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).

February 16th

Musical birthdays today include jazz pianist Howard Riley (83), former New Seekers vocalist Lyn Paul (77), Ice-T (68), ex-Def Leppard guitarist Pete Willis (66), Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor (65), Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo (61), Three Days Grace bassist Brad Walst (49), and Yellowcard drummer Longineu W. Parsons III (46) *** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for conductor Willem Kes [the first director of Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Orchestra], born on this day in 1856... for bandleader Wayne King, born in 1901... for jazz pianist Bill Doggett, born in 1916... for Patty Andrews, born in 1918... for songwriter Otis Blackwell [best remembered for 'Great Balls of Fire' and 'Don't be Cruel'], born in 1931... for Sonny Bono, born in 1935... for James Ingram, who would have been 74... for avant-garde musician John Balance, who would have been 63... for bluesman Brownie McGhee, who died on this date in 1996... for Doris 'Mama Soul' Troy, who passed away in 2004... and for Merseyside rocker Tony Sheridan, who died in 2013... and for Lesley Gore, who left us today in 2016*** *** Also on February 16th: The Beatles make their second live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, exactly one week after the first. Before an audience of 3,500 at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, FL, they perform ‘She Loves You’, ‘This Boy’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘From Me to You’, and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ (1964)... Led Zeppelin make their Australian live debut when they kick off a six-date tour at the Subiaco Cricket Oval, Perth. Police battle with over 500 fans who ram locked gates trying to get into the concert. Over 4,000 fans are outside the venue without tickets and local residents jam police phone lines to complain about the noise (1972)... Bob Dylan starts a four week run atop the US album chart with Planet Waves, his first stateside № 1 LP. The album was originally set to be titled Ceremonies of the Horsemen, a reference to the song 'Love Minus Zero / No Limit', from the 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. When Dylan decided to change the title at the last minute, the release was delayed for two weeks... During a tour of America, the members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer are arrested in Salt Lake City after swimming naked in their hotel pool. They are each fined $75 (1974)... The Jam are at № 1 on the UK singles chart with 'A Town Called Malice'... Simon and Garfunkel release The Concert in Central Park (1982)... The Simpsons have the № 1 single in the UK with 'Do the Bartman'. The song, written by Michael Jackson and Bryan Lorenand, make The Simpsons the first cartoon characters to hit the top since The Archies with 'Sugar Sugar' in 1969. Jackson, a huge fan of The Simpsons, had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a song that he promised would be a hit, and to do a guest spot on the show (1991)... Thieves break into George Michael's London home and steal over £100,000 worth of paintings, jewellery and designer clothes before driving and off in the singer's £80,000 Aston Martin DB7. They also cause £200,000 worth of damage to the house (2002).

February 15th

Musical birthdays today include songwriter and producer Brian Holland (85), ex-Kinks drummer Mick Avory (82), Supertramp saxophonist John Helliwell (81), Melissa Manchester (75), former UB40 lead singer Ali Campbell (67), ex-Culture Club bassist Mikey Craig (66), Jane Child (59), rapper Bryan 'Birdman' Williams (57), Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd (50), Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman (49), Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst (46), and Relient K guitarist Matt Hoopes (45) *** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for country singer Hank Locklin, born on this day in 1918... for Santana bassist David Brown, who would have been 76 today... for composer Mikhail Glinka, who died on this date in 1857... for Nat King Cole, who passed away in 1965... for blues harmonica innovator 'Little Walter' Jacobs, who died in 1968... for guitarist Mike Bloomfield, who died of a drug overdose on this day in 1981 at the age of 37... for rapper Lamon 'Big L' Coleman, shot to death on this day in 1999 at the age of 24... for French chansonnier Pierre Bachelet, who died in 2005... and for salsa singer Joe Cuba, who left us in 2009 *** *** Also on February 15: Jean-Baptiste Lully's opera Armide receives its first performance at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris (1686)... Ray Charles begins recording the milestone album Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music at United Studios in Los Angeles (1962)... The Beatles score their first US № 1 album with Meet the Beatles ~ it will remain at the top of the chart for the next 11 weeks (1964)... Bob Dylan arrives in Nashville to begin the sessions at CBS Studios on Music Row for the album that will become Blonde on Blonde. The day's work will be productive, including the definitive version of 'Visions of Johanna'... The Beach Boys shoot the iconic cover photo for the Pet Sounds album at the San Diego Zoo (1966)... John and Cynthia Lennon, along with George and Patti Harrison, fly to India to study meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Paul and Ringo join them a few days later, but Starr becomes bored and will leave on March 1st, comparing the experience to a 'Butlin's holiday camp.' Many of the songs on White Album will be written during their stay (1968)... An unknown singer named Vickie Jones is arrested on fraud charges for impersonating Aretha Franklin in concert at Fort Myers, Florida. No one in the audience had asked for their money back, however... Sly & the Family Stone's ' (I Am) Everyday People' is the № 1 song in America (1969)... Linda Ronstadt has both the № 1 single in the US ['You're No Good'] and the top album [Heart like a Wheel] (1975)... Glenn Matlock is fired as the Sex Pistols' bass player and replaced with Sid Vicious (1977)... Following the publication of a quote from lead singer Joe Elliot referring to El Paso, TX as "that dump with all those greasy Mexicans", Def Leppard are forced to cancel a concert in the city after they received threats that the gig would be violently disrupted (1988)... Kelly Emberg, the ex-girlfriend of Rod Stewart, files a $25 million palimony suit in Los Angeles. The couple lived together from 1985 to 1990. Stewart's reaction to being served: "Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house" (1991)... Sting pulls out of a concert in Vienna in protest at the inclusion of Jorg Haider's ultra-right freedom party in Austria's new government. Lou Reed has also cancelled shows in the country (2000)... A flat once rented by The Beatles in London goes up for sale for £1.75 m. The band shared the three-bedroom top floor property in Green Street, Mayfair in the autumn of 1962. The iconic photo of the Fab Four peering over a banister, used as the cover for the group's debut album Please Please Me, was taken at the top of the property's communal stairwell (2008).

