What Happened Today In Music

February 21st

1961 - The Beatles

The Beatles played three gigs in one day. The first was a lunchtime show at The Cavern Club, then at night they appeared at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool.

1964 - Billy Joel

New York band The Echoes recruited a new young unknown piano player, named Billy Joel. 

1964 - Billy J Kramer

Three classic British singles were released, The Rolling Stones'Not Fade Away', (a UK No.3), The Hollies 'Just One Look', (a UK No.2), and Billy J Kramer's 'Little Children', (a UK No.1).

1967 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd started their first sessions at the EMI Studios, St. John's Wood, London on their debut album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, working on the song 'Matilda Mother'. While Pink Floydwere recording their album with former Beatles engineer Norman Smith, The Beatles themselves were working in the studio next door, recording 'Fixing A Hole' for their Sgt. Pepper album. Micky Dolenz from The Monkees attended the mixing session during the day.

1968 - Otis Redding

Otis Redding had his first entry on the UK singles chart when '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay' entered the chart, it went on to be a No.3 hit. The song became the first posthumous single to top the charts in the US. 

1970 - Simon and Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel went to No.1 on the UK chart with Bridge Over Troubled Water. The album went on to stay on the chart for over 300 weeks, returning to the top of the charts on eight separate occasions and spending a total of 41 weeks at No.1.

1972 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin released 'Rock And Roll / Four Sticks' as a 7 inch single in the US, peaking at No.47 on the chart. The song was written as a spontaneous jam session, whilst the band were trying to finish 'Four Sticks'. Drummer John Bonham played the introduction to Little Richard's 'You Keep A-Knockin' and Page added a guitar riff; with the tapes rolling the basic song was finished fifteen minutes later.

1976 - The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'December '63 (Oh What A Night). The group's only UK No.1.

1981 - Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton started a two week run at No.1 on the US charts with '9 to 5', the singers first No.1, a No.47 hit in the UK.

1982 - Murry K

American DJ Murry The K died. Murray is thought to be the first person to play a Beatles record on radio in America. During the early days of Beatlemania, he frequently referred to himself as "the Fifth Beatle". Married six times, he died of cancer a week after his 60th birthday.

1986 - Metallica

Metallica released their third album, the highly influential album, Master of Puppets, considered by many in the metal community to be the best metal album of all time. This was the last Metallicaalbum with bassist Cliff Burton who was killed when the group's tour bus over-turned in southern Sweden while touring to promote the album.

1987 - Ben E King

Ben E King was at No.1 in the UK singles chart with 'Stand By Me.' The track was first released in 1961 and became a hit in 1987 after being featured in the film 'Stand By Me.'

1998 - Celine Dion

Celine Dion went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'My Heart Will Go On'. The song was the theme from the movie Titanic. The world's best selling single of 1998.

2001 - Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams was attacked and thrown from the stage during a concert in Stuttgart, Germany after a man got onto the stage and pushed Williams into the security pit. The attacker was arrested and taken to a secure psychiatric clinic.

2002 - Elton John

Elton John accused the music industry of exploiting young singers and dumping talented artists for manufactured group's. He said 'There are too many average and mediocre acts; it damages real talent getting airplay. It's just fodder.'

2004 - Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell was set to appear in a new episode of The Simpsons. The TV Pop Idol judge would play a nursery boss who gets punched by Homer Simpson.

2004 - Les Gray

Mud singer Les Gray died of a heart attack, whilst fighting throat cancer, aged 57, (1974 UK No.1 single 'Tiger Feet' plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles').

2008 - Record Collection

A US music aficionado sold his collection of more than three million vinyl albums, singles and compact discs to an eBay buyer from Ireland for just over $3 million. An eBay spokeswoman said the sale was one of the highest ever for the online auction site.

2008 - Britney Spears

Britney Spears failed in a court bid to regain visitation rights to her two children. Spears was banned from monitored visits in January of this year after refusing to hand the children back, resulting in a stand-off with police at her house. The singer's ex-husband Kevin Federline was awarded primary custody of two-year-old Sean Preston and Jayden James, aged one, in October.

2008 - Linkin Park

A computer expert was jailed for two years for electronically stalking Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington. Devon Townsend worked at a US national security laboratory in New Mexico, where she used a computer to track Bennington, she admitted to obtaining family photos, accessing e-mail and voicemail, and threatening his wife Talinda.

2009 - Rihanna

Rihanna issued a statement thanking fans for their support after an alleged assault by her R&B singer boyfriend Chris Brown, but the singer declined to comment on a leaked photograph which appeared to show her with facial injuries. The Los Angeles Police Department had launched an internal investigation and asked for the public's help in finding the person who leaked the photograph.

