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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

February 26th

February 26th Birthday, Singer, pianist, songwriter Fats Domino, born Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. in 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He died on October 24th, 2017, aged 89.

February 26th Birthday, Singer, songwriter Johnny Cash, born J.R. Cash in 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas. He died on September 12th, 2003 of complications from diabetes, aged 71.

February 26th Birthday, Singer Bob “Bear” Hite from Canned Heat, born in Torrance, California. He died on April 5th, 1981, aged 38, of a heart attack in Venice, California.

February 26th Birthday, Poco guitarist Paul Cotton, born Norman Paul Cotton in 1943 in Fort Rucker, Alabama. He died on July 31th, 2021, aged 78.

February 26th Birthday, Leader of The Detroit Wheels, Mitch Ryder, born William Sherille Levise, Jr. in 1945 in Hamtramck, Michigan.

February 26th Birthday, Pop singer Sandie Shaw, born Sandra Ann Goodrich in 1947 in Dagenham, Essex, England.

February 26th Birthday, Keyboardist and guitarist Jonathan Cain from Journey, born Jonathan Leonard Friga in Chicago, Illinois in 1950.

February 26th Birthday, Singer Michael Bolton, born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1953.

Today In Rock and Roll History

February 26th

February 26th, 1965 Tamla Records release Marvin Gaye’s “I’ll Be Doggone” on 45. Recorded January 21st, 23rd and 29th, at Hitsville, USA (Studio A) in Detroit, the song was co-written by members of The Miracles, Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore and Marv Tarplin. The Miracles also sang on the track, along with The Andantes and Miracle Marv Tarplin played lead guitar. Entering the charts in March the single became Marvin Gaye’s first million seller, peaking at No. 8 on May 15th.

February 26th, 1966 The Jefferson Airplane release their first single “It’s No Secret.” Recorded at RCA Victor’s Music Center Of The Word in Hollywood with original vocalist Signe Anderson and Skip Spence on drums. By October the pair were replaced by Grace Slick and Spencer Dryden.

February 26th, 1966 The Righteous Brothers release “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” on 45. The song was co-written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, arranged by Jack Nitzsche (Nitch-ee), with Wrecking Crew keyboard players Don Randi and Michel Rubini and bassist Jimmy Bond on the session. “You’re My Soul And My Inspiration” was recorded at United Recording in Hollywood with Righteous Brother Bill Medley producing. The record entered the charts in March and reached No. 1 on April 9th.

February 26th, 1966 The Beatles “Rubber Soul” became the group’s seventh No. 1 album in the US.

February 26th, 1966 The Hollies release “I Can’t Let Go” on 45. Co-written by Al Gorgoni and Chip Taylor, “I Can’t Let Go” was originally recorded by singer Evie Sands’ on the Blue Cat Records label. Recorded the 13th and 18th of January with producer Ron Richards at EMI Studios in London, I was The Hollies’ last record with original bassist Eric Haydock. “I Can’t Let Go” peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 42 in America, on May 7th.

February 26th, 1968 The Monkees’ “Valeri” is released on 45. The released record is a completely different version than the one that was on the Monkees episode “Captain Crocodile” in February 1967. The track was recorded during sessions with song writers and producers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart on the 26thand 28th of December at United Recorders, in Hollywood. Session guitarist Louie Shelton played the solos on the song, both the original TV version and the second version that was released as a single. Shelton also played on “Last Train To Clarksville,” and later worked extensively with Seals and Croft as a producer and guitar player. “Valeri” went to No. 3 on March 30thand became the group’s last American Top Ten hit.

February 26th, 1970 Apple Records release the “Hey Jude” compilation album for the US record market. The title was changed at the last minute from “The Beatles Again,” and early pressings bore the original title on the record’s label. The LP was a collection of songs that had not been on a previous US Beatles album and peaked at No. 2 on March 28th.

February 26th, 1970 Parrot Records in the US release “Forms And Feelings,” the second and final album by Love Scuplture, following a November 1969 release in Britain. Co-produced by Dave Edmunds, Mike Finesilver and Pete Ker, presumably at Advision and Maximum Sound Studios as both are thanked on the LP’s back cover. The US version of the LP featured a cover version of the classical piece “Mars” by English composer Gustav Holst.

February 26th, 1971 Columbia Records release “Man In Black” by Johnny Cash on 45. Written and produced by Cash, the single reached No. 58 on April 3rd.

February 26th, 1971 Birmingham, England vocal group The Fortunes release their new single, “Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling” in Britain. Co-written by Tony McCauley and the single’s producers, Roger Cook and Roger Greenway, the song entered the US charts in May and peaked at No. 15 on July 31st.

February 26th, 1972 The self-titled first album by Jo Jo Gunne enters the charts on Asylum Records. Featuring Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes from Spirit, the line-up included drummer Curly Smith and Matt Andes. Co-produced by the band and Tom Dowd, the LP peaked at No. 57 on May 27th.

February 26th, 1972 Bearsville Records release Todd Rundgren’s “I Saw The Light.” Written, self-produced and performed entirely by Rundgren, the single was the lead track from Todd’s album “Something / Anything?” The record entered the charts in April and peaked at No. 11 on June 10th, No. 15 in Canada.