February 14th

Musical birthdays today include folk singer Erik Andersen (83), former James Brown sideman & Parliament-Funkadelic saxophonist Maceo Parker (83), ex-Heart guitarist Roger Fisher (76), operatic soprano Soile Isokoski (69), Matchbox 20 lead singer Rob Thomas (54), and soul singer Andwele 'Dwele' Gardner (48) *** *** Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Phyllis McGuire [of the McGuire Sisters], born on this day in 1931... for conductor Michel Corboz, born today in 1932... for Chicago bluesman Samuel 'Magic Sam' Maghett, who would have been 87 today... for Clarence 'Blowfly' Reid, who would have been 86... for English session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan, who would have been 85... for song and dance man Gregory Hines, who would have been 80... for Tim Buckley, who would have been 79... for jazz drummer Warren 'Baby' Dodds, who died on this date in 1959... for composer Dmitri Kabalevsky, who died in 1987... for jazz drummer Louie Bellson, who passed away in 2009... for ex-The Knack lead singer Doug Fieger, who died in 2010... and for jazz pianist George Shearing, who left us today in 2011 *** *** Also on February 14th: The Beatles perform at the Casanova Club and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool, where they play a special Valentine's Day show. Paul sings Elvis Presley's 'Wooden Heart' wearing a wooden heart pinned to his coat, covered with satin and embroidered with the names John, Paul, George, and Pete. The heart is raffled off, and the winner also wins a kiss from Paul (1961)... Manfred Mann go to the top of the UK singles chart and crack the US top 10 with Bob Dylan's 'Quinn the Eskimo' (1968)... The Who appear at Leeds University. The show is recorded for the bands forthcoming 'Live At Leeds' album. Since its initial reception, Live at Leeds has been cited by many music critics as the best live rock recording of all time. The venue, the university refectory, has been named a national landmark in the UK, commemorated with a blue plaque (1970)... John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin a week-long run as the guest co-hosts of The Michael Douglas Show in NYC (1972)... Daryl Dragon and Toni Tenille take time out from a Captain & Tenille tour to get married in Virginia City, NV (1974)... Janis Ian receives over 500 valentines in care of her record label, Columbia, after reporting in the lyrics of her song 'At Seventeen' that she never received any... The B-52s give their first public performance at a party at the University of Georgia in Athens (1977)... The Smiths release Meat is Murder (1985)... Frank Zappa guest stars on an episode of NBC's 'Miami Vice', playing a crime boss named Mr. Frankie (1986)... Bon Jovi have the № 1 song in America with 'Livin' on a Prayer' (1987)... The film 'Wayne's World', featuring appearances by Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper, has its world premiere in Los Angeles. The use of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in the film propels the song to № 2 on the US singles chart nearly 20 years after its first release (1992)... Jerry Garcia marries documentary filmmaker Deborah Koons (1994)... Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' sets a new record for radio exposure in the US with 116 million plays over the last week (1998)... Elton John voices himself in an appearance on The Simpsons (1999)...Stolen reel-to-reel studio recordings by The Beatles are found in Australia. Police recovered the tapes of the band's White album and Abbey Road sessions after they were advertised for sale in a Sydney newspaper. Australian police had been tipped off by British detectives from Operation Acetone, an investigation into thefts of original Beatles music from Abbey Road studios in London in the late '60s (2003)... Bruce Springsteen tops the US album charts with Working on a Dream, his 16th studio release (2009).

