February 23rd

Musical birthdays today include Poco pedal steel guitarist Rusty Young (80/span>), The Sweet bassist Steve Priest (78), Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford (74), Howard Jones (71), ex-Japan lead singer David Sylvian (68), Queensrÿche guitarist Michael 'The Whip' Wilton (64), former Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna (59), Cardigans guitarist Lars-Olof Johansson (53), Calle 13 lead singer René 'Residente' Joglar (48), and Skylar Grey (40). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Georg Friedrich Händel, born on this day in 1685... for operatic soprano Régine Crespin, born in 1927... for guitarist Johnny Winter, who would have been 82 today... for former Dolly Dots vocalist Ria Brieffies, who would have been 69... for Starship lead guitarist Mark Abrahamian, who would have been 60... for operatic soprano Nellie Melba, who died on this date in 1931... for composer Edward Elgar, who died in 1934... for organist and composer Herbert Howells, who passed away in 1983... and for former Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein, who left us today in 2003. 

Also on February 23rd: Filming on the Beatles' cinematic follow-up to 'A Hard Day's Night' begins on location in the Bahamas with the working title 'Eight Arms to Hold You' (1965)... After nearly five years of marriage, Priscilla Presley moves out of Elvis' Beverly Hills home and into a two bedroom apartment in Malibu (1973)... AC/DC shoot the video for 'It's A Long Way To The Top, (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)' for the Australian music television program Countdown. It features the band's then-current lineup, along with members of the Rats of Tobruk Pipe Band, on the back of a flat-bed truck travelling on Swanston Street in Melbourne (1976)... David Coverdale's Whitesnake make their live debut at the Sky Bird Club in Nottingham... Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen are arrested in New York for heroin possession (1978)... Stevie Wonder is arrested at an anti-apartheid demonstration outside the South African embassy in Washington, DC. He is released following brief questioning, and after signing autographs for several police officers... The Smiths have the № 1 album in the UK with Meat Is Murder... Sade releases Diamond Life (1985)... All members of Oasis are banned for life from Cathay Pacific Airlines after alleged 'disgusting and abusive behaviour' on a flight from Hong Kong to Perth (1998)... Carlos Santana wins 8 Grammy awards for his album Supernatural, tying the record set by Michael Jackson with Thriller (2000)... The Bee Gees make their final concert appearance at the Love and Hope Ball in Miami, FL (2002)... Norah Jones wins 5 Grammys for the album Come Away with Me (2003)...  London's Abbey Road studios is made a listed building, protecting it from plans to radically alter it. Culture Minister Margaret Hodge listed the studios on the advice of English Heritage, saying it had 'produced some of the very best music in the world'. The Beatles used Abbey Road for 90% of their recordings (2010).

February 22nd

Musical birthdays today include R&B singer Bobby Hendricks (88), jazz drummer Harvey Mason (79), Wire bassist Graham Lewis (73), heavy metal bassist Dave Spitz (68), Creed drummer Scott Phillips (53), James Blunt (52), former Atomic Kitten vocalist Jenny Frost (48), and Blaque lead singer Shamari Fears (46). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Frédéric Chopin, born on this day in 1810... for big band saxophonist Buddy Tate, born in 1913... for bluesman Texas Johnny Brown, born in 1928...  for Marni Nixon, born in 1930... for pop singer William 'Oliver' Swofford, who would have been 81... for classical violinist Efrem Zimbalist, who died on this date in 1985... for original Velvet Underground producer and manager Andy Warhol, who passed away in 1987... and for blues violinist Papa John Creach, who died in 1994... and for country singer Sonny 'The Southern Gentleman' James, who left us today in 2018. 

