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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

February 24th

February 24th Birthday, Singer, harmonica player, actor and radio personality Paul Jones from Manfred Mann, born Paul Pond in 1942 in Portsmouth, England.

February 24th Birthday, One of the most in-demand keyboard session men of his time, Nicky Hopkins, born in 1944 in Perivale, Middlesex, England. Nicky played on hundreds of sessions, on records by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks and was a member of Quicksilver Messenger Service. He died on September 6th, 1994 at the age of 50 in Nashville, Tennessee, from complications resulting from intestinal surgery presumably related to his life-long battle with Crohn’s Disease.

February 24th Birthday, Singer, songwriter Rupert Holmes, born David Goldstein in 1947 in Northwich, Cheshire, England.

February 24th Birthday, Steve Miller Band bassist and guitarist Lonnie Turner, born in 1947 in Berkeley, California. He died on April 28th, 2013 from lung cancer and complications from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. He was 66 years old.

February 24th Birthday, Guitarist, singer and songwriter George Thorogood, born in 1950 in Wilmington, Delaware.

February 24th Birthday, Singer, songwriter Michelle Shocked, born Karen Michelle Johnston in 1962 in Dallas, Texas.

Today In Rock and Roll History

February 24th

February 24th, 1963 The Rolling Stones get their first steady gig at The Crawdaddy Club, performing on Sundays for the British equivalent of sixty-seven dollars a week.

February 24th, 1965 The Beach Boys rerecord “Help Me Rhonda” at Universal and Radio Recorders Studios in Hollywood with guitarist Al Jardine singing lead vocal. The LP version was cut in January for “The Beach Boys Today” album and features a ukelele intro. “Help Me, Rhonda” was originally considered an album cut, but radio stations began to play it, which inspired the song’s writer and producer, Brian Wilson, to rework the arrangement for a single release. Released March 8th, the record featured on the instrumental track were regular Wrecking Crew members such as Hal Blaine on drums and Carol Kaye on bass guitar. The new version entered the charts in April and peaked at No. 1 on May 29th.

February 24th, 1968 Capitol Records release “Up To My Neck In High Muddy Water” by Linda Ronstadt And The Stone Poneys. The song was co-written by members of The Greenbriar Boys, John Herald, Bob Yellin and Frank Wakefield. The record entered the charts in March and peaked at No. 93.

February 24th, 1968 Sessions for “Chained” by Marvin Gaye begin with producer and the song’s writer Frank Wilson, working on the track through sessions through June 20th. “Chained” peaked at No. 32 on November 2nd.

February 24th, 1968 Capitol Records release “Turn On Your Love Light” by The Human Beinz on 45. Recorded at Cleveland Recording in Cleveland, Ohio with producer Lex De Azevedo, the song was credited to Dan Malone. Originally recorded by Bobby Bland in 1962, Malone was one of the pen names for notorious producer and record executive Deadric Malone, who, in fact, usually didn’t write the songs he was credited for writing, but used a number of aliases to collect royalties. It was their second and final charting record, peaking at No. 80 on April 6th, but was a much bigger hit in Japan, reaching No. 1.

February 24th, 1968 Bell Records release “Angel Of The Morning” by Merilee Rush and The Turnabouts on 45. Co-produced by Tommy Cogbill and Chips Moman at American Sound Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, The Turnabouts are credited but the musicians on the session were the American Group Studio session band. Written by Chip Taylor and first offered to Connie Francis, who turned it down, Evie Sands then recorded it for Cameo-Parkway Records. The label had financial issues and that version sank without proper promotion. Producer Cogbill was aware of the song and found Merillee Rush when she and The Turnabouts came through Memphis opening for a Paul Revere and The Raiders show. Rush recorded the song, the record entered the charts in May and it went to No. 7 in the US, No. 1 in Canada.

February 24th, 1968 Blue Horizon Records in Britain release “Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac,” the band’s first album, produced by Mike Vernon. The album was a huge success, reaching No. 4 in England and charting for most of that year. Released in the US in June the LP peaked at No. 198 on August 31st.

February 24th, 1969 The Jimi Hendrix Experience play their last ever British performance when they appeared at the Royal Albert Hall.

