1931 Phyllis Mcguire born in Middletown, Ohio. US Singer with the Mcguire Sisters.
1940 Lillie Bryant born in Newburgh, New York. US Singer who had hits with Billy ford, as Billy & Lillie in the late 50’s
1945 Vic Briggs born in Twickenham, Middlesex, England. UK guitarist with Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll, Steampacker & from 1967 with Eric Burdon.
1946 Doug Simril born in Dallas, Dallas County. US guitarist/Pianist with The Steve Miller Band, (1974 US No.1 & 1990 UK No.1 single ‘The Joker’). Also played with Boz Scaggs. He died on the 14 May 1989 (aged 43)
1947 Tim Buckley born inWashington, D.C. was an American singer and musician, who recorded the 1972 album ‘Greetings From LA’. His singer, songwriter son Jeff Buckley drowned while swimming in 1997. Tim himself died on June 29th 1975 of a heroin and morphine overdose.
1950 Roger Fisher born in Seattle, Washington. US Guitarist with Heart from 1974 – 1979. Also a member of the group Alias.
1951 Kenny Hyslop born in Helensburgh, Scotland. Scottish Drumer with Slik, (1976 UK No.1 single ‘Forever And Ever’), Skids, (1979 UK No.10 single ‘Into The Valley’)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’.
1955 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.
1959 Cliff Richard was voted the best new singer in the annual NME awards.
1959 Jimmie Rodgers went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with ‘Bimbombey’. Staying at No.1 for 1wk.
1961 The Beatles perform at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool, and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool where they play a special Valentine’s Day show. Paul McCartney sang Elvis Presley’s “Wooden Heart”, wearing 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.
1961 “Calcutta” single by Lawrence Welk was certified Gold by the RIAA
1961 he Platters sued Mercury Records because the company had previously accepted songs by other members of the band singing the lead vocals other than their designated lead singer, Tony Williams. Mercury wanted to reject recordings by the group which did not feature Williams, who had left the band to pursue a solo career. The group’s lawyer argued that there was nothing in the contract to that effect, and that one out of every four Platters recordings were sung by someone other than Williams
1964 The Beatles went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with ‘I Saw Her Standing There/Love Me Do’.
1967 Aretha Franklin records her hit single “Respect” at Atlantic Studios. The million-selling record is written by Otis Redding and tops Billboard’s Hot 100 for two weeks.
1968 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.
1968 “Green Tambourine” single by Lemon Pipers was certified Gold by the RIAA
1969 Over 300 fans were injured during a concert by Love Affair and Amen Corner at an ice rink in Glasgow, Scotland.
1970 “Arizona” by Mark Lindsay peaked at #10 on the US singles chart.
1970 The compilation album ‘Motown Chartbusters Vol 3’ went to No.1 on the UK chart, featuring Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Tempations and The Four Tops.
1970 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.
1970 “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” by Sly & Family Stone peaked at #1 on the US singles chart.
1972 Rob Thomas born in Landstuhl, West Germany. Lead singer for Matchbox 20, (1998 UK No.38 single ‘Push’, 2000 US No.1 single ‘Bent’). Sang on 1999 US No.1 single by Santana ‘Smooth’
1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono started a week long run as co-hosts on ‘Mike Douglas’ US TV show.
1972 “Steppenwolf Day” is declared in Los Angeles as the group announces their break-up,
1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono started a week long run as co- hosts on ‘Mike Douglas’ US TV show.
1973 David Bowie collapsed on stage during a concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
1974 Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille (of Captain And Tennille) married in Virginia City, while on a promotion tour of the States.
1974 The New Seekers split up during their career the group scored over 10 UK Top 40 singles.
1976 “Evil Woman” by ELO peaked at #10 on the US singles chart. It was a track off their top-10 LP “Face The Music.”
1976 “Squeeze Box” by The Who peaked at #16 on the US singles chart. It was from their “Who By Numbers” LP.
1976 Scottish band Slik were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Forever And Ever.’ The group featured Midge Ure later of Visage and Ultravox.
1977 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.
1977 The B-52’s made their first live performance appearing in a Greenhouse at a Valentines day party in Athens.
1978 American soul singer, songwriter and record producer, Dwele, who featured Kanye West’s fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on the hit song ‘Power’.
1978 Dire Straits began recording their first album at Basing Street Studios, London called ‘Dire Straits. The whole project cost £12,500 ($21,250) to produce. Including ‘Sultans Of Swing’, ‘Water Of Love’ & ‘Down To The Waterline’.
