Events in 1969
- “Wet Dream” by Jamaican reggae singer Max Romeo entered the UK singles chart. Because of its sexually explicit lyrics, the song was banned by the BBC and most radio stations.
- On August 2, 1969, Bob Dylan returned to his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota, for his ten-year high school reunion, marking the class of 1959. He and his wife Sara met classmates beforehand at the local Moose Lodge, but after a confrontation with a drunken former classmate, Dylan left and ultimately did not attend the reunion itself.
- Led Zeppelin and Vanilla Fudge performed at the Civic Auditorium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- Three Dog Night released their version of the song “Easy to Be Hard.”
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released their third studio album, “Green River,” which became their first No. 1 album in the United States.
- The three-day Atlantic City Pop Festival concluded at the Atlantic City Race Track. Performers included Three Dog Night, The Moody Blues, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin, Canned Heat, Little Richard, and the Mothers of Invention.
- Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas at 8:15 p.m. and at midnight. Each show had a capacity of 2,200.
- Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys was charged with failing to report for the civil service he was required to perform in lieu of two years of military service.
- Max Cavalera, Brazilian guitarist and vocalist, co-founder and original frontman of Sepultura, was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released “Green River,” their third studio album and the second of three albums they released in 1969. The album was a major artistic and commercial success for the group.
- Elvis Presley performed both an evening and midnight show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.
- George Harrison brought his new Moog synthesizer to the studio, which The Beatles used while completing the “Abbey Road” album. Two Moog overdubs were recorded for “Because.” Harrison was among the first musicians in Britain to use the new instrument.
- The Stooges released their self-titled debut album. Its raw sound and distorted guitars later became a major influence on a number of punk bands.
- Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steven Paul Smith, known as Elliott Smith, was born in Omaha, Nebraska.
- Elvis Presley performed evening and midnight shows at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.
- Led Zeppelin performed at Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, California, during their North American tour. It was their only concert in the city.
- Sly & the Family Stone released the single “Hot Fun In The Summertime.”
- Creedence Clearwater Revival vydali své třetí studiové album „Green River“ u Fantasy Records. Album se později prodalo více než 3 miliony kopií a stalo se jejich prvním albem na prvním místě v USA.
- Elvis Presley odehrál večerní a půlnoční koncert v International Hotelu v Las Vegas. Oba koncerty navštívilo po 2 200 divácích.
- Led Zeppelin během severoamerického turné vystoupili v Berkeley Community Theatre v Kalifornii.
- The Beatles nahráli skladbu „The End“.
- Alice Cooper performed at the Eastown Theater in Detroit, Michigan.
- Elvis Presley performed an evening and midnight concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Each concert had an attendance of 2,200.
- Led Zeppelin performed at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California, during their North American tour, with Jethro Tull as the opening act.
- Jethro Tull performed as the opening act for Led Zeppelin at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California.
- Pink Floyd performed at the ninth National Jazz, Pop, Ballads & Blues Festival at Plumpton Race Track in Strete, England. It was the opening night of the three-day festival, which also featured Soft Machine, The Who, Roy Harper and other artists.
- The Beatles took the photograph for the “Abbey Road” album cover at the crossing outside the Abbey Road studios in London. Photographer Iain MacMillan took six shots, and the entire photo session lasted less than ten minutes. The photograph later became one of the most famous images in music history and also fueled speculation about Paul McCartney's alleged death.
- Yes performed at Mother's club in Birmingham, England.
- “Hot Fun In The Summertime” by Sly and the Family Stone was released as a non-album single. Following its release, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 79 and climbed to No. 2 over eight weeks, with The Temptations’ “I Can't Get Next to You” at No. 1. The song later received a gold certification from the RIAA for sales exceeding 500,000 copies.
- Led Zeppelin performed at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, during their North American tour. Jethro Tull, who appeared as the opening act, were at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart with their second album, “Stand Up”.
- Jethro Tull achieved their first UK No. 1 album with their second studio album, “Stand Up”. The album was their first international hit and reached No. 20 in both the US and Canada.
- Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas during the evening and midnight shows. Both shows had a capacity of 2,200 spectators.
- Elvis Presley reached No. 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 21 on the UK singles chart with “Clean Up Your Own Back Yard.”
- Chicago, then known as Chicago Transit Authority, first entered the chart with “Questions 67 and 68”.