February 13th

Musical birthdays today include original Fairport Convention lead singer Judy Dyble (77), ex-Uriah Heep bassist Bob Daisley (76), Peter Gabriel (76), original Foreigner bassist Ed Gagliardi (74), ex-Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook (70), former Big Country bassist Tony Butler (69), Henry Rollins (65), Annihilator frontman Jeff Waters (60), The National lead singer Matt Berninger (55), Robbie Williams (52), Leslie Feist (50), My Dying Bride guitarist Hamish Glencross (48), and Beirut frontman Zack Condon (40). *** *** 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 82 today... for Traffic drummer Rebop Kwaku Baah, who would have been 82 ... for Be Bop Deluxe bassist Paul Jeffreys, who would have been 74... 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).

February 12th

Musical birthdays today include country singer Moe Bandy (82), former Clear Light lead singer Cliff DeYoung (81), Genesis guitarist & founding member Steve Hackett (76), ex-Doobie Brothers lead singer Michael McDonald (74), former Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson (70), ex-Servants frontman David Westlake (61), Chynna Phillips (58), Barenaked Ladies bassist Jim Creeggan (56), and Irish singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan (45). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Elizabethan choral composer Thomas Campion, born on this day in 1567... to saxophonist and bandleader Tex Beneke, born in 1914... for jazz & soul singer Gene McDaniels, born in 1935... for Ray Manzarek, who would have been 87... for Brazilian popular singer José 'Dominguinhos' de Morais, who would have been 84... for former Go-Betweens vocalist and songwriter Grant McLennan, who would have been 68... for German conductor and virtuoso pianist Hans von Bülow, who died on this date in 1894... for Eubie Blake, who passed away in 1983... for former Iron Butterfly bassist Philip Taylor Kramer, who died in 1995... and for Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who left us today in 2000. 

Also on February 12: George M. Cohan's musical George Washington premieres on Broadway (1906)... George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue receives its premiere in a concert entitled An Experiment in Modern Music at the Aeolian Hall in NYC, with the composer at the piano and Paul Whiteman leading his orchestra (1924)... Dean Martin has the biggest hit of his career as his single 'Memories Are Made of This' tops the charts on both sides of the Atlantic (1956)... The Miracles' 'Shop around' becomes Motown's first million-selling single (1961)... The Beatles return to New York City by train from Washington, D.C. for two performances at Carnegie Hall. There was such a demand for tickets that some extra seating has been arranged surrounding the stage. Tickets ranged from $1.65 to $5.50 (1964)...  Pye Records announce that they have signed 'the British Bob Dylan', when they add Donovan to the label. The Scottish singer-songwriter produces a series of hit albums and singles between 1965 and 1970 and becomes a friend of leading pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones, and The Beatles. He influenced John Lennon when he taught him a finger-picking guitar style in 1968 (1965)... 15 police officers raid 'Redlands', the West Sussex home of Keith Richards. The officers of the law, armed with a warrant issued under the Dangerous Drugs Act, .take away various substances for chemical analysis. George and Pattie Harrison were at the house, but it is said that the police waited for them to leave in order not to have to bust the holder of an OBE (1967)... John Lennon performs 'Instant Karma' on Top of the Pops, making him the first Beatle in four years to appear on the show (1970)... Al Green has his only US № 1 single with 'Let's Stay Together'... The Allman Brothers Band release Eat a Peach (1972)... The Sex Pistols make their London live debut as the opening act to Eddie and the Hot Rods at the Marquee Club (1976)... The Police record their first single, 'Fall Out', at Pathway Studios in London for £150... Pink Floyd release Animals in the US... and Blondie, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and The Ramones all appear on the same bill at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles (1977)... XTC release English Settlement (1982)... U2 hold a press conference in the lingerie department of the Union Square branch of KMart in Manhattan to announce their 'Pop Mart' world tour, scheduled to begin in Las Vegas on April 25... David Bowie receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1997).. The Class 47 locomotive 47828 operated by Cotswold Railways is renamed 'The Joe Strummer' at a ceremony in Bristol to honour the Clash frontman who died at age 50 in 20o2 (2005)... In a press conference in Los Angeles, Sting confirms that The Police will reunite for a world tour which will begin in Vancouver on May 28th. Their opening act will be Fiction Plane, the band led by Sting's son Joe Sumner (2007)...  A full frontal nude photo of Madonna, taken in 1979 when she was a 20-year-old dancer trying to make ends meet in NYC, sells at auction for $37,500 (2009).

