From the MCRFB music calendar:
Events on this date: August 14
1956: Washington DC deejay Bob Rickman forms the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Elvis Presley after reading too many articles that made Presley out to be a hick and / or a threat to teen society.
1958: At approximately 3:00 a.m, Gladys Presley, mother of Elvis, succumbs at age 46 from a heart attack brought on by hepatitis. His father, Vernon, calls Elvis immediately and he rushes to her bedside, wailing loudly and praying over her lifeless body. Elvis refuses an autopsy. Gladys’ body is transported to Graceland and will lie in state there for two days, with her son simply starring at her, until his father, Vernon, insisted that she be buried.
1962: With producer George Martin unhappy with his drumming (and, some say, the group was unhappy with his teen-idol looks), Pete Best is officially let go from the Beatles. Manager Brian Epstein tells him about three days later, however, after one more performance at the Cavern Club, giving him no real reason for the sacking and cutting off all contact from the other members of the group. (Lennon went on to admit to the group’s “cowardly” handling of the event in a later interview). All sights were on Ringo Starr instead, then-drummer for a Liverpool band named Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, who was then asked if he would like to join the group. Starr accepted.
1966: The Catholic Herald of London runs an editorial describing John Lennon’s recent remarks the Beatles were “bigger that Jesus” as “arrogant,” while admitting the controversy associated with the quote was a generally accurate statement. However, the Vatican paper of record, L ‘Osservatore Romano, accepts Lennon’s public apology he had made a few days earlier.
1970: After he was found crawling along a motel hallway in La Jolla, California, incoherent and “combative,” Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills and Nash is arrested for possession of cocaine and barbiturates.
1971: Diana Ross becomes the proud mother of her first child, Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein; Ross soon marries her manager, Robert Ellis Silberstein, a few days later to mask the fact that the baby is actually the child of Motown’s current married founder, Berry Gordy.
1981: Four years after his untimely death, a Memphis judge rules that the Elvis Presley estate is no longer financially ensconced to his manager, “Colonel” Tom Parker.
1985: Acting on the advice of his good friend Paul McCartney to invest his Thriller money in music publishing, Michael Jackson makes a secret winning-bid of $47 million for the rights to over 250 Lennon-McCartney Beatles songs owned by ATV Publishing. When he finds out about the transaction, McCartney is livid, saying “I think it’s dodgy to do things like that. To be someone’s friend and then buy the rug they’re standing on.”
1995: The Grateful Dead meet and decide to break up after the recent tragedy of founder/leader Jerry Garcia’s death.
1999: Former teen idol Leif Garrett pleads guilty to drug possession in Los Angeles and is ordered into rehab upon the advice of his attorney.
Deaths: Johnny Burnett; 1964. Charles Fizer (The Olympics); 1965. Roy Buchanan; 1988. Tony Williams; 1992.
Releases: “Hang On Sloopy,” The McCoys; 1965. “Maggie May,” Rod Stewart; 1971. “So It Goes,” Nick Lowe; 1976. “Rock ‘N Me,” Steve Miller Band; 1976.
Recordings: “I’m A Loser,” “Mr. Moonlight,” The Beatles; 1964. “Yer Blues,” The Beatles; 1968. “Indian Sunset,” “Rotten Peaches,” “Madman Across The Water,” Elton John; 1971.
Charts: 1961: “Right Or Wrong,” Wanda Jackson; enters the charts. 1965: “I Got You Babe,” Sonny and Cher; hits No. 1 on the charts. 1975: “Devil Woman,” Cliff Richard; enters the charts.
Certifications: 1970: “The Wonder Of You,” Elvis Presley; certified gold by the RIAA. 1974: “(You’re) Having My Baby,” Paul Anka; certified gold by the RIAA.
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. 
