August 16

Events

 * 1858 - U.S. President James Buchanan inaugurates the new transatlantic telegraph cable by exchanging greetings with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. A weak signal in a few weeks then forces a shutdown of.


 * 1962 - Pete Best replaced by Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey) as drummer for The Beatles.

Births

 * 1761 -, Russian composer (d. 1800)
 * 1888 -, American musician (d. 1943)
 * 1915 -, American singer (d. 2001)
 * 1929 -, American jazz pianist (d. 1980)
 * 1931 -, American singer
 * 1934 -, American singer
 * 1942 -, American singer and songwriter (d. 2006)
 * 1949 -, American musician (The Stooges)
 * 1953 -, American singer and actress
 * 1953 -, American singer (Kool & The Gang)
 * 1957 -, Australian musician (INXS)
 * 1966 -, American choreographer, musician and actor
 * 1972 -, American country singer, instrumentalist and songwriter (Dixie Chicks)
 * 1977 -, Egyptian singer/actor
 * 1988 -, Australian musician

Deaths

 * 1938 –, American blues singer and guitarist (b. 1911)
 * 1959 –, Polish harpsichordist (b. 1879)


 * 1992 –, American singer-songwriter (b. 1951)


 * 2005 –, American musician (b. 1928)


 * 2005 –, Greek singer (b. 1943)


 * 2007 –, American percussionist, drummer, and composer (b. 1924)