Also on February 22nd: Percy Faith and His Orchestra have the № 1 song in America with 'Theme from a Summer Place' (1960)... Pink Floyd continue working on Piper at the Gates of Dawn at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, while the Beatles are next door assembling the giant piano chord at the end of 'A Day in the Life' (1967)... T-Rex play the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, with David Bowie doing a one-man mime show as their opening act (1969)... David Crosby releases his first solo album If I Could Only Remember My Name (1971)... The Average White Band go to № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Pick up the Pieces' (1975)... Preparing to film a Wrigley's Chewing Gum commercial for US TV, the members of The Police dye their hair blonde for the first time (1978)... Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark release their eponymous debut album (1980)... MTV dedicates a full day to the Monkees, broadcasting all 45 episodes of the original series in a 22-hour marathon (1986)... A heavy metal/hard rock category is introduced at the Grammys for the first time. To the considerable displeasure of many in the audience, the award goes to Jethro Tull for the album Crest of a Knave. Having been convinced by their manager that they had no chance of winning, no member of the band is present to collect the award. When asked by an interviewer the next day to comment on the controversy, longtime Tull frontman Ian Anderson quips "We do sometimes play our mandolins very loudly" (1988)... The NME publishes the result of a poll of British rock journalists asked to name the greatest debut albums of all time. Nos. 1 through 5 are Horses by Patti Smith, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, Kick out the James by the MC5, Psychocandy by the Jesus and Mary Chain, and Television's Marquee Moon (1992)... The Spice Girls start a 4-week run atop the US singles chart with 'Wannabe' (1997)... The engagement ring given by Sid Vicious to Nancy Spungen sells at auction in London for £1500. The jeans that John Lennon was wearing when he performed 'Instant Karma' on Top of the Pops in 1970 go for £2250 (2000)... Two women in their early sixties spend the first of eight nights sleeping outside Bournemouth International Centre to make sure they are first in the queue when tickets for a forthcoming Cliff Richard concert go on sale (2002)... Paul McCartney plays a private show in San Diego, CA for the birthday of Wendy Whitworth, the executive producer of The Larry King Show. Sir Paul donates his $1 million fee to the Adopt-a-Minefield charity (2003)... Johnny Marr is said to be 'ecstatic' after getting back a   guitar of his which was stolen in 2000 after a gig at the Scala nightclub in King's Cross, London. Smiths fan Stephen White told a London court that he was "disgusted" with himself for taking the cherry-red 1964 Gibson SG [valued at £30,000] when he went backstage after the show (2010).

February 21st

Musical birthdays today include producer & impresario David Geffen (83), mezzo-soprano D'Anna Fortunato (81), Uriah Heep bassist Paul Newton (81), former Love lead guitarist Johnny Echols (79), ex-Talking Head Jerry Harrison (77), Stranglers bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel (74), DJ & producer Michael Pickering (72), Stiff Little Fingers frontman Jake Burns (68), Mary Chapin Carpenter (68), English Beat lead singer Roger 'Ranking Roger' Charlery (63), Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield (57), singer-songwriter Cathy Richardson (57), former Sublime bassist Eric Wilson (56), Morningwood lead singer Chantel Claret (44), and Charlotte Church (40). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for composer Carl Czerny, born on this day in 1791... for organist and composer Charles-Marie Widor, born in 1844... for Andrés Segovia, born in 1893... for bluesman Frank 'Scrapper' Blackwell, born in 1903... for Nina Simone, born in 1933... for Bobby Charles, who would have been 88... for Tubes and Grateful Dead keyboardist Vince Welnick, who would have been 75... for Supremes vocalist Florence Ballard, who died on this date in 1976... for DJ Murray Kaufman, AKA Murray the K and 'The Fifth Beatle', who passed away in 1982... for R&B and doo-wop singer Nolan Strong, who died in 1977... for composer Morton Gould, who died in 1996... and for bluesman Morris 'Magic Slim' Holt, who left us today in 2013. 