February 11th

 

Musical birthdays today include classical pianist Jerome Lowenthal (94), bandleader Sergio Mendes (85), French chansonnier Serge Lama (83), ex-Gentle Giant lead singer Derek Shulman (79), Bad Brains lead singer Paul 'H.R.' Hudson (70), Sheryl Crow (64), Slipknot keyboardist Craig Jones (54), jazz pianist Ethan Iverson (53), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club guitarist Peter Hayes (50), Linkin Park rapper & songwriter Mike Shinoda (49), Brandy Norwood (47), Kelly Rowland (45), and Danity Kane vocalist Aubrey O'Day (42). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for classical pianist Rudolf Firkusny, born on this day in 1912... for Gene Vincent, born in 1935... for Bobby Pickett, who would have been 88...  for songwriter Gerry Goffin, who would have been 87... for soul singer Al Johnson, who would have been 78... for  jazz violinist Didier Lockwood, who would have been 70... for Ladysmith Black Mambazo vocalist Jockey Shabalala, who died on this date in 2006... for former Ronettes singer Estelle Bennett, who passed away in 2009... for Whitney Houston, who died today in 2014... and for Dave Clark Five bassist Rock Huxley, who left us today in 2015.

Also on February 11th: Donizetti's La Fille du Régiment premieres in Paris (1840)... Elvis performs 'Heartbreak Hotel' and 'Blue Suede Shoes' on the CBS-TV program 'The Stage Show' (1956)... In less than ten hours, The Beatles record ten new songs for their first album, plus four other tracks which will be the next two singles. John Lennon's vocal on The Isley Brothers' 'Twist & Shout' is recorded in one take to complete the album (1963)...  The Beatles make their live concert debut in the US at the Coliseum in Washington DC. Over 350 police surround the stage to keep the 8,000 plus screaming fans in control. One police officer who finds the noise deafening uses two bullets as ear plugs. The Beatles have to stop three times and turn Ringo's drum kit around and re-position their microphones so that they face a different part of the audience (1964)... Ringo marries his longtime girlfriend Maureen at Caxton Hall Registry Office in London (1965)... The Rolling Stones release Between the Buttons (1967)... The Monkees set a new record when their second album, More Of The Monkees, jumps in one week from № 122 to the top of the US chart (1969)... Fleetwood Mac, The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead all appear on the same bill at the Fillmore East in NYC (1970)... Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon tour stop at the Manchester Free Trade Hall ends after 25 minutes because of a power failure (1972)...  A local charity raises over £500 selling bedsheets and pillowcases used by the Rolling Stones after a show at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand (1973)... The Smiths release the single 'Shoplifters of the World, Unite' with a photo of the young Elvis on the sleeve (1987)... Mötley Crüe fire Vince Neil when he turns up for rehearsals and announces that he has lost his passion for the band and is now more involved with racing cars (1992)... Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills appear at the High Court in London for a hearing to reach a financial settlement for their divorce. The proceedings in the Family Division, which will take place in private, are expected to last five days (2008).

February 10th

 Musical birthdays today include Leontyne Price (99, jazz bassist Rufus Reid (82), French chansonnier Maxime Le Forestier (77), drummer and Elton John sideman Nigel Olsson (77), Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo (47), and Pierce the Veil lead singer Vic Fuentes (43). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for big band leader and drummer Chick Webb, born on this day in 1905... for harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler, born today in 1914... for Roberta Flack, who would have been 89 today... for pop & jazz singer Kenny Rankin, who would have been 85... for original Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, who would have been 64... for songwriter Billy Rose [best remembered for 'Me and My Shadow' and 'It's Only a Paper Moon'] who died on this date in 1966... for former Sweet lead singer Brian Connolly, who passed away in 1997... and for folk singer Dave van Ronk, who left us today in 2002. 

