February 13th

Musical birthdays today include former Fairport Convention lead singer Judy Dyble (73), ex-Uriah Heep bassist Bob Daisley (72), Peter Gabriel (72), original Foreigner bassist Ed Gagliardi (70), ex-Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook (66), former Big Country bassist Tony Butler (65), Henry Rollins (61), Annihilator frontman Jeff Waters (56), The National lead singer Matt Berninger (51), Robbie Williams (48), Leslie Feist (46), My Dying Bride guitarist Hamish Glencross (44), and Beirut frontman Zack Condon (36). *** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Russian operatic basso Feodor Chaliapin, born on this day in 1873... for Tennessee Ernie Ford, born in 1919... for songwriter Boudleaux Bryant, born in 1920... for Peter Tork, who would have been 79 today... for Traffic drummer Rebop Kwaku Baah, who would have been 78 ... for Be Bop Deluxe bassist Paul Jeffreys, who would have been 70... for Richard Wagner, who died on this date in 1883... for operatic soprano Lily Pons, who passed away in 1976... for Waylon Jennings, who died on this day in 2002... for French song & dance man Henri Salvador, who died in 2008... and for early rocker Dale Hawkins, who left us today in 2010. *** *** Also on February 13: In NYC, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is founded to protect the copyrighted musical compositions of its members (1914)... Frank Sinatra launches his own record label, Reprise, in order to allow himself more artistic freedom in the studio. It is at this time that he acquires the nickname 'The Chairman of the Board.' The label will later become the home of many influential artists, including Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, and the Beach Boys (1961)... The Monkees announce that they, as opposed to studio musicians, will now be playing the instruments on their albums... The Beatles release the Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane double A-sided single in the US (1967)... A lunch party for Mary Hopkin's album Postcard on Apple Records is held at the Post Office Tower in London. Guests attending include Jimi Hendrix, Donovan, and Paul McCartney with his new girlfriend Linda Eastman... Bob Dylan records 'Lay Lady Lay' at Columbia Studios in Nashville (1969)... On this Friday the 13th, Black Sabbath release their self-titled debut album (1970)... After becoming ill during a show in Las Vegas, Elvis gives a Lincoln Continental to Dr. Sydney Bowers, the physician who treated him (1973)... David Bowie turns down an offer from gay rights activists who want to commission him to write 'the world's first gay national anthem' (1974)... Frampton Comes Alive! is released in the UK (1976)... Police raid the home of former Sex Pistol John Lydon who greets them waving a ceremonial sword. The only illegal item they find was a canister of tear gas, claimed to be for defence against intruders (1980)... The Jam become the first band since The Beatles to play two numbers on the same edition of 'Top Of The Pops', when they perform 'A Town Called Malice', and 'Precious', their latest double A sided № 1... The marble slab is stolen from the grave of Lynyrd Skynyrd's lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. Police find it two weeks later in a dried up river bed (1982)... Led Zeppelin are awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Grammys. Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham all attend, while Robert Plant, who is working on a new album and rehearsing an upcoming tour, does not (2004)... Ray Charles is awarded 8 posthumous Grammys for his final album Genius Loves Company (2005)... Lady Gaga is forced to postpone her world tour after developing a case of synovitis, a form of severe inflammation of the joints (2013).