Also on February 21st: Mussorgsky's opera Khovanshchina premieres in St. Petersburg with fellow composer Rimsky-Korsakov conducting the orchestra (1874)... Billy Joel has his first rehearsal with The Echoes, a band he has recruited from among his classmates at his Hicksville, NY high school to play British invasion covers... Three classic British singles are released: The Rolling Stones 'Not Fade Away', The Hollies' 'Just One Look', and Billy J Kramer's 'Little Children' (1964)... Pink Floyd begin their first session at EMI Studios, St. John's Wood, London for their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, working on the song 'Matilda Mother'. While the Floyd are recording with former Beatles engineer Norman Smith, the Fab Four themselves are in the studio next door working on 'Fixing A Hole' for the Sgt. Pepper album (1967)... Blood, Sweat and Tears release The Child Is Father to the Man (1968)... Simon and Garfunkel have the № 1 album in both Britain and America with Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)... Led Zeppelin release 'Rock And Roll / Four Sticks' as a 7" single in the US. The song was written as a spontaneous jam session, whilst the band were trying to finish 'Four Sticks'. Drummer John Bonham played the introduction to Little Richard's 'You Keep A-Knockin' and Page added a guitar riff; with the tapes rolling, the basic song was finished fifteen minutes later (1972)... Dolly Parton has her first US № 1 single with '9 to 5' (1981)... Metallica release their third album, Master of Puppets, while Elvis Costello issues his solo effort King of America (1986)... Robbie Williams is attacked and thrown from the stage during a concert in Stuttgart, Germany after a man gets onto the stage and pushes Williams into the security pit. The attacker is subdued and taken to a secure psychiatric clinic (2001)...  Simon Cowell does his voiceover for his appearance in a new episode of The Simpsons. The TV Pop Idol judge plays a nursery boss who gets punched by Homer Simpson (2004)... Rihanna issues a statement thanking fans for their support after an alleged assault by her boyfriend Chris Brown, but the singer declines to comment on a leaked photograph which appears to show her with facial injuries. The Los Angeles Police Department has launched an internal investigation and asked for the public's help in finding the person who leaked the photograph (2009)... Pussy Riot stage a performance on the soleas of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where their actions are stopped by church security officials. By the same evening, the group have turned the performance into a music video entitled 'Punk Prayer ~ Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!' The women say that their protest is directed at the Orthodox Church Patriarch's support for the Russian president during his election

February 20th

Musical birthdays today include Buffy Sainte-Marie (85), The Cramps co-founder & guitarist Kristy 'Poison Ivy' Wallace (73), Cheap Trick bassist Jon Brant (72), Stone Roses lead singer Ian Brown (63), rapper & producer Kevin 'k-os' Brereton (54), Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell (51), The Darkness drummer Ed Graham (50), Nickle Creek mandolinist Chris Thile (45), t.A.T.u. vocalist Julia Volkova (41), and Rihanna (38) Shoutout to the Great Beyond for blues pianist Jimmy Yancey, born on this day in 1898... for Buena Vista Social Club singer Ibrahim Ferrer, born in 1927... for jazz singer Nancy Wilson, who would have been 88 today... for Lindisfarne guitarist Alan Hull, and for J. Geils, both of whom would have been 79 ... for Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker, who would have been 76... for Spirit guitarist Randy California, who would have been 75... for Kurt Cobain, who would have been 59... for Great White guitarist & singer Ty Longley, who died along with 99 others in the Great Station nightclub fire today in 2003 at the age of 32... and for John Raitt, who left us today in 2005. 

