Music History

Elvis Presley performed an evening and midnight show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The evening show began at 8:30 p.m. before an audience of 2,200, followed by the midnight show.

Igor Cavalera, drummer and co-founder of the Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The band was formed in 1984 and became a major force in thrash metal and groove metal in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The Allman Brothers Band performed at The Scene club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Rolling Stones released their second live album, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!: The Rolling Stones in Concert. It was released by Decca Records in the UK and London Records in the US, reached number six in America and was certified platinum. In the UK, it reached number one and became the first live album to top the official chart; overall, it reached the Top 10 in nine countries.

Elvis Presley performed evening and midnight shows at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. The evening show began at approximately 8:15 p.m. and the midnight show at midnight, with each attracting about 2,200 people.

Janis Joplin began recording her version of “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster. It was also her final recording with the Full Tilt Boogie Band. After her death, the song reached number one on the US singles chart in 1971.

Poco performed at the Terrace Ballroom in Salt Lake City, Utah.

American rock musician and multi-instrumentalist Dean Fertita was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. He played with The Waxwings, was a member of The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, and later joined Queens of the Stone Age.

On September 6, 1970, Elvis Presley performed the Dinner Show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. The surviving recording includes “That's All Right”, “I Got a Woman”, “Amen”, “I Walk the Line”, “I've Lost You”, “I Just Can't Help Believin'”, “You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'”, “Polk Salad Annie”, “Johnny B. Goode”, “The Wonder of You”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On”, “Hound Dog”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Can't Help Falling in Love”. The recording also captures brief musical excerpts and false starts.

Australian singer Cheyne Coates was born. With Madison Avenue, she had the Australian No. 1 hit "Don't Call Me Baby" in 1999 and the UK No. 1 in 2000.

Jimi Hendrix gave his final live performance at the Open Air Love & Peace Festival on the German island of Fehmarn. The set included songs such as "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze" and "Foxy Lady". A recording of the festival was not officially released until 2005, on the album "Live at the Isle of Fehmarn". Jimi Hendrix died on September 18, 1970.

The Rolling Stones performed at the Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas at 8:15 p.m. and again at midnight; approximately 2,200 people attended the two shows.

The International Hotel presented Elvis Presley with a wide gold belt inscribed “World’s Championship / Attendance Record / Las Vegas Nevada / International Hotel”, reportedly worth around $10,000.

Chad Sexton, drummer and percussionist with 311, was born in Lexington, Kentucky.

Simon & Garfunkel released the song “El Condor Pasa” from the album Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Curtis Mayfield left The Impressions to focus on a solo career and his own record label, Curtom Records, which he had co-founded with Eddie Thomas in 1968. Over the following five years, nine of his songs reached the Billboard Hot 100, including the million-selling hits “Freddie’s Dead” and “Superfly” from 1972.

Janis Joplin held her final recording session at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood. During the session, she recorded an a cappella solo version of “Mercedes Benz”, which was later released on the posthumous album “Pearl”. According to one source variant, she also recorded a humorous version of “Happy Trails” during the same session as a birthday gift for John Lennon. She died three days later.

R&B singer Dion Allen of Az Yet was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is known for the song “Last Night” and the cover version of Chicago's “Hard to Say I'm Sorry.”

Chicago performed at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.

Pink Floyd released the album “Atom Heart Mother” through Harvest Records in the United Kingdom, and it became their first album to reach No. 1 on the British chart. In the United States, it reached No. 55 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape and later received RIAA gold certification. The experimental recording represented a transition between their early psychedelic period and their later distinctive sound. The original cover contained no text and showed only a cow in a pasture; photographer Storm Thorgerson said he photographed the first cow he found in the countryside near Potters Bar. Its owner said her name was Lulubelle III.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's album Cosmo’s Factory spent its seventh week at No. 1 on the US album chart on October 3, 1970, out of a total of nine weeks at the top. The Woodstock soundtrack was No. 2, Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen was No. 3, and Chicago II by Chicago was No. 4. Also in the Top 10 were The Band's Stage Fright, Grand Funk Railroad's Closer to Home, The Moody Blues' A Question of Balance, The Who's Tommy, Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 and Neil Young's new release After the Gold Rush.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, where it was in its third week at the top. At No. 2 was “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, No. 3 was “Candida” by Dawn and No. 4 was “Cracklin’ Rosie” by Neil Diamond. Also in the Top 10 were “Julie, Do Ya’ Love Me” by Bobby Sherman, “I’ll Be There” by Jackson 5, “(I Know) I’m Losing You” by Rare Earth, “Snowbird” by Anne Murray, “War” by Edwin Starr and “All Right Now” by Free.

