This Date in Rock Music History: February 16

1953:  "Venus" was the name of Frankie Avalon's newest, and it rose from #99 to #53 on this date.
 
1959:  The Fleetwoods released the single "Come Softly To Me".

1963:  Paul Anka married Anne DeZogheb in the chapel of Orly Airport in Paris, France.  (Internet websites report various names for Anka's wife, including Marie-Ann, Marie Ann, De Zogheb, de Zogheb, and DeZogheb.  The correct name, according to the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, 'People' magazine, and fashion magazines, is Anne de Zogheb.)
1963:  The Miracles climbed to #1 on the R&B chart with "You've Really Got A Hold On Me".







1964:  The first show one week earlier was such a ratings blockbuster that the Beatles were invited back and performed for a second time on The Ed Sullivan Show.  The group performed "She Loves You", "This Boy", "All My Loving", "I Saw Her Standing There", "From Me To You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.
1967:  The promotional film for the Beatles' smash two-sided single "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" was shown on Top of the Pops on BBC-TV.  (Note:  some websites show this date as February 9, but the correct date is February 16, according to 'TV.com'.)








1967:  The Four Tops released the single "Bernadette".
1967:  Petula Clark scored her second #1 on the U.K. chart with the song written by Charlie Chaplin, "This Is My Song".
1968:  The city of Detroit, Michigan declared it "Aretha Franklin Day".










1970:  Edison Lighthouse released the single "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)".  (Note:  some websites naively list February 21 as the release date.  The song debuted on the Singles chart on February 21.  It is physically impossible for a single to be released to radio stations, radio stations to add the song to their playlists, radio stations report the add to trade papers, and trade papers print and publish their new charts all on the same day.)
1971:  Aretha Franklin recorded "Spanish Harlem" at Criteria Recording Studios in Miami, Florida.

1972:  Led Zeppelin made their Australian debut with the first of six concerts at the Subiaco Oval in Perth.  (Note:  numerous websites claim it was the Rolling Stones that made their Australian debut on this date in Perth.  Right site, wrong band.  The band that played the first of six Australian dates was called Led Zeppelin, according to the book 'Led Zeppelin: The Story of a Band and Their Music, 1968-80' by Keith Shadwick and the ticket stub shown above.  The Rolling Stones did not begin their 1972 tour until June 3 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, according to their official website)

1974:  Bob Dylan & the Band were serious about getting to the top of the Album chart, riding Planet Waves from 19 to 1.  John Denver's Greatest Hits was second again with Under the Influence Of... from Love Unlimited still climbing.  Jim Croce, who was yet another victim of a light plane just a few months before, had two albums in the Top 10:  the previous #1 You Don't Mess Around With Jim at #4 and the posthumous release I Got a Name at #6.  The rest of the Top 10:  Former #1 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John at #5, The Joker from the Steve Miller Band at the #7 spot, Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings, Charlie Rich was down with Behind Closed Doors and Tales from Topographic Oceans entered the Top 10 for Yes.

1974:  Diana Ross rose to #1 on the Adult chart with "Last Time I Saw Him".




1974:  Barbra Streisand had her second #1 song as "The Way We Were" reached the top spot.  Previous #1 "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra was now second.  Ringo Starr's former #1 "You're Sixteen" remained third while the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was back with "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna' Do)".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Spiders & Snakes" from Jim Stafford, Byron MacGregor sang about "Americans", Olivia Newton-John's first big hit "Let Me Be There", Kool & the Gang" placed "Jungle Boogie" at #8, Eddie Kendricks moved from 14 to 9 with "Boogie Down" and David Essex wrapped up the Top 10 with "Rock On".
1975:  Cher, who had starred with former husband Sonny Bono on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, started her own weekly music and comedy show on CBS-TV.
1980:  Barry Manilow was on top of the Adult Contemporary chart with "When I Wanted You".  It was his 17th AC hit, and an incredible 16 of those had gone Top 10 with 10 #1's in just six years of his career.

 

             Queen with one of the biggest hits of their career...

