On February 21, 1958, the first Flying V, by Gibson, was shipped from a factory in Kalamazoo, MI. Some who have played the famous guitar include: Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Keith Richards, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Paul Stanley, Neil Young and Jim James; to name a few.
In 1958, in New York City, Los Indios Tabajaras recorded "Maria Elena." It became a Top 10 hit when it was released as a single more than five years later.
In 1961, in one day, the Beatles played three separate engagements at three different Liverpool venues: a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club, an evening show at the Casanova Club, then a nighttime performance at Litherland Town Hall.
In 1963, at the Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood, Frank Sinatra recorded "Soliloquy."
In 1964, a New York band called the Echoes recruited a young piano player named Billy Joel. The quartet would play cover songs under the names the Lost Souls, the Commandos and the Emerald Lords before Billy split two years later to join The Hassles. He would make his breakthrough in 1973 with "Piano Man."
In 1964, the Rolling Stones released the single "Not Fade Away" in the UK, two weeks before it was issued in North America. The Rolling Stones version of "Not Fade Away" was one of their first classic hits. Recorded in late January 1964 and released by Decca on February 21, 1964, with "Little by Little" as the B-side, it was their first Top 5 hit in Great Britain, reaching #3. In March 1964 it was also the Rolling Stones' first single release in the United States, on the London Records label, with "I Wanna Be Your Man" as the B-side
In 1966, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, Bobby Hebb recorded "Sunny."
In 1966, the Beatles released the single "Nowhere Man" in North America. It reached #1 in Australia and Canada and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1966, Elvis Presley began filming "Spinout," co-starring Shelley Fabares, his 22nd movie.
In 1967, Elvis Presley recorded "Clambake," the title song of his 25th movie, which also co-starred Shelley Fabares.
Also in 1967, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, the Beatles finished recording "Fixing A Hole." Initial tracks for the song had been recorded at Regent Sound Studio on February 9.
In 1968, McGraw-Hill, Inc. paid $150,000 to outbid eight other American publishers for the U.S. rights to Hunter Davies' authorized biography of the Beatles.
In 1970, Simon And Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" entered the UK album chart at #1, where it would stay for 12 consecutive weeks. It would return to the top seven times, spending a total of 41 weeks there over the next two years. In the US, the LP spent 10 weeks at number 1 on the strength of three Top Ten singles and was the number 7 album of the decade in America.
Also in 1970, The Jackson 5 make their TV debut on American Bandstand where they sing "I Want You Back."
In 1971, the 5th Dimension sang "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" and a medley of their earlier hits on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1977, "The Neil Diamond Special" concert, taped at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, aired on NBC-TV.
In 1978, Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams released "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," which went on to become Johnny Mathis' only #1 single.
In 1979, singing cowboy/actor/songwriter (Back In The Saddle Again) Ray Whitley, who worked with the Gibson Company on the production of the Gibson SJ-200 acoustic guitar, died at age 77.
In 1980, Fleetwood Mac began a 17-date tour of Australia and New Zealand with a concert at the Entertainment Centre in Perth.
In 1980, Janet Vogel, who sang soprano for The Skyliners on their 1959, #1 hit, "Since I Don't Have You," committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. She was 37.
In 1981, Dolly Parton topped the Billboard Pop Chart with her own composition, "9 to 5." The record reached #47 in the UK.
Also in 1981, Prince made his first "Saturday Night Live" appearance on NBC-TV and performed "Party Up."
In 1981, REO Speedwagon started a 15 week run at the top of the Billboard album chart with 'Hi Infidelity.'
In 1982, disc jockey, Murray "The K" Kaufman, died of cancer at the age of 60. Kaufman's influence on Rock and Roll and its audience led the Beatles to seek him out when they first came to America in 1964. Kaufman's friendship with the group gave him cause to start calling himself "The Fifth Beatle".
In 1987, "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King topped the UK singles chart after it was featured in a movie by the same name. The song first became a hit in 1961.
In 1990, Milli Vanilli are awarded the Best New Artist Grammy. It would take until the following November for producer Frank Farian to confess that the duo of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus never actually sang a single note on their recordings, causing the award to be withdrawn.
On this day in 1991, "All The Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston was the #1 song.
In 1995, for the first time in seven years, Bruce Springsteen performed live with the E Street Band. The New York City nightclub appearance was for a video for Jonathan Demme's film "Murder Incorporated."
In 1996, pianist/composer/arranger/conductor Morton Gould died at age 82.
In 2001, Johnny Cash is released from a Nashville hospital after recovering from pneumonia in time to accept his Grammy Award that night for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his cover of Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man".
In 2002, Elton John accused the music industry of abandoning genuinely talented artists in favor of "manufactured" groups, and exploiting young singers. He said "There are too many average and mediocre acts; it damages real talent getting airplay. It's just fodder."
In 2003, folksinger/composer/lyricist Tom Glazer died at the age of 88.
In 2007, after a Motown spokesman had said the film Dreamgirls had upset several of their artists who felt the label was falsely depicted in a negative light, Dreamworks, the makers of Oscar-nominated musical took out a full page ad in the movie trade papers The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety where they apologized to Motown Records, saying "Dreamgirls is a work of fiction. It is also an homage to Motown." Berry Gordy accepted the apology.
In 2008, a US music aficionado sold his collection of more than three million vinyl albums, singles and compact discs to an eBay buyer from Ireland for just over $3 million. An eBay spokeswoman said the sale is one of the highest ever for the online auction site.
In 2009, an exhibit of James Brown's personal belongings opened at South Carolina State University. The collection included photos, crystal-studded suits, and even the hair curlers Brown used to form his signature pompadour.
In 2010, an arson fire at the Philadelphia International Records building melted gold and platinum records and destroyed memorabilia but spared the recording studio where the "Sound of Philadelphia" was born.
In 2011, the Cars announced that May 10th would be the release date for their first new album in 24 years.
In 2011, Boy George revealed a Culture Club 30th anniversary album and tour plans for 2012.
Aso in 2011, the Monkees announced their 45th anniversary tour featuring Mickey Dolenz, Davey Jones and Peter Tork.
In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the murder conviction of music producer Phil Spector, turning down an appeal by his attorney arguing his constitutional rights had been violated at his trial. The justices, without comment, let stand a ruling by a California appeals court that upheld the second-degree murder conviction of Spector for the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. The 72-year-old Spector is serving a sentence of 19 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty in 2009.
In 2013, gospel/R&B singer/Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Cleotha "Cleedi" Staples of the Staples Singers died of Alzheimer's disease at 78.
In 2013, Chicago blues singer/guitarist (Scufflin') Morris Holt, known professionally as "Magic Slim," died at the age of 75.
birthdays today include (among others): David Geffin (71), Paul Newton (Uriah Heep) (66), Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) (65), Mary Chapin Carpenter (55), Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) (48), and James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) (45)
