This Day in Rock History: August 6
From the bombing of Hiroshima to the signing of the Voting Rights Act, Aug. 6 has been a turning point for the world. It has included moments such as the…
From the bombing of Hiroshima to the signing of the Voting Rights Act, Aug. 6 has been a turning point for the world. It has included moments such as the birth of Andy Warhol and Gertrude Ederle becoming the first woman to swim the English Channel. Rock history also holds some important moments on Aug. 6. Let's explore some of those events.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Aug. 6 has seen its share of action on the charts:
- 1966: Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs moved from No. 3 to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with their single "Lil' Red Riding Hood." It had spent nine weeks on the chart at this time.
- 1980: Billy Joel held the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his single "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." It had peaked at No. 1 in previous weeks and was on the chart for 12 weeks at this time.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Big performances and legendary recordings made waves on this day:
- 1970: The Summer Festival for Peace in Shea Stadium, New York, saw many rock bands perform, including Steppenwolf, Johnny Winter, and Poco.
- 1999: Rockin' the Rockies Festival was a three-day event that brought together many big rock bands in Cardwell, Montana. Day one of the festival saw performances by 38 Special, Foreigner, and Journey.
- 2000: Oasis stormed offstage after being hit with bottles and rocks from festival goers. This wasn't the first time they had to leave the stage after having objects thrown at them.
- 2013: A three-CD box set of the complete 1973 masters recorded at Stax Studio by Elvis Presley was released. The box set, titled Elvis at Stax: Deluxe Edition, also included 247 outtakes from the same sessions.
Aug. 6 has delivered a little bit of everything over the years — new hit songs, memorable live shows, rare releases, and a few bumps along the way. Whether it was a band getting pelted with bottles, a frontman taking a fall, or a classic tune getting a nod in a modern hit, this day has left its mark on music history in more ways than one.