1980:  Five years after their first single, "Love Will Keep Us Together" reached #1, the Captain & Tennille did it again with "Do That To Me One More Time".  Queen was up to #2 although many stations already had "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" #1.  Kenny Rogers was #1 on many others with "Coward Of The County".  Smokey Robinson's great song "Cruisin'" was fourth after 20 weeks while previous #1 "Rock With You" from Michael Jackson fell to fifth.  The rest of the Top 10:  Teri DeSario with K.C. and the remake of "Yes, I'm Ready", Fleetwood mac's "Sara" was #7, Donna Summer had her 10th Top 10 song in 16 releases and eighth in a row--"On The Radio" and Andy Gibb reached #10 with "Desire".  Gibb's song was his sixth consecutive Top 10 out of the gate to open his career.
1980:  Shalamar landed a #1 R&B song with "The Second Time Around".






  "King of Hollywood", one of the great tracks on 'The Long Run'...

1980:  The Wall by Pink Floyd stood tall at #1 on the Album chart for the fifth week and it wasn't close to done.  Some great albums in the Top 10--most fans would be happy owning them.  Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers was runner-up with Michael Jackson enjoying the best album of his career to date with Off the Wall.  The Eagles' great album The Long Run was on its way down while the new Dan Fogelberg album Phoenix was attracting plenty of attention.  The rest of the Top 10:  Kenny from Kenny Rogers, On the Radio-Greatest Hits-Volumes I & II by Donna Summer, Tusk from Fleetwood Mac was #8, Styx edged up with Cornerstone and Neil Diamond reached #10 with September Morn.
1982:  Simon & Garfunkel released the album recorded live for the Concert In Central Park in New York City, which attracted more than 700,000 fans.
1985:  Bruce Springsteen moved to #1 in the U.K. with the album Born in the U.S.A.







1985:  Wham! hit #1 with "Careless Whisper".  Foreigner dropped with "I Want To Know What Love Is" while Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins were at position #3 with "Easy Lover". Billy Ocean had song #4--"Loverboy" while Hall & Oates, one of The Top Duos of the Rock Era*, had their 14th and final Top 10 song--"Method Of Modern Love".  The rest of the Top 10  "Neutron Dance" from the Pointer Sisters, REO Speedwagon with "Can't Fight This Feeling", Glenn Frey had a solo Top 10 with "The Heat Is On", fellow Eagles mate Don Henley was on the way down with "The Boys Of Summer" and David Lee Roth checked in with his remake of the Beach Boys classic "California Girls".
1990:  Ike Turner was sentenced by a judge in Santa Monica, California to four years in state prison on 11 separate cocaine charges. 
1991:  Queen, which was always bigger in their native England, scored their seventh #1 album in the U.K. with Innuendo.
1991:  Keith Sweat had the new #1 song on the R&B chart with "I'll Give All My Love To You".





1991:  Whitney Houston had her 8th #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 13 releases with "All the Man That I Need".
1991:  Two of the top artists of the Rock Era both reached the Top 10 with their latest on this date.  Mariah Carey bounced from 13 to 5 with "Someday" while Celine Dion moved from 11 to 6 with "Where Does My Heart Beat Now".  It was Carey's third Top 10 song of her career and for Celine, her first Top 10.  Where has the time gone?
1993:  The group Faces reunited at the BRIT Awards.
1999:  In today's edition of Inmates Run Rap Music, the artist who names himself Ol' Dirty #(*#(*U(# was arrested in Los Angeles for wearing body armor, strictly prohibited in light of all his previous arrests.
2002:  Billy Ward of Billy Ward & the Dominoes ("Star Dust") died at age 80 from complications associated with Alzheimer's in Inglewood, California.

2004:  Doris Troy ("Just One Look" from 1963), who was a session singer with Dionne Warwick and sang on the album Dark Side of the Moon for Pink Floyd, died from emphysema in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 67.

2009:  Trent Reznor, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of Nine Inch Nails, announced that the group's 2009  tour would be their last "for a while".

