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February in Music History
During this month in 1981, Kool & The Gang's "Celebration" went to the top of the pops, the tune was the theme song for the 1981 Super Bowl and was also played upon the return of the 52 Iranian hostages in 1979. Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, out on bail, overdosed on heroin less than four months after stabbing his girlfriend Nancy Spungen to death. This month in 1973, Elton John's single "Crocodile Rock" went to #1, ...it was his first U.S. chart topper. February 3, 1959, was a dark day for music when a plane carrying Richie Valens, Buddy Holly, and J.P."The Big Bopper" Richardson plunged into an Iowa cornfield killing all aboard. Fleetwood Mac's album "Rumors" was released this month in 1977. It stayed on the charts for 31 months selling over 17 million copies in the US. In 1960, Mark Dinning's "Teen Angel" hit the top of the pops...it was the forerunner to a host of other adolescent meditations on death. During this month in 1967, British producer, Joe Meek took a shotgun to his landlady then turned the weapon on himself. Both were pronounced DOA at a hospital just yards away.
Linda Ronstadt hit number one with "You're No Good" in 1975, and in 1963 the big hit was "Hey Paula" by Paul and Paula. In 1977, the Police recorded their first single, "Fall Out". In 1962, "Duke of Earl" by Gene Chandler topped the charts...it was Vee Jay Records' first million seller. Just five years earlier, Elvis hit the top with "Too Much," one of four number one hits in 1957, matching his 1956 record, ...he hit the top again this month in 1958 with "Don't, I Beg of You," his last number 1 tune before joining the army. In 1999, The Deftones, on the final night of their tour opening for Black Sabbath, had their truck ripped off from the parking lot of the Holiday Inn in Dearborn, Michigan...all their backline gear and instruments were stolen, including several of Chi Chings' FenderÆ Precision Bass guitars and Stephen Carpenter's custom guitars and racks, leaving the band in dire straights. Dire Straits, they began recording their first album this month in 1978 in London. In 1977, the B-52s gave their debut performance at a Valentines Day party in Athens, Georgia. That same month Janis Ian received almost 500 Valentine's Day cards, a response to her lament in the ballad "At Seventeen": "...the Valentines I never knew...were spent on one more beautiful..." In 1967, Aretha Franklin recorded her hit single "Respect"; a million-selling record written by Otis Redding that topped the charts for two months. During this month in 1976, Bette Midler bailed seven members of her entourage out of jail after they were arrested on cocaine and marijuana possession charges. In 1967 the first anti-bootlegging recording laws went on the books.
In 1969, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan begin sessions
that will lead to the release of their only duet, "Girl from the North
Country"...1968, the Beatles fly off to India to study under the Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi. This month in 1958 Gibson shipped its very first Flying V
guitar. This month in 1998, Elton John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth...he was erroneously announced as "Sir John Elton"...in 1990, Bob Dylan made a surprise appearance with Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, and David Crosby at a tribute to Roy Orbison. It was the first time in 25 years that the three former Byrds had appeared on stage together. This month in 1998 Tommy Lee of Motley Crue was formally charged with abusing his wife, actress Pamela Anderson Lee, and the couple's son Dylan...in l980. In 1980 Michael Jackson won his first Grammy for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"...four years later he cleaned up with eight Grammys for his zillion-selling "Thriller". This month in 1991, The Record Plant studio in Hollywood shut down... some of the biggest records of all time like "Hotel California," "Rumours," and Stevie Wonder's "Songs in The Key of Life" were waxed there. This month in 1970, Charles Manson's album "Lie" was released on the Awareness label...profits were earmarked for his defense. On March 1, 1969, Jim Morrison exposed himself on stage in Florida...after several months local authorities decided to prosecute the for lewd and lascivious behavior...after conviction, Morrison was sentenced to six months' hard labor...released on appeal, he died in Paris before those court proceedings could begin
BIRTHDAYS: February 10: Don Wilson of the Ventures (1937) February 11: Josh White (1915) February 12: Gene McDaniels (1935) February 13: Tennessee Ernie Ford (1919) OBITUARIES: |
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On
February 2, 1993, Willie Nelson settled his IRS case...the Federal Government
kept the $3.6 million in assets already seized and settled for cents on
the dollar on the balance that the IRS claimed was due.
This
month in 1976, Paul Simon widened our romantic options with his hit, "50
Ways to Leave Your Lover"; his first number one single since parting ways
with Art Garfunkel in 1970. In 1964, the Beatles met America on their
famous Ed Sullivan TV debut. Phil Spector, creator of the famed "Wall
of Sound" was badly burned in a car crash this month in 1974, after which
he became more of a recluse than ever. In1999, BPI Communication pulled
the plug on Musician Magazine after 21 years in print. During this month
in 1999, pianist Jaki Byard, who played with Mingus and Roland Kirk, was
found fatally shot at his home in New York...he was 76 years old. In 1984,
Michael Jackson's "Thriller" debuted at number 20 on the Billboard charts.
It was the highest debuting song of that decade, but only topped out at
number four...Jackson didn't much care, since the album sold more than
any in history at 20 million in the US alone. Thirteen years later, in
1997, he and wife Debbie became proud parents of a baby boy.
This
month in1998, Chumbawamba drummer Danbert Nobacon dumped a bucket of ice
water (not Gatorade) on U.K. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott before
millions of T.V. viewers during the Brit Awards. Also in 1998, country
singer Lorrie Morgan says "no truth to the story" about a tabloid article
reporting her wild ride in the back seat of a limo with President Clinton.
In 1991, Quincy Jones won six Grammys including one for album of the year
for "Back on the Block," additionally giving him the honor of having won
more Grammys than any other figure in music history...Jones' win was not
witnessed, however, by either rap group Public Enemy or Sinead O'Connor
- both boycotted the '91 awards. In 1977, Natalie Cole won a Grammy (for
"Sophisticated Lady"), along with Barry Manilow who won for "I Write the
Songs". In1984, Van Halen's "Jump" hits No. 1 to become the group's first
top ten hit. That same year during this month, Jerry Lee Lewis surrendered
to the feds to answer charges of tax evasion, of which he was later acquited.
This
month in 1978, the Eagles won a Grammy for their "Hotel California" album.
The title song went on to become a staple of cover bands around the world.
In 1969, Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People" was the Billboard
#1 hit...the group's infectious blend of R&B, rock, and soul grooves
became a template for the generation to follow.