February 22nd

Musical birthdays today include R&B singer Bobby Hendricks (86), jazz drummer Harvey Mason (77), Wire bassist Graham Lewis (71), heavy metal bassist Dave Spitz (66), Creed drummer Scott Phillips (51), James Blunt (50), former Atomic Kitten vocalist Jenny Frost (46), and Blaque lead singer Shamari Fears (44). 

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 79... 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 Girl 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).