2011:  Rod Stewart and wife Penny celebrated the birth of son Aiden, Stewart's eighth child.
2013:  Tony Sheridan, singer and guitarist with the Beatles prior to 1964, who also worked with Gene Vincent and Conway Twitty, died in Hamburg, Germany at the age of 72 after heart surgery.

Born This Day:
1916:  Bill Doggett ("Honky Tonk" from 1956) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died of a heart attack November 13, 1996 in New York City.
1918:  Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters, who also worked with Bing Crosby and the Glenn Miller Orchestra, was born in Mound, Minnesota; died of natural causes in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013.  (Note:  some websites claim Patty was born in Los Angeles, others in Minneapolis.  Patty was born in Mound, according to the newspapers 'The Los Angeles Times' and 'The Washington Post'.  Some websites report that she died in Los Angeles.  She died at her home in Northridge, according to the newspaper 'The Contra Costa Times'.)

1932:  Otis Blackwell, songwriter and producer who wrote "All Shook Up", "Don't Be Cruel" and "Return To Sender" for Elvis Presley, "Great Balls Of Fire" for Jerry Lee Lewis and "Fever" for Peggy Lee, was born in Brooklyn, New York; died of a heart attack in Nashville, Tennessee on May 6, 2002.
1934:  Harold and Herbie Kalin, who as the Kalin Twins were the first twins to have a #1 song in the Rock Era ("When" from 1958), were born in Port Jervis, New York.  Harold died August 24, 2005 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident; Herbie died July 21, 2006 from a heart attack.  (Note:  numerous websites incorrectly place the birth year of the twins as 1939.  They were born in 1934, according to the newspapers 'The Daily Post', 'The Independent', and 'The Guardian'. and Harold's official death certificate.)








1935:  Sonny Bono (real name Salvatore Phillip Bono) of Sonny & Cher was born in Detroit, Michigan; died January 5, 1998 when he hit a tree while skiing on the Nevada side of Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California.
1949:  Lynn Paul, singer with the New Seekers ("I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" From 1971), was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England.

1956:  James Ingram was born in Akron, Ohio.

1958:  Ice-T (real name Tracy Marrow) was born in Newark, New Jersey.








1961:  Andy Taylor, songwriter, guitarist and singer of Duran Duran and the Power Station ("Some Like It Hot" from 1985) and also a producer, was born in Dolver-Hampton, England.  (Note:  some websites report that Taylor was born in  Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear, England.  According to 'Billboard', Andy was born in Dolver-Hampton.)
1962:  Tony Kylie, drummer of the Blow Monkeys ("Digging Your Scene")








1965:  Dave Lombardo, great drummer with Slayer, was born in Havana, Cuba.

The #13 Female Artist Broke Mariah Carey's Record for The Quickest Female to Achieve 13 #1's...

She's been on the scene a short time compared to most in this range.  But her track record has gotten her to position #13, and we will hear her music tomorrow on Inside The Rock Era!

Which of The Top 100 Female Artists* Would Make The Top 100 Artists*?

Each of The Top 100 Female Artists of the Rock Era* is amazing--they've put out great music and have millions of fans.  The question on the table is:  "Which of these artists would make it into the overall Top 100 Artists of the Rock Era*?"  It's always fun to compare, and although it has been awhile since I've put together The Top 100 Artists of the Rock Era*, here's my guess.  

I'm confident that Cher would make it as The #22 Female Artist*.  It would be hard to imagine that Joni Mitchell at #24 would not make the list, although she very well may not.  But that's where I would guess the cutoff would be--right about #24.

Although few people of the world today would probably appreciate it, it's also fun to put together lists such as The Top 100 Artists of the Post-Classical Era, combine the Rock Era with the Swing Era and The Music of Your Life.  Carrying it further, what would The Top 100 Artists of All-Time look like, combining the great classical artists into that list?

The latter list would be hard to combine and compare, for their music was drastically different than anything since the Swing Era.  Unlike the 20th Century, there were no charts or record sales, and research such as that.  As musicians and/or composers, those people were some of the most talented the world has ever known.  But just considering their output, what they actually wrote and had performed, and then comparing it to the modern artists would be a fascinating comparison.  It would, however, have to be completely from a subjective point of view.  Would be interesting, to say the least.