Janis Joplin listened to the instrumental track of “Buried Alive In The Blues” at Sunset Studios and planned to record the vocals for her album Pearl on October 5. She died the following day.

Lifetime was formed by Jack Bruce of Cream, John McLaughlin of Miles Davis's group, Larry Young and Tony Williams.

The Chambers Brothers performed at The Warehouse club in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Janis Joplin died on October 4, 1970, at the age of 27 after a heroin overdose at the Landmark Hotel in Hollywood. Shortly before her death, she was working to complete the album Pearl and recorded the song “Me and Bobby McGee.” The album Pearl was released posthumously in 1971, and “Me and Bobby McGee” became her first US number-one single; the album Pearl also reached number one on the US albums chart. Joplin failed to show up for a scheduled recording session and was subsequently found dead in her hotel room.

Led Zeppelin released their third studio album, Led Zeppelin III. The band significantly moved away from its previous hard-rock sound, also incorporating folk and Celtic influences; the album included the song Immigrant Song.

Hawkwind performed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.

Led Zeppelin released their third studio album Led Zeppelin III on Atlantic Records. The album was recorded between January and August 1970, reached No. 1 in the United States and United Kingdom, and later received six-times-platinum certification in the United States and platinum certification in the United Kingdom. The album included “Immigrant Song,” which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its original cover featured a surreal collection of images and a rotating laminated disc with additional photographs.

The Guess Who released their second album of 1970, titled Share the Land.

The Rolling Stones performed at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany.

The U.S. Top 5 singles consisted of “All Right Now” by Free at No. 5, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross at No. 4, “Candida” by Dawn at No. 3, “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson Five at No. 2, and “Cracklin’ Rose” by Neil Diamond at No. 1.

Genesis performed at British Legion Hall in Princes Risborough, England.

The Rolling Stones performed at the Grugahalle in Essen, Germany.

The Who performed at Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England.

Lynn Anderson released the single “Rose Garden.”

Black Sabbath went to #1 on the UK Album chart with Paranoid.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Cosmo's Factory" remained at No. 1 on the US album chart for its eighth consecutive week. The Top 10 also included Joe Cocker, The Moody Blues, the Woodstock soundtrack, The Jackson 5, The Who, Chicago, Santana, Neil Young and James Taylor.

Elvis Presley purchased a pre-production prototype of a 1971 Stutz Blackhawk from Jules Meyers Pontiac in Los Angeles and had George Barris customize it. According to Barris, the car had originally been intended for Frank Sinatra. The following July, a chauffeur crashed the car while taking it to be washed. Elvis put it into storage, and repairs were not completed until the early 1980s, using headlights from a 1961 Chrysler Imperial.

Neil Diamond reached No. 1 with "Cracklin' Rosie". The rest of the US Top 10 included the Jackson 5, Dawn, Diana Ross, Free, Bobby Sherman, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sugarloaf, The Carpenters and Rare Earth.

Pink Floyd released the album "Atom Heart Mother."

Pink Floyd performed at the Sales Pavilion Annex in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" reached No. 1 on the US Easy Listening chart.

The Jackson 5 reached No. 1 on the R&B chart with "I'll Be There," their first release.

Track Records released The Who's "See Me Feel Me," backed with "Overture From Tommy," in Britain. The single failed to chart in the UK, although Decca Records reported that its "Who Month" promotion generated retail sales of Who records far above $4 million.

Black Sabbath reached number one on the UK album chart with their second album, Paranoid. The album contains some of the band's best-known songs, including the title track, “Iron Man” and “War Pigs,” and is now regarded as a heavy metal classic.

Bobby Sherman's single “Julie, Do Ya Love Me” reached the U.S. Top 10.