- Pink Floyd released the album “More”, the soundtrack to the film of the same name and a transitional album between Syd Barrett’s departure and the band’s later success with “The Dark Side of the Moon”.
- Charles Manson later cited The Beatles as an inspiration for his murder spree, which became one of the darkest chapters associated with the band’s history.
- The Who, Yes, King Crimson, Chicken Shack and The Strawbs performed on the second day of the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Sussex, England.
- Three Dog Night released “Easy To Be Hard”.
- Led Zeppelin performed at the San Diego Sports Arena during their North American tour. Jethro Tull and Seattle's The Surprise Package appeared as support acts.
- Elvis Presley performed an evening and midnight concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Both concerts had a capacity of 2,200.
- The three-day National Jazz and Blues Festival in Sussex, England, concluded with performances by The Nice, Pentangle, and Long John Baldry.
- Deep Purple recorded “Speed King” in Studio 2 at Aeolian Hall. The recording was broadcast six days later on Symonds On Sunday.
- Diana Ross hosted a party for approximately 350 guests at the Daisy Club in Beverly Hills, where Motown Records introduced The Jackson 5 to music industry figures, the music press and Hollywood society. The event created the mistaken impression that Diana Ross had discovered the group; according to the source, Gladys Knight had actually recommended them to Motown. The Jackson 5 also performed that night at the first Miss Black America pageant. The group subsequently lived up to the expectations and became one of the biggest acts of 1970.
- British pop and folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram was born, known for the songs “Twist in My Sobriety” and “Good Tradition.”
- The Beatles worked on the song “You Never Give Me Your Money” during the recording of the album Abbey Road.
- The Guess Who recorded the song “American Woman” at RCA Mid-America Recording Center in Chicago. The song was released in March 1970 and later reached No. 1 on both the US and Canadian singles charts.
- Thousands of people arrived early the day before Woodstock and set up camp.
- She was originally booked to perform at Woodstock but had to cancel her appearance because of a television engagement. She later wrote the song “Woodstock”.
- During their North American tour, they performed at HemisFair Arena in San Antonio. Jethro Tull and Sweet Smoke were also on the bill, but only Led Zeppelin faced negative reactions from locals because of their long hair.
- Their debut album Three Dog Night received a gold record for sales of one million copies. After modest success with “Nobody” and “Try a Little Tenderness”, the label released the single “One”, which reached No. 5. Later editions of the album emphasized this hit in the title, and the album was certified platinum in 2008.
- The Woodstock Music and Art Fair began on Max Yasgur's 600-acre farm in Bethel, New York. Estimates of total attendance vary among sources, while contemporary figures put the number at approximately 450,000 people. The three-day festival featured 24 acts, including Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Santana, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Canned Heat, Joan Baez, Sly and the Family Stone and Jefferson Airplane. Three people died during the festival, two children were born, and miscarriages were reported. The festival became one of the most significant events in the history of rock music and a symbol of the 1960s counterculture.
- Blind Faith released their self-titled debut album.
- Blind Faith performed at the Earl Warren Fairgrounds in Santa Barbara, California.
- Child, featuring Bruce Springsteen, played the first of two concerts over two days at the Student Prince in Asbury Park. Because of these concerts, Springsteen was unable to perform at Woodstock.
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed together for the first time at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, where they played two concerts. Joni Mitchell performed with them. It was the historic debut of the CSNY lineup, just two days before their appearance at Woodstock.
- David Bowie performed at the Free Festival organized by the Beckenham Arts Lab in Beckenham, London. He later commemorated the event in his song "Memory of a Free Festival".
- Elvis Presley performed two concerts at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, an evening show at 8:15 p.m. and a midnight show, both attended by approximately 2,200 spectators. The programs included songs such as Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, Memories, In the Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, Yesterday/Hey Jude and Can't Help Falling in Love.
- Led Zeppelin performed at Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as the opening act. Because of this concert, they were unable to perform at Woodstock.
- The Guess Who's "These Eyes" received a gold certification.
- The Jackson 5 played one of their first major concerts as the opening act for Diana Ross and The Supremes at The Forum in Inglewood, Los Angeles.
- During The Who's performance at Woodstock, activist Abbie Hoffman interrupted the concert and seized the microphone. After a brief speech about John Sinclair, Pete Townshend struck him with his guitar and knocked him off the stage.
- On the second day of the Woodstock festival, performances included Santana, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane; Carlos Santana performed under the influence of mescaline.
