Music Almanac - February 3

Birthdays

• 1900 - Mabel Mercer (d. 1984)
• 1911 - Jesse “Babyface” Thomas (d. 1995)
• 1927 - Val Doonican (d. 2015)
• 1928 - Frankie Vaughan (d. 1999)
• 1935 - Johnny “Guitar” Watson (d. 1996)
• 1937 - David Lerchey (Del-Vikings) (d. 2005)
• 1939 - Charlie James (Cleftones)
• 1939 - Johnny Bristol (d. 2004)
• 1940 - Angelo D'Aleo (Belmonts)
• 1941 - Chuck Tharp (Fireballs)
• 1942 - Eric Haydock (Hollies)
• 1943 - Shawn Phillips
• 1943 - Dennis Edwards (Temptations) (d. 2018)
• 1945 - Johnny Cymbal (born John Blair) (d. 1993)
• 1946 - Stan Webb (Chicken Shack)
• 1947 - Melanie (born Melanie Safka)
• 1947 - Dave Davies (Kinks)
• 1949 - Arthur Kane (New York Dolls) (d. 2004)
• 1956 - Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
• 1958 - Lee Crystal (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts) (d. 2013)
• 1959 - Lol Tolhurst (Cure)
• 1964 - Matraca Berg
• 1965 - Nick Hawkins (Big Audio Dynamite)
• 1970 - Richie Kotzen (Mr. Big)
• 1977 - Daddy Yankee (born Ramon Rodriguez)
• 1982 - Jessica Harp (Wreckers)
• 1990 - Sean Kingston

Deaths

• 1959 - Buddy Holly - Plane crash (22)
• 1959 - Ritchie Valens - Plane crash (17)
• 1959 - Big Bopper - Plane crash (28)
• 1967 - Joe Meek (Tornados) - Suicide (37)
• 1999 - Gwen Guthrie - Uterine cancer (48)
• 2002 - James Blackwood (Blackwood Brothers) - Complications of a stroke (82)
• 2004 - Cornelius Bumpus (Doobie Brothers, Moby Grape, Steely Dan) - Heart attack (58)
• 2004 - Gene Hughes (Casinos) - Car accident (67)

On This Day

• 1956 - Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash record together at Memphis' Sun Studios in what would become known as the Million Dollar Quartet sessions.
• 1960 - Frank Sinatra started Reprise records.
• 1966 - Paul McCartney met Stevie Wonder, then 15, for the first time after a show by Wonder in London.
• 1969 - Beatles relations break down further when Paul McCartney disagrees with the other three member's decision to hire Alan Klein as their business manager.
• 1976 - David Bowie, in his Thin White Duke period, starts a U.S. tour in Seattle.
• 1977 - Elton John proved he couldn't stop performing, taking the stage in Sweden fifteen months after announcing his retirement from the stage.
• 1978 - Harry Chapin met with Jimmy Carter to discuss world hunger.
• 1989 - Tone Loc's Wild Thing became the first platinum rap single.
• 1991 - Sinead O'Connor said she would not attend the Grammys even though she had five nominations. She said they reflected “false and destructive materialistic values.”
• 1993 - Harry Connick, Jr. negotiated a plea bargain with New York authorities on the charge of having a gun in his carry-on luggage at Kennedy Airport.
• 1993 - Gloria Estefan received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• 1996 - The Ramones said they had played their last show after 22 years together.
• 1996 - Queen Latifah was arrested for weapon and marijuana possession after she was stopped on a traffic infraction.
• 1999 - Tony Hadley, Steve Norman and John Keeble of Spandau Ballet were in a London court suing former member Gary Kemp over unpaid royalties.
• 1999 - Ice-T told students at the University of Toledo that a life of crime is not all it's cracked up to be.
• 1999 - Trace Adkins fractured and dislocated his ankle while surveying property. He required surgery the next day.
• 2002 - Britney Spears performed the National Anthem at Super Bowl XXXVI.
• 2003 - Phil Spector was arrested for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
• 2004 - R.Kelly plead not guilty to 21 charges of child pornography.
• 2004 - The Pixies announced they were going to reunite for a tour.
• 2006 - Sheryl Crow and cyclist Lance Armstrong ended their relationship.
• 2007 - Wayne Fontana was arrested and charged with arson with intent to endanger life after allegedly pouring gas over a bailiff's car and setting it on fire.
• 2015 - Suge Knight was taken to the hospital after pleading non-guilty on murder charges.

Marriages

• 1966 - Carl Wilson (Beach Boys) and Annie Hinsche

Recorded

• 1950 - Bill Monroe had his first recording session for Decca Records.
• 1961 - San Francisco Bay Blues - Bob Dylan (first recording)
• 1968 - Lady Madonna - Beatles (started recording)

Released

• 1958 - Zoom, Zoom, Zoom - Collegians (single)
• 1985 - Mean Business - Firm
• 1997 - Earthling - David Bowie
• 1998 - Yield - Pearl Jam

Broadcasts

• 1978 - Dead Man's Curve (ABC) - Jan & Dean biopic
• 1996 - Touched By an Angel (CBS) - B.B. King
• 2003 - Living With Michael Jackson (U.K.)
• 2013 - Super Bowl - Beyonce, Destiny's Child

Number Ones - U.S. Singles

• 1968 - Green Tambourine - Lemon Pipers (1 week)
• 1973 - Crocodile Rock - Elton John (3 weeks)
• 2001 - It Wasn't Me - Shaggy Featuring Ricardo "RikRok" Sucent (2 weeks)
• 2018 - God's Plan - Drake (11 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums

• 1958 - My Fair Lady - Original Cast (1 week (9 previous weeks))
• 1979 - Briefcase Full of Blues - Blues Brothers (1 week)
• 1990 - Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul (9 weeks)
• 2007 - Daughtry - Daughtry (1 week)
• 2018 - Mania - Fall Out Boy (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles

• 1958 - Get a Job - Silhouettes (6 weeks)
• 1990 - Make It Like It Was - Regina Belle (1 week)
• 1996 - Not Gon' Cry - Mary J. Blige (5 weeks)
• 2001 - Ms. Jackson - OutKast (1 week (1 previous week))
• 2007 - Promise - Ciara (2 weeks)
• 2018 - God's Plan - Drake (11 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Country Singles

• 1945 - I'm Losing My Mind Over You - Al Dexter (6 weeks)
• 1968 - Skip a Rope - Henson Cargill (5 weeks)
• 1973 - She Needs Someone to Hold Her (When She Cries) - Conway Twitty (1 week)
• 1996 - (If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here! - Shania Twain (2 weeks)
• 2001 - Tell Her - Lonestar (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Adult Contemporary Singles

• 1968 - Am I That Easy to Forget - Engelbert Humperdinck (1 week)
• 1973 - Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend - Lobo (2 weeks)
• 1979 - Lotta Love - Nicolette Larson (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles

• 1979 - Heart of Glass - Blondie (4 weeks)
• 1990 - Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor (4 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums

• 1968 - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Beatles (1 week (26 previous weeks))
• 1990 - ...But Seriously - Phil Collins (7 weeks (8 previous weeks))
• 2001 - Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water - Smashing Pumpkins (1 week)
• 2007 - Hats Off to the Buskers - The View (1 week)