February 28, 1987 – Eddie Van Halen makes an appearance on Saturday Night Live, which is being hosted by his then-wife Valerie Bertinelli. He plays alongside G.E. Smith and the SNL house band for an instrumental number called “Stompin’ 8H.” Bluesman Robert Cray is the musical guest.
February 28, 1972 – George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd Harrison are injured in a car crash which almost proves fatal for Pattie. George receives stitches and is discharged from the hospital, but Pattie suffers a concussion and several broken ribs and remains hospitalized for two weeks.
20 Most Essential George Harrison Songs
Classic Rock Birthdays
February 28, 1942 – Brian Jones (born Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones), guitar (Rolling Stones) (d. 1969)
February 28, 1955 – Randy Jackson, guitar, vocals (Zebra)
February 28, 1969 – Pat Monahan, vocals (Train)
February 28, 1957 – Cindy Wilson, vocals (The B-52’s)
February 28, 1940 – Joe South (born Joseph Alfred Souter), vocals, guitar “Games People Play” (d. 2012)
February 28, 1943 – Donnie Iris (born Dominic Gerace), guitar, vocals
February 28, 1957 – Ian Stanley, keyboards (Tears For Fears)
February 28, 1952 – Eddie “Kingfish” Manion, saxophone (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Cray)
Rock Remembrances
February 28, 1985 – Uriah Heep lead singer David Byron (born David Garrick), dies in England from alcohol-related complications including liver disease and seizures. He was 38. Byron sang on ten Uriah Heep albums and sang on many hits including “Easy Livin'” before being fired in 1976 for his alcoholism.
February 28, 2008 – Mike Smith, lead singer of The Dave Clark Five, dies from pneumonia in England. He was 64. For a time, The Dave Clark Five was more popular than the Beatles. Four years prior to his death, Smith fractured his spine when he fell off a gate at his home, leaving him permanently paralyzed from the waist down with only limited use in his left arm. In 2008, just 11 days after he died, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Dave Clark Five.
February 28, 2010 – Tom “T-Bone” Wolk, who played bass for nearly 30 years with Hall & Oates, dies from a heart attack. He was 58. T-Bone also headed the Saturday Night Live house band from 1986-1992 with his Hall & Oates bandmate G.E. Smith. In addition, he had worked extensively with Carly Simon, Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Shawn Colvin and Billy Joel.
February 28, 2007 – Billy Thorpe, best known in the U.S. for his song and space opera “Children of the Sun,” dies of a heart attack at his home in Sydney. He was 60. Born in England but raised in Australia, Thorpe first had success as the leader of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs. Their singles included “Blue Day,” “Poison Ivy,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Sick and Tired” and “Mashed Potato.” A huge star in Australia, Thorpe was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.
