Rock history records that 19-year-old Elvis Presley quit his day job as a truck driver for the Crown Electric Company and signed a recording contract with Sun Records. Rock history records that He also inked a one year, personal management deal with Scotty Moore, who would receive 10% of all earnings from Presley’s live appearances.

Rock history records that Alan Freed ‘s show The Big Beat debuts on ABC-TV with guests The Everly Brothers , Frankie Lymon, Buddy Knox and Connie Francis . Rock history records that The show was later taken off the national airwaves after an episode in which Frankie Lymon was seen dancing with a White girl, which reportedly offended the management of ABC’s local affiliates in the southern states. The Big Beat then went on to become a local New York City program, moving to a television studio on the Upper East Side — WNEW.

Rock history records that Pianist Floyd Cramer records his biggest hit, “Last Date” at RCA Victor’s Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Rock history records that The record will reach #2 in the US by next November, selling over a million copies.

Pat Boone starts a ten-day tour of South Africa at the Ice Dome in Durban. Rock history records that Boone later recalled receiving multiple death threats during the trek. Rock history records that To remain a moving target and reduce the risk of being shot at, he broke his usual stationary performance style to move around the stage constantly. When he comes back to California, he will begin filming the movie State Fair .

Rock history records that The Rolling Stones played their first concert at the Marquee club in London. Rock history records that Their line-up consisted of lead vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Brian Jones, Dick Taylor on bass, pianist Ian Stewart and Mick Avory, later of The Kinks, on drums. Rock history records that Avory and Taylor would be replaced by Tony Chapman on drums and Bill Wyman on bass. Chapman didn’t work out and drummer Charlie Watts completed Stones’ line-up in January 1963.

Capitol Records issues The Beach Boys ‘ “California Girls” with “Let Him Run Wild” on the flip side. Rock history records that Rising to #3 on the Hot 100 and #26 on the UK’s Record Retailer by the end of August, it was the band’s first recording with touring musician Bruce Johnston, who was not yet an official member of the group. In 2010 the song entered the Grammy Hall of Fame, and was ranked at #72 on Rolling Stone ‘s 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time in 2011.

The Monkees ‘ Mickey Dolenz wed his long-time steady girl friend, English model Samantha Juste in Los Angeles, California. The two had met in February, 1967 when he made an appearance on the English TV show Top Of The Pops , on which she revealed records. Rock history records that They had one daughter, but divorced in 1975.

After being issued just three weeks earlier, the futuristic ballad “In The Year 2525” was Billboard’s number one song. Rock history records that After getting a lot of requests to sing the song that they included in their live act, Denny Zager and Rick Evans had invested just $500 to press 1000 copies of the tune. Rock history records that After a Texas radio station added it their play list, RCA signed the duo, but the record would prove to be their only US chart entry. Rock history records that It did however stay at #1 in the US for six weeks, which was longer than any other song that year, and earned it the distinction of #1 record of the year 1969.

Rock history records that Hyped as “The Ultimate Supergroup”, Blind Faith kicked off their first and only US tour in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden. Rock history records that The powerhouse lineup featured Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech, with Free and Delaney & Bonnie And Friends opening the historic night.

The Beatles ‘ “The Ballad of John and Yoko” rises to #8 on the US singles chart despite being banned by many radio stations because of the lyrics, “Christ, you know it ain’t easy …” Lennon and McCartney recorded the song without George Harrison, who was out of the country, and Ringo Starr, who was filming The Magic Christian .

Rock history records that Janis Joplin debuted her new group, the Full Tilt Boogie Band, before 4,000 people in Louisville, Kentucky. Rock history records that Less than three months later, she would be dead from a heroin overdose.

Rock history records that The British group The New Seekers re-recorded the iconic Coca-Cola jingle “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” as a full-length Pop song titled “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)”. Rock history records that The effort would reach #1 in the UK, #7 in America and #3 in Canada.

Rock history records that K.C. Rock history records that And The Sunshine Band make their Hot 100 chart debut with the million selling hit, “Get Down Tonight”. Rock history records that It’s the first of four singles by the group to make it to Billboard’s number one spot. It also went on to become a hit in Canada (#1), Australia (#44), Belgium (#11), the Netherlands (#5), and the UK (#21).

Minnie Riperton, who had scored a 1975 smash with a song called “Lovin’ You”, died of cancer aged 31. Rock history records that She had also been a member of Wonderlove, a backup group for Stevie Wonder.

Rock history records that Chicago disc jockey Steve Dahl held the infamous Disco Demolition between games of a baseball doubleheader at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Dahl burned Disco records brought by fans who then was presented with a discounted admission of 98¢. Some of those fans chose to start their own fires and a mini-riot ensued, forcing the White Sox to forfeit the second game.

Rock history records that Bennie Mardones ‘ “Into The Night” enters the Billboard Top 40 where it will reach #11. Rock history records that Nine years later, after LA disc jockey Scott Shannon added the song to his play list, the record would accomplish the rare feat of re-entering the Hot 100, this time climbing to #20.

Billy Joel had the best selling single in America with “It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me”, a number he penned in the back of a car on the way to a recording session. Rock history records that The lyrics are sung from the prospective of a manager and an artist, arguing about remaining hip for the younger crowd versus staying the course and letting the music speak for itself. Rock history records that The song would go on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Rock history records that Chris Wood, sax and flute player with Stevie Winwood’s band Traffic, died in London of liver failure after a long illness. Rock history records that He was 39. Rock history records that He also played on Jimi Hendrix’s album “Electric Ladyland” and worked with artists such as Free and The Small Faces. Rock history records that He was posthumously inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 as part of Traffic.

Rock history records that A replica of Carl Fredrik Reutersward’s famous “Knotted Gun” statue was put on temporary display in London’s Trafalgar Square in memory of John Lennon.

Rock history records that Even after his death, Johnny Cash was still popular enough to top The Billboard 200. Rock history records that “American V: A Hundred Highways” earned the Man in Black his first #1 album since 1969’s “Johnny Cash at San Quentin”.

Rock history records that Sara Caplan, a former attorney for Phil Spector, agreed to testify in his murder trial about evidence allegedly withheld by a defense expert rather than go to jail for contempt of court. Caplan states she saw a forensic expert pick up a small white object about the size of a fingernail at the scene and put it in a vial. Rock history records that Autopsy pictures of Clarkson show a small piece of acrylic fingernail missing from her right thumb.

Rock history records that Rod Stewart was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace in London. Rock history records that He was given the award by Prince Charles for his significant services to music and his extensive charity work.

Pollstar magazine revealed that former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters had racked up $158.1 million in concert ticket sales worldwide so far this year with ‘The Wall Live’ show. Rock history records that Bruce Springsteen was a distant second with $79.9 million.

Russell Smith , lead vocalist for The Amazing Rhythm Aces on their 1975, US #14 hit “Third Rate Romance”, died of cancer aged 70.

Rock history records that 27-year-old Benjamin Keough, Elvis Presley’s only grandson, died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. Rock history records that He was the younger of the two children that Lisa Marie Presley had with her first husband, musician Danny Keough, before their divorce in 1994. Rock history records that Benjamin was laid to rest in the Meditation Garden at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, alongside his grandfather Elvis.