Alicia Keys, The #14 Female Artist of the Rock Era*

Alicia Cook was born in Manhattan, New York.  In 1985, Keys appeared on The Cosby Show at the age of four.  Throughout her childhood, Keys went to music and dance lessons and Alicia began playing piano at age seven.  She enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12, where she majored in choir.  Alicia began writing songs when she was 14,and graduated in four years at age 16, serving as valedictorian at her school's graduation.

In 1994, Alicia met manager Jeff Robinson, who introduced her to Peter Edge, A& R man at Arista Records.  Edge had wanted to sign Keys but was about to leave Arista, so Keys signed with Columbia Records instead.  She also enrolled in Columbia University briefly, but decided to leave and concentrate full-time attention on her music career.

Alicia signed with So So Def Recordings,and co-wrote the song "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)", which was included on the "Men in Black" Soundtrack.  However, after two years, her career stalled at Columbia, so Alicia called Clive Davis, who signed her to Arista.  

Robinson suggested Alicia change her stage name to Keys, and Alicia followed Davis to his new label J Records.  She recorded "Rock wit U" for the "Shaft" Soundtrack in 2000 and "Rear View Mirror" for the movie Dr. Dolittle 2 in 2001.

In 2001, Keys released her debut album, Songs in A Minor.  She released the single "Fallin'" in advance, and fans around the world instantly were intrigued by this amazing new talent.  "Fallin'" spent six weeks at #1 in the United States and sold over one million copies and also topped the charts in New Zealand, Ireland and the Netherlands and was #2 in Germany and Switzerland, #3 in the U.K. and a much underrated #7 in Australia.  Keys won an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in a Video. 

Thanks to the incredible first single, Songs in A Minor debuted at #1 on the Album chart.  Alicia chose "A Woman's Worth", which actually was underrated at #7 in the United States, as the next single.  It did reach #3 on the R&B chart and #5 in New Zealand.  Keys was nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.    

Songs in A Minor sold six million copies in the U.S. and over 12 million worldwide.  Newcomer Keys captured five trophies at the Grammy Awards:  Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (all for "Fallin'"), and Best R&B Album.  "Fallin'" was also nominated for Record of the Year, and is one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.

Keys won Favorite New Artist in both the Pop/Rock and the Soul/R&B categories at the American Music Awards and was nominated for Favorite Female Artist, Pop/Rock, Favorite Female Artist, Soul/R&B, and Favorite Album, Soul/R&B.  Alicia scored three Billboard Music Awards (Female Artist of the Year, Female New Artist of the Year and New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year) and was nominated for five others in her debut year:  Female Albums Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Single of the Year ("Fallin"), Female Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year, Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year.

Keys is such an artist of immense talent that her singles don't tell the whole story, as with several of the artists in The Top 100 Female Artists*.  "How Come You Don't Call Me" shows her songwriting and vocal talent.

Keys won a World Music Award for Best-Selling R&B/Hip-Hop Artist.  We also want to feature "Jane Doe" from Song in A Minor.

Two other singles from the album failed to attract significant attention, so Alicia set out to record her follow-up.

Keys performed a version of Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free" at the America:  A Tribute to Heroes, the benefit concert which followed the September, 2001 murders.

In 2002, Keys combined with Eve for the smash "Gangsta' Lovin', which hit #2 in the United States, #4 in Australia, #6 in both the U.K. and Switzerland, #7 in New Zealand and 38 in the Netherlands.

Keys released the album The Diary of Alicia Keys in 2003, which also debuted at #1, selling 618,000 copies in its first week.  The lead single, "You Don't Know My Name", was a #1 R&B smash and #3 overall and won the Grammy for Best R&B Song and an ASCAP Pop Award.

Alicia's next single, "If I Ain't Got You",  was another smash, reaching #1 on the R&B chart for six weeks and #4 overall in the U.S. and becoming her second Gold single.  Keys won a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, an ASCAP Pop Award and an MTV Award for Best R&B Video (she was also nominated for Best Female Video).