Also on February 10th: Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman premieres in Paris (1893)... 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra becomes the first recording to be awarded a gold record (in fact just a master copy of the disc sprayed with gold lacquer by RCA as a publicity stunt.) The actual award recognized today as a Gold Record would not be initiated for another 16 years, when the Recording Industry Association of America borrowed and trademarked the idea. The first official Gold single was Perry Como's 'Catch a Falling Star', and the first Gold album the soundtrack to the musical Oklahoma (1942)... Frank Sinatra's album Come Fly with Me goes to № 1 in the US (1958)... Presenting Dionne Warwick, the singer's debut album, is released (1963)... Bob Marley marries fellow Jamaican singer Rita Anderson (1966)... The Beatles record the orchestral build-up for the middle and end of 'A Day in the Life.' At the group's request, the orchestra members wear full evening dress along with various novelty items ~ the first violinist wears a red clown's nose, while a cellist wears a fake gorilla's paw on his bow hand. Other musicians wear funny hats and false noses & glasses. The session is filmed for a possible Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band TV special, an idea which is ultimately abandoned. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Donovan and Mike Nesmith of The Monkees observe from the control booth (1967)... David Bowie kicks off the Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars tour at the Tolworth Toby Jug club in London (1972)... Elton John has his first UK № 1 album with Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)... Elvis Presley is sworn in as a deputy in the Memphis, TN police reserves (1976)... The Clash begin recording their debut album at CBS Studios in London. The album is completed in three weekend sessions at Studio 3 for a cost of $4,000, and is delivered to Columbia by the beginning of March (1977)... Van Halen's eponymous debut album is released (1978)... Rod Stewart has both the № 1 single and album in America, with 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy' and Blondes Have More Fun, respectively (1979)... On a special edition of Oprah, Michael Jackson gives his first televised interview in 14 years, live from his Neverland ranch. The broadcast is watched by an estimated 90 million viewers (1993)... During a gig by Blur at the Astoria in London, Spice Girls Ginger and Sporty join the band for a number, but are forcibly removed from the stage by security, who fail to recognize them (1997)... Police investigate Eminem for suspected drugs offences after he appears to consume Ecstasy on stage at a Manchester show, and encourages audience members to do the same (2001)... Kanye West's debut album College Dropout is released... Roger Daltrey is awarded the CBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to the British music industry (2005)... Amy Winehouse accepts her 5 awards at this year's Grammys with a speech transmitted by satellite television, her US entry visa having been refused because of her numerous illegal substance abuse convictions. In addition to thanking the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the singer also pays tribute to her husband, 'Blake the Incarcerated', who is currently in custody waiting trial on charges of obstruction of justice and grievous bodily harm (2008). 

February 9th

Musical birthdays today include jazz double bassist Len Skeat (89), Shadows drummer Brian Bennett (86), Carole King (84), R&B singer Barbara Lewis (83), Flatlanders guitarist Joe Ely (79), former Frankie Goes to Hollywood lead singer Holly Johnson (66), country singer Travis Tritt (63), former Dive lead singer Krister Linder (56), and Asia guitarist Sam Coulson (39). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for composer Alban Berg, born on this day in 1885... for Carmen Miranda, born in 1909... for Ernest Tubb, born in 1914... for Canadian country singer 'Stompin' Tom' O'Connors, who would have been 90 today... for R&B singer and Delfonics vocalist Major Harris, who would have been 79... for former Avenged Sevenfold drummer James 'The Rev' Sullivan, who would have been 45... for pop orchestra conductor Percy Faith, who died on this date in 1976... for Bill Haley, who passed away in 1981... for Buena Vista Social Club bassist Orlando 'Cachaito' Lopez, who died in 2010... and for Chick Corea, who left us five years ago today.  

Also on February 9th: Verdi's Falstaff has its world premiere at La Scala in Milan (1893)... The Beatles appear at the Cavern Club for the first time under their new name (1961)... Paul and Paula are at № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Hey Paula' (1963)... The Beatles make their US live debut on CBS-TV's 'The Ed Sullivan Show'. They are seen by approximately 73 million people as they perform 5 songs, including their current № 1 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'. The show received over 50,000 requests for the 728 seats in the studio (1964)... The promotional film for the latest Beatles' single 'Penny Lane/'Strawberry Fields Forever' is shown on BBC-TV's 'Top of the Pops'. It is the first single by the Fab Four to fail to go № 1 in the UK since 1963, stalling at № 2 behind Engelbert Humperdinck's 'Please Release Me' (1967)... Hal Cone, former manager of the Monkees, is found guilty of theft, forgery, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy (1968)... Paul McCartney and his new band Wings play the first night of a UK college and university tour in Nottingham. The group arrive unannounced and ask the university's social secretary if she would like them to perform that evening. The band's intended first stop, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, was refused by local authorities, so they drove on to Nottingham. Pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz are the opening act (1972)... More than 10 years after the Concert for Bangladesh, George Harrison presents UNICEF with a cheque for $9 million (£5.3 million) (1982)... Madonna's Like a Virgin goes to № 1 on the US album chart (1985)... Nirvana set out on a short west coast tour opening for Dinosaur Jr. at the Pine Street Theater in Portland, OR (1990)... C&C Music Factory go to № 1 in the US with 'Gonna Make You Sweat' (1991)... Touring the Antipodes for the first and only time, Nirvana make their New Zealand debut at the Logan Campbell Centre in Auckland (1992)... Eminem reinforces security for his UK concert tour following threats from gay rights groups. Campaigners say the rapper is a homophobe who promotes prejudice through his hate-filled lyrics (2001)... Robert Plant takes home five prizes at this year's Grammys for his collaboration with Alison Krauss, including album of the year for Raising Sand, and record of the year for 'Please Read the Letter' (2009).. The White Stripes take on the US Air Force, complaining that one of the group's songs, 'Fell in Love with a Girl' was used in a recruitment advertisement for TV without their permission. In a statement on their website, the duo say that they are '...insulted, and object strongly to the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war that we do not support' (2010). 

