FEBRUARY 26
ON THIS DAY IN 1980, AFTER WATCHING U2’S PERFORMANCE AT DUBLIN’S NATIONAL BOXING STADIUM, ISLAND RECORDS IN THE U.K. OFFERED THE BAND A RECORDING CONTRACT. THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, ‘BOY’ WAS RELEASED LATER THAT SAME YEAR IN OCTOBER.
TODAY IN 1977 THE EAGLES WENT TO NUMBER ONE ON THE SINGLES CHART WITH “NEW KID IN TOWN,” THE GROUP’S THIRD CHART TOPPER. THE SINGLE WRITTEN BY DON HENLEY, GLENN FREY AND J.D. SOUTHER WAS RELEASED AS THE FIRST SINGLE FROM THEIR FIFTH ALBUM ‘HOTEL CALIFORNIA’.
THE 39TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS ARE HELD TODAY IN 1997, AND 27 YEARS AFTER THEIR BREAKUP, THE BEATLES ARE WINNERS. THEY TAKE HOME THREE TROPHIES FOR “FREE AS A BIRD” AND THE 11-HOUR “ANTHOLOGY” DOCUMENTARY.