FEBRUARY Feb 1 1963: 17 year-old Neil Young performs his first professional date at a country club in Winnipeg with The Squires. 1969: Joni Mitchell plays Carnegie Hall in New York for the first time. 1982: Late Nite with David Letterman premiers on NBC. Bandleader of The World's Most Dangerous Band is Paul Shaffer. 1988: Rush plays in Phoenix. AZ. The show is taped for the SHOW OF HANDS double live album. 1994: Bryan Adams' duet with Sting and Rod Stewart, "All For Love," tops Billboard's chart. 2005: Originally released in 1993, Jann Arden's TIME FOR MERCY is re-released on CD. Feb 2 1938: Gene MacLellan is born in Val D'or, Quebec. 1981: Nash The Slash releases CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT. Feb 3 1973: "You Turn Me On Like A Radio" by Joni Mitchell enters the charts at #25. 1979: The Blues Brothers, featuring Dan Akroyd and a mostly-Canadian back-up band, went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'BRIEFCASE FULL OF BLUES." 1988: Rush's show in San Diego, CA is taped and used for the A SHOW OF HANDS double live album. Feb 4 1945: John Crone, tenor sax player for Bobby Kris & The Imperials is born in Toronto. 1985: Bruce Cockburn begin a five week tour of Czechoslovakia, Austria, and East and West Germany. 2006: Leonard Cohen and Anne Murray (Legacy Award) are inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. 26 songs are also inducted, including "Sugar Sugar," by Andy Kim (recorded by The Archies) and "Put Your Hand In The Hand," by Gene MacLellan. 2006: Bubbles from The Trailer Park Boys appears on stage with Trooper at the Park Bunny Ball, in Vancouver, BC. Feb 5 1943: Chuck Winfield, trumpet player for Blood Sweat & Tears is born in Toronto. 1955: New York radio station WNEW announces the winners of its annual popularity poll: Toronto's Crew-Cuts win the honour, along with Americans Perry Como, Patti Page and Ray Anthony. 1981: SCTV's Andrea Martin (& Quark's mother on Star Trek DS9) hosts the Juno Awards in Toronto. 1982: Saga play the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle in Munich, West Germany as part of the sets that become the IN TRANSIT lp. 2008: Robin Brock releases her PART 1 album. Feb 6 1964: Gordon Downie of Tragically Hip is born in Amherstview, Ont. 1972: Lighthouse perform in New York City at Carnegie Hall. The show becomes LIGHTHOUSE LIVE, the first Canadian lp to sell 100,000 copies in Canada. 2001: Randy Bachman and CF Turner guest voice on the Simpsons as BTO guest stars, playing at a state fair. 2007: Barenaked Ladies release their new album, BARENAKED LADIES ARE MEN. 2007: Jann Arden releases UNCOVER ME. Feb 7 1981: Rush releases MOVING PICTURES. 1993: Neil Young performs in Los Angeles. The acoustic set turns into the 14 track UNPLUGGED lp later that year. 1995: Trooper re-releases their 1980 self-titled lp through MCA on CD in Japan. 2006: LOOK IN LOOK OUT by Chilliwack is re-released in the US on CD. Feb 8 2005: Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman are inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in Toronto. Feb 9 1936: Stompin Tom Connors is born in St. John, NB as Charles Thomas Connor. 1967: Composer Percy Faith, writer of the 1953 hit "Song From The Moulin Rouge" among others, dies of cancer in LA at the age of 67. 2006: Robbie Rae of The Raes dies of kidney and liver failure while living in Thailand at the age of 52. Feb 10 1985: Everyone who is anyone in Canadian music converges on Toronto's Manta Sound Studios to record the vocal tracks to "Tears Are Not Enough." The song was written to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief and domestic food banks. 2004: KING OF BROKEN HEARTS by Goddo is released in the US on Bullseye Canada. 2006: Out of print since it hit the shelves less than 2 years, Anvil's BACK TO BASICS is released on FAB Records. to top Feb 11 2003: Rush releases SPIRIT OF RADIO - GREATEST HITS. 2009: Leonard Cohen donates £90,000 to Australian bushfire victims. Feb 12 1914: Lorne Greene, of Bonanza and Battlestar Galactica, and singer of "Ringo" is born in Ottawa, ON. 1951: Triumph's Gil Moore is born in Toronto. 1953: Roy Forbes (Bim), also of UHF is born in Dawson Creek, BC. 1970, Jim Creeggan, bassist for Barenaked Ladies and Brothers Creeggan is born in Scarborough, Ont. 1978: Rush appear at the Birmingham Odeon, England, promoting their new single 'Closer To The Heart', which was in the shops for 99p. 1985: Blue Rodeo plays its first gig at the Rivoli Club in Toronto. 1994: Celine Dion starts a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with "The Power Of Love," her first US no. 1. 