On August 9, 1995, Jerome John “Jerry” Garcia aka Jerry Garcia died aged 53. He was a musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, best known as founding member and leader of The Grateful Dead. Garcia also co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage and participated in other music projects, including The Saunders–Garcia Band (with Merl Saunders), the Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, The Garcia/ Grisman Duo and Legion of Mary. Garcia also released several solo albums. He was ranked 13th in the magazine Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”
The Beatles Abbey Road Photo Session
On August 08, 1969, the photo session for the cover of The Beatles “Abbey Road” album took place on the crossing outside Abbey Road studios. Photographer Iain McMillan, balanced on a step-ladder in the middle of the road took six shots of Paul, John, Ringo, and George walking across the zebra crossing while a policeman held up the traffic.
Nils Lofgren: Face the Music
On August 5, 2014, “Fantasy” label released “Nils Lofgren: Face the Music”, nine CD / DVD box set that provides a biography of Lofgren, with each disc telling a different chapter. The first disc are the Grinyears (1971-1973), the second disc is the beginning of his solo career (1975-1977), the third disc chronicles his collaborations with Lou Reed and Bob Ezrin (1979-1983), the fourth disc four starts with the story in 1985 and continues with 1991’s Silver Lining and 1992’s Crooked Line, the next three discs are his independent and self-released recordings made between 1993 and 2011, and the last two discs offer rarities from various years of his career
The Concert for Bangladesh
“The Concert for Bangladesh” were actually two benefit concerts organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, held at 2.30 and 8 pm on Sunday, August 1, 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The shows were organized to raise international awareness and fund relief efforts for refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), following the Bangladesh Liberation War-related Bangladesh atrocities. The concerts were followed by a live album, a boxed three-record set, and “Apple Films” concert documentary, which opened in cinemas in the spring of 1972. The event was the first-ever benefit concert of such a magnitude and featured a supergroup of performers that included Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and the Badfinger. In addition, Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan – both of whom had ancestral roots in Bangladesh – performed an opening set of Indian classical music. Decades later, Shankar would say of the overwhelming success of the event: “In one day, the whole world knew the name of Bangladesh. It was a fantastic occasion”.
The concerts raised close to US$250,000 for Bangladesh relief, which was administered by UNICEF. Although the project was subsequently marred by financial problems – a result of the pioneering nature of the venture – the “Concert for Bangladesh” is recognized as a highly successful and influential humanitarian aid project, generating both awareness and considerable funds as well as providing valuable lessons and inspiration for projects that followed, notably Live Aid. By 1985, through revenue raised from the “Concert for Bangladesh” live album and film, an estimated $12 million had been sent to Bangladesh in relief. Sales of the live album and DVD release of the film continue to benefit the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF.
Elvis Presley
On July 18, 1953, truck driver Elvis Presley made his first ever recording. He recorded a vanity disc as a present for his mother at the Memphis recording service, singing two songs “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”. He paid $3.98 for the recording.
MP 3
David Bowie: Space Oddity
On July 11, 1969, “Phillips” label released “Space Oddity / Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud”, 7″ single by David Bowie. It was recorded on June 20, 1969, and was produced by Gus Dudgeon.
Personnel:
- David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, stylophone
- Mick Wayne – lead guitar
- Herbie Flowers – bass guitar
- Terry Cox – drums
- Tony Visconti – flutes, woodwinds
- Rick Wakeman – mellotron
- Paul Buckmaster – string arrangement
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
On July 6, 1957, John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time at The Woolton Church Parish Fete where The Quarry Men were appearing.
Bob Dylan: Like a Rolling Stone
Bruce Springsteen: A MusiCares Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
On March 25, 2014, “Columbia” label released “A MusiCares Tribute to Bruce Springsteen”, a concert video filmed in 2013 at the “MusiCares Person of the Year” ceremony, to honor and pay tribute to Bruce Springsteen for his artistic achievement in the music industry and dedication to philanthropy. The ceremony was hosted by Jon Stewart and features performances by musicians who have long been fans and admirers of Springsteen’s body of work. Springsteen and the E Street Band concluded the ceremony with their own performance. The video is directed by Leon Knoles.
Track listing:
- Adam Raised a Cain – performed by Alabama Shakes
- Because the Night – performed by Patti Smith
- Atlantic City – performed by Natalie Maines, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite
- American Land – performed by Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys
- My City of Ruins – performed by Mavis Staples and Zac Brown
- I’m on Fire – performed by Mumford and Sons
- American Skin (41 Shots) -performed by Jackson Browne and Tom Morello
- My Hometown – performed by Emmylou Harris
- One Step Up – performed by Kenny Chesney
- Streets of Philadelphia – performed by Elton John
- Hungry Heart – performed by Juanes
- Tougher Than the Rest – performed by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
- The Ghost of Tom Joad – performed by Jim James and Tom Morello
- Dancing in the Dark – performed by John Legend
- Lonesome Day – performed by Sting
- Born in the U.S.A. – performed by Neil Young and Crazy Horse
- We Take Care of Our Own – performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- Death to My Hometown – performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- Thunder Road – performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- Born to Run – performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- Glory Days – performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band






