More About Music History On This Day
21 Feb 1961
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.
21 Feb 1964
New York band The Echoes recruited a new young unknown piano player, named Billy Joel.
21 Feb 1964
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).
21 Feb 1967
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 Floyd were 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.
21 Feb 1968
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.
21 Feb 1970
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.
21 Feb 1972
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.
21 Feb 1976
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.
21 Feb 1981
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.
21 Feb 1982
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.
21 Feb 1986
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 Metallica album with bassist Cliff Burton who was killed when the group's tour bus over-turned in southern Sweden while touring to promote the album.
21 Feb 1987
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.'
21 Feb 1998
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 bestselling single of 1998.
21 Feb 2001
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.
21 Feb 2002
Elton John accused the music industry of exploiting young singers and dumping talented artists for manufactured groups. He said 'There are too many average and mediocre acts; it damages real talent getting airplay. It's just fodder.'
21 Feb 2004
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.
21 Feb 2004
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').
21 Feb 2008
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.
21 Feb 2008
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.
21 Feb 2008
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.
21 Feb 2009
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.
21 Feb 2012
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.
21 Feb 2014
A statue of a weeping Kurt Cobain was unveiled in Aberdeen, Washington - the hometown of the late Nirvana front man. 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."
21 Feb 2014
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.
21 Feb 2019
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'.
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.
21 Feb 1964
New York band The Echoes recruited a new young unknown piano player, named Billy Joel.
21 Feb 1964
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).
21 Feb 1967
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 Floyd were 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.
21 Feb 1968
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.
21 Feb 1970
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.
21 Feb 1972
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.
21 Feb 1976
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.
21 Feb 1981
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.
21 Feb 1982
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.
21 Feb 1986
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 Metallica album with bassist Cliff Burton who was killed when the group's tour bus over-turned in southern Sweden while touring to promote the album.
21 Feb 1987
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.'
21 Feb 1998
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 bestselling single of 1998.
21 Feb 2001
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.
21 Feb 2002
Elton John accused the music industry of exploiting young singers and dumping talented artists for manufactured groups. He said 'There are too many average and mediocre acts; it damages real talent getting airplay. It's just fodder.'
21 Feb 2004
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.
21 Feb 2004
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').
21 Feb 2008
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.
21 Feb 2008
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.
21 Feb 2008
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.
21 Feb 2009
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.
21 Feb 2012
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.
21 Feb 2014
A statue of a weeping Kurt Cobain was unveiled in Aberdeen, Washington - the hometown of the late Nirvana front man. 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."
21 Feb 2014
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.
21 Feb 2019
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'.
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