February 10

Births

1905: Chick Webb (Jazz Drummer)

1937: Roberta Flack (Singer / Songwriter)

1937: Don Wilson (Rhythm Guitar for The Ventures)

1949: Nigel Olsson (Drummer with the Elton John band)

1962: Cliff Burton (Original Bassist for Metallica)

1978: Don Omar (Reggaeton Artist)

Events

1942: 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' by Glen Miller and his Orchestra becomes the first recording to be awarded a Gold record. It was actually just a master copy of the disc sprayed with gold lacquer by RCA as a publicity stunt. The actual award recognized today as a Gold Record would not be initiated for another sixteen years when the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) borrowed the idea and trademarked the Gold Record. The first Gold single was awarded to Perry Como in 1958 for "Catch A Falling Star" and the first Gold album was given to Gordon McRae for the soundtrack to Oklahoma.

1964: The American press reports that millions of teenage boys are suddenly sporting Beatle-style hairdos (or attempting to) after last night's historic appearance on CBS' Ed Sullivan Show. Meanwhile, the Beatles give yet another press conference, this time from the lobby of New York's Plaza Hotel, where the group is staying.

1965: Chad and Jeremy guest star on CBS's The Dick Van Dyke Show.

1966: Bob Marley married Rita Anderson a singer in the group The Soulettes. The couple had three children together.

1971: Carole King's Album "Tapestry" was released.

1973: Liverpool's Cavern Club -- where the Beatles were born -- is given three months to close down by British Rail, who need the site to complete their new underground railway.

1974: Producer Phil Spector is seriously burned in a mysterious car crash while en route from Los Angeles to Phoenix, AZ, leading to extensive plastic surgery that furthers his reclusiveness.

1975: Dave Alexander, the original bassist for The Stooges died from pneumonia aged 28. He was fired from the band in August 1970 after showing up at a gig too drunk to play.

1976: Elvis Presley is made an honorary Captain in the Memphis Police Department.

1977: The Clash started recording their debut album at CBS studios in London, England.

1978: Van Halen’s debut Album is released and is a total of 35:13 minutes long. It has sold over 10 Million copies in the US alone.

1993: ABC's prime-time Oprah Winfrey special features the first interview with Michael Jackson in 15 years. In it, Jackson makes his famous claim that he suffers from Vitiligo, a skin condition that accounts for his loss of pigmentation. The singer also claims he's only had two minor plastic surgery operations.

1997: Brian Connolly, singer with the 1970's Glam rock group Sweet, died of kidney and liver failure aged 47. Connolly replaced Ian Gillan (later of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath) in Wainwright's Gentlemen who became Sweetshop and then shortened to Sweet.

2004: Diana Ross was sentenced to two days in jail after pleading 'no contest' to a drink driving charge. She was allowed to enter her plea over the telephone from New York; her lawyer said the singer would serve her term at a prison near her Los Angeles home. Ross was arrested in December 2002 after tests indicated she was twice over the drink- drive limit.

2006: Producer and Rapper James Dewitt Yancey, (A.K.A. J Dilla or Jay Dee), died of a rare blood disease, at his home in Los Angeles, California. Yancey had toured Europe in 2005 performing from a wheelchair.