On August 2, 1958, Johnny Cash’s contract with Sun Records expired. He switched labels to Columbia and stayed with them for 28 years.
In 1961, The Beatles began an engagement as the regular headliners at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. The band performed more than 300 times in the course of two years.
In 1969, Bob Dylan showed up unexpectedly to his ten-year high school reunion in Hibbing, Minnesota. He and his wife left early after a drunk tried to pick a fight with him.
In 1972, original Association member Brian Cole died in Los Angeles of a heroin overdose. He was 29.
In 1974, a funeral was held in Hollywood for Mama Cass Elliot of The Mamas and The Papas. Her body was cremated and her ashes were buried in Maryland.
In 1982, singer Jose Feliciano married Susan Omillian in California.
In 1987, Billy Joel played a concert in Leningrad. Audience members carried Joel out on their shoulders at the end, and about 200 chairs were destroyed by concert-goers who jumped up and down on them.
In 1991, Rick James and his girlfriend, Tanya Hijazi, were arrested in Los Angeles and charged with sexually assaulting and torturing a woman. James was convicted and served two years in prison.
In 1998, puppeteer Shari Lewis died of uterine cancer in Los Angeles. She was 65. Her best-known puppets were Lamb Chop and Charlie Horse.
In 2010, singer Alicia Keys married music producer Swizz Beatz at a private home on the Mediterranean Sea.
Today’s Birthdays: Keyboardist Garth Hudson of The Band is 87. Singer Kathy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters is 81. Actor Joanna Cassidy is 79. Actor Kathryn Harrold is 74. Actor Butch Patrick (“The Munsters”) is 71. Music producer and Garbage drummer Butch Vig is 69. Actor Victoria Jackson (“Saturday Night Live”) is 65. Actor Apollonia is 65. Actor Cynthia Stevenson (“Men In Trees,” ″Hope and Gloria”) is 62. Actor Mary-Louise Parker is 60. Director-actor Kevin Smith (“Clerks,” ″Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”) is 54. Actor Sam Worthington (“Avatar”) is 48. Actor Edward Furlong is 47. “Today” meteorologist Dylan Dreyer is 43. Actor Marci Miller (“Days of Our Lives”) is 39. Singer Charli XCX is 32. Actor Hallie Eisenberg is 32.
The Meeker County Museum staff has a number of events coming up during the month of August. They will have a booth this weekend at the Meeker County Fair.
Museum Executive Director Danelle Erickson says they will be set up in Commercial Building #3. She says they’ll have some artifacts and visitors to the booth can try to guess what they are.
Erickson says there will be a Civil War Roundtable meeting on August 8th at the G.A.R. Hall at 308 North Marshall Avenue at 1:30 p.m. and Shannon Smith – a professor at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict – will be speaking. She says they will have a Civil War Spy Mystery at the Museum from August 14th through the 24th which is a free event with puzzles, word games and clues to help you learn about history in a fun way.
Erickson says the Antique Car Run will be making a stop on August 10th in the 9 a.m. hour between Central Park and the Museum so they always look forward to that day. She says the Meeker County Museum and G.A.R. Hall is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10-to-4 and Saturdays from noon-to-4 and you can get more information at meekercomuseum.org.
The Soil & Water Conservation Districts of Meeker and Kandiyohi Counties, along with University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition are planning a soil health field day on Tuesday, August 13th, from 4:30-to-7 p.m. It will be held at the Jay Hedtke farm – north of Grove City – at 53825 County State Aid Highway 16.
Visitors can see how Jay incorporates no-till, interseeding of cover crops, and incorporation of livestock and small grains into his crop production operation. You will be able to look at how different tillage implements impact soil disturbance and seedbed preparation. A comparison of infiltration rate and soil erosion using a rainfall simulator will also show differences between Jay’s soil health production system with a conventional system. Over time, reduced tillage and use of cover crops increases organic matter and improves soil aggregation and structure.
Evidence has shown that every 1% increase in soil organic matter in a silt loam soil results in an increase of .4 inches of water holding capacity, meaning corn could go another 2 days before needing a rain event in a system with increased soil organic matter. Reducing soil erosion also keeps valuable topsoil and nutrients in our fields.
The free field day will focus on how to incorporate soil health practices with a practical agronomic lens and will feature local farmer expertise, U of M educators, SWCD and Minnesota Soil Health Coalition staff. The event includes a complimentary dinner. Reservations are requested. Go to z.umn.edu/SoilHealthFieldDay or call Ann Steinhaus at 612-394-5229.
On August 1, 1960, Chubby Checker released the single “The Twist.”
In 1964, singer Johnny Burnette drowned in a boating accident in Clear Lake, California. He was 30. He’s probably best known for the song “You’re 16.”
In 1971, the Concerts for Bangladesh were held at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It was the first large-scale benefit concert and a precursor to shows like Live Aid. The concerts featured George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Badfinger, Ringo Starr and Billy Preston.
In 1977, the book “Elvis — What Happened” was released to bookstores nationwide. It was an expose’ by two former bodyguards who presented Elvis as an overweight recluse. Elvis died two weeks later.
In 1980, George Harrison formed a movie production company called Hand Made Films Productions. The company’s films include “Life of Brian” and “Time Bandits.”
In 1981, MTV made its debut on cable stations across the U.S. The first video played was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles.
In 1986, actor Tatum O’Neal married tennis star John McEnroe in Oyster Bay, New York. They divorced in 1994.
Also in 1986, U2 began recording sessions in Dublin, Ireland, that became their album “The Joshua Tree.”
Today’s Birthdays: Singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is 93. Blues musician Robert Cray is 71. Singer Michael Penn is 66. Singer Joe Elliott of Def Leppard is 65. Rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy is 64. Guitarist Suzi Gardner of L7 is 64. Singer Adam Duritz of Counting Crows is 60. Director Sam Mendes (“Skyfall,” “American Beauty”) is 59. Country singer George Ducas is 58. Guitarist Charlie Kelley (Buffalo Club) is 56. Actor Jennifer Gareis (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 54. Actor Tempestt Bledsoe (“The Cosby Show”) is 51. Actor Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” “Game of Thrones”) is 45. Singer Ashley Parker Angel (O-Town) is 43. Actor Taylor Fry (“Kirk,” ″Get A Life”) is 43. Actor Elijah Kelley (2007′s “Hairspray”) is 38. Actor James Francis Kelly (“Rocky Balboa”) is 35.
