On This Day, February 14 in Music History
EVENTS ON FEBRUARY 14 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day February 14 in 1958 – With his rendition of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song ‘The Story of My Life’, Michael Holiday topped the UK Singles chart.
1964 – The quintet Dave Clark Five also known as DC5 released ‘Bits and Pieces’, a single from their debut studio album ‘Glad All Over’. The song became a chart-topper in Canada while in the UK it peaked at No.2 and in the US at No.4.
1967 – Aretha Franklin recorded her version of the Otis Redding hit song ‘Respect’ on this day February 14 in music history. The song was released on April 29 and it topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts that year. Also a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands, Canada and the UK.
1968 – With their rendition of Bob Dylan‘s folk-rock song ‘Mighty Quinn’, Manfred Mann topped the UK Singles chart. The song also reached No.1 in Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden, while in the US it peaked at No.10.
1970 – Sly and the Family Stone topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this day February 14 with ‘Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)’. No, you didn’t have a stroke while reading that title. It’s a mondegreen and should be read as ‘thank you for letting me be myself again’.
1973 – Completely exhausted David Bowie collapsed onstage during a Valentines Day Show at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
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1976 – With ‘Forever and Ever’, Scottish glam rock band Silk had the number one single in the United Kingdom.
1985 – Whitney Houston released her self-titled debut studio album through Arista Records on this day February 14. The album topped several music charts worldwide, including the US while in Britain it reached No.2. It also featured three number one singles and it sold over 10 million copies achieving Diamond status.
1987 – Bon Jovi hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ for the first of four consecutive weeks. The song also reached No.1 in Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, while in the UK it peaked at No.4.
1989 – English multi-instrumentalist Vincent Cheesman also known as Vincent Crane died on this day February 14 in music history, aged 45. Best remembered as the keyboardist of the bands Atomic Rooster and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
1998 – The number one single in the United States on this day was ‘Nice & Slow’ by the R&B singer Usher, his first chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100.
1998 – The soundtrack album from the romantic disaster film ‘Titanic’ went to number one in the UK on this day February 14.
1999 – American singer and songwriter Buddy Knox died at the age of 65 from lung cancer. Best remembered for his 1957 hit song ‘Party Doll’.
2002 – English musician Michael “Mick” Tucker died on this day February 14, aged 54 of leukemia. Best remembered as the drummer and backing vocalist of the rock band Sweet.
2004 – Hip hop duo OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown topped the US Singles chart with ‘The Way You Move’. The duo replaced themselves at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 which they previously topped for nine weeks straight with ‘Hey Ya!’.
2004 – With his fourth studio album ‘Kamikaze’, rapper Twist hit number one in the United States on this day February 14.
2009 – Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen scored his seventh number one album in the US with ‘Working on a Dream’.
2010 – American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist David Thompson also known professionally as Lil’ Dave Thompson died in a car crash on this day February 14, aged 40.
2015 – English singer Ellie Goulding started a four-week stint at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Love Me Like You Do’.
2015 – Aged 73, Bob Dylan became the oldest male solo artist to top the UK Albums chart on this day February 14 in music history when his 36th studio album ‘Shadows in the Night’ reached No.1.
2016 – Adele went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with her third studio album ’25’. The album also topped the music charts in nearly 30 countries worldwide and it won two Grammy Awards.
2019 – The number one album in the United Kingdom on this day February 14 was ‘Encore’ by the ska revival band The Specials.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 14 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1931 – The youngest of the McGuire Sisters, Phyllis McGuire was born in Middletown, Ohio. Together with her sisters Ruby and Dorothy she had the chart-topping singles ‘Sincerely’ and ‘Sugartime’.
1934 – American multi-genre keyboardist and pianist Merl Saunders was born in San Mateo, California.
1937 – Blues musician Samuel Maghett also known professionally as Magic Sam was born in Grenada County, Mississippi.
1939 – Country music singer, songwriter, and producer Rasie “Razzy” Bailey was born in Five Points, Alabama. Best known for scoring seven number one singles on the country music charts with songs such as ‘I Keep Coming Back’ and ‘Loving Up a Storm’.
1943 – American folk music singer and songwriter Eric Andersen was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Best known for his solo work and also as a member of the folk-rock trio Danko/Fjeld/Andersen.
1943 – Funk and soul jazz saxophonist Maceo Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina. Best known for his collaborations with the likes of James Brown, Prince, and Parliament-Funkadelic.
1945 – Blues and rock musician Victor “Vic” Briggs was born in Twickenham, England. Best known as the lead guitarist for The Animals from 1966 until 1968 and for his collaboration with Eric Burdon.
1947 – American singer, songwriter and guitarist Timothy “Tim” Buckley was born in Washington, DC. He is the father of musician Jeff Buckley.
1950 – Co-founder and guitarist of the rock band Heart, Roger Fisher was born in Seattle, Washington.
1951 – Scottish musician Kenneth “Kenny” Hyslop was born in Helensburgh, Scotland. Best known for his work as a drummer with bands such as Simple Minds and Slik.
1964 – English musician Rob Jones also known by his stage names The Bass Thing or Bob Jones was born in Kingswinford.
1972 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band Matchbox Twenty, Rob Thomas was born in Landstuhl, Germany.