FEBRUARY 15TH – 21ST – THIS WEEK IN ROCK
TRIVIA ANSWER:
The Beatles make their first appearance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. They will play regular lunchtime gigs there on 2/21/1961.
BORN THIS WEEK IN ROCK
David Brown – February 15, 1950 (bass, Santana)
Gary Clark Jr – February 15, 1984 (blues guitarist)
Billy Joe Armstrong – (guitar/singer, Green Day) – February 17, 1972
Yoko Ono – (multimedia artist, singer, songwriter) – February 18, 1933
Dennis DeYoung – (Vocals, Styx) – February 18, 1947
Robbie Bachman – (Drummer of Bachman–Turner Overdrive) – February 18, 1953
Dr. Dre – (American rapper, songwriter, record producer) – February 18, 1965
Smokey Robinson – (Singer, Miracles, songwriter) – February 19, 1940
Tony Iommi – (guitar, Black Sabbath) – February 19, 1948
Mark Andes – (bass, Canned Heat) – February 19, 1948
Jon Fishman – (drums, Phish) – February 19, 1965
Walter Becker February – (bass/guitar, Steely Dan) – February 20, 1950
Kurt Cobain – (lead vocals and guitar, Nirvana) – February 20,1967
Nina Simone – (roots music vocalist) – February 21,1933
David Geffen – (founder, Asylum Records, Geffen Records) – February 21,1943
Jerry Harrison – (Keyboardist (Talking Heads) – February 21,1949
Ranking Roger – (Singer of General Public and of English Beat) – February 21, 1963
Eric Wilson – (Bassist Sublime) – February 21, 1970
Tad Kinchla – (Bassist of Blues Traveler) – February 21, 1973
DIED THIS WEEK IN ROCK
Nat King Cole – February 15, 1965
Little Walter – February 15, 1968 (Blues harmonica and singer-songwriter)
Mike Bloomfield – February 15, 1981 (guitar, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Electric Flag)
Brownie McGhee – February 16, 1966 (Piedmont blues musician)
Thelonious Monk – (Jazz pianist & composer) – February 17, 1982
Bon Scott (lead vocals, AC/DC) – February 19, 1980
Larry Coryell (jazz fusion guitarist) – February 19, 2017
MUSIC RELEASES AND TOP OF THE CHARTS
Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People” hits # – February 15, 1969.
Linda Ronstadt’s album Heart Like a Wheel reaches #1 – February 15, 1975.
The Best of George Harrison is certified Gold – February 15, 1977.
The Beatles’ “Please Please Me” soars to the top of the charts becoming their first number one song – February 16, 1963.
John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillen” at #1 on the R&B charts on 2/19/1949.
Mick Jagger releases his first solo album on 2/19/1985.
George Harrison puts out his 8th self-title album – 2/20/1979.
Dire Straits by The Dire Straits goes gold on 2/21/1979.
The Rolling Stones release “Not Fade Away” a Buddy Holly cover on 2/21/1964.
The Beatles release “Nowhere Man” on 2/21/1966.
Hi Infidelity by REO Speedwagon reaches #1 in America on 2/21/1981.
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Rolling Stone‘s front cover features an article on “groupies” – introducing a new term to the popular lexicon – February 15, 1969.
Bob Dylan records “Girl From the North Country” at CBS Studios in Nashville with Mr. Johnny Cash. As a result, the track makes it onto the classic Dylan album Nashville Skyline on February 17, 1969.
Pink Floyd performs “Eclipse” at the Rainbow Theatre in London. A year later, this music becomes the Dark Side Of The Moon album on February 17, 1972.
The band Free play their last live show in Hollywood, Florida before Paul Rogers and Simon Kirke form Bad Company on February 17, 1973.
Rod Stewart plays with the band The Soul Agents at a club in Harrow England, which is his first major performance on 2/19/1965.
Taj Mahal plays a concert at the Palomino Club in Hollywood and George Harrison, John Fogerty, and Bob Dylan join him for an impromptu jam session. Some of the songs played by this who’s who of rock, included Fogerty’s “Proud Mary,” Dylan’s “Watching the River flow” as well as some classics of rock ‘n’ roll including “Blue Suede Shoes,” and “Peggy Sue”. This happened on 2/19/1987.
KISS makes their first television appearance on the show Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, aired on ABC on 2/19/1974.
Lost Angeles declares that it is “Johnny Cash Day” on 2/20/1975.
The White Stripes play on the last episode of Late Night With Conan O’Brien. Furthermore, it’s their final gig as a band. Performing the song “We’re Going To Be Friends.” The performance is intimate and with a slightly different musical arrangement. Additionally, Meg White comes out from her drum kit to join Jack White on guitar and sing some lines. Lastly this takes place on 2/20/2009.
Johnny Cash wins his tenth Grammy award, for the song “Solitary Man” in the category of “Best Male Vocal Country Performance.” The song is a 1966 Neil Diamond hit that Cash recorded for his LP American III: Solitary Man, a mostly covers album that was produced by mega-producer Rick Rubin on 2/21/2001.
The Beatles make their first appearance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. They will play regular lunchtime gigs there on 2/21/1961.
Gibson ships their first “Flying V” from a Kalamazoo, Michigan factory. Meanwhile, the unique shape of the guitar creates an almost mystical allure around the instrument. Even better, it appeals to early adopters like Albert King and Lonnie Mack. As well as guitar heroes like Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, and even Lenny Kravitz on 2/21/1958.
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