Also on February 20th: Rossini's The Barber of Seville has its premiere at the Teatro Argentina in Rome under the title Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione (1816)... Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake is premiered by the Bolshoi in Moscow (1877)... Buddy Holly's self-titled second album is released (1958)... 17-year-old Jimi Hendrix plays his first public gig, with a local band in the basement of the Seattle synagogue Temple de Hirsch. The young phenom is fired between sets for showing off (1960)... John Coltrane releases the album Coltrane Jazz (1961)... Bob Dylan and his girlfriend Suze Rotolo are photographed walking together on 4th St. in Greenwich Village for what will become the iconic cover of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)... The Plastic Ono Band single 'Instant Karma' is released in the US (1970)... Screaming Lord Sutch appears at the Art College of High Wycombe, with the Sex Pistols as his opening act (1976)...  The Smiths release their eponymous debut album (1984)... Kylie Minogue has her first no. 1 song on the UK singles chart with 'I Should Be So Lucky' (1988)... Bob Dylan receives a lifetime achievement award at the 33rd Grammys (1991)...  100 people die after pyrotechnics ignite the Great Station nightclub in Warwick, RI during a gig by Great White. The group's singer Ty Longley is among those killed in the accident. Two brothers who own the club are charged with involuntary manslaughter along with the band's tour manager . Foam soundproofing material at the edge of the stage was set alight and the blaze spread quickly in the one-storey wooden building as fans all tried to escape through the same exit. Great White will begin a tour in July to raise money for the survivors and families of victims (2003)... Brian Wilson kicks off an 11-date UK tour at London's Royal Festival Hall. The shows see Wilson performing the full suite of songs from his unreleased masterpiece 'Smile' , the former head Beach Boy's 'teenage symphony to God' (2004)... The US hair salon where Britney Spears shaved her head sets up a website to auction her hair for more than $1 million. The website, buybritneyshair.com, claims to have been set up by salon owner Esther Tognozzi, and includes photos of the hair, saying it is 'absolutely authentic'. In addition to the singer's locks, the winning bidder will also get the clippers Spears used, a blue lighter she left at the salon and the can of Red Bull she was drinking at the time. Meanwhile, Spears has been spotted around Los Angeles sporting a short blonde wig (2007)... A Rolling Stones album bought for £2 at a garage sale sells for £4,000 at auction. The 1976 copy of 'Black and Blue' LP was signed by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Paul and Linda McCartney and George Harrison as well as by the Stones themselves. The buyer obtained the album after haggling the unsuspecting owner down from £3 (2008).

February 19th

Musical birthdays today include composer György Kurtág (100), Smokey Robinson (86), Lou Christie (83), Loverboy guitarist Paul Dean (80), Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi (78), Wishbone Ash guitarist Andy Powell (76), Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz (72), dBs frontman Peter Holsapple (70), English Beat lead singer Dave Wakeling (70), Seal (63), Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich (62), Smash Mouth guitarist Leroy Miller (61), Phish drummer John Fishman (61), Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell (57), Nickelback drummer Daniel Adair (51), Gossip vocalist Beth Ditto (45), and pop singer Haylie Duff (41) *** *** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for bluesmen Robert Walker and Sam Myers, both of whom would have been 88 today... for Miracles vocalist Bobby Rogers, who would have been 86... for Hans Hölzel, AKA Falco, who would have been 68... for original AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott, who died on this day in 1980... for French cabaret singer Charles Trenet, who passed away in 2001... for country singer Johnny Paycheck, who died in 2003... for ELO bassist Kelly Groucutt, who died in 2009... and for Procol Harum frontman Gary Brooker, who left us four years ago today. *** *** *** Also on February 19th: Thomas Edison patents the phonograph (1878)... A British novelty company ships half a ton of Beatle wigs to the US. An American reporter later asks John Lennon, "How do you feel about teenagers imitating you with Beatle wigs?" John replies "They're not imitating us, because we don't wear wigs." (1964)... The Beatles record 'You're Going to Lose That Girl' at Abbey Road in only two takes (1965)... Yes release The Yes Album (1971)... Harry Nilsson has the № 1 song in the US with his version of Badfinger's 'Without You' (1972)... Former Tower of Power lead singer Rich Stevens is arrested in connection with the drug related murders of three men in San Jose, CA. Stevens is found guilty of the charges in November (1976)... Manfred Mann's Earth Band score a № 1 single in the US with their version of the Bruce Springsteen song 'Blinded By The Light.' The track was the first single from Bruce Springsteen's 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park N.J. The Earth Band's version features several changes in the lyrics, the most prominent one coming in the chorus, where Springsteen's 'cut loose like a deuce' is replaced with 'revved up like a deuce.' Springsteen himself has said that it was not until Manfred Mann rewrote the song to be about a "feminine hygiene product" that it became popular (1977)... Ozzy Osbourne is arrested in San Antonio, TX for urinating on the Alamo. Osbourne is wearing a dress at the time of his arrest, [his wife Sharon having hidden all his clothes so that he could not venture outside the hotel]. The intoxicated Osbourne, who apparently thought he was relieving himself on a pile of rubble, is prohibited from ever playing in San Antonio again [a ban which was lifted in 1992] (1982)... Joni Mitchell releases Night Ride Home, the last of her four albums for Geffen Records (1991)... During their Use Your Illusion Tour, Guns n' Roses play the first of three sold out nights at the Tokyo Dome. The 55,000-seat baseball stadium [popularly known as 'the Big Egg'] is the largest concert hall in Japan (1992)... Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson marry in Cancun, Mexico... Roxette become the first western act to play in Bejing since Wham! in 1984 when they play a concert celebrating the Chinese New Year (1995)... Björk is shown on UK breakfast TV attacking a news reporter upon arrival at Bangkok International Airport. The footage shows the singer pulling the female reporter to the floor and banging her head repeatedly on the ground. Björk later apologises for the incident (1996)... The family of the late Johnny Cash block an attempt by advertisers to use his song 'Ring of Fire' to promote haemorrhoid-relief products. The idea is said to have been backed by Merle Kilgore, who co-wrote the song with Cash's wife June Carter Cash. Cash's daughter Rosanne said the family would "never allow the song to be demeaned like that" (2004).