February 8th

 Musical birthdays today include film score composer John Williams (94), Tom Rush (85), former Grass Roots guitarist Creed Bratton (83), industrial music percussionist Stefan Weisser AKA Z'EV (75), Spock's Beard bassist Dave Meros (70), session bassist Stuart Hamm (66), Vince Neil (65), Daft Punk co-member Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (52), Indian pop singer Sophie Choudry (45), and Paramore bassist Jeremy Davis (41). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for producer Terry Melcher, who would have been 83 today... for Dan Seals [formerly half of England Dan & John Ford Coley), who would have been 78... for Max Yasgur, owner of the farm near Bethel, NY where the first Woodstock festival took place, who died on this date in 1973... for Del Shannon, who took his own life today in 1990 at the age of 55... for former Doobie Brothers drummer Keith Knudsen, who died in 2005... for ex-Soft Machine saxophonist Elton Dean, who passed away in 2006... for Argentine singer-songwriter Luis Spinetta, who died in 2012... and for Mary Wilson, who left us five years ago today at the age of 76. 

Also on February 8: Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov premieres at the Mavrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg (1874)... On their first full day in New York, The Beatles (minus George, who has a sore throat), go for a photo-opportunity walk around Central Park. Over 400 fans, mostly female, follow them and extra police are called in to control them. Later in the day, The Ronettes interview The Beatles for radio (1964)... The Band Of Joy, featuring John Bonham and Robert Plant, make their first London appearance, opening for Edwin Starr at the Marquee Club in London (1968)... Bob Dylan goes to № 1 on the US album charts with Blood on the Tracks. The Ohio Players are atop the singles chart with 'Fire' (1975)... David and Angie Bowie's divorce becomes final, with the singer retaining custody of their son Zowie (1980)... REM go into Bombay Studios in Smyrna, GA for their first ever recording session. Tracks completed included 'Gardening At Night', 'Radio Free Europe' and '(Don't Go Back To) Rockville' (1981)... Right Said Fred have the № 1 single in America with 'I'm Too Sexy' (1989)... Oasis are forced to cancel their first foreign tour after they are deported from Holland. The band were involved in a drunken brawl on a cross-channel ferry, resulting in members of the band being arrested and locked in the brig on the craft (1994)... Eminem makes his live debut in the UK with a concert at the Manchester Arena (2001)... The magazine Good Housekeeping publishes the results of its annual poll of the world's sexiest women. Musical finishers include Kylie Minogue, in first place among women in their 30s. Sade was voted No. 4 in the over 40s, with Madonna coming in at No. 7 and Jerry Hall at No. 8.  Sharon Osbourne was voted into 3rd place in the over 50's section (2004).

February 7th

 

Musical birthdays today include ex-Three Dog Night keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon (78), former Wings drummer Joe English (77), ex-Status Quo bassist Alan Lancaster (77), Garth Brooks (64), Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan (64), Godsmack frontman Sully Erna (58), electronic musician Amon Tobin (54), Babyshambles drummer Danny Goffey (52), Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland (51), and Blue Öyster Cult bassist Richie Castellano (46). 

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, born in 1935... for former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John, who would have been 70.. for rapper James 'J Dilla' Yancey, who would have been 52... 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 today 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).

February 6th

 

Musical birthdays today include Fabian (83), folk singer Bill Staines (79), Gong multi-instrumentalist Tim Blake (74), session drummer Simon Phillips (69), Axl Rose (64), Tragically Hip lead singer Gordon Downie (62), Rick Astley (60), and country singer Anita Cochran (59). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for classical pianist Claudio Arrau, born on this day in 1903... for former Marvelettes vocalist Georgeanna Tillman and New Orleans funk musician and producer Willie Tee, both of whom would have been 82... for Bob Marley, who would have been 81... for former Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward and Kate McGarrigle, both of whom would have been 80... for Natalie Cole, who would have been 75... for former Hawkwind guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton, who would have been 75... for film score composer Hugo Montenegro, who died on this date in 1981... for Hans Hölzel, AKA Falco, who was killed in a road accident today in 1998 at the age of 40... for Beach Boy Carl Wilson, who passed away on the same day... for Frankie Laine, who died in 2007... and for blues rock guitarist and Thin Lizzy member Gary Moore, who left us today in 2011. 

