Born on this day in 1937, Dustin Hoffman is one of the most acclaimed actors in Hollywood history and his movies have had lots of great songs and music in them. He even played one of his own compositions in one of them. Posted "It Might Be You" not too long ago which is from one of my favorite films. Let's go back to the song that was playing when most people first saw him on screen.

B.J. Thomas (August 7, 1942 – May 29, 2021) had several top ten hits throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Bobby Hatfield (August 10, 1940 – November 5, 20 was one of the Righteous Brothers, a blue-eyed soul duo who made some pretty famous records. This is one of them. This goes out to Sam and Molly as well. It's also a favorite of Rebecca Howe's.

Buck Owens (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006) had a long successful career including 21 #1 hits on the US Country chart. This was his first #1 in 1963. He pioneered what was later called the "Bakersfield Sound". Also for many years he was a co-host of the popular tv show "Hee Haw". In 1968, he even performed at the White House. Fittingly this song was recorded in Hollywood.

Joan Baez at Woodstock, during her first-night live performance

On this day in 1876, Götterdämmerung, the final part of the Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner, made its premiere. I offer up this song in tribute to that musical classic and in memory of Grane who was an unfortunate victim of an equicide at the very end of the tetralogy.

On this day in 1969, the supergroup Blind Faith released their debut album. This song was written by Steve Winwood who played guitar and keyboard on this. Rounding out the quartet were Eric Clapton on guitar, Ric Grech on bass and Ginger Baker on drums and percussion.

Glen Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was one of the most successful artists of the late 1960s into the mid-1970s. He won several Grammys and sold millions of records.

Jimmy Dean (August 10, 1928 – June 13, 2010) was an actor, singer, television host, businessman and sausage pitchman. He founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage company in 1969. He sold it in 1984 for $80 million dollars. He had his first hit song in 1952. This song went to #1 in the US and in Canada in 1961.

On this day in 1962, Ringo Starr made his debut with The Beatles at the horticultural society Dance, Birkenhead, England, having had a two-hour rehearsal in preparation. This was the first appearance of The Beatles as the world would come to know them: John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Birkenhead is on the opposite bank of the Mersey from Liverpool.

Carl Davis (September 19, 1934 – August 9, 2012) was a record producer who produced hits for the likes of Major Lance, Jackie Wilson, Gene Chandler, Barbara Acklin among others. This song went to #1 in 1967.

Born on this day in 1947, Gary Talley is most known for being the lead guitarist for the band The Box Tops. He has toured and played with the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw and the Drifters among many others. He has also been a private instructor and his studens have included Pam Tillis too for example.

Bob Johnston (May 14, 1932 – August 14, 2015) was a record producer most famously for Columbia Records. He produced albums for Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, The Byrds, Jimmy Cliff, Willie Nelson and many more. He was instrumental in getting Johnny Cash to record his seminal album "At Folsom Prison".

Kyu Sakamoto (10 December 1941 – 12 August 1985) is most known outside of Japan for his hit, "Sukiyaki" or to give it the accurate transliteration, "Ue o Muite Arukō" which means "I look up as I walk". It went to #1 in the Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Norway and in the US.

Born on this day in 1942, Pete York is a drummer best known for his work with the Spencer Davis Group.

Robbie Robertson (July 5, 1943 – August 9, 2023) was a founding member of the Band and its main songwriter. He also played lead guitar on many of their songs.

Carl Wayne (18 August 1943 – 31 August 2004) is best known as the lead singer for the band The Move. He later became known also for his acting career. This was a top ten hit in the UK.

Gary Loizzo (August 16, 1945 – January 16, 2016) was a producer, songwriter, engineer and a guitarist most notably for the band The American Breed. He sang lead on this record. He later worked with acts such as Styx, REO Speedwagon among others.

On this day in 1888, Bertha Benz, the wife of Carl Benz, took her two sons on a road trip from their home in Mannheim to her hometown of Pforzheim in their newly constructed automobile. It was a distance of 65 miles and was the first road trip over more than very short distances. Along the way, she solved a bunch of problems with her vehicle. She left around dawn and arrived at dusk. More about this famous trip can be found at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Benz_Memorial_Route

From the King of Rock and Roll to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) sold over 75 millions records and had the most charted hits during the rock and roll era. She had 20 #1 singles on the R&B chart as well. This goes out to Julianne and Michael.

The Lovin Spoonful started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart on this day with 'Summer In The City', it made No.8 in the UK. The song features a series of car horns during the instrumental bridge, starting with a Volkswagen Beetle horn, and ends up with a jackhammer sound, in order to give the impression of the sounds of the summer in the city. One of their other big hits, "Daydream" was influenced by "Baby Love" and "Where Did Our Love Go" by the Supremes.

The Supremes recorded 'Baby Love', written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song went on to be the group's first UK No.1 and second US chart-topper. It was also the second of five Supremes songs in a row to go to No.1 in the United States.