Politics

The cornerstone of the United States Executive Mansion, later to become popularly known as The White House, is laid in Washington, D.C., USA. Given its central role at the heart of American political life, it's no surprise that the building and events surrounding it have inspired numerous songs. Among the earliest was the 1926 recording White House Blues by Charlie Poole [1926]. Later songs have included It Gets Lonely In The White House by Irving Berlin and Paint The White House Black by George Clinton and Parliament. (1792)

John Grayton Dolphin is born in Beatrice, Alabama, USA. He will find success as jazz, Doo-woop, R'n'B and Rock'n'Roll music producer John Dolphin, aka Lovin John and The Toast of the Coast. He will work with, among others, Sam Cooke, Jesse Belvin, Charles Mingus, Pee Wee Crayton, Major Lance, Scatman Crothers, Harry Caesar, Tony Allen, Gene Forrest , Percy Mayfield, Damita Jo, Marvin Phillips, Jesse Belvin, Illinois Jacquet and Linda Hayes. Dolphin will also become a political activist, organising campaigns against racial intimidation in the music business.

The steamer Charles Macalester takes Washingtonians to Marshall Hall, Maryland, USA, for patriotic music and dancing all day.

A group of mainly French entrepreneurs form the Luxembourg Society for Radio Studies ("La Societe Luxembourgeoise d'Etudes Radiophoniques") as a pressure group to force the Luxembourg government to issue them a commercial broadcasting licence. The result, in 1933, will be Radio Luxembourg, for many decades the most successful popular music radio station in Europe.

An anti-Oswald Mosely street battle on Cable Street in the East End Of London, England, UK, Europe, inspires the song The Ghosts Of Cable Street by The Men They Couldn't Hang.

The Irving Berlin musical comedy Call Me Madam is presented on Broadway at The Imperial Theatre, New York City, USA, during a run of 644 performances.

The stage revue John Murray Anderson's Almanac - A Musical Harlequinade, starring Harry Belafonte, opens at The Imperial Theatre on Broadway, New York City, USA, where it will run for 229 performances.

For the second of two days, thousands of teenage rock'n'roll fans cause traffic chaos in Johannesburg, South Africa, as they besiege the hotel in which visiting British pop idol Cliff Richard is staying.

Ray Charles plays to a segregated audience at Ellis Auditorium, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor provide a musical diversion on BBC-tv's topical magazine show Tonight, broadcast live from London, England, UK, Europe.

Mahalia Jackson, Marian Anderson, Odetta, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Peter, Paul And Mary are among the musicians appearing at the Civil Rights March on Washington, DC, USA. Other musicians in attendance (but not performing) include Harry Belafonte, Diahann Carroll, Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr, Judy Garland and Bobby Darin.

To celebrate U.N. Staff Day, Frank Sinatra performs live at the Manhattan offices of The United Nations General Assembly, New York City, USA, accompanied only by pianist Skitch Henderson.

The Kingston Trio and Barbra Streisand play a benefit concert for mayoral candidate John F. Shelley at the Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, USA.

During her tv show in the USA, Judy Garland sings The Battle Hymn Of The Republic in memory of the recently assassinated President John Kennedy.

Phil Ochs plays at The Gaslight Cafe, Greenwich Village, New York City, USA.

Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island, South Africa, for the crime of sabotage. The charge sheet at his trial listed 193 acts of sabotage in total. Inspired by Nelson Mandela's life and his plight, The Special AKA will release a single, Free Nelson Mandela, in 1984 on 2 Tone Records in the UK. The song will peak at No9 in the UK singles chart, and is widely credited with having helped achieve Mandela's release from prison.

The government of Indonesia bans Beatles-styled haircuts. The Beatles are regarded as ambassadors of Western Decadence and improper moral values.

Andy Williams is honoured with a civic reception in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The mayor declares this to be Andy Williams Day, and the singer is presented with the Keys To The City at an event in Fountain Square, a local landmark.

When photographer and record promoter Ernie Farrell visits the office of Dunhill Records' boss Lou Adler, he picks up a copy of a demo of the Barry McGuire song Eve Of Destruction. Later that same day, he plays the song to the children of a KFWB Radio program director. They like it so much that they convince their father to play it on the radio, where it becomes the following week's Pick To Hit.

The Fugs play the last of five consecutive Saturday gigs at The Bridge Theatre, New York City, USA.

A proposed concert by The Beatles at Ramat-Gan Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel, Asia, does not take place because it has been turned down by The Committee of Education and Culture of the Knesset (Parliament). The Committe has stated that The Beatles "have no artistic level sufficient enough and that they cannot add to the spiritual and cultural life of the youth in Israel". One Jerusalem newspaper reports that "Some of the committee members have said during the debate that The Beatles shows cause sexual arousal and that is why it should be better not to bring th em over."