Also on February 6th: The first minstrel show in the United States, the Virginia Minstrels Review, opens at the Bowery Amphitheatre in NYC (1843)... Frank Sinatra makes his network radio debut, performing on the CBS program 'Your Hit Parade' (1943)... George Harrison joins The Quarrymen (1958)... The Rolling Stones' second album Rolling Stones No. 2 starts a three-week run at № 1 on the UK charts. The album follows its predecessor's tendency to feature primarily R&B covers. It does, however, contain three compositions from the still-developing Mick Jagger/Keith Richards songwriting team (1965)... The Byrds release their fourth studio album, Younger Than Yesterday... Pink Floyd are photographed for the weekly British girls magazine Jackie. The magazine was the best-selling teen publication in Britain for ten years. The best-ever selling issue was the 1972 special edition to coincide with the UK tour of David Cassidy (1967)... Led Zeppelin announce a small UK club tour which will see the group playing universities and small venues, with ticket prices at 12 shillings (60p). Zeppelin manager Peter Grant would later say “We decided to do the clubs and forget about the bread and the big concert halls” (1971)... The J Geils Band score their only № 1 US hit with 'Centerfold' (1982)... The mother and sister of Undertones lead singer Feargal Sharkey are kidnapped at gunpoint by Protestant militiamen in Londonderry, N. Ireland, and held for several hours before being released (1986)... Tiffany goes to № 1 on the US singles chart 'Could've Been' (1988)... Billy Idol is seriously injured when he runs a stop sign on his Harley-Davidson and crashes into a car (1990)... Ex-Jam members Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler reach an out of court settlement a high court with Paul Weller after suing him for more than £100,000, claiming they were owed royalties and group assets (1996)... Don Felder is fired from The Eagles (2001)... 50 Cent releases his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003)... An exhibition of Kylie Minogue's stage costumes, awards and accessories is launched in central London. The display at the Victoria and Albert Museum shows her changing image from 1987 onwards, including the dungarees she wore as Charlene in the Australian soap Neighbours and the gold hot pants she wore in her Spinning Around video (2007).

February 5th

 

Musical birthdays today include songwriter & ex-Atlanta Rhythm Section guitarist J.R. Cobb (82), Al Kooper (82), musical theatre composer & director Elizabeth Swados (75), former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Cliff Martinez (72), ex-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan (62), String Cheese Incident bassist Keith Moseley (62), Bobby Brown (57), country singer Sara Evans (55), and AFI drummer Adam Carson (51). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for country singer Claude King, born on this day in 1923... for blues rocker Alex Harvey, who would have been 88 today... for Barrett Strong and for Three Dog Night vocalist Cory Wells, both of whom would have been 85... for French chansonnier Daniel Balavoine, who would have been 74... for Bill Haley & His Comets saxophonist Rudy Pompilli, who died on this date in 1976... and for former Glenn Miller Orchestra trombonist Paul Tanner, who left us today in 2014.

Also on February 5th: Verdi's Otello premieres at La Scala (1887)... 5,000 fans are waiting to greet Bill Haley when he disembarks from the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth at Southampton. It is the first tour of Britain by an American rock artist (1957)... Ringo Starr plays his first live show with the Beatles, sitting in for an ailing Pete Best at a gig at the Cavern Club (1962)... Petula Clark has her second № 1 in the USA with 'My Love'... The Rolling Stones release their new single '19th Nervous Breakdown' (1966)... The Beatles film the promotional video for 'Penny Lane' around London's Royal Theatre, and walking up and down Angel Lane (1967)... The Move have their only UK № 1 single with 'Blackberry Way' (1969)... Mick Ronson makes his first appearance with David Bowie for an appearance on the John Peel Sunday Concert show on BBC radio (1970)... Black Sabbath begin recording what will be their third album, Master Of Reality, at Island Studios in London. The record is generally considered to be the first 'sludge metal' album ~ guitarist Tony Iommi, decided to tune his guitar down by three semi-tones, and Geezer Butler also down-tuned his bass to match Iommi. The result is a noticeably 'darker' sound that almost two decades later would prove hugely influential on grunge (1971)... The Bee Gees release Spirits Having Flown. The album will go on to sell more than twenty million copies worldwide (1979)... Toto go to the top of the US singles chart with 'Africa' (1983)... Courtney Love blames her bad language for the alleged air rage incident that led to her arrest at London's Heathrow Airport. As she leaves Heathrow's police station the singer says: "I cussed at a lady ~ my daughter always said I had a potty mouth." When asked what it was like inside the police station, the singer says: "It was fine. They were wonderful in there. It was like being on Prime Suspect” (2003)... Janet Jackson's right breast is now the most searched for image in Internet history (2004)... The Rolling Stones play three songs during the half-time show of the Super Bowl in Detroit. After the event, the Stones express their displeasure over having Mick Jagger's microphone turned down during the song 'Start Me Up'. The line 'You make a dead man come' was cut short, and a barnyard reference to 'cocks' in the new song 'Rough Justice' also disappeared (2006). 

