This Day in Rock History: August 13

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1952: Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton recorded the original version of "Hound Dog," written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It became a worldwide hit four years later in 1956, when it was covered by Elvis Presley.
• 1965: The Beatles' album, Help!, was released in the U.S. via Capitol Records. It was the band's fifth record. It helped transform The Beatles from a teenage pop group into a deeper, more experimental rock band.
• 1966: "Summer in the City" by The Lovin' Spoonful started its three-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It turned out to be the band's most famous song and was covered multiple times by various artists, such as B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, and Joe Cocker.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1965: Jefferson Airplane played their first show at the Matrix club in San Francisco, California, in front of around 120 people. The band became one of the pioneers of psychedelic rock and achieved iconic status due to songs such as "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit."
• 1967: Fleetwood Mac made their live debut at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival. Their band name was a combination of the surnames of drummer Mick Fleetwood and bass player John McVie. Legendary guitarist Peter Green created the name.
• 1982: "I Can't Stand Still," the debut solo album by The Eagles' drummer and singer Don Henley, was released via Asylum Records. It featured the hit single "Dirty Laundry" and peaked at No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200.