February 6th



  • 1916. Pop/R&B pianist Bill Doggett born in Philadelphia.

  • 1941. Dave Berry born David Holgate Grundy in Sheffield, Yorkshire.

  • 1943. Fabian born Fabian Forte Bonaparte in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

  • 1945. Bob Marley born Robert Nesta Marley in St. Anne's, Jamaica.

  • 1950. Composer, arranger, producer (and the man behind the music of The Wombles) Mike Batt born in Southampton, England.

  • 1950. Natalie Cole born in Los Angeles.

  • 1951. Singer/songwriter Skip Ewing born in Redlands, California.

  • 1955. North Hall, Ellis Auditorium, Memphis: Elvis Presley.

  • 1956. National Theater, Greensboro, North Carolina: Elvis Presley.

  • 1958. The Quarry Men (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton, and perhaps John "Duff" Lowe) perform at Wilson Hall, Garston, Liverpool. Although the memories of the participants differ greatly as to when George Harrison met The Quarry Men for the first time, it is generally accepted that February 6 is the most plausible date. George was never officially asked to become a member of The Quarry Men, but he worked his way into the group by persistently sitting in during rehearsals and filling in when one of The Quarry Men was unable to perform.

  • 1960. R&B singer/songwriter Jesse Belvin ("Earth Angel") dies in a car crash in Los Angeles.

  • 1961. Lathom Hall, Seaforth, Liverpool: The Beatles.

  • 1962. Richie McDonald (Lonestar) born.

    1962. Axl Rose (Guns N" Roses) born William Bailey in Lafayette, Indiana.

  • 1963. On the Helen Shapiro tour, The Beatles perform at the Granada Cinema, Bedford, Bedfordshire.

  • 1964. Marquee Club, London: The Yardbirds.

  • 1966. Rick Astley born in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, England.

    1966. On television: (U.S.A.). Ed Sullivan Show. No. 862. with musical guests The Animals, Simon & Garfunkel, Rosemary Clooney

    1966. Marquee Club (Spontaneous Underground): Pink Floyd
    Woolwich R&B Club, Shakespeare Hotel, London: John Mayall's Blues Breakers

    1966. Frank Sinatra's albuma, "A Man & His Music" and "September Of My Years" are certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1967. On television: (U.S.A.) The Monkees in an episode entitled, "The Prince And The Paupers".

  • 1968. The Beatles are recording in Studio One, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, London. With Ringo appearing on the "Cilla" television program, John, Paul and George hold a recording session without him. They finish "Lady Madonna" and just about complete "The Inner Light". But they take time out to watch Ringo on the telly. For "Lady Madonna", a four-man saxophone section is brought into the studio to overdub the rooty-toot sax parts. For "The Inner Light" George overdubs vocals onto the instrumental track that was recorded in Bombay. A remix version of the takes that make up the master tape of "Lady Madonna" is included on "The Beatles Anthology 2" (Disc two, Track 19).

    1968. Ringo Starr appears live on the BBC1 program "Cilla", hosted by Cilla Black. Black was a personal friend of The Beatles, having benefited, like them, from being managed by Brian Epstein. Epstein, before his death the previous August, had made arrangement for this television series. The theme song, "Step Inside Love", was a song that Paul McCartney had written specifically for Cilla. On the program, Ringo shows himself to be an all-round entertainer, not just a rock-and-roll drummer. He sings, acts in comedy routines, and even does a bit of tap-dancing.

    1968. Roundhouse, Kobenhavn-Osterbro (Denmark): Cream.
    VIP Club, Tucson, Arizona: Jimi Hendrix Experience. Support: Soft Machine.

  • 1969. Radio One Club, Top Rank Suite, Birmingham Top Rank Suite: Deep Purple.
    Whiskey-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood: Them.

  • 1970. UK release of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band's single "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)/Who Has Seen the Wind?" (Apple). The flip side is a Yoko Ono song. 6 weeks on the charts; highest position #5.

    1970. Waltham Forest Technical College: Deep Purple.
    Free Trade Hall, Manchester: Pink Floyd.
    Fillmore East, New York City, New York: Delaney and Bonnie.

  • 1971. Sheffield City Hall: Deep Purple.

  • 1972. David Bowie is in rehearsals at RCA Studios, New York.

  • 1974. The New Seekers announce they are to split up before the summer. They will fulfill all their engagements until May 5th but have no plans after that.

    1974. Cardiff, University: East Wind. Support: Hatfield And The North.

    1974. Barbra Streisand's single, "The Way We Were"is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1975. Reims, France: Hatfield And The North.

    1975. The Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Led Zeppelin.

  • 1976. Jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi dies aged 57.

    1976. John Lennon's contract with Capitol/E.M.I. expires and is not renewed. For the first time in 15 years, he is without a label.

    1976. Lakeland Civic Centre Florida: Deep Purple.

    1976. UK release of George Harrison single "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)/Maya Love" (Apple).

  • 1979. Blondie's album, "Parallel Lines" is certified platinum by the B.P.I.

    1979. J. Geils Band's album, "Sanctuary" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1980. Stuart Adamson (The Skids) marries Sandra Davidson in St. Leonards Church, Dunfermline.