February 26th, 1973 The Raspberries release “Let’s Pretend” on 45. The band performed the song on the May 4th episode of The Midnight Special on NBC-TV, hosted by Johnny Nash. Written and sung by Raspberries vocalist Eric Carmen, the record spent sixteen weeks on the charts and peaked at No. 35 on June 2nd.

February 26th, 1977 The Eagles’ “New Kid In Town” hits No. 1 in the US. On the same day, the title track of The Eagles “Hotel California” album enters the singles charts. “New Kid In Town” was co-written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther and released as the first single from the album “Hotel California.”

February 26th, 1977 Ambrosia’s cover version of the John Lennon and Paul McCartney song, “Magical Mystery Tour” enters the singles charts following a January release. The record peaked at No. 39 on April 2nd. It was the most successful single released from the movie soundtrack album “All This And WWII,” a series of World War II newsreel clips set to ambitious cover versions of Beatles songs.

February 26th, 1977 “If You’ve Got The Time,” the debut single by The Babys enters the singles charts following a January release on Chrysalis Records. Co-written by the four members of the band, the track was co-produced by Brian Christian and Bob Ezrin. The record charted for two weeks and peaked at No. 88 on March 19th.

February 26th, 1977 “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer enters the singles charts. The song was co-written by Carole Bayer Sager and Albert Hammond. Produced by Richard Perry, the single peaked at No. 1 on May 14th.

February 26th, 1980 Island Records UK offered U2 a recording contract after seeing them play at Dublin’s National Boxing Stadium in front of two thousand, four hundred people.

February 26th, 2002 Blue Note Records release “Come Away With Me” by singer, songwriter Norah Jones. Sessions for the LP were recorded at Sorcerer Sound in New York City and Allaire Studios in Shokan, New York. With co-producers Arif Mardin, Jay Newland, Norah Jones and Craig Street. The album peaked at No. 1 on January 25th, 2003.

Miscellaneous February

February 1957 Gale Records release “Chickee Wah Wah” by Bobby Marchan on 45. The song was co-written by Huey “Piano” Smith and John Vincent. Smith played piano on the track. Marchan was the lead singer in Smith’s band Huey “Piano” Smith and The Clowns, a popular live attraction in New Orleans in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

February 1964 Polydor Records in Britain release “I Just Wanna Make Love To You” backed with “Let The Good Times Roll,” the first single by Scottish singer Alex Harvey and His Soul Band. Harvey wrote the A-side lyrics, reworking the Willie Dixon song. The flip side was penned by Leonard Lee, a cover version of the Shirley and Lee song from 1961.

February 1968 Lee Hazelwood’s LHI Records release “Safe As Home” by The International Submarine Band. Led by twenty-one-year-old Gram Parsons, the LP was recorded at Western Sound (Studio B) in Hollywood with producer Suzi Jane Hokom. Parsons had accepted the offer to join The Byrds before the album was released.

February 1973 Harvest Records release “Lifemask,” the sixth album by Roy Harper. Produced by Peter Jenner at Abbey Road Studios in London, Jimmy Page and Nice drummer Brian Davidson were among the studio musicians on the record.

February 1973 John Martyn’s “Solid Air” album is released. Recording began in July 1972 at Sound Techniques in Chelsea with producer John Wood. Further sessions took place in September and recording was completed by December 9th, 1972.

February 1974 A&M Records release “When The Morning Comes” by Hoyt Axton on 45. Written by Axton who co-produced the track with Allan McDougall, the song features Linda Ronstadt on backing vocals.

February 1975 Warner Brothers Records release “Rock The Nation,” the debut single from Montrose. Co-produced by the band and Ted Templeman, the band included lead vocalist Sammy Hagar, guitarist Ronnie Montrose, Bill Church on bass and Denny Carmassi on drums.

February 1976 RCA/Equinox Records release “Jamaica Farewell” by California Music on 45. The traditional song was co-credited to Terry Melcher, Curt Boettcher and Gary Usher. Usher and Melcher were in the group along with Beach Boy Bruce Johnston.

February 1977 DEVO release their first single on their own record label, Booji Boy Records. “Mongoloid” backed with “Jocko Homo” was co-credited and produced by the band. Both songs would be rerecorded for the group’s first LP “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!” in 1978.

February 1978 Columbia Records release “Godzilla” by Blue Öyster Cult on 45. The song was written by Cult guitarist Donald Roeser from Blue Öyster Cult’s fifth album “Spectres.” The record was co-produced by the band, Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman and David Lucas.

February 1980 CBS Records in Ireland release “Another Day” backed with “Twilight” by U2 on 45. The group co-wrote the LP collectively and co-produced the disc with Chas De Walley.

February 1980 Virgin Records in the US release the first stateside single by XTC. “Ten Feet Tall” was written by bassist Colin Moulding and produced by Phil Wainman, While the label copy states the song is from the band’s “Drums And Wires” LP, the version issued on the 45 in not the same as the one on the album.

February 1987 Legacy Records in Britain release “Staring Up” by Roy Wood. The LP was written produced and arranged by Roy Wood, playing and singing all the instruments and vocals himself.