This Day in Music
On this day in music, February 17, 1960, Elvis Presley earned his first Gold record for an album, weeks before his discharge from the US Army. The plaque celebrated his self-titled second studio album, which was originally released in October 1956. Featuring three Little Richard covers (including “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up”), several new country ballads, as well as the hits “Love Me” and “Paralyzed,” Elvis spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard albums chart, making Presley the first artist to have two albums reach No.1 in the same year.
In 1975, AC/DC released their debut studio album, High Voltage in Australia only. Recorded in November 1974 at Sydney’s Albert Studios, the LP offered a glimpse into the band’s early glam-rock influences. Nearly two years later, the Aussie group released an identically-titled international debut, which had a very different tracklist and showcased the hard rock sound they settled into.
In 1978, British singer-songwriter Kate Bush released her debut album, The Kick Inside, via EMI Records. Lead single “Wuthering Heights” peaked at No.1 in the UK, remaining at the top for four weeks and making Bush the first female artist in the UK to write a No.1 hit. Produced by Andrew Powell and David Gilmour, the album was also a rousing success, landing at No.3.
In 1971, singer-songwriter James Taylor made his TV debut with an appearance on The Johnny Cash Show, where he performed “Sweet Baby James,” “Country Road,” and his No.1 hit, “Fire and Rain.”
In 1989, Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale married actress and model Tawny Kitaen. Kitaen famously starred in several of the British hard rockers’ music videos, including an iconic appearance in 1987’s “Here I Go Again,” where she danced and cartwheeled atop two Jaguar XJs. The couple divorced in 1991.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 17
1941: Gene Pitney
1950: Rickey Medlocke (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
1972: Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
1972: Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters)
1981: John Hassall (The Libertines)
1988: Arin Ilejay (Avenged Sevenfold)
1991: Ed Shee