February 24th, 1969 A live set by Johnny Cash and his band at San Quentin State Prison in California is filmed by Granada Television and recorded for release on June 4th. Produced by Bob Johnston, the LP was nominated for a number of Grammy Awards and sold over three million copies. Released June 4th by Columbia Records as “Johnny Cash At San Quentin,” the record peaked at No. 1 on August 23rd.

February 24th, 1969 The Beatles record “Two Of Us” at Apple Studios in London with George Martin producing. The band worked on the track again the next day. Written by Paul McCartney for Linda Eastman, the song was initially given to Apple artists Drew and Di to record. The “Let It Be” album track was finished on January 31st.

February 24th, 1970 Motown Records release “ABC” by The Jackson 5 on 45. The track was recorded in December 1969. “ABC” was co-written and produced by Motown’s Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell and Deke Richards, credited collectively as The Corporation. The record entered the charts in March and went to No. 1 on May 2nd.

February 24th, 1971 Janis Joplin’s posthumous release, “Pearl,” was awarded a Gold Record, three days before it reaches No. 1 on the US album charts.

February 24th, 1971 Atco Records release “One Way...Or Another,” the second album by Cactus. The record was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, self-produced by the band. The LP reached No. 80.

February 24th, 1973 The self-titled debut album by Steelers Wheel enters the album charts following a December 1972 release on A&M Records. The big hit single from the album, “Stuck In The Middle With You,” went to No. 6 on the charts in the US, No. 8 in Britain. Co-produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the album reached No. 50 on May 26th.

February 24th, 1973 With Roger McGuinn as the only original member, The Byrds made their final live appearance when they played at The Capitol Theatre, in Passaic, New Jersey.

February 24th, 1973 “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by Roberta Flack is the No. 1 song in the US.

February 24th, 1973 Irish singer Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Out Of The Question” is released on 45. The song was co-written by O’Sullivan and Gordon Mills. The 45 entered the charts in March and peaked at No. 17 on May 19th, No. 9 in Canada.

February 24th, 1975 Swan Song Records release “Physical Graffiti,” the sixth studio album by Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin wrote and recorded eight new songs for the album in early 1974 at Headley Grange Mansion in Hampshire, England with engineer Ron Nevison. The new material was augmented with unreleased studio tracks, dating to earlier sessions in 1970 and 1971 with engineers Andy Johns, Eddie Kramer, George Chkiantz and Keith Harwood. Produced by Jimmy Page, the album went to No. 1 in America on March 22nd.

February 24th, 1975 MCA Records release Elton John’s tribute to Billy Jean King’s pro tennis team “Philadelphia Freedom.” Working with longtime John producer Gus Dudgeon and co-writer Bernie Taupin, the song was recorded to be a stand-alone single in the summer of 1974, during breaks between sessions for the “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” album. The record entered the charts on March 8th and peaked at No. 1 on April 12th.

February 24th, 1976 Atlantic Records release “Where Did Our Love Go?” by the J. Geils Band on 45. A cover of The Supremes’ hit co-written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland. The record entered the singles charts in April and peaked at No. 68 on May 1st.

February 24th, 1978 Warner Brothers Records in Britain release “Dancin’ At The Rainbow’s End” backed with “Waiting At The Door,” the second and final single by Roy Wood’s Wizzo Band. Wood wrote and produced both songs.

February 24th, 1978 “If You Can’t Give Me Love” by Suzi Quatro is released in Britain. The song was co-written by producer Mike Chapman with Nicky Chinn. The record received a May 1979 release in the US on RSO Records and peaked at No. 45 on June 23rd.

February 24th, 1979 “Heartache” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive enters the singles charts. The song was written by C.F. Turner and produced by Jim Vallance. Credited on the label to BTO, the record charted for seven weeks and peaked at No. 60 on March 31st.

February 24th, 1981 RCA Records release “Working Class Dog” by Rick Springfield. The album was recorded at Sound City in Van Nuys, California, co-produced by Springfield, Bill Drescher and Keith Olsen. The LP sold over three million copies and featured the hit single “Jessie’s Girl.” The record peaked at No. 7 on September 5th.

February 24th, 1981 Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe announce the breakup of Rockpile.

February 24th, 1992 Island Records release “One” by U2 on 45 in Britain, where it reached No. 7. Co-composed by the band with singer Bono writing the lyrics, “One” peaked at No. 10 in the US on May 16th.

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.