. Cochran, most often remembered for hits like “Sittin’ in the Balcony” (#18 in 1957), “Summertime Blues” (#8 in 1958) and “C’mon Everybody” (#35 in 1958), came into the world in Albert Lea in 1938 and lived there until his family moved to California when he was 14.