FEBRUARY 17 – FEBRUARY 23 – WEEK IN ROCK

FEBRUARY 17 – FEBRUARY 23 – WEEK IN ROCK

FEBRUARY 17 – 23 – THIS WEEK’S TRIVIA ANSWER:

The first Grammy award for the “Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance” category is awarded to Jethro Tull. 

BORN THIS WEEK FEBRUARY 17 – FEBRUARY 23  

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

Happy Birthday Mark Andes!

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

Happy Birthday Brad Whitford!

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
 Joe Hottinger (Guitarist of Halestorm) – February 22, 1982
Rusty Young (Steel guitarist of Poco) – February 2/23, 1946
Brad Whitford (Guitarist of Aerosmith) – February 2/23, 1952

Happy Birthday Johnny Winter!

Howard Jones (English singer, musician and songwriter) – February 2/23, 1955
Michael Wilton (Guitarist of Queensryche) – February 2/23, 1962
Jeff Beres (Bassist of Sister Hazel) – February 2/23, 1970
Lasse Johansson Guitarist-keyboardist of The Cardigans – February 2/23, 1973
Johnny Winter– (blues rock guitarist and vocalist) – February 2/23/1944
Brad Whitford– (guitar, Aerosmith) – February 2/23/1952

DIED THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY:

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 

Andy Warhol (manager, The Velvet Underground) – February 22, 1989 

Tony Williams (jazz drummer) – February 23, 1997

Howie Epstein (bass, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) – February 23, 2003 

MUSIC RELEASES AND TOP OF THE CHARTS:

 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.

The Beatles record “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” on 2/22/1969.

Morrison Hotel by The Doors goes gold (their fifth album in a row to do so) on 2/23/1970

THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY:

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 perform “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.

The Beatles Appear At The Cavern Club!

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.

Sadly, Ten Years After play their final live show in London on 2/22/1974. 

The first Grammy award for the “Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance” category is awarded to Jethro Tull. They beat Metallica on 2/22/1989. Wrap your head around that….

Prince officially is given the trademark on the symbol he is using instead of an actual name on 2/22/1994.

Dire Straits embark on their very first US tour on 2/23/1971.

Little Richard is presented with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy on 2/23/1993. 

Mule Variations by Tom Waits wins the “Best Contemporary Folk Album” Grammy. The album’s guests included Les Claypool on bass, and John Hammond and Charlie Musselwhite playing the blues harp on 2/23/2000.

Carlos Santana wins eight Grammy Awards for the highly popular album Supernatural on 2/23/2000.

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