ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

February 9th

1959 - George Jones

Mercury Records released 'White Lightning' by George Jones, which became the first No.1 single of his career. In his 1997 autobiography, I Lived To Tell It All, Jones mentions the fact that the recording process of 'White Lightning' was extremely lengthy after he arrived for the recording session under the influence of a great deal of alcohol and it took him approximately 80 takes just to record his vocals. 

1961 - The Beatles

The Beatles appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, for the very first time (as The Beatles), they would go on to make a total of 292 other appearances at the Club. They were paid £5 for this lunchtime appearance and George Harrison was nearly denied admission to play because he was wearing jeans.

1964 - The Beatles on Ed Sullivan

The Beatles made their US live debut on CBS-TV's 'The Ed Sullivan Show'; they performed five songs including their current No.1 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. Never before had so many viewers tuned-in to a live television program, which with 73 million viewers, was three-fourths of the total adult audience in the United States.The show had received over 50,000 applications for the 728 seats in the TV studio.

1967 - Engelbert Humperdinck fends off The Beatles

The film for the latest Beatles single 'Penny Lane' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever' was shown on BBC-TV's Top Of The Pops. It was the first Beatles single not to make No.1 in the UK since 1963, held off the top by Engelbert Humperdinck's 'Release Me.'

1972 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney's Wings played the first night of a UK College tour in Nottingham. The group arrived unannounced asking social secretaries if they would like them to perform that evening. The band's intended first stop on the tour, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, refused to allow them to play so they drove on to Nottingham. Admission was 40p, British pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz was the opening act for the tour.

1981 - Bill Haley

American singer and musician Bill Haley who became known as the first Rock 'n' Roll star, was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlingen, Texas from a heart attack, aged 55. He scored the 1955 UK & US No.1 single 'Rock Around the Clock' as well as 'See You Later, Alligator’, ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’, ‘Rocket 88’, ‘Skinny Minnie’, and ‘Razzle Dazzle’. Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation and later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye.

1982 - George Harrison

George Harrison presented UNICEF with a cheque for $9 million (£5.3 million), ten years after the fundraising The Concert For Bangladesh. 

1985 - Madonna

Madonna started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Like A Virgin', a No.3 hit in the UK.



1987 - Peter Gabriel

Winners at this years Brit awards held in London included Peter Gabriel who won British Male Solo Artist, Kate Bush won British Female Solo Artist, Best British Group went to Five Star, British Album was Dire Straits 'Brothers In Arms', British Breakthrough Act was The Housemartins, International Solo Artist went to Paul Simon. The Bangles won Best International Group, Best British Video went to Peter Gabriel for 'Sledgehammer' and Best British Single was The Pet Shop Boys for 'West End Girls'.


1993 - Bill Grundy
British broadcaster Bill Grundy died of a heart attack aged 69. He conducted the famous Sex Pistols interview on Thames Television on December 1, 1976; when Grundy provoked the band into using obscenities on live TV. The broadcast wrecked Grundy's television career. He was also the first television presenter to present The Beatles on Granada Television on October 17, 1962.

1997 - Brian Connolly

Scottish singer Brian Connolly with the Seventies Glam rock group Sweet died of kidney and liver failure aged 51. Connolly replaced Ian Gillan (later of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath ) in Wainwright's Gentlemen who became Sweetshop and then shortened to Sweet. The group scored 15 UK top 40 hits including the 1973 No.1 hit ‘Block Buster’.

1997 - Jack Owens

American Delta blues singer and guitarist Jack Owens died aged 92. In 1995 he appeared in a TV advertisement for Levi's jeans, showing him seated on his front porch. He was a recipient of a 1993 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the highest honour in the folk and traditional arts in the United States

1998 - Danbert Nobacon

Danbert in mini leather skirt tights and Dr Martens!

