On This Day, February 28 in Music History
EVENTS ON FEBRUARY 28 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day February 28 in 1958 – Perry Como started an eight-week stint at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Magic Moments’.
1966 – Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club where The Beatles appeared more than 200 times closed due to debt. However, fans didn’t want the club to close and they protested by barricading themselves inside it.
1968 – Israeli folk duo Esther & Abi Ofarim topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Cinderella Rockefella’ on this day February 28 in music history.
1970 – While on tour in Denmark, Led Zeppelin had to change the band’s name to ‘The Nobs’ to avoid lawsuit from Eva von Zeppelin (relative of the airship designer) over ownership of the name.
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1970 – With ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, Simon and Garfunkel reached No.1 in the US on this day February 28. The duo topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six consecutive weeks.
1974 – American singer-songwriter Bobby Bloom tragically lost his life after accidentally shooting himself while cleaning his gun, aged 28. Best remembered for the 1970 hit single ‘Montego Bay’.
1976 – The number one single in the United States on this day February 28 was the instrumental ‘Theme from S.W.A.T.’ by Rhythm Heritage.
1976 – The 18th Annual Grammy Awards were held on this day February 28 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California. Captain & Tennille, Paul Simon, Natalie Cole, and Judy Collins among the big winners that night.
1977 – While performing on stage, Ray Charles was attacked by a man from the audience who tried to strangle him with the microphone cord.
1981 – Eddie Rabbitt reached the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘I love A Rainy Night’ on this day February 28 in music history.
1983 – Irish rock band U2 released their third studio album ‘War’ through Island Records. Despite the album’s political nature, it still was a commercial success and it became a chart-topper in the UK.
1984 – The 26th Annual Grammy Awards were held on this day February 28 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The big winner of the night was Michael Jackson who returned home with record eight awards.
1985 – British singer David Garick better known by his stage name David Byron died at the age of 38 from liver disease caused by alcohol abuse. Best remembered as the frontman of the rock band Uriah Heep.
1994 – Eric Clapton celebrated his 100th live show with a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall for the Children In Crisis foundation on this day February 28.
1996 – The 38th Annual Grammy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Twenty-one year old Alanis Morissette became the youngest artist to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year with ‘Jagged Little Pill’. The record stood untouched until 2010 when 20 year old Taylor Swift dethroned Alanis with her second studio album ‘Fearless’.
1998 – Alternative rock band Cornershop scored their first and only number one single in the UK on this day February 28 with ‘Brimful of Asha’.
1998 – With the main theme song ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from the blockbuster film Titanic, Celine Dion reached the top spot on the US Singles chart.
2004 – R&B singer Usher featuring rappers Lil Jon and Ludacris started a twelve-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Yeah!’ on this day February 28 in music history.
2004 – With her second studio album ‘Feels Like Home’, Norah Jones hit number one on the US Billboard 200 for the first of six consecutive weeks.
2004 – Pop punk band Busted scored their third number one single in the United Kingdom on this day February 28 with ‘Who’s David’.
2005 – British drummer and singer Christopher Crummey also known professionally as Chris Curtis died at the age of 63. Best known as the founder of the hard rock band Deep Purple.
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2008 – English singer-songwriter, keyboardist and producer Mike Smith died from pneumonia on this day February 28, aged 64. Best remembered as the lead vocalist of the rock and roll band the Dave Clark Five.
2009 – Rapper and singer Flo Rida hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Right Round’ for the first of six consecutive weeks.
2010 – American musician Tom Wolk also known professionally as T-Bone died on this day February 28 in music history from a heart attack, aged 58. Best remembered for his work with the pop rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates.
2015 – Canadian rapper Drake topped the US Billboard 200 on this day with his commercial mixtape ‘If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late’.
2015 – With their second studio album ‘Smoke + Mirrors’, pop rock band Imagine Dragons reached No.1 in the UK on this day February 28.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 28 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1927 – American steel guitarist Don Helms was born in New Brockton, Alabama. Best known as a member of the Drifting Cowboys.
1940 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Joseph Alfred Souter also known professionally as Joe South was born on this day in Atlanta, Georgia. Best known for the songs ‘Games People Play’ and ‘Rose Garden’.
1942 – Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and co-founder of The Rolling Stones, Brian Jones was born in Cheltenham, England.
1943 – American soul singer and songwriter Barbara Acklin was born in Oakland, California. Best known for the songs ‘Love Makes a Woman’ and ‘Have You Seen Her’.
1943 – Singer and guitarist Dominic Ierace also known professionally as Donnie Iris was born in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
1948 – British guitarist and keyboardist Geoffrey Nicholls was born in Birmingham, England. He rose to fame as a member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath.
1952 – Multi-instrumentalist Arthur Barrow was born in San Antonio, Texas. Best known for his work with Frank Zappa.
1957 – Drummer, pianist, singer, songwriter, and co-founder of the band Level 42, Philip Gabriel Gould was born in Hong Kong.
1957 – Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and founding member of the new wave band the B-52s, Cynthia “Cindy” Wilson was born in Athens, Georgia.
1957 – English keyboardist, songwriter and record producer Ian Stanley was born in Wycombe. He came to prominence as a member of the band Tears for Fears.
1969 – Frontman and founding member of the band Train, Patrick Monahan was born in Erie, Pennsylvania.
1971 – English multi-instrumentalist, producer, and recording engineer Nigel Godrich was born in London. Best known for his work with the rock band Radiohead.
1977 – Country music singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Jason Aldean was born in Macon, Georgia.
1994 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Jake Bugg was born Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy in Nottingham, England.