Rock 'n' Roll History for
February 13


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1914 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is founded in New York City. The organization collects licensing fees from users of music created by ASCAP members, then distributes them back to its members as royalties.

1955 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
The Country And Western duo of Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery open for Elvis Presley at a show in Lubbock, Texas.

1957 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Cuban officials announce a ban on all Rock and Roll programs on television, calling the music "offensive to public morals and good customs." They would soften their stance a couple of days later, but strict guide lines were put in place.

1959 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
The Skyliners appear on American Bandstand, performing their new release, "Since I Don't Have You". The song would climb to #12 on the Billboard Pop chart and #5 on the R&B chart.

1961 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Frank Sinatra launched his own record label, Reprise Records. Although he vowed that he would never sign any Rock artists, the label later became the home of Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman and The Beach Boys.

February 13
Lawrence Welk gave hope to Rock and Roll hating parents when his instrumental "Calcutta" went to the top of the Billboard chart for the first of a two week stay. Welk, who was then 57, became the oldest artist to have a number one Pop single in the US. That record would be broken three years later by Louis Armstrong who, at 62, topped the singles charts with "Hello, Dolly!" in early 1964.

1965 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
London Records releases "The Rolling Stones Now!", the band's third studio album. With Andrew Loog Oldham as producer, the LP features the single, "Heart Of Stone", which will rise to #19 on the Hot 100. The LP will reach #5 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and be certified Gold by the RIAA.

February 13
Gary Lewis records "Count Me In", which will become his second Billboard Top 40 hit when it climbs to #2 next May.

February 13
Jr. Walker And The All Stars enter the US charts for the first time with "Shotgun", which will make it to #1 on the R&B chart and #4 on the Pop chart.

1966 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
The Beach Boys visit the San Diego Zoo petting area, where photos are taken that will eventually end up on the cover of their "Pet Sounds" album. The zoo superintendent would later accuse members of the band of misbehaving and mistreating some of the animals, and declared, "The Beach Boys are not welcome back and never will be."

1967 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
The Beatles release the double-A side single, "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Penny Lane" on Parlophone Records in the UK and Capitol Records in the US. Each song will crack the Billboard Top 10, with "Strawberry Fields" reaching #8 and "Penny Lane" topping the chart. Trumpeter David Mason was paid was paid 27 Pounds and 10 Shillings for playing the piccolo trumpet solo on "Penny Lane". He would also contribute to several other Beatles songs, including "A Day in the Life", "Magical Mystery Tour", "All You Need Is Love" and "It's All Too Much".

1969 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
The Doors' "Touch Me" and Sly And The Family Stone's "Everyday People" are awarded Gold records by the R.I.A.A.

1971 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Six weeks after its chart debut, "One Bad Apple" by The Osmonds reaches #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it would stay for five weeks. It was the first of ten Top 40 hits for the group.

1972 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Led Zeppelin is forced to cancel a concert in Singapore when officials won't let them off the plane because of their long hair. The country considered shoulder length locks to be a symbol of the countercultural anti-authoritarianism that was sweeping Western countries.

1973 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
During a concert in Las Vegas, Elvis Presley is suddenly taken ill. He is quickly attended to by Dr. Sidney Bowers, who was later presented with a white Lincoln Continental in appreciation for his services.

1975 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Jefferson Starship records "Miracles", which would rise to #3 on the Hot 100 the following October. According to the song's writer, Marty Balin, when he pitched the song to the rest of the band, none of them were very enthusiastic about recording it. In 1998, Balin received a plaque from Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), a performing rights organization which monitors music performances on radio and elsewhere, recognizing that "Miracles" had been played over 2 million times.

1978 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Al Green is honored when Al Green Day is declared in Los Angeles. At that point, he had placed twelve albums on the Billboard R&B chart, including six consecutive number ones.

1981 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Steve Winwood's "Arc Of A Diver" becomes the first album to be released in Britain in the new "1+1" cassette format, which contains the artist's music on one side, while the other is left blank for the consumer to record on.

1982 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
A 300 pound stone that marks the grave of Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant was stolen from an Orange Park, Florida cemetery. Police found it two weeks later in a dry river bed.

1983 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Marvin Gaye performs a unique, sensual version of the American National Anthem at the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

1988 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Michael Jackson buys a ranch in Los Olivos, California that he names Neverland. The exact price he paid is never revealed.

1989 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Michael Jackson fired his manager, Frank Dileo. No official reason was ever given, but it is alleged that Michael was unhappy with Dileo's growing media profile.

1997 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Michael Jackson and wife Deborah Rowe become parents for the first time when their son, Prince Michael Jackson is born.

1999 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Blondie tops the UK chart with "Maria", giving them a British number one single in the '70s, '80s and '90s.

2002 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
64 year old Waylon Jennings died of complications from diabetes. At 21, he was a member of Buddy Holly's band who gave up his plane seat to the Big Bopper just before the doomed flight took off on February 3rd, 1959. Between 1965 and 1991, ninety-six Jennings singles appeared on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, and sixteen of those topped it. Fifty-four of his albums made that chart, with eleven reaching #1.

2005 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
At the 47th Grammy awards, Ray Charles' duets album "Genius Loves Company" won eight trophies, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Former Beach Boy's leader Brian Wilson won his first ever Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental for "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" from his CD "Smile", the album he was forced to delay for nearly 40 years because of emotional problems. Led Zeppelin received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Guitarist Jimmy Page was on hand along with bassist John Paul Jones and the children of late drummer John Bonham. Other classic rockers who took home statues were Rod Stewart - Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for "Stardust...The Great American Songbook Volume III" and Bruce Springsteen - Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for "Code Of Silence" from his album "The Essential Bruce Springsteen".

2011 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
With appearances by Mick Jagger, Barbra Streisand, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry, the CBS broadcast of The Grammy Awards played to their largest audience in ten years. 26.55 million viewers tuned in to see Country trio Lady Antebellum win Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year with "Need You Now".

2015 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Bob Dylan's 36th studio album, "Shadows in the Night", debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart and #7 on the Billboard 200 with 50,000 units sold.

2016 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
Lionel Richie was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year at a gala bash held in Los Angeles. Rihanna, Usher, Stevie Wonder and John Legend paid tribute to the 66-year-old singer in a musical tribute touching on his roots in R&B and his string of romantic, easy-listening ballads that ruled the airwaves in the 1980s.

2023 - ClassicBands.com

February 13
American rhythm-and-blues pianist Huey "Piano" Smith passed away at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the age of 89. He and his group, The Clowns scored a #9 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958 with the million selling record "Don't You Just Know It".



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