Music History on February 3

"Carnaval Romain"

1844 Hector Berlioz's overture "Carnaval Romain" premieres in Paris

  • 1907 Josek Suk's "Asreal Symphony", dedicated to his late wife and father-in-law Antonin Dvořák, premieres at the Prague National Theatre, conducted by Karel Kovařovic
  • 1913 Golden and Cawthorne's musical "Sunshine Girl" premieres in New York City
  • 1919 Herbert and Blossom's musical "Velvet Lady" premieres in New York City

"Shanghai Express"

1932 "Shanghai Express" directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook and Anna Mae Wong premieres in Los Angeles

"The Victor Borge Show"

1951 "The Victor Borge Show" debuts on NBC-TV

  • 1958 Royal Teens' "Short Shorts" enters Top 40 chart & peaks at #3

The Day the Music Died

1959 "The Day the Music Died" plane crash kills musicians Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, J. P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper), and the pilot. near Clear Lake, Iowa

  • 1964 "Meet the Beatles" album goes Gold

"Purple Haze"

1967 Jimi Hendrix adds vocals and overdubs for "Purple Haze" at Olympic Studios in London; basic track had been recorded by the band in January

"Canterbury Tales"

1969 Musical adaptation of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater, NYC; runs for 121 performances

  • 1973 Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show's single "The Cover of the 'Rolling Stone'", written by Shel Silverstein, enters the top 40 and peaks at #6
  • 1974 "Pajama Game" closes at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC after 65 performances
  • 1979 "YMCA" by Village People peaks at #2 on pop singles chart

"Harrigan 'n Hart"

1985 Max Showalter and Peter Walker's musical "Harrigan 'n Hart", starring Harry Groening and Mark Hamill, closes at Longacre Theater, NYC, after 4 performances

Spector Murders Clarkson

2003 Actress Lana Clarkson is shot and killed by Phil Spector at Spector's house in Alhambra, California

  • 2019 Rapper 21 Savage arrested by US immigration for overstaying his visa