Rock 'n' Roll History for
February 17


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1955 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
At the recommendation of R&B artist Lloyd Price, Richard Penniman, who is currently leading an ensemble called Little Richard And The Upsetters, sends a demo tape to Specialty Records founder Art Rupe. After some initial reluctance, Rupe will sign Penniman to a contract that will pay the singer a half cent for every record sold.

1960 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
After achieving more than 15 million in sales with Cadence Records, The Everly Brothers sign a ten year, $1 million contract with Warner Brothers records, where they will enjoy eight more US Top 40 hits over the next seven years. The value of the contract was rumored to be inflated for publicity purposes.

February 17
Elvis receives a Gold record for his first album, "Elvis Presley". The LP spent ten weeks at the top of the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart in 1956, becoming the first Rock 'n' Roll album to accomplish that feat. It was also the first million-selling album of that genre.

1962 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Gene Chandler had the top tune on the Billboard Pop chart with "Duke Of Earl", the first of his six US chart hits. The song would be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, and was chosen by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

1964 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass appear in their first major concert in Los Angeles. Over the next three years they will become one of the most successful instrumental acts in history, achieving twelve Billboard Top 40 hits. What most fans didn't realize was that, with the exception of Herb Alpert himself, the musicians appearing live were not the studio musicians who recorded the songs.

1966 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
James Brown records "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" at Bob Gallo's Talentmasters studio in New York. The song would top the Billboard R&B chart and reach #13 in the UK. The song was originally called "It's A Man's World", but Brown added the extra words to the title as a reference to the 1963 hit comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

February 17
The Beach Boys begin recording sessions for Brian Wilson's masterpiece, "Good Vibrations". Multiple layered overdubs spread out over eleven sessions would make this the most expensive single ever recorded to date. Although the record would top charts around the world and sell millions of copies, it would be The Beach Boys' last to reach the Billboard Top 10 for ten years.

February 17
25-year-old Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler receives two Gold records for the single "The Ballad of the Green Berets" and the album of the same name.

1971 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
James Taylor makes his TV debut on ABC's Johnny Cash Show. Between 1969 and 2008, he would place eighteen songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and twenty-six albums on the Hot 200.

1972 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Pink Floyd premiered some material that was scheduled to appear on the "Dark Side of the Moon" album, including the song "Eclipse", at the Rainbow Theatre in London. Eventually the playing of live versions of songs yet to be released would have to be stopped as bootleg copies of their material started to appear before the studio releases.

1973 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
The Long Beach, California band called War started a two-week run at #1 on the Billboard album chart with "The World Is A Ghetto". The LP was their third to make the chart after the departure of lead singer Eric Burdon.

February 17
The Rock ensemble Free, who reached #2 in the UK and #4 in the US in 1970 with "All Right Now", play their final show at Florida's Hollywood Sportatorium. Vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke will move on to form Bad Company.

February 17
Olcott, New York's King Harvest sees their first and only Billboard Top 40 record, "Dancing In The Moonlight" peak at #13. The song also reached #10 on the Cash Box best sellers list and #5 on Canada's RPM Singles chart.

1976 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
The Eagles release their "Greatest Hits 1971 - 1975" album. To this day, it is still one of the best selling records of all time.

February 17
Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatrical society gives its annual Women of the Year award to Bette Midler. Upon accepting, Bette says: "This award characterizes what the American male wants in a woman...brains, talent and gorgeous tits."

1979 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
England's The Clash kick off their US tour in New York, opening with a mainstay of their live act called "I'm So Bored With The USA". The band placed twenty-three songs on the UK's Top 100, but just three on the Billboard chart.

1997 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
ABC airs Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees, a one-hour comedy special written and directed by original Monkee Mike Nesmith. The show features all four of the original band members and proved to be the last time that Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork appeared together in a new television program. The four recalled some of their old adventures and sang a medley of their hits: "Last Train To Clarksville", "Daydream Believer", "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone", "I'm A Believer" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday".

2004 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
The Recording Industry Association of America filed 531 "John Doe" lawsuits against suspected users of peer-to-peer file-sharing services. Once a John Doe suit has been approved by a judge, the record-label plaintiffs can subpoena the information necessary to identify the defendant by name.

2006 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie Presley, married guitarist and musical director Michael Lockwood in Japan. Lisa Marie was formerly married to Danny Keough from 1988-1994, Michael Jackson from 1994-1996 and Nicolas Cage for a short time in 2002. She has two children with Danny Keough; Benjamin Storm and Danielle Riley. Lisa's mother, Priscilla Presley attended and was part of the traditional Japanese wedding service.

2008 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Little Richard got a standing ovation from a crowd of 2,400 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville without playing a single note. The 75 year old Rock 'n Roll pioneer was seated at the rear of the auditorium during a concert by The Temptations and The Four Tops when he was introduced by The Temp's Otis Williams.

2012 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Michael Davis, part of the MC5 line-up who rose to prominence with their 1969 track "Kick Out the Jams", died following treatment for liver disease. He was 68.

2014 - ClassicBands.com

February 17
Devo guitarist Bob Casale died of heart failure at the age of 61. The band had a string of New Wave hits during the '80s, including "Whip It" (US #14, UK #51 in 1980).



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