Keys dominated the Billboard Music Awards with seven wins:  Female Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year, Female Hot 100 Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Single of the Year (both for "Fallin'"), Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year.  The single "Diary" with Tony! Toni! Tone! hit #2 on the R&B chart and #8 overall.

Alicia won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "If I Ain't Got You") and scored eight total nominations.  Keys was nominated for Album of the Year, Song of the Year ("If I Ain't Got You") and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("Diary").  

She also won an American Music Award for Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist and was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album, and earned a World Music Award for Best-Selling R&B Artist.  "Karma" is another of Keys' best career songs that earned an MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video.

Keys collaborated with Usher on the song "My Boo" in 2004.  It became one of the biggest hits of the year, landing at #1 for six weeks in the United States and reaching #3 in Switzerland, #4 in Germany, #5 in the U.K., #6 in the Netherlands and #7 in Ireland.  Keys was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and "My Boo" sold over two million copies.  The video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Alicia won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Singer.  Later in the year, Keys released the novel Tears for Water:  Songbook of Poems and Lyrics.  The book made The New York Times bestseller list in 2005.

Keys won another Grammy for Best R&B Album for The Diary of Alicia Keys, which has gone over the 4.6-million mark in the United States and has sold over eight million around the world.

Keys recorded an album for the MTV Unplugged series in 2005 and it too topped the Album chart,and sold one million copies in the U.S. and two million worldwide.  "Unbreakable" was #4 on the R&B chart but an underrated #34 overall.  It was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.

Keys received three more Grammy nominations for Best R&B Album (Unplugged), Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("If I Was Your Woman") and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("If This World Were Mine").  She opened a recording studio in Manhattan, New York called Oven Studios.  In 2006, Alicia won the Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Keys began getting into acting, appearing on television and in the movie Smokin' Aces in 2007.  Keys also earned good reviews for her role in The Nanny Diaries.

In 2007, Keys released the album As I Am, which debuted at #1 on the Album chart with 742,000 units sold in the first week.  "No One" was a smash the world over.  It was #1 on both the R&B and Top 40 charts in the United States, and also hit #1 in New Zealand, Ireland and the Netherlands and was #2 in Switzerland, #3 in the U.K., and was a Top 10 in every major country except Canada. 

"No One" earned Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.  She also won her a People's Choice Award for Favorite R&B Song, and a third ASCAP Pop Award for the song. 

Alicia won her third World Music Award for Best-Selling R&B Artist.  The album has now sold three million in the U.S. and five million worldwide.  "Like I Never See You Again" topped the R&B chart for seven consecutive weeks and was #12 overall.

As I Am earned Keys another American Music Award for Best Album, Soul/R&B, and she also picked up nominations for Artist of the Year and Favorite Female Artist, Soul/R&B.  "Teenage Love Affair" also stands out on the album.

Two other singles were not able to sustain the momentum of the album.  With Jack White of the White Stripes, Keys recorded the theme song to the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, "Another Way to Die", nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and for a People's Choice Award for Favorite Song from a Soundtrack.  Keys earned another People's Choice nomination for Favorite Star 35 & Under.

 Alicia also was recognized with a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("Superwoman") and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (for "Lesson Learned" with John Mayer).  Keys also starred in the movie The Secret Life of Bees. 

In 2009, Keys co-wrote the song "Million Dollar Bill" for Whitney Houston's album I Look to You.  She collaborated with Jay-Z on his song "Empire State Of Mind", #1 in the U.S., #2 in the U.K., the Netherlands and Ireland, #3 in Canada, #4 in Australia and Switzerland and #6 in New Zealand.

Keys and Jay-Z won Grammy Awards for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Rap Song and "Empire State of Mind" was nominated for Record of the Year.  The pair was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Collaboration.  Alicia also worked with Alejandro Sang on "Looking for Paradise", which topped the Latin chart.    

Keys released the album The Element of Freedom in 2009, which reached #2 on the Album chart.  "Doesn't Mean Anything" only reached #60, and four additional songs failed to reach the Top 10, with "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" doing the best at an underrated #21.  As evidence of that, a Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Song. 

