Rock 'n' Roll History for
February 4


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1955 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
The Blue Moon Boys, consisting of Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and DJ Fontana, headline at an amusement park in New Orleans.

1956 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
After taping a demo version the previous November, James Brown And The Famous Flames re-record "Please, Please, Please" at King Studios in Cincinnati. The single would go on to become a Billboard #5 R&B hit, selling over a million copies, but nine subsequent releases would fail to live up to the success of their debut. It would take over two years for the group to return to the charts with the #1 R&B hit, "Try Me".

February 4
A Harlem vocal group called The Cadillacs enter the Billboard Pop Chart with "Speedo", which will top out at #17 and become a Doo-Wop classic.

1967 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
The Seekers attain their highest spot on the Billboard Hot 100 when "Georgy Girl" peaks at #2 behind "I'm A Believer" by The Monkees. The song went to #3 in the UK and #1 in the band's home country of Australia. As the theme from the film of the same name, "Georgy Girl" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, but lost to "Born Free" by Matt Monroe.

1971 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
The Osmonds, a vocal group of five brothers fronted by 13-year-old Donny Osmond, receive their first Gold record for $1 million worth of sales of "One Bad Apple".

1977 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
One of the best selling albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac's, "Rumours" was released. The LP spent thirty-one weeks at the top of the US album chart on the strength of the singles, "Go Your Own Way", "Dreams", "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun", all of which hit the US Top 10. As of February 2023, "Rumours" had sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the fifth best-selling album of the 1970s, and the 9th best-selling album of all time.

1978 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
With movie theater promos showing John Travolta's character, Tony Manero, walking down the street to the beat of The Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive", the tune shot to the top of the Billboard Pop chart.

1982 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Alex Harvey, leader of the 1970s glam rockers, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, died after suffering two heart attacks. His death came on the eve of his 47th birthday.

February 4
The inaugural British Phonographic Industry Awards are held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" is given the nod as Best British Single, Adam And The Ants win Best British Album for "Kings Of The Wild Frontier", and John Lennon is honored posthumously for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.

1983 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Karen Carpenter died of heart irregularities caused by anorexia nervosa, just short of her 33rd birthday. She had reportedly began to make progress in fighting her condition when she collapsed at her parents' home in Downey, California. A made-for-TV Carpenters biography aired in 1989 and Karen's only solo album was released in 1996. It consisted of songs she had recorded without brother Richard in 1979 and 1980.

1984 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
A Detroit quartet who call themselves The Romantics see their biggest hit, "Talking In Your Sleep" peak at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The million selling single stayed on the chart for an amazing fifteen weeks.

1989 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
A Rock And Roll oddity took place when a group that no longer existed had the top tune on the Billboard chart. "When I'm With You" had been recorded in 1983 by a group called Sheriff, but they split up in 1985. The music director at a Las Vegas radio station began playing the song in late 1988 and the record soon surpassed its original number 61 chart position. A couple of members of the group combined with three ex-Heart players and formed Alias, while the others had minor success in Canada as Frozen Ghost.

2000 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Doris Kenner-Jackson of The Shirelles, whose soaring harmonies can be heard on "Soldier Boy" and a number of other hits in the early 1960s, died of breast cancer at the age of 58.

2007 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Billy Joel sang the United States National Anthem during the Super Bowl XLI (41) pre-game show and Prince performed during the halftime festivities.

2013 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Reg Presley, the lead singer for The Troggs on their 1966 smash "Wild Thing", died after a year-long struggle with lung cancer. He was 71.

2016 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Signe Anderson, the original female vocalist for Jefferson Airplane passed away at the age of 74. Signe sang on the band's 1966 debut album, "Jefferson Airplane Takes Off", before leaving to care for her newborn baby, a decision she would later say that she never regretted.

February 4
Elton John gave a surprise performance when he sat down at one of the pianos open to the public in London's St. Pancras subway station. He entertained the crowd with a few songs on a piano that he himself had donated to the station.

February 4
An updated version of The Mamas And Papas' "California Dreamin'" by a German DJ called Freischwimmer (real name: Sebastian Bernhardt) topped the Billboard Dance Chart. The original version made it to #4 nearly fifty years earlier in March, 1966.

February 4
Joe Dowell, the American Pop singer who topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 with "Wooden Heart", passed away after suffering a heart attack a week earlier. He was 76.

February 4
Maurice White, vocalist and co-founder of Earth, Wind And Fire, died in his sleep at the age of 74. He helped the band place sixteen songs on Billboard's Top 40 chart between 1974 and 1983. Health problems forced him to retire from touring in 1994, but he remained active on the business side of the group.

2017 - ClassicBands.com

February 4
Black Sabbath played the final show of their nearly fifty year career with a two hour send-off in their home town of Birmingham, England. Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, and bassist Geezer Butler played a fifteen song set, ending with their first hit, "Paranoid". As ticker tape and balloons fell, Ozzy thanked the fans and waved goodbye.



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