August 19th
- The British Invasion officially began today in 1964 when the Beatles kicked off their first American tour. The opener was in San Francisco with a ticker tape parade and a show at the Cow Palace.
- In 1969, Jefferson Airplane, Stephen Stills, and David Crosby appeared on the Dick Cavett Show, eager to talk about their experience at Woodstock a few days earlier. Stills even showed where there was still mud on his pant leg from the festival.
- And birthdays today include vocalist Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, who’s 75, bassist John Deacon, formally of Queen, who’s 69, and the late Ginger Baker of Cream, born today in 1939.