Music History - February 18

In 1942, the Mills Brothers recorded "Paper Doll." It was released as the B-side of "I'll Be Around," but became a hit when a disc jockey flipped it over. Recorded in 15 minutes, "Paper Doll" became the biggest hit of the Brothers' four-decade-long recording career. It rose to #1 on the music charts and stayed there for 12 weeks, sold more than six million copies, and was the biggest-selling non-holiday record of the decade.

In 1956, Pat Boone's cover version of Little Richard's #17 hit, "Tutti Frutti," peaks at #12 on the US Pop chart. Boone himself later admitted that he didn't even want to record the song because "it didn’t make sense" to him.

In 1958, at the Capital Recording Studio in New York City, the Kingston Trio recorded "The Tijuana Jail."

In 1959, while on leave from the U.S. Army, Elvis Presley appeared after hours at the Lido Club in Paris and sang "Willow Weep For Me" in an impromptu show for club employees.

On February 18, 1959, Ray Charles recorded “What’d I Say,” in New York City. The song had evolved in concert as a call-and-response between Charles and his female back-up singers. It became Charles’ biggest hit to date, reaching #1 on the R&B charts and #6 on the pop charts.  It earned Ray Charles his first gold record and has been one of the most influential songs in R&B and rock and roll history. For the rest of his career, Charles closed every concert with the song. It was added to the National Recording Registry in 2002 and ranked at #10 in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

In 1960, in Nashville, the Everly Brothers recorded "When Will I Be Loved."

In 1962, on weekend leave from training with the US Marines, the Everly Brothers sang their current single, "Crying In The Rain," on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."

In 1964, while vacationing in Miami during their first trip to the US, the Beatles were involved in a photo session with heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay (who later changed his name to Muhammed Ali). Clay said, "You guys got to be making a lot of money. You ain't as dumb as you look." John Lennon replied, "No, but you are." That night at a local drive-in movie theater the group saw the new Elvis Presley film "Fun In Acapulco."

On this day in 1964, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles was the #1 song.

On February 18, 1965, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, the Beatles recorded John Lennon's "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away." The song shows the influence of the American singer Bob Dylan. The song "is just basically John doing Dylan", Paul McCartney later said. "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" was the first Beatles song to feature an outside musician (apart from "Love Me Do", the group's first EMI recording, in which producer George Martin had engaged a session drummer to substitute for the then-untried Ringo Starr). The basic rhythm track was recorded first, followed by George Harrison's guitar and some extra percussion. John Scott recorded a tenor flute in the spaces in Lennon's vocal track and an additional alto flute part, in harmony with the first, on the last available track of the four-track machine.

In 1966, at Commemorative Auditorium in Sydney, the Rolling Stones began an 11-date tour of Australia and New Zealand with the Searchers as their opening act.

In 1968, David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd as the replacement for founding member Syd Barrett who had checked himself into a psychiatric hospital and then gone into seclusion.

In 1968, pianist Paul Mauriat played his hit "Love Is Blue" on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1969, the Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

In 1970, Rare Earth released the single "Get Ready."

In 1973, four men climbed onto the stage during an Elvis Presley show in Las Vegas. Fearing an attack, Elvis and bassist Jerry Schiff used karate to immobilize them. No charges were filed. Elvis told the audience, "I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen. I'm sorry I didn't break his goddamned neck, is what I'm sorry about."

In 1973, Blood Sweat & Tears, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were featured on the premiere of the syndicated radio concert series "The King Biscuit Flower Hour."

On February 18, 1974, KISS release their self titled debut album, but it will barely crack the Hot 100. It would take three more attempts for the band to establish itself. 

In 1974, Ringo Starr released the single "Oh My My."

In 1974, Yes played their first show at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

In 1978, winners at the Grammy Awards included Fleetwood Mac, Album of the Year for 'Rumours,' the Eagles, Record of the Year for 'Hotel California,' and The Bee Gees, Best Pop Vocal Performance for “How Deep is Your Love.”

In 1980, during an interview, Rolling Stone Bill Wyman said that he intended to leave the band in 1982 on the group’s 20th anniversary. Wyman quit the band in 1993.

In 1980, filming began on Ringo Starr's feature film, "Caveman," co-starring his future wife, Barbara Bach.

In 1981, Mick Fleetwood began a visit to Ghana during which he recorded a solo album, 'The Visitor,' with African musicians.

In 1987, Bon Jovi were at #1 on the US singles chart with “Livin’ on a Prayer.” It made it to #4 in the UK.

In 1987, Prince released the single "Sign O' The Times." He performed everything on the track except for some backing vocals by then-girlfriend Susannah Melvoin.

In 1995, guitarist Bob Stinson from The Replacements died from a drug overdose, his body was found in his Uptown, Minneapolis apartment.

In 1995, record producer Denny Cordell, who produced the debut albums of the Moody Blues, the Move and Procol Harum, died of lymphoma at age 51. After his early success in England, Cordell moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and started Shelter Records with keyboardist Leon Russell, signing to the label J. J. Cale, Phoebe Snow, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, among others.

In 1997, Trinity Broadcasting Network, a U.S. Christian television network, cancelled Pat Boone's weekly gospel music show, "Gospel America," following his appearance in black leather and fake tattoos on ABC-TV's "American Music Awards" show. Later, after making a special appearance on TBN with the president of the network and his pastor, most fans accepted Boone's explanation of the leather outfit being a "parody of himself," leading to Trinity Broadcasting reinstating him and "Gospel America."

In 2006, at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, the Rolling Stones gave a free concert to a crowd of more than one million people.

In 2006, the surviving members of the Bee Gees, Robin and Barry Gibb, returned to the stage for the first time since their brother Maurice died in 2003. The pair reunited for a charity concert in Miami to raise money for the Diabetes Research Institute.

In 2009, his management team announced Michael Jackson's intention to auction off his American Music Award for "Thriller," his Gold and Platinum records, a Rolls Royce limousine, a customized Harley Davidson, a velvet cape given to him by his children for Father's Day in 1998, a pair of rhinestone-trimmed socks from 1981, a basketball signed by Michael Jordan, and his own original artwork.

In 2009, Sam & Dave's Sam Moore filed suit against the producers of the movie "Soul Men" claiming they misappropriated the history, trademarks and trade names of Moore and his late singing partner Dave Prater.

In 2010, Gordon Lightfoot was headed to the dentist when he heard on the radio that he was dead. "It seems like a bit of a hoax or something," the 71-year-old singer said. "I was quite surprised to hear it myself."

In 2013, R&B singer Damon Harris, onetime member (1971-1975) of the Temptations, died of prostate cancer at 61.

birthdays today include (among others): Yoko Ono (81), Irma Thomas (73), Dennis DeYoung (Styx) (67), Juice Newton (62) and Dr. Dre (49)