Events in Music
- Aug 2 Betty Jack Davis, American country singer (with Skeeter Davis in The Davis Sisters), killed in car crash at 21
Film Release
Aug 5 "From Here to Eternity" based on book by James Jones, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift and Frank Sinatra is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1954)
Birthdays in Music
- Aug 1 Robert Cray, American Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist, and singer ("Smoking Gun"; "The Forecast Calls for Pain"), born in Columbus, Georgia
- Aug 3 Ian Bairnson, Scottish musician (Alan Parsons Project; Kate Bush), born in Lerwick, Shetland Isles
- Aug 4 Michael Harris, American trumpet and flugelhorn player (The Phenix Horns - Earth, Wind & Fire; Phil Collins)
- Aug 5 Samantha Sang [Cheryl Lau Sang], Australian pop singer (Emotion), born in Melbourne
- Aug 6 Pat MacDonald, American rock singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Timbuk 3 - "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades"), born in Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Aug 12 Peter Ostroushko, American fiddler, mandolin player, and composer (A Prairie Home Companion), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 2021)
- Aug 14 James Horner, American film composer (Titanic; Apollo 13; Avatar), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2015)
- Aug 16 James "J.T." Taylor, American R&B singer (Kool & The Gang - "Ladies' Night"; "Celebration"; "Joanna"), born in Laurens, South Carolina
- Aug 17 Kevin Rowlands, British rock vocalist (Dexy's Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"), born in Wednesfield, England
- Aug 19 Luis Muñoz, Costa Rican jazz percussionist, composer, and bandleader, born in San Jose, Costa Rica
- Aug 23 Bobby Gubby, English rocker (Bucks Fizz-My Camera Never Lies), born in Epsom, Surrey, England
- Aug 24 Ron Holloway, American tenor saxophonist, born in Washington, D.C.
- Aug 24 John Cowan, American rock, progressive bluegrass session and touring bass player, and vocalist (New Grass Revival, 1974-89; Doobie Bothers, 1993-95), born in Minerva, Ohio
- Aug 27 Alex Lifeson [Živojinović], Serbian-Canadian rock guitarist (Rush - "Limelight"), born in n Fernie, British Columbia
- Aug 27 John Sambataro, American session and touring rock vocalist and guitarist (Andy Gibb; McQuinn, Clark & Hillman; Dave Mason), born in South Florida
- Aug 29 Rick Downey, American rock drummer and vocalist (Blue Oyster Cult, 1981-85)
Divorces in Music
Ella Fitzgerald
Aug 28 American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald (36) divorces American jazz bassist Ray Brown (27) after 6 years of marriage
