Today in Music History...February 26, 2017

Music History: February 26

 

2011 Mark Tulin (bassist for The Electric Prunes) dies of a heart attack at age 62 while helping at an underwater cleanup event in Avalon, California.

2010 Though they are separated, The-Dream and Christina Milian welcome a baby daughter, Violet.

2009 The Biography Channel airs the debut episode of The Chris Isaak Hour, a new talk-show featuring top musical guests. In this episode, presenter Chris Isaak interviews country artist Trisha Yearwood.

2008 Drummer Buddy Miles dies of congestive heart disease in Austin, Texas, at age 60.

2003 Fife player Othar "Otha" Turner dies in Gravel Springs, Mississippi, at age 95.

2002 John Fogerty, Elton John, Eagles, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Joel perform at the multi-venue Los Angeles charity benefit Four Concerts for Artists' Rights, proceeds of which benefit a labor-friendly musicians' organization called the Recording Artists Coalition.

1995 Former Led Zeppelin duo Jimmy Page and Robert Plant kick off a year-long world tour in Pensacola, Florida, supporting their live No Quarter reunion album.

1990 Cornell Gunter, former lead tenor for The Coasters, is murdered in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 53. Gunter, who was in the midst of making a comeback, was shot in his car by an unknown assassin.

1987 The Beatles (aka The White Album) becomes the first Beatles album to be released on CD.

1985 Bruce Springsteen wins his first Grammy, taking home the Best Male Vocal Performance award for "Dancing In The Dark." "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner wins Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

1977 Blues guitarist Bukka White dies of cancer at age 67 in Memphis, Tennessee.

1977 Doo wop singer Sherman Garnes (of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) dies of a heart attack at age 36.

1977 The Eagles' "New Kid In Town" hits #1, where it will stay for one week.

1975 Harry Chapin's Broadway revue featuring his songs, The Night That Made America Famous, opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It closes in April.

1972 Joe Tex's "I Gotcha" hits #1 on the R&B chart.

1971 Erykah Badu is born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas.

1967 After buying a ranch in Mississippi, Elvis Presley spends a lot of time on horses and gets saddlesores. He is referred to Dr. George Nichopoulos, who becomes his personal doctor and supplies his prescription drugs.

1966 The Beatles' Rubber Soul becomes the seventh album by the band to reach #1 on the US charts.

1965 Jimmy Page releases his first (and only) solo single: "She Just Satisfies."

1965 Elvis Presley records "Golden Coins" and "Animal Instinct."

1964 Elvis Presley begins filming his sixteenth movie, Roustabout, in Hollywood.

1964 The Beatles record "And I Love Her" and "I Should Have Known Better."

1962 Al Hirt records "Java."

1961 John "Jon Jon" Foster (of The Bronski Beat) is born in Basildon, Essex, England.

1956 Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" (his first million-seller) debuts on the Billboard charts.

1955 LaVern Baker sends a formal letter to the US Congress to appeal a 1954 decision denying black artists a revision of the 1909 Copyright Act, a move which would make it harder for white pop artists to record exact copies of R&B hits and thus steal their thunder. Her appeal is turned down.

1955 For the first time, sales of the newer, smaller 45rpm records outpace those of the old 78rpm variety.

1954 Responding to the rising popularity of black music, the United States congress proposes a bill forbidding distribution of "obscene, lewd, lascivious, or filthy publication, picture, disc, transcription, or other article capable of producing sound." The bill fails.

1953 Michael Bolton is born Michael Bolotin in New Haven, Connecticut.

1950 Jonathan Cain (keyboardist, rhythm guitarist Journey) is born Jonathan Leonard Friga in Chicago, Illinois.

1947 Pop singer Sandie Shaw is born Sandra Ann Goodrich in Dagenham, Essex, England.

1945 Rocker Mitch Ryder is born William S. Levise Jr in Hamtramck, Michigan.

1943 Bob "Bear" Hite (lead singer of Canned Heat) is born in Torrance, California.

1943 Paul Cotton (guitarist for Poco) is born Norman Paul Cotton in Fort Rucker, Alabama.

1928 Fats Domino is born Antoine Dominique Domino in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Featured Events

2002 The Bee Gees play what is to be their final concert, performing at Miami Beach's Love and Hope Ball, a benefit for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

2001 Daft Punk's second album, Discovery, marks a change in their musical direction from house to electronic disco. Taking a leaf from fellow European electronic artists Kraftwerk, they choose to hide their faces - performing and appearing in music videos wearing stylized robotic helmets.

1997 Perhaps trying to make amends for giving them just four awards when they were still together, The Grammys give The Beatles three awards: two for "Free As A Bird" and another for their Anthology video.

1932 Johnny Cash is born in Kingsland, Arkansas.