Keys picked up her 17th career Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Artist.  But there are three other tracks that perhaps should have been released instead.  Together with Beyonce, this is "Put It In A Love Song".

Keys was nominated for Best Album, Soul/R&B and Favorite Female Artist, Soul/R&B for the fourth time in each category at the American Music Awards.  "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart" is another great song from the album.

Keys also included this gem on The Element of Freedom--"Doesn't Mean Anything".  

In 2011, RCA announced it was disbanding J Records, Arista and Jive Records, meaning Keys would release further albums on the parent RCA.  The following year, she released Girl on Fire.  The title track was the lead single, and reached #11, her first Top 20 song in five years.  It earned Keys a Grammy Award nomination in this year's show for Best R&B Album and Billboard Music Award nominations for Top R&B Song and Top R&B Album.

However, four successive singles were unable to achieve the level of previous Keys hits.

Keys is nominated for five World Music Awards at this year's ceremony:  Best Female Artist, Best Entertainer of the Year, Best Song and Best Video for ("Girl On Fire") and Best Album.

Keys is a co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep a Child Alive, which provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa.  In 2012, Alicia performed in The Concert for Sandy Relief to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy.  In 2013, Keys gave an outstanding performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Keys has sold over 30 million records worldwide.  She has scored 23 career hits, with nine reaching the Top 10 and four #1 songs.  The sensational Keys has gathered 14 Grammy Awards and 28 nominations and has won 10 Billboard Music Awards with 19 nominations, three World Music Awards and two People's Choice Awards.    

This Date in Rock Music History: February 15

1958: The Dick Clark Show premiered on ABC-TV, with guests Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Ray.

1959:  Bobby Vee performed his first professional concert (as the "Winter Dance Party" was unpaid), traveling with the Shadows to earn $15 each.

1960:  "The Theme from 'A Summer Place'" by Percy Faith & His Orchestra, the #2 Instrumental of the Rock Era*, climbed into the Top 10 on the weekly singles chart.
1961: The Marcels recorded "Blue Moon" at RCA Studios in New York City.
1961: Jackie Wilson was wounded in the stomach after a female fan went to his apartment in Manhattan, New York demanding to see him. Her gun went off as he tried to take it away.

1962:  Ray Charles recorded "I Can't Stop Loving You" at United Western Recorders in Hollywood, California.
1964: Sam Cooke announced that he was cutting back on live shows to concentrate on writing songs and building up his record labels.
1964:  The Dave Clark Five first appeared on the radio and on the chart with their first hit song--"Glad All Over".









1964: Beatles fever had hit big-time. The group had just appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and their first album in the United States, Meet the Beatles, was now the #1 album after only three weeks. When one artist bursts onto the scene, there's always a downside and Beatles fever meant that The Singing Nun had to relinquish her spot at #1 after 10 weeks. Peter, Paul & Mary were one of the acts that dominated the charts prior to the Beatles--they had three albums in the Top 10: In the Wind at #3, their self-titled debut at #6 and (Moving) at #7. 






 



                           "Hey Little Cobra"....fun times!

1964:  "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles was the #1 song for a third week.  Lesley Gore peaked at #2 with "You Don't Own Me" while the new Beatles song "She Loves You" moved from 7 to 3.  "Hey Little Cobra" was #4 for the Rip Chords while Major Lance was stuck with "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um".  The rest of the Top 10:  "For You" from early Rock Era star Rick Nelson, the Marketts with "Out Of Limits", Dionne Warwick edged up with "Anyone Who Had A Heart", Al Hirt's great instrumental "Java" entered the Top 10 and the Tams had song #10--"What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)".





1965:  The Beatles released the single "Eight Days A Week".









 
1965: Nat "King" Cole died from complications of surgery for lung cancer at age 45 in Santa Monica, California.








1967: Chicago, one of the all-time best artists ever from the United States, became a group on this date.









 
1968: John and Cynthia Lennon, George and Patti Harrison flew to India to study meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr soon joining them. A good deal of The White Album was written during this time.













