1963, The Beatles drove through the night from Liverpool to London to appear on the live lunchtime BBC radio program Parade of the Pops. The appearance lasted just over four minutes with the band performing “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me.” They then drove another 180 mile trip back north for their performance that night at the Swimming Baths, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
1965, Gary Lewis and the Playboys started a two week run at number one on the singles chart with “This Diamond Ring.” Lewis is the son of actor Jerry Lewis.
1966, The Who play the Oasis Club in Manchester. After the show photographer Colin Jones meets The Who at Manchester Airport and shoots the color photo of Pete in the foreground wearing the Union Jack jacket with the rest of The Who lined across the back. Used a month later in the Sunday Observer, it becomes one of the most famous Who portraits.
1967, Pink Floyd appeared at the Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, England.
1968, Pink Floyd performed “Astronomy Domine,” “Flaming,” “Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” and “Let There Be More Light” at ORTF TV Studios in Buttes Chaumont, France for the music program Bouton Rouge. It was broadcast four days later.
1969, Goodbye Cream premieres in Baltimore. It’s a documentary of the power trio’s farewell concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall from the previous year.
1970, The single “Instant Karma” by The Plastic Ono Band was released in the US. John Lennon had written, recorded and mixed the track all in one day on January 22nd 1970. The song employs Spector’s signature Wall of Sound technique and features contributions from George Harrison, Billy Preston, Klaus Voormann and Alan White.
1971, Yes appeared at Kingston Poly, London, England. The support act was Queen.
1971, Canned Heat and ZZ Top perform at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1971, The soundtrack to Jesus Christ Superstar went to number one on the album chart.
1972, During a tour of Australia, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Kooyong Tennis Courts, Melbourne in Australia.
1972, Alice Cooper and Badfinger appeared at The Convention Hall in San Diego, California.
1972, The Allman Brothers Band performed at The Barn, in Peoria, Illinois. REO Speedwagon was the opening act.
1973, Santana appeared at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.
1974, Black Sabbath and The James Gang played at Memorial Auditorium
1976, David Bowie’s ISOLAR tour stops at the Mecca in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1976, All four members of Kiss had their footprints implanted on the pavement outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
1976, Genesis released their first album since the departure of Peter Gabriel, A Trick Of The Tail featuring eight new tracks with drummer Phill Collins taking on the role of lead vocalist.
1977, Winners at the Grammy Awards included Stevie Wonder for Best album with Songs In The Key Of Life, and Best Vocal performance for “I Wish.” Record of the Year went to Tommy LiPuma (producer) and George Benson for “This Masquerade.” Bruce Johnston (songwriter) for “I Write the Songs” performed by Barry Manilow took the honors for Song of the Year, while Best new artist went to the Starland Vocal Band.
1978, Rush performed at the Hammersmith Odeon, London.
1980, Bon Scott, singer from AC/DC was pronounced dead on arrival at a London hospital after a heavy night’s drinking. Scott was found in the passenger seat of a friend’s parked car. The official coroner’s report stated that he had “drunk himself to death,” after suffocating on his own vomit.
1981, Bruce Springsteen appeared at the Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida.
1982, King Crimson played at the Columbus Agora, Columbus, Ohio.
1991, Bob Dylan was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the 33rd annual Grammy Awards.
2004, Brian Wilson kicked off an 11-date UK tour at London’s Royal Festival Hall. The shows saw Wilson performing the full suite of songs from his unreleased masterpiece Smile.
Born on February 20: Ibrahim Ferrer, Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban All Stars (1927); Buffy Sainte-Marie (1942); Lew Soloff, Blood Sweat & Tears, Tito Puente, Maynard Furgeson (1944); Alan Hull, Lindisfarne (1945); John Geils, Jr., aka J Geils (1946); Walter Becker, Steely Dan (1950); Randy California, Spirit (1951); Kristy Wallace, aka Poison Ivy, guitar, The Cramps (1953); Jon Brant, Cheap Trick (1954); Ian Brown, English singer-songwriter, The Stone Roses (1963); Kurt Cobain, Nirvana (1967); Neil Primrose, drums, Travis (1972); Rihanna (1988)