    1980. Cheap Trick's album, "Dream Police" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Kenny Loggins' album, "Keep The Fire" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1981. Movie soundtrack composer Hugo Montenegro dies of emphysema, aged 55.

    1981. Marquee Club: Reluctant Stereotypes.

    1981. On television: (U.S.A.) The Midnight Special No. 344. Host: Lynda Carter. Guests: Gail Davies, Devo, Charles Grodin, T.G. Sheppard.

    1981. George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr get together in the studio to record George's song "All Those Years Ago", a tribute to John Lennon. George later said that this was not a Beatles reunion and that "There will be no Beatles reunion as long as John stays dead." [Note: Some sources imply that the three former Beatles did not actually record their parts for this song together but at different times. In my opinion, that scenario seems more likely.]

    1981. The Eagles' album, "Live" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    Fleetwood Mac's album, "Fleetwood Mac Live" is certified gold by the B.P.I.
    John Lennon / Yoko Ono's album, "Double Fantasy" is certified platinum by the B.P.I.
    Paul Simon's album, "One Trick Pony" is certified silver by the B.P.I.

  • 1981. Abba's album, "Super Trouper" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON's album, "A Decade Of Rock And Roll" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Boz Scaggs' album, "Middle Man" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1982. Marquee Club: Tandoori Cassette.

  • 1983. Marquee Club: Limelight Shellshock.

  • 1984. Marquee Club: Katrina & The Waves. Support: The Fines.

  • 1985. Marquee Club: Persian Risk.

  • 1985. Matt Bianco's album, "Whose Side Are You On" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    Meatloaf's album, "Hits Out Of Hell" is certified gold by the B.P.I.
    Siouxsie & The Banshees' album, "Join Hands" is certified silver by the B.P.I.

  • 1986. Marquee Club: Erasure.

    1986. UB40's album, "Baggariddam"is certified gold by the B.P.I.

  • 1987. Marquee Club: Two People. Support: Fire Next Time.
    Saarlandhalle, Saarbrucken, Germany: Deep Purple.

    1987. Barbra Streisand's longform video, "My Name Is Barbra" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1988. Marquee Club: Faith No More.

    1988. On television: (U.S.A.) Soul Train featuring Peabo Bryson with Regina Belle; Rebbie Jackson; Keith Sweat

  • 1989. Legendary Jamaican producer and master-mixer King Tubby (real name Osbourne Ruddock) is shot dead outside his home in Duaney Park, Kingston. Tubby had been working late at his Drumlie Avenue studio in the Kingston 11 ghetto. Getting out of his car he was approached by an armed man who demanded his legally owned pistol, gold chain and wallet before shooting him in the chest.

    1989. Marquee Club: The Expressway. Support: Miss B. Haven.

    1989. Billy Vera & The Beaters' single, "At This Moment" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Vixen's eponymous album is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1990. Billy Idol crashes his motorcycle after running a red light in Hollywood. The singer breaks his arm and leg in a number of places. He'd just left the recording studios, where he's working on his new album, "Charmed Life".

    1990. Marquee Club: Romeo Suspect. Support: The Chemistry Set + Next Of Kin.

    1990. 10,000 Maniacs' album, "In My Tribe" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    808 State's album, Ninety" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    Skid Row's eponymous album is certified silver by the B.P.I.

  • 1991. Marquee Club: Easy. Support: Spitfire.
    Zagreb, Yugoslavia: Deep Purple.

    1991. Madonna's longform video, "The Immaculate Collection" is certified 1.5 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1992. The Beatles' album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is certified 8 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Karyn White's album, "Ritual Of Love" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Naughty By Nature's eponymous album is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1993. Damon Albarn (Blur) tells the "Lost In Music" seminar at London's Town And Country Club that Blur came close to bankruptcy despite their success.

  • 1993. On television: (U.S.A.) Saturday Night Live with musical guest Mick Jagger.
    (U.S.A.) Soul Train featuring Silk; Toni Braxton; Portrait.

  • 1994. David Gilmour is in Studio One at the BBC's Television Centre in London recording "Bop For Bosnia" with Chris Jagger, Dave Stewart, Leo Sayer, Simon Kirke and John Newey.

  • 1995. New releases: Garth Brooks new single, "The Dance".
    Garth Brooks' new single, "The Dance".
    The Chainsaw Kittens' new single, "Pop Heiress".
    Del Amitri's new single, "Here & Now".
    The Delgados' new single, "Brand New Car".
    The Go-Go's' new single, "The Whole World Lost Its Head".
    Charlene Smith's new single, "Too Much For Me".
    That Uncertain Feeling's new single, "Brother".
    Ann Dudley's new album, "Ancient And Modern".
    The Popguns' new album, "Love Junky".
    Slowdive's new album, "Pygmalion".
    Uncle Sam's new album, "When God Dies".

    1995. Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet) collapses at home and is rushed to London's National Neurological Hospital. An emergency operation to remove a benign brain tumour is succesfully performed.

  • 1996. The Rolling Stones' album, "Stripped" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Solo's eponymous album is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 1997. John Rossall, original sax player with The Glitter Band, appears in the High Court charged with breaching court orders going back as far as 1984. Rossall has been calling his band, The Glitter Band despite having been ordered never to do so again. This current action was brought by Gerry Shepherd and Peter Phipps, leader and drummer with The Glitter Band. They found out that Rossall had staged 10 concerts in December using their name, much to the disappointment of their fans. The judge warned Rossall that he would face one year in prison if he ever breached the order again.

    1997. On televsion: (France) Taratata. No. 150. Recorded 18 décembre 1996. Solos: ZUCCHERO; Texas; Indochine; The Cardigans. Duos: Zucchero & Texas; Zucchero & Paul Young.

  • 1998. Austrian rock star, Falco, dies after a car crash in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic aged 40. He suffered severe head injuries in a collision with a small bus and despite being rushed to hospital, died within hours.

    1998. The New South Wales state coroner, Derek Hand, announces that Michael Hutchence's death at Sydney's Ritz-Carlton Hotel in December 1997 was suicide. His statement reads, "I am satisfied that the cause of death was hanging. I am also satisfied that there was no other person involved in causing the death ... the deceased intended to and did take his own life". The coroner's report pours scorn on tabloid reports that the INXS star was involved in some sort of autoerotic act that went horribly wrong.

    1998. A Bob Marley theme park opens in Florida. Run by Universal Studios it's based in a building designed to look like Marley's home in Kingston, Jamaica, which now houses the Bob Marley Museum.

    1998. Contemporary jazzman Nick Webb (Acoustic Alchemy) dies from pancreatic cancer in London, aged 43.

    1998. Carl Wilson (The Beach Boys) dies in Los Angeles from complications of lung cancer. He was also suffering from a brain tumour.

    1998. Ian Brown's album "Unfinished Monkey Business" is certified gold by the B.P.I.
    James Horner's "Titanic - OST" is certified gold by the B.P.I.
    Morcheeba's album, "Who Can You Trust?" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    Usher's album, "My Way" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    Wildchild's single, "Renegade Master" is certified silver by the B.P.I.
    Robbie Williams' single, "Angels" is certified platinum by the B.P.I.

    1998. Alabama's album, "Dancin' On The Boulevard" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Martine McBride's album, "Wild Angels" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.

    1998. On Television: (U.K.) Top Of The Pops. Presented by Zoe Ball. Featuring Aqua - "Doctor Jones"; Carleen Anderson - "Maybe I'm Amazed"; Freestyles Feat Tenor Fly - "B-Boy Stance"; OTT - "The Story Of Love"; The Rolling Stones - "Saint Of Me"; Saint Etienne - "Sylvie"; Usher - "You Make Me Wanna"; Will Smith - "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It.

  • 1999. A Mutsumi Fukuhara, lead singer with Japanese indie rock band Super Junky Monkey dies when she falls from a balcony in her apartment.

    1999. On television: (U.S.A.) Saturday Night Live with musical guest Barenaked Ladies.
    (U.S.A.) Soul Train featuring Tevin Campbell; Kelly Price; 3rd Storee.

  • 2000. Jazz drummer Gus Johnson Jnr. dies in Denver, Colorado, aged 86. He played for many of the legendary names in Jazz, including Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman and Lena Horne. He'd semi-retired by 1974 and the onset of Alzheimer's Disease ended his career in 1990.

  • 2001. Almost one year after his death, fans, friends and family of rapper Big Pun (real name Christopher Rios), gather in the South Bronx, New York to dedicate a mural painted by graffiti artists, Tats Crew. The mural replaces one painted on 163rd Street and Intervale Boulevard after Rios' death on February 7th last year.

    2001. The Beatles' album, "Abbey Road" is certified 12 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A. Their album, "The Beatles" is certified 19 X Platinum, "The Beatles 1962 - 1966" is certified 15 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A. "The Beatles 1967 - 1970" is certified 16 X Platinum and the album, "Beatles For Sale" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Phil Collins' album, "No Jacket Required" is certified 12 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A. and his album, "...Hits" is certified 2 X Platinum.
    The Corrs album, "Talk On Corners - Special Edition" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Crazy Town's album, "The Gift Of Game" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Jimi Hendrix's album, "Blues" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    INXS' album, "The Swing" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Jagged Edge's album, "J.E. Heartbreak" is certified 2 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Lifehouse's album, "No Name Face" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Moby's album, "Play" is certified 2 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Outkast's album, "Stankonia" is certified 3 X Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
    Britney Spears' single, "Stronger" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    George Strait's eponymous album, is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 2002. Gladys Knight & The Pips' album, "Greatest Hits" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    The Strokes' album, "Is This It?" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

  • 2003. Nearly 27 million Americans tuned into to watch ABC's two-hour documentary on Michael Jackson. That's a huge increase on their normal Thursday night viewing figures of 6.5 million and explains why all the networks were keen to air the special, which cost ABC $ 5 million.

    2003. Josh Groban's album, "Live In Concert" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Dave Koz's album, "The Dance" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
    Fabulous' album, "Ghetto Fabulous" is certified platinum by the R.I.A.A.


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