February 18th

Musical birthdays today include Yoko Ono (93), former Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers vocalist Herman Santiago (85), Irma Thomas (85), ex-Styx lead singer Dennis DeYoung (79), jazz and R&B singer Veronica 'Randy' Crawford (74), Juice Newton (74), Robbie Bachman (73), ex-Little River Band drummer Derek Pellicci (73), former The Fall drummer Paul Hanley (62), Andy and Jez Williams of The Doves (56), Nickel Creek guitarist & singer Sean Watkins (49), and Regina Spektor (46) *** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for country singer [and co-author of 'The Tennessee Waltz'] Pee Wee King, born on this day in 1914... for Doobie Brothers drummer Keith Knudsen, who would have been 77 today... for Megadeath drummer Gar Samuelson, who would have been 87... for original Replacements lead guitarist Bob Stinson, who died on this date in 1995... and for Soft Machine guitarist Kevin Ayers and former Temptations vocalist Martin Harris, both of whom left us today in 2013 *** *** Also on February 18: The 18th century popular English opera Flora becomes the first opera produced in the American colonies when it premieres in Charleston, SC (1735)... Gian Carlo Menotti's Telephone premieres at the Met (1947)... The Platters have the № 1 single in the UK with 'The Great Pretender' (1956)... Ray Charles records 'What'd I Say' at Columbia Studios in NYC (1959)... On a weekend pass from a stint in the Marine reserves, The Everly Brothers appear in full uniform and with regulation crewcuts on The Ed Sullivan Show to perform their new single 'Cryin' in the Rain' (1962)... The Beatles record John's new song 'You've Got to Hide Your Love Away'. They are aided by flautist John Scott, the first musician other than the four members of the group or George Martin to play on a Beatles track (1965)... Brian Wilson and the L.A. session musicians informally known as The Wrecking Crew finish the first mix of the instrumental track to 'Good Vibrations' (1966)... One-hit wonders The Buckinghams go to № 1 in the US with 'Kind of a Drag' (1967)... David Gilmour officially becomes a member of Pink Floyd (1968)... Johnny Cash drops in on Bob Dylan's sessions for the Nashville Skyline album. The two spend several hours jamming together and record some 18 tracks, both their own material and country standards, but only their duet on Dylan's 'Girl from the North Country' will be considered worthy of release (1969)... Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band make their New York debut at Ungano's (1971)... 12-year-old Neil Reid becomes the youngest person ever to have a № 1 album in Britain when his self-titled debut offering tops the charts (1972)... Kiss release their eponymous debut album (1974)... In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Bill Wyman says that he intends to quit the Stones on the group's 20th anniversary in 1982. In fact, he will stay with the band until 1993 (1980)... Bon Jovi are at № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Livin' on a Prayer' (1987)... Freddie Mercury makes his final on stage public appearance when he and the other members of Queen collect an award for their 'outstanding contribution to music' at London's Dominion Theatre (1990)... An American court orders the release of John Lennon's FBI file. The British government was opposed to the move, having passed on MI5 files on the ex-Beatle to the US government in the '70s (2000)... Carpenters fans gather in front of the Los Angeles City Hall to protest plans to have the pop duo's former family home in the suburb of Downey torn down. The current owners of the house object to fans looking in the windows and leaving floral tributes. The 5-bedroom house was immortalized when it appeared on the cover of the siblings' 1973 hit album Now & Then (2008)... Whitney Houston's by invitation only funeral is held at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, NJ (2012).