1969:  Blood, Sweat & Tears released the single "(You've) Made Me So Very Happy".
1969:  Sammy Davis, Jr. held on to #1 on the Adult chart for a fourth week with "I've Gotta' Be Me".
1969: Diana Ross and the Supremes Join the Temptations was the #1 album in the U.K.







1969:  Sly & the Family Stone hit #1 for the first time with "Everyday People", knocking off the great song "Crimson And Clover" from Tommy James & the Shondells.  "Touch Me" by the Doors was third, just ahead of "Build Me Up Buttercup" from the Foundations and "Worst That Could Happen" by Brooklyn Bridge.  The rest of the Top 10:  Tyrone Davis and "Can I Change My Mind", the Turtles jumped from 14 to 7 with 'You Showed Me", Marvin Gaye's former #1 "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Hang 'Em High" from the movie of the same name by Booker T. & the MG's and Diana Ross & the Supremes & the Temptations had #10--"I'm Gonna' Make You Love Me".
1969:  For the third week, Tyrone Davis had the #1 R&B song--"Can I Change My Mind".






              The amazing "Blues - Part II" from B, S & T...

1969:  On the five-year anniversary of their first album reaching #1, the Beatles hit #1 with their latest, The White Album.  Wichita Lineman from Glen Campbell moved to #2 with TCB from Diana Ross & the Supremes with the Temptations third.  Greatest Hits by the Association captured position #4 while Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations was #5.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Beatles were full speed ahead, moving from #86 to #6 in their second week of release with the "Yellow Submarine" Soundtrack, Iron Butterfly slipped with In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Elvis by Elvis Presley was #8, Young-Holt Unlimited remained at #9 with Soulful Strut and the great Blood, Sweat & Tears album was #10.








1971:  Marvin Gaye released the seminal single "What's Going On".











1971:  Ocean released the single "Put Your Hand In The Hand".
1974:  Deep Purple released the album they recorded in Montreux, Switzerland--Burn.
1975: Gino Vannelli performed on Soul Train.









1975:  America found that many people liked "Lonely People"--it was the new #1 Adult song.
1975:  Linda Ronstadt's Heart Like a Wheel took over at #1 on the Album chart.  AWB by Average White Band was second, bumping Joni Mitchell's live album Miles of Aisles.  Bob Dylan moved from 15-4 with one of the best albums of his career, Blood on the Tracks.  The rest of the Top 10:  Dark Horse from George Harrison, Jethro Tull's War Child edged up to #6, Fire from the Ohio Players fizzled out to #7, B.T. Express and Do It ('Til You're Satisfied), Rufusized by Rufus featuring Chaka Khan moved from 14 to 9 and Barry Manilow II.






1975:  Linda Ronstadt had her first and only #1 song of her career--"You're No Good".  "Pick Up The Pieces" from AWB was runner-up with the Eagles picking up another big hit at #3--"Best Of My Love".  Grand Funk enjoyed one of their biggest with "Some Kind Of Wonderful" and the Doobie Brothers headed up with "Black Water".  America landed at #7 with "Lonely People", Stevie Wonder placed at #8 with "Boogie On Reggae Woman", Frankie Valli had a big solo hit with "My Eyes Adored You", and John Lennon entered the list with the great song "#9 Dream".
1979:  The Bee Gees won Grammys for Best Group and Best Arrangement for Voices on "Stayin' Alive".



1979:  Billy Joel won Record and Song of the Year at the Grammys for "Just The Way You Are".
1981: Mike Bloomfield, elite guitarist of the Paul Butterfield Band who also played on the album Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan, died of drugs at age 37 in San Francisco, California.










1982:  The J. Geils Band released the single "Freeze-Frame".
1986:  Sade scored a #1 album with Promise.  Whitney Houston's self-titled debut was moving back up after 48 weeks of release.
1986:  Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.








1986:  Falco had one of the fastest-rising songs on the chart--"Rock Me Amadeus" moved from 79 to 56.
1986:  "How Will I Know" pulled off the daily double, hitting #1 mainstream for Whitney Houston.  










1988: Brenda Russell released the single "Piano In The Dark".
1992:  Krinjabo, a village on the Ivory Coast, named Michael Jackson the "King of the Sanwis".










