This date in musical history: February 12
In 1983, ragtime pianist and composer Eubie Blake died less than a week after his 100th birthday. Blake began playing the piano in sporting houses in his hometown of Baltimore while he was still a youngster, and in 1899, when he was 16, he composed his first rag, "Charleston Rag." Blake played in the same style for more three quarters of a century. Some of his compositions - such as "I'm Just Wild About Harry" and "Memories of You" - are considered classics.
In 1979, a musical revue, "Eubie," featuring Blake's songs, delighted Broadway audiences. And at the age of 96, Eubie Blake helped publicize the musical with television appearances in which he played the piano and chatted about his songs.
Other musical milestones on this date:
In 1924, George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" premiered in New York with Paul Whiteman leading the orchestra and Gershwin himself at the piano.
In 1956, rock 'n' roll eccentric Screamin' Jay Hawkins recorded "I Put a Spell on You," which became his best known song. He toured with revues organized by disc jockey Alan Freed, and often concluded his act by being carried off in a flaming coffin.
In 1957, the Coasters recorded "Young Blood," a tune written by two white songwriters and independent record producers, Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. It became the first big hit for the group. The flip side, "Searchin'," was also popular.
In 1961, "Shop Around" by the Miracles became the first million-seller for Motown Records.
In 1964, the Beatles played Carnegie Hall in New York during their first American tour.
In 1967, 15 policemen raided the English country home of Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones in a search for drugs. Among those present were Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful. The three were not charged until three months later.
In 1968, rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix returned to Seattle, Washington during his second American tour, and played for the students of Garfield High, the school from which he dropped out. Hendrix was given an honorary high school diploma and the key to the city.
In 1974, LaBelle played the unofficial opening concert for the legendary New York club the Bottom Line. The headliner for the official opening the next night was Dr. John. Stevie Wonder and Johnny Winter joined him for a jam session.
In 1975, ex-folk trio leader Chad Mitchell was sentenced to five years in prison after being caught driving 400 pounds of marijuana across the Texas border two years earlier. The Chad Mitchell Trio had several hit albums during the folk music boom in the 1960's. When Mitchell left the group in 1963, his replacement was the then-unknown John Denver.
In 1976, actor Sal Mineo, who starred in "Exodus" and "Rebel Without a Cause," was murdered in Los Angeles. He also enjoyed modest success as a recording artist, scoring a top-ten hit in 1957 with "Start Movin'." Several other minor chart records followed, including one with the intriguing title of "Little Pigeon."
In 1987, Bryan Adams joined members of Loverboy, Journey and the Fabulous Thunderbirds to sing "Good Golly Miss Molly" at an anniversary party for Vancouver radio station CFOX.
In 1990, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Don Henley performed at a benefit in Beverly Hills, California for the Rainforest Foundation. More than one-million dollars was collected from such celebrities as Don Johnson, Billy Crystal, Barbra Streisand and Goldie Hawn to save the Amazon rain forests and the Indians who live there.
In 1994, Celine Dion became the first Quebec artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart when "The Power of Love" made number-one.
In 1997, U2 used the lingerie department of a K-Mart store in New York City to announce their "PopMart" world tour. Lead singer Bono pushed a shopping cart while singing "Holy Joe" from the band's soon-to-be-released album "Pop."
PHOTO: The Beatles arrive in the US in 1964 for their first tour.
Born on this date:
In 1935, Ray Manzarek, keyboards player with the Doors, was born in Chicago. Manzarek met Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison at the UCLA film department, and together they conceived the group which was to become famous as much for Morrison's exhibitionism as for its music. The Doors, with Robby Krieger on guitar and John Densmore on drums, had a number-one hit with "Light My Fire," a song taken from their debut album in 1967. Several more hit singles and albums followed, until Jim Morrison's death of heart failure in 1971. Ray Manzarek took the band on to record two more albums, but the Doors split up in 1973.
In 1950, Steve Hackett, guitarist with Genesis, was born in England. Hackett joined the group in 1970, after their first album had been released in Britain. Under the leadership of Peter Gabriel, Genesis was an art-rock band with an elaborate stage show and a dedicated cult following. But after Gabriel left in 1975, the band gained a wider audience with singer Phil Collins up front. By the time Genesis gained its first gold album, "And Then There Were Three," in 1978, Steve Hackett had left for a solo career.
In 1951, Gil Moore, vocalist and drummer with the Canadian hard rock band Triumph, was born. The other members of the trio, formed in Toronto in 1975, were vocalist and guitarist Rik (correct) Emmett and keyboardist and bassist Mike Levine. Triumph's hits from 1979 to 1986 included "Hold On," "Magic Power" and "Somebody's Out There."
In 1944, country singer Moe Bandy.
In 1949, Stanley Knight of the '70s rock group Black Oak Arkansas.
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