- The third and final day of the Woodstock music festival took place at Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York. Among the performers were Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After, John Sebastian, Sha Na Na, Country Joe and the Fish, The Band, Johnny Winter and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. After the fences and barriers were breached, the organizers announced that the concert would be free.
- Singer, songwriter, rapper and producer Donald “Donnie” Wahlberg was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He became known as a founding member of New Kids on the Block.
- Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in the evening Dinner Show at 8:15 p.m., followed by the Midnight Show. Both performances were attended by approximately 2,200 people.
- Elvis Presley's television special was rebroadcast on NBC-TV. The song “Blue Christmas” was cut and replaced with “Tiger Man”.
- Rapper and producer Kelvin Mercer, also known as Posdnuos or Pos, was born in New York. He is a co-founder of the hip-hop trio De La Soul.
- Led Zeppelin performed at the Oakland Musical Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut, during their North American tour.
- During The Who's performance at Woodstock, Pete Townshend pushed activist Abbie Hoffman off the stage after he attempted to make a political statement. Townshend later said that at the time he did not know it was Hoffman.
- Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in an evening Dinner Show at 8:15 p.m., followed by a Midnight Show. Both performances were attended by approximately 2,200 people. For the Dinner Show he wore a black herringbone suit with red pleats, and for the Midnight Show a black herringbone suit with blue pleats.
- Rapper, singer, songwriter and guitarist Erik Francis Schrody, known as Everlast, was born on Long Island, New York. He became known as the frontman of the hip-hop group House of Pain.
- Jimi Hendrix closed the Woodstock festival with a morning performance featuring “Hey Joe.” As the festival's headline act, he had originally been scheduled to perform the previous evening, but because the program ran longer than expected, he did not take the stage until Monday morning. His performance included a striking version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
- King Crimson performed at the Cooks Ferry Inn in London.
- Led Zeppelin performed two concerts at the Rock Pile in Toronto during their North American tour.
- Mick Jagger suffered a deep cut to his hand when a prop gun malfunctioned during the filming of the movie Ned Kelly in Australia.
- Local up-and-coming band Rush watched Led Zeppelin perform in Toronto. In 1974, when Rush began receiving US airplay with “Working Man,” radio stations received many calls asking whether it was a new Led Zeppelin song.
- The Woodstock festival ended with morning performances by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sha Na Na and Jimi Hendrix, who played his version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at 9 a.m. Of the more than 400,000 attendees, only an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 people remained in the mud for Hendrix's closing performance.
- Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in both the evening and midnight shows. The evening show began at 8:15 p.m. and included “Blue Suede Shoes”, “I Got a Woman”, “All Shook Up”, “Love Me Tender”, “My Babe”, “Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be Cruel”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Mystery Train/Tiger Man”, “Baby What You Want Me to Do”, “Runaway”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “Yesterday/Hey Jude”, “In the Ghetto”, “Suspicious Minds”, “What’d I Say” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. The midnight show included “Blue Suede Shoes”, “I Got a Woman”, “All Shook Up”, “Love Me Tender”, “My Babe”, “Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be Cruel”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Memories”, “Mystery Train”, “In the Ghetto”, “Suspicious Minds” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”.
- Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Crosby, Stills and Nash appeared on The Dick Cavett Show. The episode, now often referred to as “The Woodstock Show”, featured artists and audience members who had come directly from the Woodstock festival the previous weekend. Crosby, Stills and Nash gave first-hand accounts of the festival. Joni Mitchell, who had skipped Woodstock to secure her appearance on the show, performed her song “Woodstock”, which she had written about the festival.
- American rapper, singer, songwriter and actor Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, known as Nate Dogg, was born in Long Beach, California. He began his career as a member of the California rap trio 213 with his longtime friend Warren G and cousin Snoop Dogg. He is considered one of the pioneers of West Coast hip hop. He died on March 15, 2011, at the age of 41.
- On Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York, where the Woodstock festival had just ended, cleanup operations began. Tons of rubbish and debris were bulldozed into a pit and burned. The total cleanup cost reached $100,000.
- Andy Williams' album “Happy Heart” was certified gold.
- Elvis performed an evening and midnight show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. The evening show began at 8:15 p.m., had a capacity of 2,200 and included, among others, “Blue Suede Shoes”, “I Got A Woman”, “All Shook Up”, “Love Me Tender”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Hound Dog”, “Mystery Train”, “Tiger Man”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “It's Now Or Never”, “Yesterday”, “Hey Jude”, “In The Ghetto”, “Suspicious Minds” and “Can't Help Falling In Love”. The midnight program is not listed on the source.