 

February 4th

 Musical birthdays include former Animals drummer John Steel (85), ex-Fifth Dimension vocalist Florence LaRue (84), Alice Cooper (78), Kansas drummer Phil Ehart (75), former Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley (74), country singer Clint Black (64), Offspring lead guitarist Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman (63), Our Lady Peace bassist Duncan Coutts (57), Natalie Imbruglia (51), rapper Cameron 'Cam'ron' Giles (50), rapper Allen 'Matchstik' Forrest (45), and ex-Pussycat Dolls vocalist Kimberly Wyatt (44).

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for songwriter Ray Evans [best remembered for 'Que Sera Sera' and 'Mona Lisa'], born on this day in 1915... for Karen Carpenter, who passed away today in 1983 at the age of 33... for Liberace, who died today in 1987... for R&B singer Gwen Guthrie, died in 1999... and for Maurice White, who left us today in 2017.

Also on February 4th: A well-to-do German music lover named Johann von Uffenbach on a visit to Venice hears Vivaldi play and commissions a series of Concerti Grossi (1715)... Claudio Arrau makes his Carnegie Hall debut (1924)... Bob Dylan and three travelling companions set out from NYC on a cross-country jaunt by car, intending to make it to San Francisco via New Orleans in 3 weeks (1964)... The Righteous Brothers are at № 1 on both sides of the Atlantic with 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'' (1965)... The Jimi Hendrix Experience launch what is being billed as the '60 Cities in '60 Days' tour at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco... The Beatles record 'Across the Universe'. John and Paul decide the song needs some high harmonies, so they invite two 'Apple Scruffs' (female fans who hang around outside Abbey Road Studios) to come in and sing on the song. The two are Lizzie Bravo, a 16-year-old Brazilian living nearby and 17-year-old Londoner Gayleen Pease (1969)... John and Yoko donate their hair for an auction in aid of the Black Power movement (1970)... Fleetwood Mac release Rumours (1977)... The Bee Gees are at № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Stayin' Alive'. In Britain, Jamaican teenage one-hit wonders Althia & Donna hold the top spot with 'Up Town Ranking' (1978)... Former Milli-Vanilli member Rob Pilatus is hospitalized after a man hits him over the head with a baseball bat in Hollywood, CA. Pilatus was attempting to steal the man's car at the time of the attack (1996)... Courtney Love is arrested at Heathrow airport for 'endangering an aircraft' on a transatlantic flight. The singer is alleged to have hurled abuse at the cabin crew on the flight from Los Angeles, and also to have thrown bottles and in-flight meals after her nurse, who was in an economy seat, was barred from sitting next to her in the first class cabin (2003)... Bjorn Ulvaeus confirms that the members of Abba recently turned down a $1 billion offer by an American and British consortium to reform the group. "It is a hell of a lot of money to say no to, but we decided it wasn't for us," fellow member Benny Andersson told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet (2004)... A Razorlight gig in Lyon is halted mid-set because of an altercation between singer Johnny Borrell and bassist Carl Dalemo. The pair exchange insults before casting their instruments aside and coming to blows onstage. Borrell then storms off, leaving the French crowd amazed and unsure about what is going on (2007)... Robert Plant says he thinks Led Zeppelin cannot reunite for a full tour and album because the band feels incomplete without drummer John Bonham. During an interview on UK station Absolute Radio, Plant states, “The reason that it stopped was that we were incomplete, and we've been incomplete now for 29 years.” He admitted: ”I think the thing about it, really, is that to visit old ground is an incredibly delicate thing to do, considering the disappointment that could be there once you commit to that, and the comparisons to something that was basically fired by youth and a different kind of exuberance from now... It's very hard to go back and meet that head on and do it justice” (2009).