February 7th

 

Musical birthdays today include ex-Three Dog Night keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon (76), former Wings drummer Joe English (75), ex-Status Quo bassist Alan Lancaster (75), Garth Brooks (62), Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan (62), Godsmack frontman Sully Erna (56), electronic musician Amon Tobin (52), Babyshambles drummer Danny Goffey (50), Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland (49), and Blue Öyster Cult bassist Richie Castellano (44). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Dock Boggs, born on this day in 1898... for folk musician & NYC radio personality Oscar Brand, born in 1920... for Juliette Gréco, born in 1927... for jazz clarinetist Dave Shepherd, born in 1929... for saxophonist King Curtis, who would have been 89... for former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John, who would have been 68.. for rapper James 'J Dilla' Yancey, who would have been 50... for piano company founder Henry E. Steinway, who died on this date in 1871... for Eddie 'Guitar Slim' Jones, who passed away in 1959... for original Foghat frontman Dave Peverett, who died in 2000... and for jazz singer Blossom Dearie, who left us in 2009. 

Also on February 7th: Buddy Holly is buried in Lubbock, TX (1959)... Beatlemania arrives in America, as Pan Am flight 101 from London touches down at JFK carrying the Beatles (1964)... Robin, Maurice and Barry Gibb return to the UK after 9 years of living in Australia (1967)... John Lennon is named by Rolling Stone as Man of the Year, and appears on the magazine's cover along with Yoko... The Who record 'Pinball Wizard' at Morgan Studios in London (1969)... Led Zeppelin II becomes the group's first UK № 1 album... In the US, one-hit wonders Shocking Blue top the singles chart with 'Venus' (1970)... Paul Simon has first solo № 1 single in the USA with '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover' (1976)... Steven Stills becomes the first musician at the Record Plant in Los Angeles to record on digital equipment (1979)... Pink Floyd play the first of seven sold out nights at the L.A. Coliseum (1980)... Rush release the album Moving Pictures (1981)... State representative Billy Randall introduces a bill to make Little Richard's 'Tutti Frutti' Georgia's official rock song (1989)... At the age of 54, Debbie Harry becomes the oldest woman to sing on a UK № 1 single, as Blondie's 'Maria' goes to the top of the charts in Britain (1999)... Courtney Love arrives for a benefit concert at London's Old Vic Theatre dressed as Donald Duck. So attired, she joins Elton John on stage for a version of 'The Bitch Is Back' (2003)... Amy Winehouse is told that she cannot perform at this year's Grammy awards ceremony because her US visa application has been rejected by the embassy in London (2008).