Jan And Dean record The Universal Coward, Yesterday and Travelin' Mood for Liberty Records in Western Recorders, 6000 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Aretha Franklin plays a 'homecoming' gig at Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, USA. The day is declared Aretha Franklin Day by the city mayor, and at the show she is presented with Billboard magazine plaques recognising her achievements in 1967, including several gold disc awards. Playing to an audience of 12,000, the show hits a $60,000 gross - a record-breaking total for the venue.

When Country Joe And The Fish perform their anti-Vietnam War song, I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag, on US tv's David Frost Show, hundreds of viewers respond angrily.

US tv show Music Scene features live appearances from The Everly Brothers performing a medley of The Games People Play, Walk Right Back, In The End, Aquarius, If I Were A Carpenter and Price Of Love, plus John Randolph Marr singing Free, Pete Seeger doing Bring T hem Home, John Mayall with The Laws Must Change, and Marva Whitney singing Things Got To Get Better.

Country Joe And The Fish play at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, California, USA.

Ronald Reagan, Governor of California, USA, grants country singer Merle Haggard a full pardon for all his past crimes. Haggard had spent three years in San Quentin State Prison for attempting to rob a Bakersfield tavern in 1957.

60s rock anarchists The Fugs re-form for one-night at The Mudd Club, New York Citys Beat Generation Celebration.

During a show in the Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Bruce Springsteen responds to President Ronald Reagan's recent misguided adulatory comments by saying, 'I kind of got to wondering what his favorite album must been.'

Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones and Jerry Hall attend an Independence Day party aboard the yacht of multi-millionaire Malcolm Forbes, as it sails round Manhattan, New York City, USA.

Oasis bass player Paul McGuigan abuptly quits the group, suffering from exhaustion. On the same day, INXS singer Michael Hutchence is fined £400 after he admits assaulting a photographer who snapped him with Bob Geldof 's wife, Paula Yates, at a hotel in Kent, England, UK, Europe.

In a message posted at the band’s website, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day attacks U.S. President George W. Bush, calling his administration "a bunch of corporate crooks".

It is revealed that Pope Benedict XVI violently disagreed with his late predecessor Pope John Paul II's decision to allow Bob Dylan to perform for him in Bologna, Italy, Europe, ten years earlier.

The first Peace Without Borders benefit concert takes place on the Simón Bolívar Bridge, at the border of Colombia and Venezuela (both in South America), to celebrate the end of the recent Andean diplomatic crisis at the Rio Group summit. 300,000 people attend the concert to see Miguel Bosé, Juan Luis Guerra, Juanes, Ricardo Montaner, Alejandro Sanz, Juan Fernando Velasco and Carlos Vives. Although unable to perform at the concert, Shakira wears white on this day to demonstrate her sympathy for Peace Without Bortders.

The Oklahoma State Legislature announces that The Flaming Lips' song Do You Realize?? has been chosen as the official rock song of the band's home state, Oklahoma, USA. Over 21,000 Oklahomans took part in a state-wide poll to choose the song.

Brian May, guitarist of Queen, launches a media campaign to prevent the return of legalised blood sports in the UK. The "SAVE-ME" campaign - named after May's worldwide hit song for Queen - calls on the British public to consider how their vote in the imminent election will affect the welfare of animals, and in particular, fox-hunting, stag hunting and hare coursing.

Jason Mraz is in Ghana, West Africa, on a five-day visit to learn about slavery and work with Free The Slaves, an organisation dedicated to ending slavery in all parts of the world.

On their DCX MMXVI World Tour, The Dixie Chicks play at Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich, Australia, Oceania.

London-based band Morton Valence release their fifth LP, Europa, on Bastard Recordings. The album features songs in nine European languages as a protest against the result of the UK's 2016 Brexit referendum.

At the BRIT Awards event in The O2 Arena, London, England, UK, Europe, grime artist Stormzy wins for British Album Of The Year and British Male Solo Artist, while Dua Lipa wins for British Female Solo Artist and british Breakthrough Artist. Live performances on the show included Justin Timberlake, Rag'n'Bone Man, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters, Stormzy and Sam Smith.

Before singing his song Believe at tonight's concert in Verona, Italy, Europe, Sir Elton John announces, "I am a European. Not a stupid, colonial, imperialist, English idiot." He then adds, "I'm ashamed of my country, and what it has done. It's torn people apart." He also states that he is "sick to death of Brexit" and of "politicians – especially British ones."