On This Day, February 24 in Music History
EVENTS ON FEBRUARY 24 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day February 24 in 1958 – The Silhouettes had the number one single in the United States with ‘Get a Job’.
1965 – The Beach Boys recorded a new version of the Brian Wilson penned song ‘Help Me, Rhonda’. It became their second number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also featured on two of their albums – ‘The Beach Bos Today!’ and ‘Summer Days (And Summer Nights)’.
1968 – Rock band Fleetwood Mac released their self-titled debut studio album also known as the ‘Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac’ on this day February 24 in music history.
1969 – Johnny Cash performed at the San Quentin State Prison. The concert was filmed and released in June the same year as his 31st overall album. The album peaked at number one on both the pop and country album charts and it received several Grammy nominations.
1969 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience played at the Royal Albert Hall in London on this day February 24, their last live show in Britain.
1973 – With ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’, Roberta Flack hit No.1 in the US for the first of four consecutive weeks. The song also became a chart-topper in Australia and Canada, while in the UK it peaked at No.6.
1975 – Led Zeppelin released their sixth studio album ‘Physical Graffiti’ on this day February 24 through Swan Song Records. The album became a chart-topper in the UK, Canada, and the US.
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1976 – The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded the Eagles with the first-ever Platinum certification for their compilation album ‘Greatest Hits (1971-1975)’ which sold more than 1 million copies.
1982 – The 24th Annual Grammy Awards were held on this day February 24 in music history at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The big winner of the night was Quincy Jones who returned home with five awards.
1987 – The 29th Annual Grammy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Paul Simon, Al Green, Dire Straits, Steve Winwood, Barbra Streisand, James Brown, and Tina Turner among the winners that night.
1988 – Blues pianist, singer, and composer John Len Chatman also known professionally as Memphis Slim died on this day February 24, aged 72.
1990 – American singer-songwriter, pianist and rock and roll pioneer Johnnie Ray died at the age of 63 from liver failure.
1993 – The 35th Annual Grammy Awards were held on this day February 24 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Eric Clapton was the big winner that night with six awards out of nine nominations.
1996 – After topping the US Billboard 200 for two weeks in October 1995 with her third studio release ‘Jagged Little Pill’, Alanis Morissette returned at No.1 on the chart with the same album.
1996 – Indie pop band Bluetones hit number one in the UK on this day February 24 in music history with their debut studio album ‘Expecting to Fly’.
1999 – The 41st Annual Grammy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Big winners that night – Madonna, Celine Dion, Lauryn Hill, Beastie Boys, Shania Twain, Ricky Martin, and Metallica.
2001 – With ‘Stutter’, R&B singer Joe featuring rapper Mystical hit number one in the US on this day February 24 for the first of four consecutive weeks.
2007 – Canadian singer Nelly Furtado scored her second number one single in the US with ‘Say It Right’. The song was a hit worldwide and it also reached the top spot in eleven other countries, including Canada and New Zealand.
2007 – The number one album in the United States on this day February 24 was ‘Infinity on High’ by the rock band Fall Out Boy.
2008 – Singer-songwriter, producer and record label owner Larry Norman died at the age of 60. Best remembered as one of the pioneers of Christian rock music and for releasing over 100 albums.
2018 – The soundtrack album to the superhero film of the same name ‘Black Panther’ started a two-week run at No.1 in the US on this day February 24 in music history.
2020 – Guitarist, songwriter, and record producer David Roback died on this day at the age of 61 from cancer. Best remembered as the co-founder of the alternative rock band Mazzy Star.
2022 – British singer and songwriter Frank Turner scored his first domestic number one album on this day February 24 with his ninth studio release ‘FTHC’.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 24 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1932 – French composer, conductor and jazz pianist Michel Jean Legrand was born in Paris. Best known for composing over 200 film and TV scores, including the Academy Award winning song ‘The Windmills of Your Mind’.
1933 – American jazz and R&B composer, saxophonist and flute player David “Fathead” Newman was born in Corsicana, Texas.
1941 – American singer and actress Joan Drost also known by her stage name Joanie Sommers was born in Buffalo, New York.
1942 – English singer, harmonicist, actor, and TV presenter Paul Jones was born in Portsmouth. Best known as the lead singer of the rock band Manfred Mann with whom he had several number one singles during the 1960s.
1944 – English pianist and organist Nicholas “Nicky” Hopkins was born in Perivale, Middlesex. Best known for his collaborations with bands such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks.
1947 – British-American singer-songwriter and composer David Goldstein also known professionally as Rupert Holmes was born in Northwich, England. He rose to international fame with the chart-topping single ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)’.
1950 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist George Thorogood was born in Wilmington, Delaware. He has sold over 15 million records worldwide and is best known for songs such as ‘Bad to the Bone’ and ‘I Drink Alone’.
1962 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Michelle Johnston also known professionally as Michelle Shocked was born on this day in Dallas, Texas.
1973 – American multi-instrumentalist Christopher Fehn also known as #3 was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Best known for his work as a percussionist for the heavy metal band Slipknot and for playing bass with Will Haven.
1974 – Co-founder, drummer, and guitarist of the Christian metal band P.O.D, Noah “Wuv” Bernando was born.
1974 – Multi-instrumentalist and one half of the production and songwriting duo The Neptunes, Charles “Chad” Hugo was born in Portsmouth, Virginia.