2012 - Pussy Riot

Five members of the Russian feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot staged a performance on the soleas of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior where their actions were stopped by church security officials. By that evening, they had turned the performance into a music video entitled "Punk Prayer - Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!" The women said their protest was directed at the Orthodox Church leader's support for Putin during his election campaign. The following month, three of the group members were arrested and charged with hooliganism and were were held in custody until their trial began in late July when the three members were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred", and each was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

2014 - Kurt Cobain

A statue of a weeping Kurt Cobain was unveiled in Aberdeen, Washington - the hometown of the late Nirvana frontman. The statue, which sees Cobain crying a single tear, is situated in the Aberdeen Museum of History. Kurt Cobain Day would now be celebrated annually in the city of Aberdeen. Of the day, Mayor Bill Simpson recently read a proclamation, which stated: "Aberdeen residents may justifiably take pride in the role our community played in the life of Kurt Cobain and the international recognition our community has gained from its connections with Kurt Cobain and his artistic achievements."

2014 - Gregg Allman

A crew member working on a biopic about Gregg Allman died after being hit by a train during filming. Police in south Georgia said the woman was struck after the crew for Midnight Rider placed a bed on the railway tracks in Doctortown. Wayne County Sheriff John Carter said several other people had been injured, two of them seriously.

2019 - Peter Tork

American musician Peter Tork died age 77. He was diagnosed with a rare form of tongue cancer in 2009. The Monkees were brought together for an American sitcom TV series in 1966. Best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist, they had the 1967 UK & US No.1 single 'I'm A Believer' plus other hits including 'Last Train to Clarksville', 'Pleasant Valley Sunday', and 'Daydream Believer'. 

Born Today In Music

February 21st

1933 - Nina Simone

Nina Simone, (Eunice Wayman), US jazz, blues singer who had the 1959 US No.18 single 'I Love You, Porgy', and the 1968 UK No.2 single 'Ain't Got No I Got Life'. Simone died of cancer on 21st April 2003

1943 - David Geffen

David Geffen, Geffen record label boss. Founder of Asylum records who signed the Eagles, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell. Formed Dreamworks in 1995.

1949 - Jerry Harrison

American songwriter, musician Jerry Harrison, keyboards, guitar, Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers, and Talking Heads, who had the 1983 US No.9 single 'Burning Down The House', and the 1985 UK No.6 single 'Road To Nowhere'. Also a member of Casual Gods.

1951 - Vince Welnick

American keyboardis Vince Welnick with The Tubes who had the 1977 UK No.28 single 'White Punks On Dope'. 1983 US No.10 single 'She's A Beauty'. Also a member of Grateful Dead and the band's keyboard player from the fall of 1990 until Jerry Garcia's death in August 1995, when the group disbanded.

1952 - Jean-Jacques Burel

Franco-English musician, producer and songwriter Jean-Jacques Burnel, best known as the bass guitarist with The Stranglers who had the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Golden Brown' plus over 20 other UK Top 40 hits.

1954 - Mike Pickering

British musician and DJ Mike Pickering, who with M People had the 1993 UK No.2 single 'Moving On Up', plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. He was a DJ at the Manchester club and worked for Factory Records where he signed Happy Mondays, To Hell With Burgundy and James. 

1961 - Ranking Roger

Ranking Roger, singer, musician from British group The Beat who had a string of UK hit singles in the 80s, including 'Mirror in the Bathroom,' 'Can't Get Used to Losing You' and 'Hands Off, She's Mine'. He later was a member of General Public. He died on 26 March 2019. 

1962 - Mark Arm

Mark Arm singer, guitarist with American alternative rock band Mudhoney. Their early releases on the Sub Pop label were massively influential on the Seattle music scene.

1967 - Michael Ward

Michael Ward, guitarist with American rock band The Wallflowers who had the 1997 US No.3 album Bringing Down The Horse.

1969 - James Dean Bradfield

Welsh singer, songwriter, musician James Dean Bradfield, with Manic Street Preachers who had the 1996 UK No. 2 single 'A Design For Life', and the 1998 UK No.1 album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. 

1986 - Charlotte Church

Charlotte Church, Welsh singer, who had the 1999 UK No.34 single 'Just Wave Hello' and the 1998 UK No.4 album, 'Voice Of An Angel'.

1989 - Corbin Bleu

Corbin Bleu, American actor and singer from High School Musical, as part of the cast had the 2006 US No.1 ‘High School Musical’ album and 2007, US No.1 ‘High School Musical 2’ album. Over 17 million viewers in the United States watched the TV premier of High School Musical; making it the highest rated basic cable broadcast in U.S. history.