Rock 'n' Roll History for
February 28


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1966 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
The original Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, the home of many of the Beatles' early performances, closes its doors for the final time because of mounting debt. Police were called when over a 100 fans barricaded themselves inside the club to protest.

February 28
The debut LP by The Mamas & The Papas "If You Can Believe You Eyes and Ears" was released on Dunhill Records. It would go on to hit #1 on the Billboard 200, and was their only LP to do so. There were four singles released from the album: "California Dreamin'" (#4 in 1966), "Monday, Monday" (#1 in 1966), "Go Where You Wanna Go" (Did Not Chart) and "Do You Wanna Dance?" (Did Not Chart).

1968 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
25 year old Frankie Lymon, lead singer of The Teenagers, died of a heroin overdose in his grandmother's New York home. Lymon was on leave from a Georgia Army post at the time and was scheduled to record for Roulette Records the next day. He first hit the national charts in 1956 when he was just 13 with "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".

1970 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
After the family of the late Count Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin threatens a lawsuit, Led Zeppelin performs in Copenhagen, Denmark as The Nobs. The band had earlier invited Countess Frau Eva von Zeppelin to meet with them for a cup of tea at a television studio, and by all accounts the conference was very friendly. However, her anger rekindled when she saw the cover of their debut album "Led Zeppelin", featuring the Hindenburg airship crashing to the ground in flames. The noblewoman angrily described the group as "shrieking monkeys."

February 28
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" becomes Simon And Garfunkel's third US number one hit. The song would go on to win five awards at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971, including Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year. The piano player on the track is Larry Knechtel, who also played for the soft-rock group, Bread. The drummer was legendary session man Hal Blaine.

1974 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
28 year old Bobby Bloom, who is best remembered for his #8, 1970 hit "Montego Bay", dies of a gunshot wound to the head. His death was originally thought to be suicide, but is now considered accidental.

1976 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years" in named Best Pop Vocal Performance and Album Of The Year at the 18th annual Grammy Awards. In his acceptance speech, Simon tells the audience "I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album this year."

February 28
The theme from the ABC-TV program S.W.A.T. became the first television theme song to top the Billboard Hot 100. Before that, the theme from the original Hawaii 5-0 had made it to number 4.

1977 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
Ray Charles is attacked onstage by a man who tried to strangle him with a microphone cord. The man was a member of a group called The Giant Step, a community program for disadvantaged youths. They promised that the matter would be handled within the organization and no charges were laid. Luckily, Charles came away without a scratch, and continued to perform later in the evening.

1981 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
Country music star Eddie Rabbitt crossed over to the Pop chart to score a US number one hit with "I Love a Rainy Night". It made #53 in the UK. He had earlier written the Elvis Presley smash "Kentucky Rain" before having a number five hit with "Drivin' My Life Away". Although it sounds like he made up a stage name, his real name was Edward Thomas Rabbitt.

1984 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
John Denver hosts the Grammy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Michael Jackson wins eight statues, including Best Album for "Thriller" and Best Record for "Beat It". The Police's "Every Breath You Take" wins Best Song and Culture Club wins Best New Artist.

1985 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
David Byron, vocalist and co-founder of the British Rock band Uriah Heep, suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 38. Before being fired in 1976, he led the band to eight charting albums in the UK and ten in the US.

1986 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
George Michael announced that Wham! would officially split during the following summer. Since 1982, the duo had enjoyed twelve UK Top 40 hits and seven in the US.

2005 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
Chris Curtis, drummer, vocalist and charismatic front man for the 1960s pop group The Searchers, passed away at the age of 63. His band placed seven songs in Billboard's Top 40 including "Needles And Pins" (#13 in 1964) and "Love Potion Number Nine" (#3 in 1965).

February 28
For the first time in nine years, a Lennon / McCartney song charted on the Billboard Hot 100. "Across the Universe" was first issued for a charity album for the World Wildlife Fund, but after a group of artists performed the song live at the Grammy Awards to raise funds for Tsunami Aid, the song quickly rose to number 22.

2007 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
The Doors were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek were on hand, along with Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, who signed the band and worked closely with them in the studio. Drummer John Densmore did not attend the event.

2008 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
Mike Smith, keyboard player and lead vocalist for The Dave Clark Five, died of pneumonia less than two weeks before the band was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was 64. The band was a major part of the so-called "British Invasion", placing twenty songs on the UK Top 40 and seventeen on the same Billboard chart between 1962 and 1971.

February 28
Former Culture Club front man Boy George (O'Dowd) pleaded not guilty to charges of false imprisonment at a hearing in London, England. Prosecutors alleged that George tied a male escort to a bed after accusing him of obtaining private photos from his laptop. The 46 year old singer would be found guilty in January, 2009 and sentenced to 15 months in prison.

2010 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
Neil Young made a surprise appearance at the closing of the Vancouver Olympic Games where he sang "Long May You Run" as the Olympic flame was extinguished.

2019 - ClassicBands.com

February 28
A report from the Recording Industry Association of America showed an increase in vinyl record sales of 8 percent, with 2018 revenue of $419 million. CD income fell 34 percent, selling $698 million worth of product the same year, marking the first time that format reported sub-billion-dollar revenue since 1986.



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