On This Day In Music History August 17

Here are the key events that happened on this day in music for 17 August:

Watch the Noise11 interview with Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees:

• 1938: Blues legend Robert Johnson, whose haunting recordings deeply influenced artists from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton, died, likely poisoned, at age 27.
• 1962: Ringo Starr officially joined The Beatles, replacing Pete Best as their drummer
• 1966: The Monkees released their debut single, “Last Train to Clarksville”, which soon became a summer hit.
• 1969: The Woodstock Festival’s second day showcased iconic acts—Santana, Janis Joplin, CCR, The Who, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and more. On stage, Carlos Santana famously played his set under the influence of mescaline.
• 1975: Peter Gabriel departed from Genesis to pursue his solo career.
Additionally, The Stylistics reached No. 1 in the UK with both their compilation album The Best of The Stylistics and the single “Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)”
• 1976: Cliff Richard became one of the first Western artists to perform behind the Iron Curtain, with a concert in Leningrad, USSR.
• 1977: The music world was struck by tragedy—Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll,” died at 42 in Memphis.
• 1985–1986: Madonna’s album True Blue and single “Papa Don’t Preach” both soared to No. 1 in the U.S., cementing her pop icon status.
• 1997: Will Smith launched a four-week UK No. 1 run with “Men in Black” (the movie’s theme). Meanwhile, fans gathered in Memphis for a 10-minute vigil around Elvis’s grave on the 20th anniversary of his death.
• 2000: Alan Caddy, guitarist of The Tornados (“Telstar”) passed away—he was instrumental in the 1962 hit and early British rock arrangements.
• 2008: Katy Perry launched her debut single “I Kissed a Girl” to a five-week UK No. 1 streak. In the same year, Sugarland’s album Love on the Inside topped the U.S. charts
• 2014: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers hit No. 1 in the U.S. with their final studio album Hypnotic Eye
• 2018: The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, passed away at 76—a devastating loss to music and cultural history.

Notable Birthdays on August 16
• Madonna –=born 1958.
• Vanessa Carlton – Singer-songwriter known for “A Thousand Miles”, born 1980.
• Young Thug – Rapper, born 1991.
• Other notable births include:
o Robert “Squirrel” Lester (The Chi-Lites) – 1942.
o Tim Farriss (INXS) – 1957.
o Emily Robison (The Chicks) – 1972.
• Jazz greats born on this day include:
o Bill Evans – influential post-bop pianist (born 1929).
o Eydie Gormé – pop and Latin singer (born 1931).
o Plus numerous others like Al Hibbler, Ernie Freeman, Eddie Kirkland—all born August 16 across the 1910s–20s.

Milestone Releases & Performances
• 1959 – Miles Davis releases Kind of Blue
One of the most influential jazz albums ever, Kind of Blue debuted on August 17. Featuring a legendary sextet—including John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Cannonball Adderley—it transformed jazz with its modal approach and remains critically acclaimed.
• 1969 – Finale of Woodstock Festival
The iconic Woodstock Festival wound down on this day, with legendary performances by Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Band, and others, marking a defining moment in music history.

Chart-Toppers & Significant Moments
• 1963 – Andy Williams hits No. 1
Andy Williams becomes the first artist to top the newly established US Billboard 200 with Days of Wine and Roses.
• 1968 – Multiple No. 1s
o The Rascals rock the US Billboard Hot 100 with “People Got to Be Free.”
o Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends dominates the UK Albums Chart (and the US as well).
• 1974 – A string of chart leaders
o The Three Degrees top the UK Singles chart with “When Will I See You Again.”
o Eric Clapton scores his first US No. 1 album solo with 461 Ocean Boulevard.
o Paper Lace hits No. 1 in the US with “The Night Chicago Died.”
• 1996 – A Tribe Called Quest
Their album Beats, Rhymes and Life goes to No. 1 in the US.
• 2002 – Major chart successes
o Nelly & Kelly Rowland’s “Dilemma” climbs to No. 1 on the US Hot 100 for seven weeks.
o Red Hot Chili Peppers’ By the Way hits No. 1 in the UK and charts globally.
o Bruce Springsteen’s The Rising also tops the US Billboard 200 and dominates in several other countries.
• 2013 – Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus
Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines and Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop” both land at No. 1 in multiple countries.
• 2017 – Ed Sheeran and Calvin Harris
o Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) begins a three-week No. 1 UK run.
o Calvin Harris’ “Feels” featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean also tops UK singles.
• 2019 – Drake’s Care Package

The compilation album reaches the top of the US Billboard 200.

Births & Passings of Music Figures

Born on August 17:
• Kevin Rowland (1953) – Frontman of Dexy’s Midnight
• Belinda Carlisle (1958) – Singer, The Go-Go’s
• Gilby Clarke (1962) – Guitarist, Guns N’ Roses
• Jill Cunniff (1966) – Singer, Luscious Jackson
• Donnie Wahlberg (1969) – New Kids on the Block
• Kelvin Mercer (1969) – Member of De La Soul
• The Kid Laroi (2003) – Australian singer-songwriter

Other notable births (from historical records):
• Irv Williams (1919) – Jazz saxophonist
• Leopold Nowak (1904) – Austrian musicologist

Notable deaths on August 17:
• Paul Williams (1973) – Founding member and lead of The Temptations
• Gary Chester (1987) – Studio drummer for The Monkees, The Coasters, The Lovin’ Spoonful
• Ira Gershwin (1983) – Idolic American songwriter

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Tagged as: Monkees, music history, On this day