1978 “When You Hear Lou, You’ve Heard It All” album by Lou Rawls was certified Gold by the RIAA
1980 Lou Reed married Sylvia Morales at a ceremony in his New York apartment.
1980 The Tourists kicked off a 12-date UK tour at the Gaumont Theatre, Ipswich. Tickets £3.50.
1980 “Rock With You” single by Michael Jackson was certified Gold by the RIAA
1981 Carly Simon went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart with ‘Jesse’. Staying at the top spot for 3wks.
1981 “Hey Nineteen” by Steely Dan peaked at #10 on the US singles chart. It was from their “Gaucho” LP.
1981 Mike Barson from Madness married his girlfriend Sandra.
1984 after a whopping five-day engagement, Elton John marries a sound engineer from his “Too Low For Zero” album, Renate Blauel (occasionally reported as “Blauer.”) The blessed(?) event takes place in an Anglican church in a suburb of Sydney, Australia. Friends who suggest he’s marrying her as “a cover, not a lover” may be right: during their marriage, the two seldom live together, and they finally divorce in 1988, with Blauel reportedly receiving a 45-million-dollar settlement, with John to this day still paying her 5,000 pounds a month alimony, even though he has not seen her in more than a decade.
1984 Rod Stewart and Olivia Newton-John attend Elton John’s Sydney, Australia, wedding to Renata Blauel (the marriage lasts less than five years),
1984 Elton John married recording engineer Renate Blauer in Sydney, Australia. The couple divorced three years later.
1976 Frank Zappa appeared on an episode of the television series Miami Vice. Zappa portrayed a crime boss named ‘Mr. Frankie.’
1987 “Change Of Heart” by Cyndi Lauper peaked at #3 on the pop singles chart.
1987 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.
1987 “Stay The Night” by Benjamin Orr peaked at #24 on the US singles chart.
1987 We’re Ready” by Boston peaked at #9 on the US singles chart.
1987 “Stop To Love” by Luther Vandross peaked at #15 on the US singles chart.
1989 Atomic Rooster Keyboard player Vincent Crane died. Member of The Crazy world of Arthur Brown, (1968 UK No.1 and US No.12 single ‘Fire’), Atomic Rooster, (1971 UK No.4 single ‘The Devil’s Answer’).
1989 “Green” album by R.E.M. was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Including ‘Stand’ & ‘Orange Crush’.
1989 Keyboard player Vincent Crane died. Member of The Crazy world of Arthur Brown, (1968 UK No.1 and US No.12 single ‘Fire’) and Atomic Rooster, (1971 UK No.4 single ‘The Devil’s Answer’).
1990 The Rolling Stones played the first of ten nights at the Korakuen Dome, Tokyo, Japan. The shows were seen by over 500,000 fans, making the band $20 million (£11.76 million).
1992 INXS Jon Farriss from INXS married actress Leslie Bega.
1992 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.
1994 Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia married moviemaker Deborah Koons.
1994 Rapper Tupac Shakur was sentenced to one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison on a sexual abuse charge. He was later released on appeal.
1996 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.
1998 Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ set a new recorded for the most radio plays in the US with 116 million plays in one week.
1999 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.
1999 Elton John appeared as himself in a special episode of the animated series The Simpsons shown on US TV.
1999 Buddy Knox died of lung cancer in Bremerton, Washington aged 65. . He is interred in Dreamland Cemetery, in Canyon, Texas.
2000 Macy Gray went to No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart for the 2nd time with ‘I Try’. Staying at the top spot for 1wk. Also going to No.1 on the 10th Jan 2000 for 2wks.
2002 Mick Tucker, drummer with glam rock band Sweet died of leukaemia in in Welwyn, Garden City, Hertfordshire, England. Had the 1973 UK No.1 single ‘Blockbuster’, plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles.
2003 Stolen reel-to-reel studio recordings by The Beatles were found in Australia. Police recovered the tapes of the bands 1968 ‘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 1960’s .
2004 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 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; No.3 Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks; No. 4, Led Zeppelin’s 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 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 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.
2009 Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Working on a Dream’, his 16th studio album.
2010 Doug Fieger singer, songwriter with The Knack died after a long battle with cancer. The Knack had the 1979 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘My Sharona’ which he wrote for Sharona Alperin, who later became his girlfriend.
2010 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 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.