This Day in History: 2025-02-19

FEBRUARY 19^th

Linda Ronstadt wins the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, for her album “Hasten Down The Wind.” 1977

“7800 Fahrenheit,” Bon Jovi’s sophomore album, goes platinum. 1987

Green Day’s “Dookie” begins a two-year stay on the U.S. album chart. The group’s third studio effort rises to #2 and sells over 12-million copies. 1994

Arctic Monkeys win the Best Album trophy for “Favourite Worst Nightmare” and the Best Group prize at London’s BRIT Awards. “There’s that fifteen quid we put on One Direction to win down the drain,” jokes Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner. And thirty years after last winning the British Male Solo Artist honor, David Bowie wins it again, becoming the oldest ever Brit winner. 2014

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Loverboy guitarist Paul Dean is born in Vancouver, Canada.  1946

Black Sabbath’s legendary guitarist Tony Iommi is born in Aston, Birmingham, England. 1948

Spirit and Heart bassist Mark Andes has a birthday. He’s a Philly native but grows up in L.A. 1949

Doug Aldrich, guitar/vocals for Whitesnake and Dio, begins his life in Raleigh, NC.  1964

Former Factory frontman Burton C. Bell is born.  1969

Traffic’s “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys” reaches #7 on the U.S. album chart. 1972

Nilsson’s cover of Badfinger’s ballad “Without You” (written by the band’s Pete Ham and Tom Evans) is the #1 song in the U.S. 1972

Todd La Torre is born.  He goes on to become Queensryche’s frontman taking over from Geoff Tate.  1974

Nickelback drummer Daniel Patrick Adair is born in Vancouver, British Columbia.  1975

Bruce Springsteen has the #1 song in the U.S. However, it’s Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s cover of the Springsteen composed “Blinded By The Light” that reaches the pinnacle. The song holds the top spot for all of one week. 1977

AC/DC’s Bon Scott dies.  Going out with a friend, Alistair Kennear, the night before to see some bands Scott drinks heavily before passing out in the car, Kennear decides to let the singer sleep it off in the car.  But hours later he finds Scott unconscious. At the hospital, doctors are unable to revive the vocalist. 1980

Ozzy Osbourne urinates at The Alamo in San Antonio. He is arrested and banned from performing in the city until he donates $10,000 to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the group that maintains the monument. Osbourne doesn’t make his donation until ’92 and finally apologizes for the incident in ’15. 1982

Guitarist Seth Morrison is born.  He joins Skillet in ’11 (after Ben Kasica and Jonathan Salas leave the band). 1988

Despite staying on the U.S. album chart for over a year and a half, Rage Against The Machine’s self-titled debut can only reach #45. 1994

The BRIT Awards in London toss a few trophies Oasis’ way. They win Best Group, Best Video (“Wonderwall”) and Best Album “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?” Of course, in their gracious acceptance speech they refer to record industry personnel as ‘corporate pigs’. Charmed, I’m sure. 1996

Bon Jovi performs prior to the Daytona 500 stock car race at Florida’s legendary Daytona International Speedway. The band’s show is part of the Sprint Tribute to America, which honors men and women in the United States Armed Forces. “Bon Jovi is a great fit,” says Sprint Nextel executive Michael Robichaud. 2006

Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp is sued for $1.2 million by Vice Inc., the company that represents Art Of Anarchy (with Disturbed bassist John Moyer and former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal).  Stapp was hired to front the band, replacing original vocalist Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots). The suit claims Stapp did not fully meet performance expectations after receiving $200,000.  2018

Iron Maiden’s Light Brigade, an English golden ale, is in stores. A portion of the sales go to Help for Heroes, who provide support for disabled vets.  2018

All That Remains’ Phil Labonte, a gun advocate, weighs in on the gun control debate. “One of the things that drives me nuts about (the latest Florida shooting) is everything failed. The FBI failed (they overlooked a tip), and there was a police officer who was armed on the campus. He wasn’t there. The kid got his guns legally. What do you do when everything goes wrong?” 2018

It’s official.  The torch has been passed to a new generation. Slipknot’s Corey Taylor says, in a radio interview, that Imagine Dragons has replaced Nickelback as the most hated musical artist. Taylor has had a long-standing feud with Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger.  Apparently, Taylor has moved on.  2019

Procol Harum’s Gary Brooker, who co-wrote and sang their ‘67 classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” dies at his home from cancer. He was 76. 2022

The Guns N’ Roses sponsored #43 race car driven by Erik Jones crashes on Lap 121 ending the car’s run early at NASCAR’s Daytona 500.  Jones walks away from the accident with the race won by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Cottenelle #47). 2023