1999: Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy releases his first solo album, ALL IN TIME. Feb 13 1955: Scott Smith, bassist for Loverboy is born. 1976, Singer/songwriter Leslie Feist is born in Toronto. She worked with Peaches and Broken Social Scene, and wrote theme songs for perfumes, wireless networks, and iPod commercials, but turned down a deal with McDonald's. 1988: During the opening ceremonies of the '88 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Liona Boyd performs "Hands of Man," the first song to feature her vocals, along with Rik Emmett of Triumph and Rush's Alex Lifeson. Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson also perform together, doing "Four Strong Winds" and "Alberta Bound." 2001: Colin James rocks The Lyric in Kitchener, ON. 2007: Jann Arden releases UNCOVER ME. Feb 14 1972: LA Mayor Sam Yorty declares the day "Steppenwolf Day," on the occasion of the group's anounced retirement, which actually is nothing more than a brief hiatus, as the group returns a few years later with a new lineup, still featuring John Kay. 1974: Bob Dylan and The Band do two shows at the Los Angeles Forum, which includes cameos by Neil Young, among others. Audience member Ringo Starr says the evening show's the best concert he's ever attended. The show is partially used for Dylan's BEFORE THE FLOOD lp. 1982: Saga sell out a 12,000 seat concert hall in Budapest as part of their tour, which featured the Munich, Germany date make it to their live lp later that year, IN TRANSIT. 1986: Honeymoon Suite releases THE BIG PRIZE. 1998: Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" sets a new record for the most radio plays in the US with 116 million plays in one week. Feb 15 1954: Keyboards master Rick Lamb of Hellfield and A Foot In Cold Water is born. 1974: Bob Dylan and The Band wrap up their current tour with two shows at the Los Angeles Forum. The show is partially used for Dylan's BEFORE THE FLOOD lp. 1975: Rush release the FLY BY NIGHT lp. 1975: Joni Mitchell hits #24 with "Big Yellow Taxi". 1989: Celebrating the release of their second album, Blue Rodeo is showcased at Soho's Borderline Club in London, England. Feb 16 1945: Glenn Gould auditions for school, tinkling the ivory at the Toronto Conservatory of Music. 1963: In a small, private ceremony, Paul Anka married Marie Ann Alison Dezogheb in Paris. 1972: Taylor Hawkins, drummer for Alanis Morrisette and Foo Fighters is born. 1977: Brad Walst, bassist for Three Days Grace is born. 1977: The Juno Awards are held in Toronto. David Steinberg is host. Feb 17 1970: Performing at London's Royal Albert Hall, Joni Mitchell announces she is retiring from live performance. She changes her mind within the year. Feb 18 1953: Robin Bachman of Brave Belt and BTO is born in Winnipeg, MB. 1956: The Diamonds break the charts for the first time, with "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" 2010: Hometown hero Alex Varughese of Sugakane and Vela fame headlines the Hearts For Haiti concert in Cold Lake, AB with his side project, Lex Justice. Feb 19 1938: Blues legend Dutch Mason is born Norman Byron Mason in Lunenburg, NS. 1946: Paul Dean, of Loverboy, Scrubbaloe Caine, and Streetheart is born in Vancouver, BC. 1965: An unwed Joni Mitchell gives birth to a daughter who is given up for adoption. 1975: Daniel Adair, drummer for 3 Doors Down and Nickelback is born in Vancouver. 1991: NIGHT RIDE HOME, Joni Mitchell's 16th album, is released. 2006: Jann Arden sings "O Canada" at the NBA's all-star game. 2008: The Trews release NO TIME FOR LATER. 2010: Wade Brown, most noted for his work with blues legend The Dutch Mason Blues Band, is found dead at the age of 63 in his Truro, NS home after years of deteriorating health. Feb 20 1941: Singer/songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie, who wrote Donovan's anti-war protest "Universal Soldier" and co-wrote the not-so-angry "Up Where We Belong," is born on the Piapot Reserve in Saskatchewan, near Craven. 1944: Lew Soloff, trumpeter for Blood Sweat & Tears is born in Toronto. 1950: Paul Cooper of The Nylons is born in Chatanooga, Tennessee. 1998: Bob McBride, vocalist for Lighthouse dies following complications from substance abuse. to top Feb 21 1976: Rush release A SHOW OF HANDS, the live video that further proves they are Gods of all Gods. 1998: Celine Dion went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with "My Heart Will Go On" the Titanic theme song and the world's best selling single of the year. 2005: Colin James and The Tragically Hipboth do a cameo on Corner Gas. 2006: Edsel Records releases a pair of early David Clayton Thomas solo albums together in one package, his self titled debut and TEQUILA. 