1992:  Michael Jackson had his 33rd hit, and on this day it also became his 23rd solo Top 10--"Remember The Time".












1992:  Garth Brooks had the rest of the competition lassoed as Ropin' the Wind remained at #1 on the Album chart for the 12th week.  Nirvana fell far short with Nevermind while another Brooks release, No Fences, was third after 74 weeks of release.  Michael Jackson had #4--Dangerous, while Boyz II Men rose to the #5 spot with Cooleyhighharmony.  The rest of the Top 10:  C.M.B. from Color Me Badd, Hammer dropped with Too Legit to Quit, Michael Bolton's excellent Time, Love & Tenderness album was #8, U2 slipped with Achtung Baby and the self-titled Metallica was now #10.
1993:  Duran Duran performed "Ordinary World" on The Tonight Show on NBC-TV.
1996: Take That were the top sellers in the U.K. in 1995, with singles sales over 3.9 million.
1997:  U2 topped the U.K. chart with "Discotheque".




                                          "I'm Sensitive"

1997:  Jewel's Pieces of You, one of The Top 100 Albums of the Rock Era*, moved back into the Top 10 on the weekly Album chart after 51 weeks of release.
1998:  The Rolling Stones completed a tour at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1999: The state of Minnesota declared it "Rolling Stones Day", a proclamation issued by Governor Jesse Ventura, once a bodyguard of the Stones.  (Note:  several websites mistakenly list the date as February 16, the date of the newspaper stories.  As most people know, newspapers are printed the day following the news.  The Associated Press, as well as the Minnesota newspaper 'The Star Tribune" both report that "Rolling Stones Day" was Monday, February 15.)
2000:  Sting canceled a concert in Vienna, Austria to protest the inclusion of Jorg Haider's far right freedom party in the new government. Other artists did the same thing.
2002: The movie Cross Roads, starring Britney Spears, opened in theaters.

 

 

 

                                                                        "Sunrise"...

2004:  Norah Jones had the #1 album in the U.K.--Feels Like Home.
2004:  Kenny Chesney owned the top album in the U.S. with When the Sun Comes Down.
2009: Lily Allen led the way on the U.K. Album chart with It's Not Me It's You.





Born This Day:
1939:  Alvin Cash ("Twine Time") was born in St. Louis Missouri; died November 21, 1999 from stomach ulcer complications.
 
1941:  Brian Holland, producer and songwriter with the famous team Holland/Dozier/Holland, who wrote the great hits of the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Martha & the Vandellas, Freda Payne and Chairmen of the Board, was born in Detroit, Michigan.









 
1942:  Glyn Johns, producer who worked with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, the Who, Eric Clapton and others, was born in Epsom, England.












 
1944:  Mick Avory, drummer of the Kinks, was born in  East Molesey, Surrey, England.  (Note:  some websites claim he was born in London, others in Hampton Court, England.  According to the official website for the Kinks, Mick was born in East Molesey.)
1945:  John Helliwell, saxophonist of Supertramp, was born in Todmorden, Yorkshire, England.
1947:  David Brown, original bassist of Santana, was born in New York City; died September 4, 2000 of liver and kidney failure.  (Note:  some websites list his birth year as 1950--according to 'Allmusic.com', he was born in 1947.)







   
1951:  Melissa Manchester was born in the Bronx, New York. (Note:  some websites claim Melissa was born in Brooklyn, but she was born in the Bronx, according to the newspaper 'The New York Daily News'.)
1959:  Ali Campbell, founding member and lead singer of UB40, was born in Birmingham, England.
1960:  Mikey Craig, bassist of Culture Club, was born in Hammersmith, London.
1974: Tomi Petteri Putaansuu, lead singer of Lordi, winner of the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, was born in Rovaniemi, Finland.





 
1976:  Brandon Boyd, lead singer of Incubus, was born in Van Nuys, California.
1982:  Olivia Theresa Longott of G-Unit ("Candy Shop" with 50 Cent from 2005) was born in Brooklyn, New York.