In 1958, George Harrison joined the Quarrymen.Also in 1958, Alan Freed's Big Beat Show opened in Brooklyn with Frankie Avalon, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Clanton, Bill Haley & the Comets, Bobby Freeman and the Elegants.
In 1959, the Quarrymen perform for about 300 teenagers at the opening of The Casbah Coffee Club, located in the basement of a family home owned by Pete Best's mother, Mona. The group consists of John, Paul, George and guitarist Ken Brown. Still without a drummer, the band shared one microphone connected to the house P.A. system and would return for six more Saturday night engagements for 15 shillings each per night.
In 1962, Elvis Presley's 10th feature film "Kid Galahad," co-starring Gig Young, Lola Albright, Joan Blackman, and Charles Bronson, opened in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters.
In 1964, Billboard magazine reported that guitar sales in both the US and the UK, have skyrocketed in the wake of the British Invasion.
On August 29, 1964, Roy Orbison's single "Oh, Pretty Woman" was released in 1964. Recorded on the Monument Records label in Nashville, Tennessee, it was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1999, the song was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #222 on their list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."In 1966, the Beatles played their last concert before a paying audience, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California to a sold-out crown of 25,000. John and Paul, knowing what the fans do not (that this will be the last concert ever) brought cameras on stage and took pictures between songs. During this tour, the Beatles did not play a single song from their latest album, 'Revolver.' They finished the show with a version of Little Richards "Long Tall Sally." After the show, George Harrison was heard half-joking, "Well, that's it. I'm not a Beatle anymore."
In 1967, Brian Epstein's funeral was held in Liverpool. The event was not attended by The Beatles, who wished to give his family privacy by not attracting the media and fans.
In 1969, in New York, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at the Singer Bowl Music Festival in Flushing Meadow Park.
In 1970, Led Zeppelin, the Youngbloods, Iron Butterfly and the Ides of March performed at the Man Pop Festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In 1970, Edwin Starr's "War" was the top tune on the Billboard singles chart. It would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. In 1976, Jimmy Reed died in San Francisco following an epileptic seizure just before his 51st birthday. Reed was a major influence on The Rolling Stones, he had the 1957 hit "Honest I Do" in 1957 and "Baby What You Want Me to Do" in 1960.
In 1977, three people were arrested for trying to steal the body of Elvis Presley. As a result, his remains would be moved to Graceland.
On August 29, 1978, in south Florida, the Eagles ended their 2½-year 'Hotel California' tour with a concert at the Miami Baseball Stadium.
In 1980, Queen performed at the Forum in Montréal.
In 1984, in Christchurch, New Zealand, U2 began their Unforgettable Fire world tour.
In 1986, the original American Bandstand studio was placed on the National Register of Historical Places.
In 1987, the East LA band, Los Lobos had the number one single on Billboard's Hot 100 this week with a remake of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba", from the movie of the same name. Singer Cesar Rosas said that the song itself is a traditional Mexican tune that means "wedding song".
In 1992, U2 became only the second music act ever to play at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Billy Joel was the first.
On August 29, 1994, Oasis' first studio album, 'Definitely Maybe,' was released. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker" and "Live Forever." The album went on to sell over eight million copies worldwide and brought widespread critical acclaim.In 1995, while shooting the music video for Meat Loaf's "I'd Lie for You," a pilot and cameraman were killed in a helicopter crash about 150 miles north of Los Angeles in the Sequoia National Forest.
In 1998, singer/songwriter/Rockabilly Hall of Famer Charlie Feathers died of complications from a stroke-induced coma at the age of 66.
In 1999, HBO premiered "Cher: Live In Concert From Las Vegas."
In 2005, Fats Domino was rescued from his home in New Orleans during flooding from hurricane Katrina.
In 2006, the Beatles' 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' was voted #1 album of all time by the British public in a poll to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UK album chart. Altogether, the Beatles had four albums in the top 10, with 'Revolver' at #6, 'Abbey Road' at #8, and the Beatles 'White Album' at #10.In 2006, rockabilly singer/songwriter "Jumpin' Gene" Simmons died at age 73. KISS leader Gene Simmons chose his stage name as a tribute to the singer.
In 2007, in Stockholm, Sweden, the Police started the European leg of their reunion tour.
In 2009, the Los Angeles coroner announced that Michael Jackson's death was a homicide based on the anesthetic Propofol which was found in his system.
Also in 2009, a 1970 interview with John Lennon, in which he revealed some of the reasons that the Beatles split, appeared in Rolling Stone magazine. John said that his band mates disrespected and "insulted" his wife, Yoko Ono, adding, "They despised her... It seemed I had to be happily married to them or Yoko, and I chose Yoko." He also took a shot at his former songwriting partner, saying "We got fed up with being sidemen for Paul."
In 2011, Chicago blues legend David "Honeyboy" Edwards died at 96.
birthdays today include (among others): Dick Halligan (Blood, Sweat & Tears) (70), Chris Copping (Procol Harum) (68), Rick Downey (Blue Oyster Cult) (60), Chris Gorman (Belly) (46), Anton Newcombe (Brian Jonestown Massacre) (46), Kyle Cook (Matchbox 20) (38)