What Happened Today In Music

February 14th

1955 - Ruby Murray

Ruby Murray was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Softly, Softly'. The Belfast-born recording and TV star of the mid 50s was the first act to score five simultaneous Top 20 hits.

1961 - The Beatles

The Beatles performed at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool, and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool where they played a special Valentine's Day show. Paul McCartney sang 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 was raffled off, and the winner also won a kiss from Paul.

1967 - Otis Redding

Otis Redding recorded 'Respect' at Atlantic Studio, New York City. At first a ballad, 'Respect' was written by Redding for Speedo Sims, who intended to record it with his band, the Singing Demons. Redding rewrote the lyrics and sped up the rhythm. The song became a 1967 hit and signature song for soul singer Aretha Franklin.

1968 - Bob Dylan

Manfred Mann were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Bob Dylan song 'The Mighty Quinn' which was also a No.10 hit in the US. Dylan recorded the song in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions, but did not release a version for another three years.

1970 - The Who

The Who appeared at Leeds University, England. The show was recorded for the bands forthcoming 'Live At Leeds' album. Since its initial reception, Live at Leeds has been cited by several music critics as the best live rock recording of all time. The University of Leeds refectory, has now been named a national landmark in the UK, commemorated with a blue plaque.

1972 - John Lennon

John Lennon and Yoko Ono started a week long run as co-hosts on 'Mike Douglas' US TV show.

1973 - David Bowie

David Bowie collapsed on stage during a concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

1977 - Janis Ian

US singer songwriter Janis Ian received 461 Valentine's day cards after indicating in the lyrics of her song 'At Seventeen', she had never received any.

1980 - Lou Reed

Lou Reed married Sylvia Morales at a ceremony in his New York apartment.

1984 - Elton John

Elton John married recording engineer Renate Blauer in Sydney, Australia. Rod Stewart and Olivia Newton-John were among the guests. The couple stayed together for four years, although John later admitted he knew he was homosexual before the marriage.

1986 - Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa appeared on an episode of the television series Miami Vice. Zappa portrayed a crime boss named 'Mr. Frankie.'

1987 - Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Livin' On A Prayer', the group's second US No.1, a No.4 hit in the UK.

1989 - Vincent Crane

English keyboardist Vincent Crane died from a deliberate overdose of Anadin tablets aged 45. He was a member of The Crazy world of Arthur Brown, who had the 1968 UK No.1 and US No.12 single 'Fire' and Atomic Rooster (with drummer Carl Palmer later of Emerson, Lake & Palmer). Atomic Rooster enjoyed success in 1971 with two hit singles, ‘Tomorrow Night’ and ‘Devil's Answer’.

1992 - Meat Loaf

The film Waynes World, which featured appearances from Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper premiered in the US. The use of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in the film propelled the song to No.2 on the US singles charts nearly 20 years after its first release.

1996 - Prince

T.A.F.K.A.P. married Mayte Garcia in a Minneapolis church, he also composed a special song for his wife, 'Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother, Wife', which she heard for the first time when they had their first wedding dance. Garcia had appeared on the US television program 'That's Incredible!' at the age of 8 as the world's youngest professional belly dancer. She came to the attention of Prince in 1990 when her mother submitted a video cassette of Mayte performing. The couple split in 1998.

1999 - Buddy Knox

American singer and songwriter Buddy Knox died of lung cancer aged 65. Knox had the 1957 US No.1 & UK No.29 single 'Party Doll' which sold over one million copies becoming the first person in the rock 'n' roll era to write and record a No.1 hit. His other hits include 'Rock Your Little Baby To Sleep' and 'Hula Love'.

1999 - Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz scored his first UK No.1 single with 'Fly Away' a No.12 hit in the US. The track had been used on a TV ad for cars.

2002 - Mick Tucker

English drummer and singer Mick Tucker with glam rock band Sweet died of leukaemia aged 54. Sweet had the 1973 UK No.1 single 'Blockbuster', plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles. He was a founding member of the band Sweetshop in January 1968. "Sweetshop" was shortened to "The Sweet" in 1968.

2003 - The Beatles

Stolen reel-to-reel studio recordings by The Beatles were found in Australia. Police recovered the tapes of the bands 1968 The White Album and the Abbey Road album 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 1960s.

2004 - Dave Holland

Dave Holland, former drummer with Judas Priest was jailed for eight years for indecent assault and the attempted rape of a 17-year old boy. The youth, who had learning difficulties, had been taking drum lessons from Holland.

2005 - Black Sabbath

Kerrang! magazine announced the results of its readers’ poll for the best British rock albums ever. The Top 10 were: No.1, Black Sabbath’s Black Sabbath; No.2, Iron Maiden’s Number Of The Beast. Sex Pistols’ Never Mind The Bollock's, Here's The Sex Pistols; No. 4, Led Zeppelin IV; No.5, Black Sabbath’s Paranoid; No.6, Muse’s Absolution; No.7, The Clash's London Calling; No.8, Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack; No.9, Iron Maiden’s Iron Maiden and No.10, Manic Street Preachers’ The Holy Bible.