Winners at this year's Brit Awards included Finley Quaye who won Best British Male Solo Artist, Best British Female Solo Artist went to Shola Ama, The Verve won British Group and Best British Album for 'Urban Hymns', British Dance Act went to The Prodigy, British Breakthrough Act was Stereophonics, Best Selling British Album Act was The Spice Girls International Male, Jon Bon Jovi, International Female, Bjork, International Group, U2 and Outstanding Contribution went to Fleetwood Mac. During the show Chumbawamba singer Danbert Nobacon threw a plastic bucket full of cold water over UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. It didn't go down well . . . . . !

It's just water Mr Prescott

2001 - Eminem

Eminem beefed up security for his UK shows following the threat of gay rights protests. Campaigners said the rapper was a homophobe who fuelled prejudice with hate-filled lyrics.

2005 - Joss Stone

Winners at this year's Brit Awards included The Streets who won Best British male solo artist, Joss Stone won British female solo artist, Best British Album went to Keane for 'Hopes and Fears', Franz Ferdinand won Best British Group and Best Rock Act, McFly won Best Pop Act, Scissor Sisters won Best International group and the Best Album award the Brits 25 best song award went to Robbie Williams for 'Angels' and Sir Bob Geldof won the Outstanding Contribution To Music award.

2009 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant took home five prizes for his collaboration with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss at this year's Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles. The duo won album of the year for Raising Sand and record of the year for ‘Please Read The Letter.’ Coldplay (who won song of the year for ‘Viva La Vida’) Adele, Duffy, Radiohead and Peter Gabriel were among other UK acts to be honoured.

2009 - Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr became the 2,401st person to be added to the Hollywood Walk Of Fame during a ceremony that marked the 50th anniversary of the attraction. The Beatles as a group were given a star in 1998.

2010 - The White Stripes

The White Stripes were taking on the US Air Force, complaining that it used one of the group's songs 'Fell In Love With A Girl' in a TV advert without permission. In a statement on their website, the duo said they took "strong insult and objection, with the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war that we do not support."

2015 - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan turned the tables on his critics during a 30-minute speech, at the Musicares charity gala honouring his career. The 73-year-old, who rarely talks about his work, asked why critics complained he "can't sing" and sounds "like a frog" but do not "say that about Tom Waits?" The singer added, "Critics say my voice is shot, that I have no voice. Why don't they say those things about Leonard Cohen? Why do I get special treatment?"

BIRTHDAYS

1963 - Dave Rotheray

Dave Rotheray, guitarist with English group The Beautiful South who had the 1990 UK No.1 single 'A Little Time' plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles.

1960 - Holly Johnson

Holly Johnson, singer who was a member of Liverpool based groups Big In Japan and Frankie Goes To Hollywood who had the 1984 UK No.1 & US No. 10 single 'Relax' and six other UK Top 40 singles. As a solo, artist scored the 1989 UK No.4 'Love Train' and 1989 UK No.1 album 'Blast'.

1955 - Jimmy Pursey

Jimmy Pursey, singer with UK punk group Sham 69 who had the 1979 UK No.6 single, 'Hersham Boys'.

1947 - Joe Ely

Joe Ely, is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll. He toured with The Clash in the late 70s, and was a one time member of Linda Ronstadt's band and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.

1942 - Carole King

Carole King, US singer, songwriter who wrote many songs with Gerry Goffin including the 1962 UK No.3 & US No.22 single, 'It Might As Well Rain Until September'. Her 1970 US No.1 album 'Tapestry' has sold over 15 million copies and became a Grammy award winner in 71.

1940 - Brian Bennett

Brian Bennett, drummer with The Shadows, who had the 1963 UK No.1 single 'Foot Tapper' plus 28 other UK Top 40 singles as well as having hits with Cliff Richard. He took over from Tony Mehan who was the first drummer

1939 - Barry Mann

Barry Mann, US singer, songwriter. Wrote many early 60s pop hits including 'Saturday Night At The Movies', 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling', 'Walking In The Rain'. Also had the 1961 US No.7 solo single 'Who Put The Bomp, In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp.'