This Date In Music History- August 15

Birthdays:

Jazz piano giant Oscar Peterson was born in Montreal in 1925.

R&B vocalist Frederick Knight ("I've Been Lonely for So Long") was born in Birmingham, Ala.

Songwriter Jimmy Webb ("Up-Up And Away", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "MacArthur Park" and many, many more) turns 61.

Johnny Thunder ("Loop De Loop") is 67

Bobby Caldwell ("What You Won't Do For Love") is 57

Born on this day in 1967, MCA (Adam Yauch) The Beastie Boys

History:

Elvis Presley attended a meeting in Memphis with his manager Bob Neal, Colonel Tom Parker and Vernon Presley, at which a new contract was signed that named Colonel Parker as "special advisor" with control of virtually every aspect of Elvis' career. Parker was not really a Colonel at all, but a Dutch immigrant named Andreas Cornelius van Kujik, whose honorary title was given to him in 1948 by Governor Jimmie Davis of Louisiana. He was a flamboyant promoter whose pre-Elvis experience included shows called The Great Parker Pony Circus and Tom Parker and His Dancing Turkeys and was a veteran of carnivals, medicine shows and various other entertainment enterprises.

Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never" sat on top of the Billboard singles chart in 1960, where it would stay for a month. The record would have international sales of over 20 million and became a personal favorite of The King.

Despite the fact that the US record charts are dominated by Rock and Roll, crooner Dean Martin had the number one record with his biggest hit, "Everybody Loves Somebody" in 1964. It made it to #11 in the UK. The song had been around since 1949 and had been previously recorded by several well known artists without success.

In 1962, drummer Pete Best played his last gig with the Beatles at the Cavern in Liverpool, England.

The Beatles' third North American tour kicked off at Shea Stadium in 1965- in front of a record crowd of 55,000 fans and 2,000 security guards. It grossed $304,000 dollars. The Beatles' share was $160,000. Sharing the bill with The Beatles; Brenda Holloway, The King Curtis Band, The Young Rascals and Sounds Incorporated. The Fab four played their usual 30-minute set. Too bad the band was virtually inaudible.

Norman Petty (produced Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox and the Fireballs and recorded with his own trio) died of leukemia in 1984.

The Woodstock Music and Art Festival began on Max Yasgur's 600 acre farm in Bethel, New York on August 15, 1969. The three-day long festival drew a crowd of more than 500,000 people and became one of the most celebrated Rock and Folk concert festivals of all time. The free event featured, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Santana, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Canned Heat, Joan Baez, Santana, Melanie, Ten Years After, Sly and the Family Stone, Johnny Winter, Jefferson Airplane, Ravi Shanker, Country Joe and the Fish, Blood Sweat and Tears, Arlo Guthrie, and Joe Cocker. During the three days there were three deaths, two births and four miscarriages.

In 2002, a memorial to John Lennon was unveiled in the remote Scottish village of Durness, where Lennon had spent his holidays from age seven to fifteen. The lyrics from "In My Life" were inscribed on three stones.

In 2007, The Osmond Brothers, joined by siblings Donny, Marie and Jimmy, took the stage for the taping of a 50th anniversary reunion show to be aired on PBS. A meeting of no less than seven singing Osmonds onstage hadn't happened in more than 20 years, although no one could remember the exact date of the last full family concert.

George Harrison's autobiography, "I, Me, Mine" was originally published in 1980.

In 1966, Bobby Darin recorded "If I Were a Carpenter." It later goes to No. 8. Darin had seized upon Tim Hardin's song after listening to the songwriter's demos. He later recorded a whole album of Hardin, although the author himself was reportedly incensed at how Darin imitated his vocals note for note.

"The Wizard of Oz" premiered in Hollywood, CA in 1939. Judy Garland became famous for the movie's song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

In 1941, Peggy Lee, one of the most important women in rock, recorded her first vocal with Benny Goodman's band.

In 1992,Boyz II Men started a 13 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'End Of The Road' the groups first US No.1. Taken from the Eddie Murphy film 'Boomerang', it broke the 36-year-old record held by Elvis for the longest run at No.1