2007 - Amy Winehouse

Winners at the 27th annual Brit Awards at London's Earls Court included Muse who won Best British Live Act, British Breakthrough Act went to The Fratellis. Winner of the Best International Breakthrough Act was Orson. Take That won the first-ever live vote, when they took home the Best British Single for 'Patience.' Arctic Monkeys were named Best British Group, James Morrison was named Best British Male and Amy Winehouse won Best British Female. Justin Timberlake won Best International Male and Nelly Furtado won Best International female. The Killers won Best International Group and Best International Album for Sam's Town and Oasis won the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.

2008 - Oasis

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher married his long-term partner, the ex-All Saints singer Nicole Appleton at a civil ceremony in London. The venue, Westminster Register Office, was where Gallagher married his first wife, Patsy Kensit, in 1997

2010 - Doug Fieger

American singer-songwriter-musician Doug Fieger died after a long battle with cancer. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of The Knack, and co-wrote 'My Sharona', the biggest hit song of 1979 in the USA, and was Capitol Records' fastest gold status debut single since the Beatles' 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' in 1964. When Fieger was 25, he met 17-year-old Sharona Alperin, who he wrote the song for, as well as later becoming Fieger's girlfriend for the next four years.

2010 - Everybody Hurts

Everybody Hurts, recorded to help Haiti's earthquake victims went to No.1 on the UK singles chart. The REM cover featured Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams and Take That sold over 453,000 copies in its first week.

2016 - Adele

Adele was at No.1 on the US album chart with her third studio album 25. The album was a massive commercial success, debuting at No.1 in more than 25 markets and broke first-week sales records in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom and United States; in the US, the album sold 3.38 million copies in its first week of release, marking the largest single-week sales for an album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking point-of-sale music purchases in 1991.

Born Today In Music

February 14th

1937 - Magic Sam

American Chicago blues musician Magic Sam. He had the 1963, his single 'Feelin' Good (We're Gonna Boogie), but his career was cut short when he suddenly died of a heart attack in December 1969. He was 32 years old.

1940 - Bob Kerr

English comic musician Bob Kerr who was a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. He later joined The New Vaudeville Band, before forming his own Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band.

1943 - Maceo Parker

Maceo Parker, American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. He has also worked with De La Soul, Jane's Addiction, Dave Matthews Band and Princeaccompanying his band, The New Power Generation. 

1943 - Eric Andersen

American folk music singer, songwriter Eric Andersen. He has written songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Linda Ronstadt, the Grateful Dead and many others. Andersen took part in the Festival Express tour across Canada in 1970 with the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Delaney Bramlett and others. 

1945 - Vic Briggs

Vic Briggs, English guitarist with Eric Burdon and The Animals during the 1966-1968 period. The Animals had the 1964 UK & US No.1 single 'House Of The Rising Sun'. Briggs, a convert to Sikhism, currently plays classical Indian and Hawaiian music.

1946 - Doug Simril

American musician Doug Simril from the Steve Miller Band, who had the 1974 US No.1 & 1990 UK No.1 single 'The Joker'. He also worked with Boz Scaggs.

1946 - Gregory Hines

Gregory Hines, American dancer, actor, choreographer and singer. He was considered one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. He sang a duet with Luther Vandross 'There's Nothing Better Than Love', which reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts. Hines died of liver cancer on 9 August 2003. 

1947 - Tim Buckley

American singer, songwriter Tim Buckley, who recorded the 1972 album Greetings From LA. His singer, songwriter son Jeff Buckleydrowned while swimming in 1997. Tim himself died on June 29th 1975 of a heroin and morphine overdose.

1950 - Roger Fisher

Roger Fisher, from American rock band Heart who scored the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Alone'. Heart has sold over 35 million records worldwide.

1951 - Sylvain Sylvain

American rock guitarist Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. He died from cancer on January 13, 2021, age 69. 

1951 - Kenny Hyslop

Scottish drummer Kenny Hyslop. As a member of Slik they had the 1976 UK No.1 single 'Forever And Ever'. Also a member of Skids who had the 1979 UK No.10 single 'Into The Valley' and Simple Minds, who had the 1985 US No.1 single 'Don't You, Forget About Me', and the 1989 UK No.1 single 'Belfast Child'.

1964 - Rob "The Bass Thing"

Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones from British alternative rock band The Wonder Stuff who had the 1991 UK No.1 single with their version of the Tommy Roe hit 'Dizzy' (with Vic Reeves). He died in New York on 31 July 1993, aged 29 due to heart problems caused by drug related causes.

1972 - Rob Thomas

American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rob Thomas with Matchbox Twenty who had the 2000 US No.1 single 'Bent' and his 'Lonely No More' released in 2005 became his biggest selling solo chart success. Thomas sang on the 1999 US No.1 single 'Smooth' by Santana and also had the 2005 US No.1 solo album Something To Be. Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, Marc Anthony, Travis Tritt and Daughtry have all covered his songs.

1978 - Dwele

American soul singer, songwriter and record producer, Dwele, who featured on Kanye West's fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on the hit song 'Power'.

1994 - Becky Hill

Becky Hill, English singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after appearing on the first series of The Voice UK. In 2014 she became the first The Voice UK contestant to score a UK number one when the song, ‘Gecko (Overdrive)’ with Oliver Heldens topped the UK Singles Chart