- Frank Zappa temporarily disbanded The Mothers of Invention shortly after an eight-day tour of Canada. He said he was tired of playing for people who applauded for all the wrong reasons, as he felt audiences often overlooked the compositional complexity of the music and responded instead to the band's image and superficial eccentricities. He re-formed the group several months later.
- Led Zeppelin performed at The Aerodrome in Schenectady, New York.
- Elvis Presley performed at 8:15 p.m. and at midnight at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Both concerts were attended by 2,200 people. The 8:15 p.m. setlist included “Blue Suede Shoes”, “I Got A Woman”, “Love Me Tender”, “Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “I Can't Stop Loving You”, “My Babe”, “Mystery Train/Tiger Man”, “Baby What You Want Me To Do”, “Runaway”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “Yesterday/Hey Jude”, “In The Ghetto”, “Suspicious Minds”, “What'd I Say” and “Can't Help Falling In Love”. The midnight setlist included “All Shook Up”, “I Got A Woman”, “Love Me Tender”, “Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Memories”, “Mystery Train/Tiger Man”, “Baby What You Want Me To Do”, “Runaway”, “Surrender/Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “Words”, “Yesterday”, “Hey Jude”, “In The Ghetto”, “Suspicious Minds”, “What I'd Say” and “Can't Help Falling In Love”. After the midnight show, Elvis introduced Shelly Fabares.
- James Brown opened the first two of his Gold Platter restaurants in Macon, Georgia. The soul-food restaurants served food on plates resembling gold records and were intended as a franchise opportunity for Black entrepreneurs. However, the concept did not catch on and the project was discontinued in 1970.
- Led Zeppelin performed at the Carousel Theatre in Framingham, Massachusetts, during their North American tour.
- Yes performed at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany.
- Blind Faith performed at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah, during their only North American tour. Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood would not perform together again until 2008.
- On August 22, 1969, Elvis Presley performed two shows at the International Hotel in Las Vegas as part of his first Las Vegas engagement, which ran from July 31 to August 28. The evening show began at 8:15 p.m. and the midnight show at midnight; both had a capacity of 2,200 spectators and were recorded by RCA. The evening show included Opening Theme, Blue Suede Shoes, I Got A Woman, Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, Memories, Mystery Train/Tiger Man, monologue, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Runaway, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, Yesterday/Hey Jude, Suspicious Minds and What'd I Say. The midnight show included Opening Theme, Blue Suede Shoes, I Got A Woman, All Shook Up, Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, Memories, Mystery Train/Tiger Man, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Runaway, Funny How Times Slip Away, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, Yesterday/Hey Jude, In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, What'd I Say and Can't Help Falling In Love. For the evening show, Elvis wore a black herringbone suit with red pleats and a red-and-black macramé belt; for the midnight show, he wore a white herringbone suit with a white macramé belt.
- During their North American tour, Led Zeppelin played the first of two concerts at Pirates World in Dania, Florida. The bill also included The Royal Ascots, Brimstone, and The Echo.
- The Latin rock band Santana released its self-titled debut studio album through Columbia Records. The album reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and No. 34 in the United Kingdom. It included the single “Evil Ways”, which reached No. 9 in the U.S. and introduced Gregg Rolie as lead singer; Rolie later became a co-founder of the band Journey.
- English guitarist Stephen “Steve” Cradock was born in Solihull. He became best known for his work with Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller. Ocean Colour Scene formed in Moseley, Birmingham, in 1989; in 1996 they had the UK No. 4 hit “The Day We Caught the Train”, more than 12 other Top 40 singles, and in 1997 the UK No. 1 album “Marchin' Already”.
- The Beatles gathered at Tittenhurst Park in Sunninghill, England, the home of John and Yoko Lennon, for their final joint photo session. Photographers Ethan Russell and Monte Fresco of the Daily Mirror took photographs, and The Beatles' assistant Mal Evans also took additional pictures. Three of Ethan Russell's photographs from the session were later used on the front and back covers of the compilation album “Hey Jude”, released by Capitol in 1970. Yoko Ono and a pregnant Linda McCartney, who would give birth to her daughter Mary six days later, also appeared in some of the photographs.
- The Beatles filmed a short film for the song “The Long and Winding Road”.
