Here are the Births, Deaths and Events this week in Rock 'n' Roll History Sunday February 7 Sammy Johns ("Chevy Van") is 64 The late King Curtis ("Soul Twist") is born in 1934 Matt Monro ("My Kind Of Girl") dies of liver cancer, 1985 A thousand people (including Phil Everly) show up for Buddy Holly's funeral in Lubbock, Texas and Ritchie Valens is laid to rest in San Fernando, California, 1959 The Beatles arrive at Kennedy Airport in New York for their first American tour, 1964 A bill is sponsored to make "Tutti Frutti" the official Georgia state song (it fails), 1989 The Rolling Stones' "Shine A Light" documentary premieres at the Berlin Film Featival, 2008 The TV mini-series "Elvis And Me" (based on Priscilla Presley's book) begins airing on ABC, 1981 Mary Hopkin and the Moody Blues guest on the first "This Is Tom Jones" on ABC-TV, 1969 Davy Jones guests on an episode of NBC-TV's "My Two Dads", 1988 The Jive Five record "My True Story", 1961 Monday February 8 The late "England" Dan Seals ("I'd Really Love To See You Again") is born in 1950 Ray Sharpe ("Linda Lu") is 72 Larry Verne ("Please Mr. Custer") is 74 Del Shannon ("Hats Off To Larry") dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, 1990 Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood form Blind Faith, 1969 Peter and Gordon split up, 1967 Buddy Holly signs a recording contract with Decca Records (the contract leaves off the "E" in his last name, "Holley" so he drops it from his stage name, as well), 1956 Don Felder files suit against the Eagles after being ousted from the band, 2001 The publisher of "Louie Louie" offers $1,000 to anyone who can find suggestive lyrics in the song, 1964 The Who (minus the late Keith Moon) reunite for their 25th anniversary, at a London awards ceremony, 1988 The Dave Clark Five begin filming their "Catch Us If You Can" (AKA "Having A Wild Weekend") movie, 1965 Cher opens on Broadway in "Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean", 1982 Tom Jones guests on NBC-TV's "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air", 1993 Tuesday February 9 Carole King ("It's Too Late") is 69 Barry Mann ("Who Put The Bomp" and prolific songwriter) is 71 Barbara Lewis ("Hello Stranger") is 67 Major Harris ("Love Won't Let Me Wait") is 63 Bill Haley ("Rock Around The Clock") dies of a heart attack in 1981 Tyrone Davis ("Can I Change My Mind") dies after a stroke, 2005 Percy Faith ("Theme From A Summer Place") dies of cancer in 1976 Bobby Darin enters a Los Angeles hospital for surgery to replace a faulty heart valve (he survives this operation), 1971 Frankie Avalon contracts pneumonia and is forced to leave the Winter Dance Party tour (Paul Anka and Fabian eventually fill-in for him), 1959 Roger Daltrey of the Who receives a "Commander of the Order of the British Empire" medal from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, 2005 Wings make their concert debut, at Nottingham University in England, 1972 The Beatles perform for 73 million Americans on CBS-TV's "Ed Sullivan Show", 1964 Bobby Darin appears on an episode of "Night Gallery" on NBC-TV, 1972 Neil Sedaka records "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" (the original version), 1962 Wednesday February 10 Roberta Flack ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face") is 71 The late Ral Donner ("You Don't Know What You've Got") is born in 1943 Freddie Bell ("Giddy Up A Ding Dong") dies, 2008 Producer Phil Spector is seriously burned in a car crash, but recovers, 1974 The Oklahoma State Senate passes a resolution hooring Wanda Jackson, 2009 The San Diego school board apologizes to Pete Seeger for asking him to sign a loyalty oath before performing at a school there 49 years earlier , 2009 The "Annette" serial begins on ABC-TV's "Mickey Mouse Club", 1958 Oprah Winfrey gets the first interview in fifteen years with Michael Jackson