2010: Trooper and Loverboy rock Vancouver's BC Place following the day's Olympic events. Feb 22 1958: The Alan Freed movie, "The Big Beat," which features The Diamonds, among other artists, debuts in Detroit. 1960: Conductor Percy Faith starts a 9-week run at No.1 on the US chart with "Theme From A Summer Place." 1971: Formerly called the RPM Gold Leaf Awards, the first Juneau Awards is held in St Lawrence Hall in Toronto. They were named after Pierre Juneau, the first head of the Canadian Radio-Television Commission. That name became shortened for the awards to Juno the following year. Gordon Lightfoot wins Top Male Vocalist. Anne Murray wins her first of nine for Top Female Vocalist. Guess Who win for top group, and Pierre Juneau is awarded "Music Industry Man of the Year" award. 1982: Saga are in Copenhagen, Denmark for the first of three sold out shows. They become part of the IN TRANSIT lp. Feb 23 1970: The RPM Gold Leaf Awards, the first Canadian music industry awards, are held for the first time in St Lawrence Hall in Toronto. Country singer Diane Leigh was voted Top Country Female Artist, and was the first singer to accept a Canadian music award.Andy Kim takes home the award for Top Male Vocalist. 2003: A collection of Domenic Troiano's greatest hits, including those with Mandala, Bush, Black Market and The James Gang, as well as solo material is released as part of CBS' Millenium Collection series. 2008: The Tragically Hip is the first group to perform at the new K Rock Centre in hometown Kingston, Ont. 2010: Theory of a Deadman rocks BC Place following the Olympic events of the day. Feb 24 1974: Terry Jacks tops Billboard's chart with "Seasons In The Sun." 1975: Ashley MacIsaac is born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. 2004: Chilliwack's I WANNA BE A STAR is re-released in the US. 2009: Steven Page leaves Barenaked Ladies under what's released as "mutual agreement." 2009: The Road Hammers release their second Canadian album, and third overall, ROAD HAMMERS II. 2010: INXS, featuring Canadian JD Fortune, rock BC Place in Vancouver following the day's Olympic events. 2010: Stephanie Braganza rocks The Cameron House in Toronto. Feb 25 1958: Saga's Jim Gilmour is born in Carfin, Scotland. 1971: Singer/songwriter Daniel Powter is born, who had a #2 UK single in 2005 with "Bad Day," also featured in a Coca-Cola ad campaign in Europe. 1997: The Nylons release PERFECT FIT. 2010: Burton Cummings, backed by The Carpet Frogs, headlines the day's post Olympic events fun at Vancouver\'s BC Place. ') Feb 26 1937: Hagood Hardy is born in Angola, Indiana. 2002: Alanis Morrissette releases her third chart-topping album UNDER RUG SWEPT, featuring the single "Hands Clean." 2010: Matt Minglewood plays at Century Casino in Edmonton. Feb 27 1952: The Four Lads have the #1 song on Billboard with "Cry." 1977: Keith Richards is arrested by the RCMP at Toronto's Harbour Castle Hotel for possession of heroin and cocaine. Bail was set at $25,000 (£14,705). 1994: Rush performs at The Miami Arena in Miami, FL. The show is taped and winds up on DIFFERENT STAGES. 1996: Triumph's "King Biscuit Flower Hour" performance from Cleveland, OH, 1981 is released on CD. 1999: Rush is recognized with the Order of Canada, this country's highest civic honour at a ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. 2010: Bobby Cameron performs at Edmonton's Northgate Lions Centre in a show dubbed the " Summer Now Blues Party." 2010: Saga rock Toronto's Sound Academy. Feb 28 1961: 70s French heart throb René Simard is born as Rene Claude Simard in Chicoutimi, Quebec. 1969: The Band makes its live debut at the Winterland in San Francisco. 1972: The Juno Awards are held in Toronto, at The Inn In The Park. The awards were named 'Juno' for the first time, the previous year as 'The Juneau Awards.' Gordon Lightfoot wins the Top Male Vocalist for the second straight year. 1978: David Steinberg hosts the Juno Awards for the second and last time, in Toronto. 1978: Nash The Slash makes his first live television performance since leaving FM, when he appears on "Nightmusic Concert." 1995: Jann Arden releases LIVING UNDER JUNE. 1996: TURBULENT INDIGO, Joni Mitchell's seventeenth album, wins her a grammy for Best Pop Album at the 38th annual ceremony. 2008: She's been concentrating on jazz the last six years, but Lee Aaron returns to her rock roots (other than a couple of shows in '06) when she plays Redcliff, Alberta. 2010: Neil Young performs during the closing ceremonies at the Olympics in Vancouver.