This Day in Rock & Roll History for February 9

Singer/songwriter Carole King is born. (1942)

Last month's report of the American Research Bureau cites Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" as the top-ranked daytime television program, drawing an average of 8,400,000 viewers per day. (1958)

Ruby and the Romantics' "Our Day Will Come" enters the pop chart. It hits Number One on both the pop and R&B charts next month, making it the group's biggest hit. (1963)

The Beatles make their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" drawing the largest ever U.S. television audience. It's estimated that 73 million people tuned in to watch the band peform five songs including, "I Want To Hold Your Hand." Also performing on the show is future Monkee Davy Jones as part of the cast of "Oliver." (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel's album "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Sly and the Family Stone's single "Thank You" both go gold. (1970)

The San Fernando Valley rocked and rolled as the Sylmar earthquake registered a 6.4 on the Richter scale. (1971)

Paul McCartney's new group, Wings make a suprise appearance at England's Nottingham University. The group will continue to go mobile, traveling around England in a bus and playing unannounced in clubs and halls. (1972)

Cher's TV show premiers with guests Elton John and Bette Midler. (1975)

Bill Haley dies of natural causes in Harlingen, Texas. He was one of the first white performers to play R&B and began working the roots of rock & roll in the early fifties. In 1954, he and the Comets released his most famous song, "Rock around the Clock," which did not do well commerically. Bill Haley was 56 years old. (1981)

Mick Jagger releases a solo album called "Wandering Spirit." (1993)

Paul McCartney releases a solo album, "Off The Ground." (1993)

Annie Lennox and her husband Uri Fruchtman become parents to daughter Tali. (1993)

The Simpsons became the longest-running prime-time animated series, beating the record previously held by, "The Flintstones." Over the years "The Simpsons" featured such guest stars as Aerosmith, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Peter Frampton. (1997)

"The Million Dollar Hotel," a film co-written by U2 singer Bono, opens the 50th Berlinale (Berlin Film Festival). The movie stars Mel Gibson and Milla Jovavich. (2000)

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