February 17th

Musical birthdays today include bluegrass banjo player Buck Trent (88), original Soft machine saxophonist Karl Jenkins (82), Fred Frith (77), Loreena McKennitt (68), Symphony X bassist Michael LePond (60), Chanté Moore (59), Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong (54), Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins (53), country singer Bryan White (52), Paris Hilton (45), and Ed Sheeran (35)*** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for composer Arcangelo Corelli, born on this day in 1653... for bandleader Orrin Tucker, born in 1911... for jazz clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, born in 1923... for Bobby 'Tossin' and Turnin'' Lewis, born in 1925... for country singer Johnny Bush, born in 1935... for Gene Pitney, who would have been 85... for Triffids frontman David McComb, who would have been 64... for conductor Bruno Walter, who died on this date in 1962... for Thelonious Monk, who passed away in 1982... for Latin jazz percussionist Ray Barretto and guitarist Bill Cowsill, both of whom left us in 2006... and for country singer Mindy McCready, who took her own life five years ago today at the age of 37 *** *** Also on February 17th: Verdi's Un Ballo in maschera premieres in Naples (1859)... Puccini's Madama Butterfly premieres at La Scala (1904)... Elvis Presley wins his first Gold record for the album 'Elvis'... The Everly Brothers sign a $1 million contract with Warner Brothers Records (1960)... After working through the night, Bob Dylan and his Nashville session men finally record the take of 'Stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again' that will go on Blonde on Blonde. Dylan then goes directly to the airport to fly to New Haven, CT for the next date on his current tour... Nancy Sinatra goes to № 1 on the UK singles chart with 'These Boots Are Made for Walking' (1966)... At Abbey Road, The Beatles begin recording 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite' (1967)... After a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Joni Mitchell announces that she is retiring from live performance. She will be back on stage by the end of the year, however, after spending a few months on Crete, where she writes most of the songs that will make up her album Blue (1970)... James Taylor makes his US TV debut appearance on the Johnny Cash Show. Neil Young and Linda Ronstadt also perform (1971)... John Lennon releases Rock 'n' Roll, his last album of the '70s... AC/DC release their debut album High Voltage (1975)... The Clash kick off their 'Pearl Harbor '79' North American tour with a show at NYC's Palladium... Blondie have their first UK № 1 album with Parallel Lines (1979)... The Hoodoo Gurus and The Go-Betweens open for REM at the Hordern Pavilion, in Sydney, Australia (1989)... The Steinway piano on which John Lennon composed 'Imagine' goes on display at the Beatles Story Museum on the Albert Docks in Liverpool (2000)... Prosecutors in Phil Spector's murder trial demand that a fingernail overlooked by police investigating the shooting of Lana Clarkson should be put forward as evidence. They claim the fingernail, blackened with gunpowder, could indicate that the 40-year old actress killed herself at Spector's Los Angeles mansion. Spector denies killing Clarkson (2004).