Rock 'n' Roll History for
February 25


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1957 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
Buddy Holly And The Crickets begin recording "That'll Be The Day" with producer Norman Petty at his studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Holly had recorded the song with his band, The Three Tunes, in Nashville in 1956, but Decca Records brass didn't like the result and refused to release it. Holly's new version would become his signature tune, rising to #1 in both the US and the UK.

1961 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
After being discharged from the US Army nearly a year ago, Elvis Presley makes his first concert appearance since 1958 at the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, Tennessee. During the show, RCA Records presents The King with a plaque to commemorate 76 million records sold worldwide.

1963 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
The first Beatles' single is released in America by Chicago's Vee Jay Records. The 45 featured "Please Please Me" as the "A" side, but the name of band is misspelled "Beattles".

1966 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
Nancy Sinatra receives her first Gold record for her current Billboard #1 hit, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'". Her second was shared with her father Frank in 1967 for "Something Stupid".

1968 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
The Jimi Hendrix Experience play two shows at the Civic Opera House in Chicago. Between performances, Jimi gets "casted" by a 20-year-old groupie who calls herself Cynthia Plaster Caster, who makes a plaster mold of his erect penis. Between 1968 and 2014, Cynthia, born Cynthia Dorothy Albritton, would cast several famous musicians, including Noel Redding (of The Jimi Hendrix Experience), Eric Burdon (of The Animals), Eddie Brigati (of The Rascals) and Zal Yanovsky (of The Lovin' Spoonful).

1981 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
At the Grammy Awards, Christopher Cross wins in four categories; Best New Artist, "Sailing" is Song of the Year and Record of the Year, and his debut album "Christopher Cross" is tabbed as Album of the Year. Kenny Loggins' "This Is It" is named Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male went to Billy Joel for "Glass Houses". Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female was given to Bette Midler for "The Rose", Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female was Pat Benatar for "Crimes Of Passion", and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal went to Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band for "Against the Wind". Best Comedy Recording was awarded to Rodney Dangerfield for "No Respect".

1984 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
Van Halen's "Jump" peaks at #1 in the US and #7 in the UK. Over the years David Lee Roth has given various accounts of the meaning behind the lyrics, but most often says they are about a TV news story he saw where a man was about to kill himself by jumping off a building.

1986 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
"We Are The World" wins Grammys for Best Record and Best Song, while Phil Collins "No Jacket Required" wins Best Album.

1987 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
London newspaper The Sun begins printing a series of articles in which Elton John's personal life comes into question. After lawyers got involved, The Sun would end up paying £1 million ($1.9 million) and issuing a printed apology which consisted of simply "Sorry, Elton."

1992 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
At the The 34th Annual Grammy Awards, James Brown is recognized for Lifetime Achievement and Michael Bolton is given a statue for Best Pop Vocal Performance for his note-for-note remake of Percy Sledge's 1966 #1 smash, "When a Man Loves a Woman".

1993 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
Toy Caldwell, lead guitarist for The Marshall Tucker Band, died in his sleep at the age of 45. The band is most often remembered for their Billboard #14 hit, "Heard It In A Love Song" in 1977.

1997 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
The Bee Gees are honored with an award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music at the 16th annual BRIT awards in London, during which they perform a medley of their hits.

1998 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
At Radio City Music Hall, Bob Dylan is handed three Grammys, including one for Best Album for "Time Out Of Mind". Dylan's son, Jakob, also won an award, winning Best Song for "One Headlight", a tune he recorded with his band The Wallflowers. Also winning awards were John Fogerty, who picked up Best Rock Album for "Blue Moon Swamp", Elton John for Best Male Vocal for "Candle In The Wind 1997" and Van Morrison And John Lee Hooker who won for Best Pop Collaboration for "Don't Look Back". Bo Diddley and Roy Orbison were cited for Lifetime Achievement.

2006 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
George Michael was found slumped over in a car in London by a concerned passer-by who called police. Michael was checked by paramedics and did not need treatment, however, he was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and then released on bail.

2009 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
United States President Barack Obama honored Stevie Wonder with one of America's highest awards for Pop music, the Library of Congress' Gershwin prize at a ceremony at the White House. Obama called Wonder "the soundtrack of my youth."

2010 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
Marie Osmond's adopted son, 18-year-old Michael Blosil, was found dead on the ground below an apartment balcony in Los Angeles. After a life-long battle with severe depression, he left a suicide note saying he had no friends and could never fit in.

2011 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
Rick Coonce, drummer for The Grass Roots on their eleven Billboard Top 40 hits, died of heart failure at the age of 64.

2015 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
On what would have been his 72nd birthday, a memorial tree honoring George Harrison was planted in a Los Angeles park to replace one that was earlier killed by a beetle infestation.

February 25
Madonna fell down a set of stage stairs during her performance of "Living For Love" at the Brit Awards when the cape she is wearing fails to release properly when pulled by a dancer. She got up and finished the performance, later reassuring fans that she is unhurt.

2016 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
A $10 million lawsuit filed by producer Quincy Jones against Sony Entertainment and MJJ Productions over projects made after Michael Jackson's death was given the go-ahead by a US judge. The suit claimed master recordings Jones worked on were wrongfully edited and remixed to deprive him of backend profit on works including the This Is It film and soundtrack album and the 25th anniversary edition of the album "Bad".

2023 - ClassicBands.com

February 25
The Rolling Stones' latest album, "GRRR Live!" entered Billboard's Top Album Sales Chart at #7. That marked the fifth consecutive year that a Rolling Stones album found a place in a Top 10 chart.



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