- Elvis Presley performed an evening and midnight show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. The evening performance began at 8:15 p.m. and the midnight show at 12:00 a.m.; both had a capacity of 2,200. The source provides separate setlists for both performances and their later official releases associated with the albums “Elvis In Person” and “Elvis At The International”.
- Grateful Dead performed at Pelletier Farm in St. Helens, Oregon, after local authorities refused to allow organizers to hold a three-day festival at the Columbia County Fairgrounds.
- The band Ibex performed at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton, Lancashire. Freddie Bulsara, later known as Freddie Mercury, contributed vocals after joining the group earlier that year. Ibex consisted of Freddie Bulsara, guitarist Mike Bersin, bassist John Taylor and drummer Mick Smith.
- Johnny Cash began a four-week run at number one on the US Billboard 200 (Billboard Top LPs and Tape) with his second live album, “Johnny Cash At San Quentin”. The album was a recording of a live concert for inmates at San Quentin State Prison and followed his previous successful live album “At Folsom Prison”. It was nominated for several Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and won Best Male Country Vocal Performance for the song “A Boy Named Sue”. It was later certified triple platinum in the US and gold in the UK.
- The song “A Boy Named Sue” reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and number two on the Hot 100.
- The Beatles had their final professional group photo session at John Lennon's Tittenhurst Park estate.
- The Rolling Stones began a four-week run at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with “Honky Tonk Women”, their fifth US number-one single. The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and was inspired by Brazilian gauchos at the ranch where they stayed in Matão, São Paulo. In the UK, the song also reached number one; it was released one day after the death of founding member Brian Jones and spent 17 weeks on the UK chart, including five weeks at number one. It was the band's last hit involving Brian Jones, who had died by drowning in his swimming pool on July 3. The song also reached number one in Australia, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland in 1969.
- The film „Alice's Restaurant“, based on Arlo Guthrie's song of the same name, was released in New York and Los Angeles several days after its Boston premiere. It grossed $6.3 million in the U.S. and became the 23rd highest-grossing film of 1969.
- Elvis Presley performed at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in the evening show at 8:15 p.m. and again at midnight, in both cases before approximately 2,200 people. The evening program included „Blue Suede Shoes“, „I Got A Woman“, „Mystery Train/Tiger Man“, „In The Ghetto“ and „Suspicious Minds“, while the midnight show included „Johnny B. Goode“, „Words“, „Yesterday/Hey Jude“, „In The Ghetto“ and „Suspicious Minds“.
- John Lennon wrote the song „Cold Turkey“ about heroin withdrawal, rehearsed it during the afternoon and recorded it that evening with Ringo Starr and Klaus Voormann. During the recording he also drew on his recent experience with primal scream therapy. Despite unfavorable reviews and a BBC ban, the song reached the U.K. Top 20 and U.S. Top 30 and became a precursor to his later album „Plastic Ono Band“.
- Led Zeppelin performed at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida, during their North American tour.
- Yes performed at Club Paradiso in Amsterdam.
- Elvis Presley performed an evening concert at 8:15 p.m. and a midnight concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Each was attended by approximately 2,200 people. The evening programme included “Blue Suede Shoes”, “I Got A Woman”, “All Shook Up”, “Love Me Tender”, “Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Mystery Train/Tiger Man”, “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds”. The midnight concert had a similar programme and additionally included “I Can't Stop Loving You”, “My Babe”, “Words” and “Polk Salad Annie”, and Elvis introduced Nancy Sinatra, Mac Davis, Buddy Hackett, Thomas Jones and Shelley Fabares.
- Luke Scott of Babybird was born. The group had the UK hit “You're Gorgeous” in 1996 and the album “Ugly Beautiful” reached number nine on the UK chart.
- The Band's album “The Band” was released.
- American drummer and songwriter Adrian Young was born in Long Beach, California. He is best known as a longtime member of No Doubt and also performed with Dreamcar.
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
- Drummer, percussionist and producer Drew Hester was born. He played with Joe Walsh, Stevie Nicks, Beck, Jewel, Daniel Powter, Foo Fighters and Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders.
- Edward Bear performed as the opening act for Led Zeppelin at the Rock Pile club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- During a performance at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Elvis Presley sang “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” with a section intended for backing singer Cissy Houston. Her way of performing it live made him laugh so much that he could not stop laughing during the song; in the improvised section he also changed the lyrics and sang, “Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair?”
- Elvis Presley released “Suspicious Minds”, his 18th and final lifetime No. 1 single in the US.
- Johnny Cash, with his backing group The Tennessee Three, performed for the first time at the Minnesota State Fair. June Carter and The Carter Sisters and The Statler Brothers appeared as opening acts. Cash performed a nineteen-song set including the hits “Ring of Fire”, “I Walk The Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues” and “A Boy Named Sue”.
- Elvis Presley performed an evening concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas at 8:15 p.m., followed by a midnight concert.
- American actress Chandra Wilson was born. She also has singing credits from Broadway productions.
- Led Zeppelin played two concerts at the Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, during their North American tour.
- Jack Black, American actor, musician, comedian, and songwriter, was born in Santa Monica, California. He is the lead singer and guitarist of the comedy rock and hard rock duo Tenacious D, which he formed with Kyle Gass.
- Paul and Linda McCartney became parents to a daughter named Mary. Mary was named after Paul’s mother, whom Paul also mentioned in the song “Let It Be”. She later became a photographer, documentary filmmaker, and cookbook author.
- The Grateful Dead performed at the Family Dog at the Great Highway club in San Francisco. The venue was housed in the former Edgewater Ballroom, which was part of the Playland At The Beach complex. Family Dog moved there after being forced to leave the Avalon Ballroom.
- The Rolling Stones’ single “Honky Tonk Women” was released in the United Kingdom.
- Bob Seger divorced his first wife after only ten months of marriage.
- Elvis Presley, Priscilla, Colonel Parker, members of his entourage, and their wives attended the opening night of Nancy Sinatra's engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. After the concert, they attended a party hosted by Frank Sinatra, where Fred Astaire was also present.
- During their North American tour, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at the Singer Bowl Music Festival in Flushing Meadow Park.
- The Rolling Stones released the album "Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" in the UK.
- Elvis Presley’s tenth studio album “From Elvis in Memphis” reached No. 1 on the UK albums chart.
- Two weeks after the Woodstock festival, the second Isle of Wight Festival was held. More than 150,000 people attended over two days, coming to see Bob Dylan, The Band, Blodwyn Pig, Blonde On Blonde, Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band, Edgar Broughton Band, Joe Cocker, Aynsley Dunbar, Family, Fat Mattress, Julie Felix, Free, Gypsy, Richie Havens, The Moody Blues, The Nice, Tom Paxton, Pentangle, The Pretty Things, Third Ear Band and The Who, among others. Tickets cost 25 shillings. Celebrities attending the festival included Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, John and Yoko, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jane Fonda, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton.
- Birmingham group Earth changed their name to Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne announced the new name on stage. At their first concert under the name Black Sabbath in Workington, England, the band played “N.I.B.”, “The Wizard”, “Black Sabbath” and “Warning”.
- The three-day Texas International Pop Festival began at Dallas International Motor Speedway, featuring Chicago Transit Authority, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Sam & Dave, Johnny Winter, Grand Funk Railroad, Delaney & Bonnie, Nazz, Spirit, B. B. King and Canned Heat. More than 120,000 fans attended the festival.
- The Rolling Stones reached No. 1 on the US chart with “Honky Tonk Women”, their fifth single to reach the top of that chart.
- Zager and Evans began a three-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)”. The song was written by Rick Evans in 1964. That same year, it also reached No. 1 in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the US, where it remained at the top for six weeks.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released the album "Green River".
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released the single "Green River".
- Guitarist, composer, songwriter, singer and co-founder of rock band Tonic, Jeff Russo was born. He is also the composer of the music for FX's "Fargo".
- During their North American tour, Led Zeppelin performed at the Texas International Pop Festival in Lewisville. Also on the bill were B. B. King, The Incredible String Band, Sam & Dave and Janis Joplin.
- Former boxing champion and occasional recording artist Rocky Marciano died at the age of 45.
- Decca Records released The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man", described as their most political song. Mick Jagger wrote it after attending an anti-war demonstration outside the U.S. embassy in London in March 1968, during which mounted police attempted to control a crowd of 25,000 people. In the United States, the song reached only No. 48 because a number of radio stations refused to play it because of its allegedly subversive lyrics.
- Elvis Presley returned to Los Angeles. For the first time in ten years, he had no work commitments or anything scheduled until January 1970. Because he was restless, he frequently traveled between his homes and took several vacations.
- The Grateful Dead performed at International Raceway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.