On February 19, 1878, Edison was issued the first patent (U.S. patent #200,521) for the phonograph. While other inventors had produced devices that could record sounds, Edison's phonograph was the first to be able to reproduce the recorded sound.
In 1952, Tex Ritter recorded "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)" for use under the opening credits of the feature film "High Noon," starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Also issued as a single, Ritter's version peaked at #12 on Billboard's Best Selling Records chart, surpassed by Frankie Laine's concurrently released rendition of the song, which reached #5.
In 1955, Rock 'n' Roll was still in its infancy when 25 year old Joni James entered the US charts with "How Important Can It Be?" The tune would climb all the way to #2 and become the first of her seven Top 40 entries.
In 1955, Pat Boone released the single "Two Hearts," his first chart hit. It peaked at #16.
In 1956, Elvis Presley, billed as "Country Music's Mr. Rhythm," performed two matinees and an evening show at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa.
Also in 1956, the Platters recorded "(You've Got) The Magic Touch."
In 1958, singer/songwriter Carl Perkins left the Sun label to sign with Columbia Records as their first rockabilly artist. His Sun labelmate Johnny Cash made the same leap two years later.
In 1958, Larry Williams recorded his composition "Dizzy Miss Lizzie."
In 1958, the Miracles released their first single "Got A Job," an answer to the Silhouettes' #1 hit "Get A Job."
In 1962, Chuck Berry began serving a three-year sentence in the Indiana Federal Penitentiary after being convicted in a second trial of transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes. (The first trial, in which Berry was found guilty was overturned after the judge was found to have uttered racist remarks.) He was released 20 months later.
In 1964, a British company shipped a half-ton of Beatle wigs to the US. An American reporter asked John Lennon, "How do you feel about teenagers imitating you with Beatle wigs?" John replied "They're not imitating us because we don't wear Beatle wigs."
In 1965, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, the Beatles recorded the John Lennon composition "You're Going To Lose That Girl."
In 1966, Lou Christie enjoys his only US #1 record with "Lightnin' Strikes," a song that his record company, MGM, hated so much, they initially refused to release. Label head Lenny Shear actually threw the tape in the wastebasket and said it was "a piece of crap." After Christie's management team promoted the record themselves, it started to gain attention and three months later, Billboard magazine featured a picture of Shear presenting Christie with a Gold record. It became a #11 hit in the UK.
In 1967, the Four Tops sang "Reach Out, I'll Be There,""I Can't Help Myself," and "Bernadette" on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1969, in Memphis, Elvis Presley, with then-unknown pianist Ronnie Milsap, recorded Eddie Rabbitts' composition "Kentucky Rain."
In 1971, Paul McCartney's lawsuit to remove Allen Klein as manager of the Beatles' financial affairs began at London's Royal Courts of Justice.
In 1972, on CBS-TV's "All In The Family," Sammy Davis Jr. made a memorable guest appearance during which he gave the show's main character, white bigot Archie Bunker, a surprise kiss.
In 1972, as the debut single by his new band Wings, Paul McCartney released "Give Ireland Back to the Irish." It was barred from airplay in the UK since it was banned by the BBC, Radio Luxembourg and the Independent Television Authority. The record reached #1 on the singles charts in the Republic of Ireland and Spain, and despite the air-play ban still reached #16 in the UK. It peaked at #21 in the U.S.
Also in 1972, although he had written songs that were recorded by The Turtles, Rick Nelson, Blood Sweat and Tears, Lulu, The Monkees and Three Dog Night, Harry Nilsson had his only US #1 hit with "Without You," a tune written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger.
In 1974, Smokey Robinson, Helen Reddy and Roger Miller are among the hosts at the very first American Music Awards. Created by TV veteran Dick Clark to compete with The Grammys, awards are presented based on record sales, airplay as well as votes. Among this years' winners are The Carpenters for Favorite Band, Jim Croce, Favorite Male Artist, and Tony Orlando And Dawn, Favorite Single for "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Ole Oak Tree".
In 1974, KISS made their TV debut on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" on ABC.
In 1976, Rich Stevens, former lead vocalist of Tower of Power was arrested and charged in what was believed to be the drug-related murders of three men the night before in San Jose, California. The following November, Stevens was found guilty on three counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
In 1977, "Blinded By The Light" reached the top of the Billboard singles chart for Manfred Mann's Earth Band, although it had earlier been a commercial failure for the song's writer, Bruce Springsteen.
On this day in 1980, "Do That To Me One More Time" by the Captain & Tennille was the #1 song.
In 1980, singer Bon Scott, lead vocalist of AC/DC, died when he choked on his vomit after an all-night drinking binge at the age of 33.
In 1981, five years after being found guilty of "subconscious plagiarism" of the Chiffons'"He's So Fine" in his song "My Sweet Lord," George Harrison was ordered to pay $587,000 to the plaintiff, ABKCO Music.
In 1982, Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in San Antonio, Texas for urinating on a statue in front of the Alamo. After he made bail, the Black Sabbath singer skipped town. Osbourne was subsequently banned from the city for ten years.
In 1995, Roxette performed in Beijing. It was the first concert for a western artist in China since 1984 when George Michael performed there.
In 1997, jazz trumpeter Miles Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1998, country music singer/comedian (Hee Haw) Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones died after a stroke at age 84.
Also in 1998, at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles, the Stray Cats reunited for a single show to benefit the Carl Perkins Foundation.
In 2003, country music singer Johnny Paycheck died of emphysema at 64.
In 2004, the family of Johnny Cash blocked an attempt by advertisers to use his hit song "Ring of Fire" to promote a hemorrhoid-relief product, even though the idea had been approved by Merle Kilgore, who wrote the song with June Carter Cash. Johnny Cash's daughter Rosanne said the family "would never allow the song to be demeaned like that."
In 2007, singer/actress Janet Blair died of pneumonia at 85
In 2009, bassist Kelly Groucutt, a former member of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), died following a heart attack at 63.
In 2010, in Miami, Gloria and Emilio Estefan gathered Latino musicians – including Carlos Santana, Jose Feliciano, David Archuleta, and Jon Secada – to record a Spanish-language version of "We Are The World" for Haiti earthquake relief.
birthdays today include (among others): Smokey Robinson (74), Lou Christie (71),Tony Iommi (66), Seal (51) and Haylie Duff (29)