on her prime-time ABC-TV special, 1993 Elton John performs at the National Basketball Association All-Star Game in Philadelphia, 2002 Chad & Jeremy guest on CBS-TV's "Dick Van Dyke Show", 1965 Little Richard records "Long Tall Sally", 1956 Thursday February 11 The late Gene Vincent ("Be-Bop-A-Lula") is born in 1935 Sergio Mendes ("The Fool On The Hill") is 75 The late Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("Monster Mash") is born in 1940 Leon Haywood ("I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You") is 68 Songwriter Gerry Goffin (wrote tunes like "Up On The Roof" with partner and then-wife Carole King) is 74 Estelle Bennett of the Ronettes ("Be My Baby") is discovered dead in her Englewood, New Jersey apartment, 2009 Ringo Starr marries his first wife, Maureen Cox, in London, 1965 Diana Ross is granted a divorce from her Norwegian bussinessman husband of 14 years, 2000 Chris Squire of Yes undergoes leg surgery, forcing the group to cancel the remaining dates on their tour, 2009 A gunman at an Isley Brothers concert in Los Angeles shoots three people before being fatally shot himself by police, 2000 The Beatles hold their first American concert, at the Colliseum in Washington, DC, 1964 Joan Baez, Booker T. & the MG's, the Grateful Dead and the Doors are all given Lifetime Achievement Grammy awards, 2007 The TV movie "Elvis" (with Kurt Russell in the title role) airs on ABC, 1979 The Beatles record "Twist & Shout" and "I Saw Her Standing There" (as well as most of the songs on their first British album, "Please Please Me"), 1963 Cher records "Bang Bang", 1966 Friday February 12 Gene McDaniels ("Chip Chip") is 75 The late Lorne Greene ("Ringo") is born in 1915 Ray Manzarek of the Doors ("Touch Me") says he's 71 Eldee Young of the Ramsey Lewis Trio ("Hang On Sloopy") and Young/Holt Unlimited ("Soulful Strut") dies of a heart attack, 2007 Sal Mineo ("Start Movin'") is stabbed to death during an apparent robbery, 1976 Sammi Smith ("Help Me Make It Through The Night") dies after a long illness, 2005 "Screamin'" Jay Hawkins ("I Put A Spell On You") dies in 2000 Oliver ("Good Morning Starshine") dies of cancer in 2000 Chynna Phillips (of Wilson Phillips) is born to John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas, 1968 Tiny Tim runs for mayor of New York (and amazingly, loses), 1989 Jimi Hendrix is given an honorary high school diploma and the key to his hometown of Seattle, Washington, 1968 London police bust Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull on drug charges (and no, she was not found with a Mars bar in an indelicate place, despite rumors to the contrary), 1967 The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single, 1961 "Screamin'" Jay Hawkins records "I Put A Spell On You" in 1956 Saturday February 13 Peter Tork of the Monkees ("Words") is 66 The late "Tennessee" Ernie Ford ("Sixteen Tons") is born in 1919 The late King Floyd ("Groove Me") is born in 1945 Peter Gabriel ("Games Without Frontiers" and one-time member of Genesis) is 59 Miss Toni Fisher ("The Big Hurt") dies of a heart attack in 1999 Waylon Jennings (country star and the person who, as a member of the Crickets, gave up his seat to the Big Bopper on "the day the music died") dies of complications from diabetes, 2002 The first of Michael Jackson's children, Prince is born in 1997 Don & Phil Everly graduate from Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego and Don marries British actress Venetia Stevenson (the marriage lasts eight years), 1962 Jimmy McCracklin is named to the Blues Hall of Fame, 2008 "Al Green Day" is declared in Los Angeles, 1978 Marvin Gaye sings the national anthem at the National Baskbetball Association All-Star Game in Los Angeles, 1983 Gary Lewis records "Count Me In", 1965 Jefferson Starship records "Miracles", 1975 © 1995-2010, Ronald P. Smith. All rights reserved.