February 16 – Two years of litigation between Grand Funk and former manager Terry Knight are finally resolved. The band gets the rights to its name but Knight wins a cash settlement.
Sotheby's Galleries in London sell a violin made in 1733 by Cremonese master Giuseppe Guarneri, formerly belonging to violinist Elaine Weldon, for the equivalent of $140,000, the second-highest price ever paid for a violin.[7]
May 11 – The New York Policebagpipe band performs shortly after midnight at the Portsmouth, RI Ramada Inn, in connection with a National Police Week event, prompting a drunken spree lasting until dawn by at least a dozen off-duty members of the Boston Police Department. The officers ran naked through the motel, "smashing chairs and tables, soiling rugs, discharging fire extinguishers, exploding firecrackers, setting off a burglar alarm, disconnecting a security camera, slashing automobile tires and throwing pictures into the motel courtyard",[8] causing an estimated $1027.75 in damage, including liquor stolen from a locked cabinet and unpaid breakfast bills.[9]
Having performed at two sold-out concerts at the London Palladium, "Mama" Cass Elliot dies in her sleep after suffering a heart attack in a Mayfair flat in London, aged 32.
August 6 – Hugh MacCallum, of Stirling, wins the silver chanter for the third time, playing "Mrs MacLeod of Callisker's Salute" at the invitational bagpipe competition held at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. Second place was given to the previous year's winner, Donald Morrison from South Uist, who performed "Rory MacLeod's Lament".[11]
During a performance of Carmina Burana, conducted by André Previn, at The Proms, soloist Thomas Allen collapses because of the heat and eventually has to be carried out by members of the orchestra. Prommer Patrick McCarthy, just embarking on his professional singing career, offers his services as a replacement and completes the performance.[12]
October 3 – Idi Amin, the President of Uganda, instructs his country's acting high commissioner in London to recruit two six-foot-tall Scots bagpipers with military backgrounds to serve as his bodyguards.[14]
AC/DC performs[where?] its first official show with Bon Scott as its new lead singer.
The North Coast Band Invitational competition, sponsored by St. Ann's CYO Band of Neponset, is held for the first time, at Nickerson Field on the Boston University campus.[15]
October 18 – Al Green is attacked while bathing by a girlfriend of several weeks, Mrs. Mary Woodson, a 29-year-old mother of three. She scalds his body with a pan of boiling grits and commits suicide a few moments later, reportedly because he rejected her marriage proposal.[16]
UK 1 – Aug 1974, US BB 1 – Nov 1974, Canada 1 – Nov 1974, Netherlands 1 – Oct 1974, France 1 – Sep 1974, Austria 1 – Dec 1974, Germany 1 – Jan 1975, Ireland 1 – Oct 1974, Australia 1 for 3 weeks Jul 1975, Switzerland 2 – Nov 1974, South Africa 2 of 1974, Norway 3 – Oct 1974, US BB 5 of 1974, Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1974, Sweden 8 – Aug 1998, POP 9 of 1974, Italy 10 of 1975, US CashBox 11 of 1975, Scrobulate 12 of disco, Australia 22 of 1974, Germany 27 of the 1970s, RYM 84 of 1974, OzNet 842
UK 1 – Apr 1974, Switzerland 1 – Apr 1974, Norway 1 – Apr 1974, Germany 1 – May 1974, Ireland 1 – Apr 1974, Netherlands 2 – Apr 1974, Austria 2 – May 1974, Canada 3 – Jun 1974, France 5 – Apr 1974, US BB 6 – Jun 1974, Scrobulate 6 of Swedish, Australia Goset 10 – Jul 1974, South Africa 14 of 1974, POP 23 of 1974, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1974, RYM 33 of 1974, Germany 49 of the 1970s, Italy 51 of 1974, Europe 55 of the 1970s, US CashBox 84 of 1974, OzNet 413, Acclaimed 1016
UK 1 – Aug 1990, US BB 1 – Nov 1973, Netherlands 1 – Oct 1973, Ireland 1 – Sep 1990, Canada 2 – Dec 1973, Norway 2 – Nov 1990, Switzerland 5 – Oct 1990, Austria 6 – Oct 1990, Germany 7 – Jan 1991, Australia Goset 7 – Feb 1974, France 8 – Dec 1973, US CashBox 10 of 1974, Poland 11 – Sep 1990, DDD 13 of 1973, US BB 21 of 1974, POP 33 of 1974, RYM 61 of 1973, Scrobulate 62 of 70s, Virgin 84, TheQ 297, Germany 399 of the 1990s, OzNet 561, Acclaimed 1721
UK 1 – Jun 1974, US BB 1 – Jun 1974, Netherlands 1 – Aug 1974, Austria 1 – Oct 1974, Switzerland 1 – Aug 1974, Norway 1 – Sep 1974, Germany 1 – Jan 1975, Canada 2 – Jun 1974, France 4 – Aug 1974, Germany 7 of the 1970s, Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1974, Italy 11 of 1974, Australia 20 of 1974, Australia Goset 37 – Aug 1974, RYM 39 of 1974, US CashBox 40 of 1974, Acclaimed 807
^George Clark, "Mr Feather Made a Life Peer: Mr Whitelaw Honoured". The Times (2 January 1974): 1.
^Stephen Walsh, "ECO/Leppard", The Times (23 February 1974): 9.
^Stanley Sadie, "Württemberg Chamber Orchestra", The Times (28 February 1974): 16.
^Anon., "Royal Festival Hall" [classified ad], The Times (2 March 1974): 11; Bryce Morrison, "London Debuts", The Times (13 March 1974): 19.
^William Mann, "Prey/Hokanson", The Times (5 March 1974): 10.
^Stanley Sadie, "RPO/Vonk", The Times (11 March 1974): 11.
^Agence France-Presse, "Violin by Guarnieri sold for $140,000", The Boston Globe (26 April 1974): 28.
^Jerry Taylor, "R.I. Chief Confirms Motel Vandalism", The Boston Globe (16 May 1974): 3
^Ken Hartnett, "Several Policemen from Boston Accused of R. I. Hotel Spree", The Boston Globe (14 May): 3; Ken Hartnett, "R. I. Spree Story Exaggerate, Policeman Says", The Boston Globe (15 May): 3; David B. Wilson, "Bagpipes Made Them Do It ...", The Boston Globe (20 May 1974): 17; Anon., "Patrolmen's Association Asked to Pay for Motel Damage", The Boston Globe (18 May 1974): 3.
^Seton Gordon, "A Strange Tune Gains Silver Chanter", The Times (Saturday, 24 August 1974): 12. Andrew T. Lenz, Jr. "Andrew's Tips: Silver Chanter Winners", Andrew Lenz's Bagpipe Journey website, 2010 (Accessed 24 June 2014).
![[icon]](File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}