On the July 2 edition of Music History Today, the Live 8 concerts take place, Elvis records 2 classics, and a riot breaks out at a Guns N' Roses concert. Plus, it's Ashley Tisdale's birthday!!

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On this date:

In 1918, jazz legend Duke Ellington married his wife Edna Thompson.
In 1955, The Lawrence Welk Show premiered on TV.
In 1956, Elvis recorded the classic songs Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel.

In 1958, Elvis's movie King Creole opened in theaters.

In 1962, Jimi Hendrix was honorably discharged from the US Army.

In 1963, Barbra Streisand played Las Vegas for the first time, as Liberace's opening act.

In 1964, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson married her husband Sigmund Galloway.

In 1967, Rick Nelson's TV show Malibu U premiered.

In 1969, Barbra Streisand started her month-long mini residency at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.

In 1973, Brian Eno left Roxy Music.

In 1976, Tina Turner left Ike Turner.

In 1980, Sheena Easton, who wasn't famous at that point, was part of a BBC TV show about artists trying to make it big called The Big Time. Two months later, Sheena's first single 9 To 5 Morning Train made her big in Great Britain.

In 1980, Mickey Hart & Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead were arrested for trying to break up a drug bust by inciting a riot.

In 1986, Prince's movie, Under the Cherry Moon, was released. The movie co-starred a then unknown actress Kristin Scott Thomas.
In 1990, the group Tesla recorded an acoustic concert in Philadelphia that became their album Five Man Acoustical Jam.

In 1991, a riot broke out at a Guns N' Roses concert in St. Louis when Axl Rose cut a concert short after seeing someone taking photos.

In 1991, Ice Cube's movie Boyz N The Hood premiered.

In 1994, Billie Joe Armstrong married wife Adrienne Nesser.

In 2005, the Live 8 concerts, a sequel of sorts to Live Aid, took place to raise money and to bring awareness to poverty.

In 2007, entertainer Wayne Brady divorced dancer Mandie Taketa.

In 2014, Jewel announced that she was divorcing rodeo cowboy Ty Murray.
In classical music:

In 1900, the classical piece Finlandia from Jean Sibilius premiered.

In theater:

In 1949, the Broadway show High Button Shoes closed.

In 1960, the musical Once Upon a Mattress closed on Broadway.

In 1972, the musical Fiddler on the Roof closed on Broadway.

In 1989, the musical Sarafina closed on Broadway.

In award ceremonies that were held on July 2:

In 2001